Chapter 102 I Don't Like It

on while giving him a word of advice."Okay, bro. I'm going now."Ji Jingyuan took his phone back, gave Zheng Xiuzhen a little smirk as she kept looking at him, and put on his jacket before walking out...How do I open it

Her face was contorted into a bitter expression, and in the look she gave Tzuyu, there was a clear hint of complaint.

The last two times she was asked, she just stayed silent because she couldn't answer. You can't tell Why do you have to keep asking.

This car is just like you, isn't it It looks pretty good on the surface, but it's so annoying! What's with all the trouble The doors aren't even nice, and the windows are a pain to open.

Feeling the gaze of Pool Jingyuan, that look made her feel both angry and flustered. Zhou Tzuyu simply turned her head away from him, pouted, and shook her head to the side.

"...."

Alas, Chi Jingyuan sighed inwardly. He had thought this girl was rather experienced when she got on the car earlier, but it turned out to be just an illusion.

Seeing that she seemed down and stressed these past two days, he twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, hesitated for a moment before swallowing the blunt truths he had almost blurted out reflexively. These truths might have hurt Zhou Tzuyu’s fragile ego. He pressed a button on the car's center console with his left hand, and the window of the passenger seat, which was closed, opened with a hiss.

Despite her dissatisfaction, Zhou Tzuyu's attention was still involuntarily drawn to the scene. Her gaze and small head unconsciously followed the opened glass as it slowly descended, and her slightly puffed cheeks unintentionally disappeared.

This action made Chi Jingyuan unable to help but chuckle. The little girl is still throwing a tantrum now.

He also didn't open the window on Tzuyu's side too wide, just about ten centimeters, then turned down the air conditioner that was previously on but didn't turn it off completely. He opened a small gap on his side and then didn't do anything else. He stopped talking and after glancing at Tzuyu who had looked away, he started to focus on driving.

After entering June, the recent temperature has been rising steadily. However, by midnight, it becomes noticeably cooler. When you open the window, a gentle evening breeze seems to find its way home, cheerfully rushing in through the gap. Along with the whooshing sound of the wind, there's also a pleasant, vibrant and lively feeling.

It may not be as cool as the air conditioning in the previous car, but the moment the night breeze brushes against your cheeks, it seems to dissipate the gloom in your heart. Unexpectedly, it allows you to put aside your worries and relax.

After a while of waiting for red lights, stop-and-go traffic, and general congestion, Chi Jingyuan drove his car from the still somewhat crowded main road in the city onto the bridge. He then accelerated and started driving toward the outer ring expressway where there wasn't much traffic.

To really clear your head on a drive, it's better to go a little faster.

After the window was opened, both Ji Jingyuan and Zhou Tzuyu fell silent as if by unspoken agreement. Besides the engine, the only sounds in the car were the whooshing of wind in their ears and occasional honking horns and sharp braking noises.

When starting to accelerate on the bridge, Qi Jingyuan casually glanced to the side, catching Zhou Tzuyu in his peripheral vision at that moment.

She was sitting there quietly, her legs together and straight, her back ramrod straight, as if she were being watched.

She leaned slightly against the window, propping her chin up on her hand resting on the car door. Her round face was scrunched together, with a slight pout to her lips. Her cheeks looked soft and squishy, as if one could just pinch them gently.

A growing wind howled from outside, blowing her brown hair wildly. Occasionally, a mischievous strand would fly up and tickle her face, but she seemed unaffected by the wind or her hair, remaining still and peaceful as she gazed out the window at the scenery.

The wind howled, yet she remained tranquil. A somewhat contradictory atmosphere intertwined upon her, but it wasn't jarring; instead, it was incredibly harmonious, giving her an air of newfound maturity. Even with the golden retriever head on her chest still radiating youthfulness, it didn't diminish the sudden surge of captivating contrast that stirred one's heart.

Because of the angle, Chi Jingyuan did not see her eyes, nor did he see the pupils in her window-gazing gaze now actually out of focus, rather somewhat blurry.

