87: Chapter 87, , . ,

On the appointed day, the weather was clear and bright. The modern and iconic SM Entertainment building stood quietly in the bustling district of Seoul like a dormant beast. Today, this beast seemed to have awakened early due to the arrival of a special visitor, exuding an unusual, slightly tense sense of "anticipation."

At exactly ten o'clock in the morning, a low-profile but sleek black sedan pulled up smoothly in front of the main entrance of the SM Building. Media reporters, sharp-scented fans, and even curious passers-by who had already gotten wind of the news and gathered nearby instantly focused their gazes and lenses.

The car door opened.

The first to get out was the president of TG Entertainment, Jiang Zhiyu. He was still dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, with a gentle and steady temperament and an impeccable business smile on his face. After being the first to get out, he did not leave immediately but turned slightly and made a "please" gesture, his posture respectful yet graceful.

Immediately after, a slender leg wearing a simple black stiletto heel and possessing elegant lines stepped out, planting itself firmly on the ground.

Then, the owner of that figure appeared.

When Kim Soo-yeon fully emerged from the car and stood on the sunlit ground in front of the SM Building, there seemed to be a moment of eerie silence in the surroundings, leaving only the continuous sound of shutters being pressed instinctively.

She wasn't wearing her dazzling stage outfit today, nor was she in simple training clothes. She chose an extremely well-tailored, high-quality cream-white suit skirt set. The skirt was knee-length, perfectly outlining her slender yet upright figure, with a narrow waist design highlighting her perfect proportions. Underneath, she wore a light gray silk shirt with the collar slightly open, revealing her elegant collarbones. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, draped smoothly behind her shoulders, with only a simple pearl hairpin tucked by her ear. Her makeup was exquisite yet light, accentuating her naturally impeccable features, especially those eyes—calm as a deep pool—which were currently quietly surveying the SM Building before her.

A top-tier beautiful girl.

This phrase appeared in the minds of almost everyone witnessing this scene simultaneously, yet it seemed insufficient to fully encapsulate her.

There was a very unique temperament about her. It was a girl's vivid and startling beauty, yet strangely fused with a composure and calmness beyond her years, and... an indescribable, faint majesty belonging to someone in a superior position. That crisp yet feminine suit skirt set perfectly balanced these two traits, making her look neither like an innocent trainee nor a serious and old-fashioned business woman, but like a young and mysterious royal princess from a foreign land, or the carefully groomed heir of some ancient conglomerate, arriving to inspect one of her properties.

The sunlight spilled over her, the cream-white suit shimmering with a soft luster, while the pearl hairpin and her clear eyes flickered slightly. She just stood there, her gaze calmly scanning the magnificent facade of the SM Building as if evaluating the quality of a piece of art.

"Wow... Is, is she really a real person?" a tourist holding a camera murmured, forgetting to press the shutter.

"My god... She's a hundred times better looking than in the trending photos! That skin, that aura..."

"She's that new Chairman of TG? Kim Soo-yeon? She looks so young! But her presence is so strong!"

"President Jiang Zhiyu is right next to her! Standing together, the picture is just too pleasing to the eye!"

"What's with SM today? Such a grand welcome?"

"I heard she's here for an 'exchange'? Are SM and TG going to collaborate?"

The brief silence was broken by a sudden explosion of discussions and even more frantic shutter sounds. Exclamations from fans and passers-by rose and fell. Many fans who were originally just passing by or waiting for other artists couldn't help but be attracted by this unprecedented "beautiful scenery" and raised their phones one after another.

Kim Soo-yeon seemed accustomed to the surrounding commotion (in Nanming Kingdom, she had experienced scenes far more fanatical than this); she only nodded very faintly toward a few directions where the screams were particularly loud, her lips curling into an almost invisible, polite arc. This tiny gesture drew another wave of excited screams.

Then, she withdrew her gaze and looked at Jiang Zhiyu beside her.

Jiang Zhiyu nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "Chairman-nim, let's go inside."

Kim Soo-yeon nodded and set off. Her pace was neither fast nor slow, her high heels clicking on the ground with a crisp and rhythmic sound that complemented her calm and composed demeanor. Jiang Zhiyu stayed half a step behind, like the most loyal knight and most capable lieutenant, guarding her side.

