dkrc Chapter 3 Unable to Flirt
Chapter 3 Unable to Flirt
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the highest proportion of senior civil servants among all systems in South Korea, especially compared to the Prosecutor's Office, which has a high turnover rate, it is ten times higher.
Correspondingly, while the work atmosphere here is harmonious, it is also filled with an atmosphere of intense competition.
Jung Do-hoon spent the entire day sorting through the documents left by his predecessor, and a certain nerve in his head was throbbing with pain.
Too many projects fizzle out halfway through, especially at the end of last year when as many as nine cultural exchange projects were launched in an effort to spend all the budget.
The application for the Busan 2030 World Expo is the core of Jung Do-hoon's work, so not only to free up his energy, but also to manage the department's budget more accurately, he needs to cut some projects.
As for the World Expo, Jeong Do-hoon, as a reborn individual, remembered very clearly that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's bid proposal was ridiculed by almost the entire world. In the final preliminary round, Busan suffered a crushing defeat to Riyadh by nearly 90 votes.
It's all a mess, but it's also an opportunity.
Zheng Daoxun already had his own plan, but he needed some time to sort it out step by step.
In the bathroom, Zheng Daoxun cupped some tap water in his hands and splashed it on his face, which helped him regain some clarity.
Especially during the South Korea-Indonesia cultural exchange season, a large number of sub-projects were approved, but there were various deficiencies in the related approvals and reports. It is estimated that for a long time to come, Jeong Do-hoon will have to clean up the mess left by his predecessor.
"What's the use of being talented if you don't have connections? You just have to grind your way up... Do-hoon, what are you still doing here?"
A male voice came from the side; it belonged to a middle-aged man in his early forties, short in stature, and with a shrewd appearance.
Li Yongzhi was an administrative officer in the Ministry of Trade and Economic Cooperation, responsible for things like attracting investment. He was also one of the candidates for the position of secretary in the Cultural Exchange Section.
According to seniority, this position should have been his.
When he entered the restroom, he was chatting and laughing with his colleague next to him. He didn't show much respect when he looked at Zheng Daoxun; he just glanced at him and then went in with a cigarette in his mouth.
The 25-year-old clerk stood out conspicuously, especially among these veterans.
Jung Do-hoon had such a person in his memory, but it wasn't a very respectable one. He was too lazy to pay attention to Lee Young-ji, so he politely greeted him, clocked out of get off work, and took the subway to a villa in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu.
Perhaps because he had previously been stationed in South America, Jeong Do-hoon felt a sense of familiarity upon returning to the residence of the Argentine ambassador.
In addition to key personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dinner also invited numerous business and cultural elites to celebrate the ambassador's wife's birthday.
Ambassador's wife, Zoe Gomez, was someone Zheng Daoxun had known for a long time. They had frequent contact in his previous life when they were in Argentina. Now, at less than forty years old, she looked almost the same as she would have ten years later, having maintained her appearance quite well.
When she learned that Zheng Daoxun had been promoted to secretary, she was both surprised and delighted, and dragged him out for a walk to introduce him to everyone—
Representatives from several entertainment companies then enthusiastically suggested a get-together after the dinner, but Zheng Daoxun, though tempted to agree, waved his hand dismissively.
"Let's meet another day. It's on me. We'll need to support each other in our future work."
The other representatives wanted to persuade him to stay, but they couldn't say much and could only let Zheng Daoxun leave.
He chatted with several counselors from other South American countries about the World Expo, making some initial acquaintances and exchanging contact information. Only then did Zheng Daoxun realize he was a bit drunk, and he went to the sofa in the corner to sober up on his own.
"Jung Do-hoon... beer belly..."
He shook his head. He wasn't actually hallucinating, but he couldn't help but recall Sana Minatozaki's voice again.
When Jung Do-hoon opened his eyes again, a little girl with a Latin face was standing in front of him, holding a plate of cake and eating it with relish.
"Juliana, eat less sweets." Zheng Daoxun had spent several years in Argentina and spoke Spanish quite well.
This is Mrs. Gomez's youngest daughter. Because she grew up in South Korea, she dreamed of becoming an idol since she was a child. Later, Jung Do-hoon introduced her to a trainee program.
