Chapter 8 Shooting the Ad and Our First Encounter Han: GD, why don't you...
Kong Yanshu was quite clever; in addition to Jiang Tinghan, she also invited two other contestants from her dormitory to come along, one of whom was Yin Zhicai, who ranked first in Group S.
With the arrival of the two, especially Yoon Ji-chae, Jiang Tinghan could no longer be the absolute center. Yoon Ji-chae, backed by a large company, was a top trainee painstakingly cultivated. Under Hybe's masterful marketing, she had popularity that surpassed Jiang Tinghan, who had a large following and stunning looks.
Furthermore, a number of articles criticizing and disparaging other contestants have appeared during this period, such as, "Isn't a talent show about choosing a magazine cover? Why only look at faces and not singing and dancing skills? Our Zhicai is an all-around ACE, and her face is super exquisite too!" and "Will the popular vote ultimately be no match for Minghuang, who relies on official photos and heavy marketing of looks? I don't believe it, strength will prove everything!" etc...
Kong Yeon-seo and Yoon Ji-chae were in the first dormitory of Group S. They were the only two Koreans in the dormitory and didn't have much communication problems. They definitely got a lot of screen time. It's good to be rich.
Could God have a change of heart and suddenly shower her with 10 billion, turning her into the protagonist of a super-rich novel?
Both Yin Zhicai and Jiang Tinghan belong to the aloof and unattainable type. However, Jiang Tinghan feels that laughing and crying both require energy, and all emotions are exhausting. Therefore, she always keeps herself in a low-energy mode and remains indifferent. She only adds a little salt to her life when she sees benefits, making herself more vibrant.
Yoon Ji-chae is different. She is truly quiet, prefers to be alone, and doesn't like to socialize. However, to her surprise, she has an innocent baby face despite being 1.7 meters tall, somewhat resembling an Arctic hare.
Although it's unclear whether Kong Yanshu actually intended to prevent Jiang Tinghan from dominating most of the advertising, she certainly achieved the effect of using one tiger to devour another.
Jiang Tinghan thought that Kong Yanshu probably wasn't that smart, since she hadn't invited her roommate with whom she had a grudge. If netizens saw the choice of invite, and the roommate played the victim, they could easily find out some information about how she was isolated and bullied.
Thinking about it this way, the advertisement we're shooting today must have good resources, otherwise my two roommates wouldn't have taken on this opportunity despite the risk of being falsely accused of "bullying".
Jiang Tinghan glanced around and found that there was no one else besides the four of them. She casually asked Kong Yanshu, her tone slightly surprised, "Jin Ruixi didn't come?"
Kong Yanshu's face darkened instantly, her voice trembling with barely suppressed agitation: "Do you know how outrageous Jin Ruixi is?"
Jiang Tinghan replied frankly, "I don't know."
Kong Yanshu immediately gave her a "Are you an idiot?" look: "..."
Jiang Tinghan added, "But I want to hear what you have to say to me."
Kong Yanshu choked for a moment, and even Jin Ruixi's anger subsided somewhat. Her eyes darted away as she said, "She actually advised me to make peace with that bitch in our dorm!"
Upon hearing this, she got angry again: "Didn't I make peace? I initially spoke nicely and said I could compensate her, but she didn't want it herself, and I apologized. But she turned around and told the girls in the next dorm that there was a difficult princess in the dorm who acted like a green tea bitch and disgusted me!"
"Besides, it wasn't that I always wanted to argue with her. I even went outside the dormitory to find a place to spend the night. I've never been treated like this at home! I had a fever and took a day off, and she said I deserved it, that I was lazy, and that having money makes me superior and that I'm not afraid of power! How could I not argue with her?"
"She even spoke in German, thinking no one could hear her, or even if they could, they wouldn't understand. Little did she know, my grandmother was German! Humph!"
"Jin Ruixi is my friend, after all, yet she's siding with outsiders! Tell me, is she... is she not quite right in the head?!"
Jiang Tinghan wouldn't rashly get involved in this mess. If she agreed, and then Kong Yanshu turned around and told Jin Ruixi that Jiang Tinghan was talking bad about her, wouldn't that make it seem like she and Jin Ruixi had a conflict?
