Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 167 "I'll take you to Jeonju in a bit" (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

Beside the silent restaurant, the crisp, clear sounds of spatulas whirring in the kitchen grew increasingly distinct, as if dispelling the lingering silence around the table.

Within minutes, Shirley had skillfully cooked the first dish of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, and the aroma was irresistible.

"Here you are, Lin Xiaolu. Don't just stand there like an idiot. Move the things on the table to the side."

Lin Xiaolu only snapped out of her daze when Lin Xiuyuan carried out the tempting plate of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, its color glistening and aroma filling the air, and broke the silence with his words.

I quickly tidied up the tissues and cups on the table, and then put the heat-resistant mat I had just bought that afternoon on top.

The enticing aroma drew the attention of both Kim Tae-yeon and Jessica Jung. Jessica exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, amazing! It's so true! No wonder Yoona said your cooking was great. This aroma is incredible!"

Several cold dishes were then served one after another. They were prepared in advance and were served by Lin Xiaolu, who got up to help.

Lin Xiuyuan washed his hands and came out of the kitchen. He glanced at the people at the table and casually asked, "Would you like something to drink?"

As soon as the question was asked, Lin Xiaolu poked her head out of the kitchen and said excitedly, "I want a Long Island Iced Tea. Can I drink it now?"

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her, then at Zheng Xiuyan beside him.

Then Jessica Jung laughed and said, "I'd like a peach oolong tea."

"Eh? Unnie, you like this too?" Sulli's voice came from the kitchen. "I'll have a peach oolong tea too, oppa~"

Then, Yoona smiled and named her, "I want 'Pink Beauty'."

When it was Kim Tae-yeon's turn, she was a little confused. She looked around the restaurant and said, "Wait... why are you all ordering cocktails? There's no bar or liquor cabinet here."

So, with her doubts, Yoona and Jessica Jung each took her by the left and right, and followed Lin Xiuyuan's footsteps to the hidden little water bar next door.

The space is small, but it has everything you need.

The bartending equipment was neatly arranged on the worktable, the lighting was soft, and the bottles gleamed beautifully.

"OMG!" Kim Tae-yeon's eyes widened immediately. "Xiu Yuan, you've turned your house into a bar? That's a bit too fancy, too much!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Jessica Jung's laughter came from the side, "Taeyeon, how come you've become so stylish these past few years? When you were surprised here, it was either 'Oh my' or 'Daebak,' but how come in 25 it's become 'omg'?"

"Haha, unnie, you know what, Taeyeon unnie's English has improved by leaps and bounds over the years, but it's mostly just swear words."

Standing to the side, Lim Yoona also laughed, and then exposed Kim Tae-yeon's secrets. Kim Tae-yeon, who was originally a little down, was so angry that she quickly tried to cover her mouth, "Hey, Yoona, don't talk nonsense, I can do without it."

The group started joking around, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

Lin Xiuyuan, meanwhile, had already skillfully taken out his bartending tools behind the bar, opened the shaker, and poured in the base spirits and ingredients in turn, his movements smooth and composed.

At this moment, Jessica Jung pulled Kim Tae-yeon aside to tour the newly renovated apartment, exchanging whispered conversations as they looked around.

Lin Yoona didn't go with them, but stayed at the bar, quietly watching Lin Xiuyuan mix drinks.

With a gentle twist of his wrist, the crisp, pleasant sound of ice hitting metal rang out.

Her focused and earnest expression brought a slight smile to her lips.

Soon, her 'Pink Lady' drink was ready.

The wine in the stemmed glass was a delicate pink color with fine bubbles, perfectly matching the light pink knitwear that Yoona was wearing tonight, making her smile even brighter.

Suddenly, Lim Yoona took a step forward.

While Lin Xiuyuan was focused on mixing a drink, she tiptoed and gently placed a short kiss on his lips.

Soft lips gently touched mine, for only a second, yet as soft as cotton candy, with a sweet, slightly intoxicating taste.

After their brief separation, when Lin Xiuyuan turned to look at her, he heard her smiling words.

"This is on behalf of Taeyeon unnie to thank you."

Her breath brushed against Lin Xiuyuan's slightly cool face, but a smile was already radiating from her eyes.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't move. Although the kiss was light, it clearly carried Lin Yun'er's usual playful provocation.

