414: Chapter 468 The Old Woman (2)

The popularity of Bubble live broadcasts spread like wildfire across the entire Korean entertainment industry.

SM, being the first to follow suit, mobilized almost all of its available artists. Red Velvet's Joy posted a set of photos drinking coffee on a balcony with the caption, "The sunlight is beautiful today, I want to soak it up with you." Tens of thousands of screams instantly flooded the comments section; some said "Joy is a spring girlfriend," some said "this vibe is incredible," and others said "even though it's copied from Karina, it's copied well." Yeri posted a selfie of herself snuggled on the sofa holding Lemm, captioned "I don't want to move today, I just want to stay with you like this." Wendy, on the other hand, posted a short video of herself playing the guitar and singing a snippet of an English song, captioned "I sang this song while thinking of you."

The comments section was filled with "so good to hear," "so sweet," and "Wendy is the all-around girlfriend."

NCT's Jaehyun posted a photo of his back while playing the piano, captioned "This piece was written for you." Doyoung posted a night view outside his window late at night, captioned "Still not asleep at this hour, are you thinking of me?" Even some solo artists who usually maintain a cold and aloof image began posting things on Bubble like "I ate something delicious today and wanted to share it with you" or "I can't sleep tonight, I'm thinking of you."

Fans were subscribing frantically while discussing it joyfully on forums.

"What's going on with Bubble today? Why did everyone suddenly become so smooth?"

"I don't know, but it's so sweet! I love it to death!"

"It seems like it was started by Karina's live broadcast; now everyone is copying her model."

"Let them copy; either way, we fans are winning!"

"Exactly! Keep it coming! I love to see it!"

JYP was not to be outdone. TWICE's Nayeon posted a photo of herself drinking a strawberry milkshake, captioned "The milkshake is sweet, but thinking of you is even sweeter." Jeongyeon posted a selfie of herself holding a cat, captioned "The kitty is acting cute, and so am I—who are you going to coax?" Momo posted a short video of herself dancing, captioned "This dance is for you." Sana went as far as posting a nine-grid selfie, with each photo captioned with phrases like "Thinking of you today," "Will think of you tomorrow too," "The day after as well," and "Thinking of you every day."

The comments section simply exploded.

"Sana is a genius at romance!"

"I screenshot Nayeon's 'thinking of you is even sweeter'!"

"The way Momo dances is like she's confessing to me!"

ITZY's Ryujin posted a sweaty selfie after dance practice, captioned "Just finished dancing, so tired... but I'm not tired anymore after seeing your message." Chaeryeong posted a photo of herself eating strawberries, captioned "Strawberries are sweet, but not as sweet as you." Yuna posted a short video of herself making a finger heart to the camera, captioned "This heart is for you, only you can receive it."

The comments section was once again a scene of jubilation.

Cube's (G)I-DLE and Starship's IVE also began to follow suit. Even some small entertainment companies started requiring their artists to post "romantic-vibe" content on Bubble.

For a time, the entire Korean entertainment industry's Bubble became an ocean of "romantic vibes."

Three days later, when Jiang Zhiyu opened his phone to browse the trending searches, he almost thought he had walked onto the wrong set.

#Red Velvet Joy Soaking Up Sun on Balcony# Trending No. 12

#NCT Jaehyun Thinking of You While Playing Guitar# Trending No. 15

#TWICE Nayeon Coffee is a Bit Bitter# Trending No. 18

#ITZY Ryujin Selfie After Dance Practice# Trending No. 22

#IVE Jang Wonyoung What I Ate Today# Trending No. 25

#(G)I-DLE Song Yuqi Want to Share with You# Trending No. 28

He even saw "romantic-vibe" Bubbles from several boy group members—

#SEVENTEEN Jeonghan Goodnight My...# Trending No. 35

#ENHYPEN Heeseung Song Written While Thinking of You# Trending No. 41

Jiang Zhiyu fell silent.

