Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 172 Kings Meet Kings, Eun-jung Meets Eun-jung (Please Subscribe and Vote)

Standing at the door of room 701, Ham Eun-jung looked at Lin Xiu-yuan in front of her, somewhat at a loss, and asked in confusion, "Xiu-yuan, weren't we going out for a late-night snack? Why are we going home?"

After saying that, she looked back at the door over there. It was through this door that she had run into Lin Xiuyuan last time.

"This is to take you out for a late-night snack, I'm not kidding."

As Lin Xiuyuan spoke, he skillfully entered the password.

With a click, the door opened.

This was Ham Eun-jung's first time seeing the inside of this apartment. Although she found it a bit strange, she eventually followed Lin Xiuyuan into the room.

In the entryway, there was a row of women's high heels, and on the shoe rack were delicate aromatherapy items and dried flowers, as well as a few pieces of clothing casually draped over the back of the sofa, clearly women's items.

The sight made her swallow hard, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at the boy's back in front of her.

Does he have a girlfriend?
And they even lived together?

However, Ham Eun-jung didn't ask aloud. She just kept these thoughts to herself and then asked softly, "Do you need to change your shoes?"

"No need, let's go."

Lin Xiuyuan glanced back at Ham Eun-jung, shook his head, and then quickly went to the nearby time portal and opened it.

There was no prelude, no build-up.

"Go go go, let's go get some late-night snacks, Eun-jung."

When she received the reply that she didn't need to change her shoes, Ham Eun-jung's eyes swept over the newly renovated apartment, then she glanced at the door that Lin Xiuyuan had opened, which was level with the main door, and she was somewhat speechless and amused.

"Are you kidding me? You're opening up a storage room so I can go in and have a midnight snack?"

Ham Eun-jung knew this because the last time she came to the apartment next door, she was tidying up Jeon Bo-ram's things in the storage room.

"Come and take a look first. I've renovated this place; it's not a storage room anymore," Lin Xiuyuan replied with a smile.

"With walls this thin, how could you possibly build a palace?"

Despite the teasing tone in Lin Xiuyuan's words, Ham Eun-jung still walked over and peeked her head out from behind the door.

Then she was stunned, frozen in place, staring blankly at the scene before her.

What you see before you is not a cramped storage room, but a spacious living room with a high ceiling.

The marble floor gleamed with a warm luster, and the ceiling was adorned with staggered light fixtures, creating a neat and orderly layout reminiscent of a luxury mansion.

Ham Eun-jung froze for a few seconds, just about to turn around and ask Lin Xiuyuan something.

Lin Xiuyuan laughed first, gently patted her back with his palm, and then gave her a push without hesitation, saying, "This is a super gift package that you won yourself. You can't say I cheated later."

Pushed through the door, Ham Eun-jung stumbled a step, stepping completely into this dreamlike space. The door behind her slammed shut automatically, as if severing all connection between her and her worldview.

"Where is this place? Xiuyuan."

As Ham Eun-jung stepped inside, she looked around and asked in a low voice, her voice filled with undisguised shock, "Are you playing some kind of escape room game? Or are you... one of those super-rich kids who rents a shabby apartment and pretends to be poor?"

"Are you stupid? Look outside, this is the first floor."

Lin Xiuyuan walked to the sofa in the living room with a smile, picked up his phone and glanced at the screen, then continued to laugh, "Eunjung, your reaction time is even worse than Jiyeon's. At least Jiyeon realized as soon as she came over that this was the first floor, not the seventh floor."

Upon hearing this, Ham Eun-jung quickly turned her head and looked out at the courtyard through the French windows.

A neatly trimmed courtyard lay out quietly, bathed in moonlight.

Then Ham Eun-jung frowned and stared at Lin Xiu-yuan, "So Xiu-yuan, where exactly is this?"

When she asked that question, several options popped into her mind: magic, ghosts, and anamorphic spaces.

“Oh right, I forgot to mention.” Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, “This is—2025.”

