Chapter Thirty-Four: A Little Too Cautious

ls, he's just less high-profile than Woo Se-keuk and the others, and nothing bad has ever happened.""Look at his face, does he look like a child who can practice obediently""Ani oh" 。"Wu Shixun hurrie..., Peninsula Asteroid

"School's out again"

Chi Jingyuan saw that Zhou Tzuyu was still wearing the same suit and school uniform as last time. He took the gift and looked down at it.

The rectangular gift box was already wrapped, it felt quite light when picked up, and by its shape and weight, I guessed it was a cup.

"Didn't you say you were very busy today and wouldn't have time after afternoon, so I came over as soon as school was over."

Chou Tzu-yu flashed a cute little white tooth as she smiled. The well-tailored school uniform fit her perfectly. Suddenly, the breeze brushed against her hair, tickling her face lightly, making her look quite youthful and energetic.

It's a shame that her teeth are whiter, making her skin look even darker in contrast.

But seeing her smile so happily, Chi Jingyuan held back the urge to criticize or tease her. He accepted the gift and nodded: “It has been quite busy indeed. I was occupied for a long time this morning because of the music leak issue. You know about that, right…”

Looking at Zhou Tzuyu nodding repeatedly and looking at him with a probing gaze of concern, Ji Kyeong-won chuckled softly and waved his hand: "The impact is not that big, the main thing is still the sound source and sales..."

"Forget it, you wouldn't understand anyway..."

Ignoring her furrowed brow, Ji Jingyuan took out his phone to check the time and sighed, "I can't buy you a drink today. I have a lot of things to deal with when I get back later."

"Well, go ahead and get busy. I have to head to the company soon."

Zhou Tzuyu held her backpack straps with one hand, nodded obediently, then looked at Ji Jingyuan again and repeated in her sweet voice: "Happy birthday, young master."

"Thank you..."

Chi Jingyuan smiled and mimicked her soft, curved tone in reply. They looked at each other and smiled, then he waved goodbye and turned to leave, returning to the company.

Bye bye...

…………

After the meeting, s quickly released several statements to the public, first stating "it is investigating the leak path".

Then, after a pause, continued the announcement: "EXO's 'Overdose' was originally scheduled to be revealed at EXO's comeback showcase on April 14th at the Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium. However, due to this sound source leak, there is a possibility that EXO's comeback schedule will be delayed and changed."

Before fans could gasp and worry, the company released another announcement two hours later: "The related images were taken for the choreography practice version for broadcast on bc Music Center, and the music is not the complete version."

Subsequently, it immediately explained that "currently, the illicitly leaked footage is being taken down and disposed of, and investigations are underway into the illegal leak". “According to the current investigation, criminal proceedings will be instituted against the individuals responsible for uploading and spreading the footage illegally, and civil and criminal liability, including compensation claims, will be pursued... Implementing a policy of taking legal action..."

This continuous string of announcements is truly overwhelming. From morning till now, EXO and ** Entertainment have been dominating the hot search list. One announcement after another keeps the heat burning. At least now, everyone pretty much knows about the news of "EXO's sound leak" and "EXO's upcoming comeback."

The company's PR department really knows how to capitalize on anything, good or bad, as long as it generates attention. They can promote anything in the heat of the moment.

Their reaction and actions make some people wonder if this is all just a publicity stunt.

However, it was quite surprising that the leak route was found so quickly. This also showed that S company's network of contacts and relationships were indeed quite powerful.

Because of this, team K is also very busy. Besides preparing for the improvised stage at night, they have also cooperated with other aspects of the company's promotion.

Holding a gift, Chi Jingyuan took the elevator to the third floor and walked towards EXO's practice room. As he neared the door, he suddenly saw a figure wandering around their practice room. After circling twice, the person stopped in front of the practice room door and was peering inside through the slightly ajar gap.

At once, he recognized who it was from her back. A smile crossed his heart. Chi Jingyuan consciously lightened his steps and quietly approached her from behind. He mimicked her actions, peering through the crack in the door.

Interestingly, Ji Jingyuan couldn't wait any longer and had practically pressed himself against her. Even so, she was still oblivious, peering inside the room. Ji Jingyuan lowered his head and glanced at her, then suddenly leaned closer and said, "Zhuhyeon xi"

"Ah..."

A piercing scream, sharp enough to pierce his eardrums, startled Qi Jingyuan, who instinctively flinched back, gritting his teeth and covering his ears. Pei Zhuxuan jolted violently, her whole body trembling as she swayed and collapsed against the nearby wall. She turned her head, her face pale with terror, staring at him with wide eyes of shock.

Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes wide and round, her brows furrowed in a knot. The fear in her pupils looked like that of a little chick about to be boiled alive.

“……”

But when she saw it was Chi Jingyuan, she let out a startled gasp, the look of fear vanished, and she leaned against the wall beside the door, patting her chest with her hand as she panted heavily. Then she quickly composed herself and glared over angrily.

What's wrong

"What happened"

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed, and the other members of team K who had returned from practice heard a startled cry from Park Soo-hyeon. They all rushed out of the practice room. As soon as they opened the door, they saw the tense atmosphere between Ji Seongwon and Park Soo-hyeon. The anxious expressions on their faces instantly became bizarre.

"Well, just kidding around with my friends..." Chi Jingyuan had taken off his mask when he entered the company. He forced a smile and explained to the members.

"Okay, okay, it's nothing, nothing."

Park Chan-rye nodded in understanding, grinned wryly at Ji Kyeong-won, then swept the others away with his arms, shutting the door behind them with his foot and leaving a parting remark through the crack: "Carry on..."

With a bang, the practice room door shut, leaving only Im Smile's Ji-yeong and a fuming Park Joo-hyeon.

"Joohyun-ssi" Ji-yeong waved to Bae Joohyun, who was leaning against the wall and about to fall. He looked concerned and asked, "Are you okay"

"You..."

Pei Zhuxuan bit her lip and glared at her, her eyes filled with a clear murderous intent. Her chest heaved for a long time before she finally couldn't hold back. She pushed Ji Jingyuan with all her might, pushing him sideways. Then she reached out and slapped his back repeatedly with force, while pressing down on her voice and shouting:

"Oh..."

"Oh."

"Oh!"

Pei Zhuhyun had just been so scared that her soul flew out. She was already a little embarrassed, peeking inside like a thief, but she didn't know when Ji Jingyuan sneaked up behind her. Suddenly, a low voice came to her ear, and she felt her heart stop abruptly, almost crashing.

She started by speaking in a hushed tone, but with each beat of the drum, her voice grew louder and louder. She gritted her teeth as she released all the fear and panic she had just experienced.

"Haha..."

Ji Jingyuan shielded his face with his hand, making a dodging gesture, but he didn't really dodge. He just let her take some pictures for fun. As he was being photographed, he saw Pei Zhuxuan's face, which had always been beautiful and hadn't changed much in expression before, now pouting with narrowed eyes, her entire face scrunched up together. He suddenly found it very interesting and burst into laughter.

This emoji can be compared to Sun Shengwan's.

The tranquil and mature aura from our previous encounters has vanished, but she's become much more lively.

Chi Jingyuan suddenly understood his second brother's state of mind. He now really regretted not having a camera or DV in his hand.

"Well, you're still smiling"

Pei Joo-hyuk glared at the grinning Ji-won with a frustrated expression, gritting her teeth and glaring at him before forcefully slapping him.

"Annie, you heard wrong."

Ji Jingyuan looked at her steadily, sizing her up from head to toe before suppressing a smile and saying: "I just didn't know Juhyun's reaction would be so big before. It seems like you have a bit of a small heart."

"So, do you know about that now"

Gazing up at him, Pei Joo-Hyun asked, word by word.

"Got it." Chi Jingyuan nodded solemnly, then suddenly saw that a few strands of hair on the back of the other person's head had stood up because of the intense movements just now. He couldn't help but turn back and smile.

I never knew that Jennie looked so comedic during this type of situation.

"You..." Peo Ju-hyeok saw Ji Kyeong-won like that, she pinched her waist and stood there for a while, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, after which she lowered her head and laughed along with him. Her hand covered her face, her shoulders trembling.

At the same time, he didn't forget to run his hands through his hair at the back of his head a few times to smooth it out.

Afterward, the two looked at each other and their laughter mingled together. Bae Joo-hyun gave him a hard look but was too lazy to bring up what had just happened.

"How did you get to our practice room, looking for me"

Ji Jingyuan noticed that Pei Zhuxuan was carrying a bag in her left hand, and asked with a glance: "Couldn't you just send a message or make a call"

“Our practice room moved to the second floor recently, it's just a short walk up.”

