Chapter 36 Final Night (Part 1) Can I willingly lie down in the lyrics...?
When it came to finalizing the song choices for collaborating with the two incredibly talented mentors, Jiang Tinghan and the mentors faced a dilemma.
Everyone knows what fans want to hear, so they tend to choose from the two mentors' individual works, preferably those with high profiles. But then the problem arises: some song titles can't be played, some lyrics can't be played, especially some of Megan's very popular songs, the translations of which can't even appear on music platforms, and they're 100% sexually explicit.
Haha, what a mess this is!
After two days of discussion, they decided to combine Megan and Dualipa's hit single "Sweetest Pie" and CL's "Collapse" into a medley, and Jiang Tinghan volunteered to take on the production task.
Jiang Tinghan was completely stunned during the first rehearsal. The mentors' tone was too powerful. They looked relaxed, but the lyrics they sang were like bullets with their own lethality. Just standing there was like making a declaration of "I am the king".
Megan is 177cm tall, Jiang Tinghan is 173cm tall, and CL is 162cm tall. Standing together, they look a bit like WIF lights, so each of them has their own position. Megan had already sung this song on tour, and CL was also very familiar with it. Jiang Tinghan worked hard to keep up and practiced for three days, and the performance was basically completed. The speed was astonishing. The efficiency of working in your comfort zone is really fast.
The mentors don't have time to rehearse every day like the trainees; today is the last rehearsal before the final night.
That evening, the three of them gathered in front of the stage, which was only half-built, and chatted in English.
CL shivered and touched the fur on her coat: "It's really cold today, and it's snowing."
Meghan and CL were dressed similarly, both in dark mink coats: "On the way here, the heavy snow caused traffic jams and I almost arrived late, but luckily I made it in time."
CL: "What I hate most is the cold wind. It's not this cold when there's no wind."
She looked at Jiang Tinghan. The girl was wearing a long down jacket with fur trim on the hood, which looked very warm, like a thickly wrapped glutinous rice ball. However, she seemed a little absent-minded.
"What happened? Are you having problems with your solo performance?"
Jiang Tinghan suddenly woke up, tucked his hands into his sleeves, rubbed his face a couple of times, trying to clear his mind: "No, the solo went pretty smoothly, I was just thinking about some other things."
CL: "Don't let your personal matters affect the rehearsal. Besides this rehearsal, there's only one more before the performance, so cherish the opportunity."
Jiang Tinghan shook his head: "Don't worry, mentor, it won't happen."
Megan pulled her fur coat tighter around herself and said with an air of experience, "I've seen that expression all the time. Are you heartbroken? I look like that when I'm angry with a man."
CL raised an eyebrow. What did Kwon Ji-yong do this time?
Westerners tend to be more outspoken and unreserved in their speech. Jiang Tinghan looked up and scanned his surroundings, and only after finding no other staff members did he say, "It's not heartbreak."
“If it’s not heartbreak, then someone’s pursuing you. Girl, don’t worry about men at times like this, it’s not worth it,” Megan boldly said. “All crows are black.”
These Western divas understand relationships all too well. They also know that many girls who claim to be queens and manipulate others become love-obsessed once they get involved in a relationship, with terrible boyfriends and having one child after another, which has earned them a lot of public criticism.
Although I'm stuck in a quagmire myself, I'll try to persuade as many people as I can.
Jiang Tinghan pursed her lips and remained silent.
CL cursed Kwon Ji-yong inwardly for being immoral, choosing this moment to disrupt her trainees' mindset. The debut night was just around the corner, didn't he have any patience at all?
She bent down slightly, her long, golden hair falling against Jiang Tinghan's face. Her voice was low as she said in Korean, "Just follow your heart. If you want to refuse him, refuse him. He won't do anything about it. At most, he'll just cry for three days."
Jiang Tinghan looked up at CL with some surprise. She was being so clear. Did CL know who the other person was?
Oh right, Kwon Ji-yong used CL's invitation as an excuse to come to the second performance. Mentor CL must have been curious and asked why he came, since she heard that Kwon Ji-yong's mouth is never tight...
Jiang Tinghan clenched her fist, feeling that she had really been confused by Kwon Ji-yong; she had only just realized such a simple truth.
