Chapter 31

Jifeng smiled as he arrived downstairs. Just as he reached his car, his phone in his pocket rang. He took it out and saw the name "Xu Xian" on the screen. He immediately answered with a smile, "Xiao Xian, there's no need to thank me. I said I'm willing to do anything for you."

"The girls asked me to thank you. I have a show this afternoon, but how about I treat you to coffee after 8 PM? It seems like you really like coffee," Xu Xian's voice was filled with barely concealed excitement and shyness. The new contract terms were too good—her share had flipped to 80%, and almost all the restrictions were removed. The clause prohibiting dating wasn't even mentioned.

Jifeng felt someone's gaze and looked up to a window upstairs. Sure enough, behind the blue glass, several pretty girls were standing.

He waved at them and smiled, "Sure, I'm free anytime. You're at MBC this afternoon, right? I'll come pick you up then."

"Okay, then that's settled. The dance teacher is here."

After Xu Xian hurriedly said this and hung up, Jifeng looked up again but found no one. He put his phone back in his pocket and saw the driver, Uncle Song, standing by the open car door. He smiled at him and got into the car.

"Mr. Song, are you interested in a job change? I want to buy a house in Seoul and need a driver and a nanny. I can offer you a 30% raise over your current salary and pay you ten years' salary in advance," Jifeng said, looking out the window and feeling the car's slight bumps.

On the way, Jifeng learned that the driver's name was Song Chengren, a native of Incheon who lived in Seoul with his wife. Although he worked at a five-star hotel, his salary was not high, and he couldn't afford a house.

Hearing Jifeng's offer, Song Chengren was clearly excited and slammed on the brakes. He turned back to Jifeng, disbelief in his eyes, "Sir, are you serious?"

Jifeng shrugged and smiled, "Of course. You can take me to a real estate agency now, preferably one close to Xu Xian's place."

Song Chengren agreed enthusiastically, his heart pounding. With ten years' salary in advance, he could immediately buy a house in Seoul, and his children wouldn't have to suffer anymore. He didn't need to think twice about such a good deal.

Near Xu Xian's house, Song Chengren introduced a famous real estate agency. Jifeng went in and looked around, then followed the agent to view several properties. None of them met his satisfaction, so he specified his requirements: a private yard, good privacy, and proximity to Xu Xian's house.

Villas in Seoul were extremely rare due to the high population density and sky-high prices. Fortunately, the agent had one, though it looked old and dilapidated, it only needed minor repairs.

Jifeng toured the house, asked for Song Chengren's opinion, and immediately decided to buy it. He wrote a check for $3.2 million, and the 278-square-meter house with 8 bedrooms, two garages, and a 400-square-meter yard became his private property.

He left the paperwork, repairs, and renovations to Song Chengren, as he didn't plan to live there often, only using it occasionally for dates with Xu Xian. Jifeng was confident about winning Xu Xian's heart. He knew that Koreans also highly valued owning a house.

"A man with a house can be forgiven for any flaws." This was the most popular saying among Korean girls when choosing a marriage partner.

Although Xu Xian wasn't like that, her parents might agree, as having a house in Seoul would make them feel more secure. Jifeng was serious about his feelings for Xu Xian; he aimed for marriage. Even if it didn't work out, he could always sell the house, as it would appreciate in value.

In the afternoon, Jifeng watched Xu Xian's show at MBC and appeared backstage with a large bouquet of red roses after the show.

"Xiao Xian, you did a great job. This is for you, I hope you like it." Seeing Jifeng with such a large bouquet, the staff in the room screamed with excitement, their eyes filled with hearts. They seemed even happier than Xu Xian.

Xu Xian giggled, paused the makeup artist, and stood up to take the roses. "Thank you, but I don't think you understood."

Jifeng nodded helplessly, "I really can't help it. I'll try to learn Korean when I have time; otherwise, it's quite awkward."

