Peninsula: These female celebrities are all so neurotic.

Chapter 118 The Price of Greed

Liu Zimu dragged Jin Qiutian out of the corridor, turned a corner, and the shouts of the group of artists behind them gradually faded away.

Jin Qiutian was running so fast that he tripped over his own foot and fell forward.

Liu Zimu reached out and grabbed her hoodie hood, pulling her back: "Can you watch where you're going?"

"Oppa, how dare you say that to me!" Jin Qiutian stood up, fuming.

She reached out to straighten the ribbon, about to continue her accusations, but when she looked up, she shut her mouth.

At the corner of the corridor, Park Chae-young was standing against the wall.

Her golden hair was loose, her stage makeup was already done, and she was shining brightly.

Kim Jisoo was standing next to her, and the two of them were smiling and looking this way.

Kim Jisoo tilted her head, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Jin Qiutian froze for a moment, her eyes instantly reddening. She shook off Liu Zimu's hand and rushed towards Park Chaeyoung: "Unnie~~~"

She crashed into Park Chaeyoung's arms, wrapped her arms around her waist, buried her face in her chest, and refused to look up.

Tai She just died, but thankfully Song Yuqi and Zheng Yilin shared some of the damage.

Park Chaeyoung was knocked back half a step, her back against the wall. She looked down at the fluffy head in her arms and patted the back of Kim Qiu-tian's head.

"What's wrong?"

Her voice was soft and limp, tinged with laughter.

"Unnie! That was so embarrassing!" Kim Qiu-tian's voice was a little muffled. "You have no idea how embarrassing it was when all those seniors called me Qiu-tian-senpai. I wanted to disappear into the ground."

Kim Ji-soo smiled and glanced at Kim Qiu-tian, then turned to look at Liu Zi-mu, who was standing two steps away.

"Where did you all come from? In such a hurry?"

Liu Zimu stood with his hands in his pockets, not even panting.

He first glanced at Kim Qiu-tian and Park Chae-young, who were hugging each other, then turned his gaze back to Kim Ji-soo's face.

"When I came over, I was blocked by Apink. Park Chorong made me dance in the hallway."

Jisoo raised an eyebrow, and a wide, amused smile slowly spread across her face: "You jumped?"

"We jumped! I pulled this girl, Song Yuqi, and Zheng Yilin to jump with us. If we didn't jump, those APINK guys wouldn't let us go, but we won."

Kim Jisoo burst into laughter, then suddenly stopped, glancing at Park Chaeyoung: "Oh! Yuqi and Jung Yerin are here too."

What happened? I should have gone to see what was going on. But my manager wouldn't let me, sigh!

They are still in a sensitive period.

Park Chaeyoung, still holding Kim Qiu-tian in her arms, looked up at Liu Zi-mu over Kim Qiu-tian's head upon hearing this: "Oppa, what were you guys dancing in the hallway just now?"

"NoNoNo".

Park Chaeyoung's lips twitched, then she burst out laughing, making Kim Cheonju sway in her arms.

"What are you laughing at?" Liu Zimu looked at her speechlessly.

"I wasn't laughing at anything." Park Chaeyoung tried to suppress her smile, but her grin was even harder to hide than an AK. "Chorong sunbaenim must be laughing her head off, right?"

Jin Qiutian lifted her head from her embrace and stood to the side: "Unnie, you don't know, Oppa's dancing was even funnier than before. Park Chorong was laughing so hard she was squatting on the ground. She was so embarrassed. But we were really, really embarrassed."

"Autumn, look how much everyone loves you." Kim Jisoo leaned against the wall, a smile on her lips. "Because you and your oppa are so genuine, you live much better lives than us."

Jin Qiutian glanced at Jin Zhixiu but didn't say anything.

Jisoo clapped her hands: "Don't stand here, let's go to the waiting room. Otherwise, everyone will start staring again. You two are rarer backstage than the celebrities."

Jin Qiutian followed, and Park Chaeyoung waited a couple of steps before walking with Liu Zimu.

She glanced at him sideways and lowered her voice, "Oppa, you just came from Red Velvet's waiting room?"

