18: Chapter 18 Helping Girls' Generation

In February 2009, in Seoul, the chill had not yet fully faded.

The heat from T-ara winning their first music show award with 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' continued to rise, and the name Sky Entertainment was repeatedly mentioned in the industry, making Song Tianhao's image as someone who 'turns stones into gold' and a 'protective president' increasingly distinct.

Along with this came not only more attention and invitations, but also some subtle changes and probes.

A gold-embossed invitation was delivered to the temporary office of Sky Entertainment in Cheongdam-dong.

It was signed by S.M. Entertainment, inviting Song Tianhao to attend the upcoming internal celebration banquet for the S.M. family concert.

The wording was polite, using the title 'Rising Film Emperor and Sky Entertainment Representative Director, Song Tianhao,' but the underlying meaning was self-evident.

S.M. Entertainment, this giant of the South Korean entertainment industry, had finally begun to take notice of Song Tianhao, this 'newcomer' who had suddenly burst in and played by his own rules.

"A trap?" Jang Se-hoon held the invitation, looking somewhat worried.

Song Tianhao took the invitation, his fingertips brushing over the raised gold-embossed lettering, his expression unchanged.

"It might be good to go and see. See how the giants throw a celebration banquet, and also see... what kind of game they are playing."

On the night of the banquet, the banquet hall of a five-star hotel in Gangnam District was brightly lit and filled with people in elegant attire.

Present, in addition to S.M.'s popular artists, senior producers, and management, were many media executives and advertiser representatives who had good relations with S.M.

The crystal chandeliers refracted dazzling light, the air was filled with the scents of high-end perfume, alcohol, and food, and the atmosphere was one of bustling prosperity typical of a top-tier industry company, with people clinking glasses and chatting happily.

Song Tianhao attended with only Jang Se-hoon.

He wore a well-tailored navy blue suit today, without a bowtie, and the first button of his shirt was casually undone.

Among the guests in formal wear with standardized smiles, he appeared neither overly casual nor lacking, carrying a sense of detached relaxation.

His appearance caused a small stir; many people cast curious, scrutinizing, and probing glances, whispering about this young president who had been in the spotlight the most recently.

S.M.'s Representative Director, Lee Soo-man, quickly came up to greet him.

He wore a well-fitted suit and his signature glasses, with a perfectly balanced smile on his face—possessing both the approachability of an elder and the shrewdness of a businessman.

"President Song, welcome, welcome! Your presence truly brings light to our humble abode!" He shook hands with Song Tianhao enthusiastically and led him toward the main table.

"President Lee, you are too polite. It is my honor to receive an invitation from S.M. Entertainment." Song Tianhao's attitude was neither servile nor overbearing, his tone indifferent.

The main table was mostly occupied by S.M. executives and several heavyweight partners.

Lee Soo-man arranged for Song Tianhao to sit not far from his right hand, a gesture that itself conveyed a certain signal.

During the meal, Lee Soo-man chatted seemingly casually about the current state of the industry, praising T-ara's debut stage as 'impressive' and complimenting Song Tianhao as 'young and promising, with remarkable methods,' but the topic always circled around 'resources,' 'cooperation,' and 'win-win' situations.

Song Tianhao just listened, occasionally responding with a few words, neither actively taking the bait nor easily stating his position.

His gaze swept across the banquet hall seemingly at random, taking in the 'family' atmosphere of S.M.

The seniors of Super Junior were socializing with ease, the members of TVXQ were surrounded by people, and the boys of SHINee still carried a hint of youthful awkwardness... His gaze finally landed on a relatively quiet corner of the banquet hall.

There was a table there, and sitting at it was Girls Generation, who were currently being heavily promoted by S.M. and had just sparked a craze with 'Gee.'

The nine girls wore matching, exquisitely designed performance outfits modified into small dresses, their makeup perfect, sitting upright.

However, compared to the lively noise of the main table, the atmosphere at that table was noticeably stagnant.

The food in front of them was barely touched, and they drank very little of their beverages.

Their manager stood not far away with an expressionless face, occasionally casting glances over with urgency and warning.

Leader Kim Taeyeon sat in the main seat, maintaining a standard, impeccable smile on her face, dealing with guests who occasionally came over to say hello or ask for photos.