The thought that CL had known about her affair with Kwon Ji-yong all along, yet still maintained a normal attitude and communicated with her, made Jiang Tinghan feel a little suicidal again.
She took a deep breath, and her words became calm again: "Okay."
"Wow, this is a nice shot." Megan raised her phone and smacked the two people who were standing very close. When they noticed the sound and looked up, she snapped another picture.
The first photo had a good atmosphere, but the second photo turned into a blur, with faces stretched into thin, ghostly shadows, instantly turning the somewhat gloomy atmosphere into a cheerful one.
Jiang Tinghan, seeing that the rehearsal time was almost up, put Kwon Ji-yong out of her mind and said excitedly, "Mentors, let's take a group photo?"
Megan: "OK! Let the fuking jerk go!"
Jiang Tinghan's lips curled up slightly, and she exchanged a silent glance with CL, only to find that the other person was also secretly smiling.
They took several group photos and then had a perfect rehearsal.
Jiang Tinghan returned to her dormitory covered in snow and wind. She took a warm shower and posted several group photos taken with her phone on Instagram.
She came back early tonight because she had rehearsals. The other roommates were still working hard in the practice room, which saved Jiang Tinghan from making phone calls outside, lest she be overheard by another Coldy like Lin Zhixia did.
Unsure if the dormitory cameras were off or not, she hid in the bathroom, a sense of shame welling up inside her as she realized she was having an affair.
CL is right, she should listen to her heart more. She didn't know Kwon Ji-yong was in the audience the first two times, she only found out after it was over. The final night... she's not Bae Soo-min, she probably won't experience it twice, right? It's a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and if the senior who helped her so much was watching from the audience, she would be happy.
On the bright side, maybe her relationship with Kwon Ji-yong won't last until the paparazzi expose it? Besides, they haven't even started dating yet, so Jiang Tinghan feels that she doesn't need to be so hesitant and sentimental for the time being.
Although she is no longer in a dominant position, if she doesn't agree when Kwon Ji-yong actually confesses his feelings, Kwon Ji-yong can't force her; she still has the power to decide.
Let's lure Kwon Ji-yong over first; my own happiness is the most important thing.
"Beep beep—" The phone rang clearly in the quiet night. Jiang Tinghan had calmed down, but after answering the phone, he pretended to have a trembling voice, sounding very nervous: "Were you really not free that day? Was it...work?"
She had never spoken in such a nervous, reserved, and slightly shy tone before, and she was immediately impressed with her own acting skills.
Kwon Ji-yong on the other end of the phone seemed to chuckle twice: "Didn't I say that?"
"If you want me to come, I will come back."
Jiang Tinghan pursed his lips.
That old fox is really good at pretending. He's taking so many advantages for himself; he'll probably burst if he does.
Jiang Tinghan mentally considered several possible answers, and after reviewing them one by one, said, "I'll think about it."
"Oppa, I want you to come and see me."
Although Kwon Ji-yong's voice was still trying to sound mature and deep, his tone was noticeably brighter: "Then I will come to see it no matter what."
Jiang Tinghan immediately curled the corners of her lips, her tone still restrained and very cautious, as if afraid that Quan Zhilong would change his mind: "Okay."
"Beep beep—" The phone call ended.
Kwon Ji-yong stared blankly at the screen, thinking, "Seriously? He only replied with one word?"
He thought Jiang Tinghan would launch into a long explanation of her excitement, or realize he was teasing her and making her angry, but all he got was a light "okay".
The people he likes are different; they're not so easy to deal with.
But... it was my own choice~
Kwon Ji-yong was generally in a pretty good mood. He opened Instagram to do his usual homework review and scrolled through a couple of times before seeing Coldy's update.
Perhaps because he searches for Coldy so often, Coldy's own Instagram account frequently pushes information to him, saving him the trouble of actively searching for and stalking him.
It's a group photo of the three of them. They still look great even in down jackets, and they don't seem to be wearing much makeup—they look fresh and clean...
Kwon Ji-yong scrolled through the photos one by one, and after appreciating them, he swiped to the comments section and immediately saw two new photos. One of them was a blurry mess, but you could barely make out two pairs of eerie eyes, like two owls, which looked quite cute.
