novellhall 68. She expressed her gratitude to Ye Yan9244 for the monthly ticket.
68. She expressed her gratitude to Ye Yan9244 for the monthly ticket.
At six o'clock in the evening, this alley in Hannam-dong was always exceptionally quiet. Li Jingcheng parked the car on the side of the road, turned off the engine, and unbuckled his seatbelt.
As soon as he opened the car door, his gaze was drawn to the figure at the entrance of the barbecue restaurant.
Li Huili didn't choose to wait for him in the private room. Instead, she stood under a warm yellow streetlamp at the entrance of the store, specifically to greet him.
Even though Lee Kyung-sung knew that Lee Hye-ri had feelings for him, this simple action raised her score in his eyes.
She put extra care into her outfit today.
Lee Hyeri chose a simple yet sophisticated outfit: a light gray knitted camisole layered under a light blue denim shirt. The shirt was left unbuttoned and casually draped over her shoulders, highlighting her elegant neck and shoulder lines while adding a touch of relaxed and lively charm.
She paired it with high-waisted washed denim jeans, which perfectly accentuated her slender waist and long, straight legs.
What's most striking is her makeup. It's subtle yet sophisticated, highlighting her ever-smiling eyes, giving her a gentler, more approachable look than her stage persona.
She saw the car lights, and she also saw the man who got out of the car, dressed like a secret agent.
Lee Hyeri smiled, raised her hand, and waved vigorously. Her smile was so bright it seemed to dispel the chill of early spring.
At this moment, Li Jingcheng, fully armed and afraid of being recognized, and her unguarded and enthusiastic figure formed a stark contrast.
"Oppa! Over here!" Lee Hyeri jogged a few steps to greet him, her voice clear and bright.
"Have you been waiting long?"
Li Jingcheng pulled down his mask, smiled, and said, "Let's go inside first. The two of us are too conspicuous outside."
"Okay." Lee Hyeri blinked, and as she turned to lead the way, a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips.
The private room was located on the second floor and was very soundproof. It was quiet all around, and the two of them were alone in the large space.
The scorching hot, smokeless charcoal was quickly brought to the table, and the glowing embers warmed the private room. A thick iron grill pan was placed over the fire, and soon a faint steam rose from it.
Li Huili naturally picked up the long-handled tongs used for grilling meat and neatly laid out the thick slices of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat on the scalding hot grill pan.
The moment the tender, plump chunks of meat touched the hot grill pan, they sizzled and produced a pleasant, subtle sound. Glistening, translucent fat slowly seeped out along the meat's grain, flowing gently across the grill pan, and the rich, savory aroma of meat instantly filled the air.
Li Huili's grilling technique is skillful and efficient. She lightly pinches the meat pieces with her fingertips, precisely controlling the heat. Once one side is seared to a golden brown and fragrant color, she quickly flips it over and grills it slowly on the other side. Occasionally, she gently presses the meat pieces with tongs to force out excess fat from the inside, and carefully trims off any excess fat from the edges. Her movements are fluid and graceful.
Roast until the meat curls up slightly, the skin turns an enticing brown color, the layers of fat and lean are distinct, and the fat and lean are perfectly blended without any burnt bits.
"Oppa drove here, so let's not drink tonight," Lee Hyeri said softly and naturally as she carefully turned the meat slices on the grill.
"No problem, don't drink and drive." Since he wasn't planning on sleeping with her tonight anyway, Li Jingcheng replied with a smile, not caring at all.
He took off his sunglasses and hat, his gaze falling on the girl intently grilling the meat, watching her skillful and efficient movements.
"Hyeri, seeing how skilled you are, the meat you grill must taste amazing. Today, I'll leave it all to you and let Oppa have a good taste of your cooking."
Hearing this, Lee Hyeri tilted her head slightly, a faint smile in her eyes, and said softly, "Okay, since Oppa's treating today, I'll grill as much as you want."
"That's just how the maknae gets treated anyway."
"Maknae," Lee Kyung-sung glanced at Hyeri.
"Yeah, I'm the youngest in the group, so when Ah-young unnie treats us to barbecue, I'm usually the one in charge."
"Your Ah Rong unnie is quite good to you guys. I remember you told me that the company hasn't settled accounts yet, but it'll be soon. You've already confirmed that you'll be joining the production team, so the group will only get better and better."
"It's hard to say. Although I have a lot of screen time and the full script isn't available yet, I feel the role isn't very compelling and has no chance of breaking out. It's just a trial run for me in this crossover acting genre," Lee Hyeri said, seemingly quite clear about her career plans.
Compared to Lee Kyung-sung, who is laid-back and lets CJ arrange everything, he only needs to make a few small requests of his own.
As she spoke, she carefully picked up the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside, and fragrant pork belly, removed the excess fat, and placed it steadily on the plate in front of Li Jingcheng.
