Chapter 126: Losing Face

into a debut group.”" 。"I see..."Pool Jingyuan nodded in understanding. 。It's indeed very similar. As far as he knows, when Sunny joined Girls' Generation, the lineup for the debut was almost finalize..."Because I studied in mainland China when I was young and lived there for several years, I'm pretty good at Chinese... Also, I might have a natural talent for languages."

Glancing at Zhou Tzu-yu, who was clinging to her mother's side and refusing to speak, only occasionally glancing around with half-closed eyes, Ji Jingyuan shifted his gaze back to her mother and gave a light nod in reply. He didn't seem too modest about this compliment.

If it weren't for the fact that I happened to be able to speak Chinese, I estimate they wouldn't be sitting here eating together today. Because he probably wouldn't have met Zhou Tzuyu at all back then.

"Knowing that Jingyuan speaks Chinese, Tzuyu has also mentioned it to me many times, but I didn't know he spoke so well..."

Mother Zhou nodded, her slender eyes, which weren't very similar to Zhou Tzuyu's, narrowed with a smile as she couldn't stop laughing. Her gaze landed on Ji Jingyuan, who was wearing black-rimmed glasses and had bare face, taking in his features with a curious and detailed look. She then couldn't help but let out an exclamation:

"And this appearance is really... I'm in the medical beauty industry anyway, and before I saw a lot of celebrities in reality at WanWan's place. Most of them were just two eyes on TV, but when you see them in private, they feel very average. They rely on makeup to maintain it. Someone like Jingyuan who looks so good even without makeup is really rare,"

"Haha."

From the moment he walked in, Mom Zhou has been showering him with praise, from his Chinese to his looks. Chi Jingyuan felt that the other party was a bit too enthusiastic, and he himself felt a little uncomfortable.

After smiling with narrowed eyes for a couple of sentences, she didn't deny it. After blinking, she playfully replied, "Speaking of which, I really need to thank my parents... Just like how Tzuyu needs to thank her aunt."

"Hee hee hee…"

When Zhou Ma heard this, she laughed out loud, but in her heart she couldn't help but feel a little sigh.

He really knows how to speak well.

>When I was chatting with my daughter before, I felt that when she talked about Ji-sung Park, although EXO was incredibly popular in the peninsula, it seemed that because their relationship was very close and they were relatively near each other, Tzuyu probably didn't have a clear concept of his current popularity and status. She simply didn't know how famous he was now. Every time she mentioned him, it was as natural as talking about an ordinary friend.

But Zhou Ma, being an outsider, wouldn't be so carefree. After learning about Chi Jingyuan, she took the initiative to investigate and was very clear about his popularity and status in the Peninsula idol industry right now. Every year on the Peninsula artist income ranking list, you could always see Chi Jingyuan's name.

And even in Wanwan, she could often hear news about him because EXO was really popular there. It wasn't just students and young people who were chasing after them; many celebrities, artists, and influencers either liked or tried to capitalize on their popularity by frequently mentioning them.

Although she had met many celebrities in real life, someone as famous and popular as Ji Chang-wook was truly unprecedented. Even as Zhou Tzuyu's mother and elder, she felt a bit nervous before the meeting. Based on her guess of Ji Chang-wook's personality, she had thought up several lines to try and get closer to him, hoping he would take care of her daughter who was alone in this new place.

I can only say that for the sake of Zhou Tzuyu, this daughter's life and work on the peninsula, as a mother, I have really put in a lot of effort.

But I originally thought that someone so young, and with a good family background as his daughter said, such a popular celebrity idol's personality wouldn't be too gentle. At least he would have some arrogance and be hard to get along with.

But unexpectedly, the other party was surprisingly amicable. Not only were they polite and well-mannered, but they were also incredibly articulate. Coupled with their appearance, in just a short time together, one couldn't help but develop a good impression of them.

Alas.

Zhou Ma glanced at her daughter-in-law, who was hugging her arm while giggling and looking at the other family's daughter, Zhou Tzuyu. She sighed helplessly.