But as soon as Lin Xiuyuan said those words, the options that Xian Enjing had been considering completely collapsed. Her eyes widened suddenly, her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't say a word.

"I remember you told me last time that you thought I was weird? You wondered if I was an alien or if I had some secret?"

As Lin Xiuyuan spoke, he walked over to Ham Eun-jung's side and smiled, "Actually, I can't really be considered an alien, but I do have some special qualities. For example... I can take people through time and space to the future."

These words sent chills down Ham Eun-jung's spine, and her reason frantically resisted this absurd premise.

Then I forced myself to calm down, preferring to believe it was some kind of magic trick.

Suddenly, Ham Eun-jung realized a crucial question, a familiar figure, "Wait a minute, So, Ji-yeon also knows this?"

"Mm." Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Ham Eun-jung froze completely, standing there as if her soul had been ripped out. Everything before her eyes was so real that it was undeniable, yet so illogical that it left her bewildered.

"2025, is that why Jiyeon dared to make such crazy investments?"

As if confirming something, Ham Eun-jung repeated the year to herself.

His voice was weak, and he mumbled about the situation around him, but he still felt numb with cold, as if he were soaking in ice water.

Then she looked up and gazed out the window again.

The courtyard, which wasn't on the floor where Room 701 was located, remained quiet. The lawn was meticulously trimmed, and even the moon in the sky seemed brighter than she remembered.

Wait, the moon? It's cloudy in Seoul tonight, there's no moon.

So is it really an alternate dimension?
"I still can't quite believe it, Xiuyuan..." After a long silence, Ham Eun-jung spoke again, her voice trembling slightly. "It's not realistic."

This kind of thing, which completely shattered her worldview and overturned her understanding of the past two decades, was too shocking for Ham Eun-jung.

Before her brain could process this absurd reality, her body reacted first.

Almost instinctively, he turned and rushed toward the door, eagerly pulling it open, wanting to return to the familiar 701 apartment, to that ordinary yet at least reasonable world.

But the moment the door opened, all that greeted them was an ordinary storage room.

There was no familiar living room, no way out, and even the passage back had disappeared.

Just as she stood there, stunned and at a loss, Lin Xiuyuan walked over, gently closed the door, and then opened it again.

The scene before my eyes changed instantly.

What was just a storage room is now the complete original state of Room 701.

"If you think I'm lying to you," Lin Xiuyuan's voice came from behind, his tone relaxed, "then how do you plan to explain this scene? A spatial distortion? Magic? Or sleepwalking?"

Ham Eun-jung froze on the spot, staring wide-eyed at the dramatic changes happening inside and outside the door. Her mind seemed to crash instantly, all thoughts were cut off, and even the most basic logic temporarily stopped.

After a long while, her voice finally escaped her throat with difficulty, "So what did you mean when you told me to thank Ham Eun-jung earlier?"

Lin Xiuyuan gave a meaningful smile. "This is very simple. I made a bet with her, and if she wins, I will give her a big gift."

Then Ham Eun-jung slowly raised her hand and pointed to herself, "So I became that big gift package?"

"Hmm." Lin Xiuyuan blinked, his tone light. "Let's go get some late-night snacks."

"Want to go out for dinner?"

"Of course." Lin Xiuyuan nodded again, turned and walked towards the door, glancing back at her with his chin as he did so. "Go to the tavern over here. Don't worry, I won't sell you."

Ham Eun-jung remained standing there, stunned for several seconds before reacting. It was as if her soul had lagged behind, and she hesitantly followed step by step.

Even after she stepped out the door, her mind was still a mess.

Night had fallen, the city was asleep, and the early summer night breeze carried a hint of coolness.

Ham Eun-jung and Lim Soo-won walked one after the other in that dark alley. Their footsteps were clearly audible in the quiet night, as if they were walking between two worlds.

After a long silence, Ham Eun-jung finally spoke, her voice very low, "Has Ji-yeon come here many times? Does she know a lot about our future?"

