pjbooks Chapter 11 Wait a minute
Chapter 11 Wait a minute
The aftereffects of a hangover are like someone putting on a heavy metal concert in your head, with the drummer still frantically pounding on your temples.
Liu Yu struggled to open his eyes amidst a dry mouth. It took him about ten seconds to refocus his vision.
The first thing that catches the eye is not the ceiling of his messy, doghouse-like bachelor apartment, but a beautifully designed chandelier.
Liu Yu blinked, and his brain's processor slowly began to start up.
"What's going on? Have I been abducted by aliens?" Liu Yu muttered to himself, just about to sit up, when his gaze shifted and he instantly froze like a piece of frozen meat just pulled out of an icebox.
A woman was sitting on the single sofa next to him.
To be precise, it was a woman in her pajamas holding a bowl of milk and cereal, watching the morning news with a blank expression.
Xu Suizhen.
Liu Yu was terrified. He gasped sharply, nearly choking himself.
"Cough cough cough... cough cough!"
A violent cough shattered the morning's tranquility. Xu Suizhen slowly turned her head to glance at him, her eyes completely expressionless, then pushed a glass of water from the coffee table beside her towards him.
"You're awake? Have some water."
Liu Yu stared in horror at the glass of water, then at the living room, which was clearly a woman's living space. His brain's alarm bells blared.
"I... how did I get here? Where is this?!" Liu Yu's voice was trembling. He even subconsciously pulled the blanket that someone had covered him with tightly, like a young woman about to face misfortune.
Just then, the door to the master bedroom opened.
Tian Xiaojuan, her hair a mess, yawned as she came out. Seeing Liu Yu sitting on the sofa, still shaken, she casually greeted him, "Oh, you're awake?"
This greeting ignited a powder keg in Liu Yu's mind.
"Ah, you're awake?!"
"What the hell?! She's awake! Tian Xiaojuan!" Liu Yu's voice cracked, so loud it almost blew the ceiling off. "Are you fucking crazy?! Why did you bring me to your dorm?!"
His shout jolted Tian Xiaojuan awake, and her anger flared up: "Tsk... Ugh... What are you yelling about! I kindly carried you back, and you dare to yell at me? Do you know how heavy you were yesterday, like a dead pig!"
"You're the pig! Your whole family are pigs! Your ancestors for eighteen generations were all pigs!" Liu Yu jumped up from the sofa, pointing at Tian Xiaojuan's nose, his finger trembling. "Did you get your brain slammed in a door or kicked by a donkey? Where is this? This is a girl group dorm! You brought a grown man like me back to a girl group dorm in the middle of the night? Do you think I'm too old for you, and want CUBE's PR department and your fans to tear me apart alive?!"
Tian Xiaojuan guiltily looked away, but still refused to back down, clicking her tongue in protest, "It's the middle of the night, what if the paparazzi take pictures of me taking you home! The security around your place is so bad!"
Liu Yu almost fainted. He held his head in his hands and spun around twice in the living room, looking like a volatile top.
"So you think bringing me to your dorm will prevent us from being photographed?! What, does your dorm have some kind of barrier? Or an AT field? Do paparazzi cameras automatically block this building?! Do you know what tomorrow's headlines will say if we're photographed walking out of your dorm? I'll never be able to live in Seoul again!"
"That's an exaggeration!" Tian Xiaojuan retorted, sticking her neck out. "Our neighborhood has top-notch security! Not even a fly can get in, let alone paparazzi!"
"Come on! What happened last time when Song Yuqi was photographed buying late-night snacks downstairs and it went viral? Are those paparazzi invisible?!" Liu Yu mercilessly exposed her shortcomings.
At this moment, Song Yuqi peeked out from her room, her hair a mess, and said in a low voice in Chinese, "Old Liu, although I enjoyed hearing you scold Tian Xiaojuan, please don't hurt our comrades. Also, you were snoring last night, which seriously affected my sleep quality."
"So what if I snore? I didn't beg you to bring me here!" Liu Yu was practically going crazy. These girl group members were all fucking abnormal!
"Alright."
Xu Suizhen, who had been quietly eating her cereal, suddenly spoke up.
Her voice wasn't loud, it could even be described as very soft, but the living room instantly fell silent. Tian Xiaojuan shut her mouth, and Song Yuqi shrank back.
Xu Suizhen put down the bowl in her hand, took out a tissue to wipe the corner of her mouth, and then turned to look at Liu Yu.
"Liu Yu-xi, firstly, you're disturbing my TV viewing. Secondly, since it's only 6:30 in the morning, you'd better leave right now. If you keep shouting and attract your manager's attention, then you'll really be on the front page."
Liu Yu opened his mouth, originally wanting to say a thousand things to complain about Tian Xiaojuan, but under Xu Suizhen's calm gaze, he swallowed all his words back.
"You win, Tian Xiaojuan. I'll remember this. From now on, don't even think about getting a discount on your songs!"
Liu Yu glared fiercely at Tian Xiaojuan, then grabbed his coat and phone like a thief. Without even washing his face, he tiptoed to the entrance, opened the door a crack, looked around to make sure no one was in the hallway, and then slipped out like a gust of wind.
Watching the door close again, Tian Xiaojuan pouted and muttered under her breath, "If there's no discount, then there's no discount. Who cares..."
Feeling guilty, Liu Yu slipped out of the residential area, his heart pounding with anxiety. He imagined every bread truck parked on the roadside was hiding a pair of cameras. He only breathed a long sigh of relief after successfully hailing a taxi and giving them the address of KZ Studio.
"These crazy women are like ticking time bombs." Liu Yu leaned back in the taxi, rubbing his throbbing temples.