He scrolled down one by one, and the more he scrolled, the more he wanted to laugh.

Those photos, those captions, those tones of "thinking of you," "for you," and "sharing with you"—

They were all his ideas.

They were all copied.

And they were copied in all sorts of ways, with all kinds of variations.

Some took photos of coffee, some of sunlight, some of guitars, some of windows, some of blankets, some of pillows, some of their bare faces just after waking up, some of their wet hair just after a shower—

As long as it could be photographed, it was.

As long as it could be captioned with "I miss you," it was.

He had been laughing for nearly an hour, and the corners of his mouth were getting a bit sore.

It all started with a trending post, with a title that was quite creative: "On How Jiang Zhiyu Sustains the Entire Korean Entertainment Industry Single-Handedly."

The content of the post was even more brilliant.

"To summarize the recent Korean entertainment news: after Karina's Bubble live broadcast was a huge success, SM held emergency meetings until midnight, and all artists stayed up late to learn 'romantic vibes.' Red Velvet's Joy started posting about soaking up the sun on the balcony with the caption 'want to soak it up with you,' NCT's Jaehyun played the guitar with the caption 'written while thinking of you,' and even Kai, who usually goes for the cold and aloof image, started posting 'the weather is so nice today, I miss you.' JYP followed suit; TWICE's Nayeon drank coffee with the caption 'it's sweet just thinking of you,' and ITZY's Ryujin posted after dance practice, 'I'm not tired after seeing your message.' Cube, Starship, and HYBE boy groups also started doing 'the boyfriend playing guitar' and 'the boyfriend messaging late at night'—overnight, the entire Korean entertainment industry turned into a massive romance simulation site."

"And what was the source of all this? It was that Bubble live broadcast Jiang Zhiyu planned for Karina. One plan sustained an entire industry. What level of skill is this?"

The comments below were even more brilliant.

"Jiang Zhiyu is single-handedly feeding the Korean entertainment industry."

"He should go sit in front of every company's entrance and collect copyright fees."

"SM owes Jiang Zhiyu a commemorative banner."

"JYP too."

"The entire Korean entertainment industry owes him."

"I suggest establishing the 'Jiang Zhiyu Copyright Fee Foundation'; all companies that used the 'romantic vibe' planning should pay a monthly fee."

"Then Jiang Zhiyu could buy SM very soon."

Jiang Zhiyu saw that last comment, thought about it seriously, and then nodded in deep agreement.

Buy SM? That idea sounds pretty good.

Sitting in for copyright fees. That's a good idea. He had even started planning the route in his head—go to SM first, since they copied most shamelessly; then to JYP, those TWICE captions were clearly modified from Karina's template; then to Cube, Starship... YG didn't seem to copy much? Never mind then, skip YG for now.

But then he thought about SM—Lee Soo-man, that old guy, would probably smile and say "young people have such creativity" and then invite him for tea, giving him absolutely nothing after the tea. JYP—Park Jin-young would probably grab his hand and say "Zhiyu, aren't we family?" and then invite him to the cafeteria, giving him absolutely nothing after the meal. YG—that president would probably look at him expressionlessly and then have security escort him out. Other small companies—they probably wouldn't even have a place to sit.

He sighed and put down his teacup.

Forget it, the path to getting rich through copyright fees is a dead end.

Anyway, the popularity belongs to Karina.

The trending searches belong to Karina.

Those fans' screams also belong to Karina.

He put down his teacup, picked up his phone, and sent a message to Karina.

"Did you see? All of Korea is copying you."

A few seconds later, the reply came.

"Hehe~ Of course! Because I'm the best~ (￣▽￣)~*"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at that emoticon and couldn't help but smile.

Outside the window, the sunlight was just right.

And that girl, who had made all the Korean entertainment companies work overtime through the night, was probably snuggled on the dorm sofa right now, giggling while scrolling through the trending searches.

