IDEI CH34

“Stand right there and don’t move,” Qi Yanning said, narrowing his eyes.

Gong Jiayu slammed on the brakes, stopping right in front of Qi Yanning. His face was pulled into a tearful grimace, his expression deeply grave.

“What happened to your hair?” Qi Yanning asked.

Gong Jiayu’s hair was simply too conspicuous—long on one side, short on the other, ragged and uneven, making his originally cute and delicate face look utterly goofy.

“Qi-ge!” Gong Jiayu said mournfully, “My hair is completely ruined.”

“I actually really liked this haircut, how could this happen…”

Seeing that Gong Jiayu was taking forever to explain what had actually happened, Xiao Yingyi stepped forward and recounted the sequence of events to Qi Yanning as calmly as possible.

As it turned out, after their training wrapped up this afternoon, their manager, Qin-ge, had briefed them on the filming schedule for tomorrow’s mini group variety show.

The episodes of the mini group variety show filmed over this past period had been released one after another after post-production, garnering a wave of praise.

However, showing only their daily interactions and training routines felt a bit thin. Thus, manager Qin-ge came up with more ideas—such as filming an episode of TND unboxing trendy, viral toys together.

He had prepared a variety of entertaining toys in advance for tomorrow’s shoot. Among them were several tubs of slime. Gong Jiayu and An Zi’ai had begged Qin-ge for ages before he reluctantly agreed to let the two play with them ahead of time.

Once Qin-ge left, Gong Jiayu and An Zai excitedly unboxed the slime and started playing.

However, while horsing around, a large clump of slime in Gong Jiayu’s hands accidentally splattered right into An Zai’s hair.

“Wait,” Qi Yanning interrupted Xiao Yingyi, looking at him with a flicker of surprise. “An Zai’s hair?”

“Is there something wrong with your hair too?” He arched an eyebrow at An Zai.

An Zai nodded, then shook his head. Although his hair was soaking wet, it wasn’t a mangled mess like Gong Jiayu’s.

Xiao Yingyi shot the two a helpless look and continued explaining to Qi Yanning.

The second the slime got smeared into An Zai’s hair, both of them froze. Immediately after, two earth-shattering shrieks rang out.

Hearing the noise, the others in the villa rushed downstairs and immediately caught sight of An Zai’s tragic state in the center of the living room.

They looked at each other in bewilderment; none of them had ever witnessed such a scenario, especially happening to grown adults.

Fortunately, Wei Mingzhe quickly found a solution. Several of them crowded around An Zai, using toothpaste to work the slime out of his hair. Unable to squeeze into the circle, Gong Jiayu paced anxiously around the outside, and then—

When he bent down to take a peek, his head brushed against a scented candle sitting on the counter nearby, and the hair on the side of his head instantly caught fire, sending up wisps of dark smoke!

The others had just finished cleaning the gunk out of An Zai’s hair when they turned around to find Gong Jiayu’s hair ablaze.

“Gong Jiayu, your hair!” Yan Zihao shouted.

Gong Jiayu hadn’t even registered it yet. It wasn’t until Yan Zihao grabbed a nearby piece of clothing and smothered the flames on his head that he realized what had happened.

He had… caught fire.

Gong Jiayu reached up to touch it. Having been singed, the hair had turned brittle, crumbling to the touch.

He vigorously rubbed at his hair, and as charred black flakes fluttered down, half of his hairstyle vanished in an instant.

After that, Gong Jiayu even grabbed a pair of small scissors and tried to trim the haircut to make it look less bizarre, but it was completely useless—in fact, it made things worse.

He could only wait in grief-stricken misery for Qi Yanning to return.

“Managing to set yourself on fire—Gong Jiayu, you’re quite talented!”

Qi Yanning’s voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

“Qi-ge, I was wrong, I was just too careless,” Gong Jiayu pleaded pitifully. “Help me one more time, please!”

Qi Yanning patted his messy dog head. “Since you cherish your hair so little, why don’t I give you a buzz cut?”

To Gong Jiayu, it sounded like a bolt from the blue.

A buzz cut? No way!

Although he had a nicely shaped skull, he didn’t have the temperament for it!

When Hai-ge got a buzz cut, he oozed masculine hormones. But if he got a buzz cut…

He would probably look like an underage little monk.

Terror was written all over Gong Jiayu’s eyes, yet he still forced out, “If Qi-ge thinks it suits me, I’ll shave it!”

His tragic, martyr-like display finally brought a slight smirk to Qi Yanning’s lips. “I was joking,” Qi Yanning said evenly. “Come on, let’s go fix that dog-chewed mop of yours.”

Only then did Gong Jiayu’s heart settle back down. He happily trailed after Qi Yanning into the styling room.

As styling supplies had accumulated over time, this small lounge on the second floor had officially been repurposed into a dedicated styling room.

Qi Yanning examined Gong Jiayu’s hair closely.