She reasoned, "Jin Ruixi was probably worried that if the footage of you arguing with your roommate were broadcast, some netizens would criticize you without knowing the facts, so she advised you not to have any more conflicts with your roommate."
Her choice of words was very deliberate; the phrase "without distinguishing right from wrong" clearly indicated that both Kim Seo-hee and she were actually on Kong Yeon-seo's side, but were simply worried about her.
Kong Yanshu raised her chin and snorted coldly: "Who dares to broadcast it? I've already had the production team delete it all!"
Jiang Tinghan: "Deleting everything isn't a foolproof solution. What if my roommate finds a friend online to pretend to be an insider and leak information? You know, many netizens these days believe whatever they hear, and they might just believe it."
Jiang Tinghan spoke softly and slowly, with an inherent power to convince people. Kong Yanshu listened and her anger gradually subsided: "That's true. That bitch is strange. I said I would pay her ten thousand US dollars, but she didn't want it. Maybe the friend she brought to expose her is in cahoots with her. We can't let money buy us off."
Using money to silence others sounds like a bunch of snakes and rats, doesn't it?
But this roommate was clearly doing it on purpose. She wouldn't accept money or an apology, and she repeatedly said bad things to provoke Kong Yanshu, as if she was afraid that Kong Yanshu couldn't argue with her. It was so strange.
And she wanted the $10,000! Her roommate didn't want it.
Jiang Tinghan perked up immediately upon hearing about the ten thousand US dollars.
Her eyes lit up, and an idea came to her: "Why don't you give me this ten thousand dollars? I have a way to annoy your roommate."
Kong Yanshu's eyes lit up: "What? What?"
Ten thousand US dollars is just the price of one of her not-so-expensive handbags. Giving up a new bag to get revenge on that bitch is such a good deal!
Jiang Tinghan: "After you get back, go apologize first and say that you are really sorry for not bringing me. The brand only requires four people, and there is nothing I can do about it."
Kong Yanshu interrupted, "That sounds rather offensive, doesn't it? I deliberately didn't want that bitch to come!"
Jiang Tinghan calmly said, "I know, just say that for now. She definitely won't listen to you. Then you go and cry to the PD, saying that you're being bullied by your roommate and asking to change dorms. Also, ask the PD to release the whole story so that netizens can judge it fairly!"
Kong Yeon-seo was shocked again: "How can this be? I cursed 'shiba' and 'bitch' several times in my anger. Netizens definitely won't be on my side!"
She still has some self-awareness; she has the face of a vicious supporting character who bullies the innocent female lead in a Korean drama. Just by looking at her face, people would believe the rumor that she slapped someone.
Jiang Tinghan sighed. She really couldn't handle him. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, you know? The unstoppable, incredibly genuine Pabo, the young lady.
She could only explain more clearly: "PD will definitely not agree to your request. If PD compromises and changes your dorm room, then your two roommates who benefited from your request will definitely disagree. They will speak up for you, and it is very likely that the one who opposes you will be changed to a different dorm room, so you won't have to spend every day with her."
"Or the PD will advise your roommate to be patient and not to have a conflict with you. The PD has the power to edit. Black can be cut into white, and white can be cut into black. Are you afraid that your roommate will not compromise? She will be pressured by the PD to apologize and make peace with you."
Kong Yanshu clenched her fist and clapped her hands: "Great idea! That bitch will definitely be green with rage!"
Jiang Tinghan had been listening to Kong Yanshu complain about her roommate every day for the past few days, and had roughly figured out what had happened: "Do you know who put the crystal ball on your desk? There are cameras in the dorm, right? Did they capture anything?"
"No." Kong Yanshu shook her head. "It was before the cameras were on, but I asked around, and it wasn't Ji-chae who put it there, nor was it anyone else. Who knows why that bitch's crystal ball ended up on my desk, and it was so slippery that I dropped it as soon as I picked it up! She didn't put such a precious thing away properly, so who can she blame?"
Jiang Tinghan: "Uh..."
Who else could it be but my roommate herself? This was a completely open conspiracy, and her scheme only worked on the young lady.
Kong Yeon-seo: "You also find it speechless, right!"
Jiang Tinghan: "Mmm...Mmm."