Liu Zimu didn't answer, but nodded.

Park Chae-young snorted.

Once inside, Lisa was playing on her phone. Seeing Jin Qiutian enter, she smiled and called out, "Qiutian!"

In the golden autumn, she quickly began to perform the proper etiquette; the little girl is quite knowledgeable about manners.

Liu Zimu stood at the entrance of the waiting room, without going inside.

He glanced around at everyone in the room, his gaze lingering on Jennie Kim for a moment before shifting away.

She's probably the most dangerous person in this house.

The waiting room suddenly fell silent for a few seconds.

They were all busy preparing for the stage. They had only gone out because they heard a commotion outside, but their manager called them back.

Before they even got back to the waiting room, they spotted the two fugitives.

Jin Zhenni was putting on makeup when she suddenly sat up straight, placed her phone face down on her lap, and looked up at Liu Zimu: "President-nim."

Liu Zimu turned to look at her.

Jennie's expression remained unchanged, and her tone was indifferent: "You clearly have a foundation in dancing. Were you just faking it when you danced with us last time?"

The air in the waiting room became quiet again.

Lisa turned her head with a grin and looked over here, waiting to see what would happen.

Jin Qiutian huddled on a small stool, her mouth tightly shut.

Park Chaeyoung didn't react much, still propping her chin up as she looked at Liu Zimu, the smile on her lips still there.

Liu Zimu looked at Jin Zhenni, and Jin Zhenni looked at him too.

"I didn't install it. If you know how, you will; if you don't, you won't."

Jennie stared at him for two seconds, snorted, and continued to let the makeup artist finish her makeup and styling.

I don't know whether I believed it or not.

Lisa chuckled, loosened her ankles, stood up, walked to Jin Qiutian, bent down, and pulled him up from the bench.

"Autumn, come with me to the restroom."

Jin Qiutian was pulled up by her, stumbled a step, and looked back at Liu Zimu.

Liu Zimu nodded at her.

Jin Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and followed Lisa outside.

As I reached the door, I glanced back and silently mouthed: You look like you're in trouble again.

The door closed.

Rosé came to his side and leaned against the wall as well: "Oppa, did you see Joohyun unnie in the Red Velvet waiting room just now?"

Liu Zimu turned to look at her; the two were very close. "We've met."

"Did she say anything to you?" Park Chae-young tapped her fingers on the wall.

Liu Zimu looked at her but did not answer.

Park Chaeyoung stared at him for two seconds, then smiled: "I know even if you don't say it."

Kim Jisoo turned around in front of the mirror, still holding her lipstick, glanced at Park Chaeyoung, and then at Liu Zimu.

"Can you two stop playing games?" Kim Jisoo screwed the cap back on her lipstick. "Just say what you want to say. You're making me feel really uncomfortable."

Jin Zhenni raised her eyelids again, gave Liu Zimu a cold look, and suddenly said, "If you can't bring happiness to others, then don't provoke them."

Liu Zimu paused, glanced at Park Chaeyoung, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, and smiled: "I'll go find Qiutian, don't let her get lost."

He turned to leave; some people here didn't welcome him, so he might as well leave.

"Oppa." Park Chaeyoung's voice came from behind.

He stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"Where will you sit during the performance?"

Liu Zimu opened the door to the waiting room and glanced back at her: "Third row inside."

Park Chaeyoung gave a bitter smile: "Oppa, I'll still look that way."

Liu Zimu closed the door.

The waiting room was silent for a second.

Kim Jisoo looked at the closed door, then turned to Park Chaeyoung: "Chaeyoung, can you please not be so obvious?"

Park Chaeyoung walked to the mirror, looked at her reflection, and reached out to brush her bangs to one side: "Is it obvious? I think..."

It's alright.

Then she came to Jennie's side, just looked at her, and didn't say anything.

Jennie sat up straight and looked at Rosé's face: "Rosé, I didn't say anything wrong!"

Rosé leaned against the dressing table, looking down at Jennie: "Unnie, were you nervous during your solo performance?"

Jennie frowned: "Why are you changing the subject? Just say what you have to say."