In the next photo, CL and Jiang Tinghan are very close, their faces almost touching. The latter even raises her bright, clear black eyes and looks intently at the former, her eyes sparkling.
Kwon Ji-yong: "..."
Who gave that permission?!
*
CL thinks Kwon Ji-yong is crazy. This guy messaged her at midnight saying that her dyed blonde hair doesn't match Coldy's look, and that the composition would look better if she was further away.
This person is jealous of everyone.
Of course, his deeper purpose was to subtly and overtly gather information about Coldy through their collaboration, but CL brushed it off with a laugh and didn't say a word.
"Oppa, just watch it for yourself at the event, don't ask me for spoilers." Annoyed by the questions, she threw down those words and hung up the phone.
"Hmph!" Kwon Ji-yong was a little annoyed. So what if he had to wait a few days? He could wait.
Before we knew it, the final night arrived.
Jiang Tinghan had taken half a day off the day before to pick up his father, and today, still worried, he called a car remotely to take him to the stadium entrance.
Family members have a reserved area, and the director might even cut to their shots. In addition, some eliminated contestants have returned to join in the fun, making the backstage area crowded.
Jiang Tinghan also had the opportunity to meet Kong Yanshu's mother, who looked like a business elite with a very strong aura, but was actually quite kind and gentle.
Kong Yeon-seo generously invited, "Coldy, would you like to visit my resort after the show ends?"
I recognize each word in "my... villa" but I don't recognize the whole thing when we put them together.
Jiang Tinghan smiled slightly: "Alright, let me broaden my horizons too."
Kong Yanshu was clearly pleased by the compliments, but still humbly replied, "It's alright. The villa isn't very big, and we can even pick grapes and make wine!"
"Yanshu, don't drink." Her mother patted her hand.
Kong Yanshu said coquettishly, "Mom, I'm already twenty years old! Drinking a little wine won't do any harm..."
The mother and daughter went off to chat.
Jiang Tinghan saw that it was almost time to go pick up his father when Lin Zhixia suddenly came over and said, "Let me go out with you."
Jiang Tinghan glanced at her: "Are you picking up your boyfriend?"
Lin Zhixia whispered, "I'm going to pick up my parents. Whatever, we broke up. Men are all the same."
Jiang Tinghan's gossip-loving spirit was somewhat piqued: "Hmm?"
Lin Zhixia rolled her eyes: "I activated that map couple mode with him. My parents were going to the airport, so I searched for it beforehand. When I logged in, I found that his location was unusual. He appeared in a massage parlor, and the reviews were all weird and obviously not legitimate."
“I confronted him directly, and he admitted it, saying some nonsense like he missed me too much and was too lonely and wanted someone to keep him company, so I dumped him.”
"Good kick." Jiang Tinghan clapped twice silently. "A man like that is definitely not someone you should keep."
"Sigh..." Lin Zhixia sighed. After talking for so long, she was also a little saddened by this sudden betrayal. "You foxy guy, Coldy, women really can't trust men too much. Be careful he doesn't lie to you too."
“Male celebrities can also play dirty tricks, especially the older ones. It’s easier to catch the younger ones, but the older ones can do it without leaving a trace. This is South Korea, and it would be even worse if they used their seniority to suppress you from speaking out.”
Jiang Tinghan blinked: "Hmm..."
"Don't be so skeptical. You seem to have never been in a relationship before, right? First love is the easiest time to get carried away with love." Lin Zhixia clapped her hands. "Your guy seems to be quite rich, right? Rich men are even more dangerous. You definitely need to go to the hospital for a thorough checkup."
In her words, the image of that old fox had become completely distorted, as if he had been pierced by countless arrows.
Jiang Tinghan looked at Lin Zhixia, who was still wearing that PMO beanie, and couldn't help but smile slightly. He didn't mean to help Quan Zhilong clarify, but instead echoed, "You're right. If anything seems amiss, you should get away immediately."
“That’s right!” Lin Zhixia wholeheartedly agreed. “There’s only zero times or countless times when it comes to sex. He’s been so brazen, it feels like this isn’t the first time. It’s disgusting. Luckily, we don’t have sex that often. But we’ll have to wait for the test results to see the specifics…”
Jiang Tinghan: "..."