At that moment, Lim Yoona stood very close to him, one hand resting on the bar counter, looking up at him.

The light and shadow reflected on her face, and her expression, a mixture of brightness and ambiguity, was like a cocktail that hadn't been stirred properly.

This made Lin Xiuyuan laugh out loud when he heard this. "What the hell? A kiss can represent something?"

"What? You don't mean you want to..."

With wide eyes, Lim Yoona pointed her little finger, looking embarrassed and annoyed.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't answer, he just smiled, but his hands didn't stop moving. He quickly made the Long Island Iced Tea that Lin Xiaolu had asked for and handed it to Lin Yun'er.

"Alright, I won't argue with you anymore, just take the wine over there."

"You still haven't explained what you meant just now."

Faced with Lin Yoona's questioning, Lin Xiuyuan merely glanced at her and smiled, "What I mean is, is this all there is to thanking me?"

"Hmm?" Yoona raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on her face. "So, what do you want?"

Then Lin Xiuyuan leaned forward slightly and whispered something in Lin Yun'er's ear.

After hearing this, Lim Yoona paused for a moment, but did not back down. Although a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face, she nodded frankly, "Okay, consider it a reward, but you are not allowed to lay a hand on me."

Lin Xiuyuan was clearly taken aback by her quick agreement and was momentarily stunned before nodding rapidly, like a triumphant boy.

This little gesture made Yoona laugh. She muttered "What a character!" and then picked up her drink and left.

When they returned to the bar, Jessica Jung and Taeyeon, standing by the roadside, said with a smile, "Unnie, hurry up and tour the place. Xiuyuan mixes drinks very quickly, and the food will be ready soon too."

"understood."

Soon, Lin Xiuyuan raised his hand and finished mixing the "Cranberry Martini" that Kim Tae-yeon had ordered. He wiped his hands and looked at the bartender, Lim Yoon-ah, in front of him, saying, "Okay, take it over. I'll tidy up and come over."

"Don't accept it, we'll probably drink it again later," said Yoona, who was carrying a tray.

"Ah, a little drink is fine, isn't it? If you're still drinking, aren't you planning to go home tonight?"

Lin Xiuyuan looked up and stared at Lin Yun'er with some surprise.

"Who knows?" Im Yoona shrugged. "Judging from Taeyeon unnie's state, she'll probably stay with Sulli tonight. That's good, so she won't go back alone and overthink things."

She paused, then sighed softly, "You have no idea how many ideas Unnie has in her little head. What if she suddenly has a brain fart and does something stupid? It's not like it's never happened before."

Just as she finished complaining to Lin Xiuyuan, Kim Tae-yeon's annoyed voice came from behind, "Yoona, when you talk bad about me behind my back, can you please watch your voice? I can hear you clearly."

"Oh dear, unnie~ I was just worried about you."

When Yoona turned around, she saw Taeyeon standing behind her and immediately softened her tone, acting cute and smiling with her eyes crinkling.

Jessica Jung, who was standing next to her, also found it amusing.

Kim Tae-yeon merely raised her eyes slightly, not pursuing the matter further. Her fingers casually traced the back of the sofa, her gaze sweeping between Yoona and Lin Xiuyuan, her expression complex and unfathomable.

Soon after, everyone returned to the restaurant.

The table was now laden with dishes. The plate of stir-fried pork with chili peppers still exuded an enticing aroma, and the cold dishes were refreshingly colorful. The freshly pan-fried tofu was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

With the addition of a steaming hot omelet, the dinner atmosphere officially began.

As Jessica Jung sat down, she couldn't help but exclaim, "This dining table is so lavish! Lin Xiuyuan, I'm a little envious of you and Sulli living together like this."

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon was shocked again. "Ah, Xiu-yuan and Sulli are living together?"

Upon hearing this, Sulli, who was carrying rice out of the kitchen, quickly waved her hand and explained, "It's not what you think, unnie. I just want to live together so that I can go with oppa for 25 years to keep Soojung company, or so that when Soojung comes over, she won't have to go out looking for me."

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon recalled the scene from before, her gaze softened, and she sighed softly, "Indeed, Krystal misses you so much."

