299: Chapter 279 [Name]

The laughter and conversation from behind the door faintly penetrated the door panel, like fine hooks, catching the ears and thoughts of the five people outside.

Yeri's ear was almost pressed against the door. She lowered her voice, her tone full of disbelief and the indignation of having been deprived of the "right to know": "Mwoya... It sounds so lively inside? Didn't they say they were rushing to debug the equipment?"

She had originally thought that the TG Entertainment team, who had declined their lunch invitation, would be in an atmosphere of serious, tense, or even slightly dull technical troubleshooting, just like the focus they had when practicing all night before a comeback, where only breathing and footsteps remained.

But what slipped out through the door crack was clearly relaxed conversation and laughter, the slight clinking of bowls and dishes, and Jiang Zhiyu's highly recognizable, gentle yet clear laughter.

Joy also frowned, her hand clutching the convenience store bag tightening unconsciously. The cute packaged macarons and handmade cookies inside suddenly felt cheap and burning to the touch. "Did we... interrupt their 'family dinner'?"

This word slipped out, and even she was stunned for a moment, but it felt inexplicably appropriate. That atmosphere, harmonious and intimate enough to be felt through the door, didn't seem like a temporarily assembled project team, but more like a group of old friends, or... family.

Wendy pushed up her glasses, her gaze behind the lenses analyzing rationally: "Maybe the debugging has reached a pause, and they are resting to replenish energy. The Shilla Hotel's delivery... is really efficient."

But rational analysis couldn't hide the subtle imbalance in her heart. The small snacks they had specially bought, representing their sincerity and gratitude, seemed like toys for children playing house compared to the low-key yet luxurious working meal inside.

What was even more concerning was this feeling of being excluded—even though this was Red Velvet's dorm, and they were the hosts.

Kang Seulgi didn't speak, just stared eagerly at the door, then looked down at the plastic bag with the convenience store logo in her hand, her nostrils slightly flaring, as if she wanted to smell the aroma of the food inside through the door.

She had eaten a full lunch, but at this moment, an instinctive yearning for "better-tasting food," mixed with envy for that lively atmosphere, made her feel itchy inside.

Bae Joo-hyun stood at the very front, her back straight as a taut string of bamboo. The frost on her face had not yet completely melted, and the shock and shame brought by the The Shilla Hotel paper bags still lingered in her heart.

The laughter inside, every syllable seemed like a mockery of her previous internal banter—look, they don't need your "ordinary Korean food" at all; they have their own "top-tier logistics," and such a relaxed and happy team atmosphere.

And they, holding shabby souvenirs, stood at their own dorm door like uninvited guests who had stumbled into someone else's family banquet.

This absurdity of the roles of host and guest being reversed made her even more irritated. At the same time, a deeper, even subconscious envy she was unwilling to admit, quietly sprouted.

SM Entertainment was of course also very good, and the team was very united, but that environment with clear hierarchies and strict rules for seniors and juniors was completely different from the... nearly equal, domestic, and lively atmosphere coming from inside the door.

Jiang Zhiyu's laughter sounded unburdened, and the employees' responses also seemed natural and affectionate.

"Shibal..." She cursed again in her heart, the target vague this time, not knowing if it was directed at Jiang Zhiyu, who could always easily disrupt her state of mind, or at her own messy feelings at the moment.

She took a deep breath, trying to restore her expression to its usual calm and ripple-free state, and then knocked on the door with her knuckles. The conversation and laughter inside subsided slightly.

The door was pulled open from the inside, and a young technician wearing TG Entertainment work clothes, his smile not yet fully retracted, appeared at the door. Seeing the five members of Red Velvet outside, especially the cool-faced Bae Joo-hyun, he immediately restrained his smile and bowed respectfully to the side: "Ah, Red Velvet-xi, you're back, please come in."

The five of them filed in. The scene in the dormitory living room came into view.

The originally slightly cluttered living room, full of the atmosphere of daily life, was now occupied by various cables, equipment boxes, and a temporarily set up console, but strangely, it didn't seem particularly chaotic.

The TG Entertainment team, about seven or eight people, were sitting or standing, surrounding the largest coffee table in the center of the living room. A disposable tablecloth was spread on the coffee table, covered with a dazzling array of food.

It was not the kind of French plating they had imagined, so exquisite that one couldn't bear to eat it, but solid, hearty, and fragrant delicacies: a huge seafood platter with lobsters and abalones shining with an alluring luster, tenderly stewed ox bone soup steaming in an insulated pot, several plates of colorful Korean side dishes, and grilled Hanwoo that looked like it came from a master chef, with evenly distributed marbling and slightly charred edges. Beside it, there were even a few exquisite insulated boxes, the contents of which couldn't be seen, but they were surely good things as well.

