Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 162 Kim Tae-yeon: "Xiu Yuan, you're in danger." (Please subscribe and vote!)

Late at night in Seoul in June.

The streetlights cast a soft, orange-yellow glow on the wet pavement, reflecting a faint luster as the wheels rolled by.

The coffee shop on the street corner was still lit up, and a few customers who stayed up late were talking in hushed tones, occasionally letting out soft laughter.

Meanwhile, from the depths of the nearby alleys, the calls of night owls could be heard from time to time, intertwining with the distant sound of tram bells to create a quiet yet not lonely urban night scene.

Kim Tae-yeon sat in the car, having just finished her radio program and made a phone call, and then fell into a brief period of contemplation.

His gaze inadvertently fell on the tavern outside the car window, and through the hazy light and shadows of the window, he looked somewhat dazed.

Thinking about how the group members had been frequently mentioning the mystery of this tavern today because of Lin Xiaolu's issue, and their discussions about it reminded her of this place.

Perhaps it was curiosity, or some unconscious pull, that led Kim Tae-yeon to this place after get off work, bringing some barbecue and fried skewers, and making that phone call.

She couldn't really explain why she had come alone in the middle of the night.

Perhaps they wanted to hear a different story from Lin Xiuyuan.

Our last conversation was exactly what she wanted.

The air inside the car was somewhat stuffy, and Kim Tae-yeon's fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel in a slightly hurried rhythm.

Just as she was lost in thought, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance of the tavern outside the car.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was slowly walking out of the apartment, tilted his head slightly, seemingly feeling the coolness of the night breeze. He then turned his head to look at Kim Tae-yeon in the car, smiled, waved to her, and waved back.

Then he opened the tavern door, went in first, and skillfully turned on the power and lights in one smooth motion.

Kim Tae-yeon smiled slightly when she saw Lin Xiuyuan get out of the car, opened the car door, and stepped out.

She then stepped into the tavern, brushing past Lin Xiuyuan, who was holding the door for her.

As Kim Tae-yeon pushed open the door and entered, Lin Xiuyuan released his grip on the door and turned to follow her in.

"What's going on? Why aren't you resting properly in the middle of the night? Why are you coming to ask me for a late-night snack?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door slammed shut automatically, and the room fell silent for a moment, leaving only the two of them in the tavern.

"Wouldn't it seem silly if I said I had nothing to do?"

Kim Tae-yeon answered casually, placing the bag of late-night snacks she was holding on the coffee table next to the sofa, and turned around to smile at him.

Lin Xiuyuan walked behind the bar and, faced with her slightly self-deprecating remark, didn't ask any further questions. He simply continued what she had said.

"If that's what you're saying, then I certainly wouldn't want to embarrass you; I'll choose to believe you."

"Haha, don't we look hilarious now?" Kim Tae-yeon joked with a laugh.

This time, Lin Xiuyuan didn't respond, but changed the subject, "What would you like to drink?"

Kim Tae-yeon took a few steps closer, glanced around the bar, and finally her gaze landed on the Coke bottle in the corner. "Never mind, I have to drive later, so I won't drink alcohol. I'll just have some Coke."

"Cocktails aren't very strong. Who comes to a bar to drink Coke? If you keep doing this, I might have to consider kicking people out."

Lin Xiuyuan noticed a hint of hesitation in Kim Tae-yeon's eyes, as well as a faint longing, uncertainty, and doubt in her tone.

Then I roughly understood that the other person probably had something on their mind tonight, so I offered a way out, "Don't worry, someone will take you home."

"Really?"

To be honest, although Kim Tae-yeon doesn't have a high alcohol tolerance, she still dares to drink cocktails and other beverages. Or rather, she prefers the drinks that Lin Xiuyuan mixes here, as they taste better and are smoother to the throat than those outside.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't answer this question, but just glanced at her, as if he agreed.

So Kim Tae-yeon started ordering.

As usual, she ordered two fruit wines she was familiar with: one cherry and one passion fruit. In her words, "I'll drink them slowly and not rush."

After ordering drinks, Kim Tae-yeon smiled and pulled a vinyl record from behind her back, placing it on the bar counter with a "thump-thump-thump~".

Lin Xiuyuan was cleaning the bartending equipment when he heard the sound. He looked up at the slightly worn cover and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes when he recognized the figure on the cover.

"Wow, Leslie Cheung's 'For You' is a classic among classics."

"That's not all, Xiuyuan, take a look inside."

Kim Tae-yeon smiled and slowly opened the package, only revealing a small crack to him.

That splash of white made Lin Xiuyuan pause, "A white plate?"

"Yes, it's quite a rare find, isn't it? Black ones are even rarer, but many aren't in good condition, so I chose a white disc. Last time I saw your record wall, there were a lot of Hong Kong music, especially Leslie Cheung's, so I specifically picked this one. Do you like it?"

