Reboot the heyday

[Scene: Inside a film studio, several folding chairs are haphazardly placed in front of a huge green screen backdrop. Staff are dismantling the set; discarded props such as "Wang Taika's Office" and "SM Entertainment Corridor" are piled up in the corner.]

A crew member in a down jacket carried a ladder by, calling out, "Thank you all for your hard work, everyone. The New Year's Eve dinner is in the next room, remember to collect your red envelopes!"

[The camera pans to the rest area]

Wang Taika: "I'm a photographer now. Let's do a New Year interview and say some auspicious New Year greetings."

Ji-eun, wrapped in a white down jacket, curled up in a small ball in a folding chair, holding a cup of hot Americano: "Are you sick?"

Wang Taika: "We're recording now, live stream."

Ji-eun waved with a smile: "Happy New Year everyone! It's been a long time since I've seen you. I haven't had many scenes lately because I've been having a great time every day. Hehehe, you all must have missed me, and I've missed you all too. Um, I'll try my best to shamelessly appear on screen again later, um, I promise!"

Ji-eun glanced sideways at the camera and said in a cool tone, "There probably won't be any more scenes of me being driven to tears by terrorists."

Wang Taika: "I don't have much screen time, so you can't blame me."

Ji-eun stuck out her tongue: "Anyway, I know a lot of people want to see me. I didn't expect this company to last so long. I think I can stay with everyone for a long time. Oh, by the way, isn't there an avatar of mine next door?"

Wang Taika: "What avatar?"

Ji-eun pouted: "Just like Li Anchun, who's equally arrogant."

"Okay, stop, don't mix things up," Wang Taika said. "One more blessing."

Ji-eun cupped her hands and said, "Happy New Year everyone! It's okay if you dream about me tonight, after all, we're all at the age where we love to dream."

"Hahaha!" Wang Taika said with a ridiculous expression, "You're not the nation's little sister anymore, you're an adult idol now, what kind of wild and inappropriate words are you saying?"

"Shut up! Shut up! You terrorist!"

Chong'er leaned over and smiled, waving the red envelope in her hand: "Hey, it's my turn! Happy New Year everyone, long time no see! Um, I'll try my best to get some screen time next, thank you everyone."

Wang Taika: "Let's talk about something unrelated to the role."

"I won't! You stinky Seventeen!" Chong'er said fiercely, then waved at the camera again: "Thank you all for your support all these years. As for who's the face of this book, cough cough, I won't say more, you all know. Anyway, thank you so much! On behalf of Girls' Generation, I wish you all a Happy New Year!"

"Who seemed to be talking about status?" Ji-eun buried her face in her down jacket collar, only her round eyes showing. "Is there any possibility?"

"Aigoo, you tsundere." Chong'er reached out and poked Ji-eun's cheek.

Ji-eun tried to dodge, but couldn't, so she gave up resisting and muttered, "Why are you so happy today?"

Chong'er smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescents: "Less screen time, so relaxing. Finally, I don't have to be bothered by that scumbag Wang Taika anymore. I'm so tired. Every time I have to make that 'I'm so angry at him but I can't do anything about it' expression."

Nuna walked over from behind, carrying two cups of coffee. Hearing this, she smiled and shook her head: "Your expression was so genuine. Everyone says it's good."

"That's because I truly felt it!" Chung-ah took the coffee. "Thank you, Taeyeon unnie. By the way, does anyone still call you that now? Noona? Hehe."

"Alright, stop talking, we've already reverted to the previous version." Nuna sighed, then remembered something else: "Wait, I'm not in the Chain of Worlds storyline yet, I definitely have a lot of screen time ahead of me. Of course, actually I don't really want it."

Chong'er and Ji-eun: "Hypocrite!"

"Hahaha!" Nuna waved her hand: "Hello everyone, I'm your Nuna, I really like this name. Well, it's a new year! Speaking of which, I didn't appear at all last year, did I? I can't remember. Anyway, I know you all still miss me. Thank you everyone, I'm doing well, and I hope you all do well too! Happy New Year!"

The camera pans.

Chunka was fixing her hair in front of her phone's front-facing camera, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were attending some important awards ceremony.

Jiongjing passed by and reminded her, "Don't take any more pictures, you're beautiful enough."

Wang Taika: "Quickly wish everyone a Happy New Year!"

Stupid said, "Happy New Year everyone! My scenes last year were really tough, I felt a lot of malice. Please be kind to me in the new year."

Jiongjing: "Happy New Year everyone, let's shout out our slogan!"

Silence reigned.

Jiongjing kicked Wang Taika: "Shout out our slogan."

Wang Taika covered his knees and said, "Jingjingjing, aww, so cute."

A soft laugh came from the side; it was Pei Baicai, who was holding a hot cocoa and looking this way.

"Hello everyone, I'm your Pei Baicai." Pei Baicai tilted her head: "Happy New Year everyone! Wait a minute, this is a group, does it mean we're choosing a representative?"

Wang Taika: "Yes, otherwise there would be too many people and the plot would be too long, and no one would watch it."

Pei Baicai sneered: "My book is so long and drawn out, it's almost ten million words long, but people still read it. Just admit you're lazy."

Wang Taika: "Why are you looking at me? I'm just a character!"

Pei Baicai waved to everyone: "Happy New Year, Gou Xi Ba Cai!"

Wang Taika: "No, no, it's 'Gong Xi Fa Cai'! Your Chinese is so bad, you might as well not have learned it at all."

The camera pans to a corner.