"Not many times, just occasionally, not a lot."

Lin Xiuyuan walked very slowly, as if he was deliberately waiting for her. "But we do know a lot of information, so you and Xiaomin don't need to worry that I will betray her."

"That was just a worry." Ham Eun-jung paused, then asked, still uneasy, "So, is this really 2025?"

Lin Xiuyuan smiled but did not answer, instead pointing ahead, "We've arrived."

Ham Eun-jung followed his gaze and saw that the familiar solid wood sign in front of her still bore the same words: "Relief from Worries - Du Kang".

"So you copied a tavern like this in both timelines?" Ham Eun-jung asked tentatively.

Lin Xiuyuan did not respond, but simply pushed open the door gently and said, "Welcome, Eun-jung."

Then a crisp bell rang, carrying with it the scent of grass and wine carried on the night breeze.

Ham Eun-jung followed behind and stepped into the room, her gaze slowly sweeping across the interior.

The dark brown bar, the warm lighting, the wooden wine cabinet, the stereo and vintage vinyl record player in the corner... it all looks just like the bar from 2013.

But just as Ham Eun-jung was still immersed in her feelings, her gaze suddenly stopped at the depths of the bar.

At that moment, she seemed to see "herself" sitting on a high stool, looking down and scrolling through her phone.

And that profile picture is almost identical to hers.

At the same time, the "Ham Eun-jung" sitting at the bar also seemed to notice the commotion, slowly raised her head, and her eyes met those of the woman at the door.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

The two Ham Eun-jungs' eyes met in the air, their pupils dilated slightly and their breaths caught in their throats.

One second, two seconds, and a deafening roar exploded in my mind.

Neither of them took the first step; they could only stand there, stunned, as if they were seeing another incredible version of themselves reflected in a mirror.

……

……

Not long ago, at dusk, the sun was shining brightly, and a gentle sea breeze caressed every inch of the campsite, adding a touch of lazy comfort to the summer twilight.

As the fishing competition officially began, Lin Xiuyuan, Li Juli, and Dalongzai sat around on the shore, enthusiastically immersing themselves in the "competition."

Of course, while they called it a serious competition, it was really just the three of them talking non-stop, accompanied by a lot of nonsense and joking around.

The first to make a sound was the big dragon cub.

As soon as her fishing rod started trembling, she got so excited she almost jumped off her chair. Her words were filled with joy as she exclaimed, "Xiuyuan, Unnie, look, look! I won! I'm about to catch a fish!"

The result was that the bait was eaten clean, but not a single hook was caught.

"Ugh! Why didn't it connect again?"

As Da Longzai shouted, he leaned towards Lin Xiuyuan, as if trying to shift the blame for the failure onto him, or perhaps pleading with Lin Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, can you please take a look and see if there's something wrong with the fishhook?"

Lin Xiuyuan held her up to prevent her from sliding off the chair, and said with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "You yelled and screamed before you even tried to lift the rod, and you did it so slowly, the fish were bound to get away."

"It's not that I'm slow, it's that they're cunning!"

The little dragon spoke eloquently, but his expression was like that of a child who had lost candy, his face full of grievance.

But what's even funnier now is Lin Xiuyuan.

Just moments ago he looked like a seasoned angler, but he clearly took the bait twice, and his action of lifting the rod was so fast that it almost splashed water.

The result was still an empty hook wobbling, making him look particularly pathetic.

"Wow, they're such a sneaky eater..."

Embarrassed, Lin Xiuyuan sighed softly, not forgetting to wipe his hands with a wet wipe, "Did these fish become sentient today?"

"Xiuyuan, your skills are just not up to par."

Ham Eun-jung chuckled softly at this moment. Although her words were slightly sarcastic, her tone was gentle, as if she were teasing someone.

However, her fishing rod remained completely still and motionless throughout the entire process.

"Eun-jung, you're the same."

