novellhall Chapter 11 I'll only talk about ordinary people!
Chapter 11 I'll only talk about ordinary people!
Jiang Yongtai went through the basic operations with Zhao Meiyan, and then suggested a real game.
Zhao Meiyan nodded nervously.
Standing behind the two, Song Yuqi watched her unnie's expression as if she wanted to memorize every button before pressing it, and felt it was necessary to help her break the awkward atmosphere.
"PD-nim, do you have any variety shows on now? Our Mi-yeon unnie is really good at variety shows~ You remember her, right? 'Jo Bo-ryung'."
"Yuqi!"
Zhao Meiyan turned her head and glared at her, embarrassed and annoyed.
The mask covered half her face, diminishing the intimidating power of her glare, but the color on her ears compensated for her emotions.
Jiang Yongtai was taken aback by what he heard. It wasn't because he had heard Zhao Meiyan's nickname, but because Song Yuqi asked the question at the perfect moment, right after he had submitted his resignation.
He then smiled.
"Yeah, I remember, Miyeon's variety show performance was great, but Yuqi's was even better."
Song Yuqi grinned, but before she could even feel smug, she heard Jiang Yongtai add a comment.
"Unfortunately, I have already left KBS and am currently unemployed."
"what……"
Song Yuqi's smile froze halfway through; she opened her mouth, unsure whether to look back or move forward.
Zhao Meiyan also turned to look at him, her brows furrowing slightly, and a sense of apology appearing in her eyes.
Jiang Yongtai smiled and shook his head.
"It's okay, I'm just saying now, I'll be joining tvN soon."
If any shows come up that suit you, please send an invitation to Cube. I hope you will consider it carefully.
"Of course! That's great! Congratulations, PD-nim!"
Zhao Meiyan didn't think much of it and immediately congratulated him when she heard him say that.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized that she might have been a bit too unreserved, and lowered her voice.
"Uh, what I mean is, it's great that PD-nim can join tvN and continue filming variety shows. If you need me or Yuqi to be guests, we will definitely agree."
"Well, thank you in advance."
Jiang Yongtai smiled and nodded, without saying anything more.
Inviting guests to a program has always been a mysterious art for variety show producers.
The first ones to be confirmed are usually Gagmen, who are the foundation of variety shows.
Gagman is highly cooperative, offers good value for money, and is very easy to talk to.
A little more difficult than Gagman is being an idol.
Idols have no trouble getting invited; people are lining up to be on shows. The problem is scheduling.
PDs need to secure their schedules one or two months in advance through their agencies, and once the schedules are cleared out, the shortlist of candidates is cut in half.
After the arrangements were finalized, the travel expenses for the entire team had to be covered, and the total number of people in the group was more than the production crew.
Fortunately, idols don't get paid much, and exposure translates into popularity, making it a win-win situation for both parties.
Further up, there are singers.
There is a subtle line between singers and idols. Idols sell youth and a sense of intimacy, while fans treat them as objects of romantic fantasy.
Singers sell songs and a sense of distance; it's the distance that makes them seem sophisticated.
They are more cautious about variety shows. Some people are born with a strong sense of variety, such as Lee Hyori, who can be summoned by Yoo Jae-suk with just one phone call.
However, many people value their reputation and are unwilling to lose their mystique on variety shows. Getting them to participate often requires a personal relationship.
The most difficult task is for actors, especially those with established positions, whose resistance to variety shows is almost ingrained in their bones.
They value mystery and are not used to improvisation without a script.
After appearing on "Running Man," Song Joong-ki didn't return to variety shows for nine years.
Moreover, their salaries are astonishingly high. The appearance fee of a top actor is comparable to the total of Gagman, idols and singers. That's how the budget is burned through.
A common approach used by product managers is to "mentor new employees," first persuading a senior colleague with connections, and then relying on that senior colleague to influence others.
For example, with Na Young-seok's "Youn's Kitchen," once Youn Yeo-jung was cast, things became much easier for the others.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yongtai's gaze returned to Zhao Meiyan.