Seeing the shock on Lin Xiuyuan's face, Kim Tae-yeon smiled with great satisfaction.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan naturally nodded and said he liked it.

This is the first white vinyl record in Hong Kong, pioneering the use of colored vinyl records there. It's also a limited edition, so the team leader in front of me must have put in some effort.

However, Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, then looked down at the record, and said with some emotion, "Taeyeon, this gift of yours caught me a little off guard."

"Weren't you going to treat me to drinks?" Kim Tae-yeon smiled easily, her tone cheerful. "It's just a matter of returning the favor."

"These few glasses of wine are worthless."

Kim Tae-yeon, who seemed to have been waiting there, smiled after hearing this and said, "Then how about giving me a membership seat?"

These words startled Lin Xiuyuan, who had just washed his bartending tools. He looked up and met Kim Tae-yeon's gaze.

When their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

After a moment, Kim Tae-yeon snorted softly, as if making fun of herself, "It still doesn't work after all. Speaking of Xiu Yuan, your bar claims to be a members-only establishment, but we friends can come in to drink, yet we're not considered members. Don't you think that's a bit strange?"

"No, I'm an idealist. Members are at the T0 level, and friends... are T1, T2, and so on."

Seeing that Kim Tae-yeon had voluntarily ignored him, Lin Xiuyuan breathed a sigh of relief and then explained the situation.

Otherwise, it would be a bit awkward if I actually had to say no.

After hearing the answer, Kim Tae-yeon commented, "Outrageous rating."

After speaking, Kim Tae-yeon turned and walked towards the record wall, placed the record in her hand in a conspicuous spot, hesitated for a moment, then turned back and asked, "Xiu-yuan, do you want to listen to it?"

He glanced at Lin Xiuyuan over there and nodded slightly, "Sure."

So Kim Tae-yeon took the record off again and put it into the slightly old gramophone. As the mechanical needle gently dropped, accompanied by a soft "pop" sound, the melody slowly began to play.

The first melody of the record flowed out slowly, and then the first intro of "For You" flowed leisurely, with the mellow tone and nostalgic emotion slowly overflowing, as if instantly taking the whole bar back to that charming and somewhat distant era.

Kim Tae-yeon stood beside the record player, her face showing a rare focus as she listened intently to the melody of the music.

A warm atmosphere filled the air, and the soft light in the tavern shone on her face, outlining a deep and gentle light and shadow.

After seeing this scene, Lin Xiuyuan glanced at his phone, wiped his hands clean with a towel, picked it up, and took a picture.

Click.

The camera lingers on this tender scene.

The crisp sound of the camera shutter brought Kim Tae-yeon back to her senses.

She turned around, looked at the boy holding his phone not far away, smiled gently, and slowly walked back to the bar to sit down. "Taking photos without permission is illegal, you know, Xiu Yuan~"

"I'm taking these photos openly and honestly, otherwise I wouldn't have been too lazy to switch to silent mode."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled as he put down his phone and pushed the cherry cocktail he had already prepared in front of her.

Seeing this, Kim Tae-yeon got up again and went back behind her to get the late-night snack. The two of them sat down facing each other across the bar, drinking and eating skewers, and the small restaurant was filled with a warm and lively atmosphere.

The conversation unfolded naturally, from records to music, from music to their respective jobs, and finally the topic came back to the thing that had been confirmed that day: Lin Xiaolu had gotten the role of the female lead.

“So,” Kim Tae-yeon said with a smile and her eyes full of curiosity, “what kind of teacher did you and Jessica find for Yoona? In less than a month, her acting skills have improved so much that she was able to pass the audition. That’s too exaggerated.”

"Why can't we just say it's about Xiao Lu's talent?" Lin Xiuyuan replied, but after using the term casually, he forgot to change it back for a moment.

Then Kim Tae-yeon noticed something was off, "Little deer?"

Fortunately, Lin Xiuyuan quickly explained the small problem: "It's Yoona, our fans like to call her Lin Xiaolu, her eyes look like deer eyes."

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon's suspicion disappeared, but was replaced by a hint of teasing. "Oh, you and Yoona even use fan nicknames so smoothly. How do you and Jessica address each other?"

"What kind of nickname is this? Is this even a nickname? This is just what fans call her. As for Jessica Jung, we just call her by her name, Jessica Jung."

"Oh, impressive. Everyone else calls you Jessica, but you just use your real name." Kim Tae-yeon's smile became even more pronounced.

"Oh, then I'll call you Jin Xiaochou, or Jin Ruanruan. Is that a term of endearment?"

Lin Xiuyuan, feeling numb from all the teasing, simply returned the favor in kind, teasing Kim Tae-yeon in return.