Pei Zhuhyun glanced at him, taking the bag from her hand and opening it while still a bit flustered. "It's not Jingyuan xi's birthday today, is it I helped them bring the gifts over. I didn't say anything beforehand because they wanted to surprise you, but…"

She glanced at him, pausing for a second on the gift box in Chi Jingyuan's hand. Her eyes flashed but she didn't ask anything, pretending not to see it and moving past it directly.

"Mi ah nei, haha…"

Giving him a quick glance, Bae Joohyun opened the bag and took out several wrapped gifts. "This is for Seqi, this is for Seungwan... and this one is mine."

"Make sure you get this right, they just gave me a long lecture about it..."

There are three gift boxes, each a different size and color. They come in red, blue, and light yellow packaging, which looks quite delicate.

"Suddenly, I don't want to give it to you anymore..." Bae Joo-hyun glared at Park Ji-won, looked him in the eye for a few seconds and then suddenly covered her mouth and laughed. She stretched out her hand forward, her eyes curved with a smile: "Forget it... Birthday card."

"Kongsangmida," Ji Jingyuan smiled and took it, flipping it over without opening it and holding it in his hand. "Tell Seqi and the others for me."

He kept talking while looking at Jeon Somi. The blush on her face, caused by her excitement earlier, had gradually faded, revealing her usual complexion.

Before she came, she should have put on a light makeup look, but up close you could still clearly see that Park Soo-hyun's complexion was a little yellowish. She had a small pimple on the left side of her forehead and the outer cheek, and there were some dark circles under her eyes that the foundation hadn't fully covered.

It's obvious she hasn't been getting much rest lately, but you can tell she's still full of energy and spirit from the look in her eyes and the way she carries herself. Even though she's not feeling well, she's very lively and vibrant.

She must have been really busy lately.

Then I'll get going, I have to start practicing soon.

After giving the present to Ji-seong, Baekhyun gave a slight nod and then bid farewell. He waved his hand in preparation to leave.

"Hmm."

Chi Jingyuan also waved at her, then clenched his fist and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Fight!"

Pei Zhuxuan, hearing this, happily turned her head, tilted it to the side, and made a 'yes' with her hand beside her cheek.

"Well!"

Watching her leave, Ji Jingyuan laughed and walked into the practice room with the bag.

As soon as Ji Jingyuan walked in, several members of team K immediately surrounded him, eager to inquire about any juicy gossip.

Several other people were quite curious. Pei Zhuxuan was quite famous among the company trainees. Firstly, she was older, and secondly, she was very beautiful. Many people in EXO already knew her, and a few had met before.

...Chi Jingyuan kept his lips sealed, even when they asked about the gifts. He simply brushed them off with a casual excuse that it was just friends dropping by to celebrate his birthday, not giving any further details. He didn't seem to care whether they believed him or not.

It's probably not believable, Park Chan-wook and Woo Shi-hoon both had a sly smile in their eyes when looking at him.

Let them do whatever they want...

…………

Today, the company held a birthday party for Chi Jingyuan's coming-of-age. They rented a small exhibition hall in Ionc Building near S building in Cheongdam-dong to celebrate. 300 fans were selected through lottery and arrived at the scene to watch.

The company and EXO-K, as well as Park Kyung, had prepared many small gifts in advance, including member merchandise and signed posters, to be given away at the event as perks.

All processes are free, purely based on luck... However, according to unspoken rules, fans who spend more money (high-rollers) should have a slightly higher chance.

Of course, on the surface it's free, but whether there are any behind-the-scenes reselling transactions or scalping activities is unclear.

The selection for the spots began a week ago, and as soon as the news broke, it caused a huge stir among EXO and Yuan's fan groups. Fans immediately signed up crazily, and within two days, thousands upon thousands of applications had been sent to S Company.

I feel like if we were to sell tickets, the attendance at this small birthday party wouldn't be that much less than a showcase or even a concert.

300 spots are utterly insignificant compared to Chi Jingyuan's massive personal fanbase. It's a drop in the bucket, not enough to go around at all. Two days later, when the spots were finalized, many of his fans lamented their misfortune in his fanclubs, filled with disappointment and anger.

EXO has held several activities for members on their birthdays since their debut, such as Baekhyun's famous tenth birthday party. However, in the two years since their debut, this is still Pool Kyung-won's first event, and it's even more meaningful because it's his coming-of-age birthday. His fans are naturally eager to participate in this birthday party.

After the quota was released, many well-off fans who didn't get a chance immediately started buying tickets through various channels. The prices they offered were getting higher and higher, even exceeding the prices of some of the most expensive seats at EXO's first concert in Seoul.