"I'm fishing in a Buddhist style." After saying that, she leaned back in her small chair, squinted her eyes and enjoyed the breeze. "If the fish are meant to be, they will come to me."

"Come on," Lee Juri said from behind, exposing the three of them. "Is this what you call being a Buddhist? You can't even catch a fish. All three of you are just half-baked."

The group joked and fished, chatting about many things along the way.

From the recent gossip in the entertainment circle, "who was photographed dating in Jiangnan" and "who is suspected of going abroad to give birth," the group chatted back and forth, laughing heartily as they fished for gossip.

The conversation quickly drifted back to the last music festival.

"Xiuyuan, you have no idea how many times those temporary tattoos you gave Zhiyan have made the news this time. Many media outlets are saying that she has fallen into depravity."

As she spoke, Lee Juri smiled and pointed at Da Longzai, "When I watched the live stream replay later, the comments were all about Jiyeon's tattoos, so many, they were flooding the screen. And also, you looked great, like you'd gone back to how you were a few years ago." "Really?" Da Longzai laughed, "That means Xiu Yuan's gift was good, and you really are in great shape."

"You're good, but Qri is the one stealing the spotlight."

As the two finished speaking, Ham Eun-jung, who was standing next to them, laughed and said, "Ji-yeon, did you forget that she went to the wrong stage and was making peace signs with the fans as she walked? She almost fell over."

"Shut up!"

Li Juli's face flushed red, and she raised the mineral water bottle as if to hit someone, which caused the others to burst into laughter again.

Just as the laughter was at its peak, suddenly...

"Hey! It moved!" Ham Eun-jung exclaimed instinctively.

Everyone instinctively stopped what they were doing, their eyes all falling on her fishing rod.

The fishing rod, which had been as still as a wooden carving, was now trembling slightly, bending into a beautiful arc.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Pull it up!" Lin Xiuyuan immediately urged.

Ham Eun-jung's expression hardened. She stood up, gripped the fishing rod firmly, and with a slight effort, felt a strong pull on the other end.

She subconsciously gritted her teeth, calmly steadied her steps, and slowly pulled the line towards the shore while reeling it in.

The water surface churned, and soon a fish much larger than the palm of a hand burst out of the water, firmly hooked on the hook.

"Ahhh! She actually caught it!"

The little dragon screamed excitedly.

"Wow, we actually caught one!"

Lee Juri also stood up, her face full of disbelief.

Ham Eun-jung held the fish in her hand, her expression filled with shock and satisfaction. After a moment, she raised a smile without the arrogance of a victor, "It seems that the fish destined for me really will come looking for me."

Lin Xiuyuan looked at the fish still jumping on the fishing rod in her hand, and then at her face that couldn't hide her smile, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Okay, I keep my word. I'll send you a big gift later, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"We'll talk about the gift later. Xiuyuan, could you help me get the fish off the hook first? I'm too scared to touch it."

Ham Eun-jung looked up at him, her smile impossible to hide.

A few minutes later, Lin Xiuyuan squatted down next to her, looking at the fish still struggling in the bucket, and casually asked, "So, Eun-jung, are you planning to take it home to keep as a pet, or take it home to kill and eat?"

"neither."

Ham Eun-jung smiled and shook her head, taking pictures of the fish as she went. "I'll release it back into the wild after I finish taking pictures, but let me make this clear first, you can't go back on your word and say you won't give me a gift."

"How could that be? I mean what I say."

Lin Xiuyuan patted his trouser leg, stood up, and gave her a thumbs up. "Let's do it tonight. I'll keep my promise tonight."

The match naturally ended at that moment.

But the group didn't disperse. Instead, they relaxed and sat together on the beach, chatting casually and even exchanging photos they had taken.

Lin Xiuyuan later took out his camera and took many beautiful photos of the three of them.

He was very focused and serious when he took the photos, directing everyone on everything from the angle and lighting to the background, so that they could pose in various ways.

