[Showbiz] Who's My Groom?!

Zheng Zhixia, 28 years old this year, woke up one day forcibly bound to a deranged System: "If you don't reach a marriage happy ending, you'll get electrocuted."

The System kindly told her that she had to complete the "Eleven-Person Marriage Plan."

"May the Host have a perfect wedding and a wonderful married life in every little world!"

Zheng Zhixia: Aren't there thirteen members? Why am I only marrying eleven of them?

(The other two aren't allowed to be written about.)

"The Host must complete the missions and obtain the indispensable abilities in each little world in order to survive. Failure to complete them will greatly affect the seduction plan."

Zheng Zhixia: What missions?

"Please look at the little screen. Also, since the System is still a rookie and lacks enough mental power, the people it transports and the protagonists are all rather peripheral."

Zheng Zhixia: How peripheral are we talking?

And so, World One:

Zheng Zhixia transmigrates into the younger sister of Cui Shengche's older brother's ex-girlfriend, a miserable candidate who has failed the bar exam three times.

At their first meeting, Zheng Zhixia stumbles into a battlefield. Her older sister gets drunk and makes a scene at her ex's cafe, and Cui Shengche and his older brother call Zheng Zhixia.

"Hello, is this Zheng Zhixia? Your sister is at xxx right now. Could you come over?"

The moment Zheng Zhixia steps into the cafe, the System starts blaring alarms:

"Mission triggered. The Host must obtain survival funds, meaning a positive bank balance, through intimate contact."

"The Host is advised to go over and start with a handshake, then a hug, and maybe fake a fall and wrap your arms around his waist."

"100,000 won for a handshake, 150,000 won for a hug, 180,000 won for a waist hug, and a kiss today gets you 1,000,000 won!"

Kiss my ass.

Later, Zheng Zhixia is eating at a barbecue restaurant when her bank balance keeps jumping around. She's too scared to even pay the bill.

"Why does it keep bouncing between twenty thousand and two million won?!"

"Detected Cui Shengche's seduction value changing wildly: 12%, 19%, 78%, 92%, 3%."

"!!!! Major incident! The Host is advised to call Cui Shengche over and save the day with a French kiss!"

World Two:

Zheng Zhixia suddenly becomes the owner of a flower shop at the entrance to Yun Jinghan's apartment complex.

"Congratulations, Host! You've gained the ability of a master gardener. You can control plants' growth or decline through the target's affection level!"

Ever since a new flower shop opened at the entrance to the complex, Yun Jinghan has often gone there to order flowers. He notices that the flowers from this shop last a long time and are still incredibly fresh when he gets home.

Good quality, affordable, and a wide selection.

The owner is also a lot of fun, though lately she's been acting more and more strangely.

"Zhixia, what did you spray on these flowers? They wilted the night I brought them home and were almost dead the next day. But as soon as I brought them back to you, they looked brand-new."

Zheng Zhixia smiles. "Oh? Let me take a look."

"Host has triggered a side mission. Please say the line, 'Your beauty is so dazzling, even the flowers don't dare compete with you.'"

Zheng Zhixia roars: Just electrocute me to death already! Right now! Do it!

World Three:

Hong Zhixiu recently started going to a dermatology clinic that the company had carefully selected as a business partner. He heard it was excellent, and the company booked him an appointment with the hospital's star doctor.

"The Host has gained the beauty ability. The higher the seduction level, the better your skin and the prettier you become. Be beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!"

Before Zheng Zhixia takes off her mask and shows her face, Hong Zhixiu thinks she's so friendly and has a great touch. He leaves a five-star review.

One day, he runs into her at the convenience store downstairs from the hospital and sees Dr. Zheng's real face.

How can anyone have skin this perfect? No wonder she's a dermatologist! Hong Zhixiu is so envious!

Hong Zhixiu is away from Korea on tour for a month, and Zheng Zhixia's affection level plummets.

When they meet again, closed comedones are beginning to appear on her face, along with redness, sensitivity, and dryness.

"Dr. Zheng, are you allergic to some product?"

Zheng Zhixia: I'm more likely to be allergic to being in love with you.

World Four:

One day, Kwon Sunho returns to his old taekwondo academy. The owner thanks him, saying that his fame has brought the academy lots of young fans and they are even expanding the place.

The rival academy in the same building, Giseung, is going under, and Zheng Zhixia has transmigrated into the thirty-second-generation successor of Giseung Academy.

"Zhixia, your dad is counting on you. Your talent for taekwondo is one of a kind."

No, this is affection-level control.

