Chapter Forty-Four: Ten Thousand Yuan's Happiness (Part One)

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After lunch, it was already past three in the afternoon. Li Ran immediately took Jiang Yi Han and the makeup artist Xu Xian to Gwangju, where another outdoor concert awaited them.

“Jiang Yi Han, you’ve debuted for several months now. How do you feel about it?” the producer asked in the van.

“My feelings? Honestly, it’s just as I said before—everything feels unreal. The stage is unreal, my ‘castles’ are unreal, filming shows is unreal, meeting so many caring seniors is unreal. Producer, you know the story of Cinderella, right? It’s as if I’m living a beautiful dream, and when midnight comes, I’ll wake up.” Jiang Yi Han pondered seriously before replying.

“Cinderella? Not many people would describe their journey to becoming an artist like that,” the producer remarked, somewhat surprised by the answer. “So, who’s your ‘prince’ then?”

“Haha, my princesses, of course! They’re my ‘castles.’” Jiang Yi Han laughed heartily. “Artists are ordinary people too. Everything we have is given to us by our fans, so if they leave, we have nothing left. They’re the ones who ring the midnight bell. Whenever they ring it, my dream ends as well, doesn’t it?”

After his rather solemn words, the car fell silent. The producer, being part of the industry, understood it perhaps even better than Jiang Yi Han. Beneath the glamorous surface lay struggles—some known, some unknown, and even darker secrets hidden from view. Perhaps Jiang Yi Han was wrong—survival in this world depends mostly on connections and hidden deals; perhaps he was right—without fan support, there’s no profit, no future. Regardless, the topic felt too heavy for someone who’d been in the industry for barely three months. Talking about the future seemed extravagant.

The two young women sitting in the back didn’t know what to say, so they turned their heads to the window, watching the skyscrapers recede and sinking into their own thoughts.

With the conversation over, Jiang Yi Han gradually drifted into sleep. Soon, they arrived at the venue. Xu Xian quickly helped Jiang Yi Han with his hair and clothes, and Jiang Yi Han went on stage. “Castle” ended swiftly, and Jiang Yi Han was rushed off to the next performance—another outdoor concert.

It wasn’t until ten at night, after completing three outdoor concerts, that Jiang Yi Han finally returned to Seoul. The first thing he did upon arrival was to send Li Ran to the market to buy food that could be packed in a lunchbox for tomorrow. Jiang Yi Han chose strawberries and cucumbers for his lunchbox.

“Jiang Yi Han, why did you pick those foods? They won’t fill you up,” the producer asked.

“They’re my favorites, and they’re nutritious and hydrating, so I decided to pack them in my lunchbox,” Jiang Yi Han replied, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the tempting strawberries, making the producer a little helpless.

Shopping took less than fifteen minutes. Next came the main task for the night—Jiang Yi Han headed to the practice room. After warming up, he continued dance practice under the guidance of Kim Yi Yun. Dancing was still an area where Jiang Yi Han lacked proficiency.

“How long do you practice each day?” the producer asked while Jiang Yi Han drank water.

“Pretty much whenever I have free time. I’m a rookie and there’s so much I don’t know. I have to keep learning,” Jiang Yi Han answered quickly, wiped the sweat with a towel, and resumed practice.

It was only at one in the morning that Jiang Yi Han returned home.

The producer was ready to call it a day, finishing the first day’s shoot. “Jiang Yi Han, next time you do an outdoor concert like today, remember to get your fans to cheer for you. Also, you can eat anything at home. Here’s your lunchbox—you can fill it up and take food with you.” He handed Jiang Yi Han a box, barely half the size of a pencil case, with two tiny layers, eliciting a dramatic groan from Jiang Yi Han, “It’s too small!” The producer slammed the door and shouted through it, “See you tomorrow, Jiang Yi Han! Hope you oversleep. Hahaha.”

Jiang Yi Han walked into the hall and collapsed on the sofa, while Li Ran went to the kitchen to cook him a late-night snack. “Kitty, go shower first, or your hair won’t dry later.”

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“Oh, right! I’ll go now.” The cleanliness-obsessed Jiang Yi Han leaped off the sofa, showing no signs of fatigue, and dashed to the bathroom.

After showering, he stretched lazily, feeling the day’s heaviness wash away. Drying his hair, he stepped out and unexpectedly saw the five members of TVXQ.

“Ah, what brings you here? Isn’t it late? Don’t you have schedules tomorrow?” Jiang Yi Han walked straight to the kitchen for food, where Li Ran had prepared some fried rice.

“Yi Han hyung, we’re here to thank you. We’ve all heard,” leader Jung Yunho spoke as their representative.

“Huh?” With his mouth full, Jiang Yi Han could only respond with a sound.

“This Wednesday, the day after tomorrow, we’ll officially leave MS Entertainment and become your juniors. Didn’t you know?” Yunho clarified.

“Oh, that? I knew,” Jiang Yi Han finally swallowed his food and took a sip of soup. “I kept forgetting to mention it to you. Haha.”

“We heard it was you who spoke to President Lee, and Li Ran helped negotiate the contract, so we were signed over,” Kim Jaejoong added, visibly moved. “Hyung, we’re really grateful.”

“Why thank me? You should thank the president who invested! Haha,” Jiang Yi Han felt a bit embarrassed.

“Actually, most of the money came from Jiang Yi Han first,” Li Ran revealed another secret, unknown to everyone. Jiang Yi Han glared at Li Ran, clearly wanting to keep that quiet, but Li Ran just shrugged, unfazed.

The five young men didn’t know what to say. Sensing the awkwardness, Jiang Yi Han spoke up, “You’ve already switched companies, it’s a fact now—shouldn’t you be cheering or celebrating? Why stare at me?”

