051 Suzy’s Desire for Growth

"His gaze was just like theirs."

Inside the hot spring hotel room, Bae Suzy handed an ice pack to her manager.

She could bring herself to strike, yet it still ached in her heart. A manager and an artist should naturally be as one; the slap landed on the manager's face, but the pain resonated within her own soul.

"What?"

"..."

Bae Suzy recalled unpleasant memories. In her ten years since debut, she had never encountered anything truly humiliating, yet those sorts of people would always ask with a puzzled tone: weren't you willing?

Fortunately, her benefactor, Ms. Shen Caiming, was not only a producer but also a shrewd businesswoman who deeply understood the principle that a rare commodity was worth hoarding.

Yes.

A rare commodity worth hoarding.

Ms. Shen Caiming, a renowned producer in Chungmuro, had a well-known past; she used to be the public relations manager for the Seoul Theater.

Starting from the 1970s, the Seoul Theater belonged to the legendary Chungmuro godfather, Director Kwak Jung-hwan.

At that time, Kwak Jung-hwan controlled the country's largest film distribution network and presided over the Grand Bell Awards—one of the peninsula's top three film accolades—for over a decade.

Clearly, anyone who could thrive in that era, dealing with both underworld and official figures alike, was bound to have a deeply stained background.

When the era of democratization arrived, Kwak Jung-hwan was arrested on tax evasion charges, and the Kwak family's film empire collapsed in an instant. That was when Shen Caiming struck out on her own.

Having started as a PR manager, Shen Caiming was far more adaptable than her husband, who only understood film art. She founded "Ming Pictures," smoothly hitched a ride on the new era's coattails, and mingled within the political circles of the 386 Generation.

The so-called 386 Generation referred to those born in the 1960s who attended university in the 1980s. Today, these individuals had become the backbone of the Democratic Party.

The smooth-talking Shen Caiming even served as a public recommendation committee member for the Democratic Party during the current National Assembly general elections.

For strategic purposes, the party would typically designate a specific electoral district and endorse a single candidate to run for parliament—this was known as a "public recommendation."

And how was this designated candidate chosen? This was where the recommendation committee, composed of representatives from all walks of life, came into play.

Bae Suzy had the privilege of being under her wing. That was earlier this year.

Whenever Bae Suzy met with her benefactor, Ms. Shen Caiming, she could constantly feel the woman's triumphant self-satisfaction.

Moreover, her participation in the Blue House event last year, where she pinned the order of civil merit on President Moon, was entirely thanks to Shen Caiming.

Bae Suzy felt a bitter knot in her stomach; it was not that she lacked a sense of gratitude.

To be honest, if not for her benefactor Shen Caiming shielding her from the storms, she would have long since been devoured and cast aside, let alone enjoying the freedom to do as she pleased today.

From JYPE to Shen Caiming, from idol to actress, Bae Suzy realized she had merely stepped out from under one umbrella and straight under another.

The world outside remained eternally overcast and rainy.

As for her current agency, Management SOOP, it was purely a place to hang her hat and coast into retirement, utterly useless.

"Suzy..."

"It's fine, you go to sleep first. I'm going out for a walk."

Bae Suzy snapped back to reality.

"I'll go with you."

"No need."

Bae Suzy flatly refused, offering her manager some reassurance:

"Unnie, you don't blame me, do you?"

"Of course not. Thank you, Suzy, for not holding it against me."

"Mm, we'll head back to Seoul early tomorrow morning."

"Understood."

The manager was very cooperative in acknowledging her fault. Bae Suzy smiled and left her own room to the manager.

The night was growing late.

Bae Suzy changed out of her swim dress into a loose floral sundress. Feeling restless inside, she could neither stay cooped up in the room nor manage to sleep.

繞开 bypassing the area of container homestays filled with the laughter of young people, Bae Suzy walked along a quiet path illuminated only by landscape lighting.

Over by the container homestays, those must have been students from Yonsei University. How enviable, carefree youth, backed by such a formidable president.

A backer...

Shen Caiming...

Bae Suzy had just called her mother, using the pretext of taking an interest in Yun Yunhui to extract more information about him from her mother's mouth.

She knew she had done the right thing.

Yet, this only made Bae Suzy feel even more wretched.

She hated that kind of gaze, and she hated her benefactor, Ms. Shen Caiming.

A rare commodity worth hoarding?

No matter how well Shen Caiming treated her, she was nothing more than a piece of merchandise to her.

...

An image of Yun Yunhui bare-chested flashed through Bae Suzy's mind, sending a sudden flutter through her heart and causing her cheeks to flush crimson.

Desire is universal, whether it be the lust for power or carnal desire.

An actress like herself had her limits.

Perhaps there might come a day when she would take over Shen Caiming's "business" and personally cultivate a young girl just like herself.

Bae Suzy thought of Artist Company, the agency Yun Yunhui was signed to.

Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung—the two brothers—logically speaking, had already left the vast majority of actors far behind. Why, then, were they still trying their hand at directing and acquiring film production companies?

Yun Yunhui...

The Haepyeong Yun clan...

Yunhui...

Did he say he was a fan of hers?

Perhaps...

Unwittingly, Bae Suzy had wandered beyond the grounds of the Asan Paradise Hotel, and the surrounding lights gradually faded away.

Bae Suzy startled herself. What on earth was she thinking just now???

She forced a smile and glanced at the time; it was almost midnight. Her top priority was to rush back and sleep. Thinking about all these things—what good did it do anyway?

She would return to Seoul early tomorrow morning, take on a drama role, and return to the ordinary life of an actress, leaving all these wild fantasies behind.

Suzy, none of those things have anything to do with you.

You cannot afford to envy other people's lives; everything you have today is something you fought tooth and nail to achieve.

"Clang... Clang... Clang..."

Just as Bae Suzy was about to turn back, the sound of a bell chimed in her ear. Huh? Was there a church or something nearby?

She scanned the direction from which the bell pealed and spotted it immediately: nestled on a small earthen slope ahead, amidst a dense grove of trees, a faint light was glowing.

Asan, Gongseeri Catholic Church.

Approaching the red-brick Gothic structure, Bae Suzy found a roadside sign indicating the identity of the building.

She had walked up via a trail from the back hill. Only upon reaching the front of the church did she realize how expansive it truly was, complete with two spacious parking lots out front.

Bae Suzy was not religious, nor did she plan on touring the interior of the church. Seeing that the doors were already closed, she thought nothing of it.

Instead, shaded by zelkova trees under the enchanting night, her soul felt strangely healed.

Bae Suzy took out her phone to snap a photo, noticing that in the corner of the circular plaza before the church, a small wooden cabin was still illuminated.

A duty room?

The bell that had just chimed the hour must have been struck manually.

That was the only explanation Bae Suzy could think of. Just then, the door of the small cabin swung open from the inside, and out stepped the very man she had hoped never to see again today.

"Amen."

Stepping out of the confessional booth and before he could even bid farewell to the priest, Yun Yunhui caught sight of Bae Suzy standing there dumbly not far away.

?

Shit! Bae Suzy is still stalking me!