Chapter 18: If there's a third time, there will be a fourth (700, 800 as the end, ...).
Jiang Tinghan thought that Quan Zhilong must really like this phone case. It must have some special meaning to him, since he couldn't bear to change it even though it was all dirty.
I won't use that pen to sign next time. Why can't it be erased?
She quickly put the matter out of her mind, strictly forbidding herself from daydreaming in class, and temporarily ignoring everything unrelated to songwriting.
While helping Jiang Tinghan catch up on music theory, Kwon Ji-yong taught her how to compose a chord progression and how to build the framework and structure of a song based on chords. It was like teaching arithmetic and advanced mathematics at the same time, but his excellent student was able to keep up with the pace.
Jiang Tinghan would speak frankly when she didn't understand something, and she would immediately bring up any novel ideas she had. She didn't completely like Kwon Ji-yong's adaptation direction and style, so she would modify the melody according to her own preferences.
For example, Kwon Ji-yong changed "Polaris" to a dark ending, but she preferred a happy ending where she healed herself, which was her original intention.
Kwon Ji-yong really likes Jiang Tinghan's approach. He has many juniors who are called "Little GD", but his own aesthetic sense is very diverse, and he is not interested in "Little GD".
Learning to write songs begins with imitation, but the innovation and creativity that follow are what truly belong to you. Only by exploring and finding a path and style that suits you through imitation and practice can you become a true musician.
"Senior," Jiang Tinghan didn't know how long they had been chatting. Anyway, they had drunk more than half of the wine and almost finished the dishes in front of them, but the two of them were still in high spirits and showed no sign of ending the conversation.
"These are some melodies I wrote before."
“There was a section that was written for the rap part of ‘Physical’, but in the end, the beat written by another member of my team was used. I changed it again yesterday.”
Kwon Ji-yong looked down at the few sheets of paper that Jiang Tinghan handed him. Musical notes were flying all over the place, and there were cats and dogs drawn in the corners, just like the scratch paper used in school. It was rare to see such a traditional way of writing.
Although one area was blacked out, Kwon Ji-yong could still see the string of characters written underneath, but these were characters he didn't recognize and couldn't understand; he figured they must be Chinese characters.
Kwon Ji-yong asked, "What's written on this? Lyrics?"
Jiang Tinghan's expression stiffened for a moment. Those were her muttered thoughts when she was training to the point of collapse. Since she had accepted his gifts, she felt obligated to help him and couldn't lie to Kwon Ji-yong: "These are just my own thoughts, don't worry about them."
Kwon Ji-yong blinked his amber eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips, and a small bracket appeared on his cheek: "What does that mean? Can I know?"
Jiang Tinghan remained calm and said in a deep voice, "I'm so tired I want to jump into the Han River and let the flowing water take me home."
Saying this in a serious and earnest tone has a subtle sense of humor to it.
Kwon Ji-yong's smile deepened. He had a powerful aura when he wasn't smiling, but he softened when he smiled: "This line would be good as lyrics too."
"Senior, are you serious?" Jiang Tinghan's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
Kwon Ji-yong: "I don't usually joke around."
"Let's try putting the melodies you wrote into a song." He spread out a few sheets of paper and tapped them lightly with his finger. "This is the verse, the chorus, the rap, the chorus, and the bridge."
Jiang Tinghan didn't expect to be in actual combat training so soon, and immediately became eager to try: "We still need to add the intro and outro, and change the key of the chorus after the bridge."
Kwon Ji-yong praised him generously: "Yes, this is the most classic song structure, and you have mastered it."
He transferred the use of the iPad to Jiang Tinghan. The music production software was already open on the screen. Kwon Ji-yong had just taught her how to transcribe a song, "Lies," which made Bigbang a huge hit. It was a popular song that fit the general public's aesthetic, but because of Bigbang's unique style, it had more rap than other songs.
Jiang Tinghan first heard this song when she was in elementary school. Kwon Ji-yong was very popular when she was in elementary school, and now he is about to graduate from college, and he is still so popular. Senior GD is so popular for so long.
She touched the iPad and knew it was time for a quiz.
Her task was not only to copy the melody into the software, but also to select the appropriate instrument timbres and combine these different melodies into a song, which was full of difficulties.
Jiang Tinghan glanced at the empty wine glass again and found that Kwon Ji-yong's statement that "drinking inspires creativity" made a lot of sense. Right now, her brain, which was enveloped in alcohol, was unusually excited, as if something restless was about to break free of its restraints.
She took a deep breath and her fingers moved nimbly and smoothly across the software, almost without pausing to think. She had already figured out how to write the second sentence after finishing the first one.
The intro is hazy, with a deep and viscous bass and a guitar with a slightly raspy reverb. The melody is simple yet captivating, like being in a dimly lit room, drinking a golden and spicy liquor.
In the verse, the electric piano gradually enters, adding a touch of languor. The notes spread through the music like warm alcohol, and the drums beat one after another with an unsteady rhythm, sounding like someone who is drunk, making you involuntarily start nodding and swaying your head.
The sound of the electric guitar suddenly drowned out the piano, surging in like a tide and pushing the melody to a climax. It maintained a trace of restrained rationality on the verge of losing control, as if it were going crazy, or as if it were pouring out something.
The emotions are released and vented in the chorus, which sounds great and exciting, but somehow, a touch of sadness is also felt.
The second verse is prepared for rap. The melody is the same as the first verse, but a layer of rain sounds is added in addition to the main melody. The interlude also has several long sirens that sound like ambulances on the street outside, which sounds like a cry for help. It is beautiful and full of redemption.
Jiang Tinghan has already decided on a title—"Life is too tiring, you can jump into the Han River."