Looking at his focused and professional expression, Ham Eun-jung suddenly smiled with a hint of regret, "If I had known you would take the photos so seriously, you should have filmed the moment I pulled the fish in."

“We’ve already missed that. Why don’t you pretend to pull another one, and I’ll take another one?”

“That’s no fun,” the little dragon chimed in.

Ham Eun-jung turned her head, a playful smile playing on her lips. "But I find it interesting, Ji-yeon."

"Ah~ Unnie!!!"

The little dragon bristled and lunged at her, but Ham Eun-jung dodged it with a smile.

As dusk completely sank into night, the sea breeze blew, and the laughter of the group echoed on the beach for a long time.

As night deepened, the sea breeze gradually grew cooler.

So the group packed up their fishing gear and drink bottles, deciding to find another place to continue their fun for the night.

Go to a restaurant and have a delicious meal.

The dinner atmosphere continued its cheerful tone, especially with Da Longzai, who ordered two seafood hot pots in one go, declaring confidently, "I'm going to get revenge on that fish that escaped! I'll reunite its family!"

When they had almost finished eating, Li Juli suddenly suggested, "How about going to a bar tonight? Let's have a few more drinks."

"Is it alright, Xiuyuan?"

The little dragon looked up at Lin Xiuyuan sitting next to him, his tone tinged with anticipation, "It's alright if you're not feeling well, right? We can just leave the door open. It's rare for Eun-jung unnie to catch a fish today, shouldn't we celebrate?"

"I lost, didn't I?" Lin Xiuyuan shook his head with a smile. "So I have to prepare that 'big gift' for Eun-jung tonight. Let's make a date for tomorrow."

These words startled the group slightly.

The first to react was Da Longzai, who asked in surprise, "Huh? No way, Xiuyuan, are you serious? You're really giving away such a big gift?"

"Of course! I promised to give you a big gift package, how could I go back on my word?"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded while secretly squeezing the little hand that the dragon cub was placing on his lap.

I'm trying so hard to stop her from being jealous, I've really hit the nail on the head.

Ham Eun-jung chuckled softly at that moment, her tone half-serious and half-joking, "So, can I start looking forward to it now?"

"of course."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, his eyes holding a mysterious light. "And... if you have time, Eun-jung, you can come with me to take a look now."

"Huh?" Ham Eun-jung was taken aback.

"Let's go, let's go together." Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, his tone calm but serious.

Seeing Lin Xiuyuan's expression, Dalongzai and Li Juli exchanged a glance but didn't ask any further questions.

Although the two were curious about what the so-called "grand gift" was, since Lin Xiuyuan hadn't invited them to come along, they knew to remain on the sidelines for the time being.

After dinner, Ham Eun-jung turned around and got into Lin Xiuyuan's car, which drove towards the bar.

The small bar at night was warmly lit, with a faint fragrance in the air.

The wind chimes by the door swayed gently in the sea breeze, tinkling softly, as if foreshadowing some kind of impending change.

Upon entering the bar, Ham Eun-jung subconsciously looked around before heading straight to the bar and sitting down on a high stool.

"Xiuyuan, what kind of gift do you have to give me behind Jiyeon and Unnie's back?"

As she sat down, she teased with a smile, "You wouldn't... have some special feelings for me, would you?"

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled softly, "It's not a particular thought, but a secret... a secret that can't be easily told to others."

"Then you'll tell me?"

Ham Eun-jung raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"You won the game, this is a big gift for the champion."

"I thought it was..."

Ham Eun-jung, as if struck by a thought, glanced at Lin Xiuyuan with a hint of amusement.

Although she didn't quite believe it, she figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out.

However, Ham Eun-jung didn't voice her thoughts in the end, but instead smiled and said, "So, given how seriously you're taking this, should I act a little nervous?"

"It's always good to be mentally prepared." Lin Xiuyuan smiled, his eyes showing more seriousness as he looked at her.

The two chatted casually, and the atmosphere was surprisingly quiet and comfortable.

