134: Chapter 134 Appearing on "Running Man" with the President

Jessica Jung's ankle recovery speed surprised even the professional rehabilitation therapist, Therapist Jiang.

"Jessica Jung's willpower and physical foundation are indeed much stronger than the average artist. She can now bear partial weight and perform simple assisted walking."

During the rehabilitation assessment a week later, Therapist Jiang reported to Song Tianhao, who had come to visit, "At this rate, in about two more weeks, she should be able to walk with the assistance of crutches."

In the rehabilitation room, Jessica Jung was holding onto the parallel bars, cautiously stepping out with her right leg. An elastic bandage was still wrapped around her ankle, and her brows would furrow unconsciously when her foot hit the ground, but her movements were steady.

One step, two steps, three steps... Beads of sweat slid down her forehead, but her gaze was focused, and her lips were pressed into a straight line.

Tiffany Hwang was standing by with a towel and water, watching without blinking, whispering as she counted: "Four, five, six... Jessica, great job!"

Krystal Jung was not home today due to a group discussion at school, so only Song Tianhao and Therapist Jiang were in the living room. Song Tianhao looked through the glass door at the stubborn figure inside and nodded: "Thank you for your hard work, Therapist Jiang."

"This is my job." Therapist Jiang paused, looked at Song Tianhao, and said with a hint of respect, "But to be honest, I have seen many injured athletes and artists, and not many can be as hard on themselves as Jessica Jung."

"The daily training volume I recommended is already considered high-intensity, but she often adds extra training on her own. Several times when I arrived in the morning, I found that she had already been practicing basic movements inside for an hour."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, his gaze simply falling on Jessica Jung's back, which was soaked with sweat.

"A high pain threshold and strong willpower are good things, but they can also easily lead to problems," Therapist Jiang added. "I have been controlling her intensity to avoid overtraining leading to secondary injuries. However, mentally... Jessica Jung seems to be holding something in, and she is under quite a bit of pressure."

"If possible, President Song, please talk to her more often; mindset is also very important during recovery."

"I understand." Song Tianhao withdrew his gaze. "Thank you for the reminder."

Past eight o'clock that evening, Song Tianhao came again. This time he hadn't notified them in advance; he rang the doorbell, and Tiffany Hwang opened the door.

"President!" Tiffany Hwang's eyes lit up. She was wearing fluffy loungewear, her hair tied loosely into a bun, with a few strands falling against her cheeks, making her look soft and warm. "Why did you come?"

"I was passing by and brought some things." Song Tianhao lifted the bag in his hand, which contained several boxes of imported joint nutritional supplements and calcium tablets, all the latest models. "Where is Krystal?"

"She has a group discussion at school and said she would be back late." Tiffany Hwang stepped aside to let him in and whispered, "Jessica is on the balcony; she just finished her evening stretches and is resting."

Only a few ambient lights were on in the living room, casting a soft glow. The glass door to the balcony was half-open, and the night breeze blew in, carrying the chill of early autumn.

Jessica Jung was sitting on a rattan chair on the balcony, her back to the living room, draped in a thin blanket, quietly watching the night view of the Han River in the distance.

Song Tianhao placed the bag on the coffee table and said to Tiffany Hwang: "The package your mother sent has arrived. It was at the security office downstairs, and I just helped you bring it up." He then took out an exquisite paper bag.

"Really? That's great!" Tiffany Hwang happily took the paper bag, which contained handmade chocolates and some snacks her mother had sent from the USA. "Thank you, President! I was just about to go down and get it. I'm going to go open the package now!"

Hugging the paper bag, she skipped back to her room, saying she wanted to video call her mother.

The living room quieted down. Song Tianhao walked to the balcony, and the sound of the glass door being gently pushed open caused Jessica Jung to turn her head.

The moonlight was beautiful. It wasn't a full moon, but a waxing crescent, hanging coolly and quietly in the ink-blue sky, casting a layer of silver radiance. The office buildings on the other side of the Han River were brightly lit, the lights of cruise ships moved slowly across the river surface, and the traffic on the distant Han River Bridge merged into a river of light.

The evening breeze carried the moist scent of the river, blowing through the long hair draped over Jessica Jung's shoulders.

She wasn't wearing makeup, and her bare face looked very fair under the moonlight, with her eyelashes casting shallow shadows under her eyes. Seeing Song Tianhao, she paused for a moment, then revealed a very faint smile: "President."

"Hmm." Song Tianhao sat down on the other rattan chair next to her, with a small round table between them. "How do you feel? Therapist Jiang said you can walk a few steps now."

"It still hurts a little, but it doesn't affect me much." Jessica Jung pulled the thin blanket up, her gaze returning to the river. "It's just... slow. Too slow."

