Chapter 27

Li Yuhao smiled at Li Zhi'en, who was in a daze, and said, "Didn't you say that even if no one likes to listen to you sing, you would still finish the song? Is it very difficult for you to sing in front of the trainees of your own company? Then how can you ignore others and focus on your music when you stand on stage and face the fans of other people who are shouting at you?"

"You, Li Zhi'en, are not Han Yuan; you can't make everyone like you. If you encounter people who dislike you, you can't argue with them on stage. You can only choose to ignore them and focus on your music. Do you understand?"

Li Zhi'en nodded in response to Li Yuhao's advice and said, "I understand."

"Good, then go to the canteen and sing a song. You can choose to ignore them. Whether it's cold stares, surprise, or even ridicule, you must ignore them all."

Li Zhi'en, with her dedication and belief in music, nodded seriously. Li Yuhao then said with a smile, "Zhi'en, don't feel wronged. The company is planning your debut, and you will have to face and bear many things on your own. You're only 16, and you'll have to face a lot. The only thing I can do to help you is to make you 'invulnerable.'"

Li Zhi'en was completely confused and asked, "Senior Li Yuhao, what does 'invulnerable' mean?"

Li Yuhao smiled and said, "'Invulnerable' means that you can be immune to malicious comments, ridicule, sarcasm, and all negative things. This immunity means directly ignoring them. Do you understand?"

Li Yuhao stood up, walked to Li Zhi'en, and patted her head. He then put on a 'mystic' smile and said, "Actually, that day in the canteen, I wasn't trying to punish you on purpose. After hearing your self-introduction, I thought your voice was very good. With proper training, you could become a very good singer. But you have to endure the negative news from all sides in the early stages."

"At that time, I heard many trainees in the canteen talking about you, so I used the punishment to make them shut up. I have high hopes for you. Alright, there's still more than an hour before lunch. Go practice, and I'll adjust the equipment." Li Yuhao pinched Li Zhi'en's chubby cheeks and said, "You're about to debut, so you should control your figure. Alright, go."

Hearing Li Yuhao's words, Li Zhi'en smiled, thinking, 'So this senior isn't that scary after all?' She smiled and said, "I'll go down first, Senior Li Yuhao." Li Yuhao nodded and waved to Li Zhi'en.

After Li Zhi'en left, Li Yuhao sat in front of the machine, took out his phone, and replied to a text from Pani, "Thanks, Pani, but the message you sent me makes me so angry. What do you mean by 'you've become a star too?' With my handsome looks and unparalleled singing skills, can't I become a star? You've been a trainee for many years, and I've been in the music club for so long. Why can't I become a star?"

After replying, Li Yuhao opened the machine and started adjusting it. Soon, Pani replied, "Hahaha... I've never seen anyone as narcissistic as you. By the way, your girlfriend..."

"What girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend now. How about you be my girlfriend?"

Pani, sitting on the floor of the Girls' Generation dormitory, laughed while reading the text. When Kwon Yoo-ri quietly approached from behind, she said, "Who are you texting? You're laughing so happily." Yoo-ri's sudden appearance scared Tiffany, who screamed and fell to the floor. Fortunately, Pani was already sitting on the floor, or she might have been seriously injured.

Pani lay on the floor for two minutes and then, still shaken, shouted at Yoo-ri, "Yoo-ri, do you walk without making any sound?"

"Um, I think you were just too focused on your text. I make a lot of noise when I walk." Yoo-ri then demonstrated her 'clacking' slippers in front of Pani. Seeing Yoo-ri's 'excuse,' Pani 'hmmphed' and went back to her room.

Yoo-ri, watching Pani's actions, tilted her head and took a sip of water, saying, "Something's off. I'll interrogate you later when everyone comes back. I don't believe you won't confess." Yoo-ri then clacked her slippers and went back to her bedroom.

A few minutes later, Li Yuhao's phone beeped again. He smiled and opened the text, which read, "Go to hell~~~ I meant the girl who played your girlfriend in the MV seems to be a friend I know."

