After walking for about ten minutes, I arrived at the Chinese restaurant Zhou Ziyu mentioned. It was not the antique Xia Guofeng design he imagined, but a more modern decoration style. The overall look was pretty good, and it was considered a mid-range restaurant. Dining room.
After finding a private room, Chi Jingyuan, who was here for the first time, gave up the right to order. He sat across from him and watched Zhou Ziyu hesitate for a long time. After finally making a meal, she thought about it for a long time and finally ordered it. Several dishes.
"These are the dishes I ate with my friends last time and thought they tasted pretty good."
As if she was afraid that Chi Jingyuan would be dissatisfied later, she even gave a special explanation.
The food was served very quickly. It was served before the two of them could say a few words. Chi Jingyuan didn't waste any more words. He signaled and started eating. He had been busy since noon until just now. He didn't know that Zhou Zi I wonder if Yu is hungry, but he has been hungry for a long time.
The taste is indeed not bad. Chi Jingyuan also lived in Xia Kingdom for many years when he was a child. He ate a lot of delicious specialties and was always very impressed.
This restaurant has not made special adjustments to suit the tastes of Peninsular people like other mainstream Chinese restaurants. Instead, it strives to restore the most authentic flavor.
After the food was served, he didn't speak much. After eating a large bowl of rice to fill his hungry stomach, he took a long breath, drank some water, and started chatting while eating.
Zhou Ziyu didn't look very hungry. She had been chewing on a bowl of rice for a long time and was still not halfway down. On the contrary, she seemed more interested in talking and chatting. She didn't bother with the food while holding the kuaizi. Instead, she kept talking about her recent life and stories with great interest. Something to practice.
She has made a few friends recently, has made great progress in practice, and the teacher has praised her several times, and other good news.
She also made some comments about how tiring to practice, how hard it is to go on a diet to keep in shape, and how to make facial masks every day to keep her skin beautiful. The local trainees who practiced with her also rolled their eyes at her, and they always made comments about her being weird.
"What were your results in the end-of-month assessment for trainees last December?"
Chi Jingyuan swallowed a piece of braised pork happily, then looked at her and asked.
"Well...it's pretty good, much better than last time."
Zhou Ziyu was stunned for a moment, and then he didn't answer the question directly. He didn't have enough confidence to go around it.
Chi Jingyuan knew by looking at her expression that her grades were average and she was embarrassed to speak.
"No, didn't you just say that your strength has improved a lot recently and the teacher praised you? I also thought that you have become a trainee that the company is focusing on... It turns out that you have been bragging for a long time and you can't even pass the end-of-month assessment?"
He glanced at Zhou Ziyu with disdain, curled his lips, shook his head, and took a bite of food.
"I... I have indeed improved a lot, and I have only practiced for a year. Many of them have been in the company for several years. Of course I can't compare."
Zhou Ziyu was a little anxious by the other party's unabashed look. She frowned, turned up the volume, and tried her best to explain.
"One year... one year is actually quite a long time. I won't tell you how long I have been practicing for fear of shocking you..."
"With your level and speed of progress, you are still making your debut. Just wait."
Chi Jingyuan snorted, and the look in his eyes made Zhou Ziyu go a little crazy. However, these were still facts and she couldn't argue with them. After staring at him for a long time, she could only take a big mouthful of rice and get angry at herself.
Chi Jingyuan looked at her appearance, smiled and shook his head slightly, took a drink of water and changed his tone:
"However, the debut of a trainee is not entirely based on strength, but also on many other aspects. Excluding those things behind the scenes of the company, the trainee's personal charm, such as appearance and body, also play a big factor, and even strength is even more important. important."
"You do have an advantage in this regard."
Chi Jingyuan's words were tantamount to complimenting her for her good looks. Zhou Ziyu heard it and suddenly felt happy. She glanced at him and couldn't help but grinning happily.
"Why are you laughing? If you didn't have such an advantage, I would have advised you to go back to school quickly and waste your time being a trainee."
I don't know why, but when Chi Jingyuan saw Zhou Ziyu's smile, he couldn't help but yell at her.
They weren't angry either, and happily ate their food in small bites.
"By the way, won't it be the Spring Festival in more than half a month? How will you make arrangements here alone?"
Almost full, Chi Jingyuan took the tissue handed over by Zhou Ziyu and wiped his mouth, then remembered something and asked.
Devouring Web
"My mother said she would visit me then and we would spend the Spring Festival together."