Xu Xian lightly smelled the roses, the fragrance refreshing. She handed them to her assistant and sat down to remove her makeup, smiling, "You should really learn, so you don't look like you have nothing to do. Wait a moment, I'll be done soon."

The staff, who had been waiting to see Jifeng's embarrassment, were surprised when Xu Xian openly accepted the roses. They wondered how she dared to date a man behind the company's back and if she wasn't afraid of being blacklisted.

Xu Xian didn't introduce Jifeng to anyone, and the staff could only look at her with a mix of envy and resentment. A few minutes later, they watched Jifeng holding Xu Xian's hand as they left the station, causing a stir.

The news of Xu Xian dating spread like wildfire in the station.

In the Mercedes, Xu Xian saw Jifeng still holding her hand. She felt a mix of sweetness and worry, "Aren't you afraid of being photographed by the paparazzi?"

Jifeng said gently, "Let them take pictures if they want. I don't mind, but I'll be considerate of your feelings. If you don't want the public to know, I can be invisible."

Xu Xian pursed her lips and sighed, "Fine, let them know. By the way, I'm curious, how did you convince our CEO? It's unbelievable. Almost all of Korea had our old contract, and many have tried to challenge their authority, but no one has succeeded."

Seeing Xu Xian's genuine happiness over the new contract but also her concern about the future, Jifeng said, "It's not that complicated. I just explained the logic. If they refused, I was willing to have my lawyer sue them until they had nothing left."

Xu Xian's eyes widened in surprise, "Just like that?"

Jifeng smiled, "Pretty much. Don't ask for details; the result is what matters. Don't worry, your contract is still with the company, and it won't affect your popularity or reputation. Just don't work so hard; it breaks my heart. I don't know how you managed the past few years."

Feeling Jifeng's grip tighten, Xu Xian knew he genuinely cared and smiled, "It's okay."

They chatted in the car for over half an hour before arriving at a Western restaurant. Jifeng and Xu Xian, wearing sunglasses, entered the restaurant, their linked hands telling everyone they were in a relationship.

After enjoying a delicious Western meal, they headed to a movie theater because the company was on holiday, and they didn't need to wake up early the next day.

Seeing Xu Xian still energetic, Jifeng knew she had rested in the afternoon. They bought two tickets, a bucket of popcorn, and two bottles of water, then entered the dark theater.

Just as they entered, Xu Xian's phone rang. Seeing it was the team leader, she quickly answered, "Sister Taeyeon, what's up?"

After a few words, she looked at Jifeng with a puzzled expression and covered the phone, "Which hotel are you staying at? Sister Taeyeon said the CEO wants to visit you. Should we skip the movie and go back to see what the CEO wants?"

Finding a seat, Jifeng pulled Xu Xian down and smiled, "Tell him to come to the Ritz-Carlton tomorrow. This is our private time."

Xu Xian shook her head, spoke into the phone, and then hung up. She looked surprised, "The CEO wants to see you. Is it about the new contract?"

Jifeng tightened his grip on her hand and whispered gently, "Please have some faith in your boyfriend. Don't worry, it's not about the contract. It's something else, and I didn't give him an answer today."

"Who said you're my boyfriend? I haven't agreed yet," Xu Xian blushed and said, though her heart was as sweet as honey. She had heard that Chinese men were good, especially in treating their wives, and they were less chauvinistic, which she liked.

Hearing it wasn't about the contract, Xu Xian didn't care anymore. She leaned on Jifeng's arm, munching on the popcorn, and watched the movie.

When they returned to the dorm late at night with a large bouquet of red roses, Xu Xian found all her team members in her room. She was taken aback, put down the flowers, changed her shoes, and looked at everyone nervously, "Why aren't you all sleeping? It's very late."

Lin Yoon-a happily jumped to her side, smelled the roses, and said enviously, "Maknae, these are from Jifeng, right? You're the first one in our group to date. Tell us what you did tonight, or we'll give you a hard time."

Surrounded by her teammates, Xu Xian looked at their curious faces and felt overwhelmed. "Jifeng, you've really gotten me into trouble."