Chapter 103: Doll

However, ** Entertainment quickly denied the rumors, stating that they are simply close seniors and juniors, and accused the media and netizens of spreading false information, saying they will take le...Originally, Zhou Tzuyu had been a little annoyed by the other person's indifferent smile. However, when she heard this seemingly casual but sincere thank you, the grievance and anger in her heart were instantly extinguished like being watered by a spring. She seemed to sense the other person's current mood and turned her head to look at him, her eyes blinking rapidly.

"What Never seen one before"

Even though he was being stared at by a pair of bright, bulging eyes, Chi Jingyuan didn't turn his head. He chuckled softly, glanced sideways for a moment, and then continued driving.

Although he found it a little amusing, he could clearly sense that Zhou Tzuyu, this young girl, was completely on his side. Even though she was a senior trainee from the same company and might even debut with him in the future, her stance remained unwavering. This feeling of being supported was quite pleasant.

It makes one feel like "it wasn't in vain to have gone through all that for her."

Though Chi Jingyuan smiled, he thought for a moment before speaking: "Although I'm grateful, just like I said before, there's no need to fight for me... Besides, this was something we both did together. It's normal for Lim Na-yeon to have vented her frustrations as a fan in private after being scolded so badly."

"Who teamed up with you"

Hearing this, Zhou Tzuyu glared at him with displeasure. Then, she immediately remembered the time when they were recording a program, when池景源 openly and shamelessly favored her. The surprise from that moment and the subsequent joy surged up within her, making the corners of her mouth twitch upwards. She couldn't help but smile to herself in delight.

Chi Jingyuan didn't care about the girl's changing emotions. He continued, "It's fine, whether she talks badly about me privately or not, I don't really care. To be honest, I saw her being scolded before, and it was actually quite pitiful..."

"How you guys get along is your business, do whatever feels right for you. And if things really work out and you make it in Sixteen, you'll be living together with the other members for many years to come."

"Who's there..."

Another dissatisfied low murmur, followed by Zhou Tzuyu thinking about it herself, and then nodding obediently and seriously: "I know."

Now the car has entered the JB district where the 《sixteen》 dormitory is located. The surrounding buildings seem much older all of a sudden. Narrow roads and low, brick houses start to appear everywhere. Because of the road conditions, the car speed inevitably slows down.

Because of its early development, the Jiangbei area has relatively more old districts. Most areas still maintain a very traditional style, with housing construction and conditions being relatively inexpensive and economical. Compared to the bustling Jiangnan District, the two places across the river have a huge gap in their situation.

Because the rent is cheap and it's close to Gangnam, many entertainment companies choose to place their trainees and artist dorms here, and JYP is no exception.

"Same goes for ** artists. The first EXO dorm, and the Red Velvet house are also around here. In terms of straight-line distance, it's actually not that far from Tzuyu and the others' dorms."

Another red light, Chi Jingyuan seemed to suddenly remember something, quickly turned around and took a large box from the storage area behind him and stuffed it into Zhou Tzuyu's arms: "By the way, your birthday present..."

"What is this"

When it came to gifts, Zhou Tzuyu, who had been sitting primly before, immediately lit up. Her whole demeanor seemed to come alive with excitement. Before Chi Jingyuan could even hand her the gift, she turned around eagerly and reached out to take it, placing it on her lap to examine it carefully.

Before, because of Ji Jingyuan's teasing, she thought it was something used to satirize her dark skin, like a makeup mask or something. She was a little nervous before, but at this moment, seeing the packaging, she immediately denied this idea.

"A silly dog plushie, I randomly saw it and thought it might suit you... It's not anything expensive, just play with it whenever."

Although someone beside her was nonchalantly introducing the item, Zhou Tzuyu's eyes were sparkling as she examined the package in her hands. The box was enormous, taller than half a meter. Through the transparent section in the middle, one could see the shape of a doll inside.

"Can I open it" A pair of big eyes looked over again. Seeing Chi Jingyuan casually nod his chin, they immediately happily tore open the package.

It was quickly packaged, and a dog plush toy appeared. Its breed was somewhat ambiguous, resembling both a Golden Retriever and a Labrador. The grayish-brown fur looked soft and fluffy, and touching it felt incredibly comfortable, clearly indicating high quality, far beyond an ordinary street vendor's plush toy.

It drooped a pair of large ears, with its mouth open and red tongue lapping, a pair of small eyes full of wisdom, but the overall look was full of naivete. At the same time, there was a matching cotton black frame glasses on its head, making the already not smart dog head look even more silly, people disgusted at the same time, but could not help laughing wanting to pull it twice.

