Chapter Fourteen: Hurry Up to Midnight

ide. Bae Joo-hyun tidied up her hair blown by the wind and asked curiously: "How did Jingyuan xi know that I was under a lot of pressure and in a bad mood back then"“Senior, do you think I'm a pab Of..."Were you selected"

As soon as Ji Jingyuan got into the car and sat in the driver's seat, he received a call from Zhou Tzuyu. After listening to two sentences, he was somewhat surprised and repeated it.

exo just announced their disbandment, he packed his things and said goodbye to the members before preparing to drive home.

Actually, I didn't prepare much. Most of my belongings have already been moved to the new apartment in Shinjuku. Yesterday was my last night in the old dormitory, and when I come back after the New Year, I'll just move in there directly.

Because the holiday is only a short day, some members, even from nearby areas, will not go home for Chinese New Year. At Captain Kim Jun-myeon's invitation, a few people are preparing to spend a night at his house, getting together.

To be honest, if it wasn't for his habitual New Year's trip home, Chi Jingyuan would also quite like to join in the festivities.

“Hee hee, the head of the department told me in the afternoon, I seem to be the last one selected as a trainee.” Zhou Tzuyu’s voice on the phone sounded very cheerful: “After being selected, the teacher took me to the practice room dedicated to trainees for the show. It’s much more luxurious than the one I used before… The company said they would start special training for us, and our bodies would also begin to be managed.”

"Besides, the dorm manager suggested that I should take a leave of absence for now. That way, I would have more time to practice and increase my chances of debuting."

"I counted, there are sixteen people participating in total. Right..."

Chou Tzu-yu was clearly excited, her words tumbling out in a rush. Ji Seongwon listened patiently without interrupting or asking questions, simply sitting there as she poured out her happiness.

After Zhou Tzu-yu finished speaking, Ji Kyeong-won followed up with, "Then you do your best."

I didn't expect Zhou Tzuyu to still be putting on a show. Her tone changed again, becoming somewhat sentimental, and she put on an act of maturity: "Actually, I've now adjusted my mindset and let go. I thought about it, I was the last one to join, so the company might not value me much, and the chances of debuting don't seem very high..."

Then don't participate, just quit.

Chi Jingyuan directly interrupted her with a blunt retort, then leaned sideways and pressed the button to start the car. In the roar of the engine, he began to slowly reverse.

"Why are you saying that" Zhou Tzuyu was a little unhappy and mumbled in complaint, but she didn't really take it to heart. After hearing the engine noise on the phone, she curiously asked, "Are you driving"

He kept his phone on speaker on the dashboard, eyes fixed on the rearview mirror: "Well, tomorrow's Lunar New Year, we have a day off, and I'm driving back now."

"Then I won't say anymore, you drive carefully." Zhou Tzuyu heard this and obediently hummed in response. After saying goodbye, she suddenly remembered something and added, "Happy New Year, Yu! Also, EXO is back with a comeback, I will watch your V lives."

Her voice had a naturally sweet and lilting tone, with a touch of coquettishness.

"Alright, happy." Chi Jingyuan smacked his lips, replying with a perfunctory "okay," before hanging up the phone and focusing on driving.

After getting his driver's license, Ji Jingyuan had gotten used to driving himself wherever he went. Now, he only let Cui Zhichang or Park Jae-hyun accompany him when he was working or had important business to attend to.

It was past dinner time, but there were still so many cars on the road. It took ages to inch forward, stop and go. Things only improved after crossing the bridge. Back home, he parked his car first, walked into the villa, took off his coat and handed it to the maid who greeted him. 池景源 glanced around and then went straight upstairs to his room.

My older sister and second brother are both very busy working and aren't home. I don't know if they'll have time tomorrow, or when they'll be back. Right now, it's just him at home.

Played some games and chatted on my phone for a bit before washing up and going to sleep.

To be honest, after getting used to the dormitory's platform beds, the bed at home feels a bit too soft and I'm not quite adjusting to it.

Maybe I was just really tired recently, because when I woke up the next day it was already midday. The seemingly warm sun streamed straight into the room through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, but it didn't bring enough warmth.

("Photos of Bo-Hyun being abused")

"kkkkkk How can this be so funny."

"Too classic hahaha."

"Damn it, stop it! (Angry)!"

After washing up, Ji-yeong opened his phone and saw that the EXO group chat on kakao was already buzzing with activity. Photos and memes were constantly popping up, showing that several members had been at Kim Jun-myeon's house last night. He couldn't tell what they had done, but everyone seemed so excited.

I flipped up a bit and found that these guys might have played some game at someone's house and then gave Bian Berxian a punishment. A group of people pressed Bian Berxian down and stacked him like a human pyramid, even capturing his miserable expression.

That's quite a play!