It's no wonder, it's truly too excellent.

"Bang bang."

At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the private room. After the waiter entered, he asked, 'Do you need to order now' Upon confirmation from Mama Zhou, after a while, all the dishes that had been ordered earlier were brought in one by one. The table was soon filled with a feast for the eyes. Each dish was vibrantly colored, and the red oil and chili peppers created a mouthwatering aroma that made one's mouth water just looking at them.

"Don't be shy, just eat. Let's chat while we eat. Don't be so polite... I also heard from the baby and Tzuyu that you prefer Sichuan food, so she looked it up online to find this place. I don't know if it suits your taste."

Mother Zhou hurriedly beckoned to Chi Jingyuan, urging him to eat quickly. Zhou Tzuyu also stopped holding onto her mother's arm and picked up her chopsticks, pointing them in front of her. Her gaze swept back and forth across the dishes on the table, as if she was hesitant about where to start eating.

"Auntie, you're too kind. I know this restaurant, it's very famous, and I came here with my friends once before."

After chatting for a while, Chi Jingyuan didn't feel restrained either. Seeing the other person's actions, he also picked up chopsticks and glanced at them before taking a slice of boiled meat and tasting it.

It's still that taste, quite delicious, though it might also be because I'm too hungry now.

After looking at Park Ji-won for half a day, Zhou Tzu-yu saw his actions and blinked. She also reached out quickly, clipped a piece of boiled meat into her bowl, blew on it forcefully and ate it in small bites.

"By the way, Auntie, I watched the live broadcast of 《Sixteen》 yesterday, it seemed like Tzuyu's other family members also came. Didn't they all have a meal together today"

After taking two bites, Chi Jingyuan took the initiative to break the atmosphere at the table and casually asked.

Yesterday he saw that in the live stream, some people who looked like Tzuyu's family members showed their faces. He originally thought they would all come today.

"Oh, that's Tzuyu's brother and cousin."

Zhou Ma heard this and immediately understood. She let out an "oh" and said, "Originally, I wanted everyone to come, after all, we've never seen such a big star before. But considering your profession might be inconvenient, and I was worried about causing trouble, so I didn't bring them."

After explaining everything, Zhou's mother paused for a moment, then changed her tone slightly, becoming more serious. She began to speak about the real matter, looking directly at Ji Jingyuan and sincerely thanked him: "By the way, Jingyuan, I've heard from Tzuyu that since you met her, you have helped her a lot, both in life and work. I'm really grateful for your care of her these past two years..."

"Sigh, when she was scouted by that JYP company to be a trainee in Seoul back then, I actually didn't want to agree. You see, she was so young, just thirteen or fourteen years old, and suddenly she had to go to a foreign country to be a trainee. It's not even guaranteed that she would debut, and on top of that, she didn't speak the language and didn't know anyone there. My husband and I were both very busy with work and couldn't accompany her."

And Tzuyu, she can be a little bit clueless sometimes. She's not really a strong-willed person either, although she doesn't show it outwardly and seems quite tough. But deep down, she's very sentimental. When she first came to Seoul, every time I called her, she was crying. Even when I didn't call, she would cry alone by herself. It really worried us.

"These local trainees aren't very friendly... They often exclude me, and I can imagine why…I'm really lucky to have met Jingyuan. If it weren't for you helping me and looking after her often, I wouldn't know what to do…"

Zhou Ma's words were quite touching, as if she was reminiscing about the time when Zhou Tzuyu first left home for Seoul. No parent would feel at ease leaving their young daughter alone in such a foreign place.

While Tzuyu was a bit embarrassed by the teasing, she softly nudged her mother with her shoulder and then lowered her head towards her bowl of rice. However, she secretly glanced at Ji-won from under her eyelashes, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"Hee hee hee..." In response to Zhou Ma's sincere gratitude and gaze, Chi Jingyuan pursed his lips and smiled, nodding in acknowledgment. Then he glanced at Zhou Tzuyu who was peeking around, and looking seriously at Zhou Ma, he said: "Actually, Auntie, you don't need to be like this. Zhou Tzuyu is actually very smart and strong, she does many things very well. I just gave her a little help."

