168: Chapter 168 Traveling with the Girls

Early in the morning, the Parisian sunlight filtered through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains, casting a warm beam of light onto the carpet of the hotel suite. Choi Sulli had woken up quite early—or rather, she had barely slept at all the night before.

In her mind, she replayed that brief yet distinct touch at the dinner party, as well as the calm and determined gaze of Song Tianhao as he walked through the crowd toward her.

She lay on the bed, burying her face in the soft pillow. The corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably. Feeling that this wasn't quite right, she tried hard to suppress it, only to end up rubbing her face back and forth against the pillow.

Krystal, on the bed next to hers, turned over. Her voice was husky with sleep, "Unnie, what are you doing?"

Choi Sulli froze immediately. She slowly lifted her head, brushed the hair covering her eyes away, and feigned composure, "N-nothing. I just woke up. There's no schedule today, and CEO Oppa said he could take us around Paris!"

"Mm," Krystal responded, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She had a habit of braiding her long hair into loose pigtails while sleeping, and now the ends were a bit messy, giving her bare face a rare softness.

She got out of bed, walked to the window, and pulled the curtain open a little. The Parisian street scene in the early morning came into view; there weren't many pedestrians yet, and the streets were clean and damp. "Where do you want to go?"

"The Louvre Museum!" Choi Sulli sat up immediately, her eyes shining, "The Mona Lisa! Venus! And that pyramid! We have to go!"

Krystal looked out the window and nodded, "Okay."

Breakfast was delivered to the room. The French croissants were crispy and sweet, and the coffee was rich and aromatic.

Assistant Lin Wei sent a message informing them that the brand had not arranged any group activities for the day, so President Song could make his own arrangements. If they needed a car or a tour guide, they could contact her at any time.

Song Tianhao replied with thanks and indicated that they would manage on their own.

At ten in the morning, the three of them appeared on the plaza in front of The Louvre Museum. The sun was just right, the glass pyramid reflecting dazzling light under the sun, set against the backdrop of magnificent classical architecture, with tourists coming and going in an endless stream.

Choi Sulli was wearing a comfortable sweatshirt and jeans, with a light-colored trench coat over it. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her face was filled with irrepressible excitement, like a primary school student on a field trip.

Krystal, on the other hand, was in a simple black knit sweater paired with slim-fit jeans, topped with a khaki trench coat. She wore a baseball cap and a mask, revealing only a pair of cold, clear eyes, looking much more low-key.

Song Tianhao was also dressed in casual attire: a dark gray sweater, black trousers, and a high-quality navy blue overcoat. He wore rimless glasses on the bridge of his nose, which softened his usual sharpness and added a touch of scholarly air.

"Wow—! It's really huge!" Choi Sulli looked up at the massive palace and exclaimed. She took out her phone and kept snapping photos of the pyramid and the surrounding buildings.

Song Tianhao went to buy tickets. While waiting in line, there were a few young tourists nearby who were clearly from South Korea. They were excitedly chatting in Korean, their gazes occasionally darting toward Choi Sulli and Krystal, as if trying to confirm if it was really them.

Choi Sulli subconsciously leaned closer to Song Tianhao and lowered the brim of her hat. Krystal was very calm, looking down and fiddling with her Polaroid camera, checking the film.

Entering the museum, they were met with an atmosphere steeped in history and art. The massive exhibition halls, towering domes, and countless sculptures, paintings, and artifacts on display made one feel instantly small.

Choi Sulli's excitement was soon replaced by a sense of bewilderment. Everywhere she looked were words she couldn't understand—mostly French, followed by English—and unintelligible commentary. The stories behind those masterpieces were like Greek to her.

"President, why doesn't this statue have arms?" Choi Sulli stood in front of the "Winged Victory of Samothrace" statue, looking up at the massive, headless, and armless body that was nonetheless full of dynamic energy, and asked in a low voice.

Song Tianhao stood by her side, also looking up at the statue, and explained in a calm voice, "She is Nike, the Goddess of Victory in Greek mythology. The statue was created in the 2nd century BC, and the arms and head were already missing when it was discovered.

But look at her posture; her robes are blown by the sea breeze and cling to her body, as if she has just landed on the bow of a ship. Even though she is incomplete, you can still feel that spirit of triumph and dynamic movement."

