266: Chapter 246 TG Entertainment President's Office: The Rise of Popularity and the Beginning of Entry

Late at night in the TG Entertainment President's office, only one desk lamp was lit, casting a warm, yellow halo over the spread-out script and laptop screen. The air was filled with a faint scent, a mixture of paper, ink, and the unique fruit-wood fragrance that clung to Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu had just finished fine-tuning another section of the "the crab" script. He lightly tapped the tip of his pen against the lines for the scene where "Witre confronts the final villain in the abandoned lighthouse," pondering how to make the protagonist's lines burst with sharper brilliance amidst the despair. The Seoul night view outside the window was as dazzling as a galaxy, yet it seemed too distant to belong to this quiet space.

Just then, the phone screen on the corner of the desk suddenly began to flash frantically, and the constant sound of Kakao Talk and social media notifications broke the silence.

Jiang Zhiyu frowned slightly, pulling himself away from the script. This time of night... usually, it wouldn't be this intense.

He picked up his phone and unlocked it. Messages were coming from all directions—the company's PR department, the marketing department, and even several familiar media contacts. The content all pointed to the same explosive event:

"President! Your TikTok challenge video with Im Nayeon from TWICE has gone viral!"

"JYP's PR department moved too fast! We just got the raw footage, and they had already finished editing, reviewing, and uploading it!"

"It's up on both TikTok and Douyin! The numbers are skyrocketing!"

"President, you need to see the online reaction!"

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, a glimmer of expected yet slightly subtle light flashing in his eyes. He tapped on TikTok, switched to his account (an official account that was verified but rarely posted personal content), and immediately saw the video that was being frantically tagged and reposted.

The cover was a freeze-frame of him and Im Nayeon in front of the wall in the Haidilao private room, doing the "TT" "crying" move. The title was simple yet precise: "#TTChallenge #BabyFace and an impromptu collaboration with @TWICE Nayeon, thanks to @JYP Jeongyeon for filming~"

The posting time showed it was just an hour ago. And the data—

Views: 3.87 million (and still ticking up every second)

Likes: 1.12 million

Comments: 87,000

Shares: 190,000

This growth rate was terrifying for a short video that wasn't an official promotion, was shot in a simple environment, and was even a bit "casual."

Jiang Zhiyu opened the comment section and browsed with great interest. The style of the comments was just as he had expected, presenting an explosive and diverse reaction:

"Shock and Teasing Camp"

"????? What did I just watch?? Jiang Zhiyu?? President of TG?? Dancing to TT??? And singing a Chinese song???"

"Being cute is shameful, President Jiang!!! (But watching it again)"

"Holy crap, who is this guy? Dancing to a girl group song so naturally? He looks... too terrifying! (Complimentary, handsome enough to be scary)"

"Is this something I can watch for free? JYP and TG teaming up to give us a treat?"

"Visuals and Talent Camp"

"President Jiang is so handsome! This side profile! This smile! This youthful vibe! I had only seen him in news photos before, but he's even more amazing in motion!"

"His singing is so good! His Chinese pronunciation is so standard! Please release the full song!! President Jiang, please do a cover!"

"This dance intensity and sense of rhythm... is he really a President and not a trainee who failed to debut and switched careers? (Dog head emoji)"

"His voice is clear and magnetic, begging Jiang Zhiyu to open a music account!"

"Bizarre CP Chemistry Camp"

"Wait... Jiang Zhiyu and Im Nayeon... this eye contact... this smile... this tacit understanding... why do I suddenly feel like they have chemistry?"

"+1! Their vibes are inexplicably compatible! A genius President and a vibrant top star, dancing a cute dance together... why is it so compelling?"

"'Recently, it's been a south wind, a damp love~' These lyrics paired with their interaction... hiss... I think I just imagined a 100,000-word sweet entertainment industry novel."

"Even though I know it's just a collaboration and fooling around, the atmosphere is maxed out! Begging for a second collaboration! Begging for a variety show! Begging for any form of shared screen time!"

"Industry Observation and Business Sense Camp"

"JYP's PR department efficiency... posting at midnight, and the data immediately takes off. Is this a signal that TG and JYP are going to be deeply linked?"

"This move by Jiang Zhiyu is slick, using the lowest cost (a hotpot meal?) to create the biggest topic, personally playing along with the meme, maxing out his approachability, and also showing cross-cultural ability and talent."

"'the crab' is going to be a hit in China, this cultural export is truly unexpected."

