324: Chapter 304 Getting Closer to Your Heart Step by Step~

"Pink?"

When Kim Taeyeon spoke those two words, her voice carried a clear sense of bashfulness and uncertainty.

It had almost slipped out—because Sunny's wailing from the past few days was still echoing in her ears: "Pink! A pink Lemm~! I want a pink one! Like cherry blossoms, like strawberry milk, a pink like all things cute!"

But the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it.

This isn't the color I actually want.

The thought emerged clearly from the depths of her heart.

Jiang Zhiyu blinked and didn't respond immediately, just watching her quietly.

That gaze was so clear—so clear that Kim Taeyeon felt all her pretenses were laid bare. She hurriedly added, her voice getting faster and faster:

"After all, it's our Girls Generation's official color, it has commemorative meaning, so... um... everyone will like it."

She tried to wrap her true preferences in these collective, safe concepts like "Girls Generation," "commemorative meaning," and "everyone will like it."

But Jiang Zhiyu understood.

He understood her subtext—this wasn't her personal choice; it was a choice made as the "Leader of Girls Generation," a choice considering the team and her sisters.

His gaze became very serious, and his voice calmed down:

"Noona, this is your own Lemm."

Kim Taeyeon froze.

These words were like a small hammer, gently shattering the outer shell she used to protect herself.

Your own.

Not Girls Generation's, not a souvenir for fans, not a gift that needs to consider anyone else's eyes.

It belongs exclusively to Kim Taeyeon.

She fell silent, lowering her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.

The living room fell into silence again, but this time the silence was no longer dull; it was a kind of waiting—waiting for her to speak her true thoughts.

A few seconds later, Jiang Zhiyu suddenly spoke, his voice much softer than before:

"Noona, what do you think of light blue?"

Kim Taeyeon looked up: "Ne?"

The corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth curled up slightly, and his eyes became a bit distant, as if reminiscing about a beautiful scene:

"Noona, have you seen the pure, clear sea under the midsummer sun?"

His voice had a descriptive quality to it:

"It's that kind of blue—not the darkness of the deep sea, nor the paleness of the sky. It's the kind of transparent yet full blue refracted on the shallows when sunlight penetrates the seawater at noon. With a hint of green, like glass that has melted mint."

Kim Taeyeon couldn't help but imagine it along with his description.

She felt as if she saw that scene—

Walking barefoot on a deserted beach of fine white sand, the sand warmed by the sun, feeling soft as her toes sank in. The sky was a pure azure without a single cloud, the sunlight bright but not scorching. The waves surged in one after another and then receded, making a rhythmic crashing sound.

The whole world was quiet and ethereal, with only the sea breeze, the sound of waves, and the texture of the sand beneath her feet.

That is a... very free color.

She thought to herself.

"That kind of blue..." Kim Taeyeon murmured, "is beautiful."

Jiang Zhiyu's eyes lit up: "Right?"

He leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying a hint of excitement like sharing a secret:

"Recently, TG has made some technological breakthroughs, and perhaps they will be installed on the Lemm."

Kim Taeyeon was curious: "What kind of breakthroughs?"

Jiang Zhiyu kept her in suspense, a bit of mischief in his smile:

"I'll prepare some little surprises for Noona that you'll have to discover yourself."

"Little surprises?"

"Mhm." Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "But I can't say yet. When Noona gets the Lemm, explore it slowly yourself."

This sense of mystery made Kim Taeyeon's heart skip a beat again unhelpfully.

But she soon realized a practical problem—

"It's too precious!" she said almost subconsciously. "The Lemm itself is very expensive, right? And adding new technology... how can I accept this!"

Jiang Zhiyu shook his head, his expression very frank:

"It's just a gift."

His tone was as relaxed as if he were talking about the nice weather:

"Besides, Noona and I have collaborated for so long, the 'taeyeons search' project is still ongoing, and there are many possibilities for future cooperation. And..."

He paused, his gaze softening:

"Auntie (referring to Mother Kim) has also been taking good care of me."

This sentence caused Kim Taeyeon's thoughts to instantly scatter.

What does that mean?

Is he saying the two of them are in a relationship where they've met the parents?