"It takes a hundred days to recover from bone and tendon injuries; you can't rush it." Song Tianhao picked up the kettle on the round table and poured himself a glass of water. The water was warm, likely prepared by Tiffany Hwang earlier.

Jessica Jung was silent for a while. The river breeze blew gently, bringing the faint sound of music playing from some unknown restaurant in the distance, the melody blurry. The greenery on the balcony cast swaying shadows under the moonlight.

"President." She suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, almost scattering as it was blown by the night wind.

Song Tianhao paused in the act of drinking water and looked at her.

Jessica Jung didn't turn her head, still looking at the river, her profile clearly outlined in the moonlight. She seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before continuing: "I... can I ask you a question?"

"Ask."

"You are so good to me... to Tiffany, to all of us." Jessica Jung's voice was very calm, but if you listened carefully, you could hear a trace of imperceptible tension. "Is it because of responsibility? Because we are your artists and you need to be responsible for us, so you do these things. Or is it because..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the implication was clearly discernible in the quiet night.

Song Tianhao didn't answer immediately. He put down the water glass, the bottom of the glass gently colliding with the marble surface of the round table, making a soft "click" sound. He also looked toward the distant Han River Bridge, his gaze falling on those flowing points of light, as if thinking, or perhaps organizing his words.

The night wind grew colder.

"At first, it was responsibility." Song Tianhao finally spoke, his voice low and steady, appearing exceptionally clear in the quiet night. "Signing you, bringing you out of S.M. Entertainment, meant I had to be responsible for you."

"Providing you with resources, protecting you, and letting you develop better—this is my duty, and it is also the meaning of Sky Entertainment's existence."

Jessica Jung's fingers unconsciously gripped the thin blanket on her knees.

"Later, it was appreciation." Song Tianhao continued, his tone without much fluctuation, as if stating a fact. "Appreciating your talent. Taeyeon's voice, your stage presence, Hyomin's songwriting, Soyeon's resilience... appreciating your hard work."

"Practicing in the studio at three in the morning, practicing while sick, practicing until you threw up for a single move. I also appreciate your persistence. In this industry, it is not easy to keep your original intentions."

He paused and picked up the water glass to take another sip. The water had already become a bit cold.

"And later..." Song Tianhao turned his head, his gaze falling on Jessica Jung's profile, which was plated with a layer of soft light by the moonlight. Her eyelashes were long, slightly lowered at the moment, casting shallow shadows under her eyelids. His voice was lower and heavier than before. "It became impossible to distinguish."

Jessica Jung's heart jumped violently, and she instinctively turned her head to look at him.

Their eyes met.

His eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the night, reflecting the distant city lights, and also reflecting her somewhat dazed face.

"Seeing you shine on stage, winning first place, crying messily at awards ceremonies—I feel happy," Song Tianhao said. His tone was very plain, but every word seemed to have weight. "Seeing you being bullied, getting hurt, hiding in places where no one is around to shed tears—I feel heartache."

He paused, his gaze falling on her arm, then moved back to her eyes. In those eyes that were always calm and waveless, something extremely deep seemed to surge for a moment, then quickly returned to silence.

"Seeing you being set up, being framed, lying here, unable to even walk." His voice pressed even lower, almost like a whisper, yet it carried a chilling intensity that made one's heart palpitate. "I want to kill someone."

Jessica Jung's breath hitched instantly.

She looked at him, at his calm and waveless face, at the fleeting, almost tangible coldness in his eyes when he said the three words "want to kill". That wasn't angry talk, nor was it an exaggeration. It was real; in some moment, he might have truly had that thought.

Jessica Jung's heart beat violently in her chest, and a strong, mixed feeling of shock, sorrow, warmth, and something indescribable surged from the deepest part of her heart, rushing straight to her eyes. She blinked hard, forcing that moisture back.

"So," Song Tianhao looked at her slightly reddened corners of her eyes, his tone regaining its previous calmness, and even carried a faint smile. "Don't ask if it's responsibility, or appreciation, or something else. It's indistinguishable, and there's no need to distinguish it."

"You are my artists, my cash cows, my works," he counted them off one by one, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather today. "You are also my family, my friends, and the children I've watched grow up bit by bit."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locked onto her, saying clearly, word by word:

"You are the people I am willing to protect with everything I have."

The night wind seemed to still at this moment. A cruise ship on the distant river let out a long whistle, the sound coming over in a muffled way.

From some unknown apartment in the building next door came the sound of a couple arguing; one could faintly hear a woman's scream and the sound of something shattering, forming an absurd contrast with the quiet beauty on the balcony.

Jessica Jung suddenly let out a "pfft" laugh, the hint of tears in the corner of her eyes completely dissolving, turning into a glimmer of crystalline light.

Song Tianhao also laughed, a very faint laugh, the corners of his mouth curving slightly upward.

Amidst the absurd, noisy background noise, the two looked at each other and smiled, a certain indescribable tacit understanding flowing in the air.

