265: Chapter 245 Haidilao Private Room: "Special Gift" and "Engine Oil" Pet Care Guide

Just as the atmosphere in the private room returned to harmony and everyone was focused on the food, thinking that all the "surprises" (or rather, shocks) of the night had come to an end, that signature smile on Jiang Zhiyu's face, a mix of "goodwill" and "ill intent," surfaced once again.

He put down his chopsticks and clapped his hands lightly, drawing everyone's attention.

"By the way, since everyone is here today and the atmosphere is so good," he said in a relaxed tone, though his eyes flashed with the gleam of a prankster who had succeeded, "I've prepared a special gift for everyone, as a thank you for gracing us with your presence tonight, and also to... warm things up for our future collaboration?"

"A special gift?" Nayeon's eyes lit up, full of curiosity.

Others also cast their gazes over, but having experienced the "Baby Face" incident just moments ago, there was more wariness in everyone's eyes this time—PD Jiang's "gifts" were unlikely to be simple.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't explain directly but snapped his fingers lightly toward the door of the private room.

A few seconds later, the door to the private room was "bang" slammed open—not pushed open, but truly slammed open!

Two round, furry, stumbling, and even swaying figures, supporting each other (or rather, dragging each other down), came "rolling" in with a tumble!

When they looked closely, everyone was shocked!

It was none other than the—drunk Golden Retriever Corporal mascot and the drunk General Kitty Cat mascot that had been "fighting bravely" (and ultimately blasted away by the Dried Fish Rocket Launcher) on the set of "Captives of the Demon King's Castle" this afternoon!

Of course, these were stunt actors wearing mascot costumes. But at this moment, the state of these two costumes was extremely "expressive": the Golden Retriever's headgear was tilted to one side, its tongue (a prop) was hanging out, and its eyes (the headgear holes) looked dazed; General Kitty Cat's hat had vanished into thin air, the patches on its body were even messier, and its paws (the costume) hung listlessly.

The two "drunkards" swayed, as if they had just come out of a tavern after drinking all night, their mouths emitting slurred "woowoos" and "meows," and the air seemed to be filled with the scent of alcohol (psychologically speaking).

"Th-this is?!" ITZY's Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna were struck like lightning, the blood draining from their faces in an instant. The explosively shameful memories from the afternoon, combined with the visual impact of the mascot costumes, made them wish they could crawl under the table immediately!

However, that wasn't all.

The two "drunk" mascots stumbled to the open space in the center of the private room, let go of their "support" for each other, and stood face to face (though they couldn't stand still). Then, under the stunned gaze of everyone, they began an even more outrageous performance.

Golden Retriever Corporal (the actor trying hard to use a drunken tone): "Meow... General Kitty Cat... *hic*... I... I must say it today!" It pointed at General Kitty Cat with its paw (the costume), "I... I actually... *hic*... love eating dried fish the most! But... but for the dignity of the dog clan! I can only say I like bones! Meow-woo~~~" (with a crying tone).

General Kitty Cat (also drunk, voice drifting): "Woof... Shut up! You stupid Corporal! Do you think... do you think this General likes bones?! That piece of broken bone! It's hard and tasteless! How can it compare to dried fish... dried fish is fragrant! But... but I am General Kitty Cat! Meow! I cannot like dog things! Woof!!" (It even incoherently imitated a dog bark).

The two "drunkards" began a topsy-turvy, illogical, painful, and struggling "confession" regarding the topic of whether "dried fish" or "bones" was their true love, and which one they had to pretend to like for the sake of racial (?) dignity.

They would sometimes cry in each other's arms (the furry headgear bumping together), sometimes push and blame each other, their movements exaggerated and funny, their lines reaching new heights of shame—it was a literal animal version (and a drunken version) of a "Love You but Can't Say It" melodrama.

Everyone in the private room, including the experienced TWICE, including Jiang Zhiyu himself who had just been discussing future collaborations (he was watching with great relish), including Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna who wished they could poke their own eyes out, and the dumbfounded Choi Yena, Lee Chaeyeon, and others, were all stunned.