His voice was not loud, but it was clearly audible in the slightly noisy exhibition hall. He spoke in Korean, at a steady pace, as if telling an ancient story. As Choi Sulli listened and looked at the statue again, she felt she could truly sense the breath of the sea breeze and victory.

She nodded vigorously, looking at Song Tianhao with sparkling eyes, "President, you know so much!"

A few Western tourists nearby who were also admiring the statue seemed to hear Song Tianhao's explanation. Although they couldn't understand Korean, seeing his calm and confident demeanor and Choi Sulli's adoring gaze, they also offered friendly smiles.

"Let's go, I'll take you to see the Mona Lisa," Song Tianhao said.

The passageway leading to the "Mona Lisa" exhibition hall was packed with people. The small painting was protected by heavy bulletproof glass, surrounded by layers of tourists. Exclamations in various languages and the sounds of cameras clicking were endless.

Choi Sulli stood on tiptoes, trying hard to catch a glimpse of that legendary smile through the gaps between people, but she could only see reflections and moving heads.

"There are too many people," she said, feeling a bit dejected.

Song Tianhao looked around and pointed to another, relatively less crowded passageway, "That way is the Italian Renaissance painting hall. It also has works by Da Vinci and Raphael. Although they aren't as famous as the 'Mona Lisa,' you can appreciate them more quietly. Which one do you want to see?"

Choi Sulli barely hesitated, "Let's go to the place with fewer people! I can't see anything here!"

Thus, they turned toward the relatively quieter exhibition hall. There were far fewer tourists here, allowing them to stroll slowly and pause before each masterpiece. Choi Sulli still couldn't understand the French annotations on the side, but this time, she had an "exclusive tour guide."

Like a curious little bird, she tugged on Song Tianhao's sleeve, pointing at one painting to ask "what is this painting about," and pointing at another to ask "why does this person look so sad."

Song Tianhao was extremely patient. From Greek mythology to biblical stories, from painting techniques to the lives of the painters, he recounted everything in language she could understand.

He wasn't reciting a tour guide script but was truly appreciating and understanding this art. Occasionally, he would point out interesting details, such as a small animal in the corner of a painting or the unique treatment of the folds in a character's clothing.

Choi Sulli was enthralled, occasionally exclaiming "Ah" or "So that's how it is." Looking at Song Tianhao's profile, the adoration in her eyes was almost spilling over.

Krystal had been following a few steps behind them the whole time. She had rented an audio guide, wore headphones, and walked slowly at her own pace. Occasionally, she would linger in front of a painting for a long time, using her Polaroid to take pictures of the artwork or interesting light and shadows in the exhibition hall.

Her gaze would occasionally sweep over the two people in front. Choi Sulli was almost pressed against Song Tianhao's side, looking up as she listened to him talk about something. Song Tianhao tilted his head slightly, looking down at her, his finger occasionally gesturing vaguely at some detail in the painting.

That scene, against the backdrop of the ancient palace of art, had a strange sense of harmony.

Krystal raised her Polaroid, adjusted the angle, aimed at the skylight and the play of light toward the glass pyramid, and pressed the shutter. With a soft "click," the photo paper slowly ejected. She picked up the photo, fanning it gently, waiting for the image to appear.

After walking and stopping, they arrived at the atrium beneath the glass pyramid. The lighting here was excellent, and the perfect fusion of modern architecture and the classical palace made it a popular spot for photos.

Choi Sulli ran excitedly to the area under the pyramid and turned to wave at Krystal, "Krystal! Take a picture of me! Make sure to get the pyramid and the building behind it!"

Krystal nodded and raised the Polaroid. Choi Sulli struck a cute pose and smiled brightly. Krystal pressed the shutter.

"Is it done? Let me see!" Choi Sulli ran over and took the newly developed photo from Krystal's hand. The photo was good, and she nodded with satisfaction, handed the Polaroid back to Krystal, and then took out her own phone, "I'll take one for you too!"

She had Krystal stand in a spot with good lighting and stepped back a few paces to find an angle. She took a few shots, felt dissatisfied, and changed positions.

After taking the photos, Choi Sulli looked down at the pictures on her phone. While looking, she walked toward a nearby bench, placed her phone naturally on the empty side of the bench, and then sat down to continue browsing.