The person hugging it at this moment had a smile that was almost exactly the same.

"How cute!"

Chou Tzu-yu's eyes lit up the moment she saw it, surpassing even the two headlights beaming towards her. It was clear that she absolutely loved this birthday present; after taking in both sides with a quick glance, she immediately hugged it close to her chest and couldn't resist nuzzling it with her cheek and her goofy doggy face.

Not satisfied with that, she rubbed against him twice more. The soft touch filled her with joy, her smile couldn't even contain itself.

"Wow, it's so soft, it feels so comfortable..."

"It's alright."

"Why is it wearing glasses"

"I have poor eyesight."

What is its name

"Stupid dog."

"Ugh!"

With excitement bubbling up, words and questions tumbled out towards Chi Jingyuan. Even when faced with his perfunctory answers, she didn't cool down one bit. She remained cheerfully holding a plush toy in her arms, each hand gripping a short, soft dog leg that they waved at each other, playfully batting them around.

Pool Jingyuan glanced at Zhou Tzuyu, who was no longer as upright as before. She was hugging a plush toy almost as tall as her upper body, pressing herself against it. She kept touching and tugging at the toy, and her small canine teeth hadn't retracted since she started playing with it.

Even Chi Jingyuan, who was watching the scene, couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

How do you know I like dogs

After playing with it for a while, Zhou Tzuyu was very happy. She hugged it tightly and looked over again, her eyes twinkling as she asked.

She is really super happy right now, she really super likes this gift, can't bear to put it down, and she's also very curious how Chi Jingyuan could give such a thoughtful gift.

Because you have mentioned it many times before.

"Do you like dogs too"

"Don't like it"

"Why is that Dogs are so cute."

Because it's troublesome.

Ji Jingyuan turned his head to look at the two faces close at hand and the dog's face. He felt that the expressions of the two were really similar, especially if Zhou Tzuyu also wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses.

After glancing back, he added:

"Still foolish."

……

"Bang."

Pool Kyungwon put on a mask and hat, shut the door and got out of the car. With Tzuyu Zhou, who reluctantly left her beloved dog plush toy behind, they walked ahead along the now quiet street.

As they approached the dormitory, perhaps because she was genuinely happy and didn't want to go back just yet, Ji Jingyuan noticed that Zhou Tzuyu seemed reluctant. Thinking about her recent stress and struggles, he glanced at the time and suggested taking a walk to clear their heads. Tzuyu readily agreed, and after finding a secluded alley near their dormitory, they started walking casually.

The rather poor economy meant that Jiangbei was much quieter than Jiangnan after nightfall. At least by this hour, even though it wasn't very late, there weren't many people walking around on these streets. Most of the shops with ordinary facades lining the alleys had already closed up for the night, and only two people were moving about on the quiet street surface.

Thank you.

Chi Jingyuan, who was observing his surroundings, suddenly heard a voice of thanks beside him. He looked over and saw the girl bowing her head and looking at the road surface as she walked side by side with him.

Chi Jingyuan just nodded and didn't speak.

I don't know if she's thanking me for the gift, or for tonight's experience.

Maybe both.

Walking out of the secluded alley, the shade that had previously covered my head disappeared. The view suddenly opened up, and the sky seemed even wider against the backdrop of the low-rise buildings surrounding me.

"Where are all the stars tonight" Tzuyu Zhou looked up at the night sky around her, feeling a little disappointed.

She thought this scene was like something out of an idol drama, very beautiful. Too bad when she looked up, it was pitch black and pulled her right out of her fantasy.

"It's hard to see stars in the city."

"It's a pity..."

However, the girl's slight melancholy was met with cold mockery from the person beside her: "Have you watched too many TV dramas Why don't you find a rooftop to sit on and admire the moon"

"If you're going, then I'm going too!" Zhou Tzuyu retorted stubbornly.

But neither of them took it seriously. They chatted away, talking and walking at a leisurely pace.

"How is your relationship with those trainees now"

After a while, Chi Jingyuan seemed concerned and also a little curious, so he asked.

"Well, besides being grouped with Yu Dingyan sister and Lim Na-yeon, I'm a little more familiar with them. It's still better to get along with Minying. The others are just okay..."

After some thought, Zhou Tzuyu replied, "Also, I've been in contact with a recently... you remember 'a', right That trainee who came from Japan."

"Well, I remember."

Chi Jingyuan replied with a sound.

