Reboot the heyday

Chapter 3484 Bitter Past
The talks have concluded.

Wang Taika has tentatively agreed to the cooperation. At the moment, he doesn't seem to have a better option.

The other party was also very confident; their decision to approach them at this time and lay everything out in the open indicated their certainty that this was the best option. And indeed, that was the case.

Cornerstone Industries has a solid foundation, but if it wants to go further, hard work alone is not enough; it also needs to follow the trend.

Afterwards, Wang Taika reported the situation to the South Korean side. He had a vague premonition that the current calm wouldn't last long.

Sigh, what need was there for any premonition? It was practically a done deal.

After dealing with all that, Wang Taika planned to set off to find Chunka and Jiongjing, as that was his real business.

However, he completely forgot that there was someone back home whom he had long forgotten. Upon learning of Wang Taika's return, she waited and waited, but he never showed up.

Finally, her forced composure was broken by an irrepressible impulse, and she went straight to their door.

Wang Taika had just booked his plane ticket when he was caught red-handed at his doorstep.

"Uncle, you're back in China, why didn't you come to see me?" Cheng Ticao asked Wang Taika angrily, hands on her hips.

"Hey, Xiao Xiao, long time no see," Wang Taika replied casually, but as soon as he finished speaking, he felt that the way he addressed her was a little strange.

Cheng Gymnastics, along with all those past memories, had long faded from Wang Taika's mind. Upon seeing her again now, he couldn't even recall the usual form of address.

That nickname "Cheng Gymnastics" has been buried for far too long.

Even Cheng Ticao looked at Wang Taika with surprise: "Huh? You don't call me by my nickname anymore?"

What was her nickname again? Wang Taika really hadn't taken anything related to Cheng Gymnastics to heart, so much so that when he saw Cheng Gymnastics now, he couldn't remember how he usually called her.

Cheng Ticao pouted: "Why don't you call me Cheng Ticao anymore? I used to call you that for ages, but you wouldn't change your mind, Uncle."

"Oh, right." Wang Taika remembered and said, "Okay, then I'll keep calling."

Girls are so perceptive; the unfamiliarity in that "Oh, right" clearly indicated that she had almost forgotten. An indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart, a mix of emotions swirling within her, leaving her speechless for a moment.

But the fact that the two have become so estranged is actually no one's fault but their own.

At the crossroads of fate, a single, unintentional choice can lead people further and further apart.

Initially, Cheng Ticao was studying in South Korea and faced the choice of which agency to join. Wang Taika once intended to recommend her to XB Entertainment at the time.

Of course, XB Entertainment was still in its infancy at that time, and it certainly didn't look very promising. Moreover, Cheng Ticao still had doubts about Wang Taika, lacked trust, and was unwilling to gamble her future on an unknown.

So Cheng Gymnastics chose a safer path, joined Starship, and later became a member of Cosmic Girls.

At the time, Wang Taika felt it was a pity, but he didn't intend to interfere with Cheng Gymnastics' choice. Cheng Gymnastics genuinely believed she wouldn't regret it. However, reality gave her a resounding slap in the face.

After their debut, the company had no intention of promoting the foreign members. Although Cheng Ticao frequently appeared on variety shows thanks to her beautiful face and amazing flexibility, single-handedly "carrying" the entire group, in the group's music videos, her shots were often just a few tumbling figures. In a large group of more than ten people, standing out was even more difficult.

Meanwhile, XB Entertainment rapidly grew and expanded, attracting more and more trainees. Jin Yu, who appeared later, although not signed with XB, thrived within the company due to his connection with Wang Taika.

By then, regret had begun to creep into Cheng Gymnastics' heart. But she was with Yu Shao, bound by a contract, and leaving the team was no easy task.

As time went on, Jin Yu's status and position became more and more secure, and Wang Taika became increasingly busy, almost losing contact with Cheng Ticao.

Cheng Ticao already felt neglected, and the goldfish's "favoritism" made her feel even worse. It was as if she had only been away from home briefly, but upon returning, she found that her place in the family had been quietly taken.

That bittersweet feeling of grievance lingered within her, yet she was extremely proud and concerned with her image, hoping only that Wang Taika would notice and comfort her. Unfortunately, Wang Taika didn't take it to heart at all. When the trend of "returning to China for re-employment" just emerged, and many Chinese artists working in South Korea went back to develop their careers, Cheng Ticao could no longer resist the urge to leave.