After a pause, she finally sorted out her doubts. "So that's why Xiujing and Yoona are so close to Xiuyuan, even though they've only known each other for a short time."

“Even if it isn’t, Xiuyuan is still great,” Lin Yoona added from the side.

"Oh, don't try to comfort me, I can handle this."

Lin Xiuyuan made a gesture as if he was used to it, waved his hand, and everyone burst into laughter.

The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and even Kim Tae-yeon finally smiled.

"Come on, cheers!"

Jessica Jung, who had been watching her closely, raised her glass upon seeing this, saying, "To this belated gathering, and to... that we can all sit down and eat together again, cheers!"

One sentence, filled with the emotion and tenderness of a long-awaited reunion, made Kim Tae-yeon subconsciously bite her lip.

His gaze swept over Jessica Jung and Sulli, then he forced a smile, raised his glass, and said, "Okay, cheers."

Afterwards, Yoona and the others raised their glasses and chatted with laughter.

Lin Xiuyuan protested quietly from the side, "Don't toast! I don't want to have to mix drinks every time I eat a bite of food. Drink slowly, okay?"

"Hahaha~"

Amidst the crisp clinking of glasses, laughter mingled with the lamplight, adding a touch of warmth to the air.

After a round of drinks, the atmosphere at the table became even more relaxed.

Shirley smiled and put a piece of tofu on Lin Xiuyuan's plate. Lin Yoona, like a cat that had stolen candy, kept stealing glances at Lin Xiuyuan's actions under Lin Xiaolu's watchful gaze, which made Lin Xiaolu look displeased.

Jessica Jung whispered a few words about the past to Kim Tae-yeon.

The words "Cheers" still seemed to echo in the air, along with the aroma of wine and food, and the unspoken complex emotions of "seeing each other again and meeting again," causing Kim Tae-yeon's emotions, which had just settled down, to surge again.

As she reminisced with Jessica Jung about the past, she lowered her head and ate the rice in her bowl, bite by bite.

Holding the chopsticks between her fingers, she was a little unsteady. As soon as the stir-fried pork with chili peppers entered her mouth, Kim Tae-yeon couldn't help but smile and praise Sulli, saying that the taste was too good to be true.

But when he was halfway through the meal, the smile on his lips slowly froze.

A familiar smell emerged.

This so-called "taste" doesn't refer to the specific dishes, but rather the taste of "someone having carefully prepared a meal for you."

The heat from the chili sauce rushed up my nose, and my eyes suddenly felt hot.

This familiar yet stinging reaction made Kim Tae-yeon abruptly lower her head and cover her face with her bangs.

Kim Tae-yeon took a deep breath and stuffed the food in the bowl into her mouth, but the more she chewed, the less she could swallow, as if something was stuck in her throat.

That illusion of "it seems like I've been missing something, but then it suddenly comes back" caught her off guard, along with weariness and the loneliness of a long-awaited reunion.

So Kim Tae-yeon continued to sniffle. Even though her eyes were already red, she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.

"I said……"

Kim Tae-yeon, who suddenly looked up, spoke in a relatively calm voice, though her tone trembled slightly at the end. She smiled and asked, "Xiu Yuan, so the member of that small bar you mentioned is basically someone who knows the secret of the time portal, right?"

The moment those words were spoken, the group of people who were chatting and eating paused slightly in surprise.

They all looked at Kim Tae-yeon, but realizing something was amiss, they quickly looked away.

Then, Jessica Jung was the first to laugh, "That's about it, so Taeyeon, do you want to join this church?"

This time, before Lin Xiuyuan could speak, she said those words.

Kim Tae-yeon looked at Jessica Jung with some confusion, not understanding what the 'church' was. It wasn't until Jessica Jung explained the origin and development of the term and shared some jokes that she finally grinned and looked at Lin Xiu-yuan.

"So, Xiu Yuan, you are the so-called Pope of this church?"

"Everyone was just joking, don't take it seriously," Lin Xiuyuan replied while eating.

"No, I think it's great. The [Worry-Relieving Cult] really can relieve worries."

After muttering a few words softly, Kim Tae-yeon looked up and smiled, "I've decided, I want to join this church."

At this moment, Lim Yoona laughed and said, "Unnie, from the moment you stepped through this door, you've already tacitly joined us."

“It seems so,” Kim Tae-yeon replied.

