Chapter 88 The Second

.."At the end of the performance, the whole audience erupted into a frenzy of screams. Everyone was stunned by what they saw on stage. Many people in the artist's seats were also shocked. While Ki Cha...What happened today

"We just had a fight, a pretty bad one... But the company asked him to return to training a few days ago. I heard his father even had a very unpleasant conversation with the company. Maybe you were too busy coming back from filming these past few days and didn't notice."

"Is his leg better now"

After hearing this, Chi Jingyuan thought for a moment and asked the most crucial question.

Tao got injured on the 4th of this month. The doctor's diagnosis at the time was rest for four to six weeks, which is about a month to a month and a half. Counting up to today, it's been twenty-six days, almost a month.

But time is just a reference, it really depends on how he responds.

It is said that the agent took tao to the hospital for a check-up the day before yesterday, and after taking X-rays, the recovery seems to be quite good. The company may have put forward the proposal for him to return earlier because of this consideration.

Kim Jun-Myeon obviously knew something, gestured to the sofa and signaled Chi Jingyuan to sit closer. Then he whispered, "But it might not be fully recovered yet. I heard from Tao that his leg still hurts a little bit and isn't very comfortable."

"It should be fine, almost there. Tao wasn't out with friends for a meal the other day He even got spotted by fans and had pictures uploaded to ***b.... I wonder if the company saw this news and decided to have him return early." Park Chan-yeol also whispered a scoop.

"Is that so" Chi Jingyuan was a little surprised.

"You've been so busy filming lately that you probably haven't been paying attention, but... a couple of days ago... It wasn't exactly big news, but it was quite the hot topic in our fan club," he said with a smirk, his expression oddly ambiguous.

"Like that..." Chi Jingyuan nodded in understanding.

He probably understood that the company might think Tao had recovered enough, but Tao himself didn't feel better. The two sides argued.

But Chi Jingyuan felt that this kind of thing still had to be seen by a doctor and how it was said, and sometimes even if the doctor said it was okay, but if the person himself was uncomfortable, he definitely had to pay attention to the injured person's own opinion.

He frowned, glancing at the tightly shut door of the room over there: "Since tao said he wasn't feeling well, why insist Besides, didn't everyone already say he didn't have to attend the Neon concert in November" And...

He didn't finish his sentence, but the few members around him understood what he meant.

And Tao is still the only one of the two Chinese members left in EXO today.

After Han left, these two Xia Guo members were actually already a bit awkward in the team. Unlike Han, who was an EXO popular member before leaving, their popularity and heat were only second to Ji-seong in both Xia Guo and the peninsula. He was still the captain and main push of M team, so the company gave him a lot of resources and exposure opportunities.

... while the rest of the members are both in the lower ranks of popularity within the team, far less popular than Han. They didn't have many good personal schedules to begin with, with few camera shots and parts on stage, even the C position was rare. Now that Han has left, it's even more unlikely that the company will give them any quality resources...

It's understandable that Chi Jingyuan would act this way, after all, one learns from their mistakes. But if you're not going to give people resources, shouldn't the treatment be a bit better What's going on with this situation now

To be honest, Tao's comeback really won't affect EXO's concerts in Japan next month much because, to put it bluntly, not many fans go specifically to see him.

If it were to be Pool Jingyuan, then the company's urgency would be understandable.

Who knows.

Several people also let out a soft sigh. They were worried about this tonight too. Kim Jun-Myeop's face wasn't looking good, but he still tried to explain for the company: "Maybe the company has its own thoughts, right Seonghwan and the others probably also looked at the patient files..."

He struggled to find the words, let out a sigh and shook his head.

Chi Jingyuan sat on the sofa and chatted softly with them for a while, then got up to wash in the restroom. After washing up, he returned to his room.

You didn't go out

Want to join in on the fun

Closing the door, I saw Do Kyung-Soo and Wu Shi-Xun lying steadily on the bed. Far from the sighs of the few people outside, Ji-Won walked towards his own bed and asked casually with a sense of amusement.

"We went to see it when we were arguing, and then we came in after saying just two sentences." Wu Shixun answered with his head down, staring at his phone. He looked so focused that you couldn't tell who he was chatting with, maybe some female idol.

"Aren't you worried" Ji Jingyuan sat on the bed, took off his coat, stretched lazily, and lay down comfortably. He picked up his phone to check the time and casually asked.