Zhou Ziyu seemed quite looking forward to it.
"That's fine, as long as we have arrangements." Chi Jingyuan nodded and didn't ask any more questions. He stood up and moved around: "It's almost ready. Get ready to go. I have something else to do when I return to the company later... I'll ask you one last time, are you sure? Want a treat?"
"Sure!"
Zhou Ziyu nodded seriously, and then asked the waiter to swipe her card to pay the bill. She felt that her family conditions were quite good.
After Zhou Ziyu finished paying the bill, Chi Jingyuan took the lead and walked out of the box carrying a shoulder bag, followed by Zhou Ziyu carrying his own bag.
The business of this Chinese restaurant is very good. The private rooms here are located closer to the inside, and there is a screen that separates the hall. It seems a little quieter, but at a glance, the hall outside is already full of people. The business is noisy and the food is served. The waiters came and went, so busy.
Upon seeing this, Chi Jingyuan put on his baseball cap and mask to avoid being recognized by anyone. But just as he put on the mask and before he had fastened the laces behind his ears, a tentative voice suddenly came from behind him: "Jingyuanxi?"
Although it was a question, the tone was quite firm, clearly recognizing him.
When Chi Jingyuan heard the voice, he turned around and looked over. With a glance, he saw that he was indeed an acquaintance.
It's Kong Shengyan, she's an old friend.
When they first met last year, she often took the initiative to send messages to Chi Jingyuan, and would invite him out for dinner from time to time. Her affection for him was very obvious.
But later, after Chi Jingyuan hinted that he was in a relationship, the other party gradually reduced the previous enthusiasm and initiative, and restored the normal boundaries between friends.
Although the contact between them has never been broken, the frequency is much lower than before, and they haven't seen each other for a while. I didn't expect to meet by such a coincidence in this Chinese restaurant.
"Shengyeonxi?"
Chi Jingyuan was a little surprised when he looked at Kong Shengyan, but after reacting, he curled his eyes. Although the mask blocked most of his face, he could tell that he was in a good mood.
When Zhou Ziyu saw that Chi Jingyuan had met an acquaintance, he stood silently behind him, lowered his head slightly and looked at the person in front of him with his peripheral vision.
"I wasn't sure just now. I didn't expect to meet you Jingyuan here by such a coincidence..."
Kong Shengyan was also obviously very happy. She walked a few steps forward and smiled brightly. After saying hello, she saw Zhou Ziyu behind and asked curiously: "Come to eat with friends."
Her black down jacket has no zipper, and is lined with a slim-fitting sweater that outlines her figure. Below it is jeans and high-heeled boots. The overall style is quite cool.
"I heard that the Xia Guo cuisine here is very good, let's try it..." Chi Jingyuan nodded, and then briefly introduced Zhou Ziyu: "Nai, this is a friend of mine who is a trainee and has not yet debuted. "
"Aniha Saiyo." Zhou Ziyu saluted and said hello, and Kong Shengyan returned the salute with a smile.
"This is……"
Chi Jingyuan noticed that there was a girl following Kong Shengyan. She had short hair, a handsome figure, a good figure, and she looked very familiar.
"This is my younger sister, Yoo Jeongyeon. She is also a trainee, but in JYP. She is my biological sister."
Kong Shengyan took the initiative to pull Yu Dingyan from behind to the front, introduced her to Chi Jingyuan warmly, and finally revealed that she was her biological sister.
When he heard that she was a trainee of JYP, Chi Jingyuan knew it. He said why she looked so familiar. He had seen her stage in previous trainee showcases, and when he went to JYP to watch 6MIX dance with Park Jin Young two days ago, this girl was there. in.
He is obviously a trainee who is more valued by JYP and is almost ready to debut.
"Anihasay..." Yu Dingyan looked a little nervous and bowed in a very standard manner. Chi Jingyuan returned the gift with a smile and nodded to her.
As a friend's sister, he would naturally be a little more sincere. Although she would not be too enthusiastic, she would not have the fake business smile on her face like a stranger.
After Yu Dingyan and Chi Jingyuan said hello, they stood aside, looking at Chi Jingyuan who was close to Chi Chi with his peripheral vision and feeling a little excited. At the same time, he also looked at Zhou Ziyu who was following him.
When she saw that face, she had some experience, because Yu Jeongyeon knew this girl and regarded her as one of their JYP trainees, and she seemed to be quite famous because of her good looks.
But she never imagined how a not-so-excellent female trainee from Xia Kingdom could meet the popular EXO king in front of her.