Kong Yeon-seo: "Fine, at least I finally have a chance to get back at this bitch. It's just playing the victim, right? Anyone can do that! Coldy, give me a bank account number, I'll give you the money, or you can have any new bag, bracelet, or necklace you want."
Reward it! Reward it! Reward it!
Jiang Tinghan shook his head: "No rush, let's wait until the plan really works before giving it to you, otherwise you'll just be wasting your money."
“Oh right,” Kong Yanshu, completely under Jiang Tinghan’s control, revealed an innocent smile: “Coldy, you’re so nice, you’ll be my best friend from now on!”
Jiang Tinghan replied somewhat shyly, "Yes."
Thank you, you're very generous.
Kong Yanshu pulled Jiang Tinghan away from the corner, chattering away as she continued to introduce the brand they were shooting today—an electronics company that her family had partnered with—and the product they were photographing was a new computer that would soon be launched nationwide…
A few seconds later, a man dressed like a decadent artist walked out from behind the open door in the corner, his long, slender fingers holding an unlit cigarette.
His pink gradient hair fell down to the sides of his face, which showed signs of age and made him look more mature. When the wind blew, strands of hair with a comic book color scheme swept across the corner of his mouth, which was curving up with an interesting smile, revealing his bright amber eyes that were excited by eating melons.
It was Kwon Ji-ryong.
I originally just came to this small balcony to smoke and get some fresh air before filming, but I didn't expect to eavesdrop on someone's conversation.
Kwon Ji-yong glanced at the door that had been open all along. So this was what they called "the darkest place is under the lamp"—the open door actually created the illusion that no one was on the small balcony outside.
However, just a wall away, there was such a large door that Kwon Ji-yong could hear the conversation between the two juniors clearly.
He is very sensitive to sound. Although online voices are usually different from real voices, he still recognized the difference. One of them was Coldy, whose voice he had just seen on stage a couple of days ago. The timbre was very unique, and the other lady's subsequent address confirmed this.
I never knew Coldy had this side to her. Her friend sounds naive, but she is anything but simple.
I made money and gained popularity.
By deliberately saying that she's not in a hurry for the other party to send money, she can show that she's not actually that desperate for money or that she's that mercenary. Such a naive friend would definitely think that Coldy is more interested in standing up for her and is doing it for her own good. I'm really afraid that I'll be sold out and still have to help the other party count the money.
Kwon Ji-yong suddenly remembered Jiang Tinghan's pure and innocent look when she wore a sailor uniform. The darkened eyeliner made her eyes look bigger, and her phoenix eyes seemed to have been rounded up into doe eyes, making her look pitiful.
This contrast... is interesting.
Like the lily of the valley, which has a delicate and elegant appearance but is actually highly poisonous throughout.
*
Advertising director Wen Huazhu explained the creative concept and plot arrangement of the advertisement to the four young actresses.
"Our advertisement tells a story of an adventure inside a computer, mainly divided into three themes. The first is daily office work, with a more business-oriented urban style. The second is games, with a bloody fairy tale style. The third is to show the power of our computer by playing the roles of killer and defender. It is immune to all poisons, and the defender is equivalent to the white blood cells in the human body."
"There are exactly four roles, but you all need to jointly nominate one person to play the person who actually uses this computer."
The advertisement, which is only a few minutes long, has such a rich theme, like a short drama. It really shows that a lot of money has been spent on it.
The three of them turned to look at Kong Yanshu.
"You'll play both roles, Yeon-seo."
Bringing them here to shoot such high-quality outdoor projects, what more can I say? I'll give them everything, the entire shooting studio is yours.
Is it possible that the filming studio actually belongs to her?
Kong Yanshu shook her head: "No, the person using the computer should appear at the beginning. I want to be the assassin and make a stunning appearance at the very end!"
Jiang Tinghan: "But it seems the assassin was the one who was eliminated."
Kong Yeon-seo: "You don't understand. The most popular trope right now is the beautiful villainous boss who gets eliminated by the righteous faction."
The other girl was also Chinese, from Taiwan, named Lin Zhixia. She spoke with a cute Taiwanese accent and was quite capable, also in Class A. However, her Korean wasn't very good. Although she didn't fully understand Kong Yanshu's words, she understood her shaking her head in refusal.
