HPDBC Chapter 1444 I understand
Chapter 1444 I understand
Chapter 1444 I understand
"...Is it possible for us to win the Digital Music Award today?"
Inside Twice's dressing room, the warm air dispelled the chill outside. Mina sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, fiddling with her phone, while Momo was catching up on sleep, and Nayeon and the others were chatting nearby.
"I guess I won't get the grand prize."
Kim Da-hyun gently shook her head and calmly analyzed, "I think the final grand prize should be a competition between IU and Kyungwon."
"So, Dahyun, who do you think is more likely?"
"Both have a chance." Kim Da-hyun's tone was somewhat uncertain: "Kyungwon oppa's title track 'I Loved You' has a strong digital impact and won Song of the Year, making it the most popular song this year. But IU senior has always been a digital sensation and has high national popularity, so it's hard to say who will win."
"Oh right, is Kyungwon oppa coming alone today?" Lim Nayeon suddenly remembered something.
"Yes, EXO isn't coming today."
"Should we go over and play with him?"
Rabbit Teeth instantly became interested, her tone filled with excitement.
"No, Kyungwon oppa is sick. He has a bad cold. Let's not disturb him while he's resting."
Yu Dingyan glanced at her helplessly, her tone carrying a hint of reminder: "Don't you know?"
"Huh? How did you know he was sick?" Lim Nayeon looked at Yoo Jeongyeon with surprise, her eyes full of doubt.
"We talked about it yesterday."
Yoo Jeongyeon pointed to the phone on her lap.
"Oh, I see. The flu has been quite severe these past few days. Several of my friends have caught it too."
Upon hearing this, Lim Nayeon's eyes darted around, then she suddenly sniffed, her brows furrowed, and she slumped onto the sofa: "Ah, I feel like I'm not feeling well either~"
"Unnie~" Kim Dahyun, who was pinned down, pushed Lim Nayeon, who was acting like a drama queen, speechlessly.
"Are you sick too?"
Yu Dingyan rolled her eyes.
"Now that you mention it..." Just as Park Jihyo was about to agree with Lim Nayeon, the door to the dressing room was gently pushed open, and Chou Tzuyu walked in from outside.
"Tzuyu~"
The group immediately stopped chatting and greeted Tzuyu. Nayeon was the first to speak, asking curiously, "Did you go to the restroom?"
"No."
Chou Tzu-yu shook her head, found a seat near the edge of the sofa, and casually pulled her coat tighter: "I went to check on him."
Upon hearing this, Mina, who had been looking intently at her phone with her head slightly down, slowly raised her eyes and glanced at Tzuyu.
...Why can you say it so naturally?
Although Chou Tzu-yu did not name names, everyone in the dressing room knew without saying who "he" was referring to.
"Jingyuan oppa? Is his illness serious?" Lim Nayeon lifted her leg and finally got up from Kim Dahyun, then leaned over to ask.
"Hmm, it looks pretty serious."
Chou Tzu-yu nodded slightly and gave a brief explanation.
Upon hearing this, Sana Minatozaki frowned slightly, her gaze sweeping over Tzuyu with a thoughtful look in her eyes.
…………
Meanwhile, in Chi Kyung-won's dressing room, after Chou Tzu-yu left, he originally wanted to close his eyes and rest for a while to relieve his physical fatigue and the discomfort of his cold.
But before long, the door to the dressing room was knocked on several times. Waves of familiar celebrities and friends came over to say hello and exchange pleasantries, including IU (Lee Ji-eun) and Lee Sung-kyung.
Ji Kyung-won has been nominated for the Grand Prize in both the Digital Music and Record categories at the Golden Disc Awards, and he has a chance to win both.
Lee Ji-eun is his biggest rival in today's music digital awards.
However, this woman didn't come for that reason; she didn't seem to care much about it... She came to express her gratitude and chat.
Previously, Lee Ji-eun encountered many problems while filming "My Mister," and she took the initiative to ask Ji Kyung-won about acting, which Ji Kyung-won did not refuse.