What... what kind of magical realist scene is this?!

However, the climax was yet to come!

With the "confession" bearing no fruit and the pain reaching its peak, the two drunk mascots suddenly let go of each other, staggered back two steps, as if exhausting their last bit of strength and dignity.

Then, they both took a deep breath (the costumes heaving exaggeratedly), suddenly raised their heads (the tilted headgear struggling to straighten), and sang at the top of their lungs with a heart-wrenching, broken-hearted crying tone!

And they weren't singing some cheerful song, but the classic painful ballad by Korean ballad queen Baek Z-Young— "Like Being Hit by a Bullet"!

The background music (which had started playing at some unknown time) was the original sad melody, and the two drunk furry mascots, using their slurred (due to drunkenness and headgear), off-key, voice-cracking (on purpose), but emotionally "overflowing" voices, began a hellish duet:

"(Golden Retriever Corporal, crying out) Even if my heart stopped beating, it wouldn't hurt like this,"

"(General Kitty Cat, roaring) Tell me what to do, how can I heal, if this continues, my heart will be completely destroyed"

"(Duet, voice cracking) It really hurts like being hit by a bullet, my heart hurts so much, it hurts so much, it hurts so much"

As they sang, they accompanied it with exaggerated, drunken body movements: staggering and falling (protected by soft pads), beating their chests and stamping their feet (hitting the costumes), looking up to the sky and "howling" (emitting strange meows and woofs)... "interpreting" the feeling of losing one's love and being in unbearable pain... in a way that left people laughing and crying, with an inexplicably absurd sense of shock.

The private room was dead silent.

Only that off-key yet "affectionate" singing, and the mascots' clumsy yet hardworking performance remained.

The members of TWICE had already covered their faces, their shoulders shaking wildly, not knowing if they were holding back laughter or if they were truly "moved" by this overly bizarre performance. Aside from the petrified Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna, the others in ITZY also had twisted expressions. Choi Yena had her mouth wide open, completely forgetting to react.

And the mastermind of this "special gift," Jiang Zhiyu, stood with his arms crossed, watching with a beaming smile, even nodding gently to the rhythm, as if he were enjoying some world-class performance.

When the song ended (it was simply a long torture), the two "drunk" mascots seemed to have exhausted all their strength, collapsed on the floor (soft pads), let out a final, satisfied (?) sigh, and then... "fainted," becoming motionless.

"Clap clap clap clap!" Jiang Zhiyu took the lead in applauding, the sound exceptionally loud in the silent private room, "Brilliant! Simply brilliant! Full of emotion, perfectly performed! Truly the elites of the Star Demon Legion!"

Everyone else: "..." (Not knowing whether they should join in the applause).

Lee Chaeryeong and Shin Yuna had completely had their souls leave their bodies, their eyes hollow, as if they saw their miserable future of being turned into various weird meme packages and video clips. Their only thought was: Is it too late to quit the entertainment industry now?

Just then, Choi Yena seemed to recover from the shock of the absurd performance, and she remembered something she had been keeping in mind. She hesitated for a moment, then mustered up the courage to turn to Jiang Zhiyu and asked in a low voice:

"Um... PD Jiang..."

"Hmm?" Jiang Zhiyu looked over in a very good mood.

"It's just... during filming, that... Lemm..." Choi Yena gestured, "That little jelly-like thing that glows and has little gears... after the show is filmed... can I... can I raise it?"

This question was a bit abrupt, but Choi Yena's eyes were very serious, even filled with a bit of anticipation. She really liked that cute and magical little thing.

Jiang Zhiyu heard this, raised his eyebrows, seemingly a bit surprised, but then smiled indifferently: "Oh, you mean that? That little machine Slime? It's just a prop. You want to keep it to play with? Sure, suit yourself."

Choi Yena's eyes lit up: "Really?! Thank you, PD Jiang!"

