306: Chapter 286 feels like it's being released every other day, which is great!

Seoul, Kim Taeyeon's apartment.

The smoke of the "battlefield" in the kitchen had mostly cleared. After several consecutive days of what could only be called hellish special training—a "fish-killing journey"—and thanks to Im Yoona's stubborn persistence, Kim Taeyeon's "moral support" (mostly handing over towels and making snarky comments), Sunny's "sideline coaching" (which mostly involved causing trouble and snacking), and the professional (and strict) teaching of "special guest teacher" Lee Tima, Im Yoona, this national goddess, had finally achieved a milestone breakthrough.

At this moment, lying on the kitchen counter was a sea bass that had finally stopped flopping around. Im Yoona, wearing that miumiu apron stained with fishy odors and water spots, and rubber gloves on her hands, had eyes as focused as if she were performing a delicate surgery. Her left hand held the fish body steady, while her right hand gripped a long, narrow kitchen fish-scaling knife. From the tail toward the head, stroke by stroke, her movements were still a bit awkward, but she was already able to scrape off large, intact, silvery scales that fell onto the laid-out newspaper.

"Yes, yes, yes! Yoona Unnie, that's the angle! Apply force evenly! Against the direction of the fish scales!" Lee Tima, like a little foreman, stood on tiptoes and directed from the side, holding her tablet—which was dedicated to recording "dark history"—and snapping photos or videos from time to time. Her chef's hat was slightly crooked, but her expression was serious and earnest.

"Not bad, Im Yoona-xi, it's finally not 'fish scales flying with fish meat, screams sharing the scene with tears' anymore." Sunny leaned against the kitchen doorframe, a dried fish snack brought by Lee Tima dangling from her mouth, teasing her with a grin.

Im Yoona had no time to pay attention to her, fully absorbed in the "task" at hand. Fine beads of sweat seeped from her forehead, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheeks. Her expression was one of focus and determination that had never been shown in front of the camera, stripped of all idol baggage. After finishing one side, she took a deep breath, carefully flipped the fish over, and repeated the previous actions.

Kim Taeyeon stood by the dining table a little further away, watching this scene quietly. Seeing Yoona go from being at a complete loss and screaming repeatedly when facing a live fish at the beginning, to now being able to calmly (at least on the surface) complete the basic steps of knocking it out and scaling it, a complex and indescribable emotion welled up in her heart.

On one hand, she found it funny. Who would have thought that Im Yoona, who was elegant and composed in front of the camera and known as a "visual goddess," would, in private, "wrestle" with a fish so messily and earnestly for a movie role? This contrast itself was full of wonderful interest.

On the other hand, she felt incredibly proud. Look, this is Im Yoona, my sister. She is always like this; once she decides to do something, she will invest two hundred percent effort and focus, no matter how difficult the process is or how much it damages her image. This perseverance and determination is one of the important reasons why she has been able to remain evergreen in the highly competitive entertainment industry. Kim Taeyeon felt proud to have such a teammate, such a sister.

However, beneath this surface emotion of amusement and pride, in the deeper, more hidden bottom of the heart's lake, there lurked an undercurrent that even Kim Taeyeon rarely faced, one that would only occasionally surface in the dead of night, after all disguises and rationality had faded away.

It was an extremely subtle, even somewhat dark thought.

If only... Yoona weren't so hardworking.

That way, she wouldn't have such a close, potentially chemically reactive connection with Jiang Zhiyu because of this movie. Jiang Zhiyu's words, "Yoona is like water, a constant twenty-five degrees, seemingly gentle, but actually teeming with undercurrents," were like a seed that had unintentionally fallen into a corner of Kim Taeyeon's heart. She saw the focused look in Jiang Zhiyu's eyes as he sized up Yoona in the kitchen and heard their conversation about "water temperature." She could feel that Jiang Zhiyu's interest in Yoona was not just a director's observation of an actor.

If only... Yoona weren't so excellent.

That way, perhaps Jiang Zhiyu wouldn't see so many "possibilities" in her, wouldn't tailor a role like "the crab" for her, and wouldn't spend so much effort "polishing" her. Yoona's excellence and malleability were like a magnet, attracting the talented and challenge-loving Jiang Zhiyu.