She was staring at the screen, her ears still flushed a faint pink, her fingers fidgeting on the controller, clearly anxiously waiting for him to officially start the game.
He sensed from the beginning that Zhao Meiyan had feelings for him.
The inspiration for this pop-up store has been carried over from the filming location of last year's "Idol Star Athletics Championships" to today.
She didn't show it very obviously, except that her voice was a little softer than usual, her ears were a little darker than usual, and she apologized a little more often after making a silly mistake.
However, he misattributed this affection to the fact that he taught her bowling.
As for the earlier one, the band-aid in the corridor on the third floor of Soundbank...
He didn't know, nor could he read, that goodwill doesn't need to be traced back to be established.
For Jiang Yongtai, maintaining a good relationship with his idol is never a bad thing.
In this circle, connections are like Lego bricks scattered on the ground; you never know which brick will fit perfectly into the gap in your building at any given time.
"Let's begin, Miyeon-xi."
He smiled and said to Zhao Meiyan.
……
"Yongtai oppa, are they your friends?"
Mina walked up to Kang Young-tae, naturally placing her hand on his shoulder, her voice carrying a faint hint of amusement.
Zhao Meiyan was basking in the small joy of having just completed the beginner tutorial level.
She and Jiang Yongtai worked well together; at least they didn't burn the kitchen down.
Before the "Oppa" could even fade from her lips, she had already turned her head away.
She watched as a woman's hand rested on Jiang Yongtai's shoulder, her fingertips lightly tapping his coat.
Yongtai Oppa? Is she his girlfriend?
"Nan-chan, are you done?"
Jiang Yongtai frowned slightly and glanced at Minami.
Oppa? She's never called him that before.
Strictly speaking, he and Sana are the same age. According to their calculations, he and Mina are also of the same generation. He usually calls her "Yongtai-san," but now he's suddenly being called "Oppa."
He pointed at Zhao Meiyan and Song Yuqi.
"By the way, you two should know each other, right? These two are members of Gidle, Miyeon and Yuqi. Say hello."
Then, turning to Zhao Meiyan and the others, he said, "This is my friend, Mina. You should know her, right?"
Mina's gaze lingered on the two girls in front of her.
Gidle, a recently popular rookie girl group, had their songs "LATATA" and "HANN" stay on the charts for a long time.
I never expected to run into Jiang Yongtai on this occasion.
Zhao Meiyan and Song Yuqi were also stunned.
Mina from Twice?! Isn't she still in Japan recovering from illness?
Zhao Meiyan was the first to react and quickly stood up, followed by Song Yuqi, and the two of them bent down.
"Hello, senior, I'm Miyeon from Gidle."
"Yuqi".
Mina looked at their impeccable manners, then glanced at Kang Young-tae, and put aside her doubts for the time being.
"Don't do that. It'll be troublesome if passersby recognize us. You... you must have sneaked out, right?"
"Yes, senior."
Song Yuqi straightened up first, glanced curiously at Jiang Yongtai, then at the hand that Mina had on his shoulder, her mind already automatically conjuring up news headlines for when the two officially announced their relationship.
This PD-nim, could he be... Nami-yeon unnie with Mina-senpai...?
Jiang Yongtai noticed the images in her mind and was about to explain when Ming Jingnan spoke first.
"Yuqi-xi".
She withdrew her hand from Jiang Yongtai's shoulder, a smile still on her face.
"Don't overthink it. Yongtae oppa and I are just friends, not the kind of relationship you're thinking of."
Song Yuqi's idea was exposed in front of her, and she was so frightened that she quickly waved her hands.
"I'm sorry, senpai-nim! That's not what I meant!"
Zhao Meiyan, who was standing to the side, seemed a little flustered after Mina appeared. She quickly tried to explain for her sister, her voice even more nervous than before.
"I'm sorry, senior, Yuqi didn't mean that."
Mina looked at her with a smile in her eyes, without saying a word.
Zhao Meiyan felt even more guilty after being looked at by her, but she didn't know what she was guilty about.