So recently, on the set of "The Spy," Ji Kyung-won not only personally taught Kim Ji-won surface-level techniques, but he also kept communicating with Lee Ji-eun via mobile phone, guiding her on some acting-related matters.
He hadn't seen Lee Ji-eun filming, so he couldn't tell the specific effects, but judging from her attitude, he felt it should be somewhat helpful.
During the conversation, Ji Kyung-won also listened to Lee Ji-eun talk a lot about the production crew, and heard her explain in detail the script and details of the drama "My Mister" that was being filmed. He felt that if she could successfully portray the role, Lee Ji-eun's acting career, especially her acting skills, could have a significant breakthrough.
In the past two years, Lee Ji-eun has not only reached a peak in her solo career, but is also doing better and better in her acting career.
Seeing how successful and thriving this woman is now, Chi Jingyuan couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, including nostalgia and regret).
In the first two years after his debut, Ji Kyung-won personally experienced the dark period when Lee Ji-eun's reputation collapsed. From the nation's little sister to the anti-heroes of the entire internet, not only were her bed photos circulated everywhere, but the internet was also full of boycotts, rumors and insults against her.
He didn't know what she had done, but now, looking back, he realized that this woman had unknowingly turned her reputation around and transformed into a national idol with an astonishingly high level of popularity.
All I can say is that IU is really amazing... She herself is amazing, and her team and company are amazing too.
After Lee Ji-eun left, Lee Sung-kyung also came. As an actress who worked with Ji Kyung-won in "The Spy," they were quite familiar with each other after working together for so long.
Today, Lee Sung-kyung is the female MC for the Golden Disc Digital Music Awards, and she is working with Lee Seung-gi, who has just been discharged from the military.
Ji Kyung-won and Lee Seung-gi weren't very close, but whenever he saw this guy... he would reflexively think of someone.
While trying to engage in conversation with Lee Sung-kyung, Ji Kyung-won's gaze remained fixed on her, but his mind was wandering uncontrollably, secretly grumbling to himself:
...The organizers really don't know how to choose people, and they even said the ratings were gradually declining.
Why invite Lee Sung-kyung?
If we invited Yoona to be the female MC, wouldn't tonight's show be a huge hit?
"Jingyuan."
When Cody was checking Ji Jingyuan's makeup and styling in the afternoon, she noticed the red string on his left hand.
As an observer, she naturally knew that Zhou Ziyu had tied the red string around Ji Jingyuan's neck, so she said somewhat awkwardly, "He's about to go on stage, and this red string..."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan instantly understood what Cody meant.
Every time he appears on camera, his every detail is scrutinized by his die-hard fans and netizens from head to toe.
Once something so obviously personal and eye-catching appears on camera, it would be strange if fans didn't have suspicions and make connections.
But... for some reason, Chi Jingyuan didn't want to take it off.
"..."
He hesitated for a moment, then looked around. His eyes lit up when he saw the jewelry box on the dressing table. He walked over, picked out a wider ring, put it on the index finger of his left hand, and adjusted its position so that it completely covered the red string.
Chi Jingyuan looked at his left hand, smiled with satisfaction, and waved to Cody:
"That's fine."
…………
The venue was brightly lit and bustling with activity, filled with a tense yet exciting atmosphere.
"2018 Golden Disc Awards, Digital Music Division, Grand Prize... IU, congratulations~"
The award presenter's voice, clear and loud, resonated throughout the venue via microphone. Sitting in the artist section, Ji Kyung-won sighed softly to himself.
As expected, they still couldn't compete... Although the title track "I Loved" had a very strong performance on the music charts and even won Song of the Year, the album as a whole was still not as good as IU's. This girl is still quite strong on the music charts.
However, Ji Kyung-won didn't really care about the award. He stood up and applauded along with the other artists.
As the background music started playing, the entire audience immediately erupted in applause, followed by a distinct chorus of boos.
Clearly, it was Ji Kyung-won's fans who were expressing their dissatisfaction.
Ji Kyung-won watched as Lee Ji-eun, who had just won an award, covered her chest with one hand, her face showing excitement and emotion. As she walked towards the center of the stage, she kept nodding to the artists around her, her smile gentle and her demeanor elegant.