He saved the picture casually. After washing up, Chi Jingyuan sunbathed on the balcony for a while, then went downstairs to eat lunch which the maid had already prepared. After that, he went to the living room, turned on the TV, and played games on the couch while listening to the news broadcast.

He had been busy for so long, and finally had a day off. He didn't really know what to do. Pyo Ji-hyo was free the other day, so they met up, and today he could meet her again, but during Lunar New Year, Park Kyung-won was still used to staying at home and being lazy.

It's quite comfortable to just relax, lie down and play some games for a while.

Until dinner time, eldest sister Ji Xianjing and second brother Ji Jingxu returned to the villa one after another. Their dusty appearance showed that they had made a special trip back for dinner.

"Your hair color is quite unique."

As soon as he stepped in, Chi Jingxu took off his clothes and handed them to the servant while simultaneously noticing Chi Jingyuan on the sofa. After glancing at him in surprise, he couldn't help but smack his lips. He didn't find the color outlandish at all, instead, a hint of envy flickered in his eyes.

“…” Chi Jingyuan tilted his head and pointed at him with his mouth, looking completely self-assured.

"He is indeed handsome, but the main reason why he's so captivating is that Jingyuan is naturally good-looking. He can pull off any hairstyle."

Chi Hyun-jeong's work attire gave her an imposing presence, but when she smiled, it was gentle. She walked over and affectionately rubbed Pool Jingyuan's face.

Because both siblings were busy with their work, they hadn't seen each other in a while. The atmosphere of meeting during the Spring Festival was especially warm and harmonious this time. During the meal that followed, the elder sister took the initiative to ask Jingyuan about his recent happenings.

“I saw online that your group is about to make a comeback, right”

"Well, the V and sound source will be recorded at the same time on March 1st, and the first personal preview video has already been released this afternoon."

What do you think of this time My assistant said that people online don't seem very optimistic about you, do you need anything to help you

"I don't think so, I feel great about this comeback, and the quality of the songs on the album is really high."

"That works... By the way, I heard you haven't been going to school lately How did you do on your final exams this semester"

“It's okay, it's pretty good.”

Big sister seemed very concerned about Ji Jingyuan's work and studies, listening attentively and occasionally interjecting questions. As for Ji Jingxu, as soon as he got home, he was in his usual lazy state, the only topic that interested him being "Have you found a girlfriend recently"

I don't have an official girlfriend, but I do have some close friends with whom I have ambiguous relationships.

Of course, he wouldn't tell Ji Jingxu any of that. He just gave him a blank stare in response and pretended not to hear.

After dinner, Chi Xianjing and Chi Jingxu didn't leave early. The three siblings sat on the sofa and chatted casually, with Chi Jingyuan as the center of their conversation, teasing and reminiscing about him. For a while, the ordinary living room of the villa, which usually had little activity, was filled with laughter and warmth.

After chatting for a while, it's hard to say if it was just a coincidence. Ji Jingxu just mentioned the conflict that happened at CB before. He recalled encountering Pei Suzy at the Jiangnan Police Station and asked about any developments regarding Chi Jingyuan afterward. Suddenly, Chi Jingyuan's phone vibrated.

A book friend I've known for ten years recommended this app to me, Huanyuan app! It's really great, I use it to listen to audiobooks while driving or before bed to pass the time. You can download it here: .huanyuanapp

He took it out and glanced at it, discovering that it was a video call from Park Soo-hyun.

Chi Jingyuan sat on the sofa and thought for a while. After his phone vibrated several times, he stood up, said "I'll take a call," then put on his clothes and walked out of the villa. The two people behind him, Chi Xianjing and Chi Jingxu, watched his back and smiled knowingly at each other. Chi Jingxu even smirked wickedly.

Everything is said without words.

As soon as he stepped out, the temperature dropped sharply. The warmth inside him vanished instantly. The howling cold wind made Chi Jingyuan immediately zip up his jacket.

A few days ago, it snowed for several days. By today, it had all melted away. This year's Spring Festival, without the familiar snowy scenery, feels like something is missing.

Chi Jingyuan walked a few steps outside, found an ordinary tree in the courtyard as a backdrop, and clicked the screen to connect the video.

After a moment of blurry darkness on the phone screen, Jennie's face appeared. She was clearly walking outside, illuminated by the streetlights which made her appear slightly dim, but her smile was very noticeable.

She was wearing her favorite Pikachu baseball cap, her golden hair, which had been dyed a bright gold, tied up at the back of her head. Her forehead was bare except for a few mischievous stray hairs, and there wasn't a single strand of fringe to be seen. She also had a mask hanging from her chin, obviously having done some disguise beforehand but taken it down specifically for the video call with Ji Jingyuan.

