novellhall Chapter 13, Aigoo, the chapter featuring Krystal is here!
Chapter 13, Aigoo, the chapter featuring Krystal is here!
Yin Jijun's ability to take action is astonishing.
The evening's drinking party had just ended when he pulled Lee Sang-woo, the marketing head of CJ Entertainment, the investor, and Shin Yoo-kyung, the representative of the external public relations firm Filmin, together for a closed-door meeting that night.
The decisions made at the meeting took effect immediately the following day.
The production team officially established a "low expectations, high satisfaction" reverse public relations strategy and quickly issued a unified publicity message to all the main actors: in all subsequent interviews, they must proactively lower the public's expectations for the special effects.
Externally, they no longer tout themselves as "Hollywood-style visual blockbusters," and even deliberately removed the word "blockbuster" from their promotional materials, instead redefining the film as a "disaster humanistic film."
"This is not just a simple tsunami movie, but a human drama film set against the backdrop of a tsunami."
The creators began to repeatedly emphasize in front of the camera that, compared to the CG special effects that were inferior to those of Hollywood, the real selling point of the film was the "human touch" and "bonds" between ordinary people under the disaster.
To complement this combination of "showing vulnerability" and "empathy," the marketing team arranged a high-intensity, back-to-back interview schedule for the director and actors, with the lead actors averaging four to five interviews a day.
Even Xue Jingqiu, who was filming a new drama in Shuchuan County, had to deal with swarms of reporters during breaks in filming.
The intense exposure caused considerable suffering for the lead actors.
Therefore, Li Zhixing, who is currently the most relaxed person in the crew, naturally became the "culprit" that everyone called to complain about.
As a complete newcomer who has not yet debuted, Li Zhixing has no fame whatsoever, so naturally no media outlets would waste their interview slots on him. His official debut will have to wait until the preview screening on the 16th.
However, despite the complaints, the actors' mindset subtly shifted amidst the tiring schedule.
As public opinion gradually shifted from "questioning the special effects" to "looking forward to the plot," those who were initially pessimistic about the film's prospects finally began to feel a glimmer of hope.
......
The evening before the preview screening.
Lee Ji-haeng walked into a high-end apartment in Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi Province, familiar with the place, and rang the doorbell of a unit on the top floor.
"Ding-dong~"
Not long after, the door was opened from the inside.
Aunt Zheng, wearing an apron, stood behind the door. When she saw Li Zhixing, a smile first appeared in her eyes, but then she started nagging, "Zhixing, don't you know the password? Why did you have to make me come all this way? Auntie is cooking."
Li Zhixing chuckled, didn't respond, and skillfully squeezed into the entryway, opened the shoe cabinet, found his slippers, and changed into them.
The Zheng family's house is very large, and because of their habits from their early years living in the United States, the kitchen was designed to be spacious and open-plan.
Li Zhi walked over to the kitchen counter and peered into the cutting board: "Auntie, what are you making for dinner?"
As Zheng Ma plated the chopped half apple and shredded kimchi, she smiled and replied, "It's hot, so I'll make some soy milk and cold noodles."
"Cold noodles?" Li Zhixing raised an eyebrow with a strange expression. "Is it because Jessica's song became popular that your family is making this?"
Zheng's mother stopped what she was doing, looking bewildered: "What song? Sika didn't mention it to me."
"You didn't know?" Li Zhixing was a little surprised. He picked up a clove of garlic from the side and started peeling it. "Just a couple of days ago, on the Infinite Challenge special, Jessica and Park Myung-soo sang a song called 'Cold Noodles'."
"This song is currently very popular online, ranking first on several music charts, even surpassing their group's own title track."
Zheng's mother looked on in surprise: "Is it really that exaggerated? A song from a variety show is better than their official hit single?"
"That's 'Infinite Challenge,' its popularity among the nation speaks for itself."
Li Zhixing explained with a smile, "Moreover, Jessica is usually cold and aloof, which contrasts sharply with Park Myung-soo's style as a roaring uncle. Now this song is playing everywhere."
Zheng's mother's curiosity was completely piqued. "Play it for me quickly."
Li Zhixing took out his phone and pressed a few buttons.
Soon, a refreshing and catchy melody filled the kitchen.
Zheng's mother nodded slightly in rhythm and commented, "The song is quite cheerful, but just like their song 'Gee' from earlier this year, it sounds nice, but you can't understand what they're singing at all."
Li Zhixing laughed: "You have a really good ear. These two songs were written by the same composer."
"No wonder," Zheng Ma said in realization.
Li Zhixing washed the peeled garlic and handed it to her, then casually took a rag and wiped the water stains on the counter, asking, "Sika's not coming back tonight, is she?"
"I won't go back. My schedule for music shows has been so packed lately, I haven't seen him for days."
Hearing this, Li Zhixing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, Zheng's mother noticed all of this.
She glanced at him with a half-smile: "What? Did you two fight again?"
Li Zhixing coughed lightly and guiltily looked away, "Hehe..."
Just then, a notification sound came from the direction of the main gate indicating that the combination lock had been unlocked.
The door was pushed open immediately, and before anyone could be seen, a clear voice rang out: "Oppa!"
Hearing the sound, Li Zhixing turned his head and saw fifteen-year-old Zheng Xiujing running in wearing loose casual clothes.