Chi Jingyuan didn't ask why her sisters had different surnames. She thought that Kong Shengyan probably had a stage name. He looked at the sisters from left to right and nodded slightly in his mind.
The genes are indeed very good. The two sisters' figures and facial features are above the standard, and their temperaments are also good. In terms of recognition, Chi Jingyuan feels that his younger sister Yu Dingyan is better than her elder sister. Her short hair is really conspicuous. , and it suits her quite well.
After a brief exchange of greetings, Chi Jingyuan returned to the company later and had something to do, so he was ready to say goodbye. Kong Shengyan saw the other party's intention to leave, and finally asked, "Jingyuan Xi, are you free recently?"
Her words clearly meant that she wanted to ask Chi Jingyuan out.
"I've been very busy in the past few days. In addition to the group affairs, I also have a joint project with JYP. I may not have time these two days..."
Chi Jingyuan tactfully stated that he had a lot of things going on recently, and he didn't lie. He was really busy recently.
But after all, he was an old friend whom he hadn't seen for a long time. He didn't finish his words. He raised his eyes and thought for a while before adding: "It should be better at the end of the month and in the days leading up to the Spring Festival. I'll send you a message when I'm free."
Originally, when Kong Shengyan heard Chi Jingyuan's rejection, her expression was still smiling, but her eyes darkened, but after hearing this, she nodded happily and said, "Then it's settled."
"Well, let's go first."
"Bye-Bye."
"Goodbye, senior."
The two waved goodbye, while Zhou Ziyu and Yu Dingyan saluted again.
Seeing Chi Jingyuan and Zhou Ziyu walking around the corner and disappearing into the business, the two sisters turned and walked towards the bathroom. They had not finished their meal and had come out of the box to go to the bathroom.
"Onie, do you still have a crush on Jing Yuanxi?"
While walking, Yu Dingyan asked curiously. Chi Jingyuan left, and her nervous look just now disappeared, and she looked much more relaxed now.
She was very concerned about her sister's feelings, so she couldn't help but ask.
"Of course I still have a good impression. After all, he is such an outstanding boy. He has impeccable appearance and figure. He is also a very popular idol and actor. He also has a very interesting personality in private. It feels great to get along with him. He is a female. He should be able to... I'm more or less fond of him, but wouldn't you like this kind of man?"
Kong Shengyan replied in a natural tone, and finally looked at her sister and asked back.
"Well, that's true... But how can I, a trainee, think so much? Even if I have a good impression, it's the same as a fan's idol. It's still different from you, Unnie."
Hearing this, Yu Dingyan looked through the memories about Chi Jingyuan and couldn't help but nodded in agreement.
"However, although the good impression is still there, it has been so long, and a lot of it has faded away...I definitely won't give it back to someone who has a girlfriend. After all, no one is necessarily right, so you Ernie is also very popular with me.”
Kong Shengyan shrugged her shoulders, her tone changed a lot compared to before.
"Then Unnie, you just..."
When Yu Dingyan heard this, he was a little confused about his sister's enthusiasm and initiative towards Chi Jingyuan before.
"Alas, the Peninsula entertainment industry is not just about making a debut. Debut is just a beginning. Whether it is advertising or filming, or even various resources, it depends on the company's support for you and your personal connections. Without these, you can't play at all. If you don’t switch, the competition is too fierce.”
Kong Shengyan sighed.
Ever since she debuted as an advertising model and actress last year and took on a few small cases, she has never had any decent resources. Her career as an artist has never been smooth, and to this day she is still the kind of person who can't do it well.
Needless to say, I have been feeling depressed during this period. After being squeezed out of several announcements by others using my connections and being unemployed in a dormitory for several months, Gong Seung-yeon has become more and more knowledgeable about the entertainment industry. .
She did not directly answer her sister's question, but instead talked about her own personal feelings:
"Jingyeon, you don't know. Jingyuanix is well-known as a royal family in SM company. He has a deep background. All the staff in the company know him. And he also has many connections in the film and television industry. He has been in the industry for a year since his debut." Just because you are an idol, you can get the role of "The Heirs", doesn't that prove nothing?"
"There are rumors in the industry that he worked behind the scenes to squeeze out the role that Lee Min Ho grabbed. If other people had this kind of connections, they would have made friends with him a long time ago. He and I are friends to begin with. Is there anything wrong with being more enthusiastic..."
Kong Shengyan looked at her sister's young face and sighed:
"It's really not that simple to become an artist. You will know later..."