She gazed at the phone camera, looking at Ji Jingyuan's familiar face, and gently parted her lips to reveal a small white tooth. In a light and cheerful tone, she asked: "What are you doing"

"At home, just finished dinner." From the other person's lively tone, it could be felt that Park Soo-hyun was in a good mood, and Kim Kyung-won also smiled along.

"Are you home Wow, so you actually got the day off..." Bae Joo-hyun paused slightly when she heard that, her eyes fixed on the screen as if she were seriously trying to see what Pool Gyeongwon's house looked like. She stared for a long time but could only make out the trees behind him in the dim lighting. Disappointed, she stopped looking and said enviously as she walked, "We don't have a day off either, but practice ended early today, and our manager let us rest this afternoon."

She looked up at the road ahead and the passing vehicles, "Were you just having dinner with your parents"

"No, they are still in the US this year. They had dinner with Nu-na and her older brother last night." Ji-seong looked at his phone, watching Bae Joo-hyun raise her head, revealing her smooth jawline and somewhat prominent nostrils. He blinked and asked back, "What about you"

"Haha, today my mom brought my sister to see me. She brought a lot of things to my dorm and we just finished eating together."

Mentioning this, Bae Joo-hyun's face instantly brightened. A bright light flickered in her eyes, and the curve of her smile widened considerably. It was clear that she was in a very good mood because she had seen her loved one.

She is usually a person who is more introverted about her emotions and doesn't like to express them openly, but this time she was looking at the screen with a smile as bright as a little girl who received a gift. Her cheerful expression, even across the screen, was still very infectious.

"Where do you think I've gotten to"

Suddenly, Pei Joo-hyuk pulled the phone's camera back to show a wider view. She circled herself like the center of a circle, showing Park Kyung-won her surroundings. Without waiting for a reply from Park Kyung-won, she quickly zoomed in again, smiling at the camera without giving away any spoilers: "It's just the park next to our dorm. I came here specifically. How familiar does it look"

"At the time, I didn't pay much attention, but later I realized that the scenery here was actually quite nice..."

On the screen, Pei Zhuhyun's bright eyes sparkle as she stands there, smiling playfully at the camera. The vibrancy and joy radiating from her seem to cast a shimmering, beautiful glow over the otherwise dull and dim background.

Looking at the raised corners of her mouth, her swaying antennae, and her gleaming eyes on her phone, Chi Jingyuan pursed his lips and nodded silently.

There was a moment of quiet but warm silence, then suddenly from afar came a dazzling light followed by a sound like thunder. He looked up and saw fireworks shooting into the sky, illuminating the dark horizon like daylight. The colorful flames seemed to send New Year's wishes to everyone who saw them.

Pei Zhuhyun stared at the screen, where Ji Jingyuan looked up at the sky, his face illuminated by fireworks in a kaleidoscope of colors. Ji Jingyuan was momentarily stunned. After a while, he heard a voice say, "Happy Chinese New Year." She came to her senses and through the phone met Ji Jingyuan's gaze, who was smiling at her. She nodded slightly, pursed her lips gently, and bloomed with a soft smile:

Happy Chinese New Year!

…………

The short vacation ended the very next day, and all members gathered in the company's practice room early the following morning. Besides practicing the rest of the single album’s choreography, they were also making the final preparations for their comeback.

Yesterday at 3:01 PM on the 19th, Kai's personal teaser video was released and many people flocked to watch it immediately.

Aside from the praise from hardcore fans who will shower Exo with compliments no matter what, even if they just stand there motionless, other people's opinions are not very positive.

"You even went all the way to London to take pictures That's quite a big deal."

"Although it looks classy and high-end, I have no idea what this is actually about."

"What is this, a suspense movie I've been watching for ages and still don't understand it. Wasn't this supposed to be the trailer What about the main theme music"

Many people were confused after watching Kai's personal teaser, they didn't understand what he was talking about at all.

Actually, it's understandable. This time, the preview for EXO's comeback isn't like usual previews that simply cut snippets of the main song's music video and melody. This individual preview is more like a puzzle game for fans to solve, mainly to create an atmosphere of luxury and showcase EXO's growth and concept for this comeback.

While this approach doesn't directly showcase the songs used in the regression, some people might find it dissatisfying. However, the sudden and cinematic feeling of high-quality production still attracts many viewers to watch repeatedly. They even check the preview video every day, waiting for its official release.

Day by day, the second one is Baekhyun, the third one is Chanyeol, and the fourth one is Xiu. Every day, members' personal teaser videos are constantly released in a non-stop time flow. Because of the high-quality visuals but obscure metaphors and concepts, they have caused a great deal of discussion online. Even many fans don't quite understand what these teasers are about, feeling a little confused and inexplicable. Many bloggers have made some fan theories that seem to be quite profound.

Only after the individual previews of the 9th and 10th contestants, and then the video of the final 9 people, did discussions gradually emerge about the true meaning and hints within this trailer.