He was just thinking about whether to have the legal department draft a "Romantic Vibe Bubble Copywriting Copyright Statement" when his phone rang. The caller's name flashed on the screen: Lee Soon-kyu · Expert at Lying Flat · Professional Meal Moocher.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the name, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. He pressed the answer button, and before he could speak, a dense barrage of output came from the other end...

He pressed the answer button, and before he could even open his mouth, the other side exploded.

"JIANG! ZHI! YU!"

Sunny's voice came through the receiver, carrying a sense of being on the verge of a breakdown. Jiang Zhiyu silently moved the phone a bit further away.

"Noona, what's wrong?"

"You're asking me what's wrong?!" Sunny's voice rose another octave. "Do you have any idea what I've been through these past two days?!"

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment and said tentatively, "...Were you asked to do a Bubble live broadcast?"

There was a second of silence on the other end. Then Sunny's roar became even louder: "You do know! I was lying flat perfectly fine! Eating snacks, watching dramas, and playing with my cats at home every day—it was so comfortable! And the result? Yesterday afternoon, the Manager called, 'Sunny-xi, please cooperate with the company's arrangement and do a romantic-vibe Bubble live broadcast'—Romantic vibe?! Me?! Lee Soon-kyu?! Sunny?! Romance?!"

The corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth were already starting to twitch. He tried his best to suppress his laughter and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Noona, it's just taking a few photos, adding some Bubble text, it's very simple..."

"Simple?!" Sunny's voice sounded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Jiang Zhiyu, you're telling me it's simple?! Do you know how many photos I took?! I spent two hours making faces at the mirror, and the photos I took either looked like I was constipated or having a cramp! I finally got one normal one, and the Manager looked at it and said, 'Sunny-xi, this expression isn't romantic-vibe enough'—What kind of vibe is romantic-vibe, tell me! I haven't even been in a relationship, how do you expect me to have a romantic vibe!"

Jiang Zhiyu finally couldn't hold it in and burst out with a "pfft" laugh.

The other end went quiet for a second.

"You laughed." Sunny's voice suddenly became very calm. That kind of calmness was even scarier than the roaring. "You just laughed, didn't you?"

"No." Jiang Zhiyu immediately pulled back his smile, his voice as sincere as if he were taking an oath. "Noona, I didn't laugh. I'm very serious. I even feel a bit like crying."

"Bullshit."

"Really."

Another period of silence. Then Sunny said gloomily, "Jiang Zhiyu, do you know how many times I recorded that video reply?"

"...How many times?"

"Forty-seven times." Sunny's voice carried a fatigue that suggested she had "seen through the mortal world." "Forty-seven times. Every single time, I had to face the camera and say, 'The weather is great today, I want to go for a walk with you.' By the end, I didn't even know how to write the word 'walk' anymore."

Jiang Zhiyu held it in this time and didn't laugh out loud. But his shoulders were shaking. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, using the temperature of the tea to suppress the curve of his lips.

"Noona, you've worked hard."

"Don't give me that." Sunny snorted, but her tone had clearly softened a bit. "Jiang Zhiyu, give it to me straight—how exactly did that romantic-vibe Bubble thing come about? Are you hiding some secret recipe from me?"

Jiang Zhiyu thought about it and said seriously, "The secret recipe is—be yourself."

Silence for three seconds on the other end.

Then Sunny's voice rang out, truly calm this time: "Jiang Zhiyu, when you say that, do you even believe it yourself?"

"...Not really."

"Then why did you say it!"

"Because Noona asked!"

Sunny was choked up by him.

"Mworago???"

Sunny's voice instantly rose eight octaves, with a hint of gritted teeth. Jiang Zhiyu quickly restrained his smile and cleared his throat: "Nothing, nothing. I mean—Noona, you can totally do it. Don't you have several cats? Take photos of the cats! 'My cat misses you,' 'The cat says it wants to see you'—how natural, how cute, how full of romantic vibe."

