diymy Chapter 47 "Meeting the Parents"
Chapter 47 "Meeting the Parents"
Li Yuan woke up groggily and reached for his phone. The bright light from the screen made him squint – it was almost one o'clock.
My stomach has been rebelling for a while now.
"Let's go out for a meal." Li Yuan sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then got up and went to the restroom in the lounge to wash his face.
The water splashed on his face, the coldness making him shiver and dispelling most of his drowsiness.
He wiped his face with a tissue, straightened his collar, and walked out of the lounge.
The corridor was much livelier than it had been in the early hours of the morning. Staff members were pushing equipment carts back and forth, carrying walkie-talkies and walking briskly. Many groups were already waiting outside the recording studio.
However, Li Yuan didn't recognize any of them, so he didn't stop along the way and went straight to the outside of the venue.
At midday in Seoul in August, heat waves rise from the ground, and the air is filled with the smell of asphalt softened by the sun.
He stood at the entrance of the venue and looked around. He saw a small street not far away with several restaurants on the street.
He swallowed hard and started walking in that direction.
Unfortunately, before he could order, his phone rang.
He took his phone out of his pocket, glanced at the caller ID, and answered, "Hey, Zhenlu?"
"Oppa, we've arrived in Seoul!" Bae Jinsol's voice sounded excited, and it was much louder.
"So soon?" Li Yuan looked up at the menu on the signboard, his throat bobbing. "Are we going now?"
"Yes!" Bae Jinsol responded loudly, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "We're already on our way to JYP. What about you? Where are you?"
You can faintly hear a man's and a woman's voices coming through the microphone, talking in hushed tones, probably confirming an address or discussing something.
They are probably Pei Zhenlu's parents.
"I...I'll be there soon." Li Yuan said to the shop owner, "One seaweed rice roll to go," paid, took the paper bag, and turned to leave. "Let's meet downstairs at the company."
Although Lee Won also holds a portion of JYP's shares, he is clearly biased towards Bae Jinsol, so some things can only be explained when he goes to the scene.
"Okay, I'll wait for you." Pei Zhenshue hung up the phone readily.
"There are still a few hours until the live stream, I should have enough time." Li Yuan glanced at the time on his phone and hailed a taxi at the restaurant entrance.
Forty minutes later, he finally stood in front of the new JYP building.
Last month, JYP artists and employees moved to the new building one after another. It is much more impressive than the old building. The glass curtain wall reflects a cold light under the sunlight, and the flower baskets at the entrance have not yet been taken down.
It's said that Park Jin-young filmed a variety show at the new building not long ago.
When Li Yuan arrived, Pei Zhenlu was already waiting in front of the company with a middle-aged couple.
It was very hot, and Pei Zhenlu's father was holding a parasol, steadily supporting it over his wife and daughter.
Pei Zhenlu was wearing a white dress, her hair was loose, and she was wearing white cloth shoes. She looked much more formal than when they last met, but her face was flushed from the heat.
"Sorry I'm late." Li Yuan walked over quickly and waved to the three of them. "Let's go inside and talk. It's too hot outside."
"Yes." Pei Zhenlu's parents nodded, looking somewhat reserved.
They learned from Bae Jin-sol that a talent scout had taken a liking to her and hoped she would sign with JYP.
When my daughter talked about this person, her tone was full of affection, calling him "Oppa" over and over again, as if she had known him for a long time.
But they never expected that this legendary "talent scout" would be so young, looking only in his early twenties.
"Li...Li Yuanxi, may I ask how old you are this year?" Pei Zhenlu's mother couldn't help but ask.
"Me?" Li Yuan pressed the elevator button. "I'm 19 years old this year, and I'll turn 20 in December."
I started school a year earlier than most people, which is why I'm a junior at this age... no, I should be a senior now.
"So young?" Bae Jin-sol's father blinked, his face filled with disbelief.
When he was twenty, he was probably still an apprentice in a restaurant, chopping vegetables, washing dishes, and getting scolded by his master in the kitchen every day. It would be many years before he owned his own restaurant.
And this young man in front of me is already in charge at a place like JYP?
"Oh, according to the Korean age system, I'm 21." Li Yuan led the way into the elevator, pressed the open button, and only let go after all three of them were inside. "I'm Chinese, and I'm here to study and work part-time at the same time."
"Oh, someone this age should be in college, right?" Pei Zhenlu's mother asked with a hint of curiosity. "Where do you go to school?"
"Seoul National University." Lee Won's answer surprised the two of them again.
He is also a top student.
They would be overjoyed if their daughter could get into Seoul National University.
"Uncle and Aunt, please don't use honorifics anymore," Li Yuan said with a wry smile, waving his hand. "I'm so much younger than you, it really makes me feel awkward when you use honorifics. It makes me feel uncomfortable all over."
"Um, Lee... Lee Won." Although Bae Jin-sol's father's words had changed, the restraint on his face remained. "Does our Sol-er really have the potential to become an idol?"
He knew his daughter well. Although she was usually quite cheerful, trainees all started from a young age, and she was already 15 years old (according to the Korean age system). Wasn't that a bit late?
"Absolutely." Li Yuan nodded with certainty. "She's genuine and beautiful, has a cheerful personality, is hardworking, and learns everything quickly. She's practically born to be an idol."
"Most importantly, she has a sincere heart."
The two looked at each other but said nothing.
They heard from their daughter that Li Yuanxi had only met her a few days ago.
But judging from his tone of voice, his expression, and his understanding of Pei Zhenshu's personality, he doesn't seem like someone you just met.
They know each other so well, it's like we've known each other for a long time.
"Oh dear, the elevator is open." Pei Zhenlu, who was so embarrassed by the praise, hurriedly ran out when she saw the elevator doors open.
"This child is a bit lively." Pei Zhenlu's father smiled somewhat awkwardly.
"Hey, you've come to the wrong place, this way." Li Yuan shouted at Pei Zhenshu's back.
Before he finished speaking, a little girl who was walking forward with her head down nearby heard the sound and subconsciously turned her head.
Jin Zhiyu turned around, found that it was someone she didn't recognize, and then turned back and continued walking forward.
Today I got scolded by the head of the practice room again because of my weight.
But that's just how she is; she's tried so hard to lose weight, but she just can't seem to lose any.
She even ate a little bit of the vegetables she hates the most.
Li Yuan watched Jin Zhiyu disappear around the corner before turning his back on her.
"What are you looking at, Oppa?" Bae Jin-sol had run back at some point. She stood on tiptoe and looked in the direction he was looking, but saw nothing.
"It's nothing," Li Yuan shook his head.
They're your future teammates.
It seems that Kim Ji-woo and Jang Gyu-jin are both with JYP this year, leaving only Seol-yoon from the six-member group.
She seems to be a trainee at Woollim Entertainment now, right?
Lee Won knew about Woollim Entertainment because Kwon Eun-bi worked at that company.
If I have time, I can sign it over.
If they don't come now, they'll come at the end of next year anyway.