Chapter Eighty-Nine: Have You Met the Parents? (?)

Pang Chaerong’s sharp gaze swept over them, and Zheng Eungji and the other three all shivered. In a flurry, they lowered the hands that had been covering their mouths and waved them vigorously, making it clear that the matter had nothing to do with them. They had only been watching the show; they had not bullied either of the two.

“Then can someone tell me exactly what happened between Chen Zhe and the maknae?” After studying the four of them carefully and confirming that none of them was lying, Pang Chaerong nodded. Still with her arms folded, she surveyed them with formidable presence, hoping they would explain it to her.

“Um, Chaerong unnie, let me explain the whole thing for you!” After the living room had remained silent for quite some time, Zheng Eungji, sitting beside Chen Zhe, slowly raised her hand at last. A faintly awkward smile appeared on her face, as though it embarrassed her to speak of the matter, but unwilling to be mistaken and made to bear the blame, she still laid out the entire sequence of events clearly.

“So Chen Zhe and the maknae ended up like this because the two of them were simply too rash!” After hearing Zheng Eungji recount the whole story, Pang Chaerong nodded and gave the matter its conclusion: no one was at fault; it was only because the two of them had been too careless that they got hurt together.

“Sigh, I’ll go get a couple of warm towels for Chen Zhe and the maknae to apply. Thankfully, we have plenty of spare towels!” Looking at the way Chen Zhe and Wu Hairong were still enduring the pain, Pang Chaerong helplessly rubbed her forehead and let out a tired sigh. Then she turned and headed for the bathroom.

She knew her own maknae’s careless nature well, having cared for her over a long time, but what she had not expected was that Chen Zhe, who seemed far more mature and steady than her own maknae, would also have such a rash side. He was in no way inferior to the maknae in that regard, and once the two of them collided, the resulting chemical reaction was even more intense, leaving them both injured.

Under the guidance and assistance of Pang Chaerong, the group quickly and neatly finished tending to Chen Zhe’s and Wu Hairong’s injuries. Everyone then settled back onto the sofa in proper order, though Chen Zhe and Wu Hairong looked a little peculiar, enough to make one want to laugh. Each of them held a warm towel folded into a square, pressing it against an forehead that had become slightly swollen and reddened.

“All right, you two are friends, so why are you sulking over something this small?” Seeing that Chen Zhe and Wu Hairong were sitting on the same sofa yet stubbornly refusing to look at one another, Pang Chaerong, the eldest sister present, felt a slight headache coming on. Telling herself that the two of them were still underage children and that she needed to speak to them gently, she forced out a smile and tried to mediate properly, lest they truly end up quarreling.

“Exactly. You’re both not little kids anymore, so why are you still acting so childish?” When she saw that neither of them reacted, Yin Bomi winked at Pang Chaerong, signaling that it was time to watch her perform. After thinking for a moment, Yin Bomi decided to use provocation to stir the pair up.

“Senior Yin Bomi / Bomi unnie, your provocation is outdated and so clichéd it’s almost toothless!” Hearing Yin Bomi’s goading, Chen Zhe and Wu Hairong both straightened at once. For reasons unknown, they even spoke in perfect unison, looking remarkably in sync.

“Yes, it’s outdated and clichéd to the point of being toothless, but it still works surprisingly well!” Having been retorted by the two minors, Yin Bomi showed not the slightest hint of anger. Instead, she folded her arms and wore a smug, self-satisfied expression.

Yin Bomi’s triumphant look made Chen Zhe and Wu Hairong grind their teeth in frustration. They exchanged a glance and decided to set aside their little grudge for the moment and join forces against that smug show-off first.

“By the way, I heard from the maknae that Chen Zhe is also good at painting, and that his skill is actually very impressive.” Just as Chen Zhe and Wu Hairong were about to launch a joint attack on Yin Bomi, Pang Chaerong’s voice interrupted them. She lifted a hand and tucked the strands that had fallen before her eyes back behind her ear, then looked at Chen Zhe with a gentle smile.

“Yes, senior Chaerong. I studied painting formally before, so I’ve picked up a little here and there.” Although Pang Chaerong’s manner was extremely gentle, for some reason she always gave Chen Zhe an overwhelming sense of forceful presence. Still, upon realizing she was asking about his area of expertise, he smiled a little bashfully and answered with considerable modesty.

“Now that’s a bit too modest of you, Chen Zhe. The portrait you painted of the maknae is treasured by her like a precious heirloom, but she showed it to us before as well. Your skill is already no less than that of professional painters.” Having long been interested in painting and exhibitions, and having studied and researched such things extensively, Sun Nauen had some eye for appreciating art. After comparing the portrait Chen Zhe had drawn of Wu Hairong with works she had seen before, she found it no less impressive, and from that drew a rough estimate of his level.

“My skill is still acceptable, but compared with professional painters, I’m still a little short.” Glancing at Sun Nauen in surprise, Chen Zhe truly had not expected her to guess his approximate level. Since the cat was out of the bag, he felt awkward continuing to be self-effacing; to do so now would only make him seem insincere. Smiling, he nodded and stated his rough level of skill.

“Huh, so besides singing and acting, A-Zhe, your painting skills are this amazing too? Is this what they call a genius?” Having listened to the entire conversation, Zheng Eungji only then deliberately put on an exaggerated tone, widening her eyes and looking at Chen Zhe with an expression that was almost theatrically overdone, as though she were stunned beyond belief that he could be so accomplished.

“Um, Eungji nuna, isn’t your expression a little too exaggerated?” Looking at Zheng Eungji’s flamboyant display, Chen Zhe felt so embarrassed he almost dug out an entire apartment with his toes. Scratching his cheek awkwardly and resisting the urge to crawl into a hole, he spoke with visible embarrassment.

“But why did Chen Zhe want to become an entertainer in the first place? Could it be because of my maknae?” As though influenced by the atmosphere, the usually rather quiet Hong Yujing also revealed a curious expression as she looked at Chen Zhe. Seemingly having thought of some romantic and moving story, there were even little stars sparkling in her eyes.

“Cough, cough, cough...” He had just picked up a glass of water and taken a sip, intending to moisten his slightly dry throat. But the moment Chen Zhe heard Hong Yujing’s question, he was startled so badly that before the water had even gone down, he instinctively tried to object, only to choke on it instead. He broke into a violent fit of coughing.