Chapter Fifty-Nine: Another Dark Past Added (Extra Chapter for the Ten Thousand Reward Given to the Gossip Above – Part 1 of 2)

Grand Hyatt Seoul, nine o’clock in the morning. The brilliant, scorching sunlight streamed in through the window, landing squarely on the king-sized bed. The alternating sensation of cool air from the air conditioner and the warmth of the sun created a shifting tapestry of hot and cold, causing the bundle of blankets curled up on the bed to wriggle slightly.

“Show your fierce, charismatic side, My Boy—bring the boys out! Girls’ Generation make you feel the heat! The whole world’s watching you, bring the boys out! Majestic from inside out, you’re full of charm. You know the girls? Bring the boys out...”

“Mmm...” The once quiet, empty room was suddenly filled with a somewhat noisy burst of music. The sound seemed to successfully disturb the blanket-slime on the bed, which wriggled again, apparently aware of the source of the noise and moving toward it.

After a moment of squirming, the blanket-slime finally reached the item emitting the sound—a phone beside the bed on the nightstand. A hand emerged from within the blanket, grabbing the phone with unerring precision, pressing the lock button on top, silencing the noisy music.

As if having accomplished a major task, the blanket-slime replaced the phone and slowly wriggled back toward its previously warmed spot, clearly intent on continuing its rest.

Just then, the door was flung open with a forceful bang, startling the moving blanket-slime. Heavy footsteps followed, stomping across the floor.

Before the blanket-slime could react, the quilt enveloping him was suddenly yanked away, revealing a boy with messy hair, disheveled clothes, and eyes narrowed to slits—clearly not yet fully awake. Though his appearance was less than tidy, his handsome features were unmistakable.

“Chen Zhe!” The person who had uncovered him was a strikingly beautiful girl, her brows radiating a unique air of confidence. This was none other than Chen Zhe’s older sister, Chen Yuqi. After tearing away the blanket, she folded her arms, her tone low and tinged with impatience, clearly dissatisfied with her brother’s laziness.

Despite her call, Chen Zhe remained unmoved, deeply asleep. Seeing her brother refuse to wake even after her personal intervention, Chen Yuqi’s brow twitched in irritation. She slipped off her athletic shoes, raised her foot without hesitation, and aimed a kick at Chen Zhe lying on the bed.

Sensing danger even in his sleep, Chen Zhe rolled away in the opposite direction, narrowly escaping Chen Yuqi’s kick.

“Damn it, Chen Yuqi, are you trying to murder the heir of the Chen family?” Having avoided disaster, Chen Zhe opened his eyes, glancing at where his sister’s foot had landed. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead—had he not instinctively dodged, her kick would have landed right between his legs.

“If you’re awake, hurry up and wash up! Sooyoung and I are waiting for you in the living room!” Chen Yuqi raised an eyebrow at her brother’s impudent tone, but she didn’t bother to argue. Pulling her shoe back on, she tossed a command over her shoulder and strode out the door.

Chen Zhe knew well why his sister and Sooyoung were waiting for him in the living room—it must be about signing with the agency. Realizing it was serious business, he didn’t hesitate further. Catching a whiff of the alcohol lingering on his body, he grimaced, grabbed some clean clothes, and hurried to the bathroom.

“Ugh, what happened last night? How did I get back to the hotel?” Standing under the shower, water streaming over his head and body, Chen Zhe gradually sobered up and began piecing together the events of the previous night. He struggled to recall anything, his memory wiped clean by too much drink.

“I vaguely remember, as I was falling, I bumped into something soft and springy!” Desperate to piece together his fragmented recollections, Chen Zhe managed to dredge up a hint of something troubling, and his mood instantly soured.

“No way, no way!” He’d originally planned to finish washing up and then discuss the contract with his sister and Sooyoung, but the memory of that soft, bouncy sensation brought to mind another possibility. Maybe his sister and Sooyoung weren’t here to talk business—they’d come to demand an explanation. That would explain Chen Yuqi’s earlier attitude. Realizing this, Chen Zhe broke out in a cold sweat, deciding to drag out his washing, hoping to delay the inevitable.

Despite his efforts to stall, Chen Zhe couldn’t escape facing his sister and Choi Sooyoung. Steeling himself for the worst, he took a deep breath, opened the door, and entered the living room.

“I’m sorry! I was wrong!” Seeing both women sitting with arms crossed and legs crossed, Chen Zhe took a seat on the sofa and immediately bowed his head in apology, his movements practiced and smooth.

“Oh? Then tell us what you did wrong.” Chen Yuqi and Choi Sooyoung were taken aback by Chen Zhe’s instant apology. They exchanged glances, bewildered as to what he could have done.

But since he’d handed them the initiative, they were more than happy to accept it. After a quick exchange of looks, Sooyoung adjusted her posture and tone, adopting a stern demeanor.

“I honestly don’t know what I did wrong. Did I do something after getting drunk last night?” With his memory of that sensation fragmented and incomplete, Chen Zhe had no idea what had transpired, but Sooyoung’s serious tone made him uncertain as he replied.

“You forgot? Actually, something amusing did happen last night!” Hearing Chen Zhe’s answer, Chen Yuqi realized there was nothing to hold against him this time and shook her head. But suddenly, inspiration struck—though she had no ammunition, she could tease him with a bit of embarrassing history. Her mood brightened, her lips curling into a playful smile.

“Oh, you mean that incident?” Hearing Chen Yuqi’s words, Sooyoung quickly guessed what her friend was referring to. She raised her eyebrows, a look of amusement on her face, eager to see how Chen Zhe would react when he learned what he’d done.

“What incident?” Completely at a loss, Chen Zhe scratched his head, a sense of foreboding rising from within.