Chapter 85: A Confused Confession
Facing Liu Zhimin’s question, Jiang Shu pondered for a moment before giving his answer.
“I’ll have your manager talk to Choi Yunjin. IVE’s resource allocation plan is a general strategic positioning. Whether she accepts it or not, we will arrange it this way,” Jiang Shu said.
“What if she leaves the group then?” Liu Zhimin asked, frowning, “Yunzhen comes from a good family. She might not be willing to endure this arrangement.”
“If she leaves, she leaves,” Jiang Shu waved his hand, “Strictly speaking, among the four members of your group, besides Lily who is somewhat important, the other three are just there to make up the numbers.”
This was the first time he had mentioned such a thing to Liu Zhimin.
“Moreover, the configuration of the IVE group is actually unreasonable. At that time, the company really had no more trainees, so they could only debut this way.”
“Now that the company has so many trainees, re-forming IVE is not difficult for the company.”
This was a lie.
Although he had already gathered three of the six character illustrations, he was still far from re-forming IVE, and Ahn Yujin didn't even have a center position bond. The re-formed IVE wouldn't be at its peak, so there was no need.
“Wouldn’t re-forming affect popularity?”
Having debuted for more than three months, Liu Zhimin had learned quite a bit about some basic things in the industry.
“It depends on the operation,” Jiang Shu smiled confidently, “And I don’t plan to let you stay in IVE.”
“Ah?” Liu Zhimin looked at Jiang Shu in surprise, “Are you kicking me out?”
Jiang Shu looked at Liu Zhimin speechlessly, reaching out to rub Liu Zhimin’s head.
“You are my beloved, how could I kick you out?”
Hearing “my beloved,” Liu Zhimin couldn’t help but look into Jiang Shu’s eyes, finding that he was still talking incessantly, and couldn’t help but pout.
“My idea is to find you some new teammates and form a new group.”
That's right, of course, it's our great Four-Second Watch!
“I’ve only debuted for three months, and you want to re-form already?” Liu Zhimin said with a frown.
She questioned Jiang Shu’s words. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Jiang Shu, but rather that what he said was too unconventional.
“This is just a hypothetical. First, Choi Yunjin might not leave the group. After all, she can’t guarantee that she’ll develop better after leaving IVE.”
Even though Choi Yunjin was just a hanger-on in IVE, when she went out under the name of IVE, every group treated her seriously. The respect brought by this popularity was something she would never enjoy again after leaving the group.
“Secondly, what I said about arranging new teammates for you is for the future. IVE hasn’t reached the point where it needs to be broken up yet.”
At this point, Jiang Shu also realized that he probably shouldn’t be telling Liu Zhimin these things. Even if their relationship was good, she was still just an artist.
Thinking of this, Jiang Shu frowned slightly and looked at Liu Zhimin.
“I won’t tell anyone.” Before Jiang Shu could speak, Liu Zhimin had already spoken first.
Jiang Shu’s eyes showed a look of surprise.
Who said Liu Zhimin was stupid?
Isn’t she quite perceptive?
“Your gaze is very impolite, President,” Liu Zhimin said faintly.
Jiang Shu chuckled awkwardly.
“Is it?”
“I don’t react as fast as Yuan Ying, but I’m not an idiot.” Liu Zhimin’s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction, “Does the President really think I’m an idiot?”
Jiang Shu remained silent.
Liu Zhimin’s small face instantly turned red.
She was overheating!
“Ahem, my bad.” Jiang Shu coughed twice awkwardly, “I was prejudiced.”
After all, in his impression, Liu Zhimin really wasn’t very bright, the kind who could sit at the same table as Kim Ye-rim and Hirai Momo.
“Why do you have such a preconceived notion? I don’t think I’ve done anything, have I?” Liu Zhimin asked, looking at Jiang Shu suspiciously.
You haven’t done it now, but I know very well what you’ll do in the future.
Liu Zhimin suddenly took a step forward. The two were already very close, and with her approach, they were directly pressed against each other.
Feeling the softness and warmth through the thin clothes, Jiang Shu stared blankly into Liu Zhimin’s direct gaze.
“You like idiots?”
The romantic feelings that had just arisen in his heart instantly dissipated upon hearing Liu Zhimin’s words, replaced by an undeniable bewilderment.
“What the heck?”
It even made Jiang Shu blurt out his native language.
“Do you like idiots? Otherwise, why would you like me when you had the preconceived notion that I was an idiot?”
No, sis!
So you didn't believe a single word I said last time, huh?
Previously, Jiang Shu had completely denied that he liked Liu Zhimin, but from the looks of it, she didn’t believe a single word.
Although… he really did like her.
But why didn’t you believe me, you jerk!
Jiang Shu remained silent.
He was thinking whether to deny it, or deny it, or deny it.
But the problem was, even if he denied it, Liu Zhimin wouldn’t believe him.
If he truly had no feelings for Liu Zhimin, then she could believe it or not, and be narcissistic.
But the problem was, he did have feelings for Liu Zhimin!
Before he transmigrated, he was a physical fan of Liu Zhimin, constantly shouting in K-pop groups about ‘stir-frying Xiao Liu.’ Now that he had transmigrated and there was a living Xiao Liu in front of him, his fan filter had shattered, but some inappropriate thoughts had become even more intense.
After all…
She really looked very ‘moist.’
“I don’t like idiots.” After a long silence, Jiang Shu finally spoke.
Before Liu Zhimin could say anything, Jiang Shu’s second sentence immediately followed.
“But I like you.”
Under Jiang Shu’s gaze, the dissatisfaction on Liu Zhimin’s face instantly disappeared, replaced by a blush that emerged at a visible speed.
No matter how wild she spoke or how straightforward her personality, she was still just a girl. Being confessed to directly like this, especially by the President whom she had a good impression of, in an instant, shyness filled Liu Zhimin’s mind, causing Liu Zhimin, who usually liked to stare into people’s eyes, to lower her head.
Jiang Shu looked at Liu Zhimin, who was bowing her head in front of him, and cleared his throat.
“I’ve said my piece. What are your thoughts?”
He had originally thought about dragging it out for as long as possible, as he didn't feel the timing was right at all.
Jiang Shu’s philosophy had always been ‘heart over body, body over heart.’
If it was about the body, he would go straight for it. If he couldn't get it, he would move on.
If it was about the heart, then “a confession is a declaration of victory, not a bugle call for a charge.” He would only say it when the time was almost right, just one final push away. Who would have thought that late at night, in a moment of impulse, he would just blurt it out in a daze.
Damn it…
Late nights really mess things up.
Jiang Shu was already thinking about how he would face Liu Zhimin if she rejected him.
Even though he had lived two lives, he had no experience facing a failed confession as if nothing had happened.
Sigh, isn’t this just pure messing around?
“Mm.”
A faint sound came from beside his ear, interrupting Jiang Shu’s thoughts.
“Huh?” Jiang Shu looked at Liu Zhimin blankly, finding that the girl had already raised her head, her pretty face flushed, but she was now staring seriously at Jiang Shu.
“Then let’s try being together!”