Chapter 267: Love Others, Love Yourself First
"Why are you so slow?" As soon as he got into the car, Liu Zhimin, who had already finished her oden, curiously asked Jiang Shu.
"I ran into Hae Won," Jiang Shu said, handing the chocolate milk in his hand to Liu Zhimin.
"Which Hae Won?" Liu Zhimin didn't think of Wu Haiyuan at first and asked.
"NMIXX's leader, Wu Haiyuan."
Liu Zhimin's face showed a look of realization upon hearing this.
"Oh, it's Hae Won xi. Why is she here?"
"She's filming 'Work Idol,' working at a convenience store," Jiang Shu explained.
"'Work Idol' is quite popular, isn't it? All the members watch it," Liu Zhimin asked.
"Yes, its popularity makes it a second-tier variety show."
First-tier variety shows are those whose popularity is second only to national-level shows. While Wu Haiyuan's 'Work Idol' is popular, it's still far from reaching that level.
Thinking of this, Jiang Shu couldn't help but marvel at JYP's sheer luck; by some twist of fate, they actually activated Wu Haiyuan's bond.
Wu Haiyuan (A)
Bonds: Skit Queen (1), Special Forces (1), Yaoyao Music (6/7).
Skit Queen: Wu Haiyuan's exclusive bond.
Effect: Once activated, significantly enhances the artist's entertainment sense and increases the probability of breaking out, but reduces attractiveness to visual fans.
The negative effect is practically nonexistent. While Wu Haiyuan's appearance is not bad, her appeal to true visual-obsessed fans is not significant.
This wave of fans is enthusiastic about divine beauty artists like Liu Yuan, and at the very least, they prefer Shin Yuna, or Kim Tae-yeon during her prime, and so on.
Not to mention, NMIXX also has a Lin Daiyu-like member who pulls down willows. Wu Haiyuan's positioning itself isn't for visual fans, so this negative effect is completely negligible compared to the positive impact of Skit Queen.
JYP, by a stroke of luck, actually made the right move.
It proves that JYP isn't bad at managing groups; they're just too lazy to manage them. With TWICE as a stable cash cow, subsequent groups are destined to be backups.
As long as TWICE stands, there's no need to pay too much attention to the backups.
In Jiang Shu's opinion, this is pure waste, but from JYP's perspective, as a company that's stingy from top to bottom, this is called stability.
It's no wonder they became one of the K-pop Three Greats by being so stingy.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
Liu Zhimin bit the straw and finished the remaining milk in the carton, then casually placed it in the cup holder on the center console.
"Let's go! Home!"
"Let's go," Jiang Shu pulled on his seatbelt and yawned, "Time to go home, take a shower, and sleep."
Liu Zhimin rubbed her neck, started the engine, and the car slowly moved towards Jiang Shu's home.
Soon, they arrived downstairs at Jiang Shu's place, and Liu Zhimin and Jiang Shu successively got out of the car.
"Why did you get out too?" Jiang Shu asked, looking at Liu Zhimin in surprise.
"I'm going back to the dorm. You didn't think I was going to your place, did you?" Liu Zhimin looked at Jiang Shu with disdain.
...
I really didn't think that.
"You could just drive the car away."
"How would you get around if I drove it away? Besides, your car is too conspicuous. If I drove it back, the members would definitely say something. No, I'm not driving it." Liu Zhimin refused, shaking her head like a rattle drum.
"Then how are you going to get back?"
"Take a taxi."
"It's so late, can you take a taxi alone?" Jiang Shu said with a frown.
South Korea's night-time security isn't that great either.
"Then what should I do?" Liu Zhimin also thought he had a point and felt it was indeed a bit dangerous.
"I'll have someone send you," Jiang Shu said, taking out his phone.
"Who will send me?" Liu Zhimin asked curiously.
"My driver."
"Your driver?"
Jiang Shu didn't answer Liu Zhimin; the call had already connected.
"Come to my place and take Karina back to her dorm."
"When did you get a driver?" Seeing Jiang Shu hang up the phone, Liu Zhimin eagerly asked.
"I've always had one. It's just that I rarely take company cars out, so you haven't seen him."
DM Entertainment's directors, presidents, and chairmen are all provided with private cars and drivers. However, including Jiang Shu, they rarely use the company-provided cars, mostly driving their own private vehicles.
If anything, Li Duohui uses it a bit more. Her own BMW M4 is too flashy and not suitable for meeting clients, so she has the driver take her to business meetings.
DM Entertainment's company cars are Genesis, the representative Korean business vehicle, similar in status to Audi in China.
Passat is more comparable to Hyundai; business vehicles in Korea are either MPVs, which are vans, or Genesis.
"Are those Genesis cars in the parking lot the company's official cars?" Liu Zhimin thought of the row of Genesis cars parked in the DM Entertainment building's parking lot every time she went there, remembering that those cars seemed to have barely moved.
"Yes," Jiang Shu nodded.
"Why buy so many cars? Two or three should be enough," Liu Zhimin asked, puzzled. They don't even use them; aren't they just a waste sitting there?
"They have quite a few uses, for example, tax deductions."
"Tax deductions?" Liu Zhimin was stunned. "You can get tax deductions for buying cars?"
"Yes, you can look it up yourself," Jiang Shu yawned. "Come on, let's go upstairs and wait. The driver will be a while."
Liu Zhimin hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
The two swiped their cards and entered the familiar large apartment.
Standing in the living room, looking at the familiar layout, Liu Zhimin felt a moment of trance.
"You're familiar with this place, so I won't bother with courtesies. Get whatever you want to drink or eat," Jiang Shu took off his shirt, casually threw it on the sofa, and walked into the inner room bare-chested.
Liu Zhimin snapped out of it when she heard this, glanced at Jiang Shu's retreating back, and walked barefoot on the cool floor to the edge of the balcony, looking at the two lounge chairs. She couldn't help but reach out and place her hand on one of them.
Before... she and Jiang Shu would lie here, one on each side, basking in the sun, listening to music, and talking about the people and events they encountered that day.
At that time, she thought such a life would repeat every day in the future.
Liu Zhimin stood on the balcony like that, one hand resting on the lounge chair, looking up at the brightly lit night Seoul in the distance, lost in thought.
A few minutes later, Jiang Shu, having finished his shower and changed into loungewear, walked out with his phone.
"The driver will be here soon." As soon as Jiang Shu finished speaking, he saw Liu Zhimin standing on the balcony, lost in thought.
Liu Zhimin heard Jiang Shu's words and turned to look at him.
Jiang Shu stood under the light, and Liu Zhimin stood under the bright moonlight of the balcony, both looking at each other from a distance.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Shu broke the quiet.
"Do you want to stay tonight?"
Liu Zhimin felt a stir in her heart, but Zhang Yuanying's words quietly surfaced in her mind, and then she smiled.
"No, I'm going back."
Love others, love yourself first.
She didn't understand it before, but now she does.
"Then... good night."
"Good night."