So Kwon Sunho looks at Zheng Zhixia, who claims to be his fan but can't sing or recite a single fan chant, and just keeps pulling him along to talk about roundhouse kicks.

So he had fans during his taekwondo years before he turned fifteen, too?

One sunny day, with birds singing and flowers blooming, some antis cause trouble.

"Damn it, who do they think they are, making trouble here?"

"Kwon Sunho, don't worry. I can take on ten guys like this. Get behind me."

"I'll fight, you pay the damages. Today, I'll show them what the Namyangju Whirlwind Rose is!"

Kwon Sunho: She really knows how to delegate.

World Five:

For a while, Jeon Wonwoo has been under a lot of psychological pressure and has mild anxiety. The members are very worried about him and force him to see a therapist.

So Zheng Zhixia becomes an assistant to Dr. Liu, the therapist Jeon Wonwoo has an appointment with.

"The Host can see Jeon Wonwoo's affection level and real-time psychological state."

What kind of thing is that?

While Jeon Wonwoo is in treatment, Dr. Liu asks Zheng Zhixia to order takeout.

"Dear Host, Jeon Wonwoo has mouth ulcers lately and wants something light, preferably refreshing cold noodles with sweet-and-sour pork."

Zheng Zhixia brings him a carefully selected meal.

Jeon Wonwoo: How did she know what I wanted to eat?

Jeon Wonwoo gets his clothes dirty in the consultation room, so he has no choice but to ask Zheng Zhixia to buy him a new outfit.

Zheng Zhixia heads out with a bright smile.

"I guessed you'd like this outfit. And right now, you're definitely craving a matcha Frappuccino."

Jeon Wonwoo: How did she know that?!

Later, Zheng Zhixia calls him out to his face.

"If you want to ask me to dinner, just ask me! Why do you have to invite Dr. Liu too? I don't like Japanese food. I want Chinese food!"

Jeon Wonwoo thinks they could have hot pot instead.

"Sure, let's have hot pot."

She knows again!!!!

World Six:

Lee Jihoon loves anime and manga, but because he's an idol, he rarely goes to conventions in person.

One day, he sees an unprecedentedly huge anime convention being held in Seoul, and decides to disguise himself and go alone.

"Protagonist Lee Jihoon detected. Starting affection mission."

"Host's skill: Stunning Cosplayer. The Host is about to become Kikyo herself. The System will give you one free transformation to improve your first impression!"

At the convention, Lee Jihoon sees the woman of his dreams. How can there be a Kikyo from Inuyasha who's so perfectly faithful to the original?

Just as he approaches to ask for her autograph, Zheng Zhixia shrieks.

"Excuse me, are you Lee Jihoon oppa? I love your songs the most!"

After they exchange contact information, Lee Jihoon often sees Zheng Zhixia cosplaying all kinds of characters and sending him pictures of the originals.

Zheng Zhixia invites him enthusiastically. "What do you think of my cosplay? Do you like it?"

"Oh! I... like it."

"Oh, I meant the accuracy of the character portrayal."

World Seven:

At their first meeting, Lee Seokmin gets a two-word review from Zheng Zhixia: "Pretty average."

A man can't be "average"!!!

Zheng Zhixia: Your voice is average, and your taste is average.

A brutal review!!!!

The worst part is that after criticizing him, she says she only said it because a ghost touched her and made her go blind.

What kind of person is she?!

Lee Seokmin used to think he talked and joked around a lot, but later realizes that Zheng Zhixia talks and jokes around even more than he does.

She forgets the past, turns over a new leaf, and grabs him, saying, "Seokmin oppa! You're so, so, so perfect!"

"You're handsome, your songs are sweet, your voice is beautiful, and you have a great figure!"

Is that how she tricked foreigners while studying abroad?

Lee Seokmin blushes. "I'm... I'm not that amazing."

Later, Zheng Zhixia takes him to a music exchange event so they can learn from each other.

He hears Zheng Zhixia's "heavenly voice."

He thinks that maybe he really is "pretty average."

World Eight:

Kim Mingyu has recently gotten into racing and wants to replace his favorite car, too.

A friend recommends that he check out a tuning shop, supposedly home to the best mechanic in all of Seoul.

Zheng Zhixia is wearing a tank top and short cargo shorts, lying under a car and turning a wrench.

"The Host's affection level determines their tuning ability! Kim Mingyu just went through a breakup, so it's hard to raise his affection level. For now, all you can do is fix bicycles."

Kim Mingyu buys an off-road vehicle and wants to modify the suspension and chassis, as well as the power and cooling systems.