When Gong Jiayu first joined the show, he had foil perm curls. Later on, due to the production team’s requirements, he never cut his hair. Right before finale night, his agency had suddenly sprung to life and arranged a new hairstyle for him—a Japanese-style medium-long cut. The long, fluffy hair framed his small face perfectly, suiting him wonderfully.

Now, however, his hair length was reduced to half of what it used to be; keeping the original style was completely out of the question.

With swift, decisive snips of Qi Yanning’s shears, the other side of Gong Jiayu’s unburned hair was shortened considerably as well.

His hands moved with lightning speed, strands of hair falling continuously. Before long, Gong Jiayu’s hairstyle looked completely transformed.

Gong Jiayu’s new cut was a medium-short style with eyebrow-grazing bangs. The front was styled in a 7:3 side-part, exposing a hint of his forehead, while the rest was fluffy and smooth—an entirely different vibe from his previous longer hair.

If the medium-length hair had been gentle and refined, then this medium-short hair was vibrant, bold, and delightfully cute.

“Qi-ge!” Gong Jiayu cheered dramatically. “I love you to death!”

“I love this hairstyle so much too!”

Putting away his scissors, Qi Yanning said in a cool voice, “This is the last time. If something like this happens again…”

Gong Jiayu shuddered. “Understood! No reckless moves, I’ll protect my hair with my life!”

Once Gong Jiayu’s new hairstyle was shown on the mini group variety show, it received unanimous praise.

[Xiao Yu’s new hairstyle looks so good!]

[It’s not that the original one looked bad, it’s just that this one fits his personality way better?]

[Hahahahaha, our Xiao Yu is so cute]

[I knew something felt slightly off these past few days hhhhh Sporting a gentle hairstyle while getting up to elementary-schooler antics]

They lavished praise on the styling team’s thoughtfulness toward Gong Jiayu, but nobody had any idea just how absurd the story behind it really was.

After that day, TND practiced for another half a month before it was finally time to film the music video.

The outdoor location for the MV shoot was set in the desert, while the indoor sets combined retro aesthetics and high-tech elements in striking contrast.

Qi Yanning had prepared three sets of styling.

The first set featured oversized tailored suits in high-saturation hues, paired with silver sunglasses and 2:8 side-parted hair, brimming with a modern retro flair.

The second set was a color palette of brown and blue, utilizing corduroy and denim fabrics embedded with cool-white light strips that traced dazzling ribbons of light along with their dance movements.

The third set paired exaggerated techwear wide-leg cargo pants with ribbed tank tops, alongside collisions of high-tech metallic coatings with traditional embroidery and lace, blending vintage historical texture with futuristic aesthetics.

These three looks expressed the album’s retro-futuristic theme to absolute perfection, leaving everyone in awe.

The TND boys in particular were dumbfounded when they saw the outfits for the first time.

“Qi-ge!” An Zai shouted dramatically. “These clothes are so gorgeous, where did you buy them?! I want to buy some as my daily casual wear!”

“They actually had the nerve to say my casual style is terrible. I’m going to wear these and blow their minds!”

An Zi’ai’s voice sounded thoroughly indignant. His private outfits were always chosen for comfort. Besides…

Weren’t Lazy Sheep graphic tees and SpongeBob wide-leg sweatpants cute? They were clearly super cute!

“You can’t buy them,” Qi Yanning stated calmly.

“Why?” An Zi’ai poked his head out of the dressing room, asking curiously, “Is it some niche luxury brand?”

“I designed them, and had them custom-made,” Qi Yanning said nonchalantly.

“WHAT?!” An Zi’ai was left slack-jawed, and the others looked over in shock as well.

Qi Yanning narrowed his eyes slightly. “What?”

“I already thought Qi-ge was incredible enough, but every single time, he proves to me that he can be even more insane…” Gong Jiayu muttered.

“Stop daydreaming and go change,” Qi Yanning raised his voice slightly as he saw them freeze.

Instantly, everyone sprang into action.

The moment the first set of suits was put on, the boys grew instantly electrified.

Vibrant, rich, retro hues of saturated red, green, yellow, and blue clashed harmoniously, creating a rich visual impact. Standing together, even without a speck of makeup yet, they were already stunning enough to turn heads.

Since the wardrobe was already so striking, the makeup focused primarily on enhancing the three-dimensional contours of their facial features.

When all nine donned their respective sunglasses and stepped onto the cyberpunk cityscape set, the visual effect was nothing short of explosive.

Director Lin slapped his thigh hard, brandishing his storyboard script that only he could decipher, barking orders and running the camera crew ragged!

The second set was paired with the desert location. Amid the vast, open sands stood a prop set resembling a crashed high-tech aircraft. For this look, everyone sported an intense, delicate smoky eye—metallic silver-blue swept across the upper lids and brownish-gold along the lower lash line, grounded with nude lips. The visual payoff was breathtaking without washing out any of the unique facial traits of the TND members.

They resembled explorers in an apocalyptic future, dancing beside the wreckage of a downed aircraft—as if celebrating, yet also as if praying.