Lady Liu and Ningning looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lady Liu: "We haven't even debuted yet, is this a speech by the representatives? Well then, Happy New Year everyone, I love you all!"

Ningning grinned: "By the way, I'm not the female lead, am I? Why am I in this? Um, well, Happy New Year everyone, have a good meal!"

He came over with a plate of fried chicken, saw that she was alone, and handed her a piece: "Why don't you go chat?"

The dragon cub stepped forward: "On behalf of the crown, I thank everyone for your continued support. As many of you know, this story originally didn't have a crown. It's your support that allowed us to appear in the story and meet you all. Thank you so much, both in the story and in reality."

On behalf of Crown, I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

The scene shifts to Park Cho-seol and Elbow Girl dodging.

Wang Taika: "You all represent your respective groups, say something. What are you hiding for?"

Park Cho-seol and Elbow Girl said in unison, "We're afraid of getting hit by a car!"

Damn plot.

[A crowd gathers in the center of the stage.]

Because everyone is busy with things during the Lunar New Year, we sent a representative to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

The director stood on a chair and clapped his hands: "Come on, everyone, let's take a group photo!"

Noona was pulled over by Chong'er, Jiongjing and Chunka stood side by side, Zhi'en stood naturally in the middle, Pei Baicai was pushed to the front by Ningning, Liu Nvxia stood on the edge, and there were also Longzaizi, Park Choseol and a group of others, all smiling and looking at the camera.

"Wait!" Chong'er suddenly raised her hand: "Where's Wang Taika?"

"Yeah, where's the male lead?" Jiongjing looked around.

The director was speechless: "He was handing out red envelopes in the next room. He said he wouldn't go for the photo, afraid the readers would beat him up."

Everyone was silent for a second, and then
“He’s quite self-aware,” said Stuka.

"He's lucky he ran fast." Jiongjing clenched her fist. "Then let's take pictures." Nuna smiled and called to everyone, "It's better without him, we sisters can take the pictures ourselves."

Ji-eun muttered softly, "He shouldn't have been here in the first place."

Chong'er, with her sharp ears, leaned closer and asked, "Then why are you still staring at the door?"

"I didn't!" Ji-eun bristled.

"Okay, okay, no, no."

Pei Baicai couldn't help but laugh out loud at the sight. Ningning asked her what she was laughing at, and she shook her head: "Nothing, I just think these people are really interesting."

Ningning asked, "Unnie, do you mean us?"

"Yes, you guys." Pei Baicai looked at the camera, "and myself. It's almost been ten years since we last met!"

"one two Three!"

Everyone spoke in unison.

"Let's revive our golden age and wish everyone a Happy New Year 2026! Let's walk together into the new year!"

Click!

The image freezes on the moment when everyone is all smiles.
.
【Easter Eggs】

That night.

you!
Yes, it's you.

You find the Spring Festival Gala very boring, so you lie on the sofa and scroll through your phone.

Suddenly, my phone beeped.

You find yourself inexplicably added to a group chat. The chat is titled "I'm too tired lately, no time to revive the golden age."

"What the heck?" You were completely bewildered.

Before he could finish speaking, his phone started vibrating wildly.

In the group chat, Ji-eun posted a message: 【Who grabbed the red envelope? The one I sent with 88888! Chong-er, did you use a cheat code again?!】

Chong'er replied instantly: 【I didn't! Is it my fault for being too fast?】

Jiongjing: [Hehe, you're fast? I don't believe it.]

Stupid Card: [I can vouch for her, her hand speed was indeed fast when grabbing red envelopes.]

Nuna: [Stop arguing, I'll resend it.]

Dragon cub: [Stop talking, just send it!]

Pei Baicai: [I think I got one too!]

Madam: [Me too!]

Ningning: [Baicai unnie, you too! Are you all monsters?!]

Lady Liu: [Laughing so hard, I didn't even see the red envelope.]

Naeun: [I'll do it.]

Su Wanzi: [I got it! Sigh, did someone join the group chat?]

Fangirl Ming: [Has someone else been borrowed?]

Naeun: [Wait, what do you mean?]

Bad Woman: [We need one more person for our game, come quick!]

Snowball: [Here I am.]

Secretary Huang: [The group chat is so noisy.]

Xu Fanfan: [Where do I add a scene request?]

Cheng Gymnastics: [I wanted to ask that too.]

Quan Xiaodai: [Am I more qualified to ask this?]

Zheng Gemo: [Wait a minute, there really is another person in the group chat, who is it?]

At this moment.

As you stare at this string of messages, you silently type: "I think I'm more deserving to be the protagonist than Wang Taika!"

The group was silent for three seconds.

Nuna: [That's obvious. As long as you don't poop or pee anywhere, you're already better than him.]

Ji-eun-chan: [That makes sense!]

Chong'er: [Seconded.]

Jiongjing: [+1]

Dumb Card: [+2]

Nuna: [+3]

Pei Baicai: [+...+4?]

Ningning: [+10086!]

Lady Liu: [Hahahahahahahaha]

Wang Taika: [?? I just arrived!]

Wang Taika has been removed from the group chat by the group owner.

You're completely bewildered and ask, "Who's the group admin? They seem so powerful!"

Song Xiangcai: [I'm the group admin, and I hereby appoint you as the male lead of this book. Anything you'd like to say?]

You stared at the red notification on the screen, paused for a moment, and then actually laughed.

Then you say: [.] (For the interactive part, please type your New Year's greeting in the comments section of this chapter.)
Outside the window, fireworks exploded, illuminating the entire city.

There are still many stories to tell in the new year.

Happy New Year tonight!!! (End of Chapter)