He takes the car to the shop, where Zheng Zhixia keeps calling him in to discuss the tuning plans every day but never gets to work on it.

After two months of this, Kim Mingyu finally asks sincerely, "Zhixia, do you like me? I really don't have any plans to date right now..."

"Affection level detected at 61%. Tuning can begin."

Zheng Zhixia enthusiastically pipes up: "I can finish it in two days. How dare you question my work ethic?"

After seeing how professional Zheng Zhixia is at work and how charismatic she is during an off-road race...

Kim Mingyu: I'm the one who likes her after all!!

"Sorry, I'm not taking your job."

World Nine:

Boo Seungkwan's dog has been feeling unwell lately. For some unknown reason, it won't eat or sleep, and stares at him wide-eyed in the middle of the night. Boo Seungkwan is heartbroken.

After taking it to the animal hospital, Boo Seungkwan sees his dog eating with gusto and sleeping well, and it doesn't even want to go home.

Completely confused, he asks, "Dr. Zheng, what's wrong with it?"

"Through affection levels, the Host can gain the 'cling, cling, cling' ability with little animals. Any animal you choose won't want to leave you."

Zheng Zhixia: Maybe your dog has a lovesick heart.

Boo Seungkwan can only keep bringing his dog to the pet clinic. After a while, something feels off. The dog can stay home, but he can't.

Dr. Zheng has comforted him and made him swoon again today!!!

"Bookkeu, wake up. Dad's taking you to the pet clinic." Boo Seungkwan holds his dog and looks at Zheng Zhixia. "It seems like it can't stay away from here lately. It barely ate anything this morning, either."

"Is that so? Let's take an abdominal X-ray."

"Bookkeu has poop in its belly. Its bowel movements are normal, and it must have eaten quite a lot yesterday!"

World Ten:

Choi Hansol is terrible at looking after himself and eating properly, but he's recently found a Chinese restaurant that's incredibly good.

He goes there every day, and his older brothers no longer have to worry about him not eating enough.

Choi Hansol, who used to eat bread with jam, is gone for good.

"Host's skill: Chinese Cuisine Master. Win his stomach."

"So you're saying he won't eat the food I make, and dreams about it at night?"

"No. Strictly speaking, he can't sleep. But if the Host's affection level drops, he won't want to eat it."

Choi Hansol, sulking on his own, decides he won't like Zheng Zhixia anymore.

But Zheng Zhixia shows up at his door with braised pork, spicy chicken, tomato and egg stir-fry, and beef brisket stewed with carrots.

"Your special delivery has arrived!"

"Affection level: 61%. Deliciousness: 77%."

Choi Hansol decides to keep eating!

World Eleven:

Lee Chan goes to pay the rent on the building where his parents run a training studio, paying for a whole year up front. After they negotiate the price, his parents suggest meeting in person to sign the contract.

That's how his whole family meets a particularly young woman.

"The Host has maxed out the parents' affection level. They will blindly try to set you up with Lee Chan."

What kind of brainless skill is this???

[Friendly reminder: The parents' affection level only lasts two months. If the character's affection level doesn't increase after two months, the parents' affection level will drop to zero as well.]

Lee Chan can't understand why his parents are so infatuated with Zheng Zhixia after meeting her just once.

Later, Zheng Zhixia mentions that she has a building in Seoul to collect rent for, and that she's run into a difficult tenant.

"Xiaxia, go find our Chanchan."

Zheng Zhixia needs to move and has too much stuff.

"Xiaxia, Chanchan can help you."

Zheng Zhixia has a tooth pulled, and her face is so swollen she can't eat.

"Xiaxia, Chanchan..."

Lee Chan is numb with exasperation. "Mom, can I eat for her?"

How am I supposed to look after twelve older brothers and this one, too?!

Then Zheng Zhixia realizes that the 72% progress bar needs a little push.

"Sorry, Lee Chan. You go out of your way to help me every time, and I feel bad. I've decided to ask someone else!"

Lee Chan: A woman's heart is as unfathomable as the sea. She changes her mind as fast as she turns a page.

"Xiaxia..."

Reading guide: There are lots of personal headcanons (for instance, in Chan's world, his parents are still running their dance studio).

Little cuties, you don't need to tell me if you drop the story.

There will be out-of-character warnings. Please don't scold the author.

Please don't dwell on any timelines in the story that don't match reality.

Thank you, my dears, for being here.

Theme: Finding yourself is also finding freedom. The bond between us is contentment, youth, and each other. Be a rational fan, and let your own brilliance shine, too.