This girl talks a lot when she's alone, but today she might be a little shy because her mother is around. She hasn't said much, but her expression is very lively and her eyes are bright. It's clear that she's in a good mood.

"Her What's so smart about her, she's such an idiot."

Hearing Qi Jingyuan's praise, Zhou Mama looked at her silly daughter beside her with a slightly displeased expression. However, although her tone wasn't very good, her face was beaming like a flower.

Looking at her daughter who wrinkled her nose because she was called stupid, Zhou Ma smiled and reached out to help her tidy up the hair on her forehead. After taking a good look at her, she turned to Ji Jingyuan: "Speaking of which, it's fate that you two know each other. I heard Tzuyu talk about how you met, it's really quite a coincidence."

"It's quite a coincidence, isn't it"

Chi Jingyuan burst out laughing and nodded in agreement, putting down his cards and recalling for a few seconds: "At that time, I happened to be at JYP discussing work. I remember that day, because of the schedule, I ate a meal next to it. Because it was too close, I didn't drive, I walked there. If not, I would have just driven my car into the parking lot and there wouldn't have been what happened later."

"That's really a coincidence," Zhou Ma and Zhou Tzuyu also heard this story for the first time, they couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Well, then I ran into her at the door. She was… Tzuyu told you, right… Yeah, just by looking at her expression, I kind of guessed something. She had this lost, bitter face that looked so pitiful, so I went up and asked her."

"Hahaha."

“Because I can also speak Chinese, we met. At first, I thought it would be tough for a young girl to be alone in Seoul. After meeting a few times, I found her really cute, like a little sister, and slowly we became familiar with each other…”

Talking about this Chi Jingyuan also felt interesting and came to be interested. The three of them chatted while eating.

As communication and conversation deepened, the atmosphere in the private room gradually became more cheerful. Both parties were no longer as reserved as they were at first.

"Say, Jingyuan, would you like to have some wine" Zhou's mother said, glancing at him.

"No, Auntie. I have to go back to the office for overtime later. There are some things I haven't finished yet."

"So busy at this time, you still have to go back to work overtime. Are all artists of your level this busy"

"This work schedule is actually quite normal for an idol, but I have to admit that I've been taking on a lot more work lately."

"That's right then..."

Zhou Mama nodded knowingly and then looked at Zhou Tzuyu, shaking her head with a hint of hopeful anticipation: "If Tzuyu debuted later on and could be half as successful as you, I would be truly satisfied."

"Heh heh."

Chi Jingyuan didn't speak, but smiled with his eyes closed.

He didn't want to wake Zhou Mom from her pleasant dream.

EXO's current dominance of the third generation male idol group scene is undeniable. Their popularity, heat, fan base, especially their sales which surpass all other groups during the same period by a considerable margin, are truly remarkable. Among them, Kim Jong-in stands out as the top member, with a significant gap separating him from his own back team members.

Some of xo's teammates can't even reach half his level, let alone other combinations.

Is that all there is to this new girl group from JYP, which doesn't really stand out

That's really tough.

This restaurant's food is really good, after some localization adjustments it's more in line with most people's tastes. Even Tzuyu, who needs to manage her figure, ate quite a bit. The three of them ate harmoniously until the end of their meal time. Just as they were about to finish, Zhou's mother suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "By the way, Jingyuan, you've been so successful for so many years since your debut, do you know anything about the contracts of agencies on the peninsula side"

"It's okay."

Qi Jingyuan took the tissue that Zhou Tzuyu proactively handed him and wiped his mouth, nodding in response.

That's great.

When Zhou Mom heard this, she chuckled with a smile and reached out to take the bag from the stool beside her. She explained, “Yesterday Tzuyu wasn’t chosen for the new girl group debut lineup, right Today JYP called me and said he wanted us to go over to sign the contract. He said to have a look first and then sign it as quickly as possible…”

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a stack of bound documents: "But after I took a look, I felt like this contract was a bit..."