...As a senior colleague, he maintained a very good sense of manners and poise.
As IU passed by Ji Kyung-won, the woman glanced at her casually, raising an eyebrow slightly and a hint of a smile in her eyes.
That gaze seemed to be directed at him, and it even contained a hint of... teasing?
Chi Jingyuan paused slightly after sensing the hidden thoughts in the message, then his lips curled into a smirk, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
If IU had only won the Grand Prize, she probably wouldn't have been that happy... but winning the award against him was what made her happiest.
Chi Kyung-won didn't feel any displeasure, just a little regretful... because he had a very high chance of winning the record award tomorrow, and if he could win the digital music award today, he would be an unprecedented winner of the 'double gold record award'.
However, to be honest, it's just a title and doesn't really boost his current career, so he doesn't think much of it.
IU's acceptance speech was sincere and moving; without flowery words, it won applause from all the artists and audience members. After her speech, it was time for her encore performance.
Halfway through the performance, the stage manager hurried over to the artists' section and whispered instructions, urging all the artists present to come on stage to support IU and create a lively atmosphere.
All the artists and idols stood up one by one, walked onto the stage in an orderly fashion, and stood behind IU, clapping gently to the rhythm of the music in support.
Ji Kyung-won stood at the back, his hands gently clapping in front of him, his gaze fixed on IU in the center of the stage, listening attentively to her singing.
Although Kim Tae-yeon often says that "all of IU's songs are the same tune"... Ji Kyung-won felt that this sister's singing had its own unique charm and atmosphere.
All I can say is that jealousy makes people lose their minds.
"..."
As he listened, Chi Jingyuan suddenly sensed a small noise coming from the left side of the stage, breaking the atmosphere on stage.
He glanced over there instinctively and saw several female idols huddled together, whispering something with concerned expressions, as if they were comforting someone.
After observing for a while, he finally realized what had happened.
...It turned out that Kim Ye-rin suddenly started crying for some reason.
At this moment, she turned around, her back to the audience, her shoulders trembling slightly, and her hands constantly wiping away tears.
Several people from Red Velvet were comforting her, and even Lim Nayeon, who was standing several meters away, made a special trip across the crowd to check on the situation and comfort Kim Yerin.
This person with rabbit teeth is actually quite nice~
Although it looked very loving... Chi Jingyuan felt a little speechless.
IU was singing and performing her encore stage after winning an award... wasn't she stealing the spotlight a little?
…………
The entire evening concluded with IU's song, and the artists left the stage one by one, walking orderly towards the backstage area. The backstage corridor was bustling with people and very crowded.
"Jingyuan!"
Ji Jingyuan followed behind, waiting for the crowd in front to slowly pass by. Coincidentally, Bae Joo-hyun and Kang Seul-gi were standing next to him, also waiting to move forward.
"..."
Ji Jingyuan first looked around and found that Kim Yerin was not beside him, but was squeezed in the crowd with Son Seungwan and Park Sooyoung, slightly towards the front.
He turned his head slightly and met Bae Joohyun's gaze, then gestured slightly towards Kim Yerin ahead, giving Bae Joohyun a meaningful look:
'What's wrong with her? Why did she start crying again just now?'
"..."
Although she didn't say anything, Bae Joo-hyun instantly understood what Ji Kyung-won meant from his eyes. Instead of replying, she rolled her eyes in a coquettish and disdainful way.
Bae Joo-hyun's look today is quite eye-catching. Her slightly wavy long hair is tied in a ponytail, with light wispy bangs framing her face, making her face appear even smaller and more delicate. She is wearing a black printed dress with the hemline reaching mid-thigh, making her legs seem a little longer.
Her subtle facial expressions added to her charm.
"Our second season of the group variety show aired the day before yesterday. Since it was a travel group variety show that we filmed before, the atmosphere was very relaxed."