"I'm not changing the subject." Park Chaeyoung tilted her head, her blonde hair slipping down her shoulder. "Because I'm very nervous right now, and that's my answer."

Jisoo glanced at the two of them, then pulled Rosé aside and whispered in her ear, "You're really crazy!"

The makeup artist glanced at the agent, who shook his head.

She guessed what it was, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Liu Zimu and Jin Qiutian came out from backstage and returned to their seats.

Jin Qiutian was completely bewitched. She slumped in her seat, covering her burning and excited face with her hands.

"Oppa, I'm doomed." Her voice was a little excited and a little dazed. "Several seniors called me Qiu Tian senior just now, and I didn't know how to respond."

Liu Zimu didn't look at her.

He leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the stage lights on the side.

Actually, Jennie Kim is right.

If you can't bring happiness to others, then don't provoke them.

It doesn't matter who provoked whom anymore; what matters is how to resolve the situation.

Before he could think any further, the SBS logo flashed on the big screen.

The cheering sticks in the audience below lit up, a mix of pink, blue, and red.

"Oppa?" Jin Qiutian lowered her hand and turned her head to look at him.

Liu Zimu snapped out of his daze and hummed in response.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I wasn't thinking about anything." He turned his gaze back to the dark mass of people in front of him.

Jin Qiu stared at him for two seconds, but didn't ask any further questions.

Anyway, he's been spending more and more time spacing out lately.

She handed the light sticks belonging to Bae Joo-hyun's group to Liu Zimu, and then took out the remaining light sticks from the pocket that Lee Jin-hee had given her to check their batteries.

There were Bae Joo-hyun and her friends, Park Chae-young and her friends, Kim So-jung and her friends...

She's so devoted!

The lights suddenly dimmed, and a commotion broke out on the stage.

The venue was filled with high-energy electronic music, the drumbeats pounding in your chest, making your blood boil.

Dancers started dancing, and then groups of dancers began to appear one by one.

When BTS's name was mentioned, the entire venue erupted.

BTS, the hottest group of 2018, arguably without a doubt.

As expected of a boy group, their fan base is definitely more solid than that of girl groups.

Screams surged from all directions, one wave higher than the next.

Jin Qiutian, no longer able to speak, grabbed his arm and shouted, "It's starting! It's starting!"

Raise your light stick high and sway it to the rhythm.

Lee Jin-hee recognized him too, and whispered in his ear, "It's BTS!"

Jin Qiutian shouted until his voice cracked, but Liu Zimu didn't respond.

His gaze was fixed on the stage, but his mind was still filled with the image of Bae Joo-hyun saying that he was clearly attracted to her, and the words that Kim Jennie had just said.

He picked at the hangnail on his finger and tugged at it!

pain.

It hasn't been long since he transmigrated, but Choi Sulli has already become the most important person in his heart.

It wasn't just because she was his girlfriend, but also because she truly was his kind, bearing the shadow and aura of his past life.

Every morning when I open my eyes, the first thing I see is her face, and every night when I close my eyes, the last thing I see is her face.

She had no pretense or reservations in front of him.

When they're crazy, they're truly crazy; when they cry, they truly cry; when they're vulnerable, they never hide it; and when they're happy, they're truly happy.

She said she was the person who understood him best in the world.

She said he was hers.

This crazy woman has staked everything on him, leaving herself no way out and leaving nothing for him either.

So what about himself? Apart from the system, which he hadn't told her yet, she knew everything else.

I should have only loved her.

But..

The second group to appear on stage was Red Velvet.

Bae Joo-hyun led her four younger sisters out. She was wearing a black top that exposed her shoulders. After standing still, her eyes began to dart around.

Liu Zimu stared blankly at that face.

In his past life, he remembered this woman as aloof and cold, but now her eyes were burning hot and held a hint of madness.

She stood in the practice room, grabbed his collar, and tiptoed to give him her first kiss, with a spirit of defiance.

She split into two people in front of him.

Bae Joo-hyun is usually aloof, but sometimes gentle, and seems harmless.

She couldn't help but turn into a yandere in front of him, going so far as to lose control of herself.

She said: I just can't help it, my mind just goes out of control every time I see you.