The other end was silent for a few seconds. Sunny seemed to be considering the feasibility of this plan, then slowly spoke: "You're saying... let my cats work for me?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded: "Right, let the cats be your romantic substitutes."

"And I continue lying flat?"

"Right, you continue lying flat."

Silence for another few seconds on the other end, then Sunny let out a meaningful "Hmm—": "That idea... seems okay. But..."

She changed the subject, her tone turning dangerous again: "What were you laughing at just now, you punk? Were you thinking about those embarrassing things I did on variety shows?"

Jiang Zhiyu looked innocent: "No, no, Noona is forever a goddess in my heart."

"Who are you kidding!"

The two of them bickered back and forth for a few rounds, and Sunny finally threw out a "I'm going to take cat photos now; if the effect isn't good, I'm coming for you," before hanging up.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at his phone screen and shook his head. Noona was still that same Noona—saying she wanted to lie flat, but her body was very honest.

Before he could put his phone down, it vibrated again.

This time it was Kim Taeyeon.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the avatar on the screen—a cartoon golden retriever with round glasses and puffy cheeks, with "Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With" written next to it—and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly without him realizing it.

He answered.

"Noona?"

Silence for a few seconds on the other end.

"Hmm."

Just one word.

Then more silence.

Jiang Zhiyu waited for a bit, and when no follow-up came, he had to speak up:

"Noona, is there something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"...Then why did you call?"

"Can't I call?"

"You can, you can, you can."

Silence again.

Jiang Zhiyu sighed. He knew that if Kim Taeyeon took the initiative to contact him, there must be something. But she was that kind of person—clearly wanting to say something, yet always taking several detours, waiting until you'd almost forgotten the beginning before she slowly and leisurely spit out what she truly wanted to say.

"Noona, is it about the Bubble live broadcast?"

More silence for a few seconds on the other end.

"...Hmm."

"Want to do it?"

"...I want to. But I don't know how."

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment: "Actually, it's very simple, just—"

"I know it's simple." Kim Taeyeon interrupted him. "But I don't want to do the same thing as everyone else. The kind Karina did... doesn't suit me."

Jiang Zhiyu was stunned for a moment.

"Then what kind do you want to do, Noona?"

Silence.

"Hmm... just... the kind..."

She couldn't say it.

Jiang Zhiyu waited patiently.

"Just the kind... not the 'I'm thinking of you' kind... that's too blunt..."

Jiang Zhiyu understood.

"Noona wants something more subtle?"

"Hmm."

"The kind... that doesn't say 'I like you,' but every line is filled with 'I like you'?"

Silence for a few more seconds.

"...Hmm."

Jiang Zhiyu smiled.

"Then let me think about it, and I'll tell you when I've come up with something."

"Okay."

Silence again on the other end.

Jiang Zhiyu thought she was about to hang up and was preparing to say "goodbye" when Kim Taeyeon spoke again.

"Zhiyu."

"Hmm?"

"Are you... busy lately?"

"It's alright."

"That's good then."

Silence.

"I'm hanging up then."

"Okay."

But she didn't hang up.

A few more seconds passed.

"Noona?"

"Yeah."

"Is there anything else?"

"...No."

"Then why aren't you hanging up?"

"..."

Silence on the other end for a few seconds. Then Kim Taeyeon's voice rang out, with a deliberate air of nonchalance: "Oh... I just wanted to ask about that Bubble live... the one you did for Ji-min... um..."

"Noona wants to ask about the planning logic?"

"No! I just... was asking casually... well, not exactly casually, just... do you have any other ideas? Like... that kind... um..." She stammered, unable to finish a complete sentence for a long time.

Jiang Zhiyu waited patiently.

A few more seconds passed, and Kim Taeyeon seemed to muster her courage, her voice rushing out: "Actually, I just want to know if you have time to help me look at my Bubble! It's not that I can't do it! I just... just think you're more professional! Right! Professional! That's it! Bye-bye!"

