Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 174 "Ji-yeon, you'll have a tough time in the future too~" (Please subscribe and vote)

"Why didn't you open two years earlier?"

"You're asking too? Haha, I wasn't in Seoul a couple of years ago either. Besides, I know what you want to ask, but even if I had opened the door two years ago, you wouldn't have known about it at all."

Inside the tavern, after Ham Eun-jung had calmed down a bit by leaning against Lin Xiuyuan's chest, she got up and went to the restroom to wash her face and adjust her state.

Sweet Eun-jung, sitting on the sofa, gave Lin Xiu-yuan a deep look. After he sat down, she uttered the words she had just said.

But when she heard Lin Xiuyuan's half-joking reply, she suddenly stood up, moved closer and sat down next to him, leaning forward slightly as if trying to create a sense of pressure.

Lin Xiuyuan, however, remained calm and did not flinch at all.

As a result, Sweet Eun-jung's forward lean caused her to bump into Lin Xiu-yuan's arm, and then she slid forward a little more, almost kissing him directly.

Startled, she quickly stopped what she was doing, frowned slightly in embarrassment, glared at him, then sighed softly and said in a low voice, "What I mean is, why didn't you come back from a more future timeline?"

Lin Xiuyuan, who was still immersed in the sensation of that moment, burst out laughing after hearing this. "Wow, tsk tsk, even Taeyeon didn't think of such a novel idea. Eunjung, you're amazing."

"Taeyeon?"

Sweet Eun-jung repeated the name, then a series of events flashed through her mind, and finally she raised an eyebrow slightly, "Oh, right, given Taeyeon's situation, you probably would have taken her there to make up for her psychological state. When did she go there?"

“Last night,” Lin Xiuyuan replied.

Sweet Eunjung paused for a moment upon hearing this, seemingly realizing something. "So, the reason Jiyeon told us today that you were sleepy and tired, and then Taeyeon answered the phone, was it because of this?"

"Yes, I rushed to Quanzhou last night and only got back this morning." Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

"You met?" Sweet Eun-jung was surprised again, but after saying that, she felt it was unlikely.

Sure enough, Lin Xiuyuan shook his head the next second, "It's just a meeting in the car, do you want to come over?"

This question struck right at Sweet Eun-jung's heart. A certain figure immediately flashed through her mind, and her body stiffened slightly.

However, she quickly realized what was going on and gently shook her head. "As you said before, once the door is open, you can't hide it from me anymore. Let me sort out my thoughts first. Too many problems are troubling me tonight; I need to calm down."

Just then, Ham Eun-jung came out of the bathroom and immediately saw the two people on the sofa who were standing very close together. She frowned slightly, walked over and sat down opposite them, and then said something that was half-joking.

"The way you two are getting along, could it be... that something beyond friendship has already happened?"

Faced with Ham Eun-jung's accusation, Sweet Eun-jung, who had originally intended to leave after seeing her return, stopped and instead smiled as she took Lin Xiuyuan's arm, saying with a grin, "You know what, if Xiuyuan is willing, I'd like to try out what the legendary rejuvenating elixir is."

"What kind of rejuvenating medicine?" Ham Eun-jung asked, looking puzzled.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan immediately tried to cover Tian Enjing's mouth, but he was too late.

Sweet Eunjung stepped aside and then looked at Ham Eunjung, saying, "Don't you know? After being intimate with Soo Won, she looks radiant. Jiyeon looks several years younger, and her skin is firm again. I'm so envious of Qri unnie."

Meanwhile, Ham Eun-jung on the other side was watching the scene unfold before her. Sweet Eun-jung was lying on the side, and Lin Xiuyuan reached out to stop her, but ended up falling on top of her instead. And coincidentally, the figure that was being pressed down was 'himself'.

For a moment, she had a strange feeling of being a "stand-in".

The scene was already shocking enough for Ham Eun-jung, but the words that came out of her mouth made her brain explode again, and her ears were ringing.

What does "rejuvenation" mean? What does "great complexion" mean? What does "wait, Jiyeon?"

