Peninsula: The Best Actor Starts from an Idol Battleground

Chapter 101 Yoona: It's romantic~

After leaving the hotel, the two headed straight for the dock on the Danube River.

The pier is on the Pest side, not far from the Elizabeth Bridge, and there are already quite a few tourists waiting to board the boats along the riverbank.

It was already dark by then. The lights of the Watts Street area could be seen on the other side of the road. The river breeze blew across the water, and even the dock underfoot swayed gently with the current.

Yoona had bought the tickets in advance, and the two went directly to the ticket gate. The staff greeted them with a welcome message in accented English and then directed them to board a double-decker cruise ship.

The lower level is an indoor area, where many tourists sat by the window. Half of the wall is glass, and you can see the river outside through the window.

The lower level was heated, and waiters carried drinks between the seats, while a violin played in the corner.

Lin Yoona did not linger there, but led Li Zhixing through the seating area and headed straight for the second-floor open-air deck.

Once he got up there, Li Zhixing realized that quite a few people were already standing near the fence.

The river wind was much colder than down below, and as soon as it came up, it made the corners of people's clothes flutter slightly.

Tourists on both sides of the deck leaned against the railing in twos and threes. Some had already raised their cameras to aim at the banks, while others chatted and laughed in hushed tones, waiting for the cruise ship to set sail.

Lin Yoona glanced at it, her eyes lit up, and she pulled Li Zhixing to the last spot near the railing.

Li Zhixing looked around. The Danube River was dark, with only scattered lights on both banks, and it didn't look special at all.

Li Zhixing was somewhat puzzled: "This doesn't seem like there's anything interesting to see."

Yoona said, "Wait a little longer, it's not time yet."

Li Zhixing glanced at her.

Yoona was clearly keeping everyone in suspense; her eyes crinkled into crescents, and she couldn't hide the smugness under her hat.

Soon, the cruise ship slowly started moving, leaving the dock, its bow cutting through the dark river surface, and heading north.

The tourists and lights on the shore were gradually left behind, and the night wind grew colder.

Suddenly, lights on both banks of the river came on one by one.

A gasp of surprise rang out on the deck.

Immediately afterwards, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, not far away, also underwent changes.

Golden lights illuminated the bridge section by section, iron chains spanned the river, stone lions stood guard at both ends, and the water beneath the bridge shimmered with tiny sparkles.

As the cruise ship drew closer, the shadow of the bridge fell upon it.

Li Zhixing subconsciously looked up.

They had just filmed on the Széchenyi Chain Bridge during the day.

I never expected it to be so beautiful when the lights are on at night.

Seeing Li Zhixing's expression, Yoona smiled smugly.

"There's something even more amazing coming up later."

After crossing the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

The night view, which had been blocked by the bridge and the corner, was now fully revealed.

Soon, the Hungarian Parliament Building gradually came into view.

Golden lights illuminated the entire building, with spires, arched windows, and towers unfolding layer by layer, making the Gothic architecture almost dazzling in the night.

The reflection falls on the Danube, scattered by the ripples stirred up by the cruise ship, and then slowly spreads across the water, filling the entire river with shimmering golden light.

Suddenly, there were more gasps of surprise on the deck.

Many people took out their phones and cameras to take pictures, the sound of shutters and murmurs of admiration mingling in the wind.

Lin Yoona also took out a camera from her bag and handed it to Li Zhixing.

She took off her hat, smoothed her long hair that had been blown about by the wind, leaned slightly towards the Capitol Building, and smiled at the camera.

When Li Zhixing raised his camera, he seemed somewhat dazed.

It's unclear whether the focus should be on Chong'er or on the Capitol Building behind her.

The shutter clicked once.

In the photo, the golden lights of the Capitol Building spread out behind her, and the reflection on the river also falls into the frame.

She stood by the deck railing, her hair slightly disheveled by the night breeze, the lights behind her making her even more dazzling.

Yoona leaned over to take a look, then nodded in satisfaction.

"not bad."

She continued, "It just seems like something's missing."

Li Zhixing paused for a moment, then looked at the photo as well.

"What's still missing?"

Yoona gave him a mischievous look.

"Of course, Oppa is missing."

"This beautiful Capitol Building, combined with the two of our faces, makes it perfect."

Li Zhixing looked at Lin Yoona and was speechless for a moment.

"Sometimes, I really think you're pretty shameless."

Yoona rolled her eyes at him.

"I learned it all from Oppa."

Li Zhixing was puzzled.

"What does this have to do with me?"

Lim Yoona didn't answer, but instead pulled the reluctant Lee Ji-haeng to take a new photo of the two of them together.

Just as I was taking photos, the cruise ship slowly passed in front of the Capitol Building.

The river breeze ruffled Yoona's hair, and she leaned closer to Lee Ji-haeng, her smile appearing remarkably natural.

After the photo was taken, Li Zhixing quickly put the hat back on her head.

"Yoona, tone it down a bit."

"What if I run into one of your fans?"

The cruise ship continued forward, passing under the Margit Bridge, the sound of the water echoing softly in the archway. As it moved further out, the lights on both banks were no longer as dense as before.

