Chapter 58

The day after the press conference, the rumors about Sung Yuri and Zhang Chengyuan quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys of Seoul, causing a significant stir.

Some of the more reputable TV stations and newspapers only reported Sung Yuri's original statements, but certain unscrupulous tabloids and magazines exaggerated the situation, portraying Zhang Chengyuan as a man who relied on women to rise to fame. They detailed his rise to fame, starting with minor roles, then co-starring in school uniform ads with Yoon Eun-hye, playing the bad brother to national sweetheart Moon Geun-young, acting opposite veteran actress Ha Ji-won, and then being linked to top advertising star and popular actress Kim Tae-hee after his military service. Now, he was co-starring in a drama with Sung Yuri and causing another scandal. It seemed that every step of his rise was tied to women, suggesting that despite his bright appearance, he had a dark and sinister heart. In short, they degraded Zhang Chengyuan to the point where he was worse than dog feces.

Zhang Chengyuan was naturally furious after reading these reports, even considering burning down the newspaper offices in the dead of night. After all, when he worked with Yoon Eun-hye and Moon Geun-young, most of them were not yet famous or were not very well-known. Now, they had risen rapidly in fame, far surpassing him, making it seem as if he had clung to their coattails to rise. Damn, even the fact that Kim Tae-hee joined the company later than him was wrong, showing that these reporters only fabricated stories or reprinted unverified information.

However, what made him happy was that these newspapers did not attack Sung Yuri, who had always had a good reputation. They only advised her to recognize Zhang Chengyuan's true nature and stay away from him. Therefore, out of respect for their not criticizing or defaming Sung Yuri, Zhang Chengyuan did not get angry with those unscrupulous media outlets.

Zhang Chengyuan felt both grateful and resentful about Sung Yuri's unexpected statements at the press conference. He was grateful for her sincere intention to help him. He was resentful because he felt too powerless, not only dragging Kim Tae-hee into the mess but also making his dear sister Sung Yuri make such a great sacrifice for him.

In his resentment, he felt a surge of ambition, determined to achieve great things so that he would no longer need to rely on his sisters' support but could instead protect them. He also wanted to be able to lend a helping hand when his family and friends needed it. However, he knew this was a distant ideal, and the most important thing now was to focus on his role and do his job well.

While the rumors about Zhang Chengyuan and Sung Yuri were spreading, the filming of "The First Love of the Crown Prince" also began. To speed up the production, the crew was temporarily divided into two teams: one focused on the scenes with the male lead, Cha Tae-hyun, and the other on the scenes with the male supporting lead, Zhang Chengyuan, and other main actors. The female lead had to frequently move between the two teams because she had many scenes with both the male lead and the male supporting lead.

A week passed, and around 8 PM one evening, after finishing his day's shoot, Zhang Chengyuan was about to change out of his costume in the makeup room when he heard Sung Yuri calling his name. Turning his head, he saw his sister Sung Yuri smiling and waving at him. He immediately waved back, overjoyed.

Since the entire crew already knew about their close relationship, they no longer avoided each other. From the first day of filming, they would wait for each other whenever they had free time. That day, Sung Yuri had been shooting with Cha Tae-hyun, but her scenes ended around 6 PM, and she had no other commitments, so she quickly packed up and rushed to Zhang Chengyuan's set to watch him shoot and wait for him to finish. She also brought some drinks and snacks to help Zhang Chengyuan build better relationships with the other actors and crew members.

Zhang Chengyuan was always poor at handling interpersonal relationships, especially with his work partners. He was used to maintaining a serious and stern demeanor, making it difficult for him to blend in with the crew. In contrast, Sung Yuri was much better at this, though not exceptionally skilled, she could handle general social situations well. This time, as his sister, she wanted to do something for her brother, and helping him with his interpersonal relationships was one of her goals.

After Zhang Chengyuan changed his clothes and tidied up, Sung Yuri left with him. Along the way, she greeted every crew member warmly. Seeing this, Zhang Chengyuan tried to smile warmly and greet people in the same way.

That evening was a bit special because the next day, Sung Yuri would be going to Japan with the team filming with Cha Tae-hyun for a week. Therefore, F.I.R.S.T. and Zhang Chengyuan had planned to gather that night. As soon as they left the set, Sung Yuri politely dismissed her assistant and got into Zhang Chengyuan's car to return to his apartment.

In the car, Sung Yuri asked, "Chengyuan, have you been getting a lot of criticism lately?"

While driving, Zhang Chengyuan replied, "Yes, I've been criticized a lot, but I don't really care anymore."