It tells the story of a corporate slave tormented by life who drowns his sorrows in alcohol. He left his hometown to work hard, but he didn't make a name for himself and struggled to make a living. He could only numb himself with alcohol, vent his frustrations by going crazy, and in his drunken state, he would miss his home thousands of miles away.
When Jiang Tinghan didn't know how to materialize the ideas in her mind, she would ask Quan Zhilong for help. While guiding her, Quan Zhilong would also optimize the melody at the beginning, leaving only the last chorus and outro. A brand new song was about to be born in the hands of the two of them.
"Alright." Kwon Ji-yong glanced at the time; it was already late at night. "If you don't go back soon, your roommate might call the police. We can talk about the rest tomorrow."
He pointed to the tablet: "You can take this back with you."
Jiang Tinghan looked up, somewhat confused: "Huh...?"
Are you really going to let her take it back so easily? Isn't there any privacy here?
Since that's the case, there shouldn't be any important secrets.
Her eyes flickered, and she said, "Okay, thank you, senior. I will bring the complete piece to see you tomorrow."
Kwon Ji-yong smiled again: "I'm looking forward to it, but let's get some rest first."
"Are you free to go back? I'll have my driver take you home first?"
"No need, senior, I'll just take a taxi," Jiang Tinghan politely declined.
As she stood at the restaurant entrance, watching the torrential rain pouring down, she slowly asked, "Senior, is it too late for me to change my mind?"
It was fine when I arrived, when did it start raining?
No wonder she heard a faint sound of rain in the private room; she thought it was because she had added rain sounds to the accompaniment.
Kwon Ji-yong couldn't help but smile, then composed himself and said gently, "Let me take you home first. It's raining and getting colder, so it'll be hard to get a taxi. You've been drinking, and I'm worried about you going home alone."
Jiang Tinghan's tone carried a hint of gratitude: "Thank you."
Kwon Ji-yong's Adam's apple bobbed, and he let out a low chuckle, his facial features softening as he teased, "Is it just a verbal thank you?"
Jiang Tinghan looked at herself, scanning herself up and down. She hadn't brought anything else with her today except for the gift. All she had in her bag were lipstick and loose powder for touch-ups. She couldn't very well give that away.
She touched the little bear charm on her phone case, realizing that this was the only gift she could give it, so she bent her finger to take it off.
Kwon Ji-yong noticed her action: "I was just kidding."
Jiang Tinghan put down her phone again, her tone calm but seemingly accusing: "I seem to remember you saying that you don't usually joke around."
Kwon Ji-yong smiled slyly: "That was just a joke."
“We should be closer now, so there’s no need to be so formal about saying thank you.” Kwon Ji-yong frowned, looking inexplicably pitiful and aggrieved. “The juniors always keep their distance from me, but I actually want to get along with you like friends of the same age. That way, I’ll feel younger too.”
Since he had said that, Jiang Tinghan couldn't bring himself to say anything like "no": "Yes, we're friends now, senior."
Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow: "Still call me 'senior'?"
Jiang Tinghan: "..."
She tentatively asked, "...GD oppa?"
Kwon Ji-yong showed a satisfied expression: "It sounds like I've gone back to being twenty years old."
Jiang Tinghan thought to himself, "So even senior GD has age anxiety."
Kwon Ji-yong's driver had already driven the car to the door and even got out to hold an umbrella to greet him. When he saw the girl next to Kwon Ji-yong tugging at his fur collar for warmth, the driver was stunned.
Is this the girl the boss mentioned in the message?
Wearing a wool hat and a mask, her face was obscured, but she had a great figure and a refined air, clearly a beauty.
The driver was obviously there to serve the boss, so he handed the umbrella to Jiang Tinghan and prepared to hold it himself to escort Quan Zhilong to the car.
But as soon as Jiang Tinghan opened the umbrella, Quan Zhilong had already smoothly stood under it, and the two of them stood on the steps together, looking at the driver below.
The driver suddenly felt like he was being superfluous.
Sharing an umbrella meant getting very close. Aside from her family, Jiang Tinghan had never been this close to any other man before, so she felt a little uncomfortable and shrugged, but didn't know what to say.
Raindrops pattered against the umbrella, and Jiang Tinghan's nose was filled with the damp smell of rain and the strong scent of perfume that remained even in the heavy rain. He couldn't help but quicken his pace, wanting to get rid of this discomfort as soon as possible.
Kwon Ji-yong's voice was somewhat muffled by the sound of rain: "I've seen that video of you holding an umbrella."
Jiang Tinghan thought for a moment, and realized that it was Pei Xiuwen who had forced her way in.
Did she open her umbrella and create a domain? Why are so many people trying to crawl under her umbrella?
No, this isn't her umbrella either.
Jiang Tinghan looked at the umbrella handle and recognized the logo at the bottom as belonging to Lamborghini. The driver had also brought a black Lamborghini. It was said that this umbrella cost 100,000 yuan.
The evil rich...
Except for GD, who taught her so much.
"I heard that the umbrella you had back then sold out later?"
Jiang Tinghan said calmly, "It's made up online. That umbrella is a very common style. We can produce as many as needed, and it's always in high demand."
Kwon Ji-yong laughed again: "You really are honest."
Jiang Tinghan: "Those who are greedy for vanity will suffer even more when the truth is revealed."
She's only 21 years old, yet she sees things so clearly.
Kwon Ji-yong turned his head to look at the girl beside him. The rain was kept out by the umbrella, but the sound of rain continued, as if Jiang Tinghan was the only person left in the world.
Today, Kwon Ji-yong kept calling Jiang Tinghan "you," as he hadn't yet figured out how to address her.