She said: I'm not like that, really, I wasn't like that.

Her eyes were red and her voice was trembling as she said these words.

Then she cried like a child.

When did her image suddenly appear in my heart?

The third group to appear was BLACKPINK, all four of them dressed in black.

Because of the Lee Seung-ri scandal, their appearance order changed to third.

Park Chae-young, wearing a short skirt, was also searching in the crowd.

He knew she was looking for him!

That spirited young woman.

With blond hair and a smile that reveals two rows of bright white teeth, he is as flamboyant as a ball of fire on stage.

She was squatting at the entrance of the coffee shop when he picked her up and took her home.

Because of the dog system, she inexplicably kissed herself, and then bit her.

She sang: Even if he's a womanizer, she absolutely cannot change her mind.

She sang this song with great seriousness, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders, her entire being radiating the message: "Willingly."

Bae Joo-hyun saw her, and Park Chae-young saw him too, and then they both smiled.

Because of the ten people's glowing hoodies, and because Jin Qiutian was jumping around him, shouting loudly.

From Joohyun unnie to Chaeyoung unnie, the voices are very loud.

The two people on the stage heard it and saw it.

Park Chaeyoung smiled and waved in their direction, while Kim Qiu-ti shouted even louder.

But Liu Zimu didn't move. He just sat there, expressionless, looking at the people on the field, somewhat dazed.

Liu Zimu took a deep breath, his mind in turmoil.

He took out his phone, stared blankly at the screen, his finger hovering over the lock screen without swiping it open.

The screensaver is a photo of Choi Sulli and him, taken in a coffee shop.

She insisted that he set it as his screensaver, saying that way he could see her every time he checked his phone.

He stared at the face on his phone for a very long time, until several teams had already appeared on stage.

Lock the screen and put the phone back in your pocket.

He looked up again and saw more and more artists appearing on the stage.

Beside him, Jin Qiutian, Jiang Zhiyun, and several other young girls were jumping and shouting excitedly, cheering him on.

He sat there, looking so out of place.

The smiles on Bae Joo-hyun and Park Chae-young's faces had disappeared at some point.

They were both looking at the man.

Although the view was somewhat obstructed by the presence of more artists on stage, making it difficult to see clearly.

But they knew that something seemed off about him.

Jin Qiutian suddenly leaned closer, lowered her head, and whispered, "Oppa, aren't you going to watch?"

"What are you looking at?"

"TWICE, the seniors are out." Kim Chul-gu's eyes were still glued to the stage. "Nayeon sunbaenim looked this way just now, I wonder if she was looking at us?"

Liu Zimu took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, put his hands in his pockets, and looked indifferent, as if he were waiting for a bus: "I don't know what you're thinking. With so many people around, how did she know we were here?"

Jin Qiu snorted and turned back to watch her idol on stage.

I dream that one day I will stand on the stage like them.

The host appears.

Jun Hyun-moo and Jo Bo-ah started talking.

Jin Qiutian sat back down and nudged Liu Zimu with her elbow: "Oppa, Joo Hyun unnie looked at you again just now."

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to say hello to her?"

"I hit him, out of the corner of my eye." Liu Zimu's expression didn't change when he said this.

Jin Qiutian opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

After a while, she nudged Liu Zimu with her elbow again, this time with more force: "Oppa, Chaeyoung unnie is also looking for you."

"I'm not blind."

"Then why didn't you look back?"

Liu Zimu finally raised his head.

He glanced at Park Chaeyoung, then at Bae Joo-hyun, and his expression remained indifferent.

Jin Qiu let out a wail and shrank back into her seat: "Oppa, you're hopeless."

Liu Zimu ignored her.

He leaned back in his chair, his mind gradually becoming a jumbled mess.

Am I being greedy?

It wasn't like this at first.

At first, he was just a coffee shop owner with a system and money. He wanted to live a good life and only thought about protecting Choi Sulli.

Let her get what she wants, and let her live a different life.

I'll go crazy with her, make a fuss with her, and let her do whatever she wants. That's all.

But where did Bae Joo-hyun come from? She lingered in his heart.