"TG Entertainment's presence is getting stronger and stronger; from the production company to the President himself, everyone has become the center of the topic."

The comments were still refreshing at a visible speed, each one filled with exclamation marks, question marks, and various emojis. The video was spreading at a viral speed, sweeping not only the Korean internet but also sparking heated discussions on Chinese social media. Relevant topics like #JiangZhiyuImNayeonBabyFaceTT# quickly climbed to the top of the search rankings.

Jiang Zhiyu put down his phone and leaned back into the wide chair. The light from the computer screen reflected on his face, and deep within his amber eyes, a calm yet burning light flickered.

Everything was going according to plan, and even exceeding expectations.

He had specifically asked Jeongyeon to film, knowing that with the sensitivity and efficiency of JYP's PR department, they would never let go of this excellent, natural, and explosive material. And that short ten-plus seconds of "high-quality fooling around" between him and Im Nayeon precisely hit multiple dissemination pain points: visuals, talent, contrast, cross-cultural fun, and that faint, elusive "CP chemistry."

The heat was already burning like a wildfire.

And this fire had come at just the right time.

His gaze fell back onto the script of "the crab" on the table. "Witre," "Ulsan," "mercenary," "brain-burning crime"... these keywords formed an extreme and interesting contrast with the image of him dancing "TT" and singing a love song in the video just now.

But this contrast was exactly what he wanted.

"The step into the film industry starts now."

Jiang Zhiyu whispered to himself, the corner of his mouth curling into a sharp and determined arc.

He was no longer just a "hit song producer" or a "genius variety PD." Tonight's viral TikTok, combined with the topics accumulated by "twelve star envoys" and TG's steadily rising industry status, had already pushed his personal and corporate reputation and public favorability to a new level.

Next, when TG Entertainment announced its entry into film production and launched a hard-core crime project like "the crab," the impact and topicality it would bring would be unprecedented. People would be surprised, curious, and question, "Can the President who danced to TT direct a good crime film?", but more importantly, there would be attention and anticipation.

This attention was what he wanted. Attention is oxygen, the guarantee for box office pre-sales, and the first step to attracting excellent actors and capital.

He needed to release the concept of "the crab" and that sharp, unique texture cleverly and in batches, continuously stirring public opinion, so that the entry "TG Entertainment's first film" would be mentioned and discussed continuously in the coming time.

The heat could not stop.

Jiang Zhiyu closed the TikTok page and refocused his attention on the script of "the crab." But this time, his thoughts were clearer, carrying an excitement spurred by the market heat and a stronger creative impulse.

He opened a new document and began drafting the first wave of the pre-promotion plan for "the crab" project. In his mind, specific steps on how to cleverly graft and convert his personal "Jiang Zhiyu" heat with the "TG Film" brand were already emerging.

Outside the window, the neon lights of Seoul were still flickering. And the ship of TG Entertainment, which had just stirred up waves in the variety and music seas, had already turned its bow, aiming its cannons at the vast and more dangerous ocean of film.

The first tentative "firework" (TikTok video) had already illuminated the night sky, attracting countless gazes. Next, the real "cannonball" (film project) was about to be loaded.

Heat was his fuel. And ambition was driving the engine at full speed.

Seoul Late Night · Wild Grass Growing Madly

In a high-end apartment in Seoul, the lights were bright.

Kim Taeyeon sat cross-legged on the carpet, leaning against the soft sofa, with the shooting scripts and inspiration notes for the subsequent episodes of "music steps" spread out in front of her. The touches and fatigue brought by the Jeonju trip had not yet fully dissipated, and the work for the new stage had already followed. She rubbed her somewhat swollen temples and subconsciously reached out to pick up the silent, vibrating phone next to her, wanting to escape the ocean of text for a moment.

A few push notifications popped up on the lock screen from the TikTok accounts and entertainment news she followed. One of them prominently bore the tags #TWICE #Jiang Zhiyu.

Her fingertips paused slightly; an inexplicable premonition made her tap into it.

The video started playing automatically.

The slightly casual white wall, the familiar hotpot restaurant atmosphere. In the center of the frame was Im Nayeon, smiling like a flower and full of energy, and... the person she least wanted to care about at this moment, yet couldn't control herself from caring about.

Jiang Zhiyu.

He was wearing a simple dark hoodie, his hair slightly messy on his forehead, his face turned to the side, the corners of his mouth holding a faint smile she had never seen before, carrying a bit of childish playfulness and... showing off? That smile was clean, bright, without any haze, completely different from the polite detachment he showed her daily, or the focused sharpness when working.