The girl's face remained clear in the darkness, her raven feathers fluttering beneath her wispy bangs, and her phoenix eyes shining brightly like spring sunshine.
Looking further away, you can see a glistening drop of water falling from the tip of the umbrella rib, chasing after a puddle on the ground, creating tiny ripples.
Kwon Ji-yong opened the car door first, sat in the back seat, and then turned his gaze to Jiang Tinghan as if he had a tracking device on him.
The other person had already closed her umbrella and sat down. Her antique-style black jacket made her beautiful face appear even paler and colder. She always seemed expressionless, so even a slight smile was enough to captivate her.
Jiang Tinghan secretly complained about this Rolls-Royce umbrella; the straight-handled, long umbrella was extremely inconvenient to fold up, and it left his hands wet.
The driver waited outside the car door: "Miss, just give me the umbrella."
Jiang Tinghan handed the umbrella to the driver: "Thank you for your help."
Rolls-Royce umbrellas come with an automatic drying system, but the dedicated slots are located in the front seats, a design intended to allow the driver to serve passengers.
She watched as the driver walked around to the driver's seat, put the umbrella back, and then began to look around the car. It must be a custom-made one, with elements of missing petals and daisies. Kwon Ji-yong had been very easygoing in their previous encounters, and the restaurant wasn't particularly high-end. Now she finally realized just how rich Kwon Ji-yong was; it was as if money was radiating from every corner.
We were originally from two different worlds, but we unexpectedly became close, which seems incredible.
Jiang Tinghan was looking around aimlessly when suddenly his eyes met those of Kwon Ji-yong, who was also in the back seat.
The other person smiled at her and said, "Tinghan, I reckon it will be very cold tomorrow. You should wear more clothes; dancers' knees need to be well protected."
His gaze was tolerant, his tone caring, and his words sincere, just like that of an older brother who cared deeply for her.
But only a few minutes later, "you" became the affectionate "Tinghan".
Jiang Tinghan's heart skipped a beat, and he felt slightly flustered, as if he had fallen into some kind of trap.
In just one meal, how did they go from being relatively unfamiliar colleagues to close friends, as if they had ulterior motives towards her?
They genuinely only talked about music, without any inappropriate words or actions.
Jiang Tinghan opened his mouth, but couldn't say "okay".
She suddenly remembered that she originally intended to send the gift to Kwon Ji-yong and hadn't planned to meet him in person. Kwon Ji-yong was the one who invited her to dinner, and he also suggested meeting her tomorrow. There will always be a next time.
Jiang Tinghan wasn't oblivious either. She re-examined Quan Zhilong's eyes but couldn't discern the meaning behind "I want to woo you." His gaze was so profound that she couldn't see through it.
It seemed as if her thoughts had been completely seen through, because Kwon Ji-yong was still smiling.
"I'll wear a down jacket tomorrow," Jiang Tinghan replied quickly, then immediately picked up her phone and started tapping away haphazardly, until the tablet in her bag seemed to get hot to the touch.
She had already accepted the invitation for tomorrow and wouldn't go back on her word, but she would have to keep her distance afterward. She wasn't sure what Kwon Ji-yong's feelings were for her, but she felt a sense of danger.
But it would be terrible to just use and then throw it away. Shouldn't she repay him before drawing a clear line? But she's just an ordinary trainee, what could she possibly give back to satisfy Kwon Ji-yong?
Jiang Tinghan finally understood that Quan Zhilong was good to her, but the better he was to her, the more deeply they were bound together. She wasn't ungrateful, and she couldn't just say goodbye after receiving so much kindness.
Teaching her to write songs was a completely open scheme.
Looking at Kwon Ji-yong's smile now, it seems to have a deeper meaning, like that of a cunning fox.
Jiang Tinghan could only convince herself that Quan Zhilong probably only saw her as a younger sister. He probably had many female friends who were close to him, including their CL mentor. Maybe this senior liked to take on adopted sisters.
"Oh right, I almost forgot." Kwon Ji-yong leaned forward, picked up a bag from the passenger seat, and placed it between himself and Jiang Tinghan.
"This is a return gift. The medicated oil is for treating sprains and bruises, and the muscle patch can relieve muscle fatigue. I used to use them often, and they were both very effective."
Jiang Tinghan smiled slightly: "No need, Senior GD, you should keep it for yourself."
Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow. He's back to being a senior again, which was expected.
He pretended not to understand Jiang Tinghan's refusal: "Should I keep it? But it seems even less useful to me. I don't need to practice dancing right now."
Jiang Tinghan felt that this senior was really a bit shameless: "Then please create demand yourself, senior. Your fans should be looking forward to G-Dragon's solo comeback activities."
Find something to do, GD senior!
Solo, that's a very distant word.
The last time I played a solo game was in 2017, which is more than five years ago.
Kwon Ji-yong lowered his eyes and chuckled softly: "Yes, we already have a preliminary plan."
There are only two months left until 2023, and he plans to make a comeback in 2023.
Jiang Tinghan was taken aback, and for a moment he doubted his own ears.
That's how she heard the inside story?
GD's solo comeback will shake up the entire K-pop scene.
“Well…” Jiang Tinghan hesitated for two seconds, “Senior, keep it up! Your fans will be very happy.”
Kwon Ji-yong: "Yes, I have to do a good job. My fans have been waiting for me for so long, I can't just release an album that disappoints them."
"But Coldy, you should still accept it. I have many more at home, and it really works quite well. Minor injuries will feel better in less than a day, and the soreness will be greatly reduced."
He also chose to back down in terms of address, no longer pushing his luck.
Jiang Tinghan glanced cautiously at Quan Zhilong, feeling somewhat tempted. Quan Zhilong might have been a sales assistant in his past life; he was so good at treating her symptoms. She was living a life tormented by muscle soreness every day.