It has to be said that among Chi Jingyuan's fans, there are indeed a large number of wealthy fans with good family backgrounds. They are all willing to spend a lot of money for him, and they are die-hard fans who readily give out real gold and silver.

This time, a series of celebration activities that fans funded for his coming-of-age birthday is the best proof.

"Did your fans really buy up all the ads along both Line 3 and Line 7"

While scrolling through his phone, Wu Shixun nudged the person next to him, Ji Jingyuan, who was also looking at their phone. "Wow," he exclaimed in a tone that was both surprised and envious.

In order to prepare for this birthday party, Chi Jingyuan and Team K also made a lot of preparations. They arrived at the decorated exhibition hall backstage in the afternoon.

It's said that backstage is actually a small lounge, used for makeup touch-ups, costume changes, and a brief rest before the birthday party begins.

e

"Yeah, I was surprised too. They really..."

After hearing this, Chi Jingyuan nodded, put down the phone in his hand, and pursed his lips with a complex expression.

Wu Shih-hsuan said that something surprising happened today.

Chi Jingyuan's fans, led by several wealthy superfans, pooled their resources to rent out all the LED billboards along the two subway lines closest to s company's building, Line 3 and Line 7. This included the exits leading to s building at the stations of Cheongdam-dong (Line 3) and Apgujeong (Line 7). The billboards, spanning a length of one or two hundred meters on both sides of Exits 2 and 8, were completely covered with advertisements.

The advertisement was filled with posters of Chi Jingyuan, all bearing the message "Wishing Yuan a happy birthday." Standing at the subway entrance, you could see that every single ad on both sides of the wall was identical: wishing Chi Jingyuan a happy birthday. They stretched as far as the eye could see, and Chi Jingyuan's face seemed to be everywhere, creating an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

This message and the photos taken on location also sparked a huge discussion online today, and xo's own fans are naturally proud and sending blessings.

Meanwhile, fans of other artists were awestruck by the lavish spending and generous nature of Yuan fans, lamenting how popular both Yi Jingyuan and EXO are these days. They then followed up with a few sarcastic remarks.

There are also many people who disapprove of this kind of behavior and have criticized fans for their fanatic actions.

However, chasing stars and supporting idols are part of Peninsula culture, and most people are used to it. It's just that this time the effort was a bit bigger.

Besides subway ads, his fans have done many other things to celebrate him, including newspaper congratulations, bus body ads, donations in yuan's name, and countless birthday gifts sent from all over the world to s company, so many that a whole room is almost full.

He didn't know what others thought of him, but as the protagonist of the event, Chi Jingyuan saw these fans' actions and genuinely felt a sense of astonishment.

That's pretty complicated.

Of course, I'm really happy to be supported and liked by so many people.

"Sigh, popularity is just different, isn't it"

Wu Shixun gave him a glance and said something sarcastically.

"Well, it is a bit different," Chi Jingyuan smiled openly and looked back, then curled his lips: "You should be content. Wasn't your birthday also full of cheering messages If you get sour at others, they won't even survive."

Wu Shixun had his birthday in April, and they were having a fan meeting in Japan at the time, so they didn't have time to hold an event. However, as a popular member of EXO, fans in Korea and other places still did a lot of things to celebrate him.

At this point, you can see the difference in popularity between members of a group. The support level for fan events celebrating birthdays of popular members is different, while those with lower popularity naturally have much less.

It's the same combination…

This is also one of the most realistic and cruel aspects of the entertainment industry. Seeing others glamorous while you're left out in the cold, the feeling can only be understood by each person themselves.

All the exo groups are like that, not to mention those slightly less popular ones.

The birthday party will officially start at 7:00 PM. Twenty minutes before, all the fans were already inside, filling up this exhibition hall that we rented.

The stage setup is intimate. It's not high and very close to the audience. From the front of the stage, you could even reach out and shake hands with the people in the first row. Overall, it feels warm and approachable.

To be this close to your favorite idol, within arm's reach, is a feeling that every fan would love. No wonder the tickets for today's birthday party were snapped up so quickly.

Besides fans, only a few members from within K-team participated. Park Chan-leek was temporarily assigned as the center.

"Annyeonghaseyo...."

With thunderous applause, Park Chan-hyeok took the microphone and walked onto the stage. He stood in the middle, first bowed, then grinned and started: "Welcome everyone! Today is our maknae Yuan's birthday, I'm so happy to celebrate this moment with you all."