Lin Zhixia stammered, "Then... let's... choose another one?"
Jiang Tinghan: "OK".
Yin Zhicai's expression shifted slightly, clearly showing her own desire; who wouldn't want another chance to shine?
She volunteered, "I want this opportunity."
Jiang Tinghan said bluntly, "I want one too."
Lin Zhixia raised her hand: "MeToo."
Jiang Tinghan: "Then let's play rock-paper-scissors? That's the fairest way."
After thinking for a while, they both agreed.
In the first round, Jiang Tinghan used scissors, Lin Zhixia used cloth, and Yin Zhicai used stones, resulting in a draw.
In the second round, Jiang Tinghan used scissors, Lin Zhixia used cloth, and Yin Zhicai used cloth, so Jiang Tinghan won.
Yoon Ji-chae's face turned somewhat unpleasant; she was really unlucky.
Lin Zhixia: "What a pity."
Jiang Tinghan smiled slightly: "This is truly the luckiest thing I've ever had since I was born."
Lin Zhixia felt that Jiang Tinghan's victory was not just due to luck, but she couldn't figure out why.
Of course, luck played a part in the victory, but Jiang Tinghan also used some of his knowledge of psychology.
People who generally pursue power are more likely to produce stones. Jiang Tinghan saw that Yin Zhicai was this type of person, straightforward and direct, so he bet that she would produce a stone.
Currently, the top popularity contestant on "Shining World" is between Yoon Ji-chae and Jiang Ting-han. Yoon Ji-chae probably considers her a competitor as well, so Jiang Ting-han has to show weakness and lose a round first.
In this way, in the second round, Yin Zhicai might put herself in Jiang Tinghan's shoes and think that Jiang Tinghan would also be unwilling to lose to her, so she would switch to paper or rock. In that case, if she plays paper, she will definitely not lose.
Jiang Tinghan had observed Lin Zhixia's attitude. She wasn't particularly warm towards her fellow Chinese, but instead kept her attention on Yin Zhicai, who was in first place. Lin Zhixia had won the first round against Yin Zhicai, so she might continue to play paper. It didn't matter if she didn't play paper or not. As long as Jiang Tinghan did the opposite and played scissors, it would be a draw if Lin Zhixia played rock, and Yin Zhicai would be eliminated if she played scissors. In any case, Jiang Tinghan would be in an invincible position.
Jiang Tinghan's survival rule is either to lose everything in the first round or to win big in the end.
Human hearts are unpredictable, and all this analysis may ultimately be in vain. Fortunately, Jiang Tinghan won the bet.
"Alright, girls, I'll decide on the remaining roles." Wen Huazhu had been observing from the sidelines. Having been in the industry for over a decade, she had noticed some clues.
It was Coldy who suggested rock-paper-scissors, and Coldy was the one who ultimately won, truly having everything under his control.
"Lin, you're in charge of the daily office theme; Yanshu, you're the assassin; Zhicai, you're the guardian; and Coldy, you're in charge of the game fairy tale theme," Wen Huazhu decisively assigned the roles.
Most of the time, Yoon Ji-chae was calm and collected, but she was furious. Her daily work was too relatable to her life, so it was definitely the least impressive option. The third theme, which showcased the system's power, required her to share time with another person. Although her makeup and styling were decent, she was still at a disadvantage. Overall, the game was the most profitable option.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Tinghan snatched them all away! She's the biggest winner!
Yin Zhicai looked up at Jiang Tinghan, who now appeared completely calm and composed.
Jiang Tinghan asked, "Director, should I film the reality first, or the game first?"
These words were like another knife to Yoon Ji-chae's heart.
Jiang Tinghan knew Yin Zhicai's thoughts without even thinking. She was so smart, there was nothing she could do about it. It was Yin Zhicai's fault.
Why would a talent show be all competition and scramble, or a peaceful and harmonious affair? Her million is still waiting for her!
Wen Huazhu: "We'll shoot the realistic scenes first. You all need to get your makeup and styling done now. We only have one day, so be prepared to shoot until late at night."
"good!"
Kong Yanshu was completely oblivious to the tense confrontation and undercurrents that had just occurred, chatting with Jiang Tinghan while getting her makeup done.