Suddenly grasping the key word, Ham Eun-jung turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan, who was already a little embarrassed and didn't dare to look Ham Eun-jung in the eye.

After a long pause, Ham Eun-jung's voice rang out, "No wonder I heard Ji-yeon talking about 'married woman' and 'old woman' earlier, so she was talking about her future self? And Soo-won, you... tsk, if little Ji-yeon knew, Soo-won..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her tone was meaningful.

"It's a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding. I'm a victim too."

Lin Xiuyuan, fearing that Ham Eunjung would tell Park Jiyeon about this, quickly tried to explain, but what came out of his mouth was, "Um... well... how about we order some late-night snacks first?"

Ham Eun-jung, whose expression had been somewhat serious, immediately turned to look at Sweet Eun-jung upon hearing this, and the two of them burst out laughing almost simultaneously.

As the same person with the same personality, how could Sweet Eun-jung not see that Ham Eun-jung was joking earlier?

However, despite the joke, Ham Eun-jung said seriously, "Soo-won, why don't you tell Ji-yeon? Whether she knows or not is one thing, but whether you tell her or not is another."

Sweet Eunjung nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Jiyeon used to care a lot about this, unlike now that she's grown up."

After listening to their conversation, Lin Xiuyuan scratched his head. "Let me think about it. Let's order some late-night snacks first. I'm hungry."

"Didn't you eat enough for dinner?"

"Hungry again."

Driven by Ham Eun-jung's curiosity, the group eventually ordered a bunch of takeout.

There were army stew, fried chicken, stir-fried rice cakes, and barbecue platters, etc. Because they were all large orders, the fragrant food was delivered over in no time.

When the phone rang, Lin Xiuyuan got up and went to the door to get the takeout. When he came back, he put the food on the coffee table and asked questions while unpacking the bag.

"Who wants spicy food? This stir-fried rice cake is extra spicy. If I don't tell you in advance, don't blame me if anyone coughs later."

"I!"

"I'll have some too."

The two "Eun-jungs" answered in unison, then smiled at each other.

Sweet Eun-jung glanced at Lin Xiu-yuan, raised the corners of her mouth and teased, "Xiu-yuan, isn't it redundant for you to ask this? Aren't we exactly the same taste?"

"Has it not changed at all over the years?" Ham Eun-jung asked curiously.

"Not much has changed. I don't really want to eat anymore after eating so much," Sweet Eun-jung nodded.

After speaking, Sweet Eun-jung even leaned lazily against the sofa, hugging a cushion, and teased Ham Eun-jung, "But I remember you probably don't dare to eat anything too spicy right now, do you?"

"Nonsense, I can eat more than you."

Ham Eun-jung raised an eyebrow in response, snatched the bamboo skewer Lin Xiuyuan offered, and directly picked up a piece of grilled pork belly and stuffed it into her mouth, "Hmm... it's grilled really well."

Seeing her feigned composure, Tian Enjing chuckled lightly but didn't expose her.

Instead, she shifted her body closer to Lin Xiuyuan and said in a slightly coquettish tone, "Xiuyuan, I want to eat that stir-fried rice cake. Can you get me some?"

"Okay."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled as he portioned out the food.

He carefully placed the cans on the coffee table, then handed each of the two people opposite him a can of soda. "Here, let's not drink alcohol anymore, let's have some soda and chat while we're sober."

The three of them moved the sofa and sat closer together around the coffee table.

The soup in the pot bubbled and boiled, steaming and filling the room with a warm, homey atmosphere.

"Honestly, the fact that Jiyeon got married first and then divorced really shocked me."

While eating, Ham Eun-jung shook her head, poking at her bowl and chopsticks. "Everyone in the group thought that Soyeon unnie would definitely get married first, and even she nodded in agreement. But it turned out to be Jiyeon. Do you know why?"

"It seems to be a family problem."

Sweet Eun-jung picked up a piece of crispy sausage and took a bite. Her tone softened a bit. "Her father has never been in good health. Although he had a liver transplant, his recovery has not been ideal. She said... she hopes that her father can see her get married while he is still conscious."

