286: Chapter 266 This year's vacation destination: Qingdao! A mere 500 kilometers or so, no problem!

Time passed slowly in the wait.

In the living room of Kim Taeyeon's apartment, the atmosphere had relaxed slightly, yet it remained shrouded in the low pressure of the "attempted fish slaughter" and the "hangover aftermath." Sunny, having dug out a bag of potato chips from somewhere, sat cross-legged on the sofa, munching with a "crunch, crunch" sound while her gaze occasionally darted toward the door.

"Taeyeon-ah," Sunny swallowed the chips in her mouth and asked indistinctly, "Why hasn't that girl Tima arrived yet? It's been almost half an hour. From Loen to here, twenty minutes should be enough if there's no traffic, right? Did she run off mid-way to buy snacks or pull some prank again?"

Kim Taeyeon was looking down at her phone. Hearing this, she looked up, checked the time, and spoke in a calm tone: "Maybe she's actually busy with something at the company. She is still affiliated with Loen, after all, and..." She paused, "Her relationship with IU seems quite close."

"It's more than just close!" Sunny suddenly perked up, stopped eating her chips, and sat up straight with a gossiping glint in her eyes. "The version I heard is quite exciting! Isn't that kid's real name Lee Ji-eun? It's exactly the same as IU's real name! Talk about fate, tsk tsk. Moreover, it's said that IU directly tells her close friends in the industry that Lee Tima is her younger sister! Not in a polite way, but in a 'my family's kid' kind of way!"

Kim Taeyeon nodded, recalling some fragments Lee Tima had casually mentioned back in Jeonju, a knowing smile touching the corners of her mouth: "Yeah, it seems to be more than just 'saying' so. Tima accompanied IU back to her hometown in Suwon; she's an officially recognized goddaughter by IU's family. That kind of family recognition can't be faked. It's normal for them to have such a good relationship."

Im Yoona, who hadn't said much, temporarily pulled herself away from the worries of character preparation and joined the conversation. She said thoughtfully, "No wonder... IU sunbaenim's frequency of releasing songs seems a bit higher than before, and the quality is as stable as ever. Some songs even feel a bit more... unconventional and bold? So she has such a little helper by her side."

As she spoke, she suddenly turned to Kim Taeyeon with a hint of teasing and curiosity: "Hey, Unnie, speaking of which, you spent so much time with Lee Tima filming 'music steps,' being together day and night. That kid is a little musical genius; why didn't you take the chance to have her tailor-make a few songs for you? Even you praised those improvised melodies of hers for being soulful."

Sunny immediately nodded in agreement: "Exactly! Yoona is right! Taeyeon, you're the solo queen. If you could get that quirky little genius to write songs specifically for you, maybe you'd blow up the music charts again! How worth it would that be!"

Facing the "disappointed" questioning and urging of her two teammates, Kim Taeyeon lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting small shadows on her cheeks. She picked up the milk that had already gone cold and took a small sip to hide the corner of her mouth that was almost uncontrollably curling upward.

Truly two adorable idiots.

She hummed softly in her heart, a subtle emotion tinged with a bit of pride quietly spreading.

Tailor-make a few songs? Let Lee Tima write them?

Of course, it wasn't impossible. That kid's talent was beyond doubt, and the things she produced were indeed interesting.

But...

In Kim Taeyeon's mind, she couldn't help but recall the faint scent of ripe fruit in the train carriage during their parting at Jeonju Station, as well as her own subtle words filled with testing and expectation. And Jiang Zhiyu's calm and certain response.

That's because... Jiang Zhiyu is going to write a song for me personally.

This thought was like a small, sweet, secret candy melting in her heart. Lee Tima's talent was certainly a pleasant surprise, but compared to a work personally promised by the man who created 'Prince Rupert's Drop,' conceived a deep variety show like 'music steps,' and possessed a talent and presence that made her feelings complicated yet impossible to ignore... the weight and meaning of it were far beyond what simple 'tailor-made songs' could compare to.

