294: Chapter 274: The air conditioner was on, but there was no money to pay the electricity bill.

Red Velvet Dorm

The air was filled with a mixture of anticipation, novelty, and a hint of imperceptible tension. Unlike any previous promotional period for a comeback or fixed variety show recording, the upcoming "Red Velvet: the collapsed daily life" was filled with the unique "uncertain fun" characteristic of TG Entertainment (or rather, Jiang Zhiyu) right from the planning stage.

After a series of preparations and adjustments (mainly due to the sharp suggestions made by leader Bae Joo-hyun during the dinner, which led Jiang Zhiyu to go back and refine the "Collapsed Points" system and task design, causing the start date to be slightly delayed), this highly anticipated group variety show was finally ready to officially begin filming.

According to the latest news, Jiang Zhiyu, as the main PD of the show, would be following the filming throughout the entire process, personally controlling the whole scene. This meant that in the coming period, the members of Red Velvet would meet, collaborate, and even... "match wits" with this young President of TG and genius producer almost every day.

In the dormitory living room, under the warm yellow lights, the members were in various poses, discussing the upcoming filming.

Yeri stood in the center of the living room floor, fists clenched, her little face brimming with irrepressible excitement, her voice crisp: "Filming is about to start! Unnies! This is different from all previous group variety shows, location shoots, and interviews! I just feel... so excited! It's like we're about to start an unknown adventure game!"

Joy sprawled lazily on the sofa, holding a toothpick with a piece of bright red watermelon on it. Hearing this, she slowly put it into her mouth and said vaguely: "Because it's a very special variety show setting, right? 'the collapsed daily life'... it sounds stress-free, and those rewards for redeeming points are also very innovative. Things we haven't played before always make people look forward to them."

She was referring to the various rewards that could be redeemed in the show using "Collapsed Points," ranging from brand products to special prizes provided by TG Entertainment (such as custom "Red Velvet Lemm"), and even new singles produced by Jiang Zhiyu.

Wendy held a cup of warm water, sitting on an armchair. Her expression was more cautious than Yeri and Joy's. She pushed up her glasses and warned: "Novelty is fine, but based on my understanding of PD Jiang... er, Zhiyu-xi, those 'creative ideas' in his head... might suddenly result in unexpected, or even somewhat 'embarrassing' tasks or segments when we let our guard down. Everyone still needs to be careful."

Her words made the excited Yeri calm down a little, remembering the rumors of IZ*ONE being "persecuted," and those settings in other TG variety shows that left people both crying and laughing.

Kang Seulgi, who was focused on picking watermelon seeds with a toothpick by the coffee table, heard Wendy's words and looked up. Her round eyes held natural trust and a hint of simple honesty: "Should... it not be? Zhiyu... he feels like a pretty good person, and he's very professional. At the last dinner, although the atmosphere was a bit... um, special, he was still very respectful to the Unnies (referring to Red Velvet). He shouldn't intentionally make us too... embarrassed, right?"

Her tone was uncertain; after all, Jiang Zhiyu's reputation as a "genius" was well-known.

Yeri immediately nodded vigorously, as if she had found an ally. She puffed out her small chest, her tone carrying the confidence of having "someone backing her up": "That's right, that's right! Seulgi Unnie is right! PD Jiang definitely wouldn't dare to act too recklessly! Have you forgotten that dinner the other day? We have our Joohyun Unnie there!"

She deliberately emphasized the four words "Joohyun Unnie," her little eyes sparkling with a "you all know what I mean" implication.

Mentioning the dinner at the "Yunjing" restaurant that day, the expressions of the other four people present, except for the absent Bae Joo-hyun, instantly became subtle. They exchanged a tacit glance with each other, their corners of their mouths rising in unison, revealing a smile mixed with gossip, realization, and a touch of mischief.

"Hehehe~" Joy was the first to lose control, letting out a low, meaningful laugh.

Wendy also pursed her lips, her eyes behind her glasses curving.

Kang Seulgi scratched her head, her face showing a shy blush, but her smile was equally bright.

Yeri shook her head triumphantly, as if she had mastered some winning secret weapon.