She paused for a moment, then added, "This is what Jiyeon told us back then. Actually, we all tried to dissuade her because it was too fast, even faster than Soyeon unnie. But you all know the final result now."

After hearing the answer, Lin Xiuyuan immediately retorted, "Sure enough, the reasons for marriage are nothing more than personal and family reasons. If it were just about personal reasons, there wouldn't be divorces, and family reasons..."

But as she spoke, she was locked in place by the gazes of the two 'Eunjungs', so she immediately raised her hands and said, "Okay, I won't say anymore, I'm going to have a midnight snack."

Afterwards, Sweet Eun-jung asked Ham Eun-jung how things were going in 2013, since with the addition of the uncertain factor of Lin Xiuyuan, things were bound to change.

So, while Sweet Eun-jung was explaining the situation to Ham Eun-jung, it was Ham Eun-jung's turn to explain the changes that had occurred in 13 to Sweet Eun-jung. Meanwhile, Lin Xiuyuan was still eating quietly, just like before.

Of course, when the conversation turned to him, and when Ham Eun-jung blamed him for all the mistakes, Lim Soo-won would also offer a few rebuttals.

The three of them bantered back and forth, eating and chatting at the same time.

Spicy rice cakes and instant noodles were bubbling in the hot pot, and the air was filled with the aroma of pepper and chili oil, along with the laughter of three young people.

The night breeze outside the window rustled the wind chimes, making them tinkle; the soft light inside cast the same outlines on Ham Eun-jung and Sweet Eun-jung's faces, yet their expressions were completely different.

One who still carries the heavy burden of reality, with occasional worries hidden in their eyes.

The other one had long since shed his naivety, his expression now showing more clarity and certainty.

"Seriously," Tian Enjing suddenly changed the subject, "Have you ever thought that if your time portal changes again in a few years, will there be a third me?"

"Oh my, don't scare me."

Lin Xiuyuan frowned as he ate a chicken wing. "The two timelines I have now are already enough to give me a headache. If another one comes along, I'm really afraid something bad will happen."

"Are you afraid that your future self will suddenly open the door and walk in?" Ham Eun-jung's lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"You two, stop teaming up to scare me." Lin Xiuyuan feigned pitifulness. "I'm just a little boy, I really can't handle this."

"Who's smaller?" Both Eunjungs looked up at him in unison, then burst out laughing.

Night slowly fell outside the window. In a corner of the tavern, three people sat around, laughing and chatting.

The miracles of time travel and the future trajectory of the world suddenly became less heavy; at least for this night, relaxation and warmth were the main themes.

However, in a corner that Tian Enjing ignored, a group chat on her phone kept sending messages.

……

Big Dragon Cub: [Unnie, reply to me! What gift did you receive?]

Lee Juri: [Exactly! You guys have been chatting for so long, aren't you done yet?]

Park Hyo-min: [I've been asking this for ages, what exactly are you guys doing?]

Big Dragon Cub: [It's all over, Qri unnie, Eunjung unnie won't be here...]

Lee Qri: [Ah... Jiyeon, stop talking! Eunjung, stop eating! You're not really eating Xiuyuan, are you...?]

……

Soon, it was past midnight.

After having a late-night snack, the three of them sat on the sofa chatting and laughing for a while, the atmosphere becoming more relaxed and familiar than at the beginning.

Sweet Eun-jung would occasionally raise her hand to yawn, while Ham Eun-jung leaned back on the sofa and gently rubbed her temples.

Seeing that they both looked a little tired, Lin Xiuyuan suggested, "Let's stop here for tonight, we have to get up early tomorrow."

"Are you going to take her home?"

Sweet Eunjung pointed at Ham Eunjung, and seeing Lin Yi nod, she immediately became interested, "Then I'll go take a look too. I've never seen that 'magical time portal' she just mentioned before, I'm a little curious."

"Let's go," Lin Xiuyuan agreed with a smile, without stopping him.

The three of them got up, quickly packed their things, and then left the tavern, one after the other. A gentle night breeze was blowing, and the streets were much quieter, with only the occasional headlights of passing cars illuminating the damp cobblestones of the alleyway.