Half an hour later, Liu Yu plunged into KZ Studio's No. 1 recording booth.
The computer screen lights up, and the project file opens.
The post-production of "Violeta" hasn't even started yet! I was driven crazy by those little girls yesterday, so I have to get the project done today.
Liu Yu frantically frantically operated the mouse and keyboard while muttering curses under his breath. To him, audio editing was like performing cosmetic surgery on a group of ordinary people with good natural features but many flaws—it required immense patience and extremely precise techniques.
Just as he was immersed in the ocean of frequencies and waveforms, oblivious to the world of "operations," the door to the recording studio was pushed open.
Representative Cui walked in with a cup of coffee and a smile, looking like a weasel about to pay New Year's respects to a hen.
"Wow, our Liu Yuxi is so dedicated! He came to the studio so early in the morning. His work ethic is truly a model for everyone in KZ."
Liu Yu didn't even turn his head, his eyes fixed on the screen: "Representative, if you're here to deliver breakfast, then you're very welcome; if you're here to urge us on the progress, please turn left as you leave and close the door behind you. I'm working on salvaging IZ*ONE's audio tracks, it's a huge project."
"I'm not in a rush for the schedule. I have faith in your abilities." Representative Choi walked to the control panel, pulled up a chair, and sat down. "I came to inform you of something. CJ just called and said that IZ*ONE's comeback album is highly anticipated, and they plan to shoot a behind-the-scenes video to release as promotional material."
"Oh, go ahead and film it," Liu Yu replied casually. "Have them strike a few nice poses in the recording studio, pretending to be working really hard, and then I'll play the accompaniment for them. But make it clear, don't let the camera touch my equipment."
"No, no, no, you misunderstood." Representative Choi took a sip of coffee, his smile widening. "CJ's point is that since you're the main post-production producer for this album, the behind-the-scenes footage must include actual footage of you directing the recording. So, the camera crew will be coming to the studio tomorrow, so remember to make sure you're clean and tidy, and don't wear that hoodie you never wash, you'll be on camera."
Liu Yu's fingers, which were typing on the keyboard, suddenly stopped.
He slowly turned his head to look at Representative Cui, his eyes filled with disbelief and resistance.
"Appear on camera? Me?" Liu Yu pointed to his nose. "Representative, are you getting senile? Have you forgotten why I only work behind the scenes?"
"Hey, don't exaggerate like that. You have stage fright, not camera phobia." Representative Choi waved his hand. "It's not like we're asking you to perform on stage. It's just recording your daily work routine. Just yell at them the way you usually do. CJ said they want this kind of realism and conflict. This kind of 'strict producer and hardworking idol' script is popular now."
"I won't do it!" Liu Yu refused decisively, turning his chair back around. "The contract I signed only covers audio production, not selling myself as an actor. If you want to make a film, find someone else. If all else fails, you can wear a wig and sit here pretending to be a producer."
"Liu Yu, this is a great opportunity," Representative Cui earnestly advised. "Think about it, IZ*ONE is so popular right now. If this behind-the-scenes footage is released, your fame will skyrocket, and you'll be able to ask for higher fees when you get jobs, right?"
"I don't need fame, I just want peace and quiet!" Liu Yu remained unmoved. "I'd rather work under a pedestrian bridge applying screen protectors than be in front of the camera. There's no room for negotiation."
A brief stalemate ensued in the recording studio.
Representative Cui sighed as he looked at Liu Yu's unyielding and resolute expression.
That's it!
You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub!
"Fine, since you're so resistant, I'll have to turn down CJ. It's a shame CJ specifically approved a generous appearance fee for this behind-the-scenes footage, saying they'd give a cash reward as long as the producer cooperated. Since you're unwilling, I'll have to return the money."
As he spoke, Representative Cui made a gesture as if to stand up and walk out.
"Wait a moment."
Representative Cui's lips curled into a triumphant smile as she turned around: "What? Changed your mind?"
Liu Yu stood with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed, his eyes darting back and forth between the computer screen and Representative Cui. A fierce battle raged within him between his fear of the camera and his desire for money.
In Seoul, a city where land is incredibly expensive and prices are skyrocketing, he is technically skilled, but he is still just a wage earner. The monthly rent and various other expenses are overwhelming him.
After a long silence, Liu Yu took a deep breath, as if he had made a decision that went against his ancestors' wishes.
"How much is that on-screen appearance allowance?"
Representative Cui held up five fingers and shook them.
"Deal." Liu Yu gritted his teeth, looking like he was ready to die for his cause. "But I have conditions. First, the camera can't be pointed directly at my face; try to film my profile or back. Second, I'm not responsible for cooperating with their acting; I can yell whatever I want, and if they cry, I'm not responsible for comforting them. Third..."
Liu Yu paused, his eyes burning with fervor: "This money must be paid to me in cash immediately after filming is finished!"
"No problem! Whatever you say!" Representative Cui grinned from ear to ear, patting Liu Yu on the shoulder. "I knew you were a good kid who puts the big picture first. Remember to dress smartly tomorrow, don't embarrass KZ!"
Representative Cui left the recording studio satisfied.
Liu Yu looked at the door that had closed again and painfully rubbed his hair.
"Liu Yu, Liu Yu, you've fallen. You actually bowed down for five pecks of rice," he muttered to himself.
But then I thought about the generous bonus.
It's not like your waist can't bend a little.
"At worst, I'll just wear a mask and hat tomorrow," Liu Yu reassured himself, refocusing his attention on the screen.
"Ahn Yu-jin! How did you even manage to sing that off-key?!"
The recording studio was once again filled with Liu Yu's furious keyboard pounding and his grumbling complaints.
The capitalists' sugar-coated bullets ultimately corrupted the soul of the tough, straight man.