Yoona, however, remained in high spirits.

She took many photos along the way and also took quite a few photos with Li Zhixing.

The further north you drive, the fewer classical buildings on both sides of the river are illuminated by golden lights, replaced by apartment buildings and tree shadows.

As November approached, gusts of night wind blew across the river, and the chill on the deck grew increasingly noticeable.

After another gust of wind blew by, Lim Yoona finally couldn't help but shiver.

Just as Li Zhixing was about to say something, he noticed the ship slowly turning.

"Is it almost over? It looks like they're already heading back?"

Yoona smiled and said, "It's still early, there's still more than an hour."

"what?"

Li Zhixing was somewhat surprised.

"Why is it taking so long? Are you planning to travel all over Budapest?"

Yoona said with a smile, "I bought the longest route, which will take me across all nine bridges over the Danube."

Li Zhixing was both amused and exasperated.

"Is this necessary?"

Yoona nodded seriously.

"Of course!"

After saying that, she sniffed again, blinked, and looked at Li Zhixing with a pitiful expression.

"Oppa, it's cold."

Helpless, Li Zhixing unzipped his jacket and prepared to take it off for her.

Unexpectedly, Yoona's eyes crinkled into a smile, and as he opened his coat, she snuggled up to him, saying, "Let's wear it together, then neither of us will be cold."

"Oh, it's Im Yoon-a."

Li Zhixing glared at her, gently pushed her away, and then tossed her his coat.

"Stop trying to take advantage of me, go back downstairs and sit inside for a while."

After saying that, he went downstairs first.

Yoona stayed behind, wrinkling her nose as she put on her coat.

"Hmph, so clueless about romance."

Return to the lower floor interior.

It's noticeably warmer inside than outside.

The two found a corner and sat down.

Yoona flipped through the photos she had just taken. Every time she came across a photo of the two of them together, she would look at it for a while and keep saying that she wanted to send it to Ji-eun.

Seeing her happy expression, Li Zhixing remained silent for a moment, then sighed and called out to her.

"Yoona."

"Hmm?"

Chong'er subconsciously raised her head, but then froze.

This seemed to be the first time Li Zhixing had called her that since they met again.

Li Zhixing considered it for a moment, then looked at her and said, "Well, I don't have any plans to be in a relationship right now, and besides, I also—"

He paused here, waiting for Yoona's reaction.

But he didn't see the disappointment or loss he expected.

On the contrary, Yoona was still all smiles.

"You don't like me, right?"

Li Zhixing didn't quite understand Yoona's reaction, but he nodded nonetheless.

Yoona was still smiling, and even looked a little more playful.

"Oppa, you're weird."

"I didn't confess my feelings, so where did this rejection come from?"

Li Zhixing gave a bitter smile.

Even if I'm just imagining things, I don't want you to waste your time on something so meaningless.

Im Yoona wrinkled her nose and snorted.

Whether it has meaning or not is not up to Oppa to decide.

Outside the window, the cruise ship sailed back to the city center in the direction it had come from.

The sound of the wind on the river was blocked by the glass, leaving only the faint sound of the waves.

The Margit Bridge in the distance drew near once more, its lights reflected on the water, swaying gently with the ripples.

Yoona was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up and said, "Oppa, promise me something, okay?"

"What?"

Li Zhixing turned his head to look at her.

"Don't send me away!"

Yoona looked at him with an unusually serious expression.

Li Zhixing remained silent.

After a long silence, he said helplessly, "If I tell you to leave, will you obediently leave?"

"Of course not!"

After Yoona finished speaking, she couldn't help but laugh.

His smile carried a hint of smugness.

Neither of them continued the conversation, and the cruise ship kept moving forward.

After crossing the Elizabeth Bridge, the view outside the window changed again.

On the right-hand side of Buda, Mount Gellért stands out tall in the night, with the Statue of Liberty atop it illuminated by cool lights, making it exceptionally clear from afar.

Li Zhixing was looking out the window when Lin Yoona suddenly nudged him again.

"Oppa, in the later episodes of IRIS, will you have a love line? Will there be any kissing scenes?"

Li Zhixing thought for a moment.

There might be kissing scenes, but they won't be part of the romance.

"It's a scene where an undercover agent infiltrates NSS headquarters, seduces the target, and extracts information."

Yoona blinked, unsure whether to be happy or disappointed.

"I thought Oppa would have a romantic kissing scene like the Candy Kiss, what a pity."

"Um?

Li Zhixing frowned.

"What's so romantic about that scene where you feed someone candy you're eating?"

Yoona sighed, her eyes filled with a hint of helplessness as she looked at him.

"Oppa, are you not planning to act in romance dramas anymore?"

Yoona and Yoonjin departed from Seoul on the evening of the 28th and haven't had a chance to watch episode 5 of "IRIS" yet.

Unable to wait until she got back to watch the show, Yoona pestered Lee Ji-haeng to tell her the contents of episode five.

Li Zhixing was so bothered by her that he had no choice but to lean back in his seat and give her a brief explanation.

As Li Zhixing recounted the plot, Lin Yoona would occasionally chime in with a few words.

"and then?"

"So, did he really betray us?"