Then they walked into the narrow and secluded alley next to the tavern. The dim streetlights cast three long shadows on the ground.

"It looks like a scene from a movie."

Looking at the shadow on the stone bricks under her feet, Tian Enjing said with a smile, but her pace did not slow down, "And Xiuyuan, I really didn't expect that you live right next door."

"In his words, it should be for emergency situations or temporary guest reception, which is both safe and convenient, right?"

Ham Eun-jung suddenly brought up what Lin Xiu-yuan had said before, making him chuckle, "I'm just too lazy to go too far."

Then he stopped and said, "Okay, we're here."

As her gaze shifted to the villa in front of her, Sweet Eun-jung, like the others before her, showed a somewhat surprised expression.

Especially when she followed Lin Xiuyuan into the courtyard and saw the large floor-to-ceiling windows with concealed lighting strips, the understated yet luxurious decor, she finally couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. "Wow~ Xiuyuan, are you sure you're not some rich second-generation heir? Or some low-key conglomerate?"

Standing in the living room, Sweet Eun-jung took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping back and forth across the room as she sighed in amazement.

"This is too outrageous... These villas aren't cheap, are they? Although Qri unnie also bought one, that was in the suburbs. This is Gangnam District. This is outrageous."

Lin Xiuyuan simply smiled slightly, offering no direct response.

After the two "Eun-jungs" looked around the room, he smiled and urged, "Alright, that's enough. We can take our time to explore next time. Now come over here quickly."

After saying that, he reached out and opened the time portal, and the lights in the apartment on the other side turned on in response, soft and warm.

Sweet Eun-jung immediately stepped forward, stood at the doorway, and looked inside, her gaze gradually shifting from curiosity to shock.

Then, looking at the completely different room layout, she couldn't help but whisper, "So this is real, not a science fiction movie."

"You just said you weren't surprised, but look, it's the same as before."

Ham Eun-jung shrugged, her tone seemingly indifferent, but her eyes involuntarily lingered for a few more seconds. "However, I was even more shocked than you when I first saw it. I wanted to turn around and run away."

"So if we just step through this door, we can go back to 2013?" Sweet Eun-jung asked in a low voice.

“Yes.” Lin Xiuyuan turned to look at Tian Enjing. “But if you’re going to come with me to take her back, you’d better wear a mask so as not to cause any trouble when you go through.”

"Understood." Tian Enjing nodded, took out a white mask she had prepared in advance from her pocket, and put it on skillfully.

Then, following in the footsteps of Lin Xiuyuan and Xian Enjing, they stepped across and returned to the apartment in 2013.

Standing in this familiar living room again, a complex look appeared in Ham Eun-jung's eyes.

The room remained as quiet as when she left. The few clothes draped on the sofa were untouched, and only the wall clock showed that it was 2:30 a.m.

"This is so smooth!" Sweet Eun-jung, who followed along, exclaimed. "There's no shaking at all, and I don't feel dizzy at all... I thought there would be some kind of time travel effect."

"You watch too many movies."

Upon hearing Tian Enjing's words, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled and gestured to Xian Enjing, "Let's go, we'll take you back to your dorm first."

……

The air was slightly cool in the dead of night, and the shadows of the trees swayed dappledly under the streetlights.

After dropping Ham Eun-jung off at her dorm, Lin Xiuyuan waved goodbye and asked, "Should I have a designated driver bring your car over tomorrow?"

Ham Eun-jung said, "No rush, I can go and open it myself. There are some personal belongings inside."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, said nothing more, waved goodbye, and then stepped on the gas and left the quiet neighborhood.

Watching the taillights of the car gradually disappear into the distance, Ham Eun-jung stood there in silence for a moment, then gently patted her cheeks and turned to walk back to her dormitory.

The experience of tonight, which lasted just over two hours, was truly breathtaking.

Soon after returning to her dorm, Ham Eun-jung changed into slippers and was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.

Footsteps came from the inner room, and Park Hyomin peeked out, a hint of relief in her eyes.