"You don't need to talk to me about such private matters, do you?"
Her tone softened as she reassured her, "Don't worry, nothing will happen. HPV symptoms can appear within two to four weeks of exposure. You were exposed to the cold wind for so long that night and you didn't get sick. You're very healthy."
Lin Zhixia was somewhat surprised: "Coldy, you really know everything."
Jiang Tinghan: "I have done psychological research related to infidelity."
Lin Zhixia: "I almost forgot what you studied. Could you spare some time tomorrow to give me some advice? I'm really annoyed."
Jiang Tinghan nodded: "Okay, but you should focus on finishing today's performance first. There are so many debut spots available."
Lin Zhixia: "Let's cheer each other on!"
Jiang Tinghan parted ways with Lin Zhixia at the door and picked up his father. He was single and carefree, with a youthful mindset and a trendy style. He wore sunglasses, a dark green trench coat, and British boots. Although he was fifty years old, he looked like a handsome uncle.
"This brown hair looks pretty good," she commented quietly, looking at her father's slicked-back hair.
The old man stroked his hair, smugly saying, "Right? I think it's pretty good too!"
He looked Jiang Tinghan up and down: "Your pink hair... you must have bleached it, right? Isn't it damaging your hair? I just happened to buy XX brand shampoo, it's supposed to be very effective..."
"Stop," Jiang Tinghan interrupted him, "Dad, you just need to tell me whether it looks good or not."
Father: "Of course she's beautiful! How could my daughter not be beautiful! She doesn't look twenty-one at all; she looks as young as seventeen or eighteen."
Jiang Tinghan smiled and said, "There's not much difference between seventeen or eighteen and twenty-one."
Her phone suddenly vibrated twice, and she looked down to check it.
[AAA, the foolish, rich, and easily fooled tycoon: I've arrived (smiling)]
Oppa, I'm picking up my family.
[AAA, the foolish, rich, and easily fooled boss: I never said I wanted you to pick me up~ Good luck on stage!]
【Um】
[AAA, the foolish, rich, and easily fooled CEO: This coldness will hurt me.]
Oppa, my dad is right next to me, I'm already doing you a favor by replying.
As Kwon Ji-yong followed the staff into the lounge, he was startled when he saw the message. Wait a minute, Ting-han's father is coming.
Huh? It's progressed directly to meeting the parents?
Kwon Ji-yong couldn't help but feel a little nervous, and could only comfort himself that he might not even get to see her.
Fortunately, the sponsors' seats and the family seats were on opposite sides of the stage, and his seat was closer to the mentors' seats.
However, the players' seats were right next to the family seats, as if they were separated by a galaxy.
Kwon Ji-yong, his face propped up by a black mask, looked somewhat unhappy again.
Teddy wasn't wearing a mask, and after glancing around, he said, "It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen a small venue like this. The performance should be pretty good."
Kwon Ji-yong: "The equipment here is great, and the effects are amazing."
Teddy: Oh? Looks like G-Dragon has come here quite a few times?
Kwon Ji-yong took off his mask, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Only twice."
Teddy felt like he'd been shown up for no reason: "?"
Isn't twice enough?
The performance hadn't started yet, and the audience at the bottom of the stage were looking around. It was said that many celebrities had been invited to watch the final night, but it was unclear whether this was just hype or true.
The first row of sponsors consisted of older, successful business leaders; looking further up—
A man appeared in my field of vision. He wasn't particularly burly, but his clothes were unique, and he was wearing a baseball cap. The brim of the cap cast a shadow on his face, but his chin was clean-shaven. His black hair was gathered and fell behind his head, covering his dark blue tattoo, which looked like it was about to grow into a wolf's tail.
Wearing a loose striped shirt layered over a black suit jacket with daisy embroidery on the chest, and blue and white stripes peeking out from the hem to thigh length, the outfit looked very casual. She paired it with a pair of loose pink trousers, making for a very bold combination.
A rustling murmur arose from below: "Who's that?"
"He looks like a celebrity!"
"Huh? Is that GD? This outfit looks like him?"
"Right, right! That's GD's face!"
"You can feel how arrogant he is even from a distance..."