Ham Eun-jung was no longer reserved and gradually relaxed, even ordering a drink along the way.

As they chatted, more than half an hour passed, and Ham Eun-jung finally couldn't help but ask in a slightly teasing tone.

"Xiuyuan, the gift you're talking about isn't just having a drink and a chat with me, is it? If that's the case, someone with your skills could be a top hostess in Ginza."

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled softly, slowly sat up straighter, and looked at her earnestly, asking, "Then let me ask you a question first, Eunjung."

"Ah."

Do you consider yourself to have a strong ability to accept new things?

Ham Eun-jung raised an eyebrow. "What, are you afraid I'll faint from fright?"

"Honestly, it's possible." Lin Xiuyuan nodded slightly.

She rolled her eyes, then scoffed self-deprecatingly, "Don't worry, I can kick five oxen at once, it won't scare me."

Lin Xiuyuan's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this, as if he were confirming something.

Finally, he stood up and said gently, "Wait for me a moment, I'll go and invite her over."

"Why don't you just show it to me directly?" Ham Eun-jung asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"That thing... isn't really suitable to take out directly." Lin Xiuyuan shook his head with a smile, then his tone suddenly became serious, "Enjing, wait for me for a while?"

Ham Eun-jung originally wanted to make a few more jokes, but looking at Lin Xiuyuan's expression at this moment, she inexplicably stopped joking and just nodded slightly.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Soon, Lin Xiuyuan left, creating a gust of wind that caused the wind chimes at the door to ring.

Ham Eun-jung sat alone at the bar, swirling her drink in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the time.

But as she waited, she suddenly realized that the time seemed a little off.

Because Lin Xiuyuan's absence lasted for ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes...

After swiping her phone several times, she realized that almost an hour had quietly passed.

"What's going on here...?"

The waiting time made Ham Eun-jung roll her eyes. She opened the chat group: [Hey, Ji-yeon, unnie, did Soo-won trick me into coming here and then go home to sleep?]

Lee Qri replied instantly: 【Huh? Weren't you guys looking at gifts?】

Big Dragon Cub: [Yeah, I thought you'd already received it.]

Ham Eun-jung: [Received what? He's vanished without a trace! He's left me at a bar for an hour, can you believe it?]

Big Dragon Cub: [Hahaha, this doesn't look like Xiu Yuan. Did something happen?]

Ham Eun-jung: [Don't talk nonsense... but it's really going too far for him to just abandon people like that.]

Lee Juri: [Why don't you send a message or make a phone call?]

Park Hyomin: [What are you guys talking about?]

Ham Eun-jung wanted to reply a few more times, but suddenly heard a soft sound coming from the doorway.

"Beep—click".

The electronic lock on the tavern clicked softly, and the door was slowly pushed open from the outside. The wind chimes swayed again, making a crisp sound.

Upon hearing the voice, Ham Eun-jung replied with a smile in the group chat: 【No need, I'm back now, I need to give him a good scolding.】

After sending the message, she turned around and was about to complain to Lin Xiuyuan, "You finally decided to come back."

But the next second, he froze.

A gust of wind blew in through the door, ruffling a strand of the other person's slightly messy, medium-length hair.

She was a girl wearing a light-colored sweatshirt and jeans, with a clean and neat demeanor, and a familiar yet unfamiliar expression hidden between her brows and eyes.
Ham Eun-jung knew that face all too well.

She stared blankly at the person at the door, her phone somehow falling onto the bar counter.

It was as if time had frozen completely at that moment.

　Just like last night, here's 7K first, the rest will be updated later. I've been too busy with work these past few days, working overtime until late every night.

　　If you can't wait until midnight for the update, just take a rest and you can check back tomorrow morning.

　　I wonder if the godfathers could give this chapter some monthly votes?
　　I'm begging for monthly tickets! I'm begging for monthly tickets! I'm begging for monthly tickets! I'm begging for subscriptions! I'm begging for donations! I'm begging for everything!!!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)