Guided by SM staff (whose expressions also couldn't hide their amazement and curiosity), the two walked toward the main entrance. Everywhere they passed, whether it was the waiting fans, curious tourists, or SM's own employees who had rushed over upon hearing the news, everyone looked sideways, their eyes closely following that cream-white, stunning figure that seemed to come with its own soft-light effect.

"She really... entered SM!"

"Quick, quick! Take a picture and post it on Twitter! 'The Goddess-tier Chairman arrives at SM'!"

"With those looks, that figure, and that aura... SM's own artists would feel pressured seeing her, right?"

"I declare that from today on, I am a face-stan of Chairman Kim Soo-yeon!"

Amidst countless lenses, gazes, and discussions, Kim Soo-yeon's expression remained calm as she stepped into the doors of SM Entertainment—the pinnacle of the Korean idol industry—as if strolling through her own garden.

She had arrived.

Carrying her status as the Chairman of TG Entertainment, bringing with her crushing strength and mysteries, and possessing a highly impactful, peerless beauty and extraordinary poise that the entire SM and even the Korean entertainment circle could not ignore.

She had come to the SM that was (temporarily) loyal (?) and longing (?).

An "exchange" destined not to be peaceful thus began. Inside the SM Building, those about to meet her face-to-face—from Lee Soo-man to the various department heads, and then to the girls of the aespa pre-debut group—likely felt much more complex and apprehensive than the screaming fans outside.

Accompanied by Jiang Zhiyu, Kim Soo-yeon was like a brilliant meteorite dropped into a calm lake, triggering ripples inside the SM Building no less significant than those outside.

From the moment she stepped into the lobby, the SM employees she encountered along the way, regardless of gender, found it difficult to look away from her. It was a complex look mixed with amazement, curiosity, inquiry, and a trace of imperceptible vigilance. Young female employees secretly compared their looks and fashion sense, while male employees were awed by that unique cold temperament and startling beauty. Some had even secretly pulled out their phones to broadcast in real-time in internal group chats:

[Frontline Flash News] TG's Chairman Kim has arrived! Heading to the elevator! She's a hundred times more terrifying in person than in photos! Her aura is insane!

[Attached Image] (A blurry but undeniably stunning profile)

[Reply 1]: Sh*t... Is this really a face a human can grow?

[Reply 2]: Is that Jiang Zhiyu next to her? The vibe of them walking together is just too much like an idol drama, isn't it?

[Reply 3]: I heard she's here for an 'exchange'? Could she be here to see our new girl group?

[Reply 4]: Upstairs, have some confidence, she's definitely here to see aespa! Teacher Lee Soo-man even gave special instructions!

The news spread like it had wings, quickly reaching every floor and department. Many artists who were training or working in the company couldn't contain their curiosity either, "happening" to pass by the hallway or peeking quietly from behind practice room doors. Several members of Girls' Generation discussed this "legendary beautiful Chairman" with great interest; in the Red Velvet lounge, Yeri was excitedly showing the older members the leaked photos circulating online; even some solo seniors recording programs were asking about the situation during breaks.

In some inconspicuous corners or behind observation windows upstairs, several high-level SM executives—the Head of Artist Development, the Head of Production, and even Lee Soo-man's special assistant—also quietly appeared, observing this uninvited guest from a distance. Their expressions were serious and their gazes sharp, as if evaluating a suddenly appearing "strategic-level product" that could affect the market landscape, or scrutinizing a potential future partner or... competitor.

Jiang Zhiyu was well aware of all this, but his expression remained as usual. He merely fulfilled his duties as the "guide" and "TG representative," occasionally introducing the internal layout of SM and some public area functions to Kim Soo-yeon in their native language in a low voice. Kim Soo-yeon maintained her composed calm throughout, her gaze frankly meeting the overt or covert stares from all directions, as if long accustomed to being the center of attention. Occasionally, she would return a very faint, reassuring smile to a young trainee who looked particularly nervous and hurriedly bowed after accidentally making eye contact, often causing the other party to blush, their heart racing as they stood dazed on the spot.