Then she became curious again, "So how many people are in the church now?"

“They’re mostly here, plus Krystal and Jiyeon,” Jessica Jung said from the side.

Krystal… Kim Tae-yeon had guessed that, after all, she was so close to Lin Xiuyuan, but she was a little confused about 'Ji-yeon'. “Does the Ji-yeon in this refer to someone born in 25 or someone born in 13?”

“13 years ago,” Lin Xiuyuan said.

After receiving the answer, Kim Tae-yeon exclaimed "Ah!", "I thought it was from 25. Soo-won, you were getting along so well with Ji-yeon over there, but it wasn't her?"

As soon as she said it, Jessica Jung couldn't help but glance at Lin Xiuyuan, but she only glanced at him before continuing to eat.

Seeing this, Yoona quickly chimed in, "If Jiyeon, who is 25 years old, knew about this, she probably wouldn't be able to accept it. After all, she just got divorced, and some trivial matters are too much of a burden."

"I think so," Kim Tae-yeon murmured in agreement, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Actually, I'm having a hard time accepting it myself."

That gaze seemed to hold a series of unspoken questions and emotions.

"Why didn't you open a few years earlier?"

"If I had known sooner, would things have been different..."

But she never said it.

Kim Tae-yeon also understood that even if the door had opened then, Lin Xiuyuan would have had no way of knowing what the future would hold.

After all, back then, he was just someone groping his way forward in the fog.

Feeling her intense gaze, Lin Xiuyuan looked up at her, raised an eyebrow slightly, and teased with a smile, "Why are you looking at me like that? Let me explain first, joining the sect requires paying membership fees, which are like opening fees. I'm not opening the door for free."

As Lin Xiuyuan mentioned membership fees, the atmosphere at the table became lively once again.

Yoona, Sulli, and Lulu also took the opportunity to speak up, subtly protesting to Taeyeon against Lin Xiuyuan's 'exploitation' of them.

Listening to everyone's replies, Kim Tae-yeon became more and more cheerful. Although her eyes were still a little red, she was already able to smile. "Then Xiu-yuan, what do you want? I'll come and buy it for you. I've saved up quite a bit of money over the years."

"Tsk tsk tsk, that's quite arrogant."

Hearing this answer, Lin Xiuyuan looked at Jessica Jung and said, "Jessica, did you hear that? Taeyeon has earned so much, so Jessica must have earned even more. Why don't we take Krystal's idea and kidnap her back?"

"Stop messing around, do you need the money?" Jessica Jung rolled her eyes at him, speechless.

Lin Xiuyuan laughed even harder, "It's not that I'm short of money, it's that I want to help you get revenge."

"What's wrong?" Kim Tae-yeon asked curiously.

Then, somewhat frustrated and helpless, Jessica explained to Taeyeon Krystal's previous crazy idea, explaining each step in detail, which left Taeyeon stunned.

Kidnapping, imprisonment, rape, and pregnancy.

That's so cruel, so incredibly cruel.

Thinking about this, Kim Tae-yeon felt a little fortunate that she hadn't done anything wrong and that she was the first Kim Tae-yeon to join the cult.

What if it's someone on this side who converts first? Who knows what crazy ideas their erratic little brain might come up with?

After this little incident, Kim Tae-yeon's emotions were noticeably calmer.

The atmosphere at the dining table became increasingly warm and lively.

It wasn't until the food was almost gone and the drinks were nearly finished that everyone realized how much time had passed.

Lin Xiaolu suddenly glanced at the time and said with some reluctance, "Xiuyan unnie, it seems we have to go back. We have to get up at 4 a.m. tomorrow to leave for Gimpo. If it's too late, it will be hard to get any rest."

"Is it late?" Jessica Jung looked down at her phone screen, where the numbers had unknowingly scrolled from 7 p.m. to past 10 p.m.

It was already close to midnight.

Seeing this, Lim Yoona also stood up and said, "Then I have to go back too. I have promotions to do tomorrow. Taeyeon unnie, do you want to...?"

As Yoona looked over, Taeyeon immediately grabbed Sulli's arm and shook her head, "I'll be sleeping with Snowball tonight, so I won't be going back. I just need to go to the company for rehearsal tomorrow, I don't have any other plans."

