Chapter 69 of 100

Chapter 69

15 min read3,797 words

After several rounds of intimacy, Lee Hyori, already exhausted, fell asleep again. Zhang Chengyuan, however, was even more spirited and radiant, holding the sleeping Lee Hyori for a while before quietly getting out of bed to take a shower and freshen up. Since he had no new clothes to change into, he had to put on the clothes he had taken off the day before. Fortunately, these clothes were also freshly changed in the morning, so they were not very dirty.

Afterward, he went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for himself and Lee Hyori. He simply fried two eggs and a few sausages, heated a large can of milk, and then made a vegetable sandwich.

During the two years Zhang Chengyuan served in the military, Lee Hyori had developed the habit of eating raw vegetables and drinking milk for breakfast to maintain her slim figure and good health.

Zhang Chengyuan strongly disagreed with this. He believed that Lee Hyori's workload was already very heavy, and there was no need for her to diet. Moreover, if she did gain weight, he had many ways to painlessly help her lose the extra fat. Why should she deprive herself of the pleasure of eating what she wanted? After all, being able to eat whatever one desires is also a form of happiness.

However, Lee Hyori had long become accustomed to this diet that helped her maintain her beautiful figure, and she was determined not to give it up. After mutual compromise, their breakfast became a vegetable sandwich with raw vegetables, two small slices of bread, and a small piece of sausage.

As for Zhang Chengyuan's breakfast, he had no restrictions. As long as it was filling and not unpalatable, it was fine. Because no matter what kind of food combination, as long as it did not produce toxins, his body, which was at the peak of human physical strength, could perfectly digest it.

After preparing breakfast, Zhang Chengyuan carried Lee Hyori from the bed to the bathroom, prepared the toothbrush and towel for her, and let her rinse her mouth and wash her face. After she finished, he continued to carry her to the kitchen table and fed her. Lee Hyori was very tired, and her mind was hazy. She originally did not want to do anything, but she could not resist Zhang Chengyuan's insistence and had to follow his instructions step by step. She hardly felt what she was doing.

Zhang Chengyuan found the current gentle, obedient, and lazy Hyori very charming, which made him feel very fresh and interesting. Usually, he followed the orders of his sisters, but now he could take charge and do as he pleased. If he had known it would be like this, he would have taken action with his sisters long ago.

However, he also knew that this situation would only occur when Lee Hyori and the others were in a daze. If they were fully awake, their strong-willed nature would not allow him to act freely. Even a single glare from them would make him weak in the knees. Unless they did something he could not accept, like deciding to leave him, he would not be so assertive. Although this might seem unmanly, it was inevitable because they were his saviors, and his life's meaning was largely tied to them.

After Lee Hyori finished eating, Zhang Chengyuan sent her back to bed to rest, kissed her a few times, and then left with a heart full of joy. In the morning, he had a commercial event to attend. Although he was very reluctant to leave Lee Hyori, he still had to complete his work, so he left a note and hurried off.

The following period was the happiest time of Zhang Chengyuan's two lives, even more wonderful than the happiness he felt from making progress in his cultivation in his previous life. During this time, he was so content that if it weren't for his manager Park Byung-ryul's urging, he might have forgotten about working and earning money.

While he was enjoying his romantic success, a major event in the entertainment industry caught the attention of the entire nation—Song Seung-hyun, Han Jae-suk, and Jang Hyuk, several top-tier stars, were suspected of using fake medical certificates to illegally evade military service.

According to the South Korean constitution, paying taxes, receiving education, working diligently, and serving in the military are the four major obligations that all physically and mentally healthy South Korean men must fulfill. The other three obligations were manageable, but military service was a critical issue for male celebrities in the entertainment industry. After two years of service, most male artists' careers suffered significant setbacks. Even if they managed to make a comeback, it was difficult to reach their previous peak, let alone surpass it.

Perhaps due to this concern, top stars like Song Seung-hyun, Han Jae-suk, and Jang Hyuk were encouraged by their agencies or some people with ulterior motives to commit this act that went against South Korean public sentiment. For citizens of large countries like China and the United States, not serving in the military might not be a big issue, but for the people of South Korea, a small country with a constant threat of war, evading military service was absolutely unforgivable. A few years ago, when popular singer Yoo Seung-jun was deported, countless South Koreans cheered.

In comparison, the treatment of Song Seung-hyun and others was much better. First, the news was not yet confirmed, although it was almost certain. For such a significant event involving super-popular stars, a large portion of the public would wait for official announcements from relevant departments or personal admissions from the involved artists before making any condemnation. However, some tabloids and local radio stations had already begun to criticize and pile on.

Second, even if these stars had indeed evaded military service, they still had opportunities to atone and make amends. Unlike Yoo Seung-jun, who became a U.S. citizen, leaving the South Korean government with no choice but to ban him from entering the country, they could not arrest or force him to serve. Yoo Seung-jun suffered greatly, losing his thriving career and even being barred from entering South Korea to mourn his deceased relatives.

Moreover, many wealthy businessmen's sons had emigrated or changed their citizenship to avoid military service, and the South Korean government had not pursued them. The government's decision to target Yoo Seung-jun was likely due to his status as a public figure with significant influence, necessitating a warning to others. Now, with Song Seung-hyun and others again suspected of evading military service, their fans were worried they would face similar severe punishments.

Regardless, this incident became the hottest topic recently and was likely to be one of the top ten entertainment news stories of 2004.

But what did this have to do with Zhang Chengyuan? He had not evaded military service; he had already completed it. The interesting part was that he had served his military service honestly and enthusiastically, even enlisting as soon as he received his first draft notice, demonstrating great patriotism, love for the military, and concern for the people. His performance in the military was also outstanding. The more outstanding he was, the more he stood in stark contrast to Song Seung-hyun, Jang Hyuk, and Han Jae-suk.

Although Zhang Chengyuan, Park Byung-ryul, Lee Hyori, and others knew that his early enlistment was a result of weighing the pros and cons and a necessary decision, the media did not know or need to know these details. They only needed to use Zhang Chengyuan's military service to highlight the shamelessness and baseness of Song Seung-hyun, Jang Hyuk, and Han Jae-suk. They would write extensively and enthusiastically about Zhang Chengyuan, praising him to criticize the real subjects of their reports, to attract attention and boost sales or ratings.

Thanks to this unexpected media attention, Zhang Chengyuan's fame and popularity grew even more in recent times. Previously, those familiar with him were mostly TV viewers or young internet users, but now even many people over sixty recognized him from his photos.

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