"Okay, Nan-chan, don't scare them. They're still just kids."
Jiang Yongtai, sensing the panic and embarrassment spreading in the air, interrupted Mina's attempt to continue playing.
"What are you saying, Yongtae oppa? Am I that scary?"
Mina kept Jiang Yongtai in mind, but showed no sign of it on her face, and smiled at Song Yuqi.
"I'm sorry, you misunderstood. I really like your songs and I'm a fan."
Song Yuqi breathed a long sigh of relief. This senior colleague was really too sharp; she had only thought about it for a moment before he directly said it.
However, since the other party did not seem to blame her, she felt relieved and her energy instantly returned.
"I also really like your songs! Shuhua from our group is still Once!"
"Really? Then is Yuqi also Once?"
"I'm an once too!" Song Yuqi laughed out loud.
Seeing that the atmosphere had finally eased, Zhao Meiyan breathed a sigh of relief, but also knew that it was time for the two of them to leave.
She glanced at Jiang Yongtai, then at Mingjing Nan, her voice still a little unsteady as she spoke.
"Did you come with the PD?"
Mina looked at her, her eyes slightly narrowed.
"Yes, Yongtae oppa and I are gaming friends. We arranged to come here today, but I didn't expect him to secretly play with two pretty girls while I was trying out the game."
She glanced at Jiang Yongtai, who looked back at her speechlessly.
"Don't talk nonsense. I already told you before that I didn't expect to run into Miyeon and Yuqi. It was their first time playing this game, and I only just taught them how to play."
Seeing how earnestly Jiang Yongtai was explaining, Zhao Meiyan didn't know what to feel, so she quickly took over the conversation.
"Yes, senior, that's true. We are very grateful to PD for teaching us how to play the game. Well then, we won't bother you any longer. Yuqi and I should head back now."
After Zhao Meiyan finished speaking, she tugged at Song Yuqi, who was still in a daze.
From the moment the child recognized the senior's face, his eyes never left that person.
"Yuqi, say goodbye to your seniors and PDs."
Song Yuqi snapped out of her daze and quickly bowed, saying, "Yes! Goodbye, senior! Goodbye, PD!"
She waved at Jiang Yongtai, her voice carrying a blatant hint.
"Remember our promise!"
Zhao Meiyan's head buzzed.
Why are you bringing up agreements now, kid?
She grabbed Song Yuqi's arm, bowed quickly to the two of them, and pulled them toward the pop-up store entrance.
Song Yuqi was pulled backwards for several steps, and she even gave Jiang Yongtai a thumbs up.
Jiang Yongtai watched their figures disappear at the shop entrance before turning around.
Mina had her arms crossed and her chin slightly raised as the two stood face to face.
"Nam-chan, when did I become your oppa?"
"What promise did Yongtai-san make with the two rookie idols?"
Jiang Yongtai didn't respond, nor did Mingjing Nan; it was as if a line was drawn in the air, and whoever spoke first would lose.
He sighed inwardly and tried to read her.
The signal started to waver again.
Aside from Minatozaki Sana, who is completely unable to read, Mina is the second person who can make his ability fluctuate.
At first, he suspected that she might be like him, but no matter how he thought about it, it didn't seem quite right.
It wasn't until we spent more time together that I realized this woman didn't have any superpowers. She was simply very sensitive, and with her exceptionally intelligent mind, she was gifted with the innate ability to "read the air."
Mina didn't really know what was wrong with her today.
When she saw the girl named Zhao Meiyan sitting next to Jiang Yongtai, her ears red as she listened to him explain the operation, she really wanted to go against him.
Especially his blatant favoritism just now, and the "promise" that Song Yuqi shouted before she left.
What agreement?
She narrowed her eyes slightly, took half a step forward, and stared into his eyes.
"Yongtai-san~ You don't still want to date your idol, do you?"
Jiang Yongtai took a step back and looked away.
"Nan-chan...please, I just want to work right now. If I'm going to talk about anything, it'll only be with ordinary people!"