It was probably that day in the practice room when she hugged me, crying, and kissed me.

What about Park Chae-young? Probably that night, she ran to the store crying and saying she was scared, expressing her grievances.

Did he do anything? It seems like he didn't do anything.

But two blurry figures had already appeared there, and there was no going back.

He tilted his head back, looking at the flashing lights, and gradually became lost in thought.

The programs went by one by one.

Every time a boy group comes out, Jin Qiutian jumps up from his seat, standing on tiptoe, raising his light stick above his head, and I wonder if he'll lose his voice from shouting.

"Oppa! It's NCT! Look!" She tugged at Liu Zimu's sleeve and shook it.

Liu Zimu remained motionless, leaning back in his chair and gripping his phone tightly.

Jin Qiu shook him several times, but when he didn't react, she snorted and turned back to continue shouting.

She called out a few times, then turned around and whispered in his ear, "Oppa, you're really acting strange today. You weren't even moved when the adorable Jung Eun-bi and the others were dancing?"

"Yes, I saw it."

"Is that what you call looking? That's called spacing out." Jin Qiutian stared at his face for two seconds, then didn't ask any more questions.

She really doesn't understand.

When another boy band came out, she started again, shouting wildly and happily with several female employees.

During the halftime VCR, Jin Qiutian slumped back into his seat, looking completely drained.

"Oppa, when do you think Joo-hyun unnie and Chae-young unnie will come out? If I were standing up there, I'd be so nervous I wouldn't know what to do with my hands."

Liu Zimu glanced at her but didn't reply.

This girl is someone I care about; she's practically my only family in this world.

I now have the ability to protect her, to make her no longer the invisible person she was in her previous life, to let her shine on stage and become the beloved senior Qiu Tian.

Jin Qiu stared at his profile for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Oppa, what's wrong? You seem unhappy."

Liu Zimu rubbed her sweaty head and smiled, "That's just how I am. I didn't like to talk before either, you should know that, right?"

"You do look a bit like you used to, but how come you were so shameless when you went dancing with me?"

"What?" Jin Qiutian seemed to be deep in thought.

Liu Zimu flicked her head: "Isn't it all because of you!"

Jin Qiutian pursed her lips and didn't say anything. She just felt something was off about him today; he seemed preoccupied, with something very heavy on his mind.

When the lights dimmed again, it wasn't the kind of dimming you get during a scene change; it was a deep blue color specifically adjusted for the stage effect.

The Earth on the stage began to rotate, revealing six white figures.

As the intro began, Jin Qiutian paused for a moment, then gasped: "This is... SES's 'Dreams Comedy'!"

True! Wow, amazing!

She jumped up again.

The six people on stage stood in two rows, all dressed in pure white stage costumes, looking like six white flowers floating on the water under the lights.

Bae Joo-hyun stood in the middle of the first row, wearing a white top and shorts, revealing her legs.

Also dancing were TWICE's Momo, Son Chaeyoung, and Chou Tzuyu, while Bae Joo-hyun was joined by Kang Seul-gi and Park Soo-young on her other side.

Jin Qiutian stopped shouting, staring intently at the stage, muttering, "Daaaa... what an amazing collaboration stage! Joo-hyun unnie is so beautiful, absolutely stunning!"

Liu Zimu was also watching.

Bae Joo-hyun's expression was even colder and more aloof than before, the kind of coldness that made it impossible to look away.

They were already dancing, like six flowers blooming at the same time.

Bae Joo-hyun moved to the center position and was the first to sing, performing very earnestly.

Liu Zimu stared at her, his eyes somewhat dazed.

She is really beautiful.

She was so beautiful she seemed unreal, so beautiful that the taut string in his heart suddenly relaxed, only to suddenly tighten even more.

And so it goes!

At this moment, she doesn't look like a yandere at all; she's practically a goddess.

She stood on the stage, a long distance from the audience, dressed in white, yet she seemed to grow ever more distant, suddenly appearing like someone completely unrelated to him.

Bae Joo-hyun's gaze drifted in their direction.

It wasn't the quick glance like before; it was a genuine tilt of the head, the gaze landing on the direction of the third row, pausing for a moment.