"You know me?" The girl blinked and looked at Jung Do-hoon. Just as she was about to say something, a gentle female voice came from behind her. The little girl's attention was quickly drawn to the beautiful woman. She came to her side and greeted her sweetly in Korean, "Suzy unnie."
Bae Suzy wore a black tulle dress today, with her long, cascading hair parted to the side, looking both languid and dignified.
With one hand on the silver necklace at her chest and the other patting the girl's head, she chatted with a smile.
Bae Suzy seems to really like children, making Juliana giggle, and her eyes also showed a touch of elder's affection.
Most celebrities are like this; if necessary, they can put on a friendly demeanor no matter who they meet.
Zheng Daoxun's gaze met hers for a moment, then he nodded slightly, initially thinking it was just a casual greeting—
Bae Suzy gracefully lifted her skirt and sat down beside him. The faint aroma of tea wafted over, which dispelled some of his drunkenness.
"I just heard from our Representative Kim that a very young and handsome clerk came today. Although he didn't say what she looks like, I think it must be you," she said, extending her hand to shake hands with Jung Do-hoon. "Section Chief Jung, just call me Soo-ji."
"Sooji-ssi, there's no need for that. You can just call me Dohoon." He released his hand, politely declining the champagne Bae Soo-ji offered him, and casually said, "Representative Kim, you flatter me. I was just lucky..."
Bae Suzy put down her wine glass, her fingertips lightly resting on the edge of the table, her posture languid yet elegant. The hem of her black tulle dress drooped slightly, and the light fell on the soft contours of her profile, making her look gentle and almost tender.
She didn't continue with the pleasantries. Her gaze quietly fell on Zheng Daoxun's face. Her eyes were light, yet they carried a subtle scrutiny and probing. Unlike others in the entertainment industry who fawned over him, she wasn't deliberately enthusiastic. She simply looked at him quietly, a faint smile always playing on her lips.
"Luck is also a form of ability, isn't it?"
Her voice was soft and her speech was slow, carrying the gentle magnetism unique to mature women. What was clearly an ordinary sentence, when spoken by her, carried a subtle and ambiguous meaning.
"A 25-year-old secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—you won't find another one like him in all of South Korea."
Bae Suzy leaned slightly closer, subtly closing the distance between them, yet remaining just outside the polite social distance but within the ambiguous boundary—neither too close nor too far.
A faint aroma of tea mingled with the cool fragrance of flowers wafted over, creating a refreshing and invigorating feeling. Zheng Daoxun couldn't help but relax his brow.
Her gaze swept over his brow bone, past his slightly tired eyes, and she said softly:
"You look very tired. Is something bothering you?"
"Everyone has their worries," Zheng Daoxun said, his gaze sweeping around the villa. He casually pointed and said, "That guy from the Ministry of Commerce and Trade is currently negotiating the import of lithium ore from Argentina. You know, for a small resource country like ours, our position at the negotiating table isn't very high. No matter how much pressure I'm under, it can't be more than his..."
Bae Suzy listened patiently, her eyes showing no sign of perfunctoriness.
The noisy banquet hall was filled with music and voices, the lights were dim, and the air was stuffy.
She gathered her long hair that had fallen behind her ear, tilted her head slightly, and looked out at the quiet courtyard at night. Her voice became even softer and gentler:
"It's too noisy and stuffy inside. The breeze in the courtyard is so nice, would you... like to come for a short walk with me to get some fresh air?"
She spoke softly, her tone neither forceful nor overtly inviting.
After speaking, she didn't get up immediately. Instead, she turned her head, her gaze quietly falling on his face, her eyes filled with a hint of expectation, yet also leaving herself an escape route.
Zheng Daoxun's brow twitched slightly.
He certainly understood the meaning behind the invitation.
Being alone, away from crowds, and spending time quietly are the beginning of ambiguity.
He didn't dislike Bae Suzy, didn't reject her approach, and even admired her elegance; he felt no aversion or resistance whatsoever.
Zheng Daoxun hesitated only slightly for a moment, his tone remaining gentle and polite, demonstrating a perfect sense of propriety:
"It was impolite for the ambassador's wife to leave the dinner table for too long. It would have been much better if she had just sat quietly here for a while."