Chapter 304 - Scandal is also an Opportunity
"Su Tao, I have treated you as an opponent on the same level as me, so don't disappoint me!" Kim Jung-ho's bearing returned to that of a gentleman, as if he had done a charity for the community. At the same time, he smiled as he turned to Liu Ruochen and reminded, "According to what I know, Ji-yeon left the hotel early in the morning last night. I believe many things must have taken place in the five-to-six hours she was here."
Glancing at Kim Jung-ho, Liu Ruochen responded, "Doctor Kim, you've always been a gentleman in my heart. But I never expected that you would be so unscrupulous. How disappointing!"
"Uh!" Kim Jung-ho was stunned by those words.
Liu Ruochen continued, "What happened last night was Su Tao's personal affair, and I'm not in a position to interfere as an outsider. As for that gossiping news, not even an intelligent person would believe in it. So I believe that this should be the kind of attitude that you should have!"
After a brief moment of blank shock, Kim Jung-ho sighed with a smile. "Ruochen, I never expected that you would be such a pure woman. Alright, I won't fan the fire in this incident anymore. I suggest that Su Tao stays in the hotel for the time being, since a lot of paparazzi are watching you, and you will be surrounded the moment you show your face."
When he finished giving his advice, he left in disappointment — he felt complicated emotions swirling in his heart. Although his plan succeeded, he also caused Liu Ruochen to look down on him. From Su Tao's words, he could tell that the latter's hostility for him was stronger, so he felt something lacking in his heart.
However, he could only console himself that Su Tao was his stepping stone to glory. In this path, only one of them can stand out. Thus, he strengthened his mind to not treat Su Tao like a friend. This was something that he couldn't allow with his strong self-esteem.
When Kim Jung-ho left, Liu Ruochen walked to the window and saw a multitude of people gathering outside. However, the hotel had good security, and they were also informed about this matter in time. Thus, the paparazzi was stopped outside.
When she saw Su Tao casually peeling a tangerine, she asked with a smile, "Why do you seem pretty relaxed?"
"What else can I do? I'm currently overseas. If this was China, I could get a group of people over to beat those paparazzi up!" Su Tao gave a wry smile.
"You know that I'm not asking about that!" Liu Ruochen also took a tangerine and started peeling it. The tangerine was fresh, and her hands were covered in the juice shortly after. Locking her brows together, she took a napkin and wiped her fingers.
Looking at those details, Su Tao could tell that she was somewhat unhappy, despite her usual composed self. Hence, his heart softened. He knew that Liu Ruochen wanted an answer. "Hwang Ji-yeon did come to my room last night. I instantly knew that it was a plot when she rang the doorbell, but it was already too late. The reason why she stayed so long was because I was treating her leg injury."
"Nothing else aside from the treatment?" The moment Liu Ruochen asked that question, she immediately regretted it, since she had acted out of character.
However, Su Tao smiled. He did not have any ill feelings for that question. On the contrary, he felt that there was a worldly tint to her bearing. She usually gave off an ethereal and pure bearing. But at this moment, the fairy was curious. Putting it in a nutshell, the fairy's heart was affected by worldly affairs. He briefly pondered to phrase his words, since he naturally wouldn't reveal the details of being forced upon by Hwang Ji-yeon. "She wanted to have her injury treated, so she begged Kim Jung-ho. The latter gave her a condition which was to come to my room. As a doctor, I naturally couldn't sit and watch her suffer. Hence, I gave her a massage treatment. Right now, her injury is under control, and she will fully recover in roughly half a year, as long as she doesn't do any intense activities!"
Hearing Su Tao's patient explanation, Liu Ruochen was dragged back to reality and smiled. Shortly after, she helplessly sighed, "Hwang Ji-yeon is a celebrity, and I'm afraid that she will be a hot topic now that she has a scandal with you."
"It's just a scandal, and it will dissipate along with time." Su Tao knitted his brows and continued, "But nevertheless, I'm still worried about her. Her image has been pure and innocent, and I'm afraid her management company won't let her off so easily with this scandal."
Liu Ruochen threw a piece of tangerine into her mouth. When she finished eating, she wiped her mouth with a napkin before throwing it into the rubbish bin. "Such a huge scandal now surrounds you, and you still have the time to think about someone else? You're truly a living Bodhisattva."
"Isn't this the reason why I'm so popular with women?" Su Tao boasted.