It wasn't just a song; it was more like... some kind of unspoken connection and special attention. Although she still couldn't untangle her complex feelings for Jiang Zhiyu at this moment, it didn't stop her from secretly feeling joyful over this 'exclusive' creative promise.

Of course, these words could absolutely not be said out loud. Especially with Sunny, the 'gossip radar,' and Yoona, who was about to collaborate with Jiang Zhiyu (if the script worked out), right there.

Thus, Kim Taeyeon just looked up, her face returning to its usual expression of indifference and 'you guys wouldn't understand,' as she said nonchalantly: "Writing songs isn't that simple. Tima is still young, her inspiration is fragmented. To form a complete work suitable for me requires time and accumulation. Besides... musical collaborations also depend on timing and fate."

Her words were airtight, both acknowledging Lee Tima's talent and explaining why she wasn't in a hurry to collaborate, perfectly masking the true, sweet reason in her heart.

Hearing this, Sunny gave a half-understanding "oh" and grabbed more chips. Im Yoona nodded thoughtfully, seemingly accepting this explanation.

The living room temporarily returned to silence, leaving only the slight sound of Sunny munching on chips. The three women each had their own thoughts as they waited for the arrival of the "TG Little Chef" who could temporarily rescue them from "fish-killing hell" and their complex moods.

As for Kim Taeyeon, she used her phone as a shield to secretly curl her lips. Jiang Zhiyu is going to write a song for me. This realization made this chaotic morning seem to have a little more light worth looking forward to.

Just as the sound of chip-munching and the silent waiting in the living room were about to congeal into substantial boredom, the apartment doorbell finally rang.

"Ding-dong— Ding-dong—"

The sound was crisp, carrying an inexplicable... vitality?

Kim Taeyeon, being closest to the door, stood up to open it. Sunny also stopped chewing and craned her neck curiously to look. Im Yoona sat up straight.

The door opened.

A clear and distant scent of winter plum blossoms, seemingly carrying the breath of ice and snow, drifted in first, instantly diluting the slight fishy smell and lingering hangover atmosphere in the room. The fragrance wasn't strong, yet it was highly penetrating and recognizable, making one's spirit feel refreshed.

Immediately after, a petite but energetic figure appeared at the door.

"Taeyeon Unnie! Surprise—! TG Little Chef · Special Grade (Jiang Sect Certified) · Lee Tima, making a grand entrance—!" the newcomer announced in a high-energy voice, even striking a slightly exaggerated pose.

Lee Tima was no longer the drooping "slave" she had been in the Loen recording studio. She had changed her outfit—on top was a red hoodie printed with a cartoon Chinese cooking pot and the words "God of Cookery" (in Chinese), and on the bottom were dark sweatpants for easy movement, with light sneakers on her feet. Most eye-catching was the substantial armband pinned neatly to her right arm. It had a dark background with gold piping, and embroidered on it in traditional Chinese characters were the words: "TG Little Chef Exclusive Special Grade Chef," with a small mark next to it that seemed to be Jiang Zhiyu's private seal.

Her small face was flushed from the rush, her eyes were incredibly bright, and her whole being was like a small sun that had just been fully charged, radiating an aura of "I'm ready to do something big." That unique scent of winter plum was indeed emanating from her; it was said to be a byproduct of her practicing (or rather, being forced by Jiang Zhiyu to practice) a certain "health-preserving cultivation method" that cleansed her marrow. In winter it was plum blossoms, and in other seasons it varied slightly, but it was always fresh and refreshing.

Kim Taeyeon was stunned for a moment. Before she could speak, Sunny behind her let out a "pfft" and laughed, chip crumbs nearly spraying out.

"Ya! Lee Tima! What's with this look?" Sunny pointed at her, unable to stop laughing. "No way, no way! You came from Loen and specifically detoured back to TG Entertainment to change into 'work clothes' and put on a 'medal' before coming? You're here to help kill fish, not to participate in a filming for 'Chūka Ichiban'!"

Im Yoona also couldn't help but smile. Looking at Lee Tima's overly "professional" and Chuunibyou-filled outfit, as well as the shiny armband on her arm, her previous worries seemed to be diluted a bit.

