novellhall Chapter 31 Ji-eun or Tae-yeon, who would you choose?
Chapter 31 Ji-eun or Tae-yeon, who would you choose?
"Oppa, I'm going to become really famous someday!"
Li Zhixing, who was walking ahead, paused slightly.
"oh."
He then continued walking forward at a leisurely pace.
Lee Ji-eun was dumbfounded.
Is it really that bland? You just dismissed it with an "oh"?
She quickened her pace to catch up, stood in front of Li Zhixing, and looked up at him.
"Oppa, I said I'm going to become really famous someday!"
Li Zhixing stopped and looked at the stubborn little face in front of him, then said matter-of-factly, "I know."
A gentle smile appeared on his lips: "I knew you would become very famous."
"Ji-eun, have you forgotten? On the first day of your debut, I told you that our Ji-eun's name would spread throughout the whole of Korea. You will definitely be on the list of Korea's best solo female singers."
Lee Ji-eun also recalled that when she was about to debut, her oppa did say something similar.
She muttered softly, "Oppa only said that to encourage me, didn't he?"
Li Zhixing shook his head.
"Of course not. If I didn't have faith in you, I wouldn't have accompanied you to auditions at each company or to karaoke rooms to practice singing. Instead, I would have stopped you the moment you first had the idea of becoming a singer."
"Ji-eun, I believe in you even more than you do yourself. You will definitely succeed."
Upon hearing these words, Ji-eun's previously dim eyes brightened again.
The slight frustration in my heart vanished at that moment.
Li Zhixing raised his hand and gently rubbed his younger sister's head.
"So, now you can tell me what exactly happened today, right?"
……
Actually, things aren't that complicated.
Today, Ji-eun participated in the recording of a popular variety show.
During the entire ten-hour recording session, as a newcomer, she was completely relegated to the background.
The host never mentioned her, and the camera barely even panned to her a few times.
She just sat there blankly in the corner, laughing along when others told funny jokes, and opening her mouth wide when others were surprised.
She didn't get to say a word all day, but she had to keep smiling and not show the slightest sign of fatigue or unhappiness.
It was this deep sense of powerlessness and frustration at being ignored that dealt a heavy blow to Lee Ji-eun, who vowed to become famous in the future.
……
"Oppa, if I become famous in the future, will all the cameras and topics turn to me?" Ji-eun asked, her head down, her voice still carrying a hint of grievance.
Li Zhixing listened slowly, but instead of answering immediately, he asked in return, "Is this a very famous variety show?"
Ji-eun nodded: "Yes, it's 'Star King' hosted by Kang Ho-dong."
"When Ji-eun first debuted, even when her first album failed, did she ever imagine that she would be on a variety show hosted by Kang Ho-dong so soon?"
Ji-eun was stunned for a moment.
Li Zhixing smiled gently: "Actually, Zhi'en is already very capable. LOEN is just a music distribution company after all, and it doesn't have much say in the TV station. The fact that they were able to gradually push you onto this popular variety show has already proven your value."
"We've just been a bit slower, but we've never stopped moving forward. Our first album was a bit of a failure, but our second one has already gained a lot of popularity, hasn't it?"
At this point, Li Zhixing paused for a moment, then teased, "Even the sequel, 'Isn't It?', has a music show stage!"
Lee Ji-eun's lips curved into a smile, then she wrinkled her nose.
"Hmph, Oppa said before that it had no buzz at all."
Li Zhixing flicked her smooth forehead with his finger.
"You're only sixteen. You have plenty of time to mature. Believe in yourself, and you'll have your day."
"But Oppa, can I... really do it?"
Lee Ji-eun said somewhat dejectedly, "If only you hadn't given me your debut spot back then, you might have become famous long ago."
Li Zhixing frowned as he looked at her.
"Nonsense, when did I give you my debut spot? It's clearly because I'm not interested in being a singer. Rather than singing the same song over and over again on stage, I prefer to stay on set and experience the different lives of different characters."
"But it's precisely because Oppa refused to debut as a singer that this opportunity fell to me."
"Alright, stop talking." Li Zhixing interrupted her.