This answer made Lin Yoona nod slightly, then she smiled and glanced at Lin Xiuyuan.

This gentle smile caught Lin Xiaolu's eye, but it made her frown slightly.

But problems soon followed.

How do you plan to get back?

Lin Xiuyuan, sitting on the sofa, looked up at the group, his tone calm.

"I'll take a taxi back with Xiaolu," Jessica Jung said.

Lin Xiaolu nodded, "Yes, it's safer for two people to be together."

After saying that, she suddenly turned to look at Lim Yoona, her tone slightly sarcastic, "But what about you, Lim Yoona? Are you all alone?"

Faced with this somewhat teasing question, Lin Yoona glanced at her lightly and smiled, "Xiuyuan gave me a ride."

As she spoke, she glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes filled with natural intimacy, "Right, Xiuyuan? You're not going to let me take a taxi home alone, are you?"

"But Xiuyuan also drank alcohol," Lin Xiaolu reminded him, frowning.

"I'm drinking pineapple beer, just a soft drink," Lin Xiuyuan smiled, his explanation dispelling her concerns.

“It’s okay. Even if he drank it, he can take a taxi back with me, drop him off, and then come back.”

Yoona still smiled sweetly, but her tone carried a more assertive and lighthearted air.

But that smile made Lin Xiaolu's teeth itch; she had an urge to go up and fight her.

At the same time, she suddenly felt that her Xiuyan unnie was a bit superfluous. Why wasn't she alone, and Lin Xiuyuan was the one who took her?

In the end, Lin Xiaolu only glared at Lin Yoona, forcibly suppressed her emotions, and silently followed Jessica Jung, leaving the villa amidst farewells.

Lin Yoona then took Lin Xiuyuan's arm and walked into the villa with him.

Kim Tae-yeon and Sulli followed, because Kim Tae-yeon needed to check her phone messages and explain the situation to her assistant, in case she couldn't find anyone and went crazy.

Back at the villa in 2025, Lin Yoona let go of Lin Xiuyuan's arm and waved her hand gently, "Okay, Xiuyuan, you can rest now, I'm leaving first."

"Don't you need me to take you?" Lin Xiuyuan asked.

"I'm not a child, why would I give you a gift?"

Lin Yoona smiled and said playfully, "I was just teasing Lin Xiaolu. My assistant arrived a while ago and is waiting for me at the street corner outside."

As she spoke, Yoona waved her phone, which clearly showed several missed calls and a location screenshot sent by her assistant.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't say anything more, he just escorted her to the villa entrance and watched her wave goodbye as she left.

Turning back inside, he looked at Kim Tae-yeon and Sulli, "Where are you staying tonight?"

Before Sulli could even speak, Kim Tae-yeon preemptively replied, "Let's go to the apartment. I just told the company that there won't be any rehearsals tomorrow; we'll have a day off."

Despite her nonchalant tone, there was a hint of anticipation in her voice.

Because Kim Tae-yeon knew very well that she just wanted to get closer to him.

Get closer to that time that was before we had any regrets, and get closer to those family and friends we haven't missed.

So even though Kim Tae-yeon spoke softly, it drew the attention of Lin Xiuyuan and Sulli.

Lin Xiuyuan, in particular, stared at her quietly for a few seconds, then sighed softly, "Never mind, take a shower first, I'll take you to Quanzhou later."

These calm words struck Kim Tae-yeon like a thunderclap.

"……What did you say?"

Kim Tae-yeon froze on the spot, then suddenly looked up at him, her eyes instantly filled with disbelief, shock, and a hint of excitement.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't reply immediately. Instead, he walked towards the portal and opened it. Then he casually repeated, "I said I'd take a shower first, and later I'll take you back to Quanzhou. Just a quick look from afar, the kind where you can't get out of the car. Can you promise me that?"

Kim Tae-yeon was stunned.

His eyes were almost frozen in trembling, as if a string that had been taut for a long time had finally been gently plucked, yet he was afraid that it was just a casual joke.

Her voice trembled cautiously, "You...you're serious?"

"You're not lying to me?"

Then he repeated it again, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.

"Ah."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded slightly.

This response was like a pebble falling from the sky.

It may not be earth-shattering, but it is enough to stir up a thousand ripples.

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(End of this chapter)