Managing the Korean entertainment industry: I have superpowers, but I won't say.

Chapter 48 Sherry arrives, and the atmosphere in the chaotic scene suddenly becomes very subtle.

Friday, 7 a.m.

When Su Yu pushed open the company door, he habitually glanced at the window—it was empty. Cai Xiubin wasn't there? This girl has been even more persistent than him, her boss, lately, arriving half an hour early every day without fail. Did the sun rise in the west today?

He had just pulled out his phone to "check up" when the door was suddenly pushed open. Cai Xiubin stood in the doorway, holding a rickety breakfast bag, her hair disheveled like a bird's nest, her whole being screaming, "I'm grumpy today, strangers stay away."

"You're late, Xiubin." Su Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Nonsense, this is called strategic queuing." She slammed the bag on the table. "That trendy shop at the alley entrance went crazy today, it was packed with office workers. I queued for a full twenty minutes, I almost joined the beggars' gang just to buy a rice ball."

Su Yu leaned closer to take a look. Hmm, no dark circles under her eyes, and her lips were rosy; she must have slept quite well last night. "What time did you go to sleep?"

"Ten o'clock! I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow, and slept until 6:30." She pulled out a chair, sat down, took out a soy milk, and took a big gulp. "Oppa, I had a dream last night."

"Did you dream of winning the lottery?"

"I dreamt of An Go-eun and Kim Do-ki. Kim Do-ki turned around and glanced at her, just once, and then An Go-eun cried." She chewed her rice ball, her cheeks bulging. "How long do you think she waited for that glance?"

"I waited from the first episode to the eighth episode, about eight weeks."

"What if it were you?" Cai Xiubin swallowed the last bite, her eyes sparkling as she stared at him. "Would you make someone who likes you wait that long?"

The morning light shone brightly on her face, making her eyes as clear as freshly washed grapes. Su Yu looked at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "No way. I'm not made of wood."

She paused for a moment, then lowered her head and frantically ate her rice ball, but her ears, which were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, completely betrayed her.

At nine o'clock in the morning, things were in turmoil on set.

Today's main event is the hacker team-up. In the script, Ahn Go-eun and Kim Do-gi will sit side-by-side in front of a computer, hacking into a criminal organization's server. There will be no leaping and bounding, only the smoke of battle at their fingertips.

Cai Xiubin sat in front of the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard, the keys clattering loudly. Yoon Shi-yoon stood behind her, hands in his pockets, looking cool and aloof. On the monitor, the two were extremely close, the air practically crackling with pink static, even though the script stipulated "no physical contact."

"Cut! Perfect!" the director yelled.

Cai Xiubin immediately stood up and walked up to Su Yu like a proud little peacock, eager to show off: "Oppa, how was it? Doesn't it look like a hacker?"

"Your hand speed is too fast," Su Yu said sarcastically. "A real hacker is elegant. Do you have a grudge against the keyboard? The audience can't even see your face, they can only see your clumsy hand movements."

"Pshaw, that's for post-production special effects. Angoun is a top-tier hacker, I can't just be good at bypassing firewalls, can I?" She proudly raised her chin.

Su Yu couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, you're right. You've improved a lot."

Midday, the calm before the storm.

Su Yu was slumped in a folding chair studying the script when his phone vibrated. Seeing that the sender was "Shirley," his heart skipped a beat.

Oppa, are you on that run-down film set in Dongdaemun?

[The last eight episodes will be filmed.]

I'm free this afternoon, so I'll go check out the work.

Su Yu sighed and replied, "What brings you here? Visiting the set or coming incognito?"

[Just passing by. Just casually. Don't overthink it.]

Su Yu had just put down his phone when two iced Americanos were placed in front of him. Cai Xiubin looked at him with a half-smile: "Whose message is this? Why are you laughing like that...guilty?"

"Shirley. She said she'd be 'just passing through' this afternoon."

Cai Xiubin's hand visibly trembled, and she almost spilled her coffee. "Passing by? Passing by the run-down film set eight episodes after the mansions in Gangnam District? Do her relatives live in the sewers?"

"Your tongue is getting more and more venomous." Su Yu looked up at her. "What, scared?"

"Afraid? The word 'afraid' doesn't exist in my dictionary, Cai Xiubin." She turned her face away and muttered softly, "I just feel that the air pressure drops as soon as she arrives, and I'm prone to oxygen deprivation."

At 2 p.m., the Queen arrived.

The previously noisy film set suddenly fell silent for a moment. The curtain at the entrance was casually lifted, and a crisp, high-end perfume wafted in before anyone else did.

Shirley wore a sharply tailored white coat, her signature long, wavy hair casually draped over her shoulders. She walked in without a mask or sunglasses, exuding confidence. Although she looked a little disheveled carrying a bunch of takeout bags, her confident stride transformed the instant noodle-scented dressing room into a runway-worthy space.

The surrounding staff were stunned, and whispers arose. Shirley seemed oblivious to their stares, walking straight through the crowd and stopping in front of Su Yu.