The silent yet tension-filled confrontation between Jiang Zhiyu and Bae Joo-hyun that day, the obvious emotional fluctuations Jiang Zhiyu showed when facing Bae Joo-hyun later (accelerated heartbeat, avoiding eye contact, even some panic), and the sharpness and subtle concern hidden beneath Bae Joo-hyun's calm surface... all of this was keenly captured by the younger sisters who lived with them day and night. Although the specific details were unknown, the atmosphere, which was definitely not that of ordinary "PD and artist" or "collaborators," was enough to make them let their imaginations run wild, and they secretly concluded that with their big sister, who had such a powerful aura and seemed to be able to "suppress" Jiang Zhiyu, their safety (or rather, the lower limit of embarrassment) during this variety show filming should be guaranteed.

Just as the living room was filled with this "if you know, you know" laughter and relaxed atmosphere, the dormitory door lock made a "click" sound and was opened from the outside.

Bae Joo-hyun walked in carrying a takeout bag that emitted the aroma of food, with a hint of faint fatigue and... frustration on her face?

"I went late," she explained in a flat tone while changing her shoes, but if one listened closely, one could detect a hint of imperceptible annoyance, "The tteokbokki place Seulgi wanted to eat at was closed. But I took a detour to buy from another one, and the taste should also be good."

She changed into her slippers, looked up, and was about to hand the late-night snack to the members, but saw the four younger sisters in the living room all staring at her, the expressions on their faces... how to put it? A bit strange. Yeri and Joy were smiling like two little mice that had stolen oil, and Wendy and Seulgi were also holding back laughter.

"What's wrong?" Bae Joo-hyun slightly furrowed her delicate eyebrows, placed the takeout bag on the coffee table, and looked at them with confusion, "What are you talking about? Your expressions are weird."

"No, nothing!" Yeri was the first to jump out, trying to cover up her guilty conscience by speaking loudly, "We were talking about... we're going to start filming the new variety show tomorrow, so excited! Right, Unnies!"

"Right, right, right!" Joy immediately agreed, picked up a piece of tteokbokki Bae Joo-hyun had just bought, stuffed it into her mouth, and said vaguely, "The tteokbokki Unnie bought is really delicious!"

Wendy and Seulgi also nodded hurriedly, their eyes drifting.

Bae Joo-hyun swept her suspicious gaze over their faces, keenly sensing that they seemed to be hiding something, and it was mostly related to her. But she didn't press for answers, just gave a soft "hmm," walked over to the sofa, sat down, and picked up her water cup.

"Take the variety show filming seriously." Her voice was cold and clear, carrying the leader's usual calm, "PD Jiang... although his ideas are sometimes quite unique, the program effect and our image are both very important. Everyone get some rest early and recharge."

"Nae—!" The four replied in unison, but in the glances they exchanged, the meaning of "with Unnie here, we're at ease" became even more obvious.

Bae Joo-hyun looked at the younger sisters, who appeared obedient but were actually hiding excitement about "watching a show," and an ominous premonition inexplicably flashed through her heart. She picked up her water cup and looked out at the heavy night outside the window.

Filming was going to start tomorrow. Spending day and night with that... Jiang Zhiyu, who made her feel complicated and suffocated every time they met.

She took a light breath, suppressing the strangeness in her heart.

It was just work. She was Irene, the leader of Red Velvet, professional, calm, and composed. No matter what situation she faced, she could handle it.

Definitely.

—— The next morning, the sunlight still carried a hint of crispness.

Downstairs at the Red Velvet dormitory, it was busier than usual. Several black work vehicles with the TG Entertainment logo were parked quietly on the side of the road, and the artist van provided by SM was parked next to them. Staff members—including a technician from the TG Entertainment logistics department, an equipment Manager, and personnel from the management team sent by SM to assist—were unloading various filming equipment from the trucks in an orderly manner, talking in low voices, and doing final checks.

The air was filled with the tension peculiar to the start of work, mixed with the aroma of coffee and vague anticipation.

Among this group of staff wearing various work uniforms and hurrying about, one figure stood out, even somewhat... out of place.

Jiang Zhiyu.

He was still wearing a well-tailored dark custom suit, without a tie, the shirt collar slightly open, outlining his slender neck and clear collarbone lines. The morning light fell on him, gilding his tall and straight figure with a faint golden edge. He stood quietly to the side, not participating in the actual unloading of equipment, just tilting his head slightly, as if confirming something in a low voice with the TG field director beside him, his fingers unconsciously twisting a shooting schedule.

His presence was too strong.

It wasn't because of his title as President, but because of his overly outstanding appearance and aura.