Finally, they arrived outside the practice room on the floor where the aespa pre-debut group was located.

Unlike the curiosity and commotion permeating the outside, it was exceptionally quiet outside this practice room; one could even hear the faint sounds of items being tidied up with deliberate lightness from within.

Jiang Zhiyu stepped forward, knocked gently on the door, and then pushed it open.

Inside the practice room, the lights were bright, and the floor was polished to a shine. The four girls—Karina, Winter, NingNing, and Giselle—were already dressed neatly, standing in a line before the mirror in a standard welcoming posture with their backs perfectly straight. They had clearly received strict notice in advance, and at this moment, their faces carried uncontrollable nervousness and... intense curiosity.

When the door was pushed open and Jiang Zhiyu's familiar figure appeared, all four couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, but immediately after, their gazes were firmly captured by the girl walking in slowly behind Jiang Zhiyu.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

Even though they were mentally prepared through online photos and internal rumors, the impact of seeing Kim Soo-yeon in person was still revolutionary.

Too... beautiful.

It wasn't just about exquisite features, but an all-around, dead-angle-free perfection from bone structure, skin, and figure to temperament. That simple and elegant cream-white suit skirt set made her skin look like snow and her figure like jade. Her gaze was as calm as a deep lake, and when it swept over them, it carried a natural scrutiny and evaluation belonging to someone in a high position, yet without an overbearing sense of pressure; instead, there was a strange... focus and earnestness.

Moreover, she looked really young! Even younger than they had imagined! Yet, such a girl who looked younger than them was actually already the Chairman of another entertainment company? And she even possessed monster-level singing and dancing skills that reportedly amazed even Park Jin-young?

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The immense contrast caused the four girls' brains to short-circuit, and they could only rely on their trained instincts.

Led by their leader, Karina, they bowed in unison, even more forcefully, their voices tight with nervousness: "Hello! We are aespa pre-debut members! I am Karina!" / "I am Winter!" / "I am NingNing!" / "I am Giselle!"

Giselle's Korean self-introduction was still a bit stiff, but clear enough.

Kim Soo-yeon's gaze swept slowly over the four faces: from Karina's tension born of responsibility, to Winter's undisguised timidity, to the curiosity and excitement nearly overflowing from NingNing's eyes, and finally to Giselle's complex expression, which seemed calm but actually contained hidden observation and detachment.

The corners of her mouth curled upward almost imperceptibly. It wasn't the polite smile from before, but rather... the interest of a professional who had just found some "material."

She didn't speak immediately, instead taking a step forward to get closer to them. The sound of her high heels clicking against the floor was exceptionally clear in the quiet practice room.

Then, she spoke. Her voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a peculiar, reassuring rhythm. She used Korean that was still stiff from only a few days of cramming but sufficient for communication, speaking at a very slow pace: "Hello. I am Kim Soo-yeon, President of TG Entertainment."

Her gaze swept over the four of them again, more carefully this time, as if measuring their proportions and observing their eyes and posture.

"No need to be so nervous." She added, her tone flat. "Today, I am just here in the capacity of a... 'peer' and an 'observer.' I heard that SM is about to launch a very special girl group, so I came to take a look."

She spoke lightly, but the words "peer" and "observer" made Karina's heart skip a beat. This Chairwoman Kim was likely not just here to "take a look."

President Jiang Zhiyu smiled at the side at the right moment. "Chairwoman Kim is very interested in the training of new artists, and for this exchange, she hopes to have more direct contact with the members of aespa. Everyone, relax and just act as you usually do."

Act as they usually do? The four girls gave bitter smiles internally. In front of this beautiful President with such an overwhelming aura, how could they possibly act as they usually do!

However, just as they were wondering how to respond, Kim Soo-yeon's gaze fell upon the audio equipment in the corner of the practice room and the tablet computer beside it. The song they had just been practicing was still paused on it.

She walked over, picked up the tablet, and operated it skillfully, bringing up the audio and choreography video of the title track they were currently practicing.

"Do you mind if I... watch the part you were just practicing?" She turned back and asked.

The tone was a question, but her posture had already entered work mode.