Liu Zimu's eyes met hers.

Even with so many people, so many glow sticks, and so many screams, he could still feel that gaze on his face, like a needle.

She didn't smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched upwards, and her eyes blinked, a beat slower than usual.

The light shone down on her head, enveloping her in a white glow.

Jin Qiutian was waving her light stick wildly and shouting frantically.

Lee Jin-hee shouted, "Completely amazing!" Park Min-young behind her had her mouth agape in an "O" shape.

Not to mention the male fans.

This is a collaboration stage between Red Velvet and Twice!

Male fans from both sides, along with many female fans, screamed and cheered, as if trying to outdo each other.

Liu Zimu remained still, simply watching quietly.

Liu Zhenghua suddenly stepped forward and said, "Brother! You're amazing, you ate so well!"

Liu Zimu glanced at him but didn't say anything.

As the music ended, the entire venue went dark, and the silhouettes of the six people remained frozen in the darkness for a few seconds.

When the lights came back on, screams erupted. The six people had already started to leave the stage, and a different performance took place.

Golden autumn was still savoring the moment, and he kept muttering, "Great fortune! Great fortune!"

'

Liu Zimu suddenly stood up and looked around; all he saw were excited fans.

Jin Qiutian froze for a moment, almost throwing the Red Velvet lightstick in her hand: "Oppa? What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving now." He quickly took the scarf off the back of the chair and wrapped it around his neck.

"You're leaving already? There's still the unnies and the others performing!"

Li Zhenxi, Liu Zhenghua, and all the other employees in the coffee shop looked at him, their eyes full of doubt.

"I've seen them perform on stage. Maybe next time. I'd like to go for a drink." He zipped his down jacket all the way up and tucked his chin into the collar.

In the golden autumn, they all suddenly fell silent, with only the performers on stage performing earnestly.

Jin Qiutian was about to say something when Jin Minghao stopped her and she shook her head.

She stared at him for two seconds, then didn't ask any more questions. Suddenly, she said softly, "Oppa! Be careful on your way home."

Liu Zimu turned and walked out.

The aisle between the seats was narrow. He squeezed sideways between two standing audience members, and I don't know whose foot I stepped on. I apologized, but I didn't hear what the other person said.

"Zi Mu seems to have something on his mind, let him go first," Jin Minghao suddenly said.

Liu Zimu walked to the end of the corridor and looked back.

The performers on stage changed again, and the lights kept switching back and forth.

Jin Qiutian was still standing in front of her seat, but her gaze was still on him. There was a senior she liked on the stage, but she was looking at him with a face full of worry.

Only after Liu Zimu disappeared did she turn her head back onto the stage, her ponytail swaying in the lights.

Liu Zimu withdrew his gaze, leaving behind only his back.

He had seen this song battle in his previous life, though it was online.

The corridor was much quieter than the audience area, and the cold wind that hit him made him squint.

He pulled his scarf down a bit and took out his phone.

Sulli did not send a message.

She had a schedule tonight, otherwise she was planning to come along.

He put his phone back in his pocket and walked towards the exit.

Footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, one after another, overlapping with the rhythm of his heartbeat.

The woman on stage just now was dressed in all white.

She was so beautiful, so beautiful it made me feel dizzy, so beautiful she seemed like a ray of light.

Another woman, dressed in all black, didn't go on stage, but seemed to smile and wave at him.

His heart grew heavier and heavier!

He realized he had indeed been having greedy thoughts, but he didn't know if it was right or wrong.

When Bae Joo-hyun kissed him, he didn't push her away immediately because he was also infatuated with her.

When Park Chae-young hugged him, he also enjoyed it and didn't seriously tell her that this was wrong.

So much has happened in just two months since I traveled to the peninsula. What will happen in the future?

He didn't realize that his heart was in turmoil.

Even though the system is causing trouble, aren't you also craving all of this?

Hey!

But what about the truth?

Without further delay or hesitation, he pushed through the crowd and headed towards the exit.

(P.S.: There's a bonus chapter with a collaboration stage with Rabbit Hair; check it out if you're interested.)

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