"Mom, these pink pants, the color combination is just too outrageous."
"This guy still loves dressing to make himself look shorter, haha."
"He's so handsome! Ahhhhh, GD actually came! Those people on the internet really guessed it."
"He's probably just here for the fun of it. He looks like he's wearing all casual clothes and no makeup. He probably won't go on stage."
"What a pity... I thought I'd actually get to see him on stage, but he's so fair-skinned in person..."
"The guy next to me seems to have quite a presence too?"
"Has GD been hanging out with Lee Joo-hyuk a lot lately? Could it be him?"
"It doesn't look like him, but he looks so familiar... Teddy, right? I think Teddy looks like this."
"Oh my god, really? They're all big shots!"
When you see a superstar in person, everyone screams. Countless phone cameras were pointed at Kwon Ji-yong, but he remained calm and composed.
When Kwon Ji-yong saw so many people taking pictures of him, he also picked up his phone and took a few photos of the venue, then took a picture of the light stick the production team had given him, and then took a picture of the cool balloon shoes he was wearing today. He then took several pictures of Teddy, like a curious child taking pictures of everything.
Before, I had to sneak around like a thief, but today I can finally be myself.
"Hey, hey, hey, you can just film yourself." Teddy zipped up his turtleneck to cover his face.
Kwon Ji-yong chuckled twice. Of course, he couldn't resist taking a selfie. He snapped two pictures of himself and sent them to Jiang Tinghan.
[Image][Image] Ready to go (V)
Jiang Tinghan was probably busy with makeup and going over the process, so she didn't reply for more than ten minutes.
Practice your selfie skills more.
[AAA, the foolish, rich, and easily fooled CEO: I think the filming is pretty cool.]
That means Oppa was mistaken.
Kwon Ji-yong sent two smiley faces, his eyes crinkling with laughter.
As the stage lights dimmed, the host appeared on stage with a bright smile: "Good evening, everyone in the audience! And to all our family and friends watching from your screens!"
"This is a live broadcast of the Shining World Global Finals Grand Finals, presented by Peaceminusone!"
The host's voice was filled with passionate energy: "Shining World—a world of brilliance. From the moment we embarked on this journey with this name, we made a joint promise: to find the next irreplaceable superstar for the world here!"
"Tonight is the moment to fulfill our promise! This stage has witnessed sweat, heard tears, and remembered every shining moment of self-breakthrough. And those who have emerged from thousands of competitors will gather all their light and heat tonight, not to light up the stage, but to illuminate your entire world!"
"The Shining World Global Finals are now open! Let's give a warm round of applause to welcome the contestants!"
Thirty contestants took the stage together and sang the theme song. The eliminated contestants also sang along from the family seats, which was quite touching.
It's ending so soon, I'm really a little reluctant to see it go.
Kwon Ji-yong kept his eyes fixed on Jiang Tinghan in the center. The bright lights, like moonlight, cascaded over her silver hair, making her the absolute center of attention, as if she were born to be the center of everyone's gaze. Even though the others were powerful and beautiful, their eyes were still firmly drawn to her, as if she possessed an invisible aura.
Her eyebrows were clean and neat, and her eyes were slightly upturned at the corners, giving her an indifferent and aloof air. Her eyes were dark and bright, like obsidian that had been soaked in spring water and washed clean. Her face was full of stories. Even with her long pink hair, she did not look sweet. She seemed to be a contradiction of coldness and lushness.
Kwon Ji-yong was very familiar with this aura. Through Jiang Tinghan now, he seemed to be able to see the superstar who would one day make waves on the world stage.
That's something to look forward to.
His gaze fell to his pink pants, and he immediately felt it was a coincidence; they hadn't discussed it beforehand.
Does this mean that Jiang Tinghan, like him, is also filled with sweet fluttering in her heart?
The opening ceremony was followed by the introduction of the mentors, and the contestants who had a collaboration stage quickly went backstage to change into their performance costumes.
Jiang Tinghan quickly changed her clothes. They were the second to perform. The first performance was "Good Boy," a collaboration between Gary, BewhY, Yoon Ji-chae, and Kim Seo-hee.