"Then thank you—" Jiang Tinghan looked at Quan Zhilong's slightly teasing eyes, but changed his mind after saying that, "Then I'll accept it."
Kwon Ji-yong smiled and said, "Okay—"
It only took about thirty minutes to get back to the dormitory at Shining World, but it felt like an eternity to Jiang Tinghan. Just then, the car stopped, and the rain stopped too.
Jiang Tinghan quickly opened the car door, left a message saying, "Goodnight, senior," and then hurried away.
The car door slammed shut, and Kwon Ji-yong collapsed onto the back seat without any regard for his image.
Tinghan is too perceptive. He's currently very innocent and doesn't want to pursue her. He just wants to get closer to her. He taught her how to write songs purely to see what kind of works she could produce. He didn't expect that she would still notice.
We were just sharing an umbrella...
Kwon Ji-yong was having a bit of a headache, already anticipating how difficult it would be to win Jiang Tinghan's heart after her debut.
*
"So you've finally decided to come back?" Putuo Qian lay on the bed, watching Jiang Tinghan, who opened the door and came in, radiating coldness.
She picked up her phone and glanced at it: "It's only three in the morning, earlier than I expected."
"What...?" Jiang Tinghan placed the tablet and a bag of medicine on the table, then slumped into a chair, completely exhausted.
"Do you know how panicked I was when I saw you hadn't come back by midnight? I realized I hadn't reminded you to take precautions."
Jiang Tinghan's face darkened: "Putuo Qian, I know we have cultural differences, but I don't like jokes like this."
Putuo Qian apologized at lightning speed, making a gesture as if she were sewing her mouth shut: "Okay, it was my fault, I won't say it again."
Jiang Tinghan took a shower, trying to wash away his unease, but it was no use. When he came out again, Putuo Qian had already buried her head in the quilt and seemed to be asleep.
It seems he waited until now because he was worried about her.
A warm feeling washed over Jiang Tinghan. He took his tablet and went outside. It was frustrating to only finish half of his homework, so he decided to finish it in one go.
She quickly finished composing the entire song and moved on to writing the lyrics. It must be said that she was truly inspired today.
The skies I drew as a child were always Van Gogh-colored.
Now the palette is just a gray blur.
I once wrote poems on the back of the clouds.
Now they are all submerged in the gaps between office buildings.
I've had enough of this boring, tedious job, this unproductive life, this shitty world!
If life is too tiring, go jump into the Han River and wash all this shit away!
Don't tell me the future will be better! My future is Fucking Today!
Life's too tiring, just jump into the Han River! Say goodbye to this rotten world!
Wandering between the subway and the Dusk Line, like a ghost.
If this continues, I feel like I'm going crazy.
Forget about dreams, they can't even make a basic living.
All I see are other people's glamorous lives.
What did I do wrong that made me look so pathetic?
Sometimes I really don't want to become anything.
I just want to bury myself in the blankets and sleep forever.
People always say, "Just hang in there a little longer, just a little more patience."
Now, these words sound like nothing more than empty comfort.
Jiang Tinghan then changed the subject, writing, "But... I don't want to die weak and powerless. I miss my distant hometown and my parents."
If life gets too tiring, just head home along the Han River!
Let the flowing water carry away all my pain before it reaches the estuary.
I want to be healthy, I want to live, I want to be carefree!
If life is too tiring, just go home along the Han River!
What I'm clutching in my hand is a faded ship ticket.
Let the child within me not blame me for being ordinary.
I have spent my entire life trying to swim into her dream.
Jiang Tinghan picked up the tablet, his legs were a little numb from squatting, and when he stood up to go back, he heard a faint sob.
Then came a sorrowful "I miss you so much..."
The person was speaking Chinese, with a sweet Taiwanese accent. Jiang Tinghan quickly recognized who it was: Lin Zhixia, who had filmed an advertisement with her before.
Is this girl homesick just like her?
"Kiss? No way! Didn't we just kiss? How many more kisses do you want?"
"Of course I love you, and I really want to go back to see you soon, but I want to debut and I don't want to be eliminated. I heard from the young lady in my dorm that twenty people will be eliminated in the second performance. The popularity vote for the first performance has ended, and I'm ranked thirty-eighth. It's so dangerous. I don't know if I can team up with Yoon Ji-chae this time."
"Aren't you doing social media lately? You could try leaking some information about the competition format on Twitter. Who knows, you might even get some traffic. Miss said that the solo stage has been changed to a collaboration stage this time, and it seems that they're going to invite guest stars, but I don't know the specifics. Try posting it and see if it works."
"Don't worry, she won't be able to find me. She's already told countless people."
Jiang Tinghan squatted down again, raised an eyebrow. This didn't sound like family. Did she already have a boyfriend before even debuting? It sounded rather cheesy.
It turns out that Lin Zhixia was on the same team as Yin Zhicai in the first round, but she didn't pay attention to it.
My impression of Lin Zhixia was that she wasn't very noticeable, but I didn't expect her to talk so much. It turns out she has a rather lively personality, after all, she also has a sweet face.
"Sigh, I really think it's so unfair. I don't know why Coldy from mainland China is so popular. I was completely unmoved after watching her performance. Our group clearly performed better, but we lost the vote twice! Yet, her fans probably made up half the audience. This isn't about talent; it's about who has more fans. I hate it so much..."
"Yeah! She hogged all the traffic from that ad! Even Yoon Ji-chae didn't get any benefit. Our young lady is stupid to hire someone to steal her attention. I don't understand what she's thinking."