Deep-set eyes, a tall and straight nose bridge, and thin, slightly pursed lips combined to form a flawless, handsome face that possessed both a distinct oriental charm and a modern feel.

His tailored suit accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his posture as upright as a pine tree.

Although he was here to work as a producer/PD, he looked more like a super-popular young male idol waiting to shoot a pictorial or about to step onto the stage to receive an award, causing early-rising residents passing by and other staff members in the SM dormitory building to involuntarily take a few extra glances and whisper among themselves.

"Is that President Jiang of TG? Wow... he's even more handsome than in the photos..."

"He really looks like an idol... such a strong aura."

"I heard he's going to personally film Red Velvet's group variety show? Red Velvet is really lucky..."

Jiang Zhiyu seemed completely unaware of the surrounding gazes, or perhaps he was already used to them.

His expression was calm, even carrying a hint of focus and aloofness during work.

Only those familiar with him (such as the floor director by his side who had been with him since the founding of TG) could perceive that he seemed even more... quiet than usual today? Or rather, he was deliberately maintaining a sense of composure.

He should have known.

Known to try his best to avoid too much contact with a certain person, that Red Velvet leader who could make his heart instantly lose control and his breathing slightly hitch: Bae Joo-hyun.

However, as the main PD, there were some necessary on-site confirmation tasks he could not delegate to others.

Especially the final determination of the filming location.

For this filming of "the collapsed daily life," one of the original plans was to conduct it in Red Velvet's own dormitory to capture their "daily" true state to the maximum extent.

But Jiang Zhiyu was actually not very inclined toward this choice.

The reasons were complicated: the dormitory was a private space, and excessive camera intervention might make the members uncomfortable; SM had higher requirements for security and privacy protection for dormitory filming, increasing the difficulty of coordination; and also... it meant he might need to appear more frequently and at closer range in the living environment of the person who made him restless.

However, regarding the final filming location, he insisted on prioritizing the wishes and comfort of the Red Velvet members themselves.

This was also one of the important reasons why he came in person today—to communicate and confirm with them (mainly the leader, Bae Joo-hyun) in person, while simultaneously completing preliminary preparations such as equipment placement and lighting tests.

He needed to appear professional, calm, and strictly business-like.

Just like how he treated any other collaborating artist.

The floor director finished his low-voiced report, and Jiang Zhiyu nodded, lifting his gaze to look at the window of the floor where the Red Velvet dormitory was located.

The sunlight was a bit dazzling, and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

Just then, the on-site Manager from SM walked over quickly and bowed respectfully to Jiang Zhiyu: "President, the members of Red Velvet are ready and can start working at any time. Please follow me."

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze, a standard and gentle social smile appearing on his face: "Okay, thank you for the trouble."

He stepped forward, preparing to follow the Manager upstairs.

His pace was steady, his back straight, as if what he was about to head to was not a "battlefield" that might cause his heartbeat to lose rhythm, but just an ordinary work site.

Only he himself knew that the heart beneath his suit had already begun to beat out of control, accelerating its rhythm as he was about to step onto the stairs and approach that space.

Hopefully... everything will go smoothly today.

He thought silently, gripping the edges of the slightly sweat-dampened shooting schedule in his hand.

— —

Perhaps it was due to Jiang Zhiyu's aura as the main PD and the highest decision-maker on site, or perhaps the SM Manager was influenced by this young President's overly outstanding demeanor and natural attitude, but in the short few steps on the way to the door of the Red Velvet dormitory, somehow, Jiang Zhiyu became the "leader" walking in front.

He himself did not seem to notice anything wrong, his steps unhurried, his gaze calmly fixed on the closed door ahead, his mind still thinking about the filming details and backup plans to confirm later.

The SM Manager following behind him paused for a moment, a trace of doubt flashing in his heart: That's not right, according to custom and etiquette, shouldn't we, the SM Manager, knock on the door first to communicate, and invite the PD in only after confirming everything is ready?

But looking at Jiang Zhiyu's calm and composed appearance, as natural as if he were returning to his own company, the Manager felt that there didn't seem to be any problem either... After all, this was the President of TG who could discuss strategic cooperation with their own Chairman Lee Soo-man, and the program was also led by him...

In the time it took to hesitate, Jiang Zhiyu had already walked to the door.

He raised his hand, curled his knuckles, and knocked on the door three times in a standard, restrained, and moderate manner.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The knocking was clear and polite.