If only... Jiang Zhiyu's idea that "Yoona is like water" could just stop there, or... had never appeared at all.

This thought was the most dangerous and made Kim Taeyeon feel the most alarmed and self-loathing. She knew it was wrong to think this way; Yoona was one of her closest sisters, and she should unconditionally support Yoona's career and choices. Jiang Zhiyu... her feelings for him were even more complex and difficult to distinguish—there was admiration, there was attraction, there was the wonderful connection created by Lee Tima, and there was the lingering ambiguous warmth from the trip to Jeonju. On what grounds, and what right did she have, to hope that his attention would not linger too much on Yoona?

These dark ripples only quietly surfaced in the deep of the night when she was alone. During the day, in front of others, especially in front of Yoona and Tima, Kim Taeyeon was still that gentle (occasionally grumpy) sister who cared for her sisters and cheered them on.

"Taeyeon Unnie! Look at Yoona Unnie! How clean she scraped it!" Lee Tima handed over the tablet like she was presenting a treasure. On the screen was a close-up of Im Yoona's profile as she focused on scraping the fish scales—sweat, earnest eyes, and slightly pursed lips formed a picture full of narrative. "I'm going to send it to Zhiyu Oppa! Let him truly feel how much determination our Yoona Unnie has put into this role! Let's see if he's still embarrassed to write even harder scenes in the script!"

As Lee Tima spoke, her fingers operated quickly, sending the photo and a short video to Jiang Zhiyu, along with the text: ["Demon" screenwriter, please take a look! See what kind of transformation the "former mercenary" in your script is undergoing! Tremble! (Yoona Unnie is the best!)]

Kim Taeyeon watched Lee Tima's actions and the image on the screen of Im Yoona working so hard that it was both heartbreaking and admirable, and the sense of pride in her heart once again overcame that trace of darkness. She reached out to ruffle Lee Tima's hair and then looked at Im Yoona, who had finally finished scraping the fish scales, let out a sigh of relief, and was showing her a smile that was tired but full of accomplishment.

"Well done, Yoona." Kim Taeyeon walked over, pulled out a tissue, and naturally wiped the sweat from Im Yoona's forehead, her tone gentle and firm. "Our Yoona, if she wants to do something, she will definitely be able to do it the best."

Im Yoona's eyes curved into crescent moons, and although she was tired, the brilliance in her eyes was brighter than ever.

While smiling, Kim Taeyeon could only bury that untimely shadow in her heart, named "selfishness" or "possessiveness," even deeper. She told herself to be like water: to be tolerant, to bless, and to strive to maintain surface calmness. As for whether there were truly undercurrents surging beneath the water, only she herself knew.

As for what reaction Jiang Zhiyu would have after receiving Lee Tima's message, whether he would be moved by Im Yoona's efforts, whether he would modify the script because of it, or have other thoughts... Kim Taeyeon did not want to, nor did she dare to think deeply about it. She just suddenly felt that the fishy smell permeating the kitchen seemed to have become less unbearable.

The "bloody storm" in the kitchen had come to an end, and the fragrance of food that made one's mouth water was wafting in the living room. Lee Tima showed off her skills, using the "conquered" sea bass and other fresh ingredients to make a dinner that was simple yet exceptionally delicious. The steamed sea bass was tender and fresh, the fish soup was milky white and savory, several refreshing side dishes neutralized the greasiness, and the rice was cooked to perfection.

Kim Taeyeon, Im Yoona, and Sunny sat around the dining table, enjoying the service of the little teacher and chef Lee Tima, and their bodies and minds, which had been tormented by the "fish-killing special training" for days, were comforted.

Sunny picked up a large piece of fish meat and put it into her mouth, squinting her eyes in satisfaction, and let out a heartfelt exclamation: "Mmm... Tima! Why don't you stop going back to TG, come and live at my place for a few days! No, no, stay permanently! I'll pay you a salary! Definitely more than what that guy Jiang Zhiyu gives!" She had been completely won over by Lee Tima's cooking skills and had completely forgotten about the temporary shelving of the "Pink Lemm" plan.