She slammed the heavy takeout bag down on the table with a thud, her tone laced with a hint of coquettishness and complaint: "Oppa, this is for the film crew. I knew the food here was bad, so I specially went to Gangnam to buy some good stuff. I'm exhausted."

Su Yu opened the package and, wow, it was that top-tier Korean set meal place in Gangnam District with a two-hour wait. "Your 'passing by' is a bit pricey; it must have taken at least forty minutes to drive here, right?"

Shirley rolled her eyes and tossed her hair with a flirtatious air: "Oppa, if you have something to eat, shut up. Why all the nonsense?"

After she finished speaking, her gaze swept across the entire room like a radar, finally locking onto Cai Xiubin in the corner.

Cai Xiubin was pretending to type code on the computer, but the cursor on the screen hadn't moved for a long time.

"This is An Go-eun?" Shirley walked over in her high heels, stood behind Cai Xiubin, and leaned slightly forward. "You type pretty fast. Have you studied piano?"

Cai Xiubin took a deep breath, raised his head, and gave a standard professional fake smile: "No, I learned it at the last minute."

"You learned it so quickly on short notice?" Shirley raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying three parts provocation and seven parts scrutiny. "Looks like you have some talent, unlike some people who are stupid as hell."

"Thank you for the compliment." Cai Xiubin smiled insincerely. "I also think I have quite a bit of talent, especially in my eye for talent."

Their conversation was as polite as that of two diplomats negotiating, sparks flying in the air. Su Yu quickly stepped forward to act as a human shield: "Alright, let's eat. It won't taste good if it gets cold; this is a top-quality Korean set meal."

The three sat around a small folding table. Shirley sat on the left, Cai Xiubin on the right, and Su Yu was sandwiched in the middle, feeling like a prisoner about to be executed.

The dishes were laid out one by one: Jiuzheban, stewed pork ribs, soy sauce crab, ginseng chicken soup... Shirley picked up the largest piece of pork rib and put it into Su Yu's bowl with smooth movements, and added sweetly, "Oppa, eat more, you've lost weight recently."

The next second, Cai Xiubin also put a piece of pork rib into the bowl with such force that it seemed like she was going to pierce it, and said coldly, "Oppa, I also think you've lost weight. Eat more."

Two pieces of pork ribs lay side by side in Su Yu's bowl, like two warriors ready to draw their swords and clash at any moment.

Su Yu glanced at the aloof Shirley on his left, then at the expressionless Cai Xiubin on his right, and smiled wryly: "Did you two plan this? Did you want me to burst from overeating so you could inherit my Alipay account?"

"No." The two said in unison, their tones exactly the same.

Su Yu resignedly lowered his head and began gnawing on the ribs, finding them tasteless.

Shirley left at four o'clock in the afternoon.

She stopped at the door, her back to Su Yu, and said in a cool voice, "Oppa."

"Um?"

"Send me a copy once you've edited the last eight episodes. I want to check your work."

"OK."

"Don't leave packages at the door; they're easy to steal. Just like some people, if you don't keep a close eye on them, they're gone."

After saying that, she pushed open the door and left, leaving behind a graceful silhouette and the lingering fragrance of the room.

Su Yu stared blankly at the swaying door. Cai Xiubin walked over, stood beside him, and gently bumped his shoulder.

"She's gone."

"Um."

"Oppa".

"Um."

"She likes you." Cai Xiubin's voice was soft, but it hit him like a hammer blow. "Can't you see? The way she looks at you is the same way I look at you..."

Su Yu was silent for a few seconds, then turned to look at the empty alley outside the window.

"I know."

"Then why didn't you choose her? She's prettier than me, richer than me, dresses better than you, and even calls you 'Oppa'."

Su Yu smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair: "Because I'm not Kim Do-ki. Kim Do-ki won't turn back, but I will. And when I turn back, all I'll see is you, Soo-bin."

Cai Xiubin was stunned, her eyes slightly reddening. She reached out and tightly grasped Su Yu's hand; her fingers were icy cold, yet her grip was unwavering.

"Oppa".

"Um."

"Then don't look back. Keep walking forward, I'll follow you. If you dare stop, I'll bite you to death."

At night, in the semi-basement.

Su Yu pushed open the door and went in. Water was still dripping from the ceiling, drip-drip-drip, as if keeping time for this mundane day. He took off his shoes, got into bed, and pulled out the black rubber band from under his pillow, wrapping it around his finger again and again.

The phone lit up.

Oppa, are you home yet?

【arrive.】

Oppa, I've been thinking a lot since Sulli came today.

What are you thinking about?

I wonder how long she's liked you. I wonder why you didn't choose her. I wonder if I got a great deal.

Su Yu stared at the screen, a smile playing on his lips, his fingers flying across the keyboard: "You didn't get a bargain. You picked up a fool who won't turn back."

The other end sent a laughing emoji, followed by a voice message. Su Yu clicked on it, and Cai Xiubin's soft, sweet voice came through: "Goodnight, you silly boy. Oppa."

Goodnight, Soobin.

He tucked the rubber band back under the pillow and closed his eyes.