"Ha, just say that Park In-jeong is a trainee of Girls' Generation. By the way, how are things with you guys? What did your company say?"

"Hey... you know Park In-jeong? Are you close?"

"Yes, she's my friend. Anyway, let's not talk about her. How are things with you? What did your company say?"

"Things are still the same. It's been a few days, and nothing has changed. The company just told us to stay in the dorm and not go out. Sica, Hyo-yun, and others went home today."

"Your company is really not doing a good job. Can't they see through such a simple frame-up?"

"The company knows this is a frame-up, but they don't know how to handle it. Fans gather at the company's entrance every day, demanding that Girls' Generation come out and apologize. But... but..."

"Ha, don't think about it. Tonight, I'll call you later. Let's go out and clear our minds. Don't stay cooped up in the dorm all day. Bring Taeyeon with you, and I'll treat you to some late-night snacks." Li Yuhao added Taeyeon to avoid Pani refusing to go out alone.

"That's not a good idea. If we're seen, we'll get you in trouble. Besides, our company told us not to go out."

"When did you become such a good girl? You were out in broad daylight the other day, weren't you? Besides, we can wait until it gets dark, wear hats to cover our faces, and who will stare at us at night?"

"Okay, I'll ask Taeyeon if she wants to come out. Are you busy now?"

"Yes, I'm adjusting some equipment."

"Then I won't disturb you."

After reading the last text, Li Yuhao stopped messaging Pani and focused on his equipment. At lunchtime, he went to the canteen to eat.

During the busiest time, Li Zhi'en walked in, stood at the front of the canteen, and bowed to the people eating, "I am trainee Li Zhi'en. I will sing a song now." Li Zhi'en ignored the others' gazes and started singing Li Yuhao's "Like Being Shot."

Although Li Zhi'en's grasp of the emotional details of this sad song was still lacking, and she gave off a sense of a little girl wearing her mother's high heels, how could an inexperienced girl who had never been in love convey the heart-wrenching pain of a breakup? A naive young girl who didn't understand what 'love' was couldn't possibly master the essence of the song.

Although the song wasn't sung very well, Li Zhi'en at least proved that she had a strong heart. She didn't care about the trainees' ridicule or others' gazes and finished the song. Then she took a tray to get food.

After getting her food, Li Yuhao smiled and waved at Li Zhi'en. The other trainees were waiting to see what would happen. They thought Li Yuhao would punish Li Zhi'en for singing so poorly in front of the original singer. Everyone watched as Li Zhi'en walked to Li Yuhao with her tray...

But what happened next stunned everyone. Li Yuhao smiled, patted Li Zhi'en's head, and said, "The song choice was a bit off. You haven't experienced a breakup, so you can't understand the pain. That's why you can't convey the right feeling. But your voice is really great, especially your high notes. Next time, when you sing... if you have the chance after your debut, we can collaborate on a song."

The trainees were stunned. Li Yuhao not only didn't punish Li Zhi'en but also affectionately patted her head and gave her feedback and advice. No one understood what was going on.

Li Yuhao quickly finished his meal and said to Li Zhi'en, "Eat slowly. I still have work to do."

Li Zhi'en stood up and said to Li Yuhao, "Senior Li Yuhao, please take care."

Li Yuhao nodded, washed his tray, and returned it before heading to his studio. As he walked, trainees greeted him, and he nodded in response.

Meanwhile, in the Girls' Generation dormitory, Yoo-ri ran to Kim Taeyeon's room and sat on her bed, saying, "Taeyeon, I think Pani is acting very strange today. When I went to the living room for water, do you know what? Pani was sitting there, looking at her phone and laughing to herself, not even noticing I was there." Kim Tae-hee was sleeping with the door closed, so she didn't know what had happened.

Kim Taeyeon, hearing Yoo-ri's words, became curious, "Oh? Pani was laughing at her phone? Who sent the message?"

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