Aish! Kim Taeyeon, what are you thinking!

Her face began to burn again, and her eyes darted around, completely not daring to look at Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu noticed her spaced-out behavior, chuckled softly, and pulled the topic back on track:

"When TG and SM officially start their deep cooperation model, considering Noona's relationship with me, or even the fame of 'shin-ting-tae'..."

Hearing the title "shin-ting-tae" given by fans, Kim Taeyeon subconsciously straightened her back—it was an acknowledgment of her musical strength.

"...Noona's work priority will definitely be the highest."

Jiang Zhiyu's tone was very certain, as if stating an established fact:

"But don't worry, Noona, since it's the first deep cooperation between the two companies, I will personally participate."

He blinked at Kim Taeyeon, that familiar, somewhat boyish, mischievous smile appearing again:

"Don't you know my strength, Noona? Hehe, when the time comes, our two names will directly dominate the music charts, collecting all the Song of the Year awards, achieving a grand victory."

He said this so naturally, so matter-of-factly, as if it were already a set future.

Kim Taeyeon looked at him, and her mind uncontrollably began to imagine that scene—

Her and Jiang Zhiyu's names listed side-by-side in the producer credits.

Their collaboration songs taking first place one after another on the digital charts.

They stand together on the award ceremony stage, spotlights hitting them both, below them the cheers of fans and applause from peers...

Deeply cooperating with Jiang Zhiyu would mean... she would have more time to meet and communicate with him!

This realization caused a sudden surge of secret joy in her heart.

A joy even more hidden and sweet than pretending she didn't have a Lemm in front of a longing Sunny.

She tried hard to control the urge for the corners of her mouth to turn up, but the light in her eyes had already betrayed her.

Jiang Zhiyu saw her expression, and his smile deepened.

He checked the time—it was almost seven o'clock.

He then looked at the closed door of the guest room. There was still no movement inside; Sunny and Im Yoona were clearly still in a deep hungover sleep.

He had originally come to find Im Yoona, but it seemed the drunken Noona wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

Jiang Zhiyu knew clearly that he couldn't stay at Kim Taeyeon's house much longer.

Although there were two other people in the house (even if they were sleeping), overall, in this early morning apartment, only he and Kim Taeyeon were awake.

A lone man and woman—it wasn't appropriate.

Moreover, he really did have work—TG had an important project briefing this morning that he had to attend.

He stood up with calm movements:

"Noona, I'm leaving now. When Yoona Noona wakes up, please tell her that regarding the specific training arrangements, I'll have my assistant send the materials to SM, so tell her to keep an eye out for them."

Kim Taeyeon also hurriedly stood up: "Ah, okay... I'll tell her."

She followed Jiang Zhiyu to the entryway.

Jiang Zhiyu put on his leather shoes and opened the door. Just as he was about to walk out, he suddenly remembered something and turned around:

"Right, remember to eat breakfast. The porridge should be eaten while it's hot, and coffee doesn't taste good once it's cold."

Kim Taeyeon nodded: "Ne... thank you."

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and stepped into the elevator.

Kim Taeyeon stood at the door, watching the elevator doors slowly close.

The metal door panels reflected her blurred image—messy hair, pale face, rumpled loungewear.

A wave of annoyance rose in her heart.

Why did it have to be today? Why did it have to be when I look my absolute worst?

At the moment the elevator doors were about to fully close—

*Ding.*

The doors opened again.

Jiang Zhiyu was standing in the elevator, one hand pressing the open button, with a "just remembered" expression on his face.

Kim Taeyeon blinked, somewhat confused.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled at her:

"I just remembered, I finished the Sleep Aid Aromatherapy; it's in the trunk of my car."

He paused and added:

"I'll bring it up for Noona before I go."

Kim Taeyeon froze on the spot.

Sleep aid... aromatherapy?

He had mentioned it before in Jeonju, saying he would give her perfume or aromatherapy to help with sleep. She thought it was just a casual remark, or at least it would take a long time.

And it turns out he's finished it already?

And it's right downstairs in the car?

He's even going to specifically bring it up?