"You have to attend Park Joong-sun's wedding tomorrow, and the International Medical Summit will begin a few days after. I'm afraid that this trip to South Korea won't be smooth." Liu Ruochen sighed. She already had an intuition that things wouldn't be smooth on this trip with Su Tao. After all, the latter was too dazzling, and a bar of gold would shine anywhere. He had both friends and enemies, and even Kim Jung-ho, who seemed to be a bit of both.
After Kim Jung-ho squeezed himself out of the crowd, he accepted an interview and gave a brief introduction of Su Tao.
Firstly, Su Tao was his friend, who was invited by him to attend the grand opening of his medical center and the International Medical Summit.
Secondly, Su Tao's medical skills were superb; he was someone on par with him. Thus, he hopes to defeat Su Tao during the International Medical Summit.
Thirdly, he wasn't clear about the relationship between Su Tao and Hwang Ji-yeon, but it's not surprising for someone like Su Tao, who is blessed with both talents and looks, to have a few friends of the opposite sex.
When he returned to his car, he looked at the crowd with complicated feelings. He was in a dilemma if what he did was right. But from Su Tao's expression, the latter should be able to understand his effort. After all, this incident cannot be considered a plot, but more towards a publicity stunt.
Kim Jung-ho was an expert at publicity stunts, and if it was someone else, they would be eager to be famous.
Suddenly, his phone rang. It was a call from his sister, Kim Jung-yeon, "Oppa, were you the one who schemed Su Tao and Hwang Ji-yeon's scandal?"
"Why would you ask me about that?" Kim Jung-ho smiled.
"Because it's too obvious! This is exactly the same as how you had scandals with celebrities in the past!" Kim Jung-yeon replied with indignance.
"Are you not handling Su Tao's fan club? It's an opportunity for you! With greater attention, the number of fans will increase." Kim Jung-ho changed the topic.
"I initially wanted to package Su Tao Oppa as a dynamic and hardworking idol. But now, it's all been ruined by you!" Kim Jung-yeon snorted as she hung up the phone.
With a wry smile, Kim Jung-ho sighed. He found his sister childish. How can that sort of image quickly get popular? Sometimes, an alternate approach is required!
As his heart sank down, Kim Jung-ho tossed the worries to the back of his mind. As he had planned, Su Tao was famous now. Thus, the battle between him and Su Tao was more meaningful.
His thoughts were meticulous. He did not do this for himself, but he wanted to show the value of TKM before the international community!
Although news regarding South Korea was lagging, it was soon publicised by media in China.
The first to call was Yan Jing, since she had an intelligence team under her control. So when she received the news, she sighed. But she soon made a decision and treated it like a breakthrough opportunity for the Three Flavour Cosmetics International to expand into the South Korean market.
"I've just had a discussion with the executives of the company, and the Three Flavour Cosmetics International's products will be launched in South Korea a week from now." Yan Jing calmly informed.
"Why do I feel that there's something unusual about this?" Su Tao asked with a smile, since it was baffling.
"Unusual? You must be having a misconception!" Yan Jing continued, "South Korea's cosmetic market has been a market that we've been trying to enter. But South Korea's market is dominated by various products, to begin with. Not to mention that they're all made with organic and herbal ingredients. Therefore, I was worried that we would be buried amongst the other products. You gave us a good opportunity, and through this incident, you are now famous in South Korea. That indirectly introduced South Korea to the products of the Three Flavour Cosmetics International."
Indeed, Yan Jing was an expert in the business world and her logic was reasonable. After a brief pondering, Su Tao said, "I still have another suggestion that you can look into!"
"Oh?" Yan Jing was perplexed by Su Tao's sudden words.
Lowering his voice, Su Tao replied, "With regards to my scandal with Hwang Ji-yeon, you can try and contact her management company to get her to be our spokesperson. That way, last night's incident will be fully justified. Yeah, we were, in fact, also discussing about that matter last night as well!"
"So, you weren't trying to cover it up?" Yan Jing sourly responded.
"Since things have already happened, then let the sex scandal brew. There are many results when it comes to sex scandals, and it can also pique everyone's curiosity." Su Tao analysed with a smile on his face.
Hearing Su Tao being so rational, Yan Jing's mood became better. She initially thought that Su Tao really had a relationship with Hwang Ji-yeon. But she was relieved to hear Su Tao so composed. "I will have the branding department work on it. Although Hwang Ji-yeon wasn't in our range before, her image is undoubtedly outstanding. Her fame even extends to Southeast Asia, and she's worth our investment!"
"We'll settle with that, then!" His arrangement resolved the negative influence of the scandal, and this also gave Hwang Ji-yeon a job. Thus, he has practically fulfilled his responsibility to her.