Kang Seulgi may look simple-minded, but she's actually incredibly shrewd and clever. She instantly noticed Ji Kyung-won's gaze and leaned closer to explain in a low voice, "Some people saw Yeri laughing happily on the show, so they used Jonghyun oppa's incident to attack her online, saying a lot of nasty things. That's why she's been in a bad mood these past few days..."
"I see..."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan nodded slightly.
Even though so much time has passed since Jonghyun's funeral, the online backlash against Kim Yerim hasn't stopped, and her reputation and popularity have plummeted during this period.
While the previous incident was indeed inappropriate, it's truly frustrating that laughing on a variety show can become a reason for being criticized.
However, haters and anti-people don't really need a reason; just disliking her is enough.
"Seulgi, you tell him all this..."
As Ji Jingyuan was thinking, Bae Joo-hyun suddenly spoke up, gently retorting, "He has no idea about our group variety show."
"You know what, I actually did look at it."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan raised an eyebrow and retorted righteously.
The variety show they were talking about is Red Velvet's group variety show "LEVEL UP Project 2", which premiered on the 8th... When Ji Kyung-won had nothing to do on set, he actually clicked on the news and watched two episodes.
To be honest... it's a bit boring.
However, there are also some bright spots.
"You really watched it?" Bae Joohyun's expression changed instantly upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of anticipation flashing in her eyes.
"Do I need to produce evidence?"
Chi Jingyuan looked at Bae Joo-hyun, then suddenly moved a little closer, asking in a teasingly low voice, "Is it because when you were filming that web drama, I complimented your glasses look..."
"So, you're dressed like this in the group's variety show too?"
The two were so close that they exceeded the safe distance between idols, and several other idols nearby couldn't help but glance over, starting a silent storm of eye contact.
However, Chi Jingyuan only touched her briefly before quickly distancing himself and creating distance between them.
"..."
Bae Joo-hyun didn't say anything, but she glanced at me with a slightly alluring look.
Just as their eyes met, Bae Joo-hyun suddenly swayed again, covering her mouth and coughing softly a few times: "Cough cough..."
The cough had a distinct nasal tone and a slightly hoarse quality.
"You caught a cold too?"
Upon hearing the unusual sounds in her cough, Chi Jingyuan immediately asked in surprise.
He texted Bae Joo-hyun these past two days, telling her he was sick, but he didn't hear her say she was sick too.
"Are you the only one allowed to catch a cold?"
Bae Joo-hyun sniffed and glanced at him.
"Oh, so that's why I caught a cold. It turns out you gave it to me, Pei Zhuxian!"
Ji Jingyuan immediately glared at Bae Joo-hyun and launched a malicious accusation in an exaggerated tone.
"..."
Upon hearing this, the young lady couldn't help but roll her eyes again, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly, and a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes.
Although we were in different places, we both got sick and caught colds at the same time, which gave us a sense of tacit understanding and made us feel happy despite the hardship, thus lessening the discomfort and fatigue brought on by the illness.
"..."
When Chi Jingyuan heard the young lady cough twice more, he felt a foreign object on his finger and suddenly remembered the red string that Zhou Ziyu had tied for him.
Why don't we let Bae Joo-hyun give it a try too?
But as soon as the idea popped into his head, he rejected it.
Forget it, I don't even know if this thing works. It's obviously just a placebo effect.
And if the girl knew it was Chou Tzu-yu who did it, she'd probably roll her eyes to the heavens.
"Take some medicine quickly, or go to the hospital to get it checked out."
Ji Jingyuan suppressed his thoughts, looked at Bae Joo-hyun, and said with a deliberate urging in his tone, "If this affects our filming in a few days, I'll have to replace her!"
"I know~"
…………
The next day, January 11, it was the same venue, the same Golden Disc Awards, but this time it was the record category, and the participating artists were a different group.
"Huh? Jingyuan, didn't you say you had a bad cold?"
Park Chanyeol looked at Ji Kyung-won, sized him up, and asked curiously, "Why do I look so normal?"
"..."
Chi Jingyuan blinked slightly, subconsciously raising his left hand slightly, his peripheral vision catching the red string on his left index finger.
"Perhaps... I slept well last night?"
"I don't know either."