It's unknown what Zhou Ziyu is looking at at this moment. Is it the dreamy Seoul cityscape with lights twinkling in the distance, or perhaps the magnificent Seongsan Bridge standing not far away It's also possible she's simply gazing at the ordinary street lamps passing by rapidly outside and the few cars that have been overtaken.

Or maybe I didn't see anything, but instead was lost in my own thoughts and the people around me.

Only the bridge lights reflected in her eyes, creating shimmering ripples of golden stars.

After a while, she might have felt that the anger and frustration in her heart had been blown away by the wind, or perhaps it was just that the time spent holding that pose for too long finally took its toll, she lifted her head, shook it slightly, changed her posture, and turned her gaze towards Chi Jingyuan.

Where are we now

She seemed to have finally realized that the scenery outside was very unfamiliar. She had never seen it or been there before, and couldn't help but ask curiously.

However, she didn't seem afraid or uneasy about being in an unfamiliar environment. She was simply curious. It was clear that her trust in Chi Jingyuan ran deep.

"Seoul Outer Ring."

Chi Jingyuan replied, glancing at Zhou Ziyu. Although the girl didn't seem worried at all, he added behind her, "We're already on our way back. We're not too far from Jiangbei now, and we'll be back in the city center soon."

"Oh."

Zhou Tzuyu replied with a sound, her tone still so obedient.

After a few seconds, Chi Jingyuan looked at the road ahead and casually said, "Feeling better"

"Well, blowing on it felt a lot better." She nodded at Chi Jingyuan's profile and smiled sheepishly. "This method actually works pretty well."

"What are you laughing at Don't think I'll be able to come out and drive for you again next time."

Directly cutting off all further paths, Ji Jingyuan didn't see or hear Zhou Tzuyu who had lightly pursed her lips after that. He softened his tone and continued, "Although I haven't been watching your show lately, I remember that your fan vote popularity hasn't always been the first among everyone, right"

"Hmm."

Mentioning this, Zhou Tzuyu couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth, her mood seemed to improve quite a bit all of a sudden, but she still pursed her lips and nodded reservedly.

In the first few episodes of 《sixteen》, she was just a pure, transparent extra. Especially in the first episode, she didn't even have a single frontal close-up shot. All her appearances were in the background of other people's shots.

Chi Jingyuan then jokingly said, 'I didn't see you there, did you even participate' which left the girl feeling frustrated and upset.

However, as the second phase of filming showcased her figure, appearance, and talent in pictorials, Zhou Tzuyu began to gain some attention. Her situation started to change gradually, especially in the third phase due to Park Ji-won's favoritism and selection, which even trended on hot searches at the time, sparking considerable discussion and giving her a significant amount of exposure.

Then, she embarked on a surprising and somewhat overpowered journey. Although she didn't have many face reveals or close-up interviews, her votes were constantly climbing. During a period, they directly soared to the top position among all trainees, surpassing several members who were heavily promoted by JYP with a nearly 10% vote difference. Even before the show was recorded, one of the chosen ones who was almost guaranteed to debut, Lim Nayoung, was among them.

From being a random fill-in who was completely unseen by JYP and not expected to debut, she rose to become the most popular contestant among all the trainees with just limited screen time and pitifully few shots. The trajectory of this girl's growth is truly unpredictable.

It's a pity, according to Ji-yeong, the program doesn't really care about audience votes for debut. Even though they are considered, the weight isn't very significant at all. Ultimately, JYP and Park Jin-young have the final say.

However, according to Zhouzi, she seems to have had a lot more screen time in the recent few episodes...

This is actually the most important part.

Glancing at Tzuyu who had begun to stifle a laugh after the mention of the popularity vote, her mood visibly improved. Ji-yeong lightly shook his head and continued, "Besides, I remember you were on hot search just the other day, wasn't it The one for throwing the first pitch at the baseball game, number seven or eight"

A few days ago, Chi Jingyuan saw this news while browsing the news. JYP probably wanted to promote "Sixteen" and gave them a resource for throwing the first pitch at a baseball game. Because of her pitching posture and movements, or maybe because she's good-looking, even though there was no broadcast after the event, she still made it onto a hot search list thanks to some leaked photos and promotion. Several photos of her wearing a baseball cap and uniform were reposted by some media outlets, attracting the attention and praise of many viewers and fans in the comments section.