Kim Taeyeon's brain completely short-circuited. She could only nod stiffly, her voice stuck in her throat:

"Ah... okay."

Jiang Zhiyu released the button, and the elevator doors slowly closed again.

This time they really closed.

The elevator's down indicator lit up, and the numbers began to change.

Kim Taeyeon stood in the empty entryway, staring at the closed elevator door for a full three seconds.

Then—

"Aaaaahhh!!!"

She suddenly grabbed her head and crouched down, burying her face in her knees, letting out a muffled, distraught scream.

Jiang Zhiyu!

How could he come over so early!

My image! My all-nighter dishevelment! My bird's nest hair! My dark circles! This old T-shirt that's been washed out of shape!

He saw it all!

Shiba!!

She roared frantically in her mind, shame and regret almost drowning her.

A few seconds later, she suddenly stood up and rushed into the bedroom like a gust of wind.

Makeup!

I must put on makeup right now!

When he brings the aromatherapy up, I at least can't look like this ghostly mess!

She rushed into the dressing room attached to the bedroom, pulled out a chair and sat down, and turned on the vanity lights—

The mirror reflected a face that was hard to look at.

Her hair was as messy as if a typhoon had hit it, her face was as pale as paper, her dark circles were as deep as a panda's, her lips were dry and peeling from staying up all night, and there was even some uncleaned crust in the corner of her eyes...

"Aaaaahhh—!!!"

Another wail, more desperate than the last.

Kim Taeyeon covered her face with both hands, wishing she could crawl into a hole in the ground.

But time waits for no one.

She heard the sound of the elevator coming up—Jiang Zhiyu had already gone to get the aromatherapy and would be back soon.

Fast! Fast! Fast!

She opened her makeup bag like she was going to war, taking out foundation, concealer, loose powder, blush, eyebrow pencil, lipstick...

Her fingers trembled slightly from nervousness, but she forced herself to calm down and began to work on her face at top speed.

Concealing dark circles, applying base, setting the makeup, drawing eyebrows, sweeping on blush, applying lipstick...

Finally, she grabbed a comb, vigorously smoothed her messy hair, and tied it into a neat, low ponytail.

The person in the mirror finally looked somewhat human.

Although fatigue could still be seen, at least she no longer looked like a homeless person who had stayed up all night.

Just then—

*Ding-dong.*

The doorbell rang.

Kim Taeyeon's heart gave a violent leap.

She took a deep breath, checked herself in the mirror one last time, and then walked quickly to the entryway.

When her hand was on the doorknob, she paused for a second and took another deep breath.

Calm down, Kim Taeyeon, calm down.

This time, you must maintain your image.

She pulled open the door.

Outside, Jiang Zhiyu stood there, holding a dark brown, quaintly shaped glass bottle. A handwritten label was pasted on the bottle, the handwriting elegant and neat.

The moment he saw her, his eyes widened slightly, a clear flash of surprise passing through them.

Then, he smiled.

It wasn't a polite smile, but a genuine one, filled with a hint of amazement and appreciation.

"Noona," his voice was even softer than before, "you look much more refreshed like this."

Kim Taeyeon's face flushed red instantly.

She took the glass bottle, her fingertips accidentally brushing against his fingers.

A warm sensation.

She pulled her hand back as if burned, her voice as small as a mosquito's:

"Th-thank you..."

Jiang Zhiyu saw her beet-red face, and his smile deepened.

But he didn't linger any longer.

"Then I'll be going. Remember to eat breakfast, Noona." He waved and stepped into the elevator again.

This time, the elevator doors closed completely.

Kim Taeyeon stood at the door, holding the glass bottle that still carried his body heat, listening to the sound of the elevator descending.

After a long time, she slowly closed the door, leaned her back against it, and slid down to sit on the floor.

Inside the glass bottle, the elegant scent of lavender and cedar mixed with a faint... sweet fragrance of ripe fruit.

She held it in her arms and buried her face in her knees.

This time, she didn't scream or break down.

She just sat quietly, listening to her own out-of-control heartbeat.

Thump, and thump.

In this chaotic yet beautiful morning.

—

In the guest room, Im Yoona was still fast asleep.