The aespa quartet, as well as the other SM trainees and staff members who had quietly gathered at the door after hearing the news to "watch," all held their breath.

This young and beautiful Chairwoman Kim from TG seemed about to begin her first lesson in "exchange" in the most direct way possible—by scrutinizing their performance.

Kim Soo-yeon was focused on the audio and dance video on the tablet, standing sideways to the aespa quartet, her calm profile sketching a perfect silhouette under the practice room lights. She frowned slightly, her fingers unconsciously swiping across the tablet, seemingly re-watching a certain detail repeatedly. That focused, professional aura made Karina and the others, who were already nervous, even more afraid to make a sound, to the point of holding their breath.

President Jiang Zhiyu, meanwhile, leaned leisurely against the nearby wall with his hands in his dress pants pockets, a playful smile on his face. He watched the scene before him with composure—an unfathomably powerful President from another world scrutinizing the pre-debut members of SM's future flagship sci-fi-themed girl group, while those young girls were clearly overwhelmed by the double pressure of Kim Soo-yeon's aura and beauty, nervous and at a loss for what to do.

Just then, a small body, radiating warmth and a faint fragrance, quietly moved to his side.

It was Winter.

Taking advantage of the moment when Kim Soo-yeon had her back to them and the other members were also focused on Kim Soo-yeon, she crept up to President Jiang Zhiyu like a cautious little kitten. She tilted her little face up. On that face, praised by fans as having "AI beauty" but currently showing clear nervousness and curiosity, her round eyes blinked. She lowered her voice and asked in a volume only the two of them could hear: "Oppa..." Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of playfulness and probing. "That... what is your relationship with... Chairwoman Kim?"

After asking, she snuck a glance at Kim Soo-yeon's upright back, a flash of something extremely quick and almost impossible to catch crossing her eyes—a mix of admiration, envy, and a sliver of... something indescribable and unclear, a sense of concern.

President Jiang Zhiyu looked down at her; this girl's thoughts were practically written all over her face. He found it amusing, yet also a bit helpless. These young girls certainly had a lot on their minds.

He didn't answer directly. Instead, he reached out and, before Winter could react, gently pinched her small nose tip with his thumb and index finger—that was her "signature feature," but also the spot that some sharp-tongued fans often criticized for "not being high enough" and "lowering the AI feel."

Winter was startled by this sudden intimate gesture. Her little face turned beet red in an instant. She subconsciously wanted to dodge, but didn't dare to actually pull away, just staring with wide eyes, looking at President Jiang Zhiyu at a loss.

President Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his hand, his smile unchanged, but his voice was lowered as well, carrying a touch of teasing and... a sliver of imperceptible warning: "Little sister."

He first answered the first question with a simple definition of their relationship, then continued, following the gesture of pinching her nose. His tone seemed like casual chatter, yet it was pointed: "Minjeong-ah, has SM... not planned to give you all a slight 'adjustment' before your official debut?"

His gaze swept over Minjeong's face, then pointedly looked toward NingNing and Giselle nearby (Karina's visual controversy was relatively minor).

"Although you are very cute like this, full of vitality." He changed the subject. "However, I just feel... compared to your 'AI member' and 'combination of virtual and reality' concept, it lacks a bit of that... hmm, 'inhuman' refinement and impact? Especially you, Minjeong, your nose..."

He stopped there without spelling it out, but the meaning was clear. Minjeong's "flat nose" (relatively speaking) was a signature feature under a pure and cute style, but in the aespa concept that emphasized futuristic feel, sci-fi feel, and extreme visual impact, it might be considered "not perfect enough" or "holding you back" by picky fans and harsh critics.

He paused, his voice softer, yet carrying a sliver of realistic coldness: "Besides, you also know that current fans and netizens have very sharp eyes. Once you are officially announced, a large number of old photos and pictures from your trainee period will definitely be dug up for comparison. By then, if someone really takes your current look and compares it with your potentially 'optimized' look later, saying nasty things like 'swapped head' or 'assembly line product'... that won't be a good thing for you, especially for you personally."