Im Yoona also drank the delicious fish soup in small sips, feeling that the hard work of the past few days was worth it. She looked at Lee Tima, who was busy serving soup to everyone, and asked curiously: "Tima, does IU Sunbaenim... often get to eat the food you make?" She knew that Lee Tima and IU had a special relationship, both as a "slave" and as a pampered younger sister.

Upon hearing this, Lee Tima immediately puffed out her little chest, her face filled with the pride of "hurry up and praise me for being amazing": "Of course! Jieun Unnie, she..." But immediately after, the pride turned into affection mixed with annoyance, "...is completely a super homebody! At home, she will never sit if she can lie down, and will never do it herself if she can order me to do it! 'Tima, help me pour a glass of water~' 'Tima, where is the remote control~' 'Tima, I want to eat that pudding you made last time~' Aigoo! It's exactly the same as when Zhiyu Oppa bosses me around! I'm still a child! An age that needs to be taken care of! Why am I always taking care of these unreliable adults!"

Her little face was expressive, and her complaining tone revealed a sweetness of being needed and a helpless indulgence.

The three of them, Kim Taeyeon, Im Yoona, and Sunny, couldn't help but laugh as they watched her. Sunny teased: "This just goes to show that our Tima is completely an 'indispensable core figure'! IU xi and PD Jiang cannot do without you!"

"Exactly, exactly!" Im Yoona also nodded in agreement, "To be so relied upon by two big figures at the same time, our Tima is the best!"

Lee Tima was a bit embarrassed by the praise, her cheeks slightly red, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve high. She put down the soup spoon, as if she suddenly remembered something, and said with sparkling eyes: "Oh, right, right! That new variety show that Zhiyu Oppa is collaborating on with the Red Velvet Unnies, 'the collapsed daily life', had its test filming today, and it seems to be super popular! It exploded on the hot search!"

As she spoke, she naturally took out her tablet and skillfully flipped to the relevant page to show them: "I 'accidentally' heard the TG variety department meeting before, and heard that this program has a super interesting 'collapse points' system. You can get points for doing specific things or having specific performances, and once you collect enough points, you can exchange them for gifts! It seems there are brand products, dinner opportunities, and even custom Lemm and new songs produced by TG as grand prizes!"

She was like a little secret agent sharing secret intelligence, lowering her voice, but her tone was excited: "Aigoo, I feel that those grand prizes will definitely be redeemed in the end! Otherwise, why would the PD set such tempting prizes? Jiang Zhiyu Oppa is indeed still... towards Joohyun Unnie..."

Halfway through her sentence, Lee Tima seemed to suddenly realize something. She slammed on the brakes, swallowing the second half of what she was about to say—likely "very special" or "very concerned"—hard. All that remained was a vague trailing sound and a slightly guilty expression as she quickly changed her tone: "...Uh, he's just very concerned about everyone in Red Velvet! Preparing such generous rewards!"

However, those four words that had slipped out—"Joohyun Unnie"—had already acted like a pebble, precisely tossed into the originally relaxed and pleasant dinner atmosphere.

The air at the dining table seemed to freeze for a split second.

Im Yoona's hand holding her chopsticks paused imperceptibly. The relaxed smile on her face faded slightly, her gaze drifted toward a pattern on the tabletop, and her chewing slowed down.

Kim Taeyeon lowered her eyelids, looking at the milky white fish soup in her bowl. The surface of the soup was calm and waveless, reflecting her expressionless face. Her fingers gripping the spoon tightened for a moment, then relaxed, as if nothing had happened. But the fish soup, which she had found incredibly delicious just a moment ago, now seemed to have lost some of its flavor.

Sunny's gaze swept quickly between Kim Taeyeon and Im Yoona, her mind crystal clear. She was, of course, aware of the rumor circulating within a small circle at SM—vague yet quite intriguing—that Jiang Zhiyu seemed to have some sort of special emotional entanglement with Bae Joo-hyun, even involving talk of a "substitute for an ex-girlfriend." And the source of this gossip, it was said... was the very little one right in front of her who was pretending to bury her head in her food while secretly glancing at the reactions of the two Unnies—Lee Tima herself, and her "unintentional words" back then in the SM cafeteria.