She lay on her side, the quilt kicked down to her waist, one hand resting on her forehead, her brow slightly furrowed as if still anxious about the audition in her dreams. Her cheeks still carried an unnatural flush from the hangover, and her breathing was long and heavy.

And Sunny, who was sleeping next to her, was woken up by an extremely suppressed yet still piercing wail.

"Ahhh—!!!"

The sound was muffled, as if coming from a pillow, but it carried a sense of extreme, soul-crushing despair.

Sunny frowned in her sleep and rolled over, wanting to go back to sleep. But her brain had already been forcibly dragged back to reality, and the dull pain of a hangover hit her along with a severe case of dry mouth.

"Aish..." she muttered vaguely, groping around the bed with her eyes closed, trying to find some water.

Her hand flailed in the air a few times, and instead of hitting a water glass, it landed with a "slap" right on Im Yoona's face next to her.

Although the force wasn't heavy, it was enough to make the sleeping Im Yoona grunt in dissatisfaction, furrow her brows, and bury her head deeper into the pillow.

Sunny opened her eyes groggily, and seeing where her hand was, realized she had hit someone. She quickly withdrew her hand, mumbled a "Mian (Sorry)" to Im Yoona, and then struggled to climb out of bed.

Lightheaded.

That was her first sensation after standing up. How much did she drink last night? Three bottles? Four? Or five? She couldn't remember; anyway, her memory blacked out around the part where she was hugging Yoona and singing "Into the New World."

She leaned against the wall, wobbling as she walked out of the guest room.

The scene in the living room made her pause—the mess from last night had actually been cleaned up? The coffee table was polished to a shine, the empty wine bottles were gone, the snack bags had vanished, and even the floor looked like it had been mopped.

Taeyeon cleaned it? She got up this early?

Sunny's brain was still in a state of semi-paralysis, so she didn't think too much, simply following the scent in the air by instinct.

It smelled so good.

The unique, warm, and light fragrance of white rice porridge, mixed with the sweet scent of butter, the richness of coffee... and another familiar fruit aroma.

A full, ripe, heart-tinglingly sweet fragrance.

This smell...

Sunny's sluggish brain took three seconds to retrieve a match—

Jiang Zhiyu.

Yes, that was the scent on that guy. During the last fish feast, she had smelled it up close at Kim Taeyeon's house, and it had left a deep impression.

Why would he be here?

Before she could think deeper into this question, her stomach issued an even stronger protest.

Gurgle—

The emptiness and hunger after a hangover hit her simultaneously. Sunny's brain issued its most primitive command: sit down and eat.

She walked to the dining table and saw the breakfast neatly laid out—white porridge in a thermal container, bread in a brown paper bag, and three lattes.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, directly taking the ceramic thermal container.

As she opened the lid, steam mixed with the aroma of rice wafted over her. The porridge was cooked perfectly, thick but not mushy, with a delicate layer of rice oil condensed on the surface. The side dishes next to it also looked very refreshing.

Sunny didn't stand on ceremony, picking up a spoon and taking a large mouthful.

The warm porridge slid down her dry throat and settled into her empty stomach. That warmth began to spread from her stomach, quickly reaching every limb.

"Ha..."

She sighed in satisfaction and took another spoonful, this time with a bit of pickled cucumber.

The salty, fresh, and crunchy pickles balanced the lightness of the white porridge, opening up her appetite. She took a few more sips and then broke off a piece of bread—soft, sweet, and carrying the scent of butter and nuts.

On a morning after drinking, being able to eat such a stomach-warming and heart-warming breakfast was so comfortable it almost made her want to cry.

Sunny hummed happily as she ate.

But as she ate, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

Wait.

The spoon stopped in mid-air.

Can Kim Taeyeon cook?

The answer to that question was a no. Kim Taeyeon's culinary skills were limited to boiling instant noodles and frying eggs, and they usually ended in failure (like fried eggs turning into scrambled egg bits).

Did she order delivery so early in the morning?

It was possible. But delivery usually wouldn't use such an exquisite thermal container, and this white porridge... was clearly freshly simmered, not the mass-produced taste of delivery.