Nonsensical chatter, even if the connection isn't very close, it's not exactly familiar. But at least we exchanged contact information, and every few days I can casually chat with them for a couple of sentences. Although most of the time it's just a simple greeting, or some superficial, pointless topics, sending a few emojis.

"Remember...I've been talking to A a bit more lately, and I think she has a really good personality. And...she's also very pretty. She was quite famous among the trainees before, even though she hasn't been here for long, she's a very well-known pretty girl."

But deep down, don't you think she's not as pretty as you Ji Jingyuan saw through Zhou Tzuyu's thoughts at a glance. Because of the little girl's jealousy and self-esteem, she could be so generous to praise another same-aged girl for her beauty.

"Hehehe."

Zhou Tzuyu, caught off guard, smiled a little awkwardly and didn't deny it in front of Ji Jingyuan.

Looking at her somewhat naive yet smug smile, Chi Jingyuan sighed: “Maybe she thinks that way too.”

Zhou Tzuyu didn't mind and continued, "Although we've chatted a few times, our communication wasn't much. I actually feel like she's quite introverted. She usually only hangs out with Sana, who is also from Japan... You remember Sana, right..."

She only talks to Sana. When Sana isn't around, she just stays by herself. The other day we were filming the Sixteen outdoor team building activity, and during the break I noticed that she was always alone. She doesn't really talk much when the cameras aren't rolling. It looks pretty lonely.

Chi Jingyuan couldn't help but glance at her after hearing this. This was something he hadn't heard mentioned by Meining Nan before. Besides that one time they talked about negative emotions, every time they spoke on the phone afterwards, Meining Nan had always seemed very normal and positive. However, unexpectedly, according to Zhou Tzuyu, she disliked interacting with others and would stay alone when her friends weren't around, a very lonely person.

Interesting.

He asked, "Didn't you go and say hello to them"

“Zhou Tzuyu shook her head and didn’t say why.”

Ji Jingyuan seemed to understand something, nodded and didn't ask any more questions. He took the initiative to talk about other topics.

Neither of them had walked too far, after all, it wasn't too late. Zhou Tzuyu still had to go back to the dormitory, so after a short circle, they returned to where the car was parked and drove her back to near her dorm. Watching her close the door and walk out with that silly dog plushie in her arms, looking reluctant to say goodbye, Ji Kyeong-won casually asked, "When's your mom coming"

"She's on a later flight." Zhou Tzuyu blinked her eyes.

"Well then, have a nice meal with your mother and relax."

池 Jingyuan didn't say much, just nodded in farewell. Just as he was about to open the door and get in, he seemed to remember something, frowned again, and looked back: 'By the way, I noticed your eyes are pretty big, but why do they squint when you smile It's ugly. What bad habit is that'

After muttering a complaint, Ji Jingyuan waved his hand and said, "Go back quickly," then got into the driver's seat and drove away.

His gaze followed the white Mercedes as it drove away, stretching until the car turned onto the main road and disappeared from view. Only then did Zhou Tzuyu retract his gaze, holding the doll, kicking the ground with his foot, and sulking in displeasure:

...Aren't you too...

…………

While he was driving, he received a selfie from Zhou Ziyu with that plush puppy. In the photo, she and the dog were face-to-face, smiling happily. It seemed like she would probably have an extra companion when she went to sleep tonight.

After returning to the dorm, the other members were still filming and hadn't come back. Ji-seong had been playing games until the early morning when he heard the sound of the door opening and tired complaints. He felt a little embarrassed and took the initiative to buy some takeout snacks, quickly erasing that sliver of guilt in his heart.

The next morning, all nine members of EXO boarded a flight to Taipei with the company's team.

"XOXO!"

“Chanle! Sehun!”

"Yuan, come here a little, Chi Jingyuan, Jingyuan! Take a look this way!"

"AAAAAAA......"

When leaving the airport, there were many fans and media waiting outside. As soon as he showed his face, it caused a scream and a chase.

When EXO first debuted, they performed in this region. Over the years, they have been developing the market here and even appeared on the local New Year's Eve event last year. In terms of popularity and fame, among all Kpop artists, they are considered one of the highest, with a large and loyal fan base.

Especially after several comebacks this year, EXO's momentum across Asia has skyrocketed to a whole new level, particularly in terms of their aura and presence, which surpasses that of ordinary idol groups.

Chi Jingyuan waved to the fans and reporters who were shouting his name frantically over there, then smiled and walked out quickly under the escort of his assistant. He got into the pre-arranged bus.