"But she can be quite clever sometimes. Didn't I tell you? It was because of the crystal ball that Miss and our German roommate got into a conflict. I don't know what she did, but they were arguing fiercely, and then our roommate actually apologized! I was thinking that since the two of them weren't very close, and Yoon Ji-chae wasn't very sociable, I was the person in the dorm who was closest to Miss. Who would have thought that she would go looking for Coldy every day? It's her again! Why is she always haunting us!"
Jiang Tinghan listened to her words, which were laced with resentment and bitterness, but his heart remained unmoved.
When she first went to film, she felt that Lin Zhixia's attitude towards her was so-so, and Lin Zhixia was assigned the most mundane work theme, which must have made her feel unbalanced.
It's already 5 a.m., and Lin Zhixia probably didn't expect that there would still be people wandering around outside at this hour.
It's okay, Jiang Tinghan is very magnanimous and won't care if someone secretly insults her.
Jiang Tinghan thought this as he pressed the pause button on the recording after Lin Zhixia left.
She didn't know why, but as soon as she heard "Coldy," her hand automatically pressed the record button.
Mia, I forgot to turn off the automatic recording function.
*
When Jiang Tinghan woke up, she received a message from Quan Zhilong. The meeting place today was not the restaurant yesterday, but an office building.
When Jiang Tinghan arrived, she found that it was a private studio with very complete recording equipment, even more luxurious than the recording studio she had seen at the black factory last time.
Kwon Ji-yong was the only person in the entire studio. Today, he was wearing an oversized sweater, the red and white color making him look very fair-skinned, like a friendly older brother next door.
Jiang Tinghan noticed that every time she saw Quan Zhilong, his outfit was different. The first time, he had a homeless and haggard artist look; the second time, he had a simple and low-key look; and the third time, he had a youthful look.
However, his mental state is improving day by day, which is quite gratifying.
Kwon Ji-yong looked up and saw the girl wrapped in a down jacket. His lips immediately curled up. She was actually wearing one.
As soon as he saw Jiang Tinghan, he naturally led her to the equipment: "Let me introduce you to what these devices are. You can use them later."
Strangely enough, Kwon Ji-yong usually lives on Southern Hemisphere time while in the Northern Hemisphere, sleeping during the day and being energetic at night. But for today's meeting, he went straight to sleep as soon as he got home in the early hours of the morning, and his insomnia did not flare up.
It turns out that adjusting your sleep schedule is such a simple thing.
Jiang Tinghan politely greeted him with "Good afternoon, senior," and then skillfully entered a state of listening to the lecture.
After listening, Kwon Ji-yong wanted to do a spot check, and she repeated almost exactly what Kwon Ji-yong had just said, earning him the evaluation of "very good".
Jiang Tinghan suddenly had a whimsical thought: Could Senior GD be considered a "mysterious senior who popped out of the spirit ring to give her a secret manual"? She had just left the newbie village and already encountered a big shot who could help her level up like a rocket; she was truly lucky to be an SSS-level player.
She suddenly remembered Lin Zhixia's words about "inviting guest stars." Was this the time to test her connections?
Jiang Tinghan turned her gaze to Quan Zhilong, then looked away.
She couldn't possibly invite this person, nor could she possibly get him to come; it's been so long since GD has been on stage.
Kwon Ji-yong, of course, noticed her gaze and teased, "What are you looking at me for?"
He touched his chin: "Did I not shave properly?"
Jiang Tinghan retorted, "Shouldn't you look at the teacher during class?"
Kwon Ji-yong leaned back lazily in his seat: "But Coldy, you didn't even glance at me much before this."
Jiang Tinghan looked at all the equipment, but barely looked at him; instead, he kept staring at her.
Jiang Tinghan pursed his lips, a hint of guilt flashing across his face, before he said confidently, "Actually, I've been watching you out of the corner of my eye the whole time, but you just didn't notice."
Kwon Ji-yong found it somewhat amusing, and asked with interest, "Really?"
Jiang Tinghan remained expressionless: "Yes."
Kwon Ji-yong slightly curved the corners of his mouth: "Then let's just say that."
Jiang Tinghan corrected: "It's not 'when,' it's just the truth."
Kwon Ji-yong recalled praising the boy for being honest just in the early hours of the morning, only to find him lying through his teeth now. He never thought he would be so wrong.
However, based on his life experience, he has actually misjudged many days.
Jiang Tinghan wanted to quickly move on from this topic, so she immediately took out her tablet and played the arranged music.
When this careless senior handed her the tablet, he didn't tell her the password. She tried 888888 and 880818 herself, and it turned out to be the latter.
Kwon Ji-yong only remembered this when he saw Jiang Tinghan entering the password, and immediately sat up straight: "Mianye, it was my oversight."
"You can also register your fingerprint, which will make it easier to turn on the phone."
If a relationship can be recorded with fingerprints, then it must be very intimate.
Jiang Tinghan glanced at Quan Zhilong out of the corner of her eye, but still couldn't detect any ambiguity in his expression or eyes. Instead, he looked serious and earnest, as if he hadn't noticed anything wrong with what Quan Zhilong had said.
Jiang Tinghan recalled the long list of rumored girlfriends that would automatically pop up whenever someone typed "Kwon Ji-yong" or "G-Dragon," and she couldn't believe that Kwon Ji-yong was such an innocent person.
It's probably an act.
She recalled how Lin Zhixia sweetly and coquettishly acted towards her boyfriend yesterday. Although she probably wouldn't act like that even if she were in a relationship, she couldn't help but feel a chill: "No need, senior, entering a password will only take a few seconds."
Kwon Ji-yong didn't insist: "Alright then."
He had seen online that when couples register their fingerprints, each person presses their own fingerprint, and eventually it becomes a couple's fingerprint. There's a chance that both of them can open the app, or there's a chance that neither of them can open it.