But gradually, she responded less and less, and her voice became softer and softer.

Li Zhixing turned his head to look at her and realized that she was already a little sleepy.

After a flight of more than ten hours, plus a day spent sightseeing in Budapest, and an evening cruise, she was already feeling the strain.

The lights from outside the window swept across her face, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and finally she leaned on Li Zhixing's shoulder.

Li Zhixing was about to help her to the side.

Unexpectedly, Yoona seemed to have anticipated his reaction, and said with her eyes closed, "Oppa, you're not allowed to push me away."

After saying that, she snuggled against his shoulder and mumbled, "Oppa, when we get to the last bridge, you have to wake me up."

Li Zhixing was puzzled.

Why?

"Oh, Oppa, just do as I say, don't ask so many questions, okay~"

"Hey, it's Im Yoona!"

Yoona didn't reply to him again, but just leaned on his shoulder, her breathing gradually becoming light and even.

Li Zhixing looked down at her, remained silent for a moment, and ultimately did not push her away.

The cruise ship continued south.

Outside the window, the Petőfi Bridge swept past, and further ahead, the red lighting tower of the Rococchi Bridge gradually came into view.

Several huge red lighting towers stand on both sides of the bridge, looking like signals lit up in the night when viewed from a distance.

After crossing the eighth bridge, Li Zhixing noticed that several couples inside the building had gotten up at the same time, held hands, and walked back to the second deck.

Li Zhixing hesitated for a moment, but still gently woke Lin Yoona.

Yoona sat up in a daze, her eyes not yet fully focused.

Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she shook her head violently and pulled Li Zhixing towards the second deck.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

The two returned to the second deck.

A river breeze blew in my face, and it was even colder than before.

This area is far from the busiest part of the city center, and the lights on both sides of the river have become noticeably sparser.

Upon reaching this point, the Danube River seemed to widen considerably, and the waves created by the boats left tiny white streaks on the black surface of the river.

Not far away, an inconspicuous bridge loomed in front of us.

Li Zhixing looked at the bridge with some disappointment.

What's so interesting about this?

There wasn't even a light.

Aside from the occasional rumble of trains and the cold, hard outline of the bridge in the night, he really couldn't understand why Yoona insisted on coming up.

At this moment, Li Zhixing noticed that a small hand quietly slipped into his palm and then held it tightly.

Li Zhixing looked down and, somewhat displeased, tried to shake him off.

"Lim Yoona, don't push your luck."

Unexpectedly, Lim Yoona gripped him tightly, preventing him from shaking off.

"Oppa, just for a few minutes, let me hold your hand for a bit!"

"I'll make it up to you with a gift later."

Li Zhixing still frowned.

"You think I'll sacrifice myself for a little gift? No way."

Yoona stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, "It's a strawberry-flavored gift."

Li Zhixing's expression paused for a moment.

So he reluctantly said, "You said it, just a few minutes."

Yoona smiled contentedly twice, then watched the cruise ship slowly approach the ninth bridge, her eyes full of anticipation.

As the cruise ship passed through the bridge arch, the surroundings briefly darkened.

The shadow cast by the bridge covered the deck, and the wind blew in from the arches, carrying damp, cold moisture.

Lin Yoona held onto Li Zhixing's hand tightly the whole time, refusing to let go.

As the ship finally emerged from the bridge arch and the lights came on again, a small cheer suddenly rose from the couples on the deck.

Li Zhixing had initially held a sliver of hope, wondering what might happen when he passed through the underpass.

There was nothing.

Even just turning on a light would be better.

What is this?

Then, somewhat bewildered, he watched the couples around him hug, kiss, and take photos after cheering.

Then, he finally realized what was happening and turned to look at Lim Yoona.

"What does this mean?"

"Is there any special meaning behind it?"

Yoona smiled and squinted her eyes, explaining, "Legend has it that if couples hold hands and walk across the nine bridges over the Danube, they will be together forever and never be separated."

Li Zhixing looked at Lin Yoona with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"So all that trouble, changing from Saipan to Budapest, and having me go on a cruise with you, was it all for this?"

Yoona chuckled, looking incredibly satisfied.

Li Zhixing released her hand: "But this legend doesn't apply to us. We're not a couple."

Yoona was stunned for a moment.

Then, she looked at Li Zhixing intently.

"It doesn't matter if we're not a couple, as long as we never separate!"

Li Zhixing was stunned.

The river breeze blew across the deck, the railway bridge we had just passed through gradually receded into the distance, and the roar of the train slowly faded away.

Immediately afterwards, Yoona chuckled.

"Oppa, close your eyes."

I have a present for you.

As she spoke, she reached into her bag.

Li Zhixing was baffled.

"It's just strawberry-flavored candy, why do you have to close your eyes?"

"Oh dear, it's specially made. Close your eyes and don't peek!"

Helpless, Li Zhixing could only close his eyes.

Then, a soft, rustling sound reached my ears, like a candy wrapper being unwrapped.

The next second, a soft touch pressed against his lips, and the sweetness of strawberries followed.

Li Zhixing opened his eyes in surprise and instinctively wanted to back away.

But Yoona had already hooked her arms around his neck.