Then, the dance began.

A finger pointed at his cheek, his body swaying lightly with the rhythm.

His movements were precise, even carrying a hint of... lightness and coordination that did not belong to his status.

More importantly, it was his singing voice.

"Recently it's a south wind day, a damp love～"

Clear, bright, and with such crisp enunciation that even she, a Korean, could easily understand the gist of the lyrics.

His voice possessed a unique texture, somewhere between a boy and a young man, interpreting the sweetness and playfulness of an unfamiliar Chinese love song to perfection, drilling clearly into her ears through the phone's speaker.

He sang and danced, his gaze interacting from time to time with Im Nayeon beside him.

At one point in the song, he even turned his head and playfully winked his right eye at the camera (or rather, at the person filming).

A standard wink, carrying a hint of smugness.

The image froze on their final bright smiles with their heads tilted, and the video ended.

The apartment was silent.

Kim Taeyeon's finger, however, remained frozen above the screen, motionless for a long time.

The apartment was unusually quiet, save for the faint sound of the air conditioner blowing air.

The handwriting on the script seemed to blur, and the lines in her inspiration notebook twisted.

Her gaze remained locked on the now-darkened phone screen, as if the image were still replaying on a loop.

A wink... acting cute...

And... Im Nayeon, from TWICE, the same generation as Im Yoona.

At Haidilao.

Dancing a cute girl group dance.

Singing a sweet, cloying Chinese love song.

Smiling so... without a shadow of gloom.

In her mind, certain images flashed alternately, uncontrollable:

In the kitchen of the Hanok in Jeonju, the warmth and solid outline she touched while hugging him from behind in a half-dream state, and the embarrassment she felt after waking up in a panic...

In the cramped space of the car, that increasingly rich, mature fruit scent that made her heartbeat spin out of control, almost wanting to "devour" it...

At the station when they parted, his indifferent figure turning to leave, and that lingering, captivating scent that remained in the carriage for a long time...

And now, on the phone screen, this Jiang Zhiyu, winking and acting cute, cooperating happily with another girl, his smile so bright it was blinding.

From a corner of her heart came a dull ache, extremely faint yet impossible to ignore.

It was as if something had lightly tapped it—not hard, but it made something inside that had been calm begin to sway.

This was not the Jiang Zhiyu she knew.

The Jiang Zhiyu she knew was the producer in the late-night studio, tired but with determined eyes; the "guest" in the Jeonju Hanok wearing an apron, with gentle brows and eyes but a sense of detachment; the young President with deep thoughts, calculating every step, a complex man who would never yield in his professional field and occasionally revealed a fatigue beyond his years.

He was also... the existence who, in the night of Jeonju, made her heart skip a beat with the song "The Moon is Beautiful," and in the kitchen the next morning, made her so embarrassed she wanted to run away.

He could be professional, he could be gentle (to his younger sister), he could be sharp, he could be distant.

But he shouldn't be... like this.

So relaxed, so outgoing, smiling so unburdened, dancing a girl group dance, winking, and filming a playful TikTok challenge in a hotpot restaurant with another pretty and cute female idol.

An unfamiliar, sour, and even slightly annoyed emotion quietly sprouted from the bottom of her heart.

Why could he be like this with Im Nayeon? Why could he smile so without a shadow of gloom? Why could he be so natural and in sync?

Why?

Why could he be like that with Im Nayeon?

Why could he show this side so naturally in that kind of setting, facing the camera?

Was that complex and difficult-to-understand Jiang Zhiyu, who would lose his composure over her saying "cry for me" and then make up for it with a professional plan, really the same person as this "boy" winking and acting cute in the video?

And Im Nayeon... that junior who was always full of energy, as if she had no worries at all.

They looked... so compatible.

That tacit interaction, those natural smiles...

Were they... close?

Distracting thoughts, like the most tenacious vines, coiled around her.

When did he and Im Nayeon... get so close? Was it the collaboration for the special episode of "destined kim hyo-soon"? Or even earlier?

Did they contact each other often in private? Was that why they could play around so naturally?

Was that why he could sing Chinese songs and dance girl group dances so fluently... was it because he practiced with someone often? Im Nayeon?

Did he... actually prefer this type, lively and cheerful, who could go crazy and play with him?

Were he and Im Nayeon close friends? Besides this meal and shooting, how much interaction did they have before?

Had he sung for her? Not producing a song, but like this, humming casually, just to make someone smile?