President Jiang Zhiyu's words, while seemingly casual, actually sharply pointed out an unspoken yet incredibly realistic aspect of the SM idol industry—pre-debut "image management" and the potential public opinion risks that follow. He was reminding Minjeong, and also the entire aespa, that what they were about to face was not just the stage and the flowers from fans, but also the scrutiny under countless magnifying glasses and potentially malicious comparisons.

Minjeong was stunned listening to this; the blush on her face gradually faded, replaced by a trace of paleness and confusion. She certainly knew that her appearance had "controversial points" and knew the company might have arrangements, but having it pointed out so directly, even somewhat cruelly, by President Jiang Zhiyu still made her heart sink suddenly. That subtle "jealousy" and petty thoughts born from Kim Soo-yeon's arrival were instantly replaced by more realistic worries and a hint of grievance.

She subconsciously touched her nose, her eyes dimming slightly.

President Jiang Zhiyu watched her reaction, knowing his words had taken effect. He softened his tone and patted her shoulder: "Don't worry too much, I was just saying it casually. SM's styling team is top-tier; I believe they will find the most suitable plan for you all. What you need to do now is to practice your skills until they are impeccable, like that person over there." He gestured with his chin toward Kim Soo-yeon.

Just then, Kim Soo-yeon seemed to have finished watching the video. She turned around, her gaze once again cast upon the quartet standing straight, finally landing on the somewhat dejected-looking Minjeong and the thoughtful President Jiang Zhiyu beside her.

Her eyes flickered slightly, seemingly sensing something, but she didn't point it out. She just put the tablet back in its place and said in her still-stiff but clear Korean: "The song is good, and the choreography has ideas."

She first gave affirmation, then changed the subject, her gaze becoming sharp. "However..."

The hearts of the four aespa members immediately rose again.

Meanwhile, President Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his hand from Minjeong's shoulder, folded his arms again, a smile on his face, ready to continue enjoying this first official "clash" between a powerful President and a future girl group, which he had "indirectly facilitated."

Kim Soo-yeon's "However..." was like a sharp sword hanging over their heads, making the four aespa members hold their breath.

She didn't continue immediately, but walked to the center of the practice room, signaling them to stand a bit further apart. Then, she directly played the dance video of the chorus of the title track they had just watched, standing to the side with her arms folded, her gaze like the most precise scanner.

"Karina," she addressed Karina first. "The core force point during the center formation movement is wrong. To maintain facial expressions and camera presence, there is too much compensation from the waist; in the long run, this is prone to injury, and the 'root' of the movement is unstable, making it look floaty."

Her critique was spot-on, and she even imitated a slightly shaky frozen action of Karina's from the video just now.

Karina's face went pale; she hadn't even realized this problem herself.

"Winter," Kim Soo-yeon looked at Minjeong. "There is progress in controlling the dance force, but the breath support when singing is still the old problem. Once you reach the parts where you need to dance and sing at the same time, your voice becomes airy and the pitch drifts. You rely too much on your throat; you've barely used your abdominal strength."

She even walked over and gently pressed her hand on Minjeong's lower abdomen. "When singing high notes, this area needs to be tightened like a stone, not pulled in, but expanded outward to support."

Minjeong trembled slightly when touched by her, her face turning red again, but this time it was because of the shame and nervousness of having her weaknesses pointed out.

"NingNing," Kim Soo-yeon turned to NingNing, "Language and expression management for foreign members is both an advantage and a difficulty. Your Korean pronunciation in fast-tempo songs still has detectable flaws, and your expressions... sometimes you appear too 'fierce' to convey 'power,' lacking depth and variation. An idol's expression is a weapon; it cannot have only one mode."

NingNing pursed her lips and nodded earnestly.

Finally, her gaze landed on Giselle, who had been observing in silence. "Giselle," Kim Soo-yeon said with standard Korean pronunciation, "It is a consensus that foreign members need to catch up on their skill foundation as quickly as possible. But what I see is not just a foundation issue; it is your 'level of immersion.' Your movements are standard, but they lack 'sense of conviction.' It is as if you are just completing steps, rather than 'performing.' The aespa concept requires a very strong belief to support it; you must first believe that you are part of the 'ae.'"

Giselle's eyes flickered. She did not refute, but she straightened her back slightly.