"Remember, entertainment companies aren't charities. You debut because you have the qualifications and ability to debut. Debut spots are never something that anyone can give up to anyone else."
Lee Ji-eun pursed her lips, clearly still somewhat disagreeing, but she didn't argue further.
Seeing that Zhi'en was still somewhat downcast, Li Zhixing stroked his chin and said in a slightly somber tone, "Hmph, how dare Jiang Hudong ignore our Zhi'en! I'll get my revenge!"
"what?"
Lee Ji-eun's eyes widened suddenly, then she grabbed his sleeve in a panic: "Oppa, don't do this! I understand, after all, I'm not famous yet. Oppa, please don't act impulsively!"
"That won't do! We absolutely cannot let him off so easily!"
Li Zhixing's expression was serious and firm: "I've decided. Once I'm famous, I'll refuse three of his variety show invitations!"
"Huh? That's it?"
Lee Ji-eun was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized that her oppa was just joking with her.
Lee Ji-haeng said matter-of-factly, "What do you mean 'that's all'? Three invitations! Don't you know how much viewership Kang Ho-dong lost?"
"Yes, yes, it's all a loss for senior Kang Ho-dong."
After some coaxing and teasing from Li Zhixing, Zhi'en finally regained her usual energy.
She rubbed her stomach and started complaining of hunger: "Oppa, how about you cook for me later? Let's go to Uncle Li's restaurant, and Oppa will make me sweet and sour pork. I'm going to eat a ton today!"
Li Zhixing rolled his eyes at her: "Aren't you afraid of getting fat now?"
Lee Ji-eun chuckled: "I danced for two hours today, so I can eat a few pieces of meat."
Li Zhixing snorted coldly, ignored her, and continued walking forward.
Lee Ji-eun's eyes lit up, and she switched to her spoiled mode: "Oppa, my legs are sore from dancing, can you carry me on your back?"
Li Zhixing resolutely refused: "Don't even think about it. I'm afraid you'll crush me, and you're all sweaty, you'll be filthy."
Lee Ji-eun wrinkled her nose in dissatisfaction and angrily waved her little fist at Lee Zhi-xing's retreating figure: "Hmph, you stingy brat!"
At this moment, Li Zhixing, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and squatted down.
"Huh, why are my shoelaces untied?"
Looking at his broad back, Lee Ji-eun's originally aggrieved face instantly brightened, and the corners of her mouth turned up triumphantly.
Then he pounced and jumped onto Li Zhixing's back.
Li Zhixing stopped pretending to tie his shoelaces, stood up, and steadily supported her knees with both hands, letting out a helpless sigh.
"You've already debuted, and you're still acting like this. Won't your fans laugh at you if they see this?"
"What's so funny? You're obviously envious, okay? Envious that I have an oppa carrying me."
Then, Ji-eun nestled her head against Lee Ji-haeng's back and whispered, "Oppa, will I win first place in the future?"
"Absolutely, there will be countless more like Ji'en in the future."
Lee Ji-eun squinted her eyes happily: "What about the grand prize? Can I win the grand prize?"
Li Zhixing freed one hand and held up two fingers, waving them.
Lee Ji-eun asked with delight, "Can I have two?"
"No, no, no, it's twenty."
"Hahaha, how could that be!"
Although she said it was impossible, the girl still laughed happily, her clear laughter echoing in the night sky.
After laughing, Li Zhixing suddenly asked, "Zhi'en, can Oppa win Best Actor?"
Lee Ji-eun didn't say anything, but simply held up a finger in front of his eyes.
"What? I can only take one?"
"There are a hundred!"
"Wow, really? Then when Oppa wins a hundred Best Actor awards, he'll retire from acting and travel the world."
"Oppa was already an old man back then."
The brother and sister chatted casually, the streetlights casting long shadows of them.
After a while, Lee Ji-eun, as if she had been planning this for a long time, asked with a hint of slyness, "Oppa, if in the future, Kim Tae-yeon and I were to compete for the title of best solo female singer in Korea, who would you support?"
Li Zhixing paused slightly and fell silent.
After a long silence, he said earnestly, "Zhi'en, you're still young..."
"Hey! Li Zhixing!!!"
......