"That's different!" The team leader immediately switched to double standards. "That's a nickname given to me by my fans, it doesn't count."

Lin Xiuyuan was both amused and exasperated. He decided not to argue with her and changed the subject, bringing up the stage.

As for why we talked about this topic, well, it was during lunch that I discussed this with Kim Tae-yeon, who is 25 years old.

The 13 version of Kim Tae-yeon before me, although she hasn't held a solo concert yet, clearly has had a long-standing yearning for the stage. So as Kim Tae-yeon listened to Lin Xiuyuan's words, her heart tightened with each sentence.

Because the ideas expressed by the boy in front of her completely resonated with her own feelings. The stage she hoped for was not the kind that showcased technical skills, but one that resonated with her.

Across from him, Lin Xiuyuan was still smiling as he said, "Lighting, stage design, and choreography are all important, of course, but I personally think the most important thing is always the atmosphere, the moment when everyone is truly immersed in it."

Another heartfelt remark, which made Kim Tae-yeon tilt her head slightly, her gaze falling on the other person. She didn't speak, just listened.

Only after the other person finished speaking did she let out a long sigh, as if she were describing a scene in her mind, "Xiuyuan, are you a mind reader? How come you understand everything I didn't say?"

She hopes that the audience will not only watch her perform, but also sing, cry, laugh, or even remain silent with her.

Even if it's just for a few seconds, that feeling of resonance, just once, is enough for Kim Tae-yeon to remember forever.

However, after saying that, Kim Tae-yeon smiled and added with a slightly embarrassed tone, "But doesn't it sound a bit too idealistic?"

Lin Xiuyuan shook his head. "Do you remember the 'lighting zone' design I just mentioned? It's to allow the audience to watch you with peace of mind, without being dazzled by the spotlights, and not just to take pictures. It's to let them truly immerse themselves in the experience."

He continued, "And the sound system must be matched to the frequency range of your voice as closely as possible. Your breaths and some vocal transitions are easily masked by the live sound pressure... but those are precisely the parts of your voice that are most emotional."

Kim Tae-yeon was completely stunned.

She suddenly realized that she had never mentioned her troubles with "vocal transitions" to anyone.

She even thought that only she cared about these things.

But Lin Xiuyuan, standing before him, actually saw through it all in one go, even considering the details of the sound system settings.

So I subconsciously asked, "Xiuyuan, how did you know that I'm most afraid of the microphone being too loud and drowning out my voice?"

This question surprised Lin Xiuyuan, but being as quick-witted as he was, he quickly found an excuse.

“Because when I was watching some of your promotional videos, I noticed that you would unconsciously frown after listening to your own live performance, especially in those areas where your breath was suppressed. You might not have noticed, but as an observer, I naturally knew, so I guessed it.”

Kim Tae-yeon didn't speak, but just glanced at him, and for a moment her eyes showed a flutter of emotion as if her heart had been touched.

She whispered, "People like you... are really scary."

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh, "Why?"

Because it makes people...unconsciously want to get closer.

However, Kim Tae-yeon didn't say those words out loud. Instead, she smiled and changed the subject, "So, Xiu-yuan, do you think my first solo concert should start with me standing on a rising platform, slowly ascending, or should I just stand in the center of the lights right from the beginning?"

When she asked the question, her eyes were particularly focused, staring intently at the boy opposite her, as if waiting for an answer that would confirm the answer in her heart.

“You should hide in the darkness…” Lin Xiuyuan replied slowly, “Let everyone think you haven’t appeared yet, until you sing your first clean, a cappella song, that kind of shock will belong to Kim Tae-yeon.”

At that moment, Kim Tae-yeon truly couldn't remain calm.

She stared blankly at Lin Xiuyuan.

He hadn't done anything; he had just said a few words casually, yet it seemed to have struck the softest spot in her heart perfectly.

Kim Tae-yeon started to feel her heartbeat was off.

Then he lowered his head, looked away, took a deep breath, picked up the glass, and drank the last sip of his cocktail, as if using the alcohol to suppress some restless emotion in his heart.

A few seconds later, Kim Tae-yeon, having adjusted her breathing, regained her composure and looked at Lin Xiu-yuan with a smile, "Xiu-yuan, tell me the truth, did you secretly go to the future and watch my performance?"

The joking remark inadvertently revealed the truth, but the person who said it never believed it at all.

So Lin Xiuyuan laughed and readily agreed, "You're a smart person, you guessed it right away. But I haven't seen your performance yet, I'll think about whether to attend your solo tour in a few days."

"I knew you'd agree with me."

Kim Tae-yeon snorted, "Tour my foot! I haven't even released a single yet. Am I just going to stand there and do nothing?"

As she spoke, she helplessly reached out as if to hit Lin Xiuyuan.