Cheng Ticao believed that she would be able to make a name for herself after returning to China. She thought that by then, Wang Taika would surely regret not cherishing her more.

Don't laugh, this is a perfectly normal thought. Even ordinary people have fantasies like, "The company might collapse without me," when they leave a job, let alone her?
In the early days after returning to China, Cheng Gymnastics' development was promising, but the hype ultimately failed to last, and things gradually faded away. After the initial enthusiasm of investors, the lack of further impact led to a gradual cooling and withdrawal of capital.

Don't assume that returning from "Korean Wave labor" is a game-changer. To date, very few have truly managed to achieve this.

Moreover, they are mostly artists from SM Entertainment, and they are mostly male.

Among female idols, there is only one who can be described as having a "dimensional advantage": the leader of f(x).

Besides that, there wasn't a single one.

If you can't even reach the top in South Korea, how easy is it to climb to the next level in the more competitive domestic market, even though you have a wide audience? There aren't as many dedicated stages and variety shows here, and few people will be amazed by your "software" anymore.

What happened next was even more frustrating. Cheng Ticao's career in China was mediocre, but Jin Yu debuted with the group BLACKPINK and became an instant sensation, gaining immense popularity and even reaching the top.

Who could stand this?

Cheng Gymnastics imagined countless times: if she hadn't been so stubborn back then and had listened to Wang Taika, would all of Jinyu's resources be hers now?
Although Cheng Gymnastics knew it was impossible, she still couldn't help but think about it.

Anyone who knows Jinyu's past would know this is impossible. While Wang Taika's help certainly played a part in Jinyu's success, it is mostly due to her own relentless efforts and talent.

Cheng Ticao knew nothing about Jinyu's past. She was always just an outsider, only seeing Jinyu's glamorous public image, unaware of the hardships and sweat behind it all.

So I can't stand it anymore. Although I don't want to admit it, I really am a little jealous.

The more you try not to compare, the more you can't help but compare, and the more intense the resentment and bitterness become. It's like someone has forced an extremely sour lemon into your heart, making it unbearably sour.

Later on, whenever she saw goldfish-related messages on her phone, she couldn't help but close her eyes and quickly swipe away.

Even now, realizing that Wang Taika seemed to have forgotten even her signature nickname, she felt a mix of emotions. But now, she could no longer deceive herself and blame it all on Wang Taika.

It wasn't that Wang Taika deliberately forgot about Cheng Gymnastics; it was simply because the nature of their relationship was inherently simple.

Initially, Wang Taika acted as Cheng Gymnastics' guardian, but it was only due to a series of unforeseen circumstances that this became the unavoidable outcome. Later, when Cheng Gymnastics was no longer bullied and embarked on her own chosen path, Wang Taika naturally stopped interfering.

Wang Taika's attitude towards Cheng Gymnastics has always been consistent: they are compatriots, so he will lend a helping hand when they encounter difficulties, and if he can't see them, he will act as if they don't exist.

Even though Cheng Ticao was beautiful and had a charming personality, Wang Taika never had any other thoughts. Initially, he felt she was too young, and being a fellow countryman, there was a natural sense of distance between them despite their closeness.

Although Wang Taika's morals have declined significantly, and the age gap is no longer an issue (he could even date someone younger), the two are no longer on the same path.

Moreover, Wang Taika already has many female confidantes and is quite content with his current situation. Therefore, he has absolutely no romantic feelings for Cheng Gymnastics.

Many things actually have a long history. When Cheng Ticao was choosing whether to join XB Entertainment in her early years, the doubt and indifference she inadvertently revealed when she refused was not entirely unknown to Wang Taika, but he was equally indifferent.

Wang Taika had done childish things like getting angry because he wasn't trusted, but it wasn't enough to trigger Cheng Gymnastics' reaction. Because she wasn't that important to Cheng.

When Cheng Ticao finally realized her mistake and wanted to turn back, she had already missed the period when Wang Taika was most likely to soften his heart and accept her.

Even though Cheng Ticao mustered up the courage and confidently expressed her desire to develop a further relationship with Wang Taika, Wang Taika never gave her a clear response.

After all, you can't only think of the uncle when you have nowhere else to go.

(End of this chapter)