Sung Yuri said, "It seems my words at the press conference were indeed thoughtless, causing you to be criticized. How about I make you some kimchi fried rice or tuna fried rice tonight to comfort you?" Their relationship was so close that apologies were unnecessary; they preferred to show their remorse through actions.

Zhang Chengyuan said, "Sister Yuri, don't worry about it. In fact, I should thank you. Now my name is mentioned several times a day on various TV programs, and the hosts and guests all envy my good fortune in being so close to you all. Perhaps I did something great in my past life to deserve meeting you all when I was struck by lightning. Without you, there would be no me today."

Sung Yuri was initially amused but became angry when she heard the last part. "Why bring up past sorrows? If you mention it again, I won't talk to you." To her, Zhang Chengyuan's suicide attempt was the most painful and sad thing in his life, something that should be forgotten and never mentioned again. However, Zhang Chengyuan felt no sadness about it, only gratitude. It was the beginning of his new life and the start of meeting the four most important women in his life.

After arriving at Zhang Chengyuan's apartment, they soon received messages from Lee Hyori, Lee Jin, and Yoo Ju-hyun, saying they had other commitments and couldn't see Sung Yuri off that night, suggesting the two of them enjoy themselves.

Sung Yuri glanced at Zhang Chengyuan and suddenly felt a bit awkward. The thought of spending the night alone with him in the same apartment made her heart race.

Zhang Chengyuan, with his keen senses, immediately noticed her unease. Although he smiled lightly and seemed unconcerned, he thought, "Could it be that I'm right, and Sister Yuri really has feelings for me? Should I... But what if I'm wrong? Will she be angry? And where are Sister Hyori, Sister Ju-hyun, and Sister Jin? They said they would see Sister Yuri off last night."

At that moment, in a private room of a high-end bar in Cheongdam-dong, Lee Hyori, Yoo Ju-hyun, and Lee Jin were all a bit tipsy. Yoo Ju-hyun swirled her glass and said, "I wonder how Yuri and Chengyuan are doing? Have they made any breakthroughs?"

Lee Hyori said, "If Yuri doesn't seize this opportunity, I'll beat her ass."

Lee Jin said, "Don't worry, Chengyuan is quite bold. Without us around, he'll definitely make a move on Yuri."

Lee Hyori said, "Bold? He might get a little advantage, but he's just a coward at heart. He's never had the courage to take any of us."

Yoo Ju-hyun said, "But his desires are quite strong. He wants to have all four of us. But let's see what the times are like now."

Lee Hyori said, "That's why we're trying to help him and Yuri. Once he has a girlfriend, his mind will be more settled, and he won't daydream so much."

Lee Jin said, "I have a vague feeling of pain. I'm afraid that once Chengyuan has Yuri, he'll forget about us."

Lee Hyori said, "He dare? I'm more afraid that once Yuri and he are officially together, she'll be jealous of us. Women can be ruthless when they're jealous."

The three fell silent. After a while, Yoo Ju-hyun said, "Maybe we should let Chengyuan and Sister Hyori be together. Everyone can see that Hyori is the one he cares about the most. And you and Chengyuan... never mind."

Lee Jin said, "Why not say it? It's unfair to Sister Hyori. I'll say it. Hyori, in 1999, after our second album, when you were drunk, you 'ate' Chengyuan in your sleep. Yes, you did it to the underage Chengyuan. He was unconscious and didn't know, but Sister Ju-hyun, Sister Yuri, and I saw it clearly."

Lee Jin then detailed the incident, making Lee Hyori blush and feel so embarrassed that she wanted to hide under the table. After a long while, Lee Hyori managed to calm down and said, "That was a mistake. Let's never mention it again. It's as if it never happened." Her voice grew increasingly somber, and she sighed deeply.

Yoo Ju-hyun and Lee Jin also sighed, feeling a sense of loss. They stared at their glasses in silence.

A few minutes later, Lee Hyori said, "Forget it. Chengyuan is four years younger than me and only two years younger than Yuri. In terms of personality, the lively Yuri is more suitable for him. Let's sincerely wish them well!"

That night, unable to control his desires, Zhang Chengyuan used his inner strength to open the locked door of the adjacent room, sneaked into Sung Yuri's bed, and kissed and touched her, satisfying his desires. When he tried to go further, he was kicked off the bed by an angry Sung Yuri. After that, he didn't dare to be too bold, but he still stubbornly hugged her beautiful body, wanting to sleep with her. Sung Yuri, unable to resist his strength and seeing that he wasn't being too excessive, let him have his way.