Chapter 23: Underlying Currents Beneath Leisurely Moments-Starlight Shines on the Peninsula(A traveler in a green robe wanders through misty mountains veiled in rain.)

"Not bad at all, kid. You actually managed to get her contact information so quickly." The taxi carrying Lin Nayeon had already disappeared into the distance. Standing at the entrance of the restaurant, Chen Zhe gazed after it, lost in thought, when suddenly someone slung an arm around his shoulders from behind. He was about to shrug it off when he heard his sister’s voice.

"What on earth is going on in that mind of yours, sis?" Hearing yet another one of his sister’s outrageous remarks, Chen Zhe frowned slightly, giving her a deadpan look that clearly showed his exasperation.

"Well, I thought you wouldn’t be able to get her contact info, you rascal! I was just about to shamelessly ask Sooyoung to help me track her down for you!" Chen Yuqi, still hanging onto his shoulder, grinned broadly, clearly finding amusement in teasing her younger brother.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, you and Sooyoung," Chen Zhe replied through gritted teeth, shooting her a glare and forcing a smile.

After a bit more playful banter between the siblings, Choi Sooyoung, who had gone to get the car, arrived. She called them over, and together they headed for Lotte World, ready to enjoy themselves. After all, Sooyoung had plenty of free time these days, with Girls’ Generation not currently promoting.

—— The Show at the Entertainment Company ——

As the day went on, more and more people across China, Japan, and Korea watched Chen Zhe’s "Melody" performance video. The song sparked a wave of "Melody" fever across the three countries, with the video circulating among celebrities and many people uploading their own covers to social media, quickly attracting fans and likes.

At the same time, the buzz surrounding "Melody" caught the attention of major Korean entertainment companies. All eyes turned to the song’s creator and performer, and scouts were dispatched to find him. Company presidents began leveraging their networks to track him down.

After all, talented songwriters are rare, and someone like Chen Zhe—who not only writes music but also sings well and is good-looking—is even more so. With proper training, he could become a star.

In the SM Entertainment executive office, a middle-aged man in a suit stood before two distinguished men seated on a sofa, reporting what he had witnessed yesterday afternoon in Myeongdong.

"You’re saying that young man is a tourist from China, not a trainee from another company?" The younger man on the sofa quickly confirmed, his tone tinged with urgency.

"Youngmin, don’t be so anxious. With our company’s resources, our chances of finding him and recruiting him are much higher than anyone else’s. What I’m actually more interested in are those two girls. Jae-min, you said they’re our trainees?" The other man on the sofa waved his hand at Youngmin—President Kim Youngmin—and turned to the standing man, Yoo Jae-min, his tone gentle.

"Director, you mean our trainees Bae Joohyun and Kang Seulgi?" Despite the gentle tone, Yoo Jae-min couldn’t help but feel tense; after all, the man was once the infamous tyrant Lee Sooman, who, though now an artistic director and seemingly mellowed, still made Jae-min uneasy.

"Yes, those two. How do you rate their abilities?" Having finally recalled their names, Lee Sooman nodded.

"Kang Seulgi’s vocals are excellent. Bae Joohyun is a little less strong in comparison," Yoo Jae-min replied after a moment’s consideration.

"Wait a minute, Director Lee, why are you asking this?" Sensing something amiss, Kim Youngmin interrupted, suspecting Lee Sooman was planning something big.

"EXO is already formed and recording their album. Don’t you think it’s time to start planning the next group?" Lee Sooman shook his head slightly at Kim Youngmin’s confusion and explained his reasoning.

"You mean the next girl group project? You’re considering including these two trainees?" Now that Lee Sooman had made his intentions clear, Kim Youngmin began to piece things together, frowning slightly. After all, it wasn’t like Lee Sooman to include trainees in a new group without thorough evaluation.

"They’ll just be added to the pool of candidates. Whether they’re selected depends on their abilities. But for now, Jae-min, I want you to focus your efforts on finding that young man, Chen Zhe," Lee Sooman said, his tone unchanged but his eyes narrowing as he looked back at Yoo Jae-min.

"That’s right, Jae-min, make sure you find Chen Zhe before any other company does. Once you’ve invited him here, we’ll discuss the terms with him," Kim Youngmin added, putting the girl group plans aside for now. The priority was to secure the songwriter behind "Melody" before their competitors.

"Understood. I’ll do my best to find him, President, Director," Yoo Jae-min replied, bowing deeply to both men.

After Yoo Jae-min left the office, Lee Sooman and Kim Youngmin began to discuss contract terms for Chen Zhe. In their view, once they found him, persuading him to join SM Entertainment would be a matter of course.

And indeed, with Choi Sooyoung’s connection, Chen Zhe would naturally gravitate toward SM, making his recruitment likely.

The only issue that might give Chen Zhe pause would be the contract terms. As a Chinese national, if he debuted in China, the benefits and compensation there would far surpass what was offered in Korea, even though the star-making system in Korea was more advanced.

After lengthy negotiations, the two agreed that if Chen Zhe was willing to join SM, they would offer more favorable terms. Talented singer-songwriters like him, who required minimal training, could debut after only a few months of preparation. With the popularity brought by his YouTube video, it would be a win-win for SM.

Meanwhile, JYP, YG, and other entertainment companies received similar reports from their scouts and made decisions much like SM’s. JYP’s president, Park Jinyoung, even resolved to use his personal network to dig up information about Chen Zhe.