But she couldn't reach him from across the bar, so all she could do was glare at him and roll her eyes with a slightly amused expression.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was inside, raised an eyebrow and said, "Who knows? Maybe you'll be one of the top solo female singers in the music industry in the future."

This simple word of encouragement is more touching than any sweet words.

This also made Kim Tae-yeon suddenly feel a soreness in her nose and a slight warmth in her eyes.

She lowered her head and smiled, as if hiding those emotions again, but her heartbeat had already become erratic.

The boy wasn't saying anything romantic, but every word seemed to transcend the noise and time, precisely landing on the spot where she most longed to be understood and known.

Sensing something was wrong, Kim Tae-yeon took a deep breath, straightened up, and avoided Lin Xiuyuan's gaze, saying, "Well, it's getting late, I have to go back."

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the time beside him; it was almost midnight. He hadn't expected the two of them to have been chatting for over an hour. So he nodded and said, "Yes, we really need to go back now. Wait a moment, I'll call someone to come and take you home."

Because he had also been drinking, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't drive, so he could only take out his phone and send a text message to Shirley in the apartment.

After about a few minutes, the tavern door was gently pushed open, and the wind chimes rang out a few crisp sounds.

A refreshing minty scent wafted in on the night breeze, and Shirley walked in from the doorway, wearing a loose white short-sleeved shirt and light blue jeans.

Her hair was slightly curled, as if she had just taken a shower and casually tied back, making her look clean and refreshing, with a touch of cool moonlight aura. She then smiled at Kim Tae-yeon and Lin Xiuyuan and said, "Hi, unnie, oppa~"

Upon hearing who it was, Kim Tae-yeon turned around abruptly. She was about to get up and greet them, but when she saw Sulli's appearance, she paused.

"Shirley? How did you get here?"

"Come and take me home, unnie."

Shirley answered with a smile, her eyes crinkling as she waved the car keys in her hand.

Kim Tae-yeon was taken aback and turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan. "You called him over? What about Sulli later?"

"Don't worry, I have arrangements," Lin Xiuyuan said softly. "You go back first, Shirley will take you."

Faced with Lin Xiuyuan's explanation, Kim Tae-yeon wanted to say something, but after exchanging a glance with Lin Xiuyuan, she swallowed back what she wanted to say and finally only said, "Then I'm leaving, let's talk again later."

"Okay, send a message when you get home." Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Then she looked at Shirley and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Zhenli. Please take her home and drive carefully."

"Okay, oppa, don't worry about it, leave it to me."

Sulli gave him an OK sign, opened the door, and walked out of the bar with Kim Tae-yeon.

As the door closed again and the wind chimes rang one last time, the tavern fell silent once more in the night.

The bar still retains its warmth, the dim chandelier hangs quietly, casting light on the table, and the aroma of alcohol and the emotions linger in the air.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't rush to leave. He poured himself some more whiskey, leaned back in his chair, and stared blankly at the spot where Kim Tae-yeon had just sat.

About forty minutes later, the tavern door was pushed open again.

Shirley walked in, pulling her coat along, her cheeks slightly flushed, as if the car's air conditioning was too warm.

"Oppa, I only came back after dropping Taeyeon unnie off at her dorm."

"Mm." Lin Xiuyuan nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."

Sulli waved her hand at this, then sat down curiously in front of Lin Xiuyuan. "It wasn't tiring. But oppa, what did you guys talk about? Unnie was either silent the whole way or kept asking me about you, and her eyes were always wandering."

Then Lin Xiuyuan didn't hide anything and used what he had learned from Kim Tae-yeon from 25 years ago.

After hearing this, Sulli was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed "Wow!" "Wow! No wonder her expression was so strange. Oppa, you're really hitting her right in the heart. This is really unfair!"

"What can I do? I'm already cheating." Lin Xiuyuan shrugged and raised his glass to lightly clink against hers.

Then the two of them sat down and chatted for a while, one sentence after another. When they got up to go back to their apartment, it was already 1:30 a.m.

They said "goodnight" to each other and then returned to their respective bedrooms.

the other side.

After returning to her dorm, Kim Tae-yeon took a hot shower, dried her hair until it was mostly styled, and then let it fall over her shoulders before collapsing onto her bed.

The soft blanket wrapped around my body, but it couldn't hide the strange restlessness in my heart.

Then, for some reason, I turned to my side and stared at the dim yellow nightlight by the bedside, but my mind kept replaying the scenes from the bar.

"You should hide in the darkness until the first a cappella song begins..."

Those words seemed to carry a warmth, gently swirling around her ears.

That boy understood her so well. He understood her expectations for the stage and the details she cared about most when she sang. He even said it before she did.

At that moment, those were the words she almost blurted out.

At that moment, Kim Tae-yeon changed her words and said, "Xiuyuan, you're so dangerous."

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(End of this chapter)