Lee Tima clearly realized she had said the wrong thing too. She hurriedly picked up a large mouthful of vegetables and stuffed them into her mouth, trying to change the subject incoherently: "Mmm... these stir-fried greens are really delicious... Unnies, hurry up and eat! It won't taste good if it gets cold!"

But some things, once said, are like pebbles thrown into a lake of the heart; the ripples they stir up do not disappear immediately.

Kim Taeyeon raised her head and gave Lee Tima a gentle but cold smile: "Mm, it is very delicious. Tima, you've worked hard." Her voice was calm, with no hint of anything unusual.

Im Yoona also picked up her chopsticks again and pulled at the corners of her mouth: "Yeah, our Tima is the best." The tone was still affectionate, but within that affection, there seemed to be a trace of imperceptible stiffness and distraction.

Sunny sighed inwardly. These two... one looking calm and waveless, but actually turbulent beneath the surface; the other trying hard to hide it, yet unable to conceal a subtle sense of loss. That guy Jiang Zhiyu really is an out-and-out "trouble magnet," able to stir up a pool of spring water even from so far away.

She quickly stepped in to smooth things over, exaggeratingly praising Lee Tima's cooking in an attempt to heat up the atmosphere again. Lee Tima cooperated, chattering about other topics, like how Jieun had written a new song, or what new project TG Entertainment was planning.

The dinner continued, and on the surface, the laughter returned. But the subtle ripples in the hearts of Kim Taeyeon and Im Yoona, stirred up by the name "Bae Joo-hyun," as well as the complex thoughts generated by Jiang Zhiyu's "special care," were like hidden reefs beneath the water—temporarily quiet, but not gone.

Lee Tima ate while secretly observing the expressions of the two Unnies, feeling a bit annoyed and a bit innocent. She really did just say it offhandedly... and besides, Zhiyu Oppa's attitude toward Joohyun Unnie did seem... actually a bit different? But she dared not mention that again now.

She could only pray silently in her heart: Zhiyu Oppa, you really must handle your "interpersonal relationships" well, otherwise it's very hard for me, a little spy and cook, to be stuck in the middle!

TG Entertainment, CEO's office.

The night was deep, and outside the window was the brilliant yet sleepless neon of Seoul. Jiang Zhiyu finished processing the last email on hand regarding the test shooting data analysis and follow-up promotion plan for "the collapsed daily life," and rubbed his slightly sore brow.

He leaned back against the large chair, temporarily putting those specific business calculations and project advancements aside, picked up his personal phone, and clicked on the message Lee Tima had sent not long ago.

On the screen was a photo and a short video of Im Yoona focusing on scaling a fish in the kitchen. In the footage, she had shed the glamour of the stage and the flawlessness in front of the camera; she was makeup-free, her hair tied up casually, sweat beads on her forehead, water stains on her apron, yet her eyes were startlingly bright, staring intently at the fish in her hands, every stroke of the knife carried with it a nearly stubborn seriousness.

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze lingered on the screen for a long time, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously, forming a pleased and appreciative arc.

"Devil" screenwriter, please look! See what kind of transformation the "former mercenary" you wrote is undergoing! Tremble! (Yoona Unnie is the best!)—Lee Tima's caption was full of childish pride and reflected glory.

Jiang Zhiyu could feel Im Yoona's determination to burn her bridges. She was not only overcoming her instinctive fear of living things, but actively tearing apart her inherent shell as the "Nation's Goddess" to touch a cold, tough soul living in a gray zone. This kind of ruthlessness in actively seeking breakthroughs and not hesitating to "destroy her own image" was one of the reasons he chose her to play "Withe," the complex former mercenary character.

"Water..." he whispered to himself, recalling the conversation in Kim Taeyeon's apartment kitchen that day. "Seemingly gentle, but actually turbulent beneath the surface." The resilient and tough quality in Im Yoona was being brought out little by little by the script of "the crab" and her own determination. This was good, very good.

However, beyond the appreciation and anticipation, practical problems also emerged like shadows.

The "the crab" project was ambitious, and the production costs were destined to be high. Although TG Entertainment had established a foothold in the industry thanks to several hit variety shows and successful music productions, and was hailed as a "genius company," it was essentially still a fledgling force with shallow roots. They had reached a deep cooperation intention with a Chinese technology company, laying the foundation for future VR/AR entertainment layouts, but that belonged to long-term strategic investment, could not be cashed in in the short term, and instead required continuous investment.