…………
After Chi Jingyuan and Zhou Ziyu left the Chinese restaurant, they walked together for a few minutes. When they stopped going the same way at a fork in the road, they said goodbye to each other and separated.
Chi Jingyuan didn't say anything about sending her back when he had something to do. Although Zhou Ziyu was not too old, she had lived alone on the peninsula for more than a year and had strong self-care ability.
He couldn't believe that he had been here for more than a year and he was still near the company. How could he still get lost?
If Zhou Ziyu got lost again, it was either intentional or she was really out of her mind.
Of course Chi Jingyuan would not think Zhou Ziyu was really stupid.
Although this girl liked to smile silly in front of him, she always looked cute and cute.
But Chi Jingyuan actually knew very well that Zhou Ziyu was actually very smart. She understood many things clearly in her heart, but she just didn't show it.
It is really not easy for a little girl to work hard alone in a foreign country. Both mental and perseverance are very important. Even if she may be ignorant at first, she will definitely grow up after experiencing a lot. The real natural idiot has long been eliminated. I cried and went home to find my parents.
Of course, he could also tell that some of Zhou Ziyu's conditioned expressions and demeanor showed that she was indeed very close to Chi Jingyuan.
I don’t know where her journey as a trainee in Peninsula will go…
Chi Jingyuan sighed inwardly, sent a message to Park Jae-hyun, and quickly got in the car and rushed towards the company.
The place where they ate was still a little far away from SM. It would take half an hour just to walk. He had no time to walk if he rushed back.
It’s almost mid-January, and the two most prestigious award shows in the Peninsula music industry will be held soon, the Golden Record Awards and the Song and Music Awards. EXO has been practicing for the stages of these two award shows recently. .
They didn't prepare any special stage performances this time, just the usual "Wolf" and "Pao Xiao". Although there were no new moves, they definitely couldn't skip the practice.
The gold content of these two award ceremonies is half a level higher than last year's MMA and Mama. In particular, their grand awards are widely recognized by industry insiders in the entire peninsula's music industry, and even all passers-by and audiences. Winning them is the biggest. One of the glory.
However, after winning two major awards in 2013, EXO now has its own spirit and determination, and will not look like a newcomer worrying about gains and losses like last year.
And looking at the whole year of 2013, there is really no group that can touch them. The power of "Paoxiao" really makes everyone shy away. No matter which awards show wins, at least this year, they EXO are the most popular. of candidates, not even one.
Chi Jingyuan was sitting in the back seat of the nanny car. He had just eaten and drank and was scrolling through his phone comfortably.
At this time, he was looking at Bae Zhuhyun's photo on Twitter.
On December 10th last year, Bae Zhuhyun was officially announced as the second batch of public trainees of SMRookies, while Kang Seulgi was slightly earlier than her, and was announced as the first batch on December 3rd.
The so-called SMRookies public trainees are to make public some trainees who are focused on by the company, and send their training process, daily life and other records to the company's SNS account from time to time, so that viewers and fans can see them , accumulate popularity and attention in advance.
Since the announcement, SM has uploaded a lot of photos of public trainees on social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The popularity is not very high, but it is okay. Although it is definitely not as popular as the popular artists, because of SM’s family There are many fans, and many people are paying attention to these new trainees in the company.
Chi Jingyuan was looking at the photos of his friends and commenting in his mind.
Bae Joo Hyun seems to be taken seriously. There are quite a few photos of her. However, Chi Jingyuan can tell at a glance that most of these photos have been carefully edited, and the angles are well chosen, which shows off Bae Joo Hyun's appearance advantages very well. , the comments below are pretty good.
After looking at a few photos, he discovered that the uploaded photos of Bae Zhuhyun were basically half-length photos, and there was not even a full-length photo. It seemed that the people who took the photos were well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of this senior, and chose to use his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
Kang Seulgi's attention is not as high as that of Bae Zhuhyun, and the photos she uploaded do not have many highlights.
Of course, she had a full body photo.
As he looked at it, a hot notification suddenly came on his phone. When Chi Jingyuan saw it, he was stunned for a moment and then frowned.
'Lee Teuk, a member of the idol group Super Junior, lost his father and grandparents in a car accident. After hearing the bad news, Leeteuk rushed from the army to the hospital where his relatives were placed. '
This news was really shocking. Chi Jingyuan clicked in and read it carefully.