"Eun-jung, I thought you weren't coming back tonight either, leaving me all alone in the dorm."

Why make it sound so tragic? I just went out for a late-night snack.

Ham Eun-jung, having changed her shoes, walked into the living room, and then Park Hyo-min came over from the side, sniffing Ham Eun-jung all over with a nose like a puppy.

After a moment, he looked at her with some surprise, "...This doesn't taste right. It's stir-fried rice cakes, army stew, and it even tastes a bit like barbecue... You guys really just went out for a late-night snack?"

"Or what do you think?"

Hilariously pushing away Park Hyomin's noisy little head, Ham Eunjung was really glad that Lin Xiuyuan had actually ordered a late-night snack, otherwise she would have been exposed.

"I thought? I thought you two slept together." Park Hyomin changed the subject, her tone full of sarcasm.

"Xiuyuan isn't that kind of person, and... never mind, I won't say anything more."

Ham Eun-jung recalled the "constitution" theory that Sweet Eun-jung had mentioned before, though she couldn't quite believe it right now.

But she knew very well that given her personality, there must be a reason behind it, and this statement was not unfounded.

However, it was difficult to tell Park Hyo-min, so she stopped talking.

Seeing Ham Eun-jung's hesitant expression, Park Hyo-min sat down on the sofa suspiciously, crossed her arms, and looked at her. "Something's not right, something's very wrong. Eun-jung, why have you become like Ji-yeon since you came back? Why do you only say half of what you want to say?"

"Ji-yeon?"

Ham Eun-jung was taken aback, then suddenly seemed to understand something, her eyes flickering slightly.

at the same time.

On the way back to the apartment, Tian Enjing was sitting in the passenger seat, glancing sideways at Lin Xiuyuan who was driving, her tone slightly teasing.

"Xiuyuan, I'm really curious, how did you come up with the idea of ​​bringing me from 2013 into this? Forget about the big gift package, if you really wanted to give a gift, you could have just brought me over there."

"Then how can you be so certain that I definitely had other plans?"

Lin Xiuyuan gripped the steering wheel, a smile playing on his lips.

"Intuition," Sweet Eun-jung answered readily.

Upon hearing this answer, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled and then remarked, "Are all women's sixth senses that strong?"

"So you're admitting I guessed right?" Sweet Eun-jung raised an eyebrow.

Lin Xiuyuan nodded. "Actually, it's not that complicated. It's just that lately I've been feeling that Zhiyan here... is a bit lonely."

He spoke these words softly, yet with exceptional sincerity.

"Unlike Sulli, who had Krystal to confide in, or Yoona, who had Jessica and Taeyeon, Jiyeon usually had to rely on herself all the time."

These words made Sweet Eun-jung frown slightly. After glancing at him silently, she finally smiled and relaxed. "So you're going to take this fishing trip as an opportunity to see who's lucky and find Ji-yeon a companion, right?"

"More or less," Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

"I was thinking at the time, if the 25-year-old Jiyeon were caught, that would be a real headache. With the resentment that the younger Jiyeon harbors towards the future older Jiyeon... a full-blown fight could break out at any moment."

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Tian Enjing seemed to realize something and laughed, "Haha, indeed, Jiyeon at this age has quite a fiery temper."

"So it's a good thing it was you, or Qri would have been fine too. I was just hoping it wasn't Jiyeon, otherwise I probably would have been destroyed on the spot."

"Do you not want to see Jiyeon and the others fight each other, or do you not want to see yourself get hit by Jiyeon?"

In the passenger seat, Sweet Eun-jung suddenly looked at Lin Xiu-yuan with a very interesting expression, "I suddenly remembered something, it's that album of true fans that you gave to Ji-yeon, no doubt, it must have been made for you by Ji-yeon here."

"How come you're so smart?" Lin Xiuyuan smiled, not denying it.

Just a moment ago, Sweet Eun-jung was smiling, but the next second she suddenly looked serious and asked, "So, Soo-won, are you admitting that you were deceiving Ji-yeon from the beginning?"