Jiang Tinghan tried to give Cody (the stylist) suggestions, such as tying up her loose hair and using a chopstick as a hairpin to secure it, so that it would look neater and more lifelike; at the same time, she responded to Kong Yanshu's words with "uh-huh" and "ah-ah", multitasking.
"Hey hey hey!" Kong Yeon-seo put down her phone. "I saw someone say that GD seems to be filming in this building today. Cody unnie, have you seen him?"
Both Cody and Coldy responded simultaneously: "No."
"Pfft," Kong Yanshu laughed immediately: "That's right, the two pronunciations are very similar."
"But Coldy, how could you be so dense? I've been with you the whole time, how could you not know whether you've seen me or not?"
Jiang Tinghan casually asked, "Do you like G-Dragon?"
Kong Yeon-seo: "I don't really like him, but he's a super senior, don't you want to meet him?"
Jiang Tinghan: "I don't want to, because I won't get any money from him."
Before this, Jiang Tinghan was completely unfamiliar with Korean entertainment and still didn't know what Kwon Ji-yong looked like; she only knew that he was very rich.
Kong Yeon-seo: "Even if I have money, I might not be able to see him, but I've heard he's a very nice person. If I happen to run into him today, I'd like to ask him for an autograph!"
Jiang Tinghan thought that with Kong Yanshu's status, there was no autograph she couldn't get, but an autograph she got in person was definitely different.
"Then I wish you success, and I'll share my good luck from just playing rock-paper-scissors with you."
Jiang Tinghan didn't forget to reinforce the "fact" that her winning rock-paper-scissors was purely by luck, while also trying to please the young lady and subtly hurt Yin Zhicai on the right.
Wow, how come you always manage to kill multiple birds with a single sentence?
Kong Yanshu exclaimed excitedly, "I'll take it!"
Jiang Tinghan's makeup and styling were completed quickly. It was a very light and natural everyday look. The hem of her white shirt was tucked into her wide-leg jeans, and a black belt accentuated her slender waist. It was a white-collar outfit that could be seen everywhere. Unbuttoning a few buttons gave it a relaxed feel. What was special was the brown scarf tied around her neck and the transparent oval-framed glasses on her face. Combined with her height of over 1.7 meters, she looked fashionable and retro, and also had a cool and intelligent vibe.
Different themes were filmed in different studios. Jiang Tinghan quickly went to other floors. The scene in reality was simple to film. He just needed to put a cup of coffee next to the computer, type some words, and play a game with headphones on. The game screen would be replaced in post-production. Finally, he had to press a button to start an antivirus scan.
Jiang Tinghan is indeed good at games. She joined the e-sports club before for credits, but quit after one semester. She has sharp eyes and quick reflexes, so she plays games quite well.
During the filming, she played a game of PUBG, but after only getting three kills, she encountered a cheater and got headshot. To match the advertisement, Jiang Tinghan, who was playing solo, also had to say a few lines of command, speaking with great passion and shouting until she was hoarse. Finally, she threw down her headphones, stood up, and shouted: "We won! We are the champions!"
This is so awkward!
After Jiang Tinghan finished filming, she rushed to the bathroom and stood in front of the sink, trying to breathe some air that would make her feel less embarrassed.
She touched her cheek with the back of her hand; it was quite hot. Looking at herself in the mirror, she, who never blushed, suddenly blushed deeply, her face full of shyness.
The computer is immune to all viruses, but she was defeated by a social virus. No, this weakness must be overcome.
Suddenly, there was the sound of running water next to them. This was a public handwashing station. Jiang Tinghan glanced at the person out of the corner of his eye and saw that he was coming out of the men's room. He didn't pay much attention to it and turned to leave.
Wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if people saw you blushing?
"Wait a minute." The person behind him took a few steps and caught up.
Jiang Tinghan turned his head, and his heart skipped a beat. Hmm... this isn't it!
She looked at the man with the slicked-back pink hair and blinked.
Who is it?
This place truly lives up to its reputation as a filming location; even a passerby had dyed their hair a fashionable pink.
The man smiled warmly and handed over the phone: "Coldyxi, you dropped your phone."
Jiang Tinghan took it: "Thank you. Do you know me?"
The man's smile widened: "You've been really popular lately, I've seen you on social media."