Throughout the critique, Kim Soo-yeon's tone remained calm. There was no scolding, yet it was more painful than any reprimand. Because every word she said precisely pierced their core pain points at this stage—the ones hardest to overcome in the short term. Under her scrutiny, the current state of the four members of aespa was indeed a far cry from the expectations of a "perfect debut" and "subverting the concept."

The atmosphere in the practice room dropped to freezing point. The four girls kept their heads down. The curiosity and excitement they felt earlier upon seeing the "God-tier Visual President" were now replaced by immense pressure and self-doubt. Even the other trainees peeking at the door were silent as cicadas in winter.

Just then, Jiang Zhiyu, who had been watching from the sidelines, spoke up. He still wore that gentle, seemingly unflappable smile on his face, and his tone was relaxed as he tried to smooth things over:

"Soo-yeon, they haven't officially debuted yet; they are still in the final sprint phase. It is perfectly normal to have some worries and shortcomings~" He tried to ease the atmosphere.

However, Kim Soo-yeon turned her head to look at Jiang Zhiyu. Her eyes held an expression of disbelief, as if to say, "Oppa, how can you say such things?" along with a trace of sternness from recalling the glorious past.

"Oppa," her voice raised slightly. She used the language of the Tianxuan Continent, ensuring that only Jiang Zhiyu and Lee Tima (if she were present) could fully understand, but the dissatisfaction was obvious. "Have you forgotten how we did it back then?"

She walked forward two steps and looked directly at Jiang Zhiyu, as if questioning him, and also as if speaking to everyone present who could feel her aura:

"For Zephyrus's debut song, we practiced for a whole year! It wasn't just about learning the moves and lyrics; it was practicing until every breath, every glance, and every position became instinct! Besides that, we had to practice variety show reactions every day, learn three foreign languages (to handle international markets), and the leader (she pointed to herself) even had to lead the whole group in extra physical training and basic self-defense (to handle potential safety issues and high-intensity schedules) while preparing for college entrance exams!"

Her tone was not intense, but it carried a heavy weight—a nearly cruel debut standard built with sweat and time.

"The standard TG Entertainment gave us back then was—either achieve perfection, or don't debut at all, lest you go out and embarrass yourselves." Kim Soo-yeon's gaze swept over the four aespa members, whose faces were becoming increasingly pale. "In my view, their current level doesn't even reach the assessment line we had three months before our debut."

These words were extremely impolite, even somewhat hurtful. Karina's fingers dug into her palms.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at Kim Soo-yeon, who was rarely this "serious" and even somewhat angry. He knew she was truly measuring them by the highest standards and held a nearly sacred, strict attitude toward "debuting." He quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his smile unchanged, but his tone became much more serious:

"Yah! Soo-yeon! Stop, stop, stop!" He also switched back to their native language. "Using Zephyrus's standards to measure them is too unfair! You, and Jieun, you are true geniuses, the one-in-a-million kind! For geniuses, of course, you must exhaust all resources and polish them with the highest standards, expecting you to become epoch-making benchmarks!"

He pointed to the four aespa members, his tone softening with encouragement: "These little girls have great talent, of course, otherwise they wouldn't have been chosen by SM as the ace for their new concept. But what they need is time and more targeted polishing; it cannot be accomplished overnight. I have a lot of confidence in them! Believe in SM's professional team, and believe in their own hard work."

His words were meant to appease Kim Soo-yeon, encourage the four aespa members, and he didn't forget to compliment SM as well.

Kim Soo-yeon listened and remained silent for a few seconds. The stern air about her dissipated slightly. She also realized that she might have been too deeply immersed, and that using the "Hell Mode" of TG (or rather, what she herself had experienced) to demand things of these girls who hadn't yet officially weathered the storm was indeed too harsh.

She took a deep breath and looked at the four aespa members again. Her tone was softer than before but still serious: "President Jiang is right; my standards might be too high. But please remember, debut is not the end; it is the beginning of even more brutal competition. The concept and platform you have are very good, but how far you can go ultimately depends on how much 'extreme' effort you put into it."

She paused and added: "If SM does not object, during the upcoming 'exchange,' regarding the issues I just pointed out, I can provide some... suggestions and auxiliary training methods based on my personal experience. Of course, whether to accept them or not is up to you, and depends on SM's arrangements."