"However," Jiang Zhiyu added, a mischievous smile appearing on his face, "although it's a prop, it's specially made, with simple sensor-driven modules and small batteries inside. Maintenance doesn't cost much..."

Choi Yena just breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Zhiyu continued slowly: "It's just that you have to feed it something often to keep it active."

"Eat something?" Choi Yena was stunned, "Feed it what? Candy? Dried fish?" She remembered the setting in the castle.

The smile on Jiang Zhiyu's face deepened, and he clearly spat out two words: "Motor oil."

Choi Yena: "...???"

Mo... motor oil?! Feeding a jelly-like, glowing, cute-looking little thing... motor oil?! The image was too beautiful, she dared not imagine it!

Jiang Zhiyu watched her instantly dazed expression and smiled even more happily, as if he really enjoyed this little "shock": "Just kidding, regular small robot lubricant and charging are fine; the crew will give you spare parts and a manual. But, isn't saying 'feed it motor oil' more interesting?"

Choi Yena: "...PD Jiang!" (Isn't your definition of "interesting" a bit too broad!)

An irrepressible low laughter finally rang out in the private room, filled with amusement at Choi Yena's "pet-raising" request, and helplessness and humor at Jiang Zhiyu's final "motor oil" joke.

This ups-and-downs Haidilao dinner, filled with Jiang Zhiyu-style "surprises," finally neared its end amidst another round of absurdity and laughter. And when everyone left, they seemed to be carrying all sorts of complicated emotions in their hearts, and... a faint sense of anticipation (and wariness) for future collaborations (and the more "surprises" they might encounter).

— The dinner finally came to an end in an atmosphere that was both satisfying and "information overloaded." The members of TWICE and ITZY stood up one after another, and with their Managers and assistants, politely said goodbye to Jiang Zhiyu, thanking him for the hospitality tonight (and... the various "brilliant" shows). Their faces, more or less, carried expressions of lingering, contemplation, or an urgent need to go back and calm their minds.

Choi Yena and Lee Chaeyeon also left with the main group. Before leaving, Choi Yena specifically confirmed the details of taking away "Lemm" (and the related maintenance instructions), her expression a mix of excitement and a faint shadow of the "feeding engine oil" remark.

The large private room quickly emptied, leaving behind only the lingering aroma of Haidilao, a table cluttered with cups and plates, and... the three people who had deliberately stayed behind.

Jiang Zhiyu remained seated at the head of the table, sipping tea with composure. Im Nayeon stood to the side, full of energy, stretching her wrists and ankles, her eyes shining. And being dragged in place by Im Nayeon, who was forcefully clutching her arm with a look of "life is meaningless" on her face, was none other than Yoo Jeongyeon.

"Hey! Im Nayeon! Why do I have to stay behind too!" Yoo Jeongyeon tried to break free, but Im Nayeon held on tight. "There are so many people in TWICE! Don't Chaeyoung and Dahyun like filming things too? Tzuyu's filming skills are pretty good too! Why does it have to be me?!"

Im Nayeon turned her head, flashing a super-sweet, coquettish smile at Yoo Jeongyeon. She used her free hand to make a heart shape, her voice so sugary it could stretch into threads. She even leaned in and gave an "mwah" (air kiss):

"Jeongyeon-ah~ because I trust you the most! Your filming skills are the best, your aesthetic is on point, and—" She blinked. "You understand best when my expressions are the cutest and most effective! Love you, mwah! (*￣3￣)╭ ♡"

Yoo Jeongyeon stiffened from the sudden "aegyo attack," goosebumps rising on her skin. She rolled her eyes, but her tense body visibly relaxed, and she sighed in resignation: "...So... what exactly do you want me to do? President Jiang, you don't still have a 'special gift' for the both of us, do you?" She emphasized "both of us," hoping Jiang Zhiyu would remember he was an "accomplice" here.