"Beep—beep—beep—"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the hung-up phone, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

Noona, you could have at least let me say something before hanging up.

Here we go again.

It was like this every time. Clearly wanting to chat longer, clearly wanting to ask her more—what kind of concept did she want? What style did she like? What kind of "romantic feeling" did she want to express?—but she always ran away halfway through the conversation. Like a timid cat, tentatively approaching you, sniffing, and then quickly running away to hide in a corner and peek at you.

She really was lovable yet exasperating.

He sighed and was about to call back when the screen lit up again.

——

A message from Kim Taeyeon.

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: The signal was bad just now.]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: When are you free?]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: Forget it, don't reply, I was just asking casually.]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: Really just asking casually.]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: Have you eaten?]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: Forget it, pretend I didn't ask.]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: Bye-bye.]

Silence on that end again. Jiang Zhiyu sighed and took the initiative to ask: "Noona also wants to ask me how to do a Bubble live?"

Typing. Disappeared. Typing. Disappeared. Then: "Not exactly... just wanted to ask... if you have any ideas..."

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but smile. This Noona, she wanted his help but refused to say it directly for the life of her. He thought for a moment and replied: "Noona doesn't need to do anything complicated. Noona's voice is the best weapon."

"What do you mean?"

"Record a voice clip, say whatever comes to mind. For example, 'The weather is really nice today,' or 'I just finished eating,' or 'It's time to sleep.' No need to deliberately create a romantic feeling; Noona's voice itself is the romantic feeling."

Silence on that end. For a long time. Then a message came: "Are you praising me?"

"I'm stating a fact."

"Oh."

Silence again. Then: "Then... should I try?"

"Try it."

"If it doesn't turn out well..."

"It won't turn out badly. Noona is good at everything she does."

Silence again. This time it lasted a long while, so long that Jiang Zhiyu thought she wouldn't reply anymore. Then the phone vibrated.

"When did you become so smooth-tongued?"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the line of text, the smile on his face deepening. He replied: "I've always been this smooth-tongued, Noona just hasn't noticed."

"Tsk."

Just one word. But as Jiang Zhiyu looked at that "Tsk," he could imagine Kim Taeyeon's lips curling up slightly on the other end of the phone.

He thought for a moment and sent a message directly: "Noona, I'll help you come up with ideas for the Bubble live. But you have to tell me what kind of style you want. Gentle? Funny? Or that kind of tsundere girlfriend?"

The typing status appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: ...Gentle?]

[Jiang Zhiyu: Okay.]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: It doesn't have to be gentle...]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: You decide.]

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: I trust you.]

Jiang Zhiyu stared at those last three words, stunned for a moment. The words "I trust you," coming from Kim Taeyeon's mouth, carried a different weight. He pursed his lips, and just as he was about to reply, the screen lit up again—not a message this time, but a call. A name popped up on the phone screen: Little Pig Yeri.

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but smile when he saw the name. This contact name was changed after he was tricked into paying for a meal by Yeri last time, and he hadn't changed it back. He picked up the phone but didn't speak.

"President Jiang~" Yeri's voice came through the receiver, sickeningly sweet. "It's Yeri~ Red Velvet's cute maknae Yeri~"

His mouth twitched.

This girl, whenever she wanted something from him, her voice would automatically switch to "aegyo mode." Usually, she'd address him as "Hey," "Jiang Zhiyu," or "You punk," but today she actually called him "President Jiang"?

He glanced at the phone screen to confirm it was indeed "Little Pig Yeri."

Then he cleared his throat and said in a mechanical, emotionless voice:

"The user you have dialed has taken a rocket to Mars and is currently passing through the atmosphere. The estimated time of arrival is unknown. Please leave a message after the 'beep'."

Silence on the other end.

"Hey! Jiang Zhiyu!" Yeri's voice instantly switched from sweet to irritable. "Stop pretending!"