"A little demanding" Ji Jingyuan smiled and said it for the other person.

"Yeah, I feel like a lot of the conditions are too strict, and they micromanage everything... "

Mom Zhou immediately agreed and then furrowed her brows, grumbling: “I wonder if there’s a problem. Are all the companies on the Peninsula like this Or is it just JYP”

"Can I"

He glanced at the document in Zhou Ma's hand and made a subtle gesture with his mouth, asking.

"Of course, no problem. You're not an outsider, after all." She immediately handed over the contract in her hand and added with a smile.

"Hmm..."

Chi Jingyuan took the file and, under the watchful eyes of Zhou Ziyu's mother and daughter, read it seriously.

Before debuting, all idols naturally have to sign a contract with the company, and basically every contract is stipulated in great detail. This includes all work arrangements, activity regulations, daily routines, and some companies even include items like dating, clothing style, hairstyle, and appearance management (including cosmetic surgery) in the contract. Idols are treated as perfect products to be crafted.

Although Chi Jingyuan has only signed a contract with one company and hasn't seen those of other companies, through conversations with members and people in the industry, he knows that the contracts of all agencies in the Han Peninsula music scene are largely similar, with strict requirements. The difference lies mainly in the various revenue-sharing arrangements, each agency having its own unique approach.

And compared to that, the contracts of larger companies are still alright. Companies exist to make money, not to scam you, at least they won't cause too much trouble. Some smaller agencies with bad intentions have really problematic contracts. Once you sign them, you're truly trapped.

As for JYP...

"Well... I took a look, and there weren't any particular problems..." Chi Jingyuan looked for a while, then raised his head. Facing the two people who were looking at him with anticipation, he paused for a second before saying: "I don't know about other companies, but my contract is actually pretty similar, just the split is different, after all %"

He laughed and shook his head. "After all, the contracts of most big agencies on the peninsula are like this, but Zhou Tzuyu's might have a few more restrictions. Even dating is written in there. JYP is really interesting."

If EXO's contract also included a dating ban and the penalties were increased, with ** really going after them with no mercy, it would feel like the company makes more from that than concerts.

If Ji Chang-wook doesn't have a relationship, he certainly wouldn't be afraid of this. However, Park Chan-hyeok, BAEKHYUN, and Woo Shi-hoon are probably going to earn less than they're penalized.

"So that's how it is"

When Zhou's mother heard this, she furrowed her brow, glanced at the file in Chi Jingyuan's hand, and tentatively asked, "What year is that contract from…"

"It's been about seven years now, hasn't it" Ji Jingyuan closed the file and handed it back to Zhou Ma. "I took a quick look, and there aren't too many issues with the restrictions. At least there aren't any obvious traps in the major areas. However, I'm not a professional, so Auntie should still carefully consider the specific numbers and details."

"Okay, thank you, Jingyuan." Zhou Ma took the document and smiled, saying thanks.

"You're welcome." Chi Jingyuan smiled, watching as the other party put the contract away.

To be honest, there wasn't much to consider because if you don't sign, you can't get out.

And indeed there were no problems, besides the restrictions being a bit more numerous, it was a completely normal artist contract.

After debuting, I actually realized that while the contract does have some restrictions, in reality, as long as you don't violate a few of the most important ones, the company turns a blind eye to many other things. A lot of this depends on the group's popularity and status, their relationship with the company, and the members' backgrounds themselves.

Like EXO now, it's not just Park Chanyeol. The company has already loosened its control over the other members too. As for groups like Girls' Generation and G-Dragon, those veteran groups, they are completely unrestricted in many ways.

However, Chi Jingyuan didn't specifically say anything as a person who had been through it before. He wouldn't say anything like "Don't be afraid, we have a good relationship, I can take care of you, the contract can't restrict you" either.

After all, this is an important contract that determines Tzuyu's future path. It's best to let her family consider it carefully themselves. Outsiders shouldn't interfere too much.