On February 28th, at ten o'clock in the evening, Kim Ji-hee, who had just finished school, sat in front of her computer at home, watching the last teaser video for EXO's comeback. While waiting, she was a little bored and rewatched the teaser video released yesterday by Park Jeong-won.

Although she, this Chanyeol's fan, already claimed to have stepped down from being an obsessive fangirl and no longer sided with the group of "Aellies" in her class, privately she still often found herself unable to resist checking EXO's comeback news.

She claims to be indifferent to their attention, but she can't help but glance at all the news articles. From the 19th until now, she hasn't missed a single one of XO's personal announcements.

On the screen, Chi Jingyuan in a black sequined coat stands under the grand staircase of the solemn and imposing church. His expression is a mixture of confusion and nervousness as he glances around, his head turning back and forth. Even though this close-up shot has been seen once before, it still leaves one speechless.

As Chi Jingyuan slowly ascended the stairs towards the church, the ethereal yet pleasant background music of "Golden Country" began to play, further enhancing the serene atmosphere.

"" is a b-side track from 《x》, which hasn't been released yet. However, Kim Ji-hee instantly fell in love with it after hearing it. "

>" Let me know if you have any other translations you'd like help with!

In the lighthearted accompaniment, Chi Jingyuan crossed from the church into a nearby alley. Suddenly, the streetlights beside him buzzed and crackled with an earsplitting electric current that seemed about to explode. A few seconds later, the lamppost couldn't hold on any longer. At this moment, Chi Jingyuan seemed to have sensed something, gradually speeding up and running quickly through the alley. As he passed, all the lights along the way went dark, and a very strange atmosphere suddenly filled the air.

The camera pulls back, and from the aerial perspective, all the lights in the region disappear within seconds. In an instant, the city plunges into darkness, consumed by shadows.

The final scene, Ji Jingyuan walks into a place that looks like a restaurant. A burst of yellow stars appears around him, illuminating the space. Everything around him floats up under computer effects. After giving him a cool close-up shot, the screen fades to black, followed by the logos of EXO and S appearing in sequence.

After seeing the trailers for the previous members, yuan's trailer is now very understandable. His superpower in xo is light, and the disappearance of light represents his superpower being out of control. And finally, all objects floating up symbolizes that han's superpower, who left the team, has been passed on to him.

When I saw the last scene, I instinctively thought of Han and I couldn't help but cry.

"Yuan and Han are my two favorite members in XO. After Han left, I always felt a sense of emptiness. Now seeing this trailer, for some reason, I suddenly feel a sense of completeness."

Below the video, various comments have already analyzed the meaning of Chi Jingyuan's preview clearly.

Kim Ji-hee quietly browsed through it again, glanced at the time, and saw that the last video had been released. She clicked on it directly to watch it.

>The final trailer appears somewhat simple, with all nine members of EXO gathered in a region of Yunnan. Each member stands on a street watching the solar eclipse taking place in the sky. As the sky gradually darkens, the entire viewpoint slowly pulls back.

The scene quickly faded, replaced by a gigantic metal maze in the center of the screen. It was a realistic, enlarged version of the logo from the "Addiction" era. Twelve steel balls moved constantly within it. Nine rolled out of the maze one after another, circling around it endlessly. The other three remained motionless inside, as if they had lost their way and were unable to find an exit.

Seeing this, including Kim Ji-hee, everyone who watched the trailer felt a jolt. Their minds went blank and an indescribable sense of shock spread through their hearts.

"Oh, the implication of this final scene was so obvious! The steel balls represent EXO's members, 9 members walked out of the maze from "Addict", while the three who left the group were forever lost inside."

"Really, seeing this scene made my whole body tremble, especially seeing the three iron balls still wandering in the maze. It instantly reminded me of the past."

"I cried..."

At this time, all ten trailers have been released, and the meanings of these ten region names have been repeatedly analyzed by long-time fans.

The ending of the tenth promotional video was already quite shocking, and seeing all the trailer analyses popping up afterward, Jin Ji-hee trembled with anticipation.

"All ten teases have been released, the mystery is solved, the first letters of the ten cities combined together spell the name of the title track for , "callbaby"."

"Even cooler, this place connects on a world map to form EXO's logo, oh my (with world map)."

So, this is a story about everyone escaping the maze and regaining their superpowers

"It looks like a carefully crafted movie ad, doesn't it How much money was put into this It must have cost a fortune, right"

The texture is really amazing, and the concept is also really amazing! XO This comeback is truly a big production, I'm super looking forward to the release of the V and audio source.

"Come on, let's get to midnight already! Please!"

Peninsula asteroid

First Release on Chinese Novels Networkmed us that the original debut date around November has been moved up…""When do we leave""Just next month, the head of the room said the earliest would be early August."Her voice held an unsuppressabl...