"Don't worry, I still have Oppa. I'll recommend you to the company if there are any suitable scripts later." Lee Kyung-sung couldn't help but flirt again, looking at her with a light laugh.
"Oh really? Oppa, I'll take that seriously." Lee Hyeri's eyes flashed with a sly smile.
"Of course, I actually think you have a lot of acting talent, Oppa believes in you." Lee Kyung-sung picked up the grilled meat from the plate and put it in his mouth without any restraint. His mouth was full of rich and fragrant meat flavor, and the fat was rich but not greasy.
Surprisingly, it tasted quite good.
And putting everything else aside, Lee Hyeri's portrayal of Deok-sun is quite in line with his aesthetic tastes, and Reply 1988 is also a CJ production.
However, he forgot when it aired, but at that time, he was already confident of becoming a top star in the Korean entertainment industry, so he should have had some influence, and if he didn't have other good scripts to choose from...
He not only snatches roles and takes the system rewards, but he also finds roles that interest him to play.
"Hearing that Oppa wants to take care of me has made me feel much less confused about the future," Lee Hyeri said with a smile, as if joking. "Then from now on, if Oppa wants to eat barbecue, just tell me, and I'll grill it myself."
"Then you should eat more too."
Li Jingcheng didn't pay attention and casually picked up the tender roasted meat from her plate and gently placed it into Li Huili's small bowl.
Lee Hyeri didn't hesitate at all. She picked up a piece of meat, dipped it in the fragrant and rich Korean barbecue sauce, took a small bite, and the aroma of the meat mixed with the aroma of the sauce melted on her tongue. While chewing, she mumbled and joked, "Oppa is now completely popular like a bolt from the blue."
Upon hearing this, Li Jingcheng looked up at her, a faint, languid smile playing on his lips.
Lee Hyeri swallowed the meat in her mouth, put down the barbecue tongs in her hand, her eyes filled with genuine emotion, and her tone was full of heartfelt praise, "Now, who in the whole of South Korea doesn't know Oppa? In terms of national recognition, his popularity and buzz have skyrocketed. He's directly overshadowed all the new generation artists of his generation."
Actually, her invitation to Li Jingcheng to dinner was a way for her to use the opportunity of spending time alone with him to gradually get closer to him.
Just a few days ago he was an unknown, and now he's a top K-pop star with no notable works. Something about that sounds a bit odd.
However, Lee Hye-ri still admired his successful career, and she was very touched that he was still willing to accept her invitation and even offered to treat her.
Her gaze involuntarily fell on Li Jingcheng's face, and a ripple of emotion quietly stirred in Li Huili's heart.
She didn't consider herself a person who was attracted to good looks, but under the warm yellow light, she couldn't help but feel a tremor in her heart.
With his features revealed, his eyes and brows are even more deep and defined. His sword-like eyebrows are sharp and well-defined, and the slight upturn at the corners of his eyes adds a touch of casual elegance. His high, straight nose accentuates his excellent bone structure, and his thin lips have clean, crisp lines. His entire face is angular yet not harsh, adding a touch of languid warmth and making him incredibly handsome.
It's hard to look away, and the images of past encounters uncontrollably surface in my mind: the firm, smooth lines of his abdominal muscles are clearly defined, the muscles are evenly proportioned and exude power.
But whenever I get close to that face and recall that stunning figure from that day, that faint feeling in my heart quietly ferments and gives rise to countless indescribable and enchanting flutters, even making my heartbeats beat out of rhythm.
Just as her mind was in turmoil, Li Jingcheng suddenly leaned down slightly, his gaze falling lightly on her flushed cheeks. He lowered his voice, his deep, magnetic voice carrying a hint of allure, and chuckled, "In other people's eyes, I am a star-studded actress, but for me, work is work, and life is life. Neither is as comforting as quietly enjoying a barbecue with you."
One sentence made Li Huili's ears burn slightly. She subconsciously lowered her head and fiddled with the meat slices on the grill, hurriedly trying to hide her shyness.
Seeing this, Li Jingcheng's smile deepened. He naturally picked up a lettuce leaf from the side, wrapped it around the charred pork belly, added some refreshing garlic slices and kimchi to cut the grease, rolled it up skillfully, and held it directly to her lips. His tone was gentle and teasing, "Come and try my lettuce-wrapped grilled pork."
A warm breath lingered between the two, and an ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread between them.
Lee Hyeri pursed her lips, not refusing, and slightly opened her mouth to eat the grilled meat he offered, her cheeks growing increasingly hot.
Li Jingcheng raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze fixed intently on her evasive eyes. He knew in his heart that he was no longer a child, and he and Li Huili had only met once. She had invited him to eat barbecue under the pretext of thanking him, which could be considered as mutual affection.