We've almost finished this meal. After chatting for a while, Ji Jingyuan looked at the time and was about to say goodbye. He had to go back to his company later, and Zhou Tzuyu also needed to return to the dormitory early.

Zhou Mom was also in the meeting, and with a smile, she took over several packaged gift boxes from the side and enthusiastically handed one to Ji Jingyuan: "Jingyuan, Auntie knows you have everything you need, and there's nothing I can do to thank you… This time, I specially bought some specialties and snacks from our place. You take them back to try. If you think they're okay, tell Ziyuan, and next time I'll just send them directly to her so she can bring them to you."

Looking at Zhou Ma walking up to him with a kind face and a few eager smiles, Ji Jingyuan understood the other's meaning. He also smiled along with the sunshine, without refusing, he directly reached out and took the several exquisitely packaged gift boxes, then blinked his eyes, his face full of expectation: "Zhou Tzuyu has told me many times before that the local specialties from her hometown taste great, she described them so well that I've been craving them for a long time. So Auntie, I won't be polite."

"Haha... Don't be so polite. If you think it tastes good, you have to say so." Zhou Ma laughed even brighter and personally handed the bag into his hands.

"I'll be going now, Auntie."

"I'm giving this to you." Zhou Tzuyu, who had been standing beside him, suddenly bounced over.

"Alright, you...you stay with Auntie." Chi Jingyuan glanced at the girl, habitually wanting to retort, but he stopped himself before he could. He put on a mask and hat, then said goodbye and left.

……

The door to the private room closed, and the mother and daughter swayed back onto their stools. The previously heated atmosphere instantly subsided into a quiet one.

Zhou Ma looked at her daughter, who kept glancing at the door every now and then, and thought back to their mealtime together just a while ago. She couldn't help but sigh with emotion:

"Oh."

"What's wrong, Mom" Zhou Tzuyu leaned in again affectionately and grinned gleefully.

Since last night, she has been in a particularly good mood, especially after having dinner with Ji Jingyuan just now.

“It's true that seeing is believing. I initially thought Chi Jingyuan was no different from other celebrities I'd met before, just a bit more popular... After talking to him, I realized he's in a completely different league. His charisma and cultivation are beyond compare. He doesn't act like a young star who rose to fame, and he definitely doesn't seem like an ordinary child raised by a regular family.”

Zhou Ma was thinking about the just-right conversation they had a moment ago, looking at the spot where Chi Jingyuan had been sitting. The bowls, plates, and chopsticks were neatly arranged on the table. After the meal, the table was also very clean. She felt more and more that this child was really something else: "You said his family background is good, do you know what they do"

"I don't know, I haven't asked."

It seems like her mom really likes Park Ji-sung. For some reason, Tzuyu felt a little happy when she heard it. After thinking for two seconds, she shook her head: "He mentioned twice that his parents live in America and are rarely on the peninsula."

"Oh..."

She nodded and Zhou's mother didn't ask any further. Turning her head to look at her daughter, who was overjoyed and as carefree as a child the moment she came closer, she couldn't help but pat her lightly: "Learn from others, alright You're not a kid anymore, you're all grown up. Chi Jingyuan even praised you for being mature, but where is that maturity... Just look at how he interacts with people, such a big star, yet he speaks to me with such politeness and humility, without any airs. That alone is something you could learn from."

He's always been polite.

Zhou Tzuyu hugged her mother's arm tightly, leaning close.

She is indeed quite mature. When practicing alone, she thinks a lot and is good at observing people. She understands the rules and regulations among trainees very well and has encountered many situations like this before.

>It's just that when I'm around my mother, I instinctively stop overthinking things and just want to enjoy this affectionate feeling, like being a pampered child.

"...."

When Zhou Ma saw her daughter like this, she shook her head and smiled, helping to straighten her bangs.

"Oh, you silly child! Can't you see They were always polite..."

Wow, you sure have a big face!ent positions and spaces for the various groups according to their seniority and popularity. Their side was noticeably more spacious.}Today, there are three performance guests on site. Besides EXO, t...