"This one is good, Krystal, look…" Choi Sulli raised her head, wanting to call Krystal over to see, but when she reached out to the side, it was empty.

She froze for a moment and looked down at the bench. Apart from where she had just sat, it was completely empty.

Choi Sulli's heart skipped a beat.

Choi Sulli stood up with a start, quickly rummaging through her small bag—it wasn't there. She felt through all her pockets—still nothing.

She bent down to check under the bench, even startling a few tourists nearby.

"My phone… my phone is gone!" Choi Sulli's voice began to tremble, and her face turned pale instantly.

It contained all the photos she had taken during this trip to Paris, chat records with her members, some undisclosed personal schedule memos, and many private photos and mood journals that she didn't want outsiders to see.

Losing her phone wasn't just a financial loss; if someone with bad intentions picked it up and leaked the contents…

Panic flooded over her like a cold tide. The happy mood from the tour just a moment ago vanished, leaving only cold hands and feet and a wildly beating heart. She stood there, at a loss, her eyes quickly welling up with tears, looking helplessly at Song Tianhao and Krystal, who were a few steps away.

"What's wrong?" Song Tianhao noticed her unusual behavior immediately and walked over quickly.

"President, my phone, my phone is gone…" Choi Sulli's voice was filled with tears, and she spoke incoherently, "I just put it here, looked at the photos, and then it was gone… What should I do, President? There are so many things inside…"

A few South Korean tourists nearby seemed to recognize them and began whispering to each other, "It's f(x), right?"

"Is that Sulli? Is the one next to her Krystal?"

"Who is that guy? A manager? He's quite handsome."

"What's going on? Looks like something was lost?"

"Look, Sulli is about to cry…"

Krystal also walked over, her brows slightly furrowed, "Unnie, don't panic, tell us slowly. Where did you last confirm it was?"

"Right here, on this chair. I sat down to look at the photos, and then I put the phone on the side…" Choi Sulli pointed to the bench, her eyes already red.

Song Tianhao's face showed no expression, but his eyes were calm. He first raised his hand and gently pressed down on Choi Sulli's shoulder; the touch was gentle but carried a strange, soothing power, "Don't panic. Take a deep breath."

His voice was not loud, but it strangely cleared Choi Sulli's chaotic mind a little. She obeyed, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Although her hands were still shaking, she could at least think now.

"Are you sure you put it here and didn't pick it up afterward?" Song Tianhao asked, while his gaze quickly swept across the surrounding ground and the tourists walking near the bench.

"Mm, I don't think so… I don't remember…" Choi Sulli tried hard to recall, but the more anxious she became, the less she could remember.

[part:gemini-3.5-flash]

"Don't worry, it's okay if you can't remember," Song Tianhao said. He had already pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed a number to Assistant Lin Wei.

The call went through quickly. In concise French, he rapidly explained the situation: Sulli's phone might have been lost on a bench near The Louvre Museum's pyramid. He provided the phone's model, color, distinguishing features, and phone number.

Hanging up, he said to Sulli, "Ms. Lin will contact The Louvre Museum's lost and found immediately, and she'll also ask the museum staff to make an announcement nearby."

He paused, his fingers operating rapidly on his phone screen. "Also, I installed a basic location tracking and remote locking program on all of your work phones, just in case."

This was one of Sky Entertainment's basic security settings for its artists' phones, completed by the company's technical team, and Song Tianhao had the highest level of authorization. At this moment, this precautionary measure proved useful.

A map interface appeared on the screen, showing a red dot moving slowly within the vicinity of The Louvre Museum complex. Judging by its direction, it seemed to be heading toward an exit.

"The phone is still inside the museum and is moving," Song Tianhao took a glance at the location and quickly deduced. "It might have been picked up by a tourist who is looking for the owner or a staff member. The movement speed isn't fast, so they should be walking."

He put away his phone and said to Krystal, "Krystal, stay here with Sulli and wait. Don't wander off. I'll follow the location tracker to find it. Call me if anything happens."

He looked at Sulli again, his tone softening. "Stay here, keep in touch with Ms. Lin, and wait for the museum's announcement. I'll be back soon."

"CEO..." Sulli looked at him, tears finally spilling over. It wasn't because of the phone, but because at a time like this, someone was handling everything so calmly and methodically, giving her support.

