Peninsula diplomat: My second life with a top celebrity

Chapter 81 Ingenuity or Clumsiness

Just as Zheng Daoxun answered the call from the stranger, Ya Xian came out of the bathroom leaning on her cane.

Seeing his sister looking downcast, Zheng Daoxun immediately hung up the phone.

"Is something wrong with your body?"

"I just can't fall asleep..."

"Are there still mosquitoes in the room?" Jung Do-hoon helped his sister back to the room, making sure he had done a good job of eliminating the mosquitoes before preparing to leave.

"Oppa, come watch some TV with me."

Zheng Daoxun was taken aback: "I reek of smoke."

"It's okay."

He sat on the edge of the bed, while Ya Xian opened the tablet and rested it on her arched thighs.

She was watching "The Incredibles," a Disney+ series that's currently a huge hit.

Jung Do-hoon hasn't watched a TV series from beginning to end in many years. Since his sister wanted him to keep her company, he decided to treat it as a way to relax.

Half an episode passed, and Ya Xian, who was lying on the cushion, unknowingly rested her head on Zheng Daoxun's shoulder, her dark hair falling down and tickling him.

Is she asleep?

Zheng Daoxun tried to call out softly, and Ya Xian responded with a faint "Hmm?"

"It's nothing, I just thought you were asleep."

"Will you leave once you fall asleep?"

of course.

But Zheng Daoxun didn't speak; he simply put his arm around her shoulder and patted it gently.

"Watching the show intently..."

Actually, the premise of this drama is quite interesting, especially since it involves some government departments. As a diplomat, Jung Do-hoon seems to have a knack for seeing the intricacies of the story and thinks that the drama does a great job of using details to allude to the 1970s and 1980s.

When the episode ended, Ya-Hsien didn't click to play the next one. Zheng Dao-Xun felt the girl's even breathing in his arms and didn't know what to do for a moment.

He hesitated for a long time before finally carefully and slowly pulling out of the room. After tidying up Ya Xian's tablet, he adjusted the air conditioner temperature back to 26 degrees Celsius before leaving the room.

The days I can spend with my sister are getting fewer and fewer. After she officially debuts, the two of us, who both have jobs, may not see each other for a month or two.

How many more such encounters will there be in the next few decades of our lives?

It is said that humans are social animals, so why is learning to face loneliness such a major life lesson?

Thinking of this, Zheng Daoxun suddenly felt a little reluctant to part with it.

He had grown accustomed to having Ya Xian by his side.

Maybe I'll get used to living alone again someday, who knows?

Of course, this was just a fleeting thought of sorrow for Zheng Daoxun late at night. This sorrow, along with the unanswered phone call, was completely swallowed up by the busy work of the following day.

In the morning, he reviewed the risk assessment report on the Spanish-language market with the classroom staff and offered some suggestions for revision. In the afternoon, he rushed to attend the opening ceremony of an international university student exchange summer camp. In the evening, he returned to his office and reviewed the revised assessment report again...

It wasn't until 9:30 PM, when Ya-Hsien called, that Jung Do-Hoon was able to pull himself out of work mode.

It turns out it's already 9:30 without me even realizing it.

Zheng Daoxun promised to be home at 10:30, and Ya Xian then hung up the phone.

He had received a text message, but he hadn't noticed it.

[Contact from a stranger: Hello, Secretary Do-hoon, this is Winter Kim Min-jung from Aespa.]

Kim Minjung recounted her experience of having her phone hung up on the previous day during the day.

I was probably too rash and didn't consider whether the other person was available to answer the phone.

This time, she used a backup number to send a message first, trying a polite approach before taking any action. Surely she could get through on the phone...

But why hasn't Zheng Daoxun replied to the message after half an hour?

Was it blocked as a spam message?

Or was it because Kim Minjung didn't explain the purpose of the message that the other party was too lazy to reply?

It would be really difficult for Kim Minjung to find a reason other than inquiring about information as a pretext.

She's just an idol, she has absolutely nothing to do with diplomats, what could she possibly talk about?

I was very impressed with you after we met in Indonesia last time, and I've been looking forward to getting to know you better...

Is it appropriate to send it like this? Kim Minjung sat on the stairs, conflicted, gently biting his nails. In the end, he shook his head and deleted all the text.

This is so strange. If I really had feelings for Zheng Daoxun, would I have waited so long after returning to China to send him a message?

Just as Kim Minjung was struggling with what text message to send, Jung Dohoon called:

"Winter, what do you need me for?"

Kim Minjung immediately stood up: "Ah, there's something I'd like to ask you about."

"Go ahead and ask."

Have you heard the rumors about him being a promotional ambassador for the Busan World Expo?

Zheng Daoxun frowned slightly. Who would ask for information right away? It gave the impression that he wasn't very bright.

"I am not aware of this matter; please refer to official statements for the most accurate information."

But aren't you the official one?

Kim Minjung felt a tightness in his chest, as if he were being pressed under a large stone slab, feeling suffocated.

"I promise I won't tell anyone... or could you help me find out?"

"This is outside my job scope. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."

beep……

The call was disconnected.

Kim Minjung scratched her head helplessly. She just wanted to ask for some information; it wouldn't cost Jung Do-hoon a hair...

Even if he just casually reveals some of the rumors he's heard, what if he did?

Left with no other choice, Kim Minjung dialed her father's number and asked if he had heard anything. After receiving a negative answer, she recounted what she had done that evening.

Then, Mr. Jin sighed helplessly:

"Minjung, perhaps we've protected you too much since you were little, and you don't have much life experience. Why would you immediately start asking for information like this? Even I would only ask tactfully after exchanging pleasantries with a friend I have a slight connection with..."

Kim Minjung's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't stupid, but sometimes she didn't think things through completely. With her father's words, she naturally realized how foolish she had been.

It's likely that Zheng Daoxun's impression of her is already negative 100 points.

"What should I do then?"

"Let your oppa and I try to find out more. This won't happen so quickly; haste makes waste..."

"I see……"

Kim Minjung hung up the phone in frustration and paced back and forth in the corridor a few more times.

The atmosphere in the dormitory is so tense that Liu Zhimin and I haven't spoken a word all day.

She desperately wants an answer—even if it proves the rumors about choosing a Busan-born artist are false.

Looking back now, since we've already taken that foolish step, there's no going back.

Perhaps... we should just go all the way with this mistake.

Kim Minjung took a deep breath and dialed Jung Dohoon's number again.

"Winter xi..."

"Scribe Do-hoon, I... I'm not very good with words. Actually, I just wanted to find an excuse to have a meal with you and chat, so... are you free?"

This is the only way to salvage Jung Do-hoon's favorability now.

"I'm working overtime, I don't have time."