Jiang Tinghan felt a little uneasy, unsure if the man in front of her was a celebrity. He had a good temperament and a hoarse but unique voice, but he also had a sickly thinness. His face was small, but it looked big against his bony frame. His outstretched hand, even as an adult man, looked almost as thin as Jiang Tinghan's wrist, with the outline of protruding bones visible.
Would a celebrity really make themselves look this bad? This looks more like a crazy photographer obsessed with art, constantly saying, "Where is my muse?"
Is "I've seen your posts" the subtext of "I admire you"? Otherwise, why would you be smiling so happily?
hiss--
Jiang Tinghan tentatively asked, "Then... do you want my... autograph?"
Kwon Ji-yong: "?"
Jiang Tinghan's gaze remained indifferent. Kwon Ji-yong had assumed she wasn't a fan of G-Dragon, so she treated him like any other ordinary person. Now that he thought about it...
—Did they not recognize him at all?
Kwon Ji-yong wasn't annoyed. Today, he first heard about Jiang Tinghan's scheming side, and then he witnessed her somewhat shy side. Her mature and aloof attire resembled Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction. Then, a very light blush quietly spread from her fair neck, like white clouds painted with rosy clouds. In the instant she turned to leave, her long eyelashes cast a light shadow, concealing a fleeting moment of panic. The momentary loss of self-control in a powerful person had a unique charm.
They look better in person than on camera.
The collision of these two completely opposite sides created the beautiful, complex, and vibrant Coldy, which made Kwon Ji-yong truly curious about her.
Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow slightly and said with a hint of mockery, "It's not impossible."
Jiang Tinghan breathed a sigh of relief. She might not have guessed the other person's thoughts correctly, but at least the other person had given her a way out. What a kind person!
There was a decorative fountain pen tucked into her shirt pocket. She gently pinched the end of the pen with her pale fingers and pulled it out, then politely asked, "Do you have any paper with you?"
This gentleman looks older than her, so using polite language is probably correct.
Kwon Ji-yong: "No, just sign this."
Kwon Ji-yong flipped his phone over, revealing his artistic phone case.
Jiang Tinghan: "Perhaps you can wait a moment. I'll go back and get a piece of paper and be right back."
Kwon Ji-yong simply said, "This is fine."
He has no interest in waiting.
Jiang Tinghan hadn't actually designed her own signature yet, so she just wrote "Coldy" in her usual handwriting, which was quite flamboyant and unrestrained. Since the first signature service had to be good, she asked, "Do you want a signature with something else?"
"To it, just write—"
Kwon Ji-yong grinned, his malicious intent finally fully revealed: "GD, G-Dragon."
Jiang Tinghan's hands moved faster than her brain; she had already written the two letters "GD." The next second, when she realized what had happened, her pupils dilated in shock.
"--ah?!"
But the man in front of her had already taken the phone back while she was distracted, and waved it casually in his hand, as if saying goodbye.
He then turned and left, leaving behind a still-joking remark: "This autograph will probably become very valuable in the future, I guess—ten thousand US dollars?"
Jiang Tinghan's heart skipped a beat, and his brain completely shut down.
Wait, wait, wait a minute!
Didn't Kong Yeon-seo mention before that G-Dragon was also filming in this building?
Jiang Tinghan quickly searched online for GD's latest photos and was shocked to find that the man who had walked away was the same person!
ah! ! ! ! !
You mean—she asked GD if he wanted her autograph?!
And that last ten thousand US dollars must have a deeper meaning, right? How could it be exactly ten thousand US dollars! Today, the term "ten thousand US dollars" appeared in—
GD overheard her conversation with Gong Yeon-seo?!
It's over.
Jiang Tinghan was struggling to breathe, as if the whole world had turned gray.
A top student in psychology who consistently ranked in the top three in GPA has suffered a major setback today. My alma mater, I'm so sorry!
A note from the author:
----------------------
Because the dragon's appearance is so varied, I still can't remember what it looks like. Today I'm crying. When I get back, I'll frantically study all the K-pop seniors.
The Smiths came; only you know my true, most authentic self.
Why does Dragon appear in Chapter 7? Because we need to time their meeting in Chapter 8 so he can have an impression of Coldy beforehand and pay more attention to him during their first encounter.
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