241: Chapter 227 - Only one update today.

At 2:30 PM, the afternoon sunlight was just right.

A black sedan slowly pulled up in front of the main entrance of the SM Building. The car door opened, and Jiang Zhiyu stepped out.

He wore a simple white shirt paired with dark grey suit pants, topped with a well-tailored beige casual blazer. No tie, his collar was casually open, revealing the clear lines of his collarbones. This outfit complemented his tall and upright figure perfectly, striking a balance between business elite and fashion model—clean-cut yet stylish.

But what drew the most attention was not his clothing, but his face and the strange fragrance that quietly diffused into the air as he appeared.

Under the afternoon sun, his skin had a healthy glow, and his features were as exquisite as a meticulously carved work of art, especially those amber eyes, clear and translucent as if reflecting the entire world. And that fragrance—a full, sweet scent like ripe fruit mixed with the clean smell of sun-dried laundry—spread like invisible ripples, instantly capturing the attention of everyone around.

This was the entrance of the SM Building, where a large number of fans waiting for idols, curious tourists, and passing staff gathered year-round. Jiang Zhiyu's appearance was like a stone cast into a calm lake.

"Wow... that person... who is he? A new trainee?"

"Could a trainee have this kind of aura? He looks more like a model or an actor."

"Wait, why does he look a bit familiar..."

"This scent... it smells so good. What perfume is it?"

"Is he here for an interview? With those looks, he could debut right now!"

"Could he be a rookie from another company here to crash the party? That presence..."

Whispers rippled through the crowd, and many people held up their phones. Jiang Zhiyu seemed long accustomed to such stares; his expression remained calm. He even gave a polite yet distant smile and a slight nod to a few young girls looking at him curiously before walking with long strides toward SM's iconic glass revolving door.

The security guards and front desk staff inside the revolving door had also been drawn by the slight commotion outside. When they saw that the person walking in was Jiang Zhiyu, the expressions on their faces instantly became quite interesting.

Especially one older security guard who clearly recognized Jiang Zhiyu; his eyes widened, and then his mouth twitched uncontrollably as he muttered in a low voice only his colleague could hear:

"Shibal... so this kid is finally back!"

His tone was complex, a mixture of surprise, nostalgia, and a hint of that "it's him again, as expected" helplessness.

Jiang Zhiyu—this name was a legend within SM.

In 2017, he passed his audition with a demo of "Dimension," becoming the youngest producer intern in SM history.

In just a few short months, he created "prince ruperts drop" for Kim Taeyeon, becoming famous overnight.

Later, he composed "Daydream" for Red Velvet and designed "Snow White: The Cracked Ivory Tower" for the aespa pre-debut team; every work showcased his astounding talent.

But what left the deepest impression wasn't his musical talent, but his almost "insane" work attitude and... his personality that people both loved and hated.

They loved his talent and his pure passion for music.

They hated his tendency to "not play by the rules" and his occasional "devilish" behavior.

In 2021, he founded TG Entertainment. This caused quite a stir internally at the time—Lee Soo-man personally tried to make him stay, but was unsuccessful.

And now, he was back.

Jiang Zhiyu naturally recognized the guard as well. Without stopping, he simply nodded toward the man as a greeting and walked composedly toward the elevator hall.

Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated.

He pulled it out and saw a KakaoTalk message from Yeri.

[Yeri: Big CEO-nim~♡ Meet us here!]

It was followed by a location pin.

Jiang Zhiyu clicked on the location—it wasn't inside SM Entertainment, but at a high-end Hanwoo BBQ restaurant nearby known for its privacy and high-quality meat.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, his fingers tapping quickly on the screen.

[Jiang Zhiyu: Are the seniors already there?]

[Yeri: Almost! The Unnies said meeting at the office is too formal; eating and chatting is more relaxed! Hurry, hurry! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧]

Looking at the lively emoticon, a smile touched the corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth. He looked up at the floor numbers flashing above the elevator, then down at the address on his phone. Without any hesitation, he turned around and walked back out the main entrance.

As he passed the older security guard, the man seemed to want to say something, but Jiang Zhiyu beat him to it, waving his phone with a helpless "something came up" smile before passing through the revolving door again and disappearing from the curious gazes outside.

The BBQ restaurant was located on a high floor of a building, offering a view of the city through massive floor-to-ceiling windows. The private room Yeri had booked was at the very back, providing excellent privacy; the heavy wooden door blocked out the noise from the main hall.

Guided by a server, Jiang Zhiyu reached the door of the private room and knocked gently.

"Come in~" Yeri's clear voice came from inside.

He pushed the door open and entered.

The heating in the room was turned up high. Around the circular grill table, all five members of Red Velvet had arrived. They were all dressed in comfortable casual clothes, having shed their glamorous stage makeup, which made them appear more approachable and relaxed.

"Jiang PD / Zhiyu / Producer is here!" several of them greeted him with smiles.

Jiang Zhiyu bowed politely: "Hello, seniors. I'm sorry I'm late."

His gaze naturally swept across the five faces, nodding with a polite smile. Wendy warmly waved for him to sit, Joy was busy studying the menu, and Yeri gave him a mischievous wink.

Then, his gaze inevitably fell upon Bae Joo-hyun, who was sitting further inside.

Today, she was wearing a light beige turtleneck sweater, her long black hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders. She wore only very light makeup, and her skin was so fair it was almost translucent. She seemed to be listening to Seulgi beside her, a faint smile on her lips—a smile that shed the coldness and distance of "Irene" on center stage, appearing soft and vivid.

The very moment Jiang Zhiyu saw her—

"Thump, thump, thump, thump..."

It felt as if his heart had been suddenly seized by an invisible hand and then began to beat frantically at a completely uncontrollable rhythm! Blood rushed to his cheeks, his eardrums were thrumming, and the violent sound of his heartbeat even made him wonder if she, sitting across from him, could hear it.

Damn it!

Jiang Zhiyu cursed inwardly almost immediately. He forced himself to shift his gaze away from Bae Joo-hyun's face toward Wendy, who was speaking to him, struggling to maintain a calm and composed smile.

However, because of his runaway heartbeat and the sudden stiffness, that smile appeared somewhat unnatural.

Bae Joo-hyun seemed to sense his momentary gaze; her long eyelashes fluttered slightly as her gaze also turned toward him, carrying a hint of polite inquiry and faint curiosity.

That single look made Jiang Zhiyu feel as if his heart had skipped another beat (even though it was already racing ridiculously fast). He quickly nodded to Bae Joo-hyun as well in greeting, and then almost "escaped" into the empty seat between Yeri and Wendy.

Why on earth am I sitting right across from Bae Joo-hyun! Shibal!

This seating arrangement was pure torture! As long as he looked up, his gaze would inevitably meet hers. And now, even looking up required immense courage, because that damn heartbeat showed no sign of calming down; instead, it became increasingly frantic at the realization of being so close to her.