The final wardrobe set was complex, so the stage set was kept to minimal simplicity.

In a space split evenly between black and white, a beam of crimson light beamed down into the center. The entire environment felt icy and perilous. And the nine members of TND who emerged here were intruders into this unknown void. The intricate outfits formed a stark contrast with the starkly minimalist space, compelling viewers to fix their gaze entirely on the nine dancing figures in the center.

The MV shoot went exceptionally smoothly; at the very least, Director Lin was thrilled with all the footage captured. He didn’t even have time to say goodbye to Qi Yanning before diving straight into the editing suite with the post-production crew.

Director Lin was ecstatic! This music video pushed aesthetics to the absolute limit; from the trainees to the costume, hair, and makeup departments, everything had been brought to near perfection. Therefore, on this final stage of work, he had to supervise every detail personally and leave behind zero regrets!

By the time Director Lin emerged from his seclusion, a whole week had passed.

During this period, the TND members continued diligently practicing every track on their debut album. Manager Qin-ge did not rashly accept any external gigs or promotions for them, even though booking requests had virtually flooded his inbox.

Right now, TND was in the explosive aftermath of the survival show; while it looked glittering and prosperous on the surface, their popularity was mostly volatile and untested.

Taking on tons of variety appearances right now would be akin to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, burning through their goodwill. What’s more, Your Star had trended so excessively a while back that it had already provoked irritation among some casual netizens. At a time like this, it was crucial to settle down and let things simmer; once they had actual work under their belts, it wouldn’t be too late to ramp up promotions.

Qin-ge cleverly leveraged the mini group variety show to keep TND in the public eye, striking a delicate balance where they were neither overbearing nor forgotten by the audience. Meanwhile, promotions for their album had quietly begun, stirring public curiosity and building anticipation through various subtle teasers.

All that was left to do was wait.

During this time, Qi Yanning made another trip to Director Wang’s production crew, with Ling Cangzhou traveling alongside him.

Mm, Boss Ling had already become the second-largest investor in Director Wang’s drama, so this trip was nominally framed as an inspection tour.

On the plane, the great CEO Ling fussed about; in no time at all, warm water, slippers, and a blanket were all neatly set out.

Tucked under the blanket, Qi Yanning took a sip of water and turned his head toward Ling Cangzhou. “Boss Ling, you seem quite practiced at this?”

Ling Cangzhou meticulously tucked in the corner of Qi Yanning’s blanket before looking up at him with a radiant smile. “I’m used to it. My mother, Ms. Lin—she’s a renowned pianist. My father cherishes her hands dearly and barely lets her do any physical chores. So all these little caretaking tasks were handled by my father and me growing up. It’s second nature.”

Qi Yanning nodded, saying nothing more.

“What is A-Ning going to do this time?” Ling Cangzhou asked with a smile.

He had booked this trip on a whim upon learning Qi Yanning was visiting the set, without inquiring beforehand about his exact purpose.

“Director Wang said a batch of costumes and accessories arrived for filming and asked me to come take a look.”

“I see.” Observing Qi Yanning’s slightly pale complexion and knitted brows, Ling Cangzhou softened his voice even further. “Does A-Ning get airsick? Rest for a while. I’ll wake you when we land, don’t worry.”

Qi Yanning gave him a deep look, slipped on the eye mask Ling Cangzhou had prepared, and gradually fell asleep.

In his sleep, he felt a soft gaze resting continuously upon him.

Devoid of any aggression, it brought him an unexpected trace of peace.

As a result, Qi Yanning slept deeply, remaining fast asleep right until landing.

However, before Ling Cangzhou could wake him, he opened his eyes on his own, leaving Ling Cangzhou—who had mentally rehearsed his lines the entire flight—a little disappointed.

Nevertheless, Boss Ling quickly recovered his composure.

Gathering their luggage, he accompanied Qi Yanning to the drama’s production base.

Pre-production was already well underway; filming locations were locked in, and wardrobes and accessories had been delivered to the dressing rooms on site.

“For these costumes and props, I poured immense effort into sourcing them,” Director Wang Ning’an boasted proudly. “Supposedly, they adhere to history with absolute perfection.”

The drama Director Wang intended to shoot emphasized historical accuracy; thus, he had brought on etiquette and cultural consultants, and went to great lengths with the props and attire.

Qi Yanning nodded slightly.

Yet, as his gaze swept across the pieces one by one, his brows knitted unconsciously.

“What is it, Xiao Qi?” Director Wang asked, puzzled.

“These garments…” Qi Yanning stated with certainty, “have issues with their historical tailoring and construction.”

“What?” Director Wang’s brow furrowed deeply. “How could that be? Xiao Qi, could it be that you’re…”

Before Director Wang could voice his doubts about Qi Yanning, an abrupt voice rang out.

“What does a greenhorn brat know?! Have you even studied history?” an elderly, haughty voice snapped.