More importantly, it was the atmosphere. Jiang Zhiyu had taken off his suit jacket, wearing only a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, holding chopsticks, smiling as he listened to a slightly older technical team leader talking next to him, nodding from time to time. The others also looked relaxed, eating while whispering, occasionally bursting into low laughter.

There was no oppression of a leader sitting upright, nor the fawning of employees being careful; it was more like a group of partners who had completed a phased task, enjoying their well-deserved reward.

Seeing Red Velvet come in, Jiang Zhiyu was the first to look up, a lingering smile still on his face. His gaze swept over the five of them, lingering for a moment on Bae Joo-hyun's face, which was trying to maintain calm but still showed slight tension, and then he stood up naturally: "Oh, you're back? Just in time, we're almost done here."

His attitude was too natural, so natural that the feeling of being "intruders" became even stronger for Red Velvet. It was as if they were the temporary hosts here, and Red Velvet were the guests returning from outside.

Yeri, Kang Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy almost simultaneously cast their eyes toward the food on the coffee table that had clearly not been touched much, and then subconsciously squeezed the light convenience store bags in their own hands. A silent contrast permeated the air.

Bae Joo-hyun pursed her lips and handed over the bag in her hand, her tone as flat as possible: "PD Jiang, everyone, this is some snacks and drinks we bought on the way, if you don't mind..." Halfway through the sentence, she felt a bit powerless herself. Compared to this table of "The Shilla Hotel specials," what were these snacks?

Jiang Zhiyu, however, seemed not to care at all, taking it naturally and even peering into the bag: "Wow, macarons, handmade cookies? They look very exquisite, thank you all." He turned and handed the bag to an assistant next to him, "Put these away, we'll have them as snacks when everyone gets hungry in the afternoon." His attitude was sincere, without any perfunctoriness, but this made Red Velvet feel even worse—they were really only fit to be "snacks."

The TG Entertainment employees also stopped their chopsticks one after another, politely thanking Red Velvet, but in that politeness, there was always something separating them. They quickly returned to their previous relaxed state, starting to clean up the remnants on the coffee table, their movements agile and coordinated; it was clearly not their first time having such a meal together.

Bae Joo-hyun watched as Jiang Zhiyu naturally directed the employees to clean up, then whispered a few words to the technical team leader. The man nodded, patted the young technician next to him on the shoulder, and the two walked to the console to continue working. The entire team operated smoothly. Jiang Zhiyu was in the midst of it, both the unquestionable core and decision-maker, and yet seemingly without any airs, able to chat with everyone, occasionally asking, "Is your daughter's cold any better?" or "Have you decided on that tutoring class we talked about last time?", his tone familiar and caring.

This scene inexplicably reminded Bae Joo-hyun of her hometown when she was little, where relatives would gather to eat and chat after finishing farm work. Jiang Zhiyu didn't look like a high-and-mighty CEO, but rather like... a head of the family, caring for all the brothers and sisters, worrying about the daily necessities. The relaxation and trust on the faces of the TG Entertainment employees couldn't be faked.

"So the purpose of TG Entertainment is socialism..." An absurd thought suddenly crossed Bae Joo-hyun's mind, and was immediately extinguished by her. But immediately after, another more absurd, more shocking thought uncontrollably popped up—if Red Velvet had debuted at TG Entertainment...

This thought was like a stone thrown into the lake of her heart, instantly stirring up ripples. At TG, would there be such a team atmosphere? Would Jiang Zhiyu also care about the members' lives outside the stage like a head of the family? Over the years since debut, as the leader, she knew well the power and norms of the SM Entertainment system, and was grateful for everything the company had given her, but occasionally, especially when facing huge pressure or feeling exhausted in complex company interpersonal relationships, she would vaguely yearn for a more... pure, warmer support environment. Just like this at TG.

"Ah, shibal! What am I thinking!" Bae Joo-hyun suddenly woke up, her ears slightly hot. How could she have such thoughts? This was simply a "betrayal" of SM Entertainment. She hurriedly moved her gaze away from Jiang Zhiyu, but just happened to meet Yeri and Kang Seulgi's eyes, which were eagerly looking at the remaining food on the coffee table. Those two little ones, despite having just eaten, were now like kittens attracted by the smell of fish, their eyes full of "want to eat"!

Wendy and Joy exchanged a look, their eyes darting back and forth between the slightly flushed Bae Joo-hyun, who was obviously distracted (or rather, struggling intensely internally), and Jiang Zhiyu, who was calmly directing over there and occasionally glancing over here. Wendy leaned close to Joy and whispered in an almost inaudible breath: "This atmosphere... isn't it a bit too much like... the plot in those idol dramas where the female lead misunderstands the male lead, only to find out that the male lead had actually done everything silently and even specifically left a portion for her?"