Leeteuk has a pretty good relationship with him. Leeteuk hosted their EXO debut showcase. The leader of SJ is also a very sociable and well-rounded person. He is very enthusiastic towards both seniors and juniors.
He was also the first person in SJ to exchange contact information with Ji Jingyuan. They did so when they debuted in the showcase. Afterwards, when they encountered important things, they would receive Leeteuk’s blessings and caring text messages. He was really good at handling people and sophistication. It's very good, and feels a bit similar to Lin Yoona.
Although they are not very close, they can be called friends or close seniors.
After reading this push, Chi Jingyuan clicked on several similar news. He found that although they all reported the death of a family member, there were different opinions on the cause. He then took the initiative to browse online forums.
After watching for a while, Chi Jingyuan discovered that this matter was really not that simple. According to some authoritative websites, Li Te's father and grandparents were not simply killed in a car accident, but had a deeper hidden secret.
"well."
Chi Jingyuan closed the phone and sighed helplessly. This kind of misfortune would be unbearable pain for anyone, and he didn't know how this brother could survive it.
He thought about it and did not send a greeting message directly. At this moment, he estimated that the other party was not in the mood to read it, so he might as well send it later.
Chi Jingyuan stopped playing with his mobile phone and sat silently with his chin propped up while watching the street scene passing by outside the window.
…………
"The company has communicated with me. They hope that your cooperation with JYP can be accelerated."
"Still speeding up? Time is already very tight now, and the progress of recording songs recently has not been smooth. I feel like half a month is not enough."
Chi Jingyuan was a little annoyed when he heard this and complained to his mobile phone.
At this time, he was in SM company. After practicing with the members for a few days, he was just about to go out when he received a call from Park Jae-hyun, telling him some of the company's new arrangements for him recently.
"Because your popularity and enthusiasm are very high in the Xia Kingdom. Although you went to activities for a period of time last year, it was a drop in the bucket. There is still an endless stream of invitations to you."
"Moreover, the company and its partners in Xia Kingdom are working on a new itinerary for you. Jingyuan, you very much hope to perform on stage at some important evening shows on several major TV stations in Xia Kingdom during the Spring Festival."
"Once the operation is successful, it will be important for the company to open up the market there, and for your personal visibility."
"So they want you to speed up the progress and complete it a week before the Spring Festival. Then you can go to Xia Kingdom to participate in the event."
Park Jae-hyun explained, which made Chi Jingyuan calm down.
After thinking about it for a while, he still insisted on his opinion: "No, the time now is no longer enough. If we speed up the progress, it will really be perfunctory. Many details will definitely not meet my requirements."
"I have high expectations for this song. It will definitely achieve great results in the Peninsula market at least. It can't be wasted like this..."
"Brother, please come and talk to the company. My progress here will definitely not be accelerated. Either Xia Guo's schedule will be less busy, or I can go to Xia Guo at the scheduled time, but I have to contact JYP We discussed over there that the scheduled release date for the collaborative single will be about a week late. Anyway, the production of this song must have been done carefully and it definitely can’t be messed up.”
"Alas, I understand what you mean. I will communicate with the company. There should be no problem. If nothing else happens, SM will choose the latter. After all, the market in Xia Guo is too big."
Park Jae Hyun's tone was very confident. He could easily predict SM's reactions and choices.
"By the way, Jingyuan."
Before he was about to hang up the phone, Park Jae Hyun remembered one more thing and said quickly: "Lee Soo Man and the SM record department also sent a message. The preliminary preparations for your EXO second mini album are almost completed. They asked you to hurry up and release the songs." I gave them the demo and sounded very anxious."
"Things are all crowded together... Okay, brother, I understand, I will seize the time."
Chi Jingyuan was a little irritable and answered the phone.
"Well, of course I'm relieved about you."
"Brother, that's it. Goodbye."
After hanging up the phone, Chi Jingyuan closed his eyes and took a long breath to adjust his mentality.
It was something that had been agreed upon a long time ago, and there was nothing to complain about, but they just happened to be squeezed together, which made him feel a little sudden and urgent.
Shaking his head, Chi Jingyuan walked towards the elevator with his shoulder bag on his back. He would go to JYP to continue working soon.
After waiting at the elevator entrance for a while, the elevator door opened with a 'ding dong' sound, and a figure walked out and came face to face with Chi Jingyuan.
As soon as Chi Jingyuan saw the person, he stopped as he was about to get on the elevator and took the initiative to say hello to the person:
"Taeyeon Noona, what a coincidence?"