But the fingers holding her glass were applying some force, her knuckles trembling slightly, and deep in her eyes was a hint of exhaustion and... discomfort that she was trying hard to hide.

Song Tianhao noticed that her left hand was kept under the table, occasionally quietly pressing against her stomach.

Jessica Jung, sitting next to her, had a cold expression, her eyes unfocused, as if she were daydreaming.

Sunny and Tiffany Hwang tried to find topics to talk about in low voices, but their smiles were somewhat forced.

Kim Hyoyeon and Kwon Yuri sat straight, as if standing at attention.

Choi Sooyoung sipped water, her gaze drifting toward the main table from time to time.

The youngest, Seohyun, sat the most upright, but her little face was tense, her lips pressed into a straight line.

And Im Yoona, who should have been the 'face' of the group and the best at livening up the atmosphere, was not in her seat at the moment.

Song Tianhao frowned slightly and withdrew his gaze.

Just then, Lee Soo-man brought up a new topic, his tone probing: "President Song, T-ara's debut momentum is very strong this time. The style of 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' is very novel."

"Our Girls Generation will also be officially promoting next month; maybe we will run into each other on music shows. They are all excellent juniors. If there is a chance, let them collaborate and do a special stage; it will definitely spark discussion. What do you think?"

S.M. Entertainment had finally shown its true colors.

A collaborative stage? It sounded like a win-win, but given S.M.'s consistent style and current status, the so-called 'cooperation' was likely more about wanting to borrow T-ara's current popularity, or wanting to observe up close and perhaps even 'absorb' this rising new group.

Song Tianhao picked up the water glass in front of him, took a sip, and did not immediately answer Lee Soo-man's suggestion about 'cooperation.'

Instead, he raised his eyes, looked toward the Girls Generation table in the corner, and asked a seemingly unrelated question in an indifferent tone:

"Have they eaten?"

The smile on Lee Soo-man's face stiffened imperceptibly; he clearly hadn't expected Song Tianhao to ask this suddenly.

He followed Song Tianhao's gaze, frowned almost imperceptibly, and then immediately resumed his smile: "Artists, you know, have to manage their weight before going on stage; they can't eat indiscriminately. The celebration banquet is just a formality; it's enough to just show up."

"President Song, you must be feeling sorry for the T-ara girls, right? Don't worry, we at S.M. take good care of our artists."

Just then, a middle-aged man wearing the uniform of an S.M. artist director, slightly drunk, swayed over with a wine glass.

He had likely heard Lee Soo-man mention T-ara and saw Song Tianhao, an 'outsider,' sitting at the main table.

Emboldened by the alcohol, he interjected with a sense of condescending superiority:

"President Lee is right; self-discipline is the most important thing for an artist. But President Song, your T-ara was truly lucky this time to be able to make a comeback under those circumstances."

"If you ask me, for a group from such a small company to be able to sit here and attend our S.M. celebration banquet is already a huge honor, haha..."

His words carried obvious contempt and provocation, and his voice was loud enough for the nearby tables to hear.

The expressions of several S.M. executives changed slightly; a flash of displeasure crossed Lee Soo-man's eyes, but he did not immediately stop him, seemingly wanting to see Song Tianhao's reaction.

Jang Se-hoon's face darkened, and he wanted to speak, but was stopped by a look from Song Tianhao.

There was no anger on Song Tianhao's face; he even slowly curled his lips into a faint smile.

He put down his water glass, looked calmly at the director who had spoken out of turn, and his voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the other man and the several people around who had pricked up their ears:

"At least my artists don't have to sit here and fake a smile on an empty stomach."

He paused, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally sweeping over the almost untouched food at the distant table and the girls' forced smiles.

The director's smile froze on his face; he was half-sobered up, his face turning red and then white.

Lee Soo-man's eyes also darkened.

Song Tianhao, however, ignored him and directly raised his hand, summoning a nearby waiter.

He spoke to the somewhat nervous waiter in fluent and authentic Seoul dialect, his voice low, his pace even, and his pronunciation clear: "Excuse me, please go to the kitchen, have the chef make nine bowls of beef soup, add plenty of green onions, and send them to that table over there."

He pointed in the direction of Girls Generation, "Just say it's from Song Tianhao. Tell them to eat while it's hot to warm their stomachs."