"I admit that the first part was a deception, but I don't admit that what followed was a deception," Lin Xiuyuan replied calmly.

“It was a deception from the very beginning, so what was the point of what came after?” Sweet Eun-jung continued.

“Let me give you an example,” Lin Xiuyuan said as he drove. “I originally wanted to write 1000 on the check to give to you, but then I felt it was inappropriate, so I crossed out the ‘1’ and wrote 2000.”

"So, Eun-jung, do you think you'll ultimately get 2000 or 1000?"

After hearing the answer, Sweet Eun-jung replied, "I can't get any of them because the checks can't be cashed."

Then she smiled and said, "But I understand what you mean. You're telling me not to just focus on the starting point, but to look at the whole process and the result."

"That's roughly the idea." Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Then, after a moment of contemplation, Sweet Eun-jung said, "Your statement is almost exactly the same as Ji-yeon's answer to our question back then. She also said something harsh that left us speechless."

The next second, Lin Xiuyuan casually replied, "A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions, right?"

"You two are really in sync. Fine, since you all think it's a good idea, I won't get involved. But I hope Xiu Yuan will keep his word."

At this point, Sweet Eun-jung's smile slowly faded, "The Ji-yeon from 25 years ago is not as young as the one here, so it's best if she doesn't get hurt again."

"Tsk." Lin Xiuyuan clicked his tongue lightly. "Hearing you say that, I really want to go back tonight and force-feed her a few vials of rejuvenating pills."

Then Tian Enjing smiled happily, and at the same time was a little curious, "She'll probably be so happy, but seriously, Xiuyuan, is it really that effective?"

"How would I know? You should ask Jiyeon."

"She said you smell good, and Qri unnie has her eye on you too."

"..."

A moment of silence fell over the car, then the two of them burst out laughing at the same time.

On the way back, the night was gentle, and the city streets were quiet outside the car window. The two chatted and laughed all the way, and in the end, instead of going straight back to the apartment, they took a drive in the Seoul night.

Lin Xiuyuan only drove the car back to the apartment slowly after Tian Enjing had fallen asleep in her seat.

Then he gently woke her up, helped her, who was still a little dazed, through the time portal, and returned to 2025, taking her back to her apartment.

Looking at that beautiful figure lying quietly on the bed, it would be a lie to say that Lin Xiuyuan had no ulterior motives.

But that's just an idea.

His movements were always very restrained. He helped her take off her coat, covered her with a blanket, and placed a glass of warm water on the bedside table.

The movements were clean and without any overstepping of boundaries.

Unbeknownst to him, when he gently closed the bedroom door, his eyes, which had been closed, had quietly opened.

Sweet Eun-jung's eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes filled with a gentle smile and a hint of undisguised admiration.

After he left, she got up and went to the living room window. Watching the Mercedes slowly drive out of sight, she sighed softly and smiled.

"Xiuyuan, the road ahead is long and arduous, what a beautiful name."

……

……

The following morning, 2013, Seoul.

After spending the night sharing a bed with Sulli and Krystal, Park Jiyeon rushed back to the company early this morning to resume stage rehearsals.

But not long after, she noticed something was different.

That's Eunjung unnie today, always looking at me with a complicated expression.

The look in his eyes was filled with a smile, but also with a hint of pity and concern, which made Park Jiyeon feel inexplicably guilty and even wonder if she had done something wrong.

Until the rehearsal ended, when everyone collapsed on the ground to rest before lunch, Park Hyo-min was chatting with the dance teacher about her friends' recent situations. She inadvertently mentioned that so-and-so had gotten married again, which drew a lot of sighs.

As Park Jiyeon sat listening, she suddenly rolled her eyes and couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Old woman."

The next second, a pair of gentle hands landed on her shoulders, gently massaging her sore shoulders.

When Park Jiyeon turned around and saw Ham Eunjung, she was about to say "No need, unnie" when Ham Eunjung whispered something that struck her heart.

"Ji-yeon, please don't talk about yourself like that anymore. You'll have a tough time in the future too."

　Here's 7K first, the rest will be updated later.

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(End of this chapter)