Jiang Zhiyu put down his teacup, wearing that signature "I have a good idea" smile for the umpteenth time tonight. He stood up, walked over to Im Nayeon, and the two exchanged a knowing look.

Then, Jiang Zhiyu said to Yoo Jeongyeon: "It's not a gift, just a small 'request.' I need Jeongyeon-xi to do me a favor."

"A favor?" Yoo Jeongyeon looked at him warily.

"Yes," Jiang Zhiyu nodded, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather, "Help us film a TikTok challenge video."

"TikTok challenge?" Yoo Jeongyeon froze. Then, connecting it to the mesmerizing scene during dinner, she instantly understood. Her face fell. "...It wouldn't be... that, would it?"

"Yes! Exactly that!" Im Nayeon jumped up excitedly, gesturing wildly. "The dance for 'TT'! Accompanied by that Chinese song 'Baby Face'! President danced so well, and sang so well too! Didn't the two of us just improvise a bit earlier? It felt amazing! But we couldn't really let go in front of everyone (Everyone: ???), and we didn't record it properly! So we need to officially film a perfect duo version of the TikTok challenge!"

After hearing this, Yoo Jeongyeon felt the world go dark. She gritted her back teeth and squeezed out a few words: "...I knew it."

She knew it! These two "lunatics" together would absolutely not let it end there! That impromptu performance in the private room was already absurd enough, and now they wanted "official certification," to film it as a TikTok challenge and post it?! Was it that they didn't have enough buzz, or that they felt the combination of TWICE and Jiang Zhiyu's "style" wasn't deeply enough ingrained in people's hearts?!

"Jeongyeon-ah, please help me~" Im Nayeon continued her star-eye attack. "President sings and dances really well! And this mashup is super interesting! 'South wind days, damp love'~ How fitting! The fans will definitely love it!" She had already automatically entered sales mode.

Jiang Zhiyu also added at the right moment, his tone coaxing: "It's very simple. You just need to use your phone, find a good angle, and ensure our dance and my lip-syncing (singing) are clearly recorded. You don't need to be too particular about lighting or background (the room is a bit messy but has a sense of daily life); we want that casual and fun feeling. I'll have the TG Entertainment team handle the post-production editing and subtitles (Chinese and Korean)."

Yoo Jeongyeon looked at the two people in front of her—one excited and eager; the other gentle-faced, but with "don't think about leaving until we're done filming" written in his eyes. She knew resistance was futile. And... honestly speaking, setting aside the embarrassment, the effect of that earlier impromptu performance was indeed good; Jiang Zhiyu's interpretation was even stunning. If filmed properly, maybe... it would really go viral?

As the relatively rational and commercially savvy member of the group, Yoo Jeongyeon finally compromised. She resignedly took out her phone, opened the camera function, and adjusted it to video mode.

"Fine, fine... I'll film it. But it's agreed, I'm only filming it once! And if the angle is bad, someone dances wrong, or someone sings off-key, I'm not taking responsibility! Whatever it turns out like, it turns out like!" She tried to secure some last bit of initiative, and leave herself an escape route for "if it flops, it's not my fault."

"Yay! Jeongyeon is the best!" Im Nayeon cheered.

Jiang Zhiyu also smiled and nodded at Yoo Jeongyeon: "Thank you, Jeongyeon-xi."

The two quickly walked to the chosen wall and tidied their clothes slightly (though they were still in their casual dining attire). Jiang Zhiyu whispered a few words to Im Nayeon, likely confirming the start, finish, and coordination of the dance moves.

Yoo Jeongyeon held up her phone, adjusted the angle and lighting, and looked at the two "protagonists" about to "perform" in the lens, her heart full of mixed feelings.

"Ready? 3, 2, 1, start!" Yoo Jeongyeon pressed the record button.

In the frame, Jiang Zhiyu and Im Nayeon instantly got into character.

The music wasn't playing out loud (for clear audio recording), but the catchy, sweet melody of 'Baby Face' and the beats of the 'TT' dance were clearly playing in Jiang Zhiyu and Im Nayeon's minds.

