Chapter Forty-Nine: The Tour of SM Entertainment Ends, and Everyone Prepares for Dinner

"Unni~" teased by Jung Soo-yeon, Seo-hyun couldn’t keep up her forlorn expression any longer. She gently bumped her shoulder against Jung Soo-yeon, who had her arm around her, with a touch of playful affection.

——————— Interlude: Boring Conversation Time ———————

The conversation between Chen Zhe and his two companions with Kim Young-min and Lee Soo-man unfolded just as they had anticipated. If Chen Zhe were to join SM Entertainment and aspired to debut as a solo artist, it was virtually impossible; if he refused to join a group, he would simply become a trainee, waiting for an exceedingly slim chance at a solo debut.

Such a scenario was clearly unacceptable to the three, so Lee Soo-man offered a compromise: Chen Zhe could first join EXO’s Chinese sub-unit, debut alongside them, and after some time, the company would try to arrange a solo debut for him.

Given that there was precedent with Henry, a Chinese member, Chen Zhe did not immediately reject this proposal. After a brief discussion among the siblings, Chen Yuqi, citing her youth and inability to decide, said she needed to consult her parents first before giving a reply, deftly sidestepping the matter.

Since they hadn’t agreed to join SM directly, Choi Soo-young, Chen Yuqi, and Chen Zhe chatted a bit longer with Kim Young-min and Lee Soo-man before taking their leave.

"This kid probably won’t end up joining our company," Lee Soo-man suddenly remarked after the trio had departed, drawing Kim Young-min’s attention.

"Oh? Director Lee, why do you say that?" Kim Young-min was puzzled by Lee Soo-man’s certainty—was the old fox seeing something he hadn’t? He pressed for an explanation.

"Geniuses always carry a certain pride, and given what the board decided, the conditions we can offer are unlikely to win him over." Lee Soo-man sighed softly and tapped the table, beginning to lay out his reasoning for Kim Young-min.

"So what should we do? If things keep going this way, he’s very likely to be signed by another company!" After hearing Lee Soo-man’s analysis, Kim Young-min understood how things might unfold, but he was still reluctant to accept it.

After all, creative singer-songwriters who’ve already proven their abilities are exceedingly rare—like G-Dragon at YG. But compared to G-Dragon, Chen Zhe not only possessed outstanding creative talent but also exceptional looks, making him a perfect fit for SM. Kim Young-min had once believed Chen Zhe was heaven’s answer to his prayers, a talent sent specifically to their company. Now, seeing this gem slip from their grasp, how could he possibly be content?

"I recall Choi Soo-young took him to meet the members of Girls’ Generation and Super Junior, right?" Stroking his chin, Lee Soo-man remembered reports from staff: Choi Soo-young and Im Yoon-ah had brought him to visit Hee-chul and the others.

"Yes, I remember that too. Apparently, they went to Super Junior’s lounge to retrieve some snacks Im Yoon-ah had hidden," Kim Young-min nodded, not quite grasping Lee Soo-man’s point.

"But what I heard was that Im Yoon-ah only hid the snacks in Super Junior’s lounge the day before Chen Zhe came," Lee Soo-man’s eyes narrowed as he shared the version he’d heard from subordinates.

"You mean—!" The revelation startled Kim Young-min, leaving him momentarily speechless. According to Lee Soo-man’s account, it seemed highly likely that Yoon-ah had orchestrated the snack incident herself.

"We don’t know the precise details, but as long as we’re aware, that’s enough. Chen Zhe’s nuna has always been close with Girls’ Generation," Lee Soo-man recalled frequent reports from Girls’ Generation’s manager about Chen Yuqi tutoring members of both Girls’ Generation and f(x). He felt reasonably certain about Yoon-ah’s motives.

By his estimation, it was likely not just Yoon-ah acting alone; probably the other members of Girls’ Generation had decided together. Otherwise, such a coincidence wouldn’t have occurred.

(The following is a placeholder; time is running short.)

After shooting a few more scenes of interactions between the male and female leads, the time had slipped to around five in the afternoon, marking the official end of the MV shoot.

Seeing off the filming crew, Chen Zhe and Jung Soo-jung both breathed a sigh of relief, surprised to hear each other doing the same. Their eyes met, and for a moment, both were caught off guard, then broke into a knowing smile.

Standing nearby, Choi Soo-young watched their exchange with a gentle smile of satisfaction.

"Nuna, Soo-jung. You both worked hard today. I’ll treat you—let’s go have a feast!" Chen Zhe stretched lazily and looked over at Choi Soo-young and Jung Soo-jung, his tone tinged with laughter.

"Perfect, Ah Zhe, let’s head out now!" No sooner had Chen Zhe finished speaking than Choi Soo-young, who had looked the part of a caring elder, instantly transformed into the ‘God of Food,’ eagerly trotting over to Chen Zhe.

"Ah Zhe, are we going to the Chinese banquet you mentioned earlier?" Choi Soo-young clasped her hands behind her back, swaying before Chen Zhe, looking up at him with expectant eyes.

"Yes, we’ll go now. But would you prefer to take our van?" Chen Zhe nodded, then paused as if something had occurred to him, asking hesitantly.

"Your van will do. Go, go, go—let’s head out right now!" After wrapping an arm around Jung Soo-jung’s shoulders, Choi Soo-young gave Chen Zhe a gentle push, urging him to lead the way.

"Alright, got it, nuna!" Chen Zhe sighed helplessly, then turned and led Choi Soo-young and Jung Soo-jung toward his van.

"Hey, Ah Zhe, why are you all coming together?" Han Ze-lu, seeing Chen Zhe arrive with Choi Soo-young and Jung Soo-jung in tow, asked with a hint of confusion.

"Yes, Brother Ze-lu, nuna and the others are going to ride with us," Chen Zhe quickly explained upon seeing Han Ze-lu’s puzzled expression.

"I see… Alright, let’s get going," Han Ze-lu hesitated briefly before nodding in agreement.

Travelling in the van, the group soon arrived at a Chinese restaurant called Moonview Pavilion.