He was quite interested in giving it a try.
"Let's listen to the song you wrote." Kwon Ji-yong took the tablet. "Coldy, just sing along with the accompaniment."
Jiang Tinghan: "Okay."
The accompaniment, filled with resentment, unwillingness to be mediocre, and extremely emotional, begins, with the electric guitar playing throughout. Until the last chorus, it is like a shout and insult against a bullshit life. Occasionally, there will be a few beats out of tune, which is a clever little trick designed by Jiang Tinghan to express drunkenness.
Towards the end, the electric guitar became warm again. It was Jiang Tinghan's first time singing this song, and she didn't sing it very well, but she managed to sing it completely on time.
After listening to her song, Kwon Ji-yong clapped loudly, saying, "Coldy, I like your song."
Jiang Tinghan's heart felt like it was on a rollercoaster, rising sharply and then plummeting rapidly. The words "I like you" startled her, and now she was a little neurotic because of Quan Zhilong.
Kwon Ji-yong chuckled to himself, then continued, "This doesn't sound like something a beginner would write. The lyrics are very realistic, like a poem in the style of realism. Do you like rock music?"
Jiang Tinghan thought to himself, "Of course it doesn't look like a beginner's work. Isn't there even some of GD's handiwork in it? Jack Ma and I can also have assets of over 100 million each."
Upon hearing the description "realist poetry," the corners of her mouth subtly turned up slightly—so slightly that it was almost imperceptible unless one looked closely.
"I like Queen, Linkin Park, and X-Japan."
“No wonder, it has a really authentic rock vibe.” Kwon Ji-yong smiled slightly. “If there’s a chance, I might be able to introduce you to Yoshiki.”
Yoshiki Hayashi, a member of X-Japan.
Big Brother Ji Zhaigen, with his extensive network of connections, has arrived.
Jiang Tinghan knew she could no longer have a future with Kwon Ji-yong, and said with a heavy heart, "Actually, I think it's better to keep your distance from your favorite idol."
Kwon Ji-yong looked at Jiang Tinghan sitting next to him. Didn't this mean that he wasn't her favorite idol?
Then let's try our best to become one.
After he persuaded Jiang Tinghan to go in and spend two whole hours recording, he came up with another crooked idea: "Want to choreograph a stage while you're at it? There's a practice room next door."
Kwon Ji-yong's words were always very tempting to Jiang Tinghan. She was like a snake whose vital point had been grasped, and she couldn't defeat him no matter how hard she tried.
What a trainee longs for most is a stage to hone their skills, even if it's just for their own amusement.
"good!"
The practice room is very large. In addition to a full-wall mirror, there are also very exquisite murals on both sides, which are full of artistic atmosphere.
Kwon Ji-yong: "You guys should have a collaboration stage later, right? How about we choreograph a duo stage?"
Jiang Tinghan: "..."
This can't be right, can it? Could it be that Kwon Ji-yong is the one with the precognitive system?!
But practicing a duet stage with GD in advance is a lucrative opportunity!
“GD senior, I’ll sing from here to here. You come in from the second rap section. I’ll sing this pre-chorus line, and you sing the last chorus. Is that okay?” Jiang Tinghan assigned the parts almost without thinking.
Quan Zhilong's voice rose slightly at the end: "Yes, sir."
The empty practice room became a small stage, with the incandescent light above acting as a spotlight. In front of them was a dusty camera that had been pulled out from the corner, but after the two of them sought help from the all-powerful internet and fiddled with it, it was still working properly.
Jiang Tinghan stepped into the frame first, keeping time with the background music, and began a fake guitar performance while holding a guitar model in her arms.
She was curious why there were no real electric guitars here, but there were fake ones, and they looked so dilapidated, as if they had been smashed and patched up with wooden boards.
As it turned out, Kwon Ji-yong told her that he was the one who smashed it. Bigbang had a song where they needed to smash a guitar during a stage performance, and one of their fans, Kwon Ji-yong, really liked it. So after the performance, he collected it, repaired it, and kept it as a treasure.
Little Pink is already ten years old this year.
The ten-year-old antique felt very light in my arms; it was hollowed out inside, and the strings were made of ordinary white yarn.
As Jiang Tinghan played with her knitting, she sang in a melancholic yet lighthearted tone: "The skies I painted as a child were always Van Gogh's colors, but now my palette is filled with nothing but a hazy gray..."
Kwon Ji-yong leaned against the wall, quietly admiring the scene.
The last time he stepped into the practice room was in April. He went to YG to practice dancing a few times. The lighting at YG was yellowish. Today, the lighting was very bright, so bright that he couldn't help but want to close his eyes, but he couldn't bear to.
After finishing his meal, he took the wine bottle and its packaging home. After examining them for a while, he discovered that although Jiang Tinghan had said he used super glue, some small parts could be removed. Once removed, there was a line of numbers underneath.
Take down the apple, it's 1988; move the grass, it's 1994; push the flower away, it's 2001; lift up the bottom star, it's 2006; many stars after that have numbers, from 2007 to 2022, and several stars have nothing written on them.
Kwon Ji-yong speculates that the number 1988 represents his birth, 1994 represents his debut at the age of six, the beginning of his growth, 2001 represents his arrival at YG Entertainment, and the beginning of a path he could not have imagined, 2006 represents his debut as the leader of Bigbang, becoming one of the stars in the K-pop scene, and the star without a number represents the future.
Although not particularly glamorous, these numbers encapsulate Kwon Ji-yong's 34 years of life—simple yet profound, striking a chord deep within.
The hardworking trainee in front of him made him momentarily see himself seventeen or eighteen years ago, when he was also full of enthusiasm and threw himself into practice, writing songs, practicing vocals and rap, and dancing non-stop every day.