The performance of this song was authorized by YG Entertainment. I didn't tell Kwon Ji-yong, and he only found out now. As soon as he heard the familiar accompaniment, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.
He sat in the audience, watching others perform his songs, and thought of the 2014 MAMA and the SBS Gayo Daejeon stage where he collaborated with BewhY on "One Million Dollars." He felt a sense of disorientation.
Although Teddy's feelings weren't as profound as his, he couldn't help but sigh, "They're all OGs now..." (veterans)
“When you were a trainee, there wasn’t such a big stage.”
Kwon Ji-yong smiled casually: "Yes, times are progressing and conditions are getting better and better. I still remember when Winner debuted, they even invited me to be their mentor."
Teddy: "Wow... that was eight years ago, time flies."
"Watching them perform, I even wanted to go up and sing a song myself."
Hearing Teddy's slightly passionate tone, Kwon Ji-yong encouraged him, "Hiong, I support you!"
Teddy joked, "You have to go up there too."
Kwon Ji-yong waved his hand: "I'll pass, I haven't prepared anything."
Suddenly, a loud scream came from below. Kwon Ji-yong looked closely and realized that the stage had cut to a reaction shot of him.
When that familiar face appeared on the big screen, both the audience in the theater and those watching online cheered excitedly.
[Ahhhhh, it's been so long since I've seen GD live on camera! I really have to thank SW, he's changed so much, he's really settled down.]
[Sobbing, I thought I was used to it, but I still feel like crying for no reason when I see him.]
[I saw some fans blindly rushing to the final night, and they really made the right choice. Is this the power of South Korea's "white moonlight" (idealized idol)?]
The destructive power of first love is beyond your comprehension.
[Oh my god... They're singing "Good Boy" on stage right now, Oppa, don't you even have the slightest urge to go up and perform?]
I don't know why, but seeing this makes me so sad... It reminds me of the spirited G-Dragon.
[BewhY and CL have both worked with GD before. Now they're going to perform on stage, and GD is choosing to watch from the audience. It feels so melancholic. G-Dragon's true home is the stage.]
Believe in the power of belief! The charm of someone in their thirties is completely different from that of someone in their twenties! I think GD will definitely come back!
This scene is quite special and rarely happens. Kwon Ji-yong raised his phone and continued to take pictures. The performance was quite good. The two trainees even recreated the cool move of waving their hands and turning into slitting throats at the end, giving a neat ending.
In the shot, the four performers disappeared from the stage, while a figure slowly rose from the lift platform.
With pink hair, a black dress, fur coat, and high boots, her hair fluttered in the wind, revealing her snow-white and cold face. She took just one step forward, which triggered another huge scream.
When Jiang Tinghan opened his mouth, his voice was ethereal and sticky like never before heard, like chewing on a strawberry-filled chocolate, stimulating yet with a hint of sweetness.
"You've never been to heaven have you?"
You've never experienced the beauty of heaven, have you?
"Enjoy this ride of your life."
"Hold on because baby I might."
"I might just give you a bite of the sweetest pie."
She strode forward, her voice becoming more focused, not in a weak or ingratiating tone, but rather a dangerously seductive one. Between her flowing pink hair, two swaying ruby earrings shone brightly and dazzlingly.
"Ooo baby, we can go fast."
"I'm driving you just lay back."
"I got the flavor the lust."
The lyrics are full of metaphors, or even similes. Jiang Tinghan walked briskly to the front of the stage, holding the microphone in one hand, and sang very steadily without shaking at all. It even gave her a sense of superior control.
Both love and desire are under her control; one can only approach her with her consent.
"Yeah, the sweetest pie."
When she sang this line, Jiang Tinghan stopped and gave a clear wink to the camera and the audience.
A sly, triumphant smile flickered in those clear, cold eyes, as if asking, "Do you desire me?"
Do you long for me?
All the melancholy and sighs in Kwon Ji-yong's heart vanished in an instant, his whole heart was immersed in this new performance by Coldy, and he was reluctant to put his phone down.
He seems to be in heaven right now.
Could I volunteer to be the man lying down in the lyrics?
-----------------------
Author's note: I had to catch the high-speed train, so I packed my things and arrived late.
The temperature suddenly dropped; going outside is freezing! The weather is so unpredictable.
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