Jiang Zhiyu chuckled and switched the phone to his other ear: "Oh, it's our cute Yeri-nim. It's been a while since we last spoke, I thought you'd changed your number again. Last time you changed it, you made me wait in a restaurant for two hours."

"What do you mean 'changed my number again'! When have I ever changed my number!"

"Last time you changed it, you sent me a message saying 'It's Yeri, new number,' and when I asked 'Which Yeri,' you replied with a string of exclamation marks."

Yeri was silent for a second, then muttered softly: "That was... that was because you did it on purpose..."

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and didn't argue.

"President Jiang-min! Please show us a way out!!"

Before Jiang Zhiyu could react, Yeri began to unload like a machine gun: "The company wants all of us to do Bubble lives, with that 'romantic feeling' and 'girlfriend persona.' There are five of us, five! What are we supposed to do? Wendy's fine, she's naturally gentle, so saying 'The weather is so nice today, I wanted to share it with you' isn't out of character. Seulgi Unnie is okay too; her clumsy charm is actually cute. Joy is no problem either; she's already a 'mood goddess.' But what about me and Joohyun Unnie?! What do you want me to say? 'I dissed someone again today, but I'm only gentle with you'?"

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but laugh.

"That's actually a good idea."

"Good my foot!"

Yeri's voice was full of despair: "And Joohyun Unnie! You want her to say 'I'm thinking of you'? Are you sure? Do you think she can even say that? She even says 'thank you' like it means 'stay away from me'!"

Jiang Zhiyu's smile stiffened for a moment.

Bae Joo-hyun.

He remembered that face that was always cold toward him, the way she looked at him with that distant gaze in the meeting room, and the moment she clearly saw him but pretended not to.

She really wasn't suited for a "girlfriend persona."

But for some reason, imagining her saying "I'm thinking of you" made his heart skip a beat.

"So?" he asked. "What do you want me to do?"

Yeri's voice immediately switched from despair to flattery.

"We'll treat you to a meal! Oppa~ Oppa~ Please give us some ideas!"

Jiang Zhiyu's mouth twitched.

"Wait a second, what did you call me?"

"Oppa."

"Yeri, weren't you born in '99? I was born in '01, and you're calling me Oppa?"

Silence on the other end for a second.

"Then... little brother?"

"You're two years older than me."

"Then... Zhiyu?"

"Just call me by my name."

"But that makes it seem like we're not close~"

Jiang Zhiyu took a deep breath.

"Hey, the generation gap between us is basically the difference between a primitive monkey and a modern human."

Silence on the other end for a second.

Then Yeri laughed out of anger.

"Hey! I'm only two years older than you!"

Jiang Zhiyu continued to add fuel to the fire: "Then you're a person of the 20th century, and I'm from the 21st."

Yeri took a deep breath.

Jiang Zhiyu heard some faint sounds from the other end—whispers, as if someone was coaching Yeri on how to hit back.

Then Yeri's tone suddenly changed.

It became eerie.

"Oh~?"

She dragged out the sound.

"Generation gap?"

Another chuckle.

"Primitive monkey~?"

Then, she slightly raised her volume and shouted to the side:

"Joohyun Unnie—he said I'm a primitive monkey—"

Jiang Zhiyu's expression instantly changed.

"I was joking."

A burst of laughter came from the other end, not just Yeri's, but others' as well. There was Wendy's, Joy's, Seulgi's—and even seemed to be Irene's. Although Irene's laughter was very light, almost inaudible, Jiang Zhiyu caught it.

His mouth twitched slightly.

This group of people was ganging up to tease him.

Jiang Zhiyu's mouth twitched, but his tone had returned to calm.

"But about the dinner..."

He paused.

His mind began to calculate rapidly.

Last time he ate with Yeri, he spent a hundred thousand won.

The time before that, with Yeri and Seulgi, he paid another hundred and fifty thousand won.

Not to mention during the filming of the collapsed daily life, he treated the whole Red Velvet group to a meal, which cost nearly three million.

