224: Chapter 211 Smile~

The car drove smoothly along the road from Jeonju to the station. The morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting dappled shadows inside the vehicle.

Kim Taeyeon gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the effort. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, her expression so serious it was as if she were taking some high-difficulty driving test, but in reality, she could drive this road with her eyes closed—Jeonju was her hometown, and every street and alley was etched into her memory.

However, at this moment, her heart was far from as calm as she appeared on the outside.

Replaying repeatedly in her mind was that scene in the kitchen from this morning—

Her face buried in his back, her every breath filled with that sweet scent of ripe fruit; her hand pressed against his abdomen, the firm lines of his muscles clearly felt through the thin fabric; she had even rubbed her cheek against him and let out that... perverted-sounding laugh.

Until her mother's cough pulled her back to reality.

"I've had a sleepwalking condition since I was a child."

Heaven knows how she managed to say that with a straight face.

"Aaaaaah—"

Kim Taeyeon screamed silently in her head, almost letting it out for real. She quickly bit her lower lip, forcing herself to calm down.

What made her break down the most was that it wasn't a dream.

It had actually happened.

She, Kim Taeyeon, the leader of Girls Generation, in a half-awake state in the early morning, had... sexually harassed a junior producer.

Although she later used "sleepwalking" to muddle through, would Jiang Zhiyu believe her? Would the Kim family believe her?

And...

Kim Taeyeon's thoughts drifted uncontrollably in another direction.

Jiang Zhiyu's back was broad and warm. The scent on him... really smelled good. And the feel of those abs...

"Stop!!!"

She roared at herself in her mind.

Stop thinking about it! Kim Taeyeon, are you crazy?! He's your junior! He's your producer! He's Lee Tima's brother!

But the more she suppressed them, the clearer those images became.

She could even recall the momentary stiffening of his body when her fingers pressed against his abs, and that subtle, almost imperceptible intake of breath.

That sound... was a bit sexy.

"Aah, what am I thinking!!!"

Kim Taeyeon almost drove the car off the road.

Even more unbelievable was that Jiang Zhiyu actually played along with her.

"I see. Noona, why don't you go get some rest? You need to catch up on sleep after sleepwalking."

His tone was so natural, so considerate, as if he truly believed her full-of-holes lie.

But Kim Taeyeon knew he didn't.

Those amber eyes were saying, "I know you're lying, but I'm giving you a way out."

This realization made her both grateful and... even more embarrassed.

Grateful for his consideration, embarrassed that her behavior was seen through yet she still had to persist with the act.

And right now, this person was sitting right next to her in the passenger seat. In the enclosed car, that familiar scent permeated everywhere, like an invisible net, trapping her firmly.

Kim Taeyeon stole a glance at Jiang Zhiyu out of the corner of her eye.

He was looking out the window at the scenery, his profile sharply defined in the morning light. His eyelashes were long, casting shallow shadows under his eyes. His nose was straight, and the curve of his lips was gentle.

She had to admit, this face was indeed... excessively good-looking.

But she was in no mood for appreciation right now.

She only hoped this car ride would end quickly so she could be released from this explosive level of embarrassment.

"Noona."

Jiang Zhiyu suddenly spoke, his voice breaking the silence in the car.

Kim Taeyeon's heart skipped a beat, and she almost stepped on the wrong pedal. She quickly steadied herself: "Hmm?"

"About your variety show," Jiang Zhiyu turned his head to look at her, "will the next part be filmed in Seoul? The Jeonju content from this trip can probably be edited into two or three episodes."

His tone was professional and calm, strictly discussing work.

This allowed Kim Taeyeon to relax a bit. Work was good; work was the area she was most familiar with.

"Yes, that's the director's plan," she replied. "The Jeonju part serves as the beginning, then we'll go to other meaningful locations—maybe places I often visited as a trainee, or places that inspire my music."

Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "Then for this Jeonju episode, Noona, would you like to try writing a song yourself?"

Kim Taeyeon was stunned for a moment.

"Write a song myself?"

"Yes," Jiang Zhiyu's tone became serious. "Not only as a personal reflection on your hometown at this stage of your life, but it can also be used for better variety show promotion and marketing. If we can play a song specifically written for Jeonju at the end of the show, the effect will be very good."

This suggestion made Kim Taeyeon fall into silence.

It wasn't that she lacked creative ability. As a singer, she had certainly tried writing songs. But her creative process was slow, and she had high quality standards, so there weren't many works she had actually completed and published independently.

And...

She muttered to herself secretly; her voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the quiet car:

"Writing a song... I can only write a title track... if someone else is willing to provide the background music and the ending theme..."

By the end, her voice grew smaller and smaller, and her gaze unconsciously drifted toward Jiang Zhiyu's profile.

A secret glance.

Then she quickly looked away.

The meaning was so obvious it couldn't be any clearer.

Jiang Zhiyu's inner thoughts: Noona, your intentions are way too obvious!

But on the surface, he maintained a professional smile: "Don't worry, Noona. Variety shows are TG's specialty! We can definitely provide support for the music part."

This was said very tactfully—not "I can help you write it," but "TG can provide support." It expressed a willingness to help without making Kim Taeyeon feel like she owed him a personal favor.

Kim Taeyeon's eyes lit up. "That's great then."

There was a clear note of excitement in her voice, making Jiang Zhiyu unable to resist taking another look at her.