Facing Sunny's teasing, Lee Tima wasn't annoyed; instead, she proudly puffed out her small chest, patted the armband, tilted her chin up, and said righteously:

"Sunny Unnie! You don't understand! This is called a professional attitude!"

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

She walked in with confident strides, and the scent of winter plum blossoms permeated the room, making one feel inexplicably refreshed.

"As a certified master chef—" she emphasized the word "master" specifically, "when facing any ingredient, even a small fish that gives Yoona Unnie a headache, one must show one hundred percent focus and respect!"

"Appropriate attire is a reflection of professional standards! This armband is a symbol of honor and responsibility! It reminds me that I cannot fail the certification of Jiang Zhiyu Oppa, nor can I fail the trust of Taeyeon Unnie and Yoona Unnie!"

She spoke eloquently, her little face filled with seriousness, as if what was about to take place wasn't a simple fish-killing lesson, but a culinary challenge regarding honor.

Kim Taeyeon watched her solemn demeanor and smelled the crisp, pleasant scent of winter plum blossoms at the tip of her nose; her originally tense mood couldn't help but relax, and she even felt like laughing.

This child always has a way of making ordinary things... exceptionally dramatic.

"Alright, alright, our professional 'TG Little Chef'," Kim Taeyeon suppressed a laugh and stepped aside to let her in, "our 'unprofessional' audience is already in place, and that fish that needs to be treated with 'respect' and 'focus' is still waiting for you in the kitchen sink. Please, begin your performance."

"No problem! Leave it to me!" Lee Tima patted her chest, and the scent of winter plum blossoms wafted again.

Like a little general, she scanned the room with bright eyes, finally locked onto the direction of the kitchen, and marched forward with great momentum.

Sunny was swaying with laughter behind her, not forgetting to grab a potato chip and toss it into her mouth: "Wow, this momentum, anyone who didn't know better would think she's going to save the world! Yoona, hurry up and follow her to learn, see what 'professional' fish-killing is all about!"

Im Yoona also shook her head with a smile and got up to follow.

Regardless, with Lee Tima, this funny character and true "professional," joining in, this chaotic morning finally seemed to be getting on the right track (or perhaps, heading toward a different style of chaos).

Lee Tima, with her "professional" aura and the crisp scent of winter plum blossoms all over her, marched valiantly into the "battlefield" of the kitchen.

She even produced a small apron with the same cartoon pot pattern from somewhere, tied it skillfully around her waist, and the armband glinted slightly under the lights.

However, when she looked at the object in the sink waiting for her "professional handling" with the scrutinizing gaze of a "master chef"—

Time seemed to stand still.

The confident expression of "everything is under control" on Lee Tima's face, like a lake surface swept by a cold wind, quickly froze, cracked, and finally shattered into a look of bewilderment and... disbelief.

The sea bass in the sink lay quietly in the murky water.

It had long since ceased to breathe, its body slightly stiff.

That was fine; fish are meant to die.

The key was its appearance—the scales, which should have been shining with silver light, were scraped away in patches, here and there, revealing the grayish-white fish skin underneath.

In some places, one could even see tiny scratches left by excessive force during the scaling.

The wound on its belly was even more ghastly; there was no professional incision, but rather it looked like a hesitant, half-finished stab, with the flesh turned outward and the bloodstains already turned white from being soaked in water.

The entire fish didn't look like an ingredient waiting to be processed, but more like the... remains of something that had undergone some indescribable torture.

Lee Tima was silent for a full five seconds.

Then, she slowly raised her head and looked at the three Unnies who had followed her in, with expressions of anticipation (Im Yoona) and amusement (Sunny) on their faces.

Her eyes were full of confusion, and her voice carried a trace of trembling—not from fear, but purely from a lack of understanding of the scene before her:

"Unnie..." Lee Tima extended a finger and pointed cautiously at the sink, "this fish... what... what did it go through before it died? This... this is completely a 'dead' fish, right?!"