More importantly—

Sunny twitched her nose, carefully distinguishing the smells in the air.

That familiar fruity scent still lingered.

Though it was faint, it definitely existed. And not just in the air—the spot where she was sitting, this chair, seemed to have... residual warmth?

Someone had just been sitting here.

It wasn't Kim Taeyeon (she didn't have this scent), nor was it Im Yoona (Yoona wore a light perfume).

Then it could only be...

Jiang Zhiyu!!

He was here?!

This realization was like a bucket of ice water, instantly waking Sunny's groggy brain.

She put down her spoon, her eyes widening as her mind quickly pieced together the clues:

Kim Taeyeon got up unusually early today (usually she sleeps until noon after a hangover).

The living room was cleaned (Kim Taeyeon couldn't have cleaned it that fast by herself).

The breakfast on the table was clearly freshly made (thermal container, fresh bread).

There was a lingering scent of Jiang Zhiyu in the air.

The chair still had residual warmth.

Conclusion—

Jiang Zhiyu had been to Kim Taeyeon's house this morning, brought breakfast, probably helped clean the living room, and had just left not long ago.

The corners of Sunny's mouth began to curl upward uncontrollably.

It wasn't a polite smile, nor a happy one, but a wicked, "caught you red-handed" smirk filled with a strong sense of gossip.

Mwoya?

She talked to herself in her mind with an exaggerated tone:

A man, early in the morning, bringing breakfast to Kim Taeyeon?

And helping clean the room?

This relationship... is definitely not ordinary~

Shibal! Kim Taeyeon, you're hiding things pretty deep!

She remembered the past few days when she was drooling over Lemm's videos, and Kim Taeyeon's "I don't care," "I don't want it" act of fake seriousness.

She remembered how Kim Taeyeon immediately bristled and retorted when she said "Jiang Zhiyu has no EQ."

She remembered Kim Taeyeon's various abnormal behaviors lately—spacing out constantly, smiling at her phone and then getting irritable, not being able to sleep at night...

It. All. Adds. Up.

Sunny felt like she had mastered a massive secret.

She picked up her spoon again and continued drinking the porridge slowly, but her gaze was completely different—it was the gaze of a hunter looking at prey that had fallen into a trap.

Just as she was halfway through, the master bedroom door opened with a "creak."

Taeyeon poked her head out from inside.

She had obviously washed up quickly and put on light makeup—her hair was combed smooth and tied in a low ponytail, foundation covered her dark circles, and her lips were painted with a light coral lipstick. She had also changed into a clean, off-white casual sweater, looking much more refreshed.

But when her gaze fell on the dining table, on the thermal container in Sunny's hand, and on the white porridge that had already been half-eaten—

Her expression changed instantly.

It was a complex expression mixed with surprise, heartache, and annoyance.

That was prepared for "me" by Jiang Zhiyu!

This thought screamed in Kim Taeyeon's mind.

Although Jiang Zhiyu hadn't explicitly said "this is specifically for you," he came over at six in the morning, brought breakfast, and said "Noona, remember to eat"... wasn't it implied that it was for her?!

And in the end, Sunny, this porridge thief, had actually eaten some first?!

Kim Taeyeon pushed the door open and marched out angrily, pointing a finger at Sunny, her voice trembling slightly with agitation:

"Ya! Lee Soon—"

She suddenly stopped halfway through her sentence.

Because she saw Sunny's expression.

The woman sitting at the dining table, with a spoon in one hand and her chin resting on the other, was tilting her head and looking at her with an extremely annoying "I know everything but I'm just not saying it" smile.

Innocent?

It was an act.

What flickered in those eyes was clearly the triumphant light of "caught you."

Kim Taeyeon froze on the spot.

Her brain raced:

Does Sunny know?

How does she know?

Did she smell something? See something? Or...

It's over.

That was the only thought in her mind.

Sunny's smile deepened as she watched Taeyeon's stiff posture and her face, which had instantly turned pale (though it was hard to tell under the foundation).

She said in a deliberately faked, sickly sweet voice:

"Yo! Taeyeon, good morning~"

She waved the spoon in the air:

"The white porridge is delicious, thanks!"

Thanks!