Although it wasn't a very popular news story, she was the only trainee among several who practiced together to make it onto the hot search list. That's pretty impressive.

And this is already her second hot search in the past month, besides the broadcast of the third episode. In terms of this kind of unexpected exposure, the entire 《sixteen》 probably only has the honor of being Irene's friend, Lim Na-yeon, who can compare with her.

"Well, number seven...hehehe."

She mentioned another thing that excited and proud Zhou Tzuyu. The girl who could still pretend to be reserved just couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed. First, she happily stated the date, and after holding back for two seconds, her lips curled up, her eyes curved, and a bright smile spread across her face, full of lively smugness.

I couldn't help but laugh a few times. She looked over, her eyes blinking rapidly, and the corners of her mouth twitched noticeably: "You saw it too, huh"

Chi Jingyuan heard the implied question, 'Do you think it looks good'

"Not bad."

Ji Jingyuan understood, but he wasn't as pleased as she was: "The photographer is really talented."

"Humph."

Chou Tzu-yu was a little displeased and let out a light hum.

So you're currently first in the polls and getting a lot of attention, why put so much pressure on yourself Why make things uncomfortable for yourself

"Speaking of which, Chi Jingyuan glanced at her: "If you're already this worried and afraid, those other people who have always been unpopular wouldn't they just be hiding under the covers crying every day"

Upon hearing what Chi Jingyuan said, Zhou Tzuyu's smile faded slightly. She seemed to want to refute him but didn't know what to say. After thinking for a while, she could only purse her lips lightly, her expression stubborn and persistent: "It's just that sometimes it's like this, the pressure is getting bigger and bigger..."

"And indeed, many people cry often at night, and some even shed tears during their practice... I sometimes do too, I can't control my emotions..."

"I understand Xiaonv's worries. Ji-Eung can see that Zhou Tzuyu has finally cheered up, so he doesn't dwell on this anymore and directly changes the subject: 'I was too busy these past few days to ask, how is your filming for Sixteen going What are you guys working on now'"

"Today, we will be airing the sixth episode. We have already finished filming up to the seventh episode."

"It's so slow, I remember they filmed two or three episodes in advance before the live broadcast, right"

"Well, the filming pace has been getting slower recently. Apparently it's because..." She glanced at Ji Jingyuan and after a pause continued, "Because the third season made the show's viewership and popularity increase quite a bit. Now the company is paying close attention to audience reactions after each broadcast. I even heard from the manager that the company was considering doing a live broadcast for the final episode when they officially announced the group formation and debut spots instead of continuing to film."

>

"Live stream" Chi Jingyuan nodded to indicate he understood. If you follow it enough and promote it, this method can definitely increase the heat: "What about the current topic"

"This week's mission is a guerilla performance, where we go to the streets and try our best to gather people from the street and tourists to watch our performance. In the end, whoever mobilizes the most people wins, and the winner is decided based on a combined score with the stage performance." Zhou Tzuyu explained in detail, as if fearing he wouldn't understand.

"Although he could feel the girl's kindness, Chi Jingyuan still glared at her with displeasure."

"Guerrilla performance Do you think I'm new here"

When will we mobilize on the streets and start performing

"Tomorrow!" Zhou Tzuyu looked a little excited and expectant.

"It's a shame, if I didn't have to fly to Wanwan tomorrow, maybe I could come and cheer you on." Chi Jingyuan shrugged, seemingly a little regretful.

Of course, this is just to coax children, because it's impossible. In such situations, there are many people around, and they stand very close together. Even though many people wear masks when going out recently due to some recent events, it's really difficult to guarantee that you won't be recognized. If you are recognized, it is easy to cause some unnecessary trouble, and the estimated result for Zhou Tzuyu would not be encouragement.