It's not that he doesn't get tired, it's just that his competitive nature makes him unwilling to admit defeat. Jiang Tinghan is probably the same, otherwise he wouldn't have written such a humorous yet bitter title as "If life is too tiring, go jump into the Han River".
They were all striving to be number one. Every time he saw her, like a sponge eagerly absorbing all knowledge and turning it into nourishment for herself, Kwon Ji-yong was dazzled by the brilliance of her life and glimpsed the most essential and moving beauty of existence.
This song has no official choreography. The girl took off her heavy down jacket, carrying her battered little pink gun, and flew around the stage like a nimble little bird. Her powerful and seemingly heartfelt words, "I'm fed up with this boring and tedious job, this mediocre life, this shitty world!" sounded like a parrot learning to swear and cursing in the street.
As Jiang Tinghan walked around to him, Kwon Ji-yong pointed to the small pink guitar model and then made a throwing motion.
Jiang Tinghan wasn't sure if she had seen it wrong and almost missed the chorus. Kwon Ji-yong then did the lifting and throwing motion again, which made Jiang Tinghan take a deep breath.
Her voice was full of explosive power, soaring to a high note in no time, and the speed of her strumming on the guitar strings increased rapidly, as if even her movements were brimming with surging passion: "If life is too tiring, go jump into the Han River, wash all this sht away!"
Don't tell me the future will be better! My future is Fucking Today!
Let's get through today first, then we'll talk about tomorrow!
Jiang Tinghan let her voice flow freely and sang with great enthusiasm. Even with only one audience member, she still gave it her all, delivering a performance that was completely unprepared, free, and unrestrained.
With her final words, "Life is too tiring, so go jump into the Han River! Say goodbye to this rotten world!" she steeled herself, lifted the little pink toy, and slammed it down onto the floor.
I'm sorry, little pinkie, your owner told me to do this.
With a "bang," the already precarious little pink building shattered, all the small wooden boards splintering and splintering, like a strange flower in full bloom.
Tiny wood chips flew past her eyes. Jiang Tinghan shook her numb hand. Perhaps humans are inherently destructive. After smashing Little Pink, she felt an unprecedented sense of relief and liberation.
Kwon Ji-yong gasped slightly, looked down at the back of his hand, and saw a thin bloodstain between the metacarpal bones of his index and middle fingers; he had been accidentally injured.
Jiang Tinghan keenly heard his inhalation, looked up, and immediately stopped giggling.
Holy crap!
She quickly stepped over the small shards of debris, making sure she didn't step on the wreckage, and then rushed to Kwon Ji-yong's side: "GD sunbaenim!"
Jiang Tinghan reached into her pocket and pulled out a Hello Kitty Band-Aid. The wound on the back of her neck hadn't fully healed, so she carried a Band-Aid with her, which came in handy.
"Mian! I didn't control my strength..."
“It’s nothing,” Kwon Ji-yong looked at the wound on the back of his hand, then suddenly grinned and revealed a bright smile. “It felt pretty good.”
Jiang Tinghan: "...?"
GD senior...do you have this kind of fetish?
He took the band-aid from Jiang Tinghan's hand, tore it off and put it on the wound, then raised his hand and gently kissed it before walking to the center of the practice room, where the camera was pointing directly at him.
The first rap was interrupted by the previous interlude, and the accompaniment floated by without any sound. As soon as Kwon Ji-yong started speaking, he seamlessly continued with the second rap.
"Sometimes I really don't want to become anything. I just want to bury myself in the blankets and sleep forever. People always say, 'Just hang in there a little longer, just a little more patience,' but now those words just sound like empty comfort."
Kwon Ji-yong should have had nothing to do with the word "mediocre," but he really sang about that deep decadence, self-loathing, numbness and pain. He clearly wanted to cry, but in the end he could only sigh, as if he had really been trapped in that state before.
When Jiang Tinghan first saw Quan Zhilong rap live, just a few lines were enough to completely immerse her in the experience. It felt as if her heart had been squeezed by a giant hand, giving her a suffocating feeling like drowning in the cold, damp depths of the sea.
When she was making that gift, she didn't actually read through Kwon Ji-yong's entire life story; she only looked at a few key moments. Because he had experienced so much, even a cursory glance would make it seem like a legend.
With sixteen years of experience since her debut, her stage presence is truly exceptional.
Jiang Tinghan suddenly felt that all the stages she had watched in the first performance had become ordinary. There was no makeup or styling, no practice, and she only sang once. Kwon Ji-yong just walked on stage like this, simple and clean, but that was enough. He could pull people into the gloomy world he wanted to express in a second.
Just as the oppressive silence was about to engulf everything, Jiang Tinghan's clear and firm voice broke through the fog like a beam of light, illuminating the darkness: "But... I don't want to die weak and powerless. I miss my hometown and my parents far away."
Kwon Ji-yong's voice switched instantly, taking on a warmth like the passing of winter and the arrival of spring, as if hope was rising with a beam of light: "If life is too tiring, just go home along the Han River! Let the flowing water carry away all my pain before I reach the estuary!"
He improvised, turning the chorus into a melodic rap: "Yeah...flowing downstream, it will pass the sandbar of my childhood, through all the neon lights and skyscrapers of this city, and finally flow into my mother's heart."
This song is about missing the warmth of home while working away from home. In a way, it really resonates with Kwon Ji-yong. He left home to perform on stage when he was six years old, and rarely went home when he was young. He has experienced this feeling of longing many times. It always feels bittersweet, on his nose, in his eyes, and in his heart.
Jiang Tinghan had originally planned to improvise a soft harmony, but when Quan Zhilong changed his tune, she didn't know what to do and could only watch.