She said those three words softly and slowly, with a rising intonation at the end, each syllable seemingly dancing on Kim Taeyeon's taut nerves.

Looking at her "I seem to know something incredible but I won't say it, I'll just hold it over you" attitude, Kim Taeyeon felt a rush of blood to her head.

Damn it, Lee Soon-kyu!

So annoying!!

She wailed inwardly, but she had to try and maintain her composure externally.

"Oh, oh..." she responded dryly, walking to the table and pulling out another chair to sit down, pretending to be calm as she also served a bowl of porridge. "You, you're awake. Where's Yoona?"

"Still sleeping." Sunny looked at her with a smile, her eyes scanning her from head to toe like an X-ray. "But you, up so early? And wearing makeup? Do you have a schedule?"

Three questions in a row, each one hitting Kim Taeyeon right where it hurt.

"No, no schedule." Taeyeon looked down to drink her porridge, avoiding her gaze. "I just... couldn't sleep, so I got up to tidy up."

"Is that so~" Sunny dragged out her words. "Then you're really amazing, cleaning the living room so quickly all by yourself. You even mopped the floor~"

Kim Taeyeon's hand shook, and her spoon clinked against the rim of the bowl with a crisp sound.

She knows.

She definitely knows.

Alarm bells rang in Kim Taeyeon's heart, but she was still struggling: "Just, just a quick tidy..."

"Oh~" Sunny nodded, and then as if suddenly remembering something, "By the way, where did you buy this breakfast? The porridge is so well made, the bread is fresh, and the coffee is even from XX—that shop isn't exactly close to here; it's at least a twenty-minute drive."

With every word she said, Kim Taeyeon's heart sank a little further.

"Just... called for delivery." Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

"Would delivery come in a thermal container like this?" Sunny picked up the exquisite ceramic container, her fingers tracing the embossed patterns on it. "This looks like something custom-made. And..."

She leaned closer to Kim Taeyeon, her nose twitching as she lowered her voice, sounding deeply teasing:

"You have a very nice fruity scent on you~"

"It's exactly the same as the scent on a certain someone~"

Kim Taeyeon's face flushed bright red instantly.

She stood up abruptly, her chair legs scraping against the floor with a harsh sound.

"I, I'll go see if Yoona's awake!"

With that, she almost fled into the guest room, slamming the door shut with a "bang."

Sunny sat at the dining table, looking at the closed guest room door, and finally couldn't help but lean over the table and laugh hysterically.

Her shoulders shook with laughter, and tears even began to well up.

This is too interesting!

Kim Taeyeon, your day has finally come!

She wiped away her tears of laughter, picked up her phone, and quickly opened the Girls Generation group chat.

Her fingers tapped on the screen:

[Major discovery! A mystery man delivered breakfast to Taeyeon this morning! Freshly made white porridge + premium bread and coffee! He even helped clean the living room! Taeyeon is panicking like crazy right now, I'm dying!]

Message sent.

A few seconds later, the group chat exploded.

Yuri: Mworagu?! Who?!

Hyoyeon: I bet fifty cents it's Jiang Zhiyu.

Sooyoung: Tell us more! I want details!

Tiffany: Really?! OMG!

Seohyun: ...Isn't it a bit wrong to pry into Taeyeon Unnie's privacy like this? ]

[Seohyun has been removed from the group chat (temporary)]

Sunny watched the messages scrolling rapidly and a triumphant smile curled her lips.

Kim Taeyeon, oh Kim Taeyeon...

I've definitely caught your weakness.

Inside the guest room, Kim Taeyeon leaned her back against the door, listening to Sunny's exaggerated laughter outside, and closed her eyes in despair.

It's. Over.

Within Girls Generation, everyone is going to know very soon.

She looked at Im Yoona, who was still fast asleep on the bed, and suddenly felt a bit envious.

How nice it would be if she could be like Yoona, knowing nothing and sleeping peacefully...

But now, she could only face reality.

And the reality was that for the days to come, she was likely to be held under Sunny's thumb (as well as the other members who heard the news) because of this.

Jiang Zhiyu...

She muttered the name resentfully in her heart.

It's all your fault!