"Hmm."

Although it was a way to coax the child, the effect seemed quite good. The child clearly believed it and nodded with a hint of regret. Seeing this, Ji Jingyuan couldn't help but smile inwardly.

We are now back in the city center, and traffic on the streets has started to pick up. The frequency of honking horns and engine noises has also increased considerably.

Qi Jingyuan closed the windows on both sides a little and then asked with some concern, "Which group are you in"

This kind of guerrilla performance group division is crucial. The members in the group need to have both strength and popularity, naturally increasing their chances of winning significantly. Sometimes, even the level of skill becomes less important. A team formed by several strong but unpopular members might perform well on stage, but they still have a high chance of being eliminated. It's just that unfair.

Hearing this question, Zhou Tzuyu hesitated for a moment, her voice stammering and her tone somewhat strange: "And, Yu Dingyan sister, there is still... Im Na-yeon."

"...

"

Hearing his tone, Chi Jingyuan, who happened to be stopped at a red light, turned his head and looked at her: "What Did they bully you"

"No."

Zhou Tzuyu hurriedly waved her hand and then said with a hint of reminiscence: "In the first one or two years as a trainee, I was actually quite unfamiliar with everyone. When I first participated in the show, I wasn't very familiar with them either, and we rarely communicated... But after several group assignments and living together in a dormitory for a long time, I've recently gotten to know them much better. Now that I'm more familiar with them, I find that their personalities are actually quite good.

"Hmm."

"Yu Dingyan's sister, although she sometimes talks in a quirky way and likes to tease people, is actually a very caring older sister... She seems to know you too."

"Yeah, my friend is Kong Seung-yeon's older sister. I've met her twice before, haven't you I remember we bumped into each other once at a restaurant." Ji-yeong nodded in confirmation.

"Is that so I forgot... She's a really nice person, both when we lived together before and now that we're in the same group, she takes good care of me."

Then

"And then there's Lim Nayoung... she's actually a really nice person, she laughs a lot, sometimes she's serious and sometimes she's very childish, just..."

At this point, Zhou Tzuyu hesitated, looking as if she wasn't sure whether to continue.

"Just"

When the green light came on, Chi Jingyuan retracted his gaze and started the car, following her with a response.

"Although it's pretty good, it's just, just..." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, stealing glances at Chi Jingyuan's face as she spoke, as if afraid he would get angry. "It's just that because of that recording session, you chose me... so sometimes she likes to talk bad about you... actually, it's not really bad-talking, it's just, just... I don't know how to explain."

"Black fans"

Qian Jingyuan listened and understood Zhou Tzuyu's meaning, so he blurted it out.

"Right!" she immediately nodded, agreeing with the word: "That's exactly what I mean. Even though she tried to avoid saying it around me, I still heard it a few times."

As she spoke, it seemed as though she recalled a certain scene and some words, her brows furrowed, her lips pursed in displeasure. A look of disapproval crossed her face as she gazed intently at the road ahead through the windshield: "Although she has a good personality, I don't like this about her, nor do I like what she said..."

"So, I've never gotten close to them, and I don't want to get to know them either..."

"Ah..."

Hearing Zhou Tzuyu's tone, Ji Jingyuan couldn't help but glance at her sideways. Looking at her slightly serious face and focused eyes, he felt for some reason that this expression didn't quite match her usual image, giving him a slightly comical feeling.

He couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh, shook his head, glanced at Zhou Tzuyu, and said with a hint of amusement: "Are you sticking up for me Don't you think I need you to fight my battles"

The tone was playful yet languid, completely unconcerned with defending Zhou Tzuyu.

But when Zhou Tzuyu heard his words, she looked at him with some grievance and anger. All he did was place his hands on the steering wheel, tilt his head slightly, and the smile he had just now suddenly disappeared, leaving only a slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth.

He looked at the flow of cars and the road ahead, his eyes clear and his voice gentle, softly responding:

"But...thank you."

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