Kwon Ji-yong turned around, met her eyes, and blinked gently.
Jiang Tinghan received the signal, counted the beats, and sang the last verse almost simultaneously with Kwon Ji-yong: "Life is too tiring, so let's go home along the Han River! What we hold in our hands is a faded boat ticket."
Their voices, like a hot river and a cold river, converge perfectly at the mouth of the Han River.
"Don't blame me for being ordinary, my childhood self." Kwon Ji-yong shut his mouth for this line, leaving Jiang Tinghan to sing it alone.
Then, facing Jiang Tinghan, gazing into those bright, clear eyes brimming with youthful energy, he finally stopped suppressing his voice and sang in his most original, purest tone, somewhere between a child's and a mature voice:
"I have spent my whole life just to swim back into your dreams."
Gentle, sincere, and affectionate, I almost thought he was confessing his love.
But as the last note faded, Kwon Ji-yong stepped back and said, "I look forward to the day you bring this song to the stage."
When Jiang Tinghan got back, it was late at night again. She felt her head was full of all sorts of things and she was dizzy. Today, Quan Zhilong drove her back. He wasn't driving a black Lamborghini, but a white one.
As he got off the bus, Kwon Ji-yong said, "I might not be in Seoul for the next month. Good luck, Ji-yong."
Jiang Tinghan: "..."
What is this? You flirted with it and then ran away?
Jiang Tinghan returned to her dormitory, greeted Yue Di Xingli and Jin Ruixi who had also returned, and sat on a chair in a daze, her mind still replaying the scene of Quan Zhilong singing "Swimming into your dreams" to her.
She had never seen this one before.
It's alright, a month is enough for her to forget about him.
Jiang Tinghan's confidence was inexplicably ignited.
The three-day break has officially ended. On the fourth day, all one hundred members are back at work. Today, the elimination list and the format for the second round of competition will be announced.
The vote count was hidden in the last three hours of voting, but everyone could more or less guess whether they had been eliminated or not. However, when they actually heard the results, they couldn't help but tear up, and the scene was filled with sobs.
That's how brutal the talent show is.
Jiang Tinghan looked up at the big screen. The elimination list scrolled past, showing the popularity rankings of the remaining fifty contestants. She was in first place with a huge lead of 3 million votes, and Yin Zhicai was in second place with 1.9 million votes. She was directly ahead of her by 1 million votes.
Then came the new competition format.
Team captains are no longer ranked. There are ten teams in total. They will first be drawn into groups, and then team captains will be elected within each team. The top five most popular contestants will have an extra stage performance. This time, idols from outside the show will be invited to perform with them. Singers and rappers can also be invited.
Most of them are trainees. Jiang Tinghan probably has two paths: one is that trainees from companies can invite guest stars through their companies, like Yoon Ji-chae; the other is that the program team contacts and assigns them, which is suitable for grassroots trainees like her who have no connections, can't use their only connections, and have no background or company.
Since she was already there, Jiang Tinghan figured she might as well make the best of it. She felt she was quite adaptable and shouldn't be overshadowed by the guest stars. She just hoped to find an idol who was easy to get along with.
In the subsequent group draw, Jiang Tinghan was drawn into another group. Her four teammates were Bae Soo-min, Lin Zhi-xia, the German contestant whose name is still unknown, and another South Korean contestant, Song Ya-min, who was the captain who ranked tenth in the previous round and almost upset Audrey, the spokesperson for the Vienna Golden Hall.
Judging from their apparent abilities alone, one student achieved an S grade in their initial stage performance, while two others achieved an A grade. Lin Zhixia and the German girl are both in Class B, making their apparent abilities very strong.
While Jiang Tinghan was observing his teammates, CL was also observing Jiang Tinghan.
This morning, Kwon Ji-yong suddenly asked her to have breakfast, saying that if Coldy was being harassed or targeted on the show, or encountered any difficulties, she should tell him.
When did Kwon Ji-yong become interested in trainees?
CL didn't know when the two had crossed paths, but Kwon Ji-yong's words meant he must be interested in Coldy.
My goodness, Oppa is over thirty and still likes girls in their early twenties, but Coldy's charm is definitely for all ages.
She also revealed the format of the second round of the competition. Even if he didn't want to go on stage, he could still be a guest who came to watch the second round, just like Shen Xiaoting during the first round. But Kwon Ji-yong still refused.
He said in a serious tone, "I don't have time; I'm going to attend Chanel's Fall/Winter fashion show."
CL: "When are you coming back?"
Kwon Ji-yong's eyes darted around: "About a month later, in December."
CL frowned and said sharply, "Oppa, something's not right with you. A fashion show doesn't need to take a whole month, does it?"
Kwon Ji-yong: "Uh... there are some other activities as well."
CL wasn't entirely convinced and looked at Kwon Ji-yong suspiciously several times, but she thought there was no reason for Kwon Ji-yong to lie to her about such a small matter.
Kwon Ji-yong's gaze had already drifted to the ceiling. He couldn't very well say that he was afraid of "bothering" Jiang Tinghan again and again if he stayed in Seoul. Now was not the time to talk about romance; they both needed to calm down. He had to restrain himself, so he chose to stay away.
When Kwon Ji-yong was leaving, CL unexpectedly saw the back of his left hand.
If I'm not mistaken, it looks like I've gotten another tattoo?
A black five-pointed star, with a thin, reddish bloodstain in the hollow center, as if the star is protecting that precious wound.
-----------------------
Author's Note: How many typhoons are coming to our area? The wind and rain woke me up, and my head is aching even while I'm typing. [shrug]
Although I personally dislike smokers, Long looks really cool when he smokes...
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