"How can you not be worried I'm worried! Who wouldn't be worried about the situation with the group members right now" Do Kyung-soo's voice came from across the table, tinged with a hint of helplessness: "But what can we do... and besides, even without this, they probably..."

Though he didn't finish his sentence, both Ji-yeong and Woo-seok understood what he meant.

Because many EXO members think that way.

"Sigh."

Chi Jingyuan sighed, resting his head on his arm and gazing silently at the ceiling for a while. After a moment, he slowly said in a low voice:

"Go with the flow."

…………

The current situation and turmoil do affect one's mood, but as Do Kyung-Soo said, they don't have much of a way to change anything.

Perhaps Li Jingyuan has the qualifications to change something, but he feels it's pointless. Addressing only the surface issues while the core conflict remains unresolved is ultimately ineffective.

Although he was troubled, he didn't have time to think about it too much. For work, Chi Jingyuan still left the dormitory early the next day and rushed to the set, wholeheartedly throwing himself into filming.

Besides Chi Jingyuan, the other 5 main actors have also all individually completed their viewership contracts. The entire process of their activities was filmed by a VJ, and the footage will be included in the behind-the-scenes compilation of "The Untamed" that will be released by the production team later on.

This compilation is expected to be released around December, right as "Undead" nears its conclusion. It could capitalize on the momentum and boost viewership for the final episode.

Although the official trailer hasn't been released, fan-taken footage has already been uploaded online. The other actors don't have many fans or views, so among all the main cast members, only Ji Chang Wook's filming scene captures a lot of attention.

Fans thoughtfully captured the early morning hours before dawn and the dense crowd of fans waiting in line, showcasing Chik Kyung-won's incredible popularity.

Many fans still participated in highfive's 100 people, after they received the coffee and fried chicken personally delivered by Ji-seong Park, they were very happy. They didn't even want to eat it, just kept taking pictures and uploading them online, showing off and being smug, which caused many Yuan fans to be envious.

"Oppa is so warm, besides high fives he prepared so much delicious food for everyone. I really want to be there ahhh, unfortunately I have to stay in the dorm, it's such a pain!"

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"Yuan's love for his fans is undeniable. In the fan-shot videos, he's very enthusiastic and polite to each one. He hasn't changed since his debut until now, which is why I still like him so much even though I'm past my fangirl years."

"I'm so envious of those who can high five the oppas, and even get fried chicken from them personally! I'm going crazy, crazy, crazy!"

"The Untamed really took off, and Chi Jingyuan's performance is amazing! As a working person, I can't help but search for some of his materials and videos online. This young man is indeed very talented... The Untamed, please air soon, I'm waiting to see him rise!"

If we selectively ignore the acerbic criticisms from some black fans who label it as "showmanship," the remaining comments are overwhelmingly positive. Apart from boasting, jealousy, or showering Yuan with compliments, what's heartwarming is that many post-80s and 90s white-collar workers have also joined the discussion. This is the best proof that Chi Jingyuan, following his success in *Unborn*, is successfully expanding his fame and influence.

Now, any questions related to "The Untamed" or the keywords of the actor Zhan Wangxian will be included.

The TV series has started to gradually gain momentum.

At 10 p.m., the fifth episode of "The Uncanny Counter" aired on time. This episode had a major turning point compared to the previous ones. The plot, which had been relatively calm, suddenly intensified. Chief Jung and Woo Sang-yeop had a heated conflict, directly exposing Woo Sang-yeop's past scandal. Enraged, Woo Sang-yeop lashed out physically.

Then Minister Ma also came to trouble Wu Shangzhi, and Wu Shangzhi directly fought back, exposing the other party's sexual harassment scandal. The entire Sales Department 3 was in chaos.

Then Zhang Kelai was caught red-handed while searching for evidence of Zheng's wrongdoing. He felt awkward and helpless, but Wu Shangzhi appeared with the evidence just in time to save him. Afterwards, the two drank together. After Zhang Kelai sent the drunk Wu Shangzhi home, he himself got drunk and passed out at Wu Shangzhi's doorstep.

This episode's plot was thrilling and captivating. Lee Xingmin's portrayal of Wu Shangzhi made him the protagonist, and the character's charm began to blossom. Many online expressed their love for this character, even hinting at overshadowing the male lead Zhang Kexing.

As expected, the viewership ratings released the next morning shocked everyone.

"5.3%."

Last episode just broke 4, and this episode directly increased by more than one percent, breaking 5 directly.