After a long while, Jessica Jung finally stopped laughing. She raised her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked at Song Tianhao again. Under the moonlight, her eyes were astonishingly bright, as if filled with starlight.

"President Song." She said softly, her tone carrying a solemnity born of resolve. "Once I've recovered... once I'm back on stage, once I can stand on the highest podium, wearing the most beautiful dress, with the most perfect makeup..."

She paused, her cheeks heating up slightly, but her gaze didn't waver, looking straight at him:

"I... I have something I want to tell you."

Song Tianhao raised an eyebrow. "Can't you say it now?"

Jessica shook her head, her shyness turning into stubbornness—a Jessica-style stubbornness, laced with pride. "Not now. It has to be said in the highest place, when everyone is watching."

Song Tianhao looked at her. Under the moonlight, her face was flushed a faint pink from the emotional surge, but her eyes were clear and firm, holding a light that was almost obstinate. He knew what she was talking about, and he knew the weight of this promise.

He reached out, palm facing up, and held it out before her.

"Alright." He said, his voice sounding gentle and certain in the night. "I'll wait."

Jessica looked at his well-defined hand, then raised her eyes to meet his, and then, slowly placed her hand upon his. This time, it wasn't a simple handshake; her fingers slid between his, and their hands slowly interlaced.

Palms pressed together, warmth transferring.

Song Tianhao's palm was large and warm, steadily enveloping her slightly cool fingers. He gently curled his fingers, not with much force, but with a heavy sense of affirmation, then quickly loosened them slightly, turning it into a gentle, continuous connection.

The moonlight spilled onto their clasped hands, refracting a faint light from the thin silver ring on her ring finger. She had bought it herself a few days ago, a very simple style, barely showing any brand, just because she thought it looked good.

Just then, Tiffany Hwang's cheerful humming and footsteps came from the living room.

"President Song! Jessica! The chocolate my mom sent is super delicious, you guys have to try it..." Tiffany Hwang's voice came to an abrupt halt.

She stopped at the threshold between the living room and the balcony, holding an exquisite porcelain plate filled with chocolates, the bright smile on her face visibly freezing for a moment when she saw their clasped hands on the balcony.

The moonlight, the night view, the two sitting side by side on the rattan chairs, and those interlaced hands clearly visible in the moonlight... the scene was beautiful to the point of being blinding.

But that freeze lasted less than half a second.

The smile on Tiffany Hwang's face returned at a visible speed, even brighter and more natural than before.

She walked over quickly with the plate, her voice crisp and clear: "Come and try it! It's handmade chocolate from the USA, my mom picked it out specially, it's not too sweet or greasy!"

As if that momentary pause and change in expression had never happened.

Song Tianhao released her hand naturally, stood up with a fluid motion, and reached out to help Jessica up.

He smiled at Tiffany Hwang: "Is that so? Then I must try some. However," he turned to look at Jessica, his tone returning to his usual, slightly managerial concern, "you can't eat too much, the calories are too high. Therapist Jiang said you need to watch your weight."

Jessica also stood up, the thin blanket slipping from her shoulders. The slight flush on her face hadn't completely faded, but her expression had returned to her usual coldness, though her ears were still a faint pink.

She nodded: "Mhm, I'll just try a small piece."

"I know, President Song!" Tiffany Hwang placed the plate on the round table, picked up a piece and popped it into her mouth, squinting in satisfaction. "Mmm... it's really good! Jessica, you should try this dark chocolate, it has a high concentration and less sugar."

The three of them gathered around the small round table, sharing the chocolates from across the ocean. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant; Tiffany Hwang chirped on about the funny things from her video call with her mom earlier, saying her mom asked if she was getting used to life in South Korea, if she was eating well, and even asked what the President was like.

"Of course I said the President is super nice!" Tiffany Hwang's eyes curved into crescents as she looked at Song Tianhao. "I said the President is handsome and capable, treats us really well, and even saved Jessica!"

Song Tianhao laughed in spite of himself, shook his head, and picked up his glass to drink some water.

Jessica took small bites of the dark chocolate, the slightly bitter, rich flavor melting on her tongue. She listened to Tiffany Hwang's cheerful voice, looked at Song Tianhao's profile with a faint smile, and then looked down at the thin silver ring on her ring finger; somewhere in her heart, it felt incredibly soft.

"By the way," Song Tianhao finished the chocolate, wiped his hands, and as if suddenly remembering something, looked at the two. "Next Wednesday, for the recording of 《Running Man》, I'll be joining as a fixed MC."

"Really?" Tiffany Hwang's eyes widened. "President Song, you're going to be a fixed MC?"

"Mhm, it was negotiated with SBS. It's to build momentum for the new company and increase exposure." Song Tianhao said casually. "For the new episode, the production team wanted to invite guests who could generate buzz. I recommended you and Jessica."