"It's fine," Song Tianhao gently patted her shoulder, turned around, and walked quickly in the direction shown by the tracker. He was tall with long strides, and he quickly wove through the crowd, disappearing around a corner.

Sulli watched his back disappear, then lowered her head, tears pattering down. Krystal silently handed her a tissue. Without saying a word, she just stood by her next to the bench, her eyes scanning the surrounding curious tourists with vigilance.

The whispering of those South Korean tourists became more noticeable, and someone even stealthily raised their phone.

Time ticked away, second by second, each one feeling agonizingly long to Sulli. She kept staring at Krystal's phone, hoping for a call from Assistant Lin Wei or the CEO, yet fearing bad news.

Countless terrible scenarios flashed through Choi Sulli's mind: the phone being picked up by a bad person who would extort her, private photos being leaked, causing trouble for the company, disappointing the CEO...

"Unnie, the CEO will find a way," Krystal suddenly spoke up, her voice calm.

Sulli raised her tear-blurred face to look at her.

Krystal didn't look at her, still staring in the direction the CEO had left. Her voice was soft but certain: "He said he'd be back soon, so he definitely will be."

About twenty minutes later, that familiar figure reappeared in their line of sight. Song Tianhao was walking quickly toward them, holding a phone with a pink cartoon case. Fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and his breathing was slightly faster than usual, showing he had just walked quite a distance.

"CEO!" Sulli almost threw herself forward, stopping abruptly just a step away from Song Tianhao, her eyes glued to the phone in his hand.

Song Tianhao handed her the phone and said in a steady tone, "Check if anything is missing. A French grandfather picked it up. His English isn't very good, and he was looking for help near the service desk when I happened to find him using the tracker. The communication took a bit of time, but he was very friendly and had been trying to find the owner."

Sulli took the phone with trembling hands and immediately lit up the screen. The lock screen was a photo of her and a white Maltese dog; the puppy was tilting its head with a cute smile. The photo was still there.

She entered her password to unlock it and quickly browsed through a few key apps and the photo album. Everything was normal. She let out a long, thorough sigh of relief, only then realizing her back was drenched in cold sweat.

"Thank you, thank you, CEO..." She raised her head, tears welling up again, this time from relief and lingering fear. In a surge of emotion, she took a step forward almost without thinking, opened her arms, and tightly hugged Song Tianhao.

The young girl's soft, slightly trembling body threw itself into his embrace. Her cheek was buried in the coat on his chest, and a warm dampness quickly seeped through the fabric.

Song Tianhao's body stiffened almost imperceptibly before relaxing. He raised his hand, hesitated for a brief moment, and finally placed it gently on her trembling shoulders, patting her soothingly.

"It's okay now. It's good that we found it," his voice came from above her head, calm and gentle, as if comforting a startled little animal.

The South Korean tourists nearby let out a muffled gasp, aiming their phone cameras in this direction.

Krystal stood a few paces away, quietly watching the scene. She was still holding the Polaroid camera. Her lens rose unconsciously, aiming at the hugging duo, and her finger gently pressed the shutter.

"Click."

The faint mechanical sound was drowned out by the noisy crowd around them, and the photo film slowly slid out.

Krystal didn't look at it immediately. She just lowered her arm and let her gaze fall on the photo, watching the blurry silhouette slowly sharpen. The tall man slightly bowed his head, his hand gently patting the back of the girl in his arms, while the girl hugged him tightly, the pink phone case gleaming faintly in her hand.

The background was a corner of The Louvre Museum's glass pyramid and the clear autumn sky of Paris.

Sulli hugged him for a few seconds before suddenly realizing what she was doing. As if burned, she hurriedly let go and took a step back. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, even the tips of her ears turning red. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Song Tianhao, her voice as quiet as a mosquito: "S-Sorry, CEO... I was just too excited..."

"It's fine," Song Tianhao's expression was normal, as if it had been nothing more than an ordinary, comforting hug. "But be careful next time. Keep your important belongings with you; don't just leave them around."

"Mhm! I understand!" Sulli nodded vigorously, clutching her phone tightly in her hand as if holding onto a long-lost treasure.

She peeked up at Song Tianhao. Seeing his calm expression, as if he truly didn't mind, her embarrassment faded slightly, replaced by a swelling, bittersweet feeling of gratitude and reliance.