In the frame:

Jiang Zhiyu took a deep breath, his eyes instantly becoming focused and bright. He accurately performed the classic "crying" opening move of the "TT" chorus, his body swaying gently left and right with the invisible rhythm. At the same time, his clear, pleasant, and youthful voice rang out clearly:

"Recently it's been a south wind day, damp love~" (Chinese)

His dance moves were standard, with a masculine strength and crispness, without any hesitation. His lip-syncing was precise, his breath stable, perfectly conveying the charm and sweetness of the Chinese lyrics. Even better, when he jumped, spun (slightly), and made the "crying" gesture, the playful wink and natural, joyful smile on his face formed a wonderful chemical reaction with the song's atmosphere and the cuteness of the dance, not looking greasy at all, but instead having a genuine charm.

Im Nayeon fully displayed her absolute strength as an original member and a "born idol." Her "crying" dance moves were textbook-precise and full of agility; every curve of her fingertips, the sway of her shoulders, and the movement of her eyes were just right. She wasn't singing, but her facial expression management was on point the whole time—coordinated with Jiang Zhiyu's singing and dance rhythm, she sometimes made her signature "pouting and aggrieved" expression, her eyes full of complaints like "why did you only just discover my baby face"; other times she was infected by Jiang Zhiyu's wink and singing, showing a bright, "it's so fun playing with you" smile, and even occasionally blinked playfully at the lens (Yoo Jeongyeon's phone).

The height difference between the two actually created an interesting contrast and harmony in the dance. The movements were uniform, the rhythm synchronization was astonishing, as if they had rehearsed countless times. Jiang Zhiyu's singing was the absolute lead and soul, while Im Nayeon's dance and expressions were the perfect visual presentation and emotional foil.

The entire performance, though only a few dozen seconds long (a common length for a TikTok challenge), had a high completion rate, and the fun, watchability, and even a bit of inexplicable "CP chemistry" (purely brought by their performance tacit understanding) were maxed out.

Yoo Jeongyeon held her phone, from her initial "forced to work" face, gradually becoming mesmerized, even unconsciously nodding gently along with the rhythm. She had to admit, these two... had a bit of "craziness" in them, but they also truly had the capital to be "crazy." If this performance was posted, it would absolutely become a topic bomb.

"Cut! Alright!" Yoo Jeongyeon stopped recording and announced with complex feelings.

"Yay! Done!" Im Nayeon happily high-fived Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu walked over, looked at the playback on Yoo Jeongyeon's phone, and nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad, Jeongyeon-xi filmed it very well, the lighting and angle were captured perfectly. Thank you for your hard work."

Im Nayeon also leaned over to watch, praising as she watched: "Wow! It's really good! President, you sang so well! We danced so in sync too! Jeongyeon, you really are a genius cameraman!"

Yoo Jeongyeon looked at the two "culprits" on the screen with their beaming faces, as if they had just completed a great piece of work, and then looked at herself, the "forced" photographer. In the end, all her helplessness and complaints turned into one long sigh.

"The video... handle it yourselves. Whether you post it or not, and when you post it, remember to report it to the company." She instructed powerlessly, feeling that her "tolerance" for the night had reached its limit.

"Got it, got it!" Im Nayeon agreed with a grin, taking the phone to start researching how to add effects and tags.

Jiang Zhiyu gave Yoo Jeongyeon a sincere (maybe?) grateful smile: "Really sorry for the trouble tonight, Jeongyeon-xi. Next time there's a chance, let's eat together again."

Yoo Jeongyeon: "..." (No, thank you, I don't want to eat with you two again anytime soon!)

This Haidilao dinner, which could be called "epic" in its liveliness and chaos, finally came to a complete end after this private, high-quality, and destined-to-spark-new-topics TikTok video shoot.

And the story belonging to Jiang Zhiyu, TG Entertainment, and JYP's artists seemed to have added a new, ridiculous yet full-of-possibilities chapter.