Peninsula: My e-sports dream shattered, I chose to become an actor.

On June 1, SBS and the production team of "The Heirs" officially announced a brief but significant piece of news through official channels: newcomer actor Lee Myung-yeop will play the role of Choi Young-do, the heir to the Zeus Hotel, in the drama.

This news was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

"Li Mingye? Is that the male lead from OLENSG?!"

"What's going on? Why are JYP's film and television resources so amazing? Are they going to push newcomers to the brink of oblivion?"

"Wow, his debut role is the second male lead in writer Kim Eun-sook's novel? That's an amazing starting point! Does he have a powerful backer?"

"Although we don't know how the plot will go yet, this face really matches the name of the drama perfectly kkkk"

"Although he's a newcomer, his performance in GG is amazing! Looking forward to it!"

Of course, where there is praise, there is also criticism.

"Just a few days ago, the marketing was everywhere, and now he's immediately joining the cast of such a big production as the second male lead. Is this rich kid here to experience life in the entertainment industry?"

"Am I the only one who thinks it's risky for a complete newcomer to play the second male lead in a big IP? What if his acting is terrible, the whole show will be dragged down?"

Looking at the comments online—some expressing surprise, some anticipation, some bitterness, and some pessimism—Li Mingye sat comfortably in his car, feeling quite cheerful.

He'll like comments praising him, but he'll just scroll past those that insult him without reason, prioritizing avoiding internal conflict.

I had just liked a post from a netizen who said he was handsome when I heard a soft knocking sound outside the car window.

Li Mingye turned his head and, through the tinted car window, saw Zhou Ziyu standing timidly by the car. She was wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her hands twisting the hem of her shirt, her eyes somewhat unfocused, as if she was hesitating whether to knock a second time.

She seemed to have put on some light makeup today, but her technique was really worrying. The eyeshadow was blended rather stiffly, making her look less pure and lovely than when she was without makeup, instead exuding a kind of clumsy cuteness.

Li Mingye quickly opened the passenger door and welcomed Zhou Ziyu in.

He didn't have much to do today, so he arrived forty minutes early and played on his phone in the car for a while. He was surprised that Tzuyu also arrived half an hour early; otherwise, he would definitely have been waiting outside.

"Why are you here so early?" Li Mingye broke the silence first, and helped her fasten her seatbelt.

"Nothing much, so I came early." Zhou Ziyu sat in the passenger seat, her body slightly stiff, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, but she would occasionally steal a glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

"It seems like nothing has changed." She thought to herself, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly as she let out a long breath.

These past few days, she's been feeling very anxious, afraid that Li Mingye's attitude towards her might change.

The impact of Li Mingye's dazzling performance on GG that day was extremely strong, coupled with the overwhelming praise online, making her feel as if she and Li Mingye had instantly become people from two different worlds. One was a star about to shine, while the other was still an unknown trainee.

She has made a few friends in the JYP trainee dorm, but they are no match for Lee Myung-yeop, who was the one who gave her warmth when she was most vulnerable and homesick.

Her reason told her that Li Mingye was definitely not the kind of snob who looked down on people after becoming famous, but her sensitive and introverted personality made her unable to help but think in the worst possible way, fearing that this newly established friendship would shatter like a bubble.

However, the moment she saw him in person today, she felt much more at ease.

His eyes were still so warm, and his tone was still so gentle. In fact, because we hadn't seen each other for a while, it made us want to get even closer to him.

"Did your teacher give you a hard time when you asked for leave?" Li Mingye asked casually as he slowly drove the car out of the parking space.

"No," Chou Tzu-yu shook her head cutely, her ponytail swaying gently with the movement. "The teacher approved it very readily and even said that I've improved a lot recently."

As she finished speaking, her tone rose slightly, like a kitten seeking praise, seemingly showing off her progress in front of him.

Li Mingye smiled and nodded, saying with a fatherly sense of satisfaction, "Our Tzuyu is really amazing."

Actually, he had spoken to their teacher privately, asking her to take good care of this girl from a foreign country, otherwise he was really worried about this girl who could only speak Korean haltingly.

Although he was young, he felt like he was living the life of raising a daughter, but Li Mingye enjoyed the feeling of being needed.