Would he also show Im Nayeon that kind of... fleeting, flustered, and complex look he had when she accidentally hugged him in the kitchen?

No... that's not right.

Kim Taeyeon squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel these absurd and uncontrollable thoughts.

This was just a normal meal, a TikTok challenge for promotion or fun.

There were too many such impromptu collaborations in the entertainment industry.

She herself had had similar interactions with countless juniors and colleagues on variety shows.

She shouldn't care.

She had no reason to care.

She and Jiang Zhiyu... were just producer and singer, at most, seniors and juniors who had had a few in-depth collaborations and left complex impressions on each other.

But...

That familiar, faint yet clear twinge of pain from deep within her heart could not be lied to.

She took a deep breath, turned off the phone screen, and placed it face down on the coffee table.

Her fingertips were a bit cold.

Her gaze fell back onto the opened script; the words about music, about searching, about inner exploration, now seemed so pale and distant.

Why?

This thought popped up without warning, carrying a sourness and annoyance she hadn't even realized herself.

Why could he be so relaxed and uninhibited in front of others, smiling without a shadow of gloom?

Why could he have so much fun and be so in sync with Im Nayeon—that energetic junior who seemed to have no worries forever?

Why could he sing a sweet, cloying Chinese love song she couldn't understand, yet his eyes could shine as if filled with starlight?

In Jeonju, his scent made her heartbeat spin out of control, and his occasional absent-mindedness and complex gaze made her inexplicably care, yet she dared not delve deeper.

She thought it was some kind of unique, subtle tension that only existed between them (or rather, only in her one-sided perception).

She thought that Jiang Zhiyu was, by nature, distant, heavy, and wrapped in layers of secrets and the past.

But now, this video fiercely mocked her "assumptions."

It turned out he could be like this too.

It turned out he wasn't always immersed in creation, calculation, and those past events she couldn't see clearly.

It turned out he also had this... side, almost like an ordinary young person, who loved to play and mess around.

It's just that this side wasn't directed at her.

An emotion mixed with loss, unwillingness, the loneliness brought out by comparison, and a deeper, subtle sting like an infringement of possessiveness that she didn't even want to admit to herself, quietly sprouted.

Distracting thoughts, like weeds growing wildly in spring, instantly spread over the levee of her reason.

She remembered in the Jeonju Hanok, when she hugged him from behind in her half-dream state, the instant stiffness of his body and his subsequent calm tolerance;

She remembered the warm, fruity scent on him that made her almost lose control when he was focused on grilling meat or discussing music;

She remembered the faint scent that filled the car when he sat in the car at the station to see her off, saying calmly, "Looking forward to the next collaboration," which left her heart in turmoil.

Those moments of palpitations and confusion formed a sharp contrast with the Jiang Zhiyu in the video right now, winking, acting cute, and smiling at Im Nayeon.

Which one was the real him? Or were they both?

She stared intently at the phone screen until the video had automatically looped for who knows how many times.

Every time she saw that wink, the thorn in her heart seemed to sink a little deeper.

The rapidly scrolling comments on the internet also caught her eye:

"Acting cute is shameful, President!"

"Jiang Zhiyu and Im Nayeon are so shippable +1"

"President, have you considered debuting? So handsome!"

"Requesting the full version! A duet! A collaboration song!"

"So shippable"...

Kim Taeyeon abruptly turned off the phone screen and buried her face in the blanket on her knees.

In the darkness, the light spot of that wink and Jiang Zhiyu's smiling profile seemed to linger on her retinas.

The fatigue became heavier, but it was mixed with an indescribable irritability.

She knew she shouldn't let her mood be affected by a simple short video; it was too unprofessional, and too unlike "Kim Taeyeon."

But emotions, that sort of thing, never made sense.

She took a deep breath, trying to forcibly suppress those wildly growing distracting thoughts.

She was Kim Taeyeon of Girls Generation, an artist with her own musical pursuits and independent personality; she shouldn't, and couldn't, be swayed by such inexplicable, even somewhat childish comparisons and emotions.

However, once weeds take root, they are difficult to clear away completely.

This night, for Kim Taeyeon who had just returned to Seoul, was destined to be sleepless.

The strange, vivid Jiang Zhiyu in the video, winking at someone else, was like a stone thrown into the lake of her heart; the ripples it stirred were far more lasting and chaotic than she was willing to admit.

The night view of Seoul outside the window was still brilliant, but it couldn't brighten her dark and unclear mood at this moment.

Something, in a corner unknown to anyone, had already quietly changed.