This kind of surge is jaw-dropping even for a cable television drama. After the statistics came out, director Kim Won-seok was a little doubtful and couldn't believe it. He confirmed it several times before excitedly announcing it to everyone. As a result, the entire crew was filled with joy early in the morning.

Just like in sports such as basketball and soccer, the better a team performs, the more positive the team atmosphere becomes, and everyone's morale is higher.

The television drama crew is also the same, the higher the ratings and the better the reviews, the happier everyone is, and the more enthusiastic the atmosphere on set. Even if they work late, no one complains about being tired, everyone is willing.

As "" is about to enter the mainstream television market.

But Chi Jingyuan's elation over the soaring viewership ratings was short-lived, as it was ruthlessly interrupted.

Qi Jingyuan was sitting in a canvas chair, watching the filming on the set. At this moment, they were shooting a scene with Li Xingmin and Jiang Suola and others. Qi Jingyuan wasn't in this scene, so he was sipping his drink and observing them from the side, learning some of their acting techniques at the same time, and trying to immerse himself in his own role.

"Jingyuan."

At this moment, Pu Zai Xian suddenly ran to his side, shouted something, and then unhappily put her phone in front of Chi Jing Yuan, pointing at a red latest news notification on the screen for him to take a look.

As soon as Chi Jingyuan saw the title, his smile vanished instantly. He had been smiling just moments ago.

Even without clicking to read the content, just looking at the title is enough.

"EXO member Tao announced the establishment of his own studio and, through his lawyer, filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Central District Court to formally apply for the nullity of his exclusive contract with ** Entertainment. He becomes the second EXO member in three months to file a lawsuit and leave the group."

Ji Jingyuan had no desire to click on the title to see the specific content. He stared at Park Jae-hyun's phone held in front of him for a while before closing his eyes, pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and shook his head, signaling Park Jae-hyun to take away the phone.

"** just called me, they want you to go back for a meeting." Park Jae-hyun watched as Ji Seongwon's mood visibly worsened. He took his phone back and after a pause, whispered softly in his ear, "Just a reminder."

"Now" Ji Jingyuan opened his eyes and turned to look.

"Inside, they said it was a rather important meeting, and Lee Hwa-man is back. There are some things about the homecoming they want to tell you." Park Jae-hyun nodded and gave a general account of it.

"Hey, would you mind asking for leave of absence for me and the crew Just tell them the reason."

Ji Jingyuan got up and tidied things up. He smiled and greeted the actors beside him, and after a while, Park Bo-hyun came back to tell him that it was done.

It's relatively easy for him to take leave because the filming has been going smoothly recently and the progress is very fast. The crew has already kept a lot of footage.

and the director

After several main creators of the Kim Yuanxi drama bid farewell, Ji Jingyuan got into the nanny car and began to return to ** Company.

Neither Choi Ji-chang nor Park Jae-hyun spoke. One drove silently, the other operated his phone in silence, likely contacting ** Entertainment. The entire car interior felt somewhat quiet.

But no matter how silent it was inside, the noisy traffic outside kept flowing in and around, occasionally a screeching brake sound would make people frown, giving one the feeling of wanting to be still but being restless.

Chi Jingyuan sat in the back seat, looking at online comments on his phone. The news had just broken less than half an hour ago, but it had already become the top headline on major news websites, and its search ranking had climbed to number one in a very short time. Several keywords and headlines were highlighted in bright red to indicate their popularity.

Logically speaking, a person like tao wouldn't normally achieve this level of widespread attention. However, EXO itself has a massive following and the fact that it happened again with a member leaving in such a short period, especially through legal action for the second time, makes it impossible to ignore.

Tao probably didn't expect that after being in EXO for so long, he would be on the top of the trending list and become the focus of everyone's attention when he was leaving the group.

I don't know if this is lucky or ironic.

His termination statement was not posted on the Peninsula's SNS, but rather as an announcement on Xia Guo's Weibo. The Peninsula side is quoting and reposting the original Weibo text.

After hearing this, Chi Jingyuan immediately went to Weibo to take a look. Tao's personal account had posted a statement about "dissolution" and then, within minutes, another long post detailing the reasons why he was "forced" to leave the group.

Although it was quite long, Chi Jingyuan patiently read through it.

The reasons for Tao's departure from the group, as expressed in his article, can be summarized in three main points. Firstly, the company's resource allocation is uneven, favoring members from the peninsula and high-popularity members. He communicated with the company several times but did not receive satisfactory responses.

