dognovel Chapter 33 Divine Assistance
Chapter 33 Divine Assistance
At 6:30 in the morning, Zheng Daoxun dragged Ya Xian out of bed, watched her finish breakfast, and then changed into his sportswear and went out.
Whenever time allows, he will go for a run before going to work.
Who doesn't want to take a shower and lie down in bed after work? Forcing yourself to go to the gym at night is pure torture.
Apart from commuters going to work, the streets were almost deserted in the early morning.
He put his earphones in and set off along his usual running route, but when he reached the first intersection, he changed his mind at the last minute—
There's a dedicated running track in the neighborhood where Bae Suzy lives. The surface is just the right firmness, and the environment is nice. Running three laps around it will complete your 10-kilometer goal.
Even while running, Jung Do-hoon's mind was not idle.
I need to go to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism this morning.
Revising the "Regulations on the Safety Management of Overseas Cultural Activities" is only a matter of time.
The fact that the artists are currently stranded in Indonesia is the perfect opportunity.
But before we can officially proceed, we need to speak with Section Chief Fang Zhixiu of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department.
Well, in diplomatic terms, it's called "listening to opinions and improving regulations"; in plain terms, it's about being polite first and then resorting to force, giving the other side a heads-up.
There are two types of hidden cards.
One type is truly a closely guarded secret, never to be revealed unless absolutely necessary;
Another approach is to make it public so that the other party knows of its existence and has to weigh the pros and cons.
The regulations fall into the latter category. If Fang Zhixiu refuses to compromise on the Expo promotion plan, Zheng Daoxun will consider pushing it out as soon as possible.
He ran with great focus, even going over Fang Zhixiu's background in his mind. Zheng Daoxun never fought a battle unprepared.
I heard that Bang Ji-soo has a younger sister who is a trainee at Hybe. However, this information was of little use to Jung Do-hoon and was quickly tossed aside.
He only realized he had finished running ten kilometers when the exercise notification sounded on his phone.
He slowed down and walked to a vending machine by the roadside. He supported himself on the machine with one hand and began to stretch.
A bottle of electrolyte drink was handed to him.
Jung Do-hoon looked up, following the pair of fair, delicate hands upwards. Bae Soo-ji was smiling at him, holding a black garbage bag in her hand.
She was wearing a beige nightgown with a thin cardigan casually draped over it. Her hair was unkempt, hanging loosely over her shoulders. She wasn't wearing makeup, but her skin was flawless, and her features were clean and clear.
She has a faint camellia scent on her body.
"What a coincidence," Jung Do-hoon said, taking the drink and greeting him.
Bae Suzy shook her head, threw the trash into the bin beside her, and then slowly said:
"Dohoon-ssi, I've watched you run over there twice already."
So, she was waiting for him here?
Zheng Daoxun unscrewed the bottle cap but did not explain why he was in this neighborhood.
She didn't ask, so he didn't say. In this situation, explaining too much could easily be misunderstood as him deliberately avoiding the question.
"Do you have work scheduled for today? Why are you up so early?" He sat on the bench next to him, took the tissue that Soo-ji handed him, and wiped the sweat from his face.
Because she was wearing pajamas, Bae Suzy didn't sit down. Instead, she squatted down in front of him, resting her cheek on her hand, looking up at him with her cheeks slightly puffed out.
"If I go to the Chungro district today, would you like me to give you a ride to work?"
Zheng Daoxun's first reaction was to politely decline.
But before he could speak, Bae Suzy raised her index finger and gently tapped her fair cheek, tilting her chin slightly, her eyes half-closed, her tone carrying a hint of complaint:
"What's there to hesitate about? Does it embarrass you to have me drive you to work? Hmm?"
She used a question, but the rising intonation at the end of the sentence made it sound like she was saying—
Dohoon-ssi, how can you bear to refuse me?
Zheng Daoxun was not a rigid person. Since she insisted on giving it to him, he would always find a way to return the favor.
Reciprocity is key; connections between people are built little by little through mutual help, which is not a burden for him.
"Then I'll trouble you, if... it's on your way."
"I can go that way anyway."
Bae Suzy got up and walked towards home. "It's settled then. See you downstairs at your place around 7:30."
Jung Do-hoon finished his drink and looked at the woman's slender yet blurry figure in the morning light, letting out a helpless chuckle.
It really is true that nothing is more coincidental than a story.
But... is it really true that stories only happen by chance?
When Bae Suzy returned home, her father was sitting in the living room watching the morning news, holding a cup of hot tea.
Hearing the door open, he didn't turn around, but slowly took a sip of tea and joked with his daughter:
"Suzy, where did you go to take out the trash? It took you so long to come back."
Bae Suzy changed into slippers and walked in, meeting her father's knowing look on his face.
He saw Jung Do-hoon jogging nearby during his morning walk, so he called his sleeping daughter and woke her up, telling Bae Soo-ji to hurry up and take out the trash.
Bae Suzy was completely bewildered at the time, and she changed her clothes and went out in a daze.
But she already had a vague feeling that her father must have his reasons for doing this.
Bae Suzy never expected that the reason was Jung Do-hoon.
It seems this guy left a very good impression on Dad.
Bae Suzy scratched her hair, flopped onto the sofa, and said in a resigned tone:
"Dad, please be more specific next time. I went out this morning with absolutely no makeup on, it was so embarrassing."
"My daughter looks beautiful even without makeup." Mr. Pei's gaze went past the teacup. "Suzy, it's been so many years since you've been in a relationship. You need to learn to take the initiative. Look, she's already jogging all the way here."
Suzy turned her almond-shaped eyes slightly and looked at the chandelier on the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.
"I'm a staunch advocate of remaining single." — Suzy can be stubborn at times, and Bae's father knows his daughter quite well.
"If you really are a staunch advocate of remaining single, why did you lie to someone yesterday about giving you a ride to work? You haven't had any plans lately."
"I'm not talking to you anymore..." Bae Suzy got up and quickly walked towards her room in her slippers.
"Where are you going?" Pei's father pressed.
"Change your clothes and get ready to go out. I'll take him to work later..." Bae Soo-ji was already twenty-nine years old, but she was a little shy for a moment.
"Are you still going home? If not, I'll invite my chess friends to play chess in the park."
She stood on the stairs and looked at her father, Pei: "Dad, what are you thinking? Of course I'm going home tonight. How long have I known him?"
"I meant...lunch." Mr. Pei frowned slightly.
Meanwhile, in an apartment not far away...
Zheng Daoxun packed his briefcase and was about to leave when Ya Xian, limping and leaning on her cane, followed him out and called out to him:
"Oppa, wait a minute!"
"What's wrong?" Zheng Daoxun turned around in confusion.
Ya Xian held a bottle of perfume in her hand and sprayed it twice on his shirt:
"It's nothing, just smells a little better when I go out... Also, good luck at work today."