At his words, the group exchanged embarrassed glances before bursting into cheers and excitement. “That’s the proper reaction!” Jiang Yi Han muttered, continuing his meal.

They chatted for a long while around the table, discussing past experiences at the company, giving Jiang Yi Han a clearer understanding of their situation. Truthfully, MS Entertainment was a powerhouse—a true star-making factory in Korea, with a systematic selection process, recruiting talented trainees from all over, and subjecting them to rigorous training in every aspect. Their planning was excellent, producing numerous top stars. But since they focused on the idol route, the company imposed strict rules on artists’ private lives and public behavior. When “incidents” occurred, a slap was common—more frequent in the past, now less so, explaining some negative rumors. MS cultivated artists for profit; so when popularity waned, neglect or replacement was likely. Everyone was like a taut string, never able to relax. When TVXQ learned they were switching companies, their first reaction was disbelief, then reluctance, having trained and debuted there. But after accepting it, they realized leaving was for the best—their contracts changed from ten years to three, enough to breathe easier. Especially after what happened earlier that year, with Kim Jaejoong being beaten, leaving was indeed a wise choice under such pressure.

After the conversation, Jiang Yi Han didn’t dwell further, knowing the entertainment industry was saturated with endless interests—anything could happen for profit.

“Don’t thank me. I just believed you’d become stars and help Mr. Lee earn money, so I convinced him. You just need to work hard and not worry about anything else,” Jiang Yi Han concluded lightly.

Everyone knew things weren’t as simple as Jiang Yi Han made it sound, but gratitude was best kept in the heart. It was nearly three in the morning when they finally dispersed. TVXQ returned to their dorm downstairs. Kim Jaejoong lingered, seeing Jiang Yi Han’s fatigue, and gave him a hug. “Hyung, thank you so much.”

Jiang Yi Han smiled, patted Jaejoong’s shoulder, walked him to the door, and only then went to sleep.

In the morning, at seven, Li Ran dragged Jiang Yi Han out of bed. There was a Samsung commercial press conference today, so they had to leave early for a skincare session and hair styling before arriving at the venue by ten.

Jiang Yi Han, still in bed, whined for a bit, hoping for more rest, but Li Ran managed to get him up after twenty minutes. He washed up and ate a simple breakfast—he had to, since they would record “Ten Thousand Won Happiness” later, and skipping breakfast wasn’t an option.

They reached the beauty salon at 7:55. Meanwhile, Jiang Zi Yi and Xu Xian headed back to the company to prepare Jiang Yi Han’s outfit for the day.

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With his daily schedule so irregular and late nights common, Jiang Yi Han’s skin suffered, making skincare essential. It made him realize how many things an artist must do—skincare wasn’t typically part of a man’s routine, but as an entertainer, it was now a necessity.

With the beautician’s help, Jiang Yi Han reclined in the chair, mask applied, while a specialist massaged his face. He seized the chance to sleep again.

He woke an hour later, his hair already styled—mainly cared for, with no drastic changes. The first greeting upon waking came from the producer of “Ten Thousand Won Happiness.” “Good morning, Jiang Yi Han.”

“Ah, producer, you’re here.” Jiang Yi Han greeted him and headed out to the company to change clothes.

“You look adorable when you sleep,” the producer remarked, freezing Jiang Yi Han in place. After a few seconds, he forced a smile, “Producer, you’ll edit that out, right? Don’t let anyone see, okay?”

“Hehehe.” The producer only laughed, leaving Jiang Yi Han frustrated.

Upon arriving at the company, stylist Zhao Zhenghua immediately got busy. Since it was a Samsung event, utmost importance was required. After some deliberation, Zhao Zhenghua made her decision. In the end, Jiang Yi Han wore a fitted white shirt layered with a black vest—the back lined with gold silk, exuding elegance—and a black tie. For pants, lively jeans paired with white sneakers, striking a balance between formal and stylish, perfectly fitting the occasion.

Changing took about thirty minutes, and by 8:40, the group rushed to the press conference. Fortunately, the venue wasn’t far, and they arrived within ten minutes, Jiang Yi Han appearing backstage.

Since the news hadn’t been made public before, Samsung only emphasized that their new endorser would represent Samsung as a whole, not just a specific phone model. This alone excited the media—who would be lucky enough to land such a big contract?

Some sharp-eyed reporters spotted the familiar van outside, speculating that Jiang Yi Han was the likely candidate.

Backstage, the producer of “Ten Thousand Won” asked, “Are you nervous today, Jiang Yi Han?”

“Nervous, always nervous,” Jiang Yi Han adjusted his tie. “I’ve been nervous since my debut. Especially today, it’s such a big event. I don’t even know what to say, I’m so nervous.”

The producer, upon arriving, learned that Jiang Yi Han was the rumored Samsung favorite, feeling admiration and glad his camera could capture it all.

Since Jiang Yi Han arrived only ten minutes early, the press conference started soon after. The host’s voice could be heard from outside: “Welcome, everyone, to today’s Samsung mobile exclusive endorser press conference. Before our guest appears, let me say there’s a mystery guest today—please look forward to it.” To be called a mystery guest by Samsung was rare, and reporters eagerly anticipated the reveal. “Now, let’s welcome the star of today’s press conference—our exclusive endorser for the next two years.”

Thunderous applause erupted.

Jiang Yi Han’s mind was a mess, full of nerves and curiosity about the mystery guest. Hearing the cue to go on stage, he wiped his sweaty palms, straightened his back, and heard Li Ran whisper in his ear, “Go get ‘em.”

Jiang Yi Han nodded, ready to step out.

Chatterbox Cat’s rambling time—Chapter Two today! Thank you, dear Xiao Qiongzi, for helping catch bugs!