In the end, he didn't even eat much meat and was nearly annoyed to death.

This time...

Yeri seemed to guess what he was thinking and immediately added:

"Joohyun Unnie is coming too~"

Jiang Zhiyu's fingers tightened slightly.

Silence for a few seconds.

Then he spoke.

"Send me the address."

Yeri laughed, her laughter full of triumph.

"Got it~"

The call was hung up.

Jiang Zhiyu put down his phone, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the ceiling.

Bae Joo-hyun was coming too.

The sunlight outside was just right, shining on his profile. He rubbed his brow, then sat up straight and pressed the dedicated call button for the Planning Department Manager.

That was the exclusive line for the Planning Department Manager.

"Lee Tima!!!"

A few seconds later, a crisp voice came from the speaker, carrying the solemnity of a soldier receiving an order and the excitement of an elementary student having their name called:

"Here—!"

"Come to dinner with me tonight."

"With whom?"

"Red Velvet."

Silence on the other end for a second.

Then Lee Tima's voice sounded, with a hint of meaningful laughter:

"Will Joohyun Unnie be there too?"

Jiang Zhiyu frowned.

"...Yes."

"Then I'll go take a shower first and change my clothes~ Hehe~"

Jiang Zhiyu's face darkened.

"There's no need to be so formal."

Lee Tima said as if it were obvious:

"If Unnie wants to kiss me, being smelly won't do."

Her voice carried a hint of pride:

"I must be fragrant and soft~"

Jiang Zhiyu's mouth twitched.

"You're overthinking it. She won't kiss you."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"Hmph~ Anyway, I'm going to wash up and be fragrant."

The call was hung up.

Jiang Zhiyu put down his phone, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long breath.

Outside the window, the sunset began to stain the sky red.

Tonight would be another tough battle.

He stood up and walked to the window.

His gaze fell on Namsan in the distance.

In his mind, that person's figure was inescapable.

——

Jiang Zhiyu leaned against the elevator wall, looking at his slightly abstract reflection in the mirror, and began to rethink his life choices.

Sunny's call, Kim Taeyeon's message, Yeri's dinner invitation, Lee Tima's 'fragrant and soft' declaration—the day was only half over, and he was already starting to feel tired.

He closed his eyes, and Bae Joo-hyun's face appeared in his mind. That face that looked so much like Baek Ji-xin's, that gaze that was always icy toward him, and the way she said 'I understand' in that distant tone in the meeting room.

He remembered previous experiences dining with Red Velvet, the moments he was nearly annoyed to death, Yeri's triumphant little expression when she teased him, Joy laughing so hard she slapped the table, Wendy gently pouring water for him, and Seulgi saying with an innocent face, 'I think Yeri has a point.'

He also remembered Bae Joo-hyun sitting in the corner, quietly eating, not looking at him once from start to finish.

He sighed.

What kind of chaotic scene would tonight be?

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Kim Taeyeon.

[Jiang Zhiyu: Noona, I'm having dinner with Red Velvet tonight. Any instructions?]

A few seconds later, a reply came.

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: None.]

Another second later.

[Little Softie Kim · The Noona You Absolutely Must Not Mess With: Don't drink too much.]

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the line of text, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

He replied.

[Jiang Zhiyu: Got it, Noona.]

The phone vibrated again. A message from Kim Taeyeon: "That... the voice clip is recorded. Want to listen?"

Below was a voice message.

Jiang Zhiyu tapped it, and Kim Taeyeon's voice came from the phone: "Today... the weather is quite nice. Um... I just finished eating. How about you?"

The voice was very soft, carrying a hint of nervousness and an indescribable tenderness. After listening, Jiang Zhiyu played it again, then typed a reply: "It's great. Send it."

"Really?"

"Really. Noona's voice itself is the romantic feeling."

Silence on that end. Then an emoji arrived.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the emoji and smiled. Outside, the sunlight was just right. And tonight, there was a 'rescue mission' waiting for him.