A brisk sound of footsteps soon came from inside the door, along with Joy's highly recognizable voice, which carried a hint of lazy magnetism: "Coming—!"

The door was pulled open from the inside.

Joy's face appeared behind the door, carrying the slight intoxication of having just woken up and not yet being fully awake, as well as the routine smile when seeing staff members arrive.

However, when her gaze landed on Jiang Zhiyu standing outside the door, that smile instantly froze, and then her eyes suddenly widened, as if struck by something.

The soft morning light slanted in from the hallway window, perfectly outlining Jiang Zhiyu's perfect side profile and tall, straight figure.

He was wearing that meticulous dark suit, standing there like a carefully composed fashion editorial.

Even more lethal was that, with the air movement brought by the opening of the door, a warm, sweet fragrance that seemed ripe to the extreme, plump and juicy, mixed with peaches and some kind of tropical fruit, rushed at her like an invisible embrace, instantly enveloping Joy completely.

A double assault on vision and smell!

Joy only felt her brain go "buzz," her cheeks turning bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye, even her earlobes stained with crimson.

She opened her mouth, her usually eloquent tongue seeming to be tied in a knot, and she couldn't say a single word, just subconsciously stepping aside and making a "please enter" gesture with somewhat stiff movements.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't seem to care about her flushed cheeks and obvious stupefaction, or rather, he was already used to the various reactions caused by his appearance and scent (although he himself might not necessarily like this scent).

He nodded politely to Joy and said in a gentle voice: "Excuse me." Then he stepped into Red Velvet's dormitory.

That intoxicating, fruity fragrance also surged into the room along with him.

In the living room, Yeri, Wendy, and Kang Seulgi were already dressed and were doing some final tidying up.

Seeing Jiang Zhiyu enter, they also greeted him one after another: "Good morning, PD Jiang (Zhiyu-xi)."

Jiang Zhiyu responded to each of them, his attitude gentle and polite, his gaze quickly scanning the living room environment, assessing the possibilities for filming.

Yeri, while greeting him, keenly noticed Joy's unusual, tomato-red face and her somewhat unfocused eyes.

She raised her eyebrows and chuckled inwardly: Aigoo, has Joy Unnie also been attacked by the 'beauty' and 'scent'?

However, when her own gaze landed on Jiang Zhiyu, she also had to admit that this guy's outfit today... was just too outstanding.

It wasn't just the handsomeness of his appearance, but a kind of calm confidence and "everything is under control" steady aura that radiated from the inside out, belonging to a young person in a high position.

This aura, mixed with his unique gentle scholarly air and the professionalism in his current work state, was simply a template level of "high-quality male" in the generally fickle or formulaic entertainment industry.

Such a person actually appeared alive in front of them, and as a collaborating PD... Yeri felt a bit unreal, like she was dreaming.

Wendy and Seulgi were also secretly sizing up Jiang Zhiyu, their eyes filled with appreciation and a hint of curiosity.

After simple pleasantries with the members, Jiang Zhiyu's gaze subconsciously searched the living room, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, very slightly.

Bae Joo-hyun... isn't here?

This realization caused a trace of loss, which he hadn't even had time to analyze, to flash through his heart, but more of it was a sense of "as expected," a relief as he tried to maintain his calm.

Perhaps she hadn't come out of her room yet? That was fine too; he would confirm matters with the other members first...

He was just about to open his mouth to ask about their initial thoughts on the filming location preferences, when just then—

"Click."

A slight sound of a door opening came from the inside of the dormitory, in the direction of Bae Joo-hyun's room.

Jiang Zhiyu, almost instinctively, had his gaze immediately drawn to the sound, turning toward the source of the noise.

A door on the inside was gently pushed open, and Bae Joo-hyun walked out from within.

She seemed to have just tidied up her appearance, wearing simple and comfortable light-colored loungewear, her long hair draped smoothly behind her shoulders, her face bearing her usual cool, aloof expression, and she was holding a small booklet that seemed to be a script or a schedule book.

She closed the door, turned around naturally, and prepared to walk toward the living room.

Just at the moment she lifted her eyes, her gaze, without any warning, met directly with Jiang Zhiyu, who was looking at her.

Their eyes met.

Time seemed to be infinitely stretched and frozen at that instant.

The air in the living room also seemed to quietly freeze for a moment, following the intersection of these two gazes.