Not far away, a person wearing The Louvre Museum staff uniform hurried over alongside Assistant Lin Wei. Seeing the phone in Sulli's hand, Assistant Lin Wei also breathed a sigh of relief. She thanked the staff member in French, then said to Sulli in Korean, "I'm glad everything is fine. You must be careful in the future; places like this are crowded and full of thieves."

"Yes, sorry for causing you trouble, Ms. Lin," Sulli quickly bowed.

After the minor episode, the three of them continued their tour, but the atmosphere had subtly changed. Sulli followed closely by Song Tianhao's side, keeping nearer to him than before. She asked more questions too, ranging from art history to the weather in Paris, asking about everything.

Song Tianhao answered every question with his usual patience, only occasionally reminding her to watch where she was going. Krystal still followed behind, speaking even less than before. Most of the time, she silently looked at the exhibits or gazed out the windows at the courtyard.

At dusk, they strolled along the banks of the Seine River. The setting sun cast a golden-red glow over the river's surface as pleasure boats glided slowly past, rippling the water.

In the distance, the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower emerged against the darkening sky. The lights had not yet turned on, making it look like a silent silhouette.

"CEO Oppa! Can we go see the Iron Tower tonight? I heard it's incredibly beautiful once the lights turn on! How can we come to Paris and not see the night view of the Eiffel Tower?"

Song Tianhao took out his phone and checked his schedule. "There's a fashion show tomorrow night, and it might end quite late. Plus, there might be a celebration party hosted by the brand after the show..."

"Please, let's go, let's go! CEO Oppa~" Sulli pressed her hands together, leaning forward slightly in a pleading posture. She drew out her words with a charming, coquettish tone she wasn't even aware of. "We can skip the celebration party. Seeing the Iron Tower is much more important! And with CEO Oppa around, there definitely won't be any problems, right?"

She looked at him with absolute trust and expectation in her eyes, as if his saying "go" meant they would definitely see the most beautiful night view, and his saying "no problem" meant everything would be perfectly fine.

Before Song Tianhao could answer, Krystal, who had been walking quietly beside them, suddenly spoke up. Her voice was flat, carrying no discernible emotion. "Unnie, the CEO has a brunch with the brand representatives tomorrow morning, a media interview in the afternoon, and he'll have to stand for a long time during the show tomorrow night."

"Besides, there are a lot of tourists around the Iron Tower at night. You don't speak the language and have a poor sense of direction. Don't cause another incident like today."

Her words were very practical, even a bit blunt. Sulli froze for a moment and looked at Krystal. However, Krystal kept her face turned away, watching the slowly flowing waters of the Seine River, her profile looking somewhat cold in the twilight.

Sulli pouted slightly, feeling a bit disgruntled. She turned back to Song Tianhao, her tone becoming even softer and sweeter. "I'll be careful! And CEO Oppa is here! CEO Oppa can translate and find me. Didn't he find me today?"

As she spoke, she even waved the phone she was tightly clutching, as if it were some sort of proof.

Song Tianhao's gaze shifted back and forth between Sulli's expectation-filled face and Krystal's calm profile. The wind from the Seine River blew past, bringing the chill of a late autumn evening, fluttering the stray hairs on Sulli's forehead and the hem of Krystal's trench coat.

He smiled, a smile that seemed a bit faint in the deepening twilight, and spoke in a gentle tone that betrayed no preference: "We'll see. If the show ends early tomorrow night and everyone isn't too tired, we'll go take a look."

He didn't fully agree, nor did he flatly refuse, leaving the possibility open.

Sulli, however, treated it as a promise. She cheered instantly, giving a little hop on the spot as the pink phone case swayed in her hand. "Hooray! CEO Oppa is the best!"

Krystal drew in an almost imperceptible breath and turned her face away, casting her gaze toward the blurry reflections on the distant river surface, shattered and gathered by the lights of the cruise boats. Those spots of light rose and fell in the water, flickering on and off, impossible to see clearly.

Song Tianhao checked the time. "It's getting late. Let's head back to the hotel. We have serious business tomorrow."

"Yes!" Sulli replied in an extremely good mood, her steps becoming a bit lighter.

Krystal silently followed, slipping her hand into her trench coat pocket, her fingertips brushing against the Polaroid photo that had now completely developed.