They had just landed and many local media outlets quickly published reports about them, with most using adjectives like "Asian," "world-class," "first," and "super popular" to describe EXO.

What's most interesting is that recently, especially after the concert tickets went on sale, a trend emerged among many young people in Taiwan. They started showing off their EXO concert tickets on their SNS. Every photo post was flooded with jealous comments, as if being able to get a ticket and attend the EXO concert was an incredibly enviable thing.

There are also some well-known artists here who revealed their identity as Lily and somehow got five tickets, which they posted on their SNS, causing quite a stir. Many fans who didn't manage to get tickets questioned his purchasing channel, saying that the webpage sold out instantly and it was impossible to grab any. They suspect he must have connections with the ticketing website or something fishy going on.

Over the past two years, although there have been activities and performances here that were very popular, they haven't reached this level of excitement.

And recent events have proven that EXO's status and popularity are even higher than before, with rapidly growing momentum and influence.

When EXO arrived in Taipei, checked into their hotel, and took a short rest before starting to prepare for their performance, the second week of June on the M! Countdown side was also broadcasting as scheduled, having reached the final award ceremony segment.

One of today's candidates, the five members of bigbang in a uniform red hip-hop leather jacket, stood on the right side of the stage. Their expressions and eyes seemed casual, but their gazes were all focused on the display screen in front of them.

The first row on the right side of the stage was empty. Another EXO member who is a substitute was absent from today's music show due to overseas schedules, but their spot was still reserved for them. Idol members only started standing in the second row.

And in the middle, Kim Ki-bum and Baba are holding microphones, taking turns announcing the final scores for the two teams today:

"Sound source broadcast score, 《boywithv》EXO 5000 VS 《bangbangbang》BIGBANG 4570."

"Album sales score, 《boywithv》EXO 1500 VS 《bangbangbang》 bigbang 160."

"...Preference score 1000 VS 1000."

Social media score 1500 VS 1400.

"Match Score 1000 VS 1000."

One piece of data after another came out, leaving the fans on site, the viewers watching the livestream, and even the idols and MCs on stage increasingly surprised.

Because besides the sales which are drastically different, all other scores of the two groups are quite similar. BigBang achieved full marks in several categories. This score, placed in almost any other music show competition, could easily secure last place.

It's a shame that EXO seems to be even stronger today.

All of their projects scored perfect scores....

They haven't arrived yet.

And the two MCs' tones and voices are also quite interesting. Kim Ki-Bum, as a member of Shee and having a good relationship with EXO, spoke quickly when revealing the scores, sounding somewhat excited.

While baba sounded lifeless, each word he spoke lacked any energy, as if something was stuck in his throat.

"And finally, adding today's live broadcast **S voting scores, the final result is..."

"EXO 11,000 VS BIGBANG 9,134."

Today's honor goes to, EXO! Caramella!!

Although the main performer wasn't present, everyone on stage still seemed excited to celebrate EXO after the silver ribbon was lowered. Kim Ki-bum then took a trophy from baba’s hands and said, "Congratulations to EXO! I will definitely deliver this trophy to them when they return.”

Seeing this result, baba's smile was a bit strained. The once stylish orange hair on his head seemed to have lost some of its luster.

And the five members of Bigbang were similarly so, but perhaps because Choi Seunghyun's meme was widely used and mocked by both fans and strangers before, this time they were extra careful about their facial expressions. Under the watchful eyes of countless viewers, they didn't show any controversial expressions, just squeezed out a senior-like smile and clapped to congratulate them.

Even Saint Seiya wouldn't fall to the same attack.

But even so, there are countless people wildly speculating about what bigbang was thinking at that time. Some people even have nearly finished writing a whole book in their minds right now.

Because EXO didn't attend, there was no speech segment. Soon after, all the artists went offstage and waited at the backstage entrance for a few minutes to thank the program PD and all the staff before returning to their respective resting rooms.

And in the Big Bang's practice room, after closing the door to block out the outside view, Choi Seung Hyun came in and kicked a small stool at the doorway, almost hitting an assistant standing by the wall.

The stool smashed hard against the white wall, making a dull thud before bouncing back to the floor. It rolled on the ground for two laps before landing horizontally, emitting a grating, piercing groan.

And the long-suppressed shouts of anger also rose with it:

"Damn it..."

(The End)

First Release on Chinese Novels Networkoaring," after all, there really wasn't anything better or more well-received this year, it was practically a foregone conclusion. However, MMA gave it to beast instead.But including Chi Jingyuan, all...