"Us?" Jessica looked up, surprised.

"Yes." Song Tianhao looked at her. "You can record even in a wheelchair. Consider it a warm-up for your comeback. It'll also let fans and the media see your recovery status and shut down those messy rumors."

He turned to Tiffany Hwang. "Besides, Tiffany's new solo project 《Rebirth》 starts its promotional warm-up next month and needs exposure. If you both go together, you can look out for each other, and the effect will be better. The production team also thinks this combination is very buzzworthy."

Tiffany Hwang had already excitedly grabbed Jessica's arm. "Wow! Recording a variety show with President Song! And it's 《Running Man》! I heard this new show has a huge budget, SBS is taking it very seriously! Jessica, we can go together!"

Jessica was also tempted. Variety show exposure, and with Song Tianhao, this was indeed a rare opportunity. But thinking about how she was still in a wheelchair...

"My foot..." She hesitated.

"The production team will design segments suitable for you; they won't make you do strenuous exercise." Song Tianhao saw her concerns. "And, I'll be there."

A few simple words, but they carried a power that put one at ease.

Jessica looked into his eyes, and finally nodded, her gaze becoming firm again. "Alright. I'll go."

"That's great!" Tiffany Hwang cheered.

Song Tianhao smiled and stood up. "Then it's settled. Sehun will coordinate the specific recording details with your managers. Get some rest early, don't stay up late."

He picked up the suit jacket draped over the back of the chair, nodded to the two, and walked toward the door.

"President Song, I'll see you out!" Tiffany Hwang jumped up.

"No need, just tidy up and go to sleep early." Song Tianhao waved his hand and opened the door to leave.

The elevator door closed, and the floor numbers began to descend.

Tiffany Hwang closed the door and turned around. The smile on her face was still bright, but there was something else in her eyes.

She linked her arm with Jessica's, lowering her voice, filled with irrepressible excitement and gossip. "Jessica! We're going on 《Running Man》 with President Song! Oh my god! And the new episode's guests are definitely going to get a lot of attention! Do you think there will be other big seniors? Do you think they'll play other games? President Song being a fixed MC will definitely be super interesting!"

Jessica smiled too, feeling a bit dizzy from being shaken by her. "Mhm, I suppose so."

But her mind drifted to another matter.

The promise of the stage...

Before that, will she be fighting side-by-side with him on a variety show?

It seems... not bad.

She walked to the window and watched the black sedan below slowly drive out of the complex, merging into the traffic in the night. Somewhere in her heart, it was filled with a soft, sweet anticipation.

Meanwhile, downstairs, in the car.

Song Tianhao leaned back in the backseat and rubbed his temples. The phone screen was lit up; it was a message from Sehun regarding the confirmation of the final guest list for the new episode of 《Running Man》.

Besides Jessica and Tiffany Hwang, there were two other names on the list: Jun Ji-hyun and Song Ji-hyo.

His fingertip tapped lightly on the three characters "Jun Ji-hyun," and a very faint arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

This actress, who became famous across Asia with 《My Sassy Girl》 and had also achieved remarkable success transitioning to the big screen in recent years, was one of the signature stars Sidus HQ had been vigorously promoting lately. SBS must have put in quite a lot of effort and cost to persuade her to be a guest for this episode.

And Song Ji-hyo had good variety show sense and a good image; she was a good choice.

The phone vibrated again. It was a message from Park So-yeon: "Oppa, Chairman Lee Jae-hyun's office from CJ called again, asking if you have time to 'have dinner together' next week. The tone was even more 'polite' than last time. Also, the person we planted at CJ Entertainment just sent back news that the middle manager under investigation was officially suspended this afternoon. It's said to involve an old case from a few years ago with a significant amount of money. The news has already been 'accidentally' leaked to a reporter from the 《Dong-A Ilbo》."

Song Tianhao looked at the screen, his eyes calm.

He replied: "Decline the dinner invitation. Just say I'm busy preparing for a new variety show recording. As for the reporter... let him write, but control the pace, don't dump it all at once. Boiling the frog in warm water is what makes it interesting."

Click, send.

He put away his phone and said to the driver in the front row: "Go to Cheongdam-dong, to the studio."

"Yes, President."

In the night, the sedan drove steadily toward Cheongdam-dong. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in the office on the top floor of the CJ Group headquarters building, Chairman Lee Jae-hyun stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a glass of whiskey, watching the brilliant city night view below, his expression unclear in the dim light.

On the desk behind him, an analysis report on Sky Entertainment's recent moves was spread out, with Song Tianhao's brief profile next to it.

After a long while, Chairman Lee Jae-hyun took a sip of his drink and muttered to himself, his voice sounding particularly clear in the empty office: "Song Tianhao... an interesting young man."