Next, there was the promise made to him before he left Han to open a personal studio after he quit. However, after the promise was made verbally, it took a long time for it to be implemented. Later, after communication with his father and the company, they were constantly being prevaricated.

Finally, he was overwhelmed with work and suffered a fractured bone. After getting injured, the company completely ignored his physical condition and forced him to end his recovery period prematurely to prepare for a concert.

This is also the most important reason why he decided to leave.

After reading this long article, Tao offered several reasons why Chi Jingyuan remained silent.

It's possible that some of the situations Tao described actually exist, or he may have made them up or exaggerated them. However, regardless of whether they are true or not, it doesn't seem to be that important to him.

As for those veiled remarks...

Chi Jingyuan also took the opportunity to look at the reactions of netizens and fans on both sides.

Even though the news has only been out for twenty minutes, the internet is already in a frenzy. Rumors and comments are flooding in, increasing at an incredible rate. Every refresh brings a whole new wave of information.

"I thought things would calm down after han left, but I didn't expect that just three months later tao left too. I'm really feeling a bit down now."

"This year, ** has really been plagued with bad luck. Nothing good has happened."

"At that time, I predicted that the remaining two people in Xia Guo would definitely not stay long after Han left, and as I said before, it turned out to be true."

First it's Han, then Tao, I just want to ask when is he leaving Or when will EXO disband

"Tao also said the company favors "high-popularity members," and everyone knows who these "high-popularity members" are, right Yuan squeezed Han out, and now he's squeezing Tao out too. Really, tsk tsk…"

"You're such a moron! Believing whatever excuses a traitor makes to get out of the group Tao doesn't even need the company to favor him with his popularity. Don't overestimate yourself... And are you even brave enough to post this without hiding behind anonymity"

"Speak up and make your ID and private messages public!"

"Don't want to comment on anything, and Han is just another traitor!"

"I don't know why, but this time when I saw the news about Tao suing to leave the group, as an EXO fan who has followed the group since their debut, I wasn't as sad or excited as I was when Han left. Maybe I'm just used to it... I don't know why, but my feelings for EXO aren't as intense and passionate as they used to be. Maybe I'm a little tired."

Unlike when Han left the group, with countless fans heartbroken and devastated, this time Tao's departure didn't have the same massive and loyal fanbase following. There weren't many fans who were deeply saddened by his leaving and unable to accept it, at least not to the extent that it directly caused a split within the XO fandom like it did before.

But this time it's even more troublesome because there is more of a sense of bewilderment and pessimism among EXO fans regarding the future of the group.

Having made a comeback in May with their mini-album, EXO proved to be incredibly powerful, achieving over one million sales while several of their songs became hits, surpassing all competitors at the same time. Their momentum was unstoppable, and they were just one step away from becoming the top boy group of the third generation.

I didn't expect to meet the popular le member han leaving the group in July.

Even though one left, fans comforted each other and could still manage to hold on.

After a period of calm, the storm was about to pass and XO was going to get back on track. But in just a few months, it regressed again.

Even discerning fans probably have a feeling in their hearts that the third one should be coming soon.

There has never been a precedent in the history of K-pop groups reaching number one where a member left before they topped the charts. Even if members have left, it was always after they had officially reached the top spot.

And now that EXO has only been popular for a little over a year, members are leaving the group, and not just one, but several have left one after another.

Will anyone else leave next Could the person leaving be my favorite member

If that's the case, what should I do Can we keep going

Countless Eris feel a bittersweet emotion now, some panic and some grandeur. They don't know what's become of their beloved EXO, and where they're headed next.

Besides the various complex emotions of fans, there was also the revelry of black fans. The news of Tao's departure from EXO practically had them throwing a party online, with all sorts of sarcastic and biting remarks appearing everywhere. It felt like they were about to bury EXO right there on the internet.

The rise of EXO in the past two years has indeed blocked the path of many others, squeezing many male idol groups out of their space to survive. Aeli's (EXO's fans) online presence is too strong and arrogant, causing some fan groups to feel resentful.

It's not surprising that he's being ostracized now.

After skimming through online comments and fan reactions, Ji Jingyuan returned to the company in a gloomy mood. He directly took the elevator upstairs and walked into the conference room on the fourth floor.

As soon as he entered, he saw the department heads and representatives already seated, along with the EXO members gathered together in two rows.

And also seated at the head was Li Xiuman, whom I hadn't seen in a long time.

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