She deliberately emphasized the word "dead," as if to stress that the "death" of this fish was not a normal end, but full of story (or rather, accident).

"Pfft—" Sunny, who was following behind, was the first one who couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter, bending over so much that she almost dropped the bag of potato chips in her hand, "Hahahaha! Well said! Tima, you are so right! It didn't just 'die,' it died 'unjustly'! Hahahaha!"

Im Yoona's face turned red in a flash, all the way to her earlobes.

She subconsciously covered her face and let out a weak groan: "Ah... Tima... say no more..."

Last night's clumsy attempts, the waving kitchen knife, the flapping of the fish tail, her own screams and frustration... all of it coalesced into a tangible sense of shame, surging up at this moment.

Kim Taeyeon's mouth twitched as well.

Looking at the fish that could be called a "crime scene" and then at Lee Tima's expression of "this exceeds my professional understanding," she had to cough dryly, attempting to maintain some dignity for the maknae and herself (after all, it was her kitchen):

"Um... Tima, it's like this. Yoona is doing some... um... life experience for a new role. Processing live fish is one of them. Last night, she tried very seriously and worked very hard... it's just that, this learning process is inevitably... a bit bumpy. Yes, bumpy."

Her explanation was pale and weak; she couldn't even convince herself.

"Bumpy?" Lee Tima widened her eyes and looked down at the fish again; her little face was filled with the look of "You call this bumpy? This is basically a disposal site after an attempted slaughter!"

She was the one who had been forced by Jiang Zhiyu to memorize "Aesthetics of Ingredient Processing" and "New Edition of Butcher Ding Dismembers an Ox" since she was little (after transmigrating)!

The scene before her seriously challenged her professional bottom line and her dignity as a "successor of the God of Cookery" (self-proclaimed)!

Sunny's laughter grew louder, almost lifting the roof: "Hahahaha! Bumpy! Taeyeon, you are so cultured! Yes, Yoona's fish-killing career has encountered a major 'bump,' and this fish is the final form of that 'bump'! Hahahaha!"

Im Yoona pressed her hands harder against her face, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

Lee Tima took a deep breath, and that crisp scent of winter plum blossoms seemed to carry a hint of helplessness.

She shook her head, took one last look at the "victim" in the sink with an almost compassionate gaze, and then decisively untied the small apron she had just put on and hadn't yet put to use.

"No," Lee Tima's tone was resolute, carrying an unquestionable professional judgment, "Taeyeon Unnie, Yoona Unnie, and Sunny Unnie who is laughing until she's almost out of breath—"

She scanned the three of them and waved her little hand:

"This fish is beyond saving. Not in the sense of an ingredient, but a total failure as a 'teaching sample.' It can no longer fulfill the sacred mission of 'teaching a beginner how to process a live fish.'"

She paused, and under the gaze of the three (including Sunny who was still laughing), she stated the solution:

"Alright! We are going to the market!"

"Now, immediately, right away!" Lee Tima's eyes lit up again with the light belonging to an "action-taker" and "problem-solver," "Go buy a fresh, lively sea bass with intact scales and bright eyes! Let Yoona Unnie start learning from the most correct first step! Observe the handling techniques of a professional fishmonger, and then practice under my guidance!"

She patted her "master chef" armband, as if adding weight to her proposal:

"This is what you call professional character experience teaching! Let's go, Unnies! The morning seafood at the market is the freshest!"

After saying this, she turned around first, the scent of winter plum blossoms wafting with her movements, leaving behind a decisive, small silhouette.

In the kitchen, Sunny's explosive laughter gradually turned into stifled snickers.

Im Yoona finally lowered her hands from her face; the blush on her face hadn't faded, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes that "this might actually work."

Kim Taeyeon watched Lee Tima's back, then looked at the "teaching failure" in the sink, and finally couldn't help but shake her head and laugh.

It seems the fish-killing experience course is going to be moved to a larger "practical classroom"—the traditional market.

And their "TG Little Chef" has already become the commander-in-chief of this "character experience rescue operation."