At this age, her facial features are already very defined, and her eyes and brows exude a unique cool and refined quality.
The little girl kicked off her sneakers and rushed over with a clattering sound.
Li Zhixing smiled and raised his right hand in greeting, "Aigoo, Teacher Zheng is home?"
Soojung suddenly stopped in her tracks and solemnly raised her little hand as well: "Aigoo, Teacher Lee, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Then, the two bumped fists in tacit agreement.
Just after their fist bump, Soojung deflated like a punctured balloon, plopped forward, and rested her forehead against Lee Ji-hyung's chest, whining sweetly, "Oppa, I'm so tired... let me lean on you for a while."
Li Zhixing patted her on the back, his tone tinged with concern and helplessness: "You're about to debut, the training must be really intense lately, right?"
Soojung didn't even have the strength to speak; she just closed her eyes and hummed a couple of times.
Just as they were comforting him, a tall, middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses walked in through the entrance.
Li Zhixing looked up and chuckled, "Hey, the club president got new glasses? He looks pretty handsome~"
Mr. Zheng paused in the act of changing his shoes.
He didn't reply, but simply raised his chin slightly, clearly pleased, as if acknowledging the compliment, and then walked straight to the sofa and sat down.
Li Zhixing looked at the open door and called out, "President, why don't you close the door?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than he witnessed a scene that sent chills down his spine.
Jessica stepped into the entryway with a somber expression.
Under Li Zhixing's astonished gaze, she crossed her arms and walked up to him with a cold smile.
Li Zhixing's eyes darted away for a moment, then he forced out a dry, "Why are you back?"
A couple of days ago in the waiting room, he was careless and failed to stop this young lady, letting her eat a few bites of cold dish mixed with cucumber.
Although the two of them were used to bickering and neither was willing to give in, he was genuinely a little guilty about this one thing.
"Do I need to report to you to go back to my own home?" Sika retorted coldly.
After saying that, she reached out and grabbed Xiujing, who was still pretending to be dead in Li Zhixing's arms, and pulled her away without any politeness: "If you're tired, go back to your bedroom and lie down. What are you doing here?"
"Ah! Unnie!" Soojung shouted in protest.
But when she looked up and met her older sister's cold gaze, the little girl immediately wilted.
She shrank back, and while Jessica wasn't looking, she secretly gave Lee Ji-hyung a pitiful look that said, "Good luck, Oppa," before running back to her room in a flash.
The previously relaxed atmosphere instantly turned cold.
Jessica maintained her arms crossed, her face cold as she demanded, "Why haven't you answered my calls these past few days?"
Li Zhixing retorted, forcing a smile, "If I know you're going to call to argue, why should I answer?"
"Hey! Li Zhixing!" Sika instantly bristled, raising her voice, "Shouldn't I be settling scores with you?"
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Zheng's mother helplessly interrupted, "Alright, alright, what's it about this time?"
Li Zhixing and Jessica exchanged a glance, then shouted in unison to Zheng Ma:
"I accidentally let her eat a bite of cucumber!"
"He's known Sunny for over a year and never told me!"
The two voices fell at the same time, and the air was silent for two seconds.
Li Zhixing was stunned.
He blinked, looking at Jessica with a completely astonished expression: "Huh? You mean... this?"
Zheng's mother was also stunned. She was first shocked that Jessica actually ate a cucumber, and then silently gave Li Zhixing a look that said, "You're really brave, kid."
But then she realized the key point in Jessica's words and asked in confusion, "Sunny? Isn't that from your group? How do Zhixing know her?"
Upon discovering that it wasn't about the cucumber at all, Li Zhixing's initial sense of guilt vanished instantly.
He explained with a wry smile, "Auntie, didn't I work part-time at a Chinese restaurant before? Sunny often ordered takeout from that restaurant for her group, and sometimes she would go to the restaurant to eat herself. We got to know each other after she came so many times."
At this point, he turned to look at Sika: "Besides, I always thought you knew."
Sika laughed in exasperation, and retorted, bewildered, "How would I know? You didn't tell me!"
Lee Ji-haeng sighed and helped her clarify her logic: "Think about it, your dorm is in Cheongdam-dong, why would you go all the way to Bangbae-dong to order food? And how did Soon-kyu know about Uncle Lee's Chinese restaurant?"
Sika was stunned.
She blinked and thought carefully for a moment.
It seems... she recommended it in the dormitory because Li Zhixing had worked there before.
"Was it...did I tell them?" Sika murmured uncertainly.
Li Zhixing raised an eyebrow. "Otherwise what? Did you expect me to go to your dorm and hand out flyers?"
Sika was speechless, her chubby cheeks puffed out as she tried to argue, but Zheng Ma waved her hand to interrupt her.
"Alright, alright, it's no big deal. The misunderstanding is cleared up. Dinner's ready!" Aunt Zheng started giving orders. "Sika, go wash your hands. Zhixing, come help me serve the dishes."
"Okay, Auntie," Li Zhixing replied with a smile.
In the brief moment he turned to serve the dishes, he deliberately tilted his head and raised his eyebrows provocatively at the disgruntled Jessica.
Seeing his smug look, Jessica gritted her teeth in anger: Li Zhixing, this is not over yet!
......