The waiter froze for a moment, subconsciously looking at Lee Soo-man.

President Lee Soo-man's expression had already darkened, but with so many eyes watching, he could not lose face for this "guest," Song Tianhao, especially since the other party was acting in the name of "caring for juniors." He forced a smile and nodded at the waiter.

The waiter hurried away. The atmosphere around the main table became somewhat subtle. The drunken director walked away sheepishly. President Lee Soo-man put his smile back on, attempting to steer the topic back to "cooperation," but Song Tianhao had already lost interest.

Before long, the waiter arrived with a large tray holding nine steaming, fragrant bowls of beef soup, delivering them to the table where Girls Generation was seated.

The sudden arrival of food left the nine girls stunned. Their manager wanted to step forward to stop it, but the waiter, following Song Tianhao's instructions, whispered that it was "a treat from Song Tianhao."

Kim Taeyeon was the first to look up alertly. Her gaze pierced through the noisy crowd, precisely finding the main table, and met the line of sight that Song Tianhao happened to be casting her way. Their eyes met briefly in the air.

In Kim Taeyeon's eyes, there was surprise, confusion, and a hint of embarrassment at being seen through, but deeper down, there was a complex, indescribable emotional fluctuation.

She looked at the steaming bowl of soup, then at the calm-looking young man at the main table. Her fingers, which had been gripping her cup, loosened slightly.

The other members of Girls Generation also exchanged glances, secretly looking toward the main table, then at their stern-faced manager, and finally at their leader.

Kim Taeyeon took a deep breath, gave an almost imperceptible nod to her sisters, and was the first to pick up a soup spoon. The warm fragrance of the soup washed over her, dispelling the chill around her body and the faint, cramping pain in her stomach.

She took a small sip, and the hot liquid slid down her esophagus, bringing a long-lost warmth. Seeing this, the other girls also carefully picked up their bowls.

Just then, from the direction of the restrooms on the side of the banquet hall, Im Yoona walked back quickly with her head down.

Her eyes were somewhat red and swollen. Although she had touched up her makeup, a close look still revealed traces of having cried. Even her makeup application seemed hurried; the edges of her lipstick were slightly uneven, and there even seemed to be a faint crack on the casing of the lipstick she usually treasured.

She tried hard to maintain a calm facade, but her reddened eye rims and slightly hurried pace betrayed her.

She kept her head down, wanting to return to her seat quickly, but while passing near the main table, she accidentally bumped into someone. She hurriedly looked up to apologize, only to meet a pair of calm, placid eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything.

It was Song Tianhao. He had left his seat at some point, seemingly preparing to go to the restroom or leave the venue, and just happened to cross paths with her.

Im Yoona froze in place instantly. A flash of panic, embarrassment, and a hint of helplessness at having her vulnerability exposed crossed her face.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out. She just stared blankly at Song Tianhao with those beautiful eyes, even despite their redness and swelling.

Song Tianhao's gaze lingered for a moment on her red, swollen corners of her eyes and the uneven lipstick. He said nothing, merely giving her an almost imperceptible nod before stepping aside to let her pass. There was no pity or curiosity in his eyes, only a calm sense of understanding, as if this were a common occurrence.

Im Yoona felt as if she had been scalded by that calm gaze; she hurriedly lowered her head and walked quickly toward her seat, her back looking somewhat disheveled.

Song Tianhao did not look at her again; he turned and walked toward the exit of the banquet hall.

When he passed the table where Girls Generation sat, his steps did not pause in the slightest, as if he were merely passing by. But as he passed by Kim Taeyeon, his fingers tapped lightly on the smooth tabletop three times. Tap, tap, tap.

The sound was very soft, almost drowned out by the surrounding noise. But Kim Taeyeon, who had been sitting with her back straight, trembled almost imperceptibly.

She did not turn back, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a simple black business card that Song Tianhao had left on the table beside her, as if by accident.

The front of the business card read "Song Tianhao, Sky Entertainment Representative Director" and his contact information. She glanced at it quickly, and her heart skipped a beat. On the back of the card, a line of small text was handwritten in a crisp, sharp script: [Tomorrow morning at ten, Sky Entertainment in Cheongdam-dong, bring a lawyer.]