Joy's eyes lit up. She secretly gave a thumbs-up and whispered back, "And the male lead purposely doesn't call her out; he just loves watching the female lead act all awkward! Who is 'Someone'? Oh my, this look from Jiang Zhiyu is absolutely brilliant!"

Bae Joo-hyun naturally didn't fully notice their whispering and eye contact; she was too busy suppressing the "treasonous" thoughts in her mind and the shame and annoyance that stemmed from having her inner thoughts seen through (or so she assumed).

Just then, Jiang Zhiyu finished giving instructions and walked toward them. He wore that smile Bae Joo-hyun was already becoming familiar with—somewhere between gentle and cunning—and stopped a few steps away from them.

His gaze swept over Yeri and Kang Seulgi's eager little eyes, then passed over Wendy and Joy's expressions, which were full of curiosity and gossip, before finally landing on Bae Joo-hyun's face, which was feigning calmness but couldn't quite hide a hint of stiffness.

Then, he leaned in slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke slowly at a volume only the six of them could hear, his tone carrying an undisguised, mischievous sense of triumph:

"I'm guessing… some people might be thinking to themselves: 'Ah! So Jiang Zhiyu didn't go out to eat because he was having a feast from the The Shilla Hotel here! He really is a CEO, not quite the same as us little idols.'"

Bae Joo-hyun's pupils constricted, and her heart felt as if it had been gently pinched by those words. He… how did he know? She had been thinking exactly that downstairs just a moment ago! The phrasing was almost identical!

Jiang Zhiyu acted as if he didn't see her rapidly changing expression and continued in that infuriatingly knowing tone: "To prevent 'some people' from having nightmares tonight because of such thoughts, or being so angry they can't sleep…" He paused deliberately, his gaze pointedly glancing at Bae Joo-hyun's slightly puffed-up cheeks, "So, I specially ordered a few extra portions. There, they're in those unopened thermal boxes over there."

He pointed casually with his finger at a few stacked, exquisite thermal boxes in the corner of the coffee table, which bore the gold-stamped logo of the The Shilla Hotel.

"Some of them need to be eaten while hot to taste best. For example, the seafood porridge and the Hanwoo." His gaze swept over Yeri and Kang Seulgi, and the two little ones' eyes instantly lit up. "And others are desserts and can be stored; you can have them after the afternoon shoot ends, if you're hungry or want a late-night snack." He said this to everyone, but his gaze remained fixed on Bae Joo-hyun at the end.

Bae Joo-hyun's face flushed bright red, not from anger this time, but more from the embarrassment of being completely seen through and having it called out in public (albeit quietly). She could even feel her earlobes burning. What did he mean? What did he mean by "preventing nightmares"? What did he mean by "so angry you can't sleep"? And "specially ordered a few extra portions"?

This was clearly saying: "I know what you were thinking, so I even prepared a portion for you; stop being so awkward and just eat!"

This feeling of being completely controlled, where even the room to sulk had been blocked off, made Bae Joo-hyun both ashamed and annoyed. She snapped her eyes up and glared fiercely at Jiang Zhiyu, her gaze hiding two little daggers, wishing she could poke holes in his face with that hateful smile of his.

What is that supposed to mean? Who are you talking about?! she demanded with her eyes.

Jiang Zhiyu met her shy and angry gaze. Far from backing down, he blinked his eyes. Those eyes, which always appeared gentle and clear, were now filled with undisguised teasing and a hint of… amusement? He tilted his head slightly, putting on a rather convincing look of confusion: Who is 'Someone'? That… 'Someone'?

"Pfft—" Wendy almost couldn't hold back a laugh and quickly covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking suspiciously. Joy was also holding back until her face was flushed, and she lowered her head, pretending to fix her clothes. Yeri and Kang Seulgi's attention, however, had been completely captured by the "seafood porridge and Hanwoo." They hadn't paid much attention to the clash of gazes, merely swallowing their saliva repeatedly.

Bae Joo-hyun felt a wave of heat rush from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. She felt like a punctured pufferfish, her anger levels soaring, yet she had nowhere to vent. After he stirred things up, her previous feelings of shame, embarrassment, and exclusion were strangely mixed into something more complex and indescribable. He had seen through her thoughts, prepared food, and handed it over by deliberately provoking her… What was this? A slap and a sweet treat? Or… another form of… care?

She couldn't explain it; she only felt her mind becoming more chaotic and her cheeks growing hotter. She shot a fierce glare at Jiang Zhiyu and turned her face away, refusing to look at him anymore. Yet, her cheeks were unconsciously puffed out, and with her flushed face and tightly pressed lips, she really looked like some kind of cute, angry creature.