Having said that, she said nothing more, turned, and walked toward the practice room door, seemingly preparing to leave for the next "exchange" schedule.

Leaving the four aespa members standing there with complex feelings. The frustration and pressure from being harshly criticized had not yet dissipated, but Kim Soo-yeon's last sentence, "I can provide suggestions," was like a ray of light cast into the darkness, making them feel a strong desire to prove themselves and reach that "extreme" standard, in addition to their fear.

As for Jiang Zhiyu, he watched Kim Soo-yeon's retreating figure and then looked at the four girls in front of him, whose eyes had rekindled with fire (though still trembling slightly), and stroked his chin. Hmm, although the process was a bit "tragic," the effect seemed... not bad? At the very least, this peerless blade named "Kim Soo-yeon," having been unsheathed and drawn blood for the first time, had left a deep enough mark on SM's future ace. The upcoming "exchange" seemed like it would be even more interesting.

Watching Kim Soo-yeon's back as she left the practice room, Jiang Zhiyu stroked his chin, a flash of shrewdness in his eyes. The storm-like criticism just now, while harsh and even a bit demoralizing, he keenly realized that it might actually become the strongest catalyst to stimulate aespa's potential. Especially the olive branch Kim Soo-yeon threw out at the end, "I can provide suggestions," was simply a brilliant move.

It could demonstrate the professional height and "generosity" of TG (or Kim Soo-yeon personally), and logically intervene in the preparation process for aespa's debut, observe SM's ace project up close, and even exert some influence subtly. Most importantly, for the four members of aespa, who were proud but urgently needed recognition and guidance, the personal instruction from a "Chairwoman Kim" who possessed both strength and beauty, and who had a special status, was likely far more tempting and motivating than the conventional teaching from SM's internal instructors.

"These girls, after being 'scared' by Soo-yeon like this, probably won't be able to sleep tonight." Jiang Zhiyu chuckled to himself, but at the same time gained a new understanding of Kim Soo-yeon's "teaching method"—she was truly someone who had been a leader and led a group; her rhythm of hitting and then giving a sweet treat was quite experienced.

He turned around, looked at the four aespa members who were still standing there with varied expressions, put that gentle and harmless smile back on his face, and clapped his hands: "Alright, alright, don't be so dejected. Chairwoman Kim's words were a bit heavy, but they were for your own good. Being personally pointed out by someone of her level is your luck. Think about it, how many trainees would beg for such an opportunity."

His words made Karina and the others perk up a little.

"Oppa," NingNing, being bolder, couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Was Chairwoman Kim... really that amazing before? Practiced the debut song for a year? And had to learn so many things?"

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and didn't answer directly, just saying meaningfully: "You will have opportunities in the future to ask Chairwoman Kim for advice. What she has experienced may be much more than you imagine."

He checked the time, glanced at the direction of the door, and suddenly had an idea. He winked at the four aespa members: "Do you want to... experience on the spot what 'extreme' stage presence is? Not watching a video, but live."

The four were stunned. Before they could react, they saw Jiang Zhiyu walk quickly to the practice room door and say something to the outside. After a while, Kim Soo-yeon's figure reappeared at the door, with a hint of confusion on her face.

"Oppa, is there anything else?" Kim Soo-yeon asked.

Jiang Zhiyu walked back with a bright smile and said to the four aespa members: "To thank Chairwoman Kim for her 'valuable' guidance just now, and to let you more intuitively understand what 'conviction in performance' and 'balance in singing and dancing' are..." He turned to Kim Soo-yeon, his tone carrying a bit of instigation and cunning, "Soo-yeon, since there is still plenty of time for the 'exchange,' why not... give these juniors an impromptu 'mini-concert'? Consider it... a senior's demonstration lesson?"

Kim Soo-yeon: "..."

The four aespa members: "!!!"

A mini-concert?! Impromptu?! Here?! Chairwoman Kim performing in person?!

Massive surprise and disbelief instantly diluted the frustration from just moments ago. The four girls' eyes lit up instantly, focusing on Kim Soo-yeon like searchlights, filled with longing and expectation.