Kim Taeyeon held her breath instantly, her fingers tightening around the soup spoon. She looked up sharply at Song Tianhao's back as he reached the door. His figure was upright and tall, appearing inexplicably reliable under the brilliant yet cold crystal chandeliers.

President Lee Soo-man also noticed Song Tianhao's departure. He stood up to follow him and caught up with him at the entrance of the banquet hall.

"President Song, why are you leaving so early? Did we fail to host you properly?" President Lee Soo-man wore his customary smile, but his eyes were bottomless.

"President Lee is too polite; the banquet was excellent." Song Tianhao stopped and turned to look at him, his tone remaining flat. "I just suddenly remembered something I forgot to say."

"Oh? What is it?" President Lee Soo-man raised an eyebrow.

Song Tianhao's gaze passed over him and cast back into the banquet hall, toward that corner where they had just started carefully drinking the soup. He then withdrew his gaze, looked at President Lee Soo-man, and said clearly, word for word: "President Lee, artists are not commodities."

He paused and added, his voice not loud but carrying a strange power that struck at President Lee Soo-man's heart: "They can feel pain."

Having said that, he did not linger. He gave a slight nod to President Lee Soo-man, turned, and left directly with Jang Se-hoon.

President Lee Soo-man stood at the entrance of the brilliantly lit banquet hall, watching the back of Song Tianhao as he left. The smile on his face slowly faded, and the look behind his lenses became deep and sharp.

He ruminated on Song Tianhao's final words, recalling the few bowls of untimely yet warm and substantial beef soup, as well as Kim Taeyeon's abnormal reaction just a moment ago.

Back in the car, isolated from the noise outside, Jang Se-hoon started the engine and couldn't help but say: "President, is S.M. Entertainment trying to woo us or suppress us? That President Lee Soo-man is an old fox."

Song Tianhao leaned back in the rear seat, closing his eyes to rest, and did not answer. In his mind, that translucent interface only he could see quietly emerged, accompanied by a clear chime: [Key plot node detected...]

[Task Triggered: Change the fate of "Girls Generation."]

[Optional Branch A: Cooperate with S.M. Entertainment, obtain short-term benefits. (Reward: Intermediate Resource Card x1)]

[Optional Branch B: Acquire the "Girls Generation" group. (Reward: Master-level Psychological Counseling Skill)]

[Please select...]

Acquire Girls Generation? Song Tianhao opened his eyes, a flash of surprise in them, but it was quickly replaced by contemplation. This task... the ambition is not small, the difficulty is immense, but the reward is also extremely tempting.

A master-level psychological counseling skill would be invaluable for the entertainment empire he intends to build in the future, and for the artists who have to face the complex psychological pressures of the entertainment industry.

Moreover, changing the fate of Girls Generation... He recalled the banquet just now: Kim Taeyeon's pale face as she suppressed her discomfort, Im Yoona's red and swollen eye rims, the almost untouched food on that table, and the cold attitude of the S.M. Entertainment management, who viewed artists as exquisite commodities...

His fingers tapped lightly on his knee. Acquiring the main girl group of S.M. Entertainment sounded like a fantasy. But... things can be achieved through human effort. Since the system had issued this task, it meant there was a possibility of making it happen.

At the very least, Kim Taeyeon had seen the business card and understood what it meant. Bring a lawyer? It seems that internally, there might already be undercurrents at work.

At that moment, his phone vibrated. It was a text message from an unknown number: [Hello, Senior Song Tianhao, this is Kim Taeyeon of Girls Generation. Thank you very much for the soup tonight. There are some things... I would like to ask for your advice on. I wonder if it would be convenient to visit Sky Entertainment tomorrow morning at ten?]

Song Tianhao looked at the text on the screen and could imagine the petite leader, who carried the burden of the entire team, mustering great courage to send this message. He hesitated almost not at all, his fingertips tapping quickly on the screen, and he replied: [Very well. Bring Im Yoona.]

He paused for a moment and added: [She doesn't look good when she cries.]

The message was sent successfully. Song Tianhao put his phone away and looked at the brilliant, colorful night view of Seoul outside the car window.

The clamor of the S.M. Family Concert seemed to still be in his ears, but the warmth of that bowl of hot soup and the business card with the handwritten note were perhaps quietly stirring waves in the heart of a certain young leader.

Acquire Girls Generation? The first step might just begin at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, at that meeting with the lawyer.