Chapter 354: Two People Beneath the Pool
“Please come in.”
The office door opened, and Kim Hye-soo walked in. Her eyes flickered slightly when she saw Liu Zhimin sitting on the sofa, but her steps remained steady as she came to a stop in front of Jiang Shu.
“Chairman, the concept proposals for LESSERAFIM and IVE have been completed,” Kim Hye-soo said, stepping forward and handing the two documents to Jiang Shu.
Hearing “IVE,” Liu Zhimin’s expression shifted, and her gaze fell on the two documents Kim Hye-soo handed to Jiang Shu.
“That was efficient,” Jiang Shu said with a smile, taking the documents. “Nothing happened with YG, right?”
“No, they readily let us sign Heo Yunjin’s contract,” Kim Hye-soo replied.
Heo Yunjin?
Liu Zhimin had some impression of this person. She seemed to be a member of BLACKPINK, whom she had seen during promotions before, but they weren't close.
“That’s good,” Jiang Shu nodded, not rushing to look at the two proposals. He casually placed them on the coffee table in front of him. “I’ll take a look when I have time.”
“Yes,” Kim Hye-soo nodded, then looked at Liu Zhimin.
“Director Kim Hye-soo,” Liu Zhimin rose and bowed in greeting when she saw Kim Hye-soo’s gaze.
“Karina,” Kim Hye-soo smiled and nodded at her. “Chairman, I’ll head back now.”
“Mmm.”
Kim Hye-soo came quickly and left just as quickly. After she left, Liu Zhimin eagerly looked at Jiang Shu.
“I just heard IVE?”
“Yes, it’s the IVE you’re thinking of,” Jiang Shu nodded, confirming Liu Zhimin’s thought.
“Are we going to reform IVE? But we can’t find the original members now, can we?”
Only four of IVE’s six members are currently active in K-pop, and they are in four different groups. Reforming them would be too difficult.
“Reforming IVE, but not with the original members. Instead, it’s a new version of IVE that continues the IVE concept.”
“Huh?” Liu Zhimin looked blankly at Jiang Shu. “A new version of IVE?”
“Right.”
“Can I see it?” Liu Zhimin said, reaching for the documents on the coffee table.
Slap.
Jiang Shu’s left hand grabbed Liu Zhimin’s wrist. She looked up, meeting Jiang Shu’s eyes.
“Clearly, no.”
Liu Zhimin pouted but obediently put her hand down.
Seeing this, Jiang Shu also released her hand, allowing Liu Zhimin to pull her hand back.
“I heard there’s another group, what was it called?”
“LESSERAFIM.”
“Can I see this one?”
“No, not that one either.”
“Hmph! Even if you don’t let me see it, I know it has something to do with the whereabouts of the IZONE members.”
Liu Zhimin might not have high emotional intelligence, but her intelligence was fine. At the time IZONE was about to disband, two girl group proposals were received in the chairman’s office. Even an idiot would connect it to the issue of where the IZONE members would go.
“Good that you know,” Jiang Shu leaned back in his chair, smiling.
“I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m leaving,” Liu Zhimin stood up from the sofa.
“Not having lunch with me?”
“I don’t want to eat with that Minister Choi. I’ll eat by myself,” Liu Zhimin waved her hand. “I’ll go out for a walk after eating. Call me when you go to the club.”
“Okay,” Jiang Shu responded with a smile.
Seeing this, Liu Zhimin turned and strode away.
Watching Liu Zhimin’s retreating back, Jiang Shu picked up his phone.
…
Around two in the afternoon.
In the office, Jiang Shu woke up from his nap.
When a midday nap becomes a habit, one won't have energy for the entire afternoon without it. This was also one of Jiang Shu's habits.
He checked the time, then picked up his phone and called Liu Zhimin.
“Hello, Xiao Liu, we’re about to leave. Where are you now?”
“Samsung Golf Club.”
Hearing Liu Zhimin’s answer, Jiang Shu’s mind, which was still a bit muddled from just waking up, instantly cleared.
“Why did you go by yourself?” Jiang Shu asked, surprised.
“At one o’clock, I found there was nothing to do, so I just ate something simple and went straight there,” Liu Zhimin explained.
“Then how did you get in?” Logically, the club wouldn’t let Liu Zhimin in, even if she was famous, because she wasn’t a member.
“I called Director Choi, and then they let me in.”
Jiang Shu: “…”
Well, the club indeed didn't recognize Liu Zhimin, but it recognized Choi Ji-yeon.
“Alright, then. I’ll head over now.”
“Okay.”
Hanging up the call, Jiang Shu stretched in place.
Time to go!
Inside Samsung Golf Club’s No. 2 Swimming Pool.
The pool’s surface was cut by the afternoon sun into countless tiny golden flakes, gently swaying with the refraction of the water.
Liu Zhimin was like a silver-white mermaid, her slender limbs swimming gracefully in the pool. Each time she surfaced, water droplets would slide from her wet hair, down her delicate neck, and into the neckline of her swimsuit, leaving a faintly shimmering trail in the sunlight.
After another breath-taking surface, Liu Zhimin’s gaze suddenly noticed the tall figure on the shore.
Jiang Shu was standing there, she didn't know when, dressed in a light gray casual outfit, one hand in his pocket, his gaze calmly fixed on her.
Looking through her goggles, Jiang Shu’s face was a bit blurry, but Liu Zhimin could still clearly sense that his gaze was on her.
“You swim well,” when Liu Zhimin swam to the shore, Jiang Shu’s voice came from above.
“Why aren’t you in your swimsuit?” Liu Zhimin took off her goggles and asked Jiang Shu, puzzled.
“First, I wanted to admire wuli Karina’s swimming posture,” Jiang Shu said with a smile.
With her wet swimsuit clinging to her body, Liu Zhimin noticed Jiang Shu’s gaze on her collarbone. Her fair skin, enhanced by the water, was incredibly alluring, making one’s eyes linger.
The pool water gently swayed beside Liu Zhimin, the ripples softly supporting her body. Most of her body was submerged in the water, and when only a small portion of her body was above the surface, her exquisite and beautiful face occupied a larger visual space, naturally creating a stronger visual impact.
Jiang Shu stared at Liu Zhimin’s face for a few seconds, then smiled.
“I’m going to change.”
Liu Zhimin, who was about to speak, heard this and swallowed what she wanted to say.
A few minutes later, Jiang Shu, having changed into his swim trunks, came to the shore. After getting into the water, he stopped about half a meter beside Liu Zhimin. The ripples on the water pushed and collided between them, then quietly merged.
“I remember the first time I invited you to swim, you said you couldn’t,” Jiang Shu suddenly spoke, his voice sounding particularly drawn out amidst the rippling water.
Jiang Shu’s voice seemed to carry a certain magic, pulling Liu Zhimin’s thoughts back to a few years ago.
At that time, she and Jiang Shu were not yet dating. They were still in a superior-subordinate relationship, plus friends, occasionally going out for a meal or a movie together.
More than friends, less than lovers.
Jiang Shu had invited her to swim back then, but she had refused, saying she couldn't swim. She hadn't expected him to still remember.