Watching her, Jiang Zhiyu's smile deepened, mixed with a hint of softness that even he hadn't noticed. When facing this face that bore such a striking resemblance to Baek Ji-xin, his heart still felt that familiar, dull ache, but it seemed… less intense than at the beginning, and it was no longer the purely physiological loss of control caused by the similarity. Perhaps it was because they had interacted more, and Bae Joo-hyun's own lively, prickly personality was gradually covering that illusory shadow? Or perhaps, it was simply because he had grown accustomed to the complex heartbeat that accompanied these childish and peculiar "confrontations" with her?

He didn't say anything more, just smiled at her. The smile lost some of its teasing quality, appearing clean and bright. Then, he turned and walked briskly back to his group of "family-like" employees, clapping his hands. "Alright, break's over! Let's do a final system check and get ready for the afternoon test shoot! Recalibrate the motion capture units!"

The TG Entertainment employees responded immediately, their laughter subsiding and being replaced by an efficient, focused work mode. The atmosphere of a casual home meal instantly switched to that of a professional team, the speed of which was staggering.

Meanwhile, Yeri and Kang Seulgi could no longer hold back; they whispered and cheered as they pounced on the thermal boxes. Wendy and Joy also gathered around to help open them. Instantly, an even richer aroma filled the air.

While helping Yeri scoop seafood porridge, Wendy nudged Joy with her elbow, gesturing with her eyes toward Bae Joo-hyun, who was still standing in place, face turned away, the tips of her ears still red, and then glanced at the back of Jiang Zhiyu, who was seriously checking data at the console.

Joy understood, and the two exchanged a knowing look, both of them curling their lips into "auntie smiles."

If this isn't a scene from an idol drama, what is?! The cold, tsundere female lead is being completely controlled by the black-bellied, gentle male lead! He even prepared the "post-incident compensation" (food) so thoughtfully! (Even if his method was very annoying).

They took one last secret look at "Someone" (Bae Joo-hyun) over there, whose cheeks were still flushed, her shame and annoyance not yet faded, yet somehow looking inexplicably cute.

Although Bae Joo-hyun had turned her face away, her peripheral vision could still catch the scene of the younger members gathering together to share food, and she could smell the tempting aroma in the air. She could feel the knowing, inquisitive gazes from Wendy and Joy, as well as the occasional, tangible gaze drifting over from Jiang Zhiyu.

The little version of herself inside her head was already furiously pounding the floor: So annoying! Ahhh! Jiang Zhiyu, you jerk! Who wants your food! Who would get so angry they'd have nightmares! And you guys! Don't look at me with those kinds of eyes!

However, when she quietly sniffed and caught the unique, delicious scent of the seafood porridge, a mix of dried scallops, shrimp, and the fragrance of rice, her stomach actually betrayed her and let out an extremely faint "gurgle."

Fortunately, the sound was very soft, and only she could hear it.

Bae Joo-hyun's face instantly turned so red it was as if it were about to bleed.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the living room, those high-definition cameras and motion capture sensors that had already been activated, their dim blue indicator lights blinking, were working silently. The advanced AI system, following preset instructions, calmly captured everything within its visual range—the employees' efficient work state, the Red Velvet members gathering to share food, every person's subtle movements and changes in expression, and even the complex, subtle atmosphere flowing through the air.

The system faithfully recorded this data, including Bae Joo-hyun's facial expressions as she shifted from shame and anger to embarrassment, and then to forced calmness (although the system didn't specifically analyze emotions, it recorded the trajectories of her muscle movements), the angle of her gaze as she occasionally glanced toward the console, and her body movements as she instantly stiffened at the sound of that slight stomach growl… All of these would be converted into massive data points and fed into the system's algorithm.

Following the core instructions set in advance by Jiang Zhiyu, the system would automatically compare the footage against potential trigger points for a "Daily Collapse" (such as "intense emotional fluctuations caused by unexpected events," "natural interactions in a private, relaxed state," or "moments of contrast with a preset image"), marking and initially scoring the effective clips it captured. Once a clip's accumulated "Collapse Points" reached a threshold, the system would automatically adjust the camera angles, switch perspectives, and even flag parts that could potentially become highlights for the show.

The afternoon test shoot hadn't officially begun, but this intelligent system had, in fact, already quietly started its "observation" and "recording." And the first high-potential, high-scoring clip it "saw" perhaps came from that Red Velvet leader, who was currently red-faced and experiencing a storm of emotions inside.

Jiang Zhiyu stood at the console, watching the scrolling data stream on the screen and several thumbnails highlighted by the system (one of which happened to capture the vivid, angry expression on Bae Joo-hyun's face when she glared at him), a very faint, playful arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

The test shoot would certainly not be as simple as just testing the equipment.

The real show was just beginning.