Although I sometimes worry and fret, seeing her become more and more confident and smiling more often gives me a lot of positive feedback.

Chou Tzu-yu's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter, all her nervousness vanished, and her heart was filled with joy.

After driving for more than ten minutes, they stopped next to a restaurant.

Li Mingye put on his hat, mask, and sunglasses, fully armed, and led Zhou Ziyu into the restaurant.

The situation is different now. He has to start disguising himself when he goes out, otherwise he risks causing a commotion, let alone having dinner with a female trainee. He'll be providing material for Dispatch as soon as he becomes famous.

It's not that his fans are truly everywhere—not many people fall in love with him after watching a less than one-minute clip—but a huge number of people remember his face. The visual impact he creates is more effective than any written advertising.

After sitting down in the private room and ordering their food, the atmosphere between the two became more relaxed and pleasant.

"What does it feel like to become famous?" Chou Tzu-yu asked, resting her chin on her hand and looking at him curiously.

"I don't feel anything," Li Mingye shrugged, his tone relaxed. "These things are all so vague, you can't see them or touch them. It would be more real if Ziyu praised me a bit more."

"Those netizens are just following the trend. When you debut and become a big star, Tzuyu, they will definitely praise you in the same way, maybe even more effusively."

"Really?" Chou Tzu-yu blinked, somewhat incredulous.

"Of course it's true, our Tzuyu is destined to become a top idol."

"..."

Seeing Chou Tzu-yu laughing non-stop like an embryo after being coaxed, Lee Ming-ye's eyes also crinkled with laughter.

He had actually considered whether pampering Chou Tzu-yu too much might have negative consequences, such as causing her to feel disappointed later.

But then he convinced himself: Tzuyu is currently at a time when she lacks confidence and needs affirmation the most, so he should give her strong, unconditional psychological support. Once her self-confidence is fully built up, he will then transform into a strict father... no, a strict teacher to spur her on.

"Oh my god!"

As we were chatting, the door to the private room was pushed open, and the waitress who came to serve the food let out a small gasp.

Li Mingye turned his head and saw the look of amazement in her eyes.

The waitress quickly calmed down, her professionalism allowing her to return to normal and efficiently arrange the dishes.

This restaurant has good food and is quite private. Many celebrities frequent it, and she has seen quite a few stars there.

But this guy has been generating so much buzz these past few days. First, his relationship with GG caused a sensation, then his previous magazine shoots were dug up by netizens and flooded the internet, and this afternoon he even made a surprise appearance on writer Kim Eun-sook's drama set, where she just liked his handsome photo.

Moreover, his appearance in person is just as good as online, and even more so with the added realism and charisma, making him even more striking. Many celebrities would "die in real life" without the aid of Photoshop and filters, but he's even more handsome in person; the superior bone structure he possesses is something the camera can't fully capture.

Thinking of this, the waiter glanced at the car again and couldn't help but ask for an autograph.

Li Mingye gladly signed his name for her. The waiter carefully put away the signature, his face beaming with joy. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke:

"Mingye-xi, don't let people online influence you. I think you're way more handsome than Lee Min-ho! Really!"

Li Mingye paused upon hearing her sudden disparaging remark, but did not reply. He simply nodded politely to express his gratitude.

Lee Min-ho had already been cast as the male lead Kim Tan in "The Heirs," and Lee Min-ho is currently a very popular actor in South Korea, with his popularity and fame soaring and a large fan base.

After his casting announcement was released today, many fans and casual viewers compared him to Lee Min-ho, saying that apart from fame, he completely surpasses Lee Min-ho in terms of looks and temperament, and that he will definitely outshine the male lead in "The Heirs".

This infuriated Lee Min-ho's fans, who posted numerous messages criticizing him for being shameless, trying to gain attention by associating himself with the moon landing, and resorting to any means necessary for publicity and marketing.

Those troublemakers started the fight and then ran away, leaving him alone to be scolded.

Zhou Ziyu glanced furtively at Li Mingye, seemingly observing whether he was upset by what she had just said. After confirming he was in a good mood, she seemed to have made up her mind and spoke resolutely:

"I also think you're much more handsome than Lee Min-ho."

Li Mingye chuckled and ruffled Zhou Ziyu's hair.