"I won't say much. Let's invite today's protagonist, our busy maknae, yuan to the stage..."

After briefly saying a couple of things, Park Chan-wook immediately stepped aside and led the applause, cheering enthusiastically as Ji Kyeong-won walked up from the side.

Because it was a birthday celebration, not only for Chi Jingyuan but also a kind of fan benefit, everything, including the host, was not very formal. There was no pre-prepared script or lines beforehand, just a simple rehearsal of the process.

However, this sense of spontaneity and warmth is also something you don't feel anywhere else. It's evident.

Chi Jingyuan's outfit was also very casual, wearing a white hooded sweater in a simple style. His bangs were combed to both sides, revealing his forehead in the middle. Without dyeing, his hair remained its original black color, giving him the feeling of a neighbor boy or an academy heartthrob.

"Ah..."

“yuan……”

"Oppa……"

Chi Jingyuan took the microphone and walked onto the stage. Before he even spoke, screams and cheers erupted from the audience, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire exhibition hall.

Today, almost all the attendees were fans of Chi Jingyuan. Many of them were seeing their idol for the first time at such close proximity. Seeing the boy on stage who they thought about day and night, dressed simply and casually yet still shining brightly, many covered their mouths in disbelief, feeling like they were in a dream, it was too unreal.

"Hello there..."

Qi Jingyuan, amid cheers, walked onto the stage with a standard bow. Standing in the center, he smiled at the fans below and waved his hand, asking them to calm down. Unexpectedly, this had the opposite effect, and the screams grew louder.

On stage, he stood for a full minute before his voice subsided. With the microphone in hand, Ji Jingyuan said sincerely: "I'm really happy that everyone came to celebrate my birthday today. I haven't been this close to wuli fans in a long time..."

Saying that, he looked around at every fan's face, taking in their expressions. Seeing their sincere and hopeful eyes, he suddenly licked his lips and sighed: "Oh my gosh, everyone looks so good, jjia oh my gosh."

After finishing, Chi Jingyuan lowered his head slightly, covering his face as if embarrassed.

"Ah…"

Suddenly, the fans who were being teased became restless again and couldn't help but want to reach out and touch their idol.

Standing there, he greeted everyone and chatted with them for a few pleasantries. After their excitement calmed down a bit, the staff brought up a stool and Chi Jingyuan sat on it and chatted with everyone for a while.

He talked about some recent happenings, including fun anecdotes from album preparation, and some of his private hobbies. For example, he always forgets dance moves during practice and gets criticized by the teacher, or how he got stuck on a boss in a game and was so frustrated that his mood was bad all day. He also mentioned how Wu Shixun’s snoring kept him up at night.

Just like casually chatting with a familiar friend, Ji Jingyuan talked wherever his thoughts went, making occasional jokes and winking or doing little hand gestures.

But the fans below were listening very seriously, feeling that this kind of friendly chat was really more enjoyable and engaging than a grand stage. Looking at the approachable Ji-seong on stage, some people couldn't help but cry directly for some reason.

Of course, they wouldn't chat the whole time. After that, Chi Jingyuan had a few solo performances, singing songs like "Peter Pan" and "Butterfly Girl," which were both sentimental ballads from his previous albums.

Even at the world's end, I will move forward with you.

"Never leave my sight…"

"Butterfly Girl" is a B-side track from EXO's first studio album that is very popular with fans, and even Pool Kyung-won himself really liked it. When he was recording, he thought the song was pretty good.

At this moment, as he was performing sitting on a high stool, the entire audience joined in a chorus. There were no hoarse screams; everyone relaxed and hummed softly along, their gentle voices blending together to create an unexpectedly moving sound.

After the song ended, Ji Jingyuan lightly bowed and retreated backstage, watching Park Chan-wook who was cheering from the side. He stepped onto the stage at the right time and smiled as he hosted: "Don't worry everyone, the maknae is going to change clothes and be back soon."

“Today is yuan’s coming-of-age birthday, and I am very grateful for everyone's presence. Also, Sehun just came of age last month, so our two youngest members le from xo prepared a special stage for everyone.”

"Jjia, this stage is really rare. Jingyuan didn't want to do it no matter what at first, and I guess we won't see it outside later... Wait a minute, everyone must applaud and encourage them, okay"

"Inner!"

This novel is first published on Traditional Chinese Novels Network.been wronged."Didn't you say you were popular and well-liked I think you're definitely going to be selected, so let's celebrate in advance." Chi Jingyuan saw her flipping back and forth for a few time...