The company's liquid capital, after supporting existing projects (such as post-production for "twelve star envoys" and the official filming of "the collapsed daily life") and team operations, still appeared stretched thin when it came to independently supporting the production of a film at the level of "the crab." Seeking external investment was inevitable, but how to introduce capital without losing control, and how to balance commercial returns with the original creative intent, were all difficult problems that required careful calculation.

Thinking of this, Jiang Zhiyu's gaze turned to the other side of the office. There, Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon's desk was empty (she might currently still be studying those complex financial models or business intelligence), but her very existence was one of TG Entertainment's most solid foundations of confidence.

Kim Soo-yeon, this "transmigrator" who also came from Tianxuan Continent and accidentally became the Chairwoman of TG Entertainment, displayed a calmness, courage, and... mysterious background that transcended her age.

Jiang Zhiyu recalled a seemingly casual mention by Kim Soo-yeon. While using TG Entertainment's resources and network to quietly investigate the "American citizenship" and backgrounds of the three of them (Jiang Zhiyu, Kim Soo-yeon, Lee Tima) in "this world," she had discovered some extremely intriguing clues.

Many seemingly unrelated fragments of information vaguely pointed to a huge, ancient, and rather secretive Chinese family within the overseas Chinese community. This family's industries were spread across the globe, with tentacles reaching deep into finance, technology, and even some lesser-known fields; they operated in a low-profile manner, yet their power was unfathomable. The "legal identities" of the three of them seemed to have intricate, yet cleverly concealed, connections to this family.

"Interesting..." Jiang Zhiyu had only raised an eyebrow when he heard Kim Soo-yeon's initial analysis at the time. They had transmigrated here and obtained a nearly perfect identity cover out of thin air; this in itself was irrational. If there really was a mastermind behind it, this "Chinese family" was indeed highly suspicious.

But Kim Soo-yeon's attitude was cautious: "The other party has not made active contact, so we will remain still for now and continue to observe. Whether they are friend or foe is not yet known; acting rashly would easily alert the enemy." She knew deeply that in a situation where power was unequal, keeping a low profile and accumulating strength was the wise course of action. TG Entertainment was perhaps an important platform for them to establish a foothold in this world and eventually uncover the mystery of their own existence, or even... a bargaining chip?

In any case, the most important thing right now was to take every step in front of them well.

Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his thoughts and looked back at the script file for "the crab" on the computer screen. This script was currently circulating only within a very small, top-tier circle of the entertainment industry; the vast majority of people didn't even know the name, only that TG Entertainment and Jiang Zhiyu were planning another "bold project."

But both Jiang Zhiyu and Kim Soo-yeon had absolute confidence in it. This script fused hardcore action settings, complex human struggles, intricate suspense layouts, and profound social metaphors. After being repeatedly deliberated, revised, and polished by both of them, every plot twist and every line of dialogue strove to be precise and powerful. It was not just a commercial film, but a work that could embody TG Entertainment's production ambition and artistic pursuit.

They believed that as long as they found the right investors and production team to present the script perfectly, "the crab" absolutely had the potential to be a double success in both box office and reputation, bringing unprecedented huge profits and an increase in industry status to TG Entertainment, completely getting rid of the single label of "variety show production company," and truly joining the ranks of comprehensive entertainment groups.

By then, the funding problems that plagued them would be solved, and they would also have more bargaining chips and confidence to face any challenges that might arise in the future, including... that mysterious Chinese family.

Jiang Zhiyu turned off his phone screen, temporarily treasuring Im Yoona's hardworking figure in his heart. He opened a new document and began drafting the detailed budget plan and financing proposal for the "the crab" project.

Under the lights, his profile was distinct, his eyes focused and sharp. The road ahead was certainly full of thorns and unknowns, but holding a trump card like "the crab," and with partners like Kim Soo-yeon and Lee Tima by his side, he was fearless.

The next hard battle for TG Entertainment had quietly begun. And this time, the stage would shift from the variety studio to the broader and crueler big screen.