Chapter 22: Jiang Shu's Scouting Trip
Compared to her more aggressive, made-up look, Liu Zhimin’s bare face made her features seem softer, making her look more like a slightly cold girl-next-door—approachable, but with just the right amount of distance.
Liu Zhimin's figure wasn't particularly good, and her upper body proportions were quite average, but her magnificent bust was enough to elevate her overall physique to a desirable level.
Compared to Zhang Yuanying, who was still in her developmental stage at only fourteen, the eighteen-year-old, adult Liu Zhimin was undoubtedly more attractive.
Jiang Shu’s fondness for K-pop ultimately stemmed from his inner pervert.
“Very beautiful,” Jiang Shu said with a chuckle, giving Liu Zhimin a thumbs-up.
Liu Zhimin, having received Jiang Shu’s approval of her looks, smiled happily.
It’s well-known that human joys and sorrows are not interconnected.
When one person is happy, naturally, another is not.
Zhang Yuanying pouted, looking at Liu Zhimin, who was being praised by Jiang Shu, feeling a sense of unhappiness as if something of hers had been snatched away.
But unlike Liu Zhimin, who often spoke before thinking, Zhang Yuanying always thought before she spoke. So, even though she was a bit unhappy, she didn't voice it, simply sitting glumly on the yoga mat.
Xu Suizhen and the other two also came out upon hearing the commotion. After greeting Jiang Shu, they quietly stood to the side.
IVE’s dual-empress + four-hanger model had been clearly established with the members before their debut. At least for now, the four 'hangers' were well-behaved and showed no intention of contending with the two 'empresses'.
“Do you have a lot of schedules today?” Jiang Shu plopped down on the sofa and asked the IVE members.
“Quite a lot. The first one starts at nine, and the last one at ten-twenty, so we’ll probably be busy until early morning again,” Liu Zhimin said, walking over. As she approached, her scent wafted into Jiang Shu’s nostrils.
Jiang Shu only had to lift his head slightly to see the magnificent size hidden beneath Liu Zhimin’s loose top to his left.
Tsk, truly not suitable for minors.
“Get busy, it’s good to be busy. If you’re not busy, how will you earn money?” Jiang Shu said with a smile.
“That’s true,” Liu Zhimin said, sitting on the armrest of the sofa to Jiang Shu’s left. This brought her even closer to Jiang Shu; he could even touch Liu Zhimin’s soft body if he shifted slightly to the left.
Looking at the nice body so close, Jiang Shu felt a stir, an urge to take action right then and there.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang throughout the room, simultaneously extinguishing the spark that had just ignited in Jiang Shu’s heart.
“I’ll get the door,” Lily immediately stood up and said.
“Stop,” Jiang Shu called out to Lily.
Lily looked at Jiang Shu in confusion.
Jiang Shu didn’t look at her, but instead fixed his gaze on IVE’s maknae, Kim Garam.
“Why aren’t you getting the door?”
Kim Garam was stunned. This kind of thing was usually done by the good-natured ones, so why should she do it?
But seeing President nim’s somewhat displeased gaze, Kim Garam shivered.
“Yes!” Kim Garam shot up and scurried to open the door.
Zhang Yuanying took in the entire scene, tilting her head as she watched Lily's retreating back, deep in thought.
The door opened, and the manager’s voice followed.
“Are all the kids up? I see the standee by the door is gone.”
“Everyone’s up. President nim is here,” Kim Garam told the manager.
“President nim?” The manager was startled, then quickly walked through the entryway to the living room, immediately spotting Liu Zhimin sitting on the sofa armrest, and then Jiang Shu beside Liu Zhimin.
“Good morning, President nim!” The manager respectfully approached Jiang Shu and bowed in greeting.
Jiang Shu waved his hand, signaling him not to be so formal.
“Why are you here so early?”
“Today’s nine o’clock schedule is quite important, so I came early,” the manager explained.
Jiang Shu nodded at his words, then stood up from the sofa.
“You all prepare for your schedule; I also need to get busy.”
IVE’s matters were settled for now, and he needed to continue his “scouting trip.”
So many wild trainees were waiting for him to discover.
Before, he was busy with IVE’s debut and building their song catalog. Now that these two matters were mostly handled, he could continue searching for good prospects.
Jiang Shu certainly wouldn’t be naive enough to think that just one IVE could give YG a hard time; this was just IVE, not BTS.
“Goodbye, President nim!” Everyone bowed and bid farewell to Jiang Shu.
After waving his hand, Jiang Shu also left.
After a simple breakfast, he drove straight to Seoul Arts High School.
There are two arts high schools in Seoul: one is Hanlim Arts High School, which Liu Zhimin and Lily attend, and the other is Seoul Arts High School.
Jiang Shu had already visited Hanlim Arts High School when Liu Zhimin transferred, so there was no rush for a second trip. He decided to visit Seoul Arts High School first.
Between an old dungeon and a new one, he would definitely prefer to clear the new one.
Let’s Go!
...
Hanlim Arts High School is in Songpa District, and Seoul Arts High School is in Guro District. The two art schools aren't very close, but they aren't far from where Jiang Shu lives, so it didn't take long to drive there.
Driving near the entrance of Seoul Arts High School, Jiang Shu saw boys and girls in bright yellow uniforms entering and exiting the school gate. He found a parking spot and pulled his car in.
Seoul’s traffic management is stricter than Shenzhen’s, for crying out loud. In his original body’s memory, he was fined almost two million korean won in the first six months he arrived in Seoul.
Seoul’s traffic tickets are characterized by being numerous and expensive. It was only after he got to know some relevant officials that the fines stopped.
After the car was parked, Jiang Shu got out of the driver’s seat. Just as he was about to close the car door, he noticed a figure behind him.
Jiang Shu held the door frame with one hand and turned to look at the person.
He saw a boy with a backpack, handsome and sunny-looking, wearing Seoul Arts High School’s distinctive yellow uniform, staring intently at his car.
Jiang Shu’s expression shifted, and he said, “Student.”
The boy was startled. Seeing Jiang Shu, he pointed to himself.
“Yes, I’m talking about you,” Jiang Shu said with a smile, nodding and patting the car roof. “Want to sit inside and take a look?”
The boy’s eyes widened instantly.
“Can I?”
“Of course,” Jiang Shu said, a smile playing on his lips, nodding in affirmation.
“Thank you, hyung!” The boy immediately bowed excitedly to Jiang Shu in gratitude.
The boy now stood before Jiang Shu. He was indeed handsome, but unfortunately, a bit short.
Jiang Shu, with a net height of one meter eighty, was still half a head taller than the boy.
He stepped aside to give the boy a better view.
Boys, especially young boys, find it very hard to resist a luxury car that they can freely examine.
Most people are reluctant to visit car brand 4S dealerships where they can’t afford anything. Jiang Shu wasn't sure what the boy’s situation was, but the way he was looking at his Panamera, his eyes were practically trailing threads. Jiang Shu could just use that to his advantage.
He was just racking his brain for a reason to enter the school.