Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 193 Jessica Jung: "I'm going to conquer the Chinese entertainment industry!" (Please subscribe and vote!)

"Huh, it's this guy."

"Who is it? Is it that newly popular idol who was just exchanging glances with you?"

Hearing Lin Xiuyuan mutter, Li Juli, who was standing next to him, immediately came over, took off her sunglasses, and glanced at his phone screen.

As a senior, even though she had been hiding in Lin Xiuyuan's arms, she still caught a glimpse of the subtle glances and movements between Lin Xiuyuan and Liu Zhimin out of the corner of her eye, and saw it all clearly.

Lee Juri absolutely does not believe that the two do not know each other.

"What are you thinking about? It's Sunny." Lin Xiuyuan smiled and then answered the phone, "Hello, Teacher Sunny, why are you calling me all of a sudden? That's rare."

Sunny's voice was filled with undisguised enthusiasm, "Xiuyuan, where are you now?"

On the other end of the phone, Sunny's background noise was a bit loud, but it gave Lin Xiuyuan a sense of familiarity. He replied, "I'm at the airport. You're not at the airport too, are you? The background noise sounds so familiar."

"Oh my god, really?" Sunny exclaimed in surprise, her voice rising several notches. "I just landed too, I'm really in Incheon. What brings you to the airport?"

"I just got off the plane."

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Sunny's cheerful laughter came from the other end of the phone, "Haha, me too, that's perfect, Xiuyuan, how are you planning to get back to Seoul?"

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, understanding her implication, "I see, no one's coming to pick you up, right?"

He glanced up at the cars not far away and said, "I'll send you my location. Come over to the parking lot. You'll be able to find your way back later, right?"

"Sure, hahaha."

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan hung up the phone, Jessica, who was in front, asked first, "Soon-kyu is here? Why would she call you to pick her up from the airport?"

There was a hint of curiosity in her tone.

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged and casually joked, "Yeah, why would she look for me instead of you? I really don't understand."

He then put down his phone, glanced at Jessica, shrugged and smiled, picked up his suitcase, and amidst Da Longzai's barely suppressed laughter, went to her side and called out, "Stop laughing, hurry up and open the trunk for me, put my luggage in."

Jessica, who had been rebuked, glared at the guy who ignored her, but her anger vanished the moment she looked at Lee Juri, who had completely removed her hat and sunglasses.

That face really shocked her, not just once, but every time she saw it, she was stunned for a while.

Then the group stood in front of the car, waiting for Sunny to arrive.

Then Da Longzai started the conversation, casting a curious glance at Li Juli and Lin Xiuyuan, and asked with a smile, "Xiuyuan, how was your trip to the Maldives? I noticed you two had a lot of fun, didn't you?"

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, full of the comfort of a vacation, "Ask is useless. If you want to go, we can just go together next time."

“If it weren’t for work, I would have gone with you this time. What a pity.” Da Longzai pursed his lips and continued, “Next time I have time, I really want to go and have some fun. I feel that the island you guys went to this time is more fun than the ones we went to on our own.”

"And it's more expensive, isn't it, Juri?" Lin Xiuyuan turned to look at Li Juri.

After all, this person basically covered all the expenses for the trip. Although he didn't ask about the specific amount, judging from his experience, it was definitely not cheap.

Lee Juri, however, smiled calmly and said, "It's really not expensive. I think it's worth the price."

Her words made Da Longzai laugh out loud.

It's not just worth the price, it's a steal! Unnie~
Just as they were having a lively conversation, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly heard footsteps making a "pat pat pat" sound on the ground.

Then, turning around, they saw Sunny pushing a suitcase towards them.

Her appearance instantly attracted the attention of the people around him.

When Sunny approached, the scene of people standing in front of the car surprised her.

So he paused slightly, his gaze first falling on Li Juli standing next to Lin Xiuyuan, and then glancing at Da Longzai and Jessica.

These figures startled Sunny for a few seconds, a look of surprise appearing on her face. Then she smiled gently and stepped forward.

"Wow, you're all here! That's a surprise."

After walking over, Sunny couldn't help but smile and greet everyone. Her eyes were still full of surprise, but she quickly regained her usual liveliness and enthusiasm. "Xiuyuan, why didn't you tell me everyone was here? I thought it was just you."

“You didn’t ask either,” Lin Xiuyuan said with a smile.

Sunny listened to Lin Xiuyuan's answer, but her gaze fell on Li Juli and Da Longzai. The two seemed to be even more radiant than she remembered.

It seemed as if it had shed its accumulated fatigue and was now radiating a completely new vitality.

"Um……"

Sunny couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, her eyes filled with astonishment and joy, "Unnie, you and Jiyeon... have we really not seen each other for so long? You've both changed so much."

Li Juli and Da Longzai exchanged a smile and quickly responded modestly.

"No, it's still the same as always."

"Yes, you've had such a long time since you've seen us that you're having this misconception."

The three of them struck up a lively conversation, reminiscing about shared memories and quickly bridging the gap between them. The atmosphere naturally became familiar and relaxed.

Jessica, standing to the side, seemed somewhat detached. Her gaze lingered on Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes holding an ambiguous meaning. After a while, she looked away and began catching up with Sunny.

"Alright, stop standing there chatting like idiots."

Lin Xiuyuan interrupted everyone's pleasantries with a smile, taking Sunny's suitcase with one hand, "Let's put the luggage in the car quickly, let's leave early and not get stuck in traffic at the airport."

Everyone then came to their senses and got into the car one after another.

After everyone got into the car, Lin Xiuyuan also got into the driver's seat and started the engine. The car gradually drove away from the airport, onto the highway, and headed towards Seoul.

Laughter frequently filled the carriage as people chatted about everything from recent events to past collaborations and embarrassing moments, with hardly a dull moment.

Lin Xiuyuan remained focused on the road ahead, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel. He would occasionally glance at the familiar faces in the back seat through the rearview mirror, a slight smile playing on his lips, but he did not join in their lively conversation.

At this moment, Sunny suddenly turned to Lin Xiuyuan and asked with a hint of curiosity, "By the way, Xiuyuan, is your little bar finished being renovated? I haven't been able to go and take a proper look yet."

Hearing her question, Lin Xiuyuan kept his eyes on the road and replied briefly, "It's all settled. Just let me know when you're done with your work."

Sunny nodded, then asked, "So, Xiuyan, why did you come here today too?"

Jessica smiled calmly and replied, "No, I just happened to have an appointment to play tennis with Jiyeon today. When I heard that she was coming to pick someone up, I just came over on the way."

“I see.” Sunny nodded, her tone light.

But in his heart, he didn't believe a single punctuation mark; something must be going on. So his eyes darted back and forth between the group of people.

At the same time, he thought to himself: Seoul is still the best. Seoul has flower fields and melon fields.

The car continued its relaxed conversation as it drove along, with no pressure or restraint in the atmosphere.

Lin Xiuyuan was still the one who spoke the least, but he would occasionally chime in with a word or two, always managing to set the pace perfectly.

About an hour later, the car entered downtown Seoul. The tall buildings outside the window gradually increased, and the crowds became denser.

At this moment, Da Longzai leaned out of the back seat and suggested to Lin Xiuyuan, who was driving, "Xiuyuan, let's have lunch together. It just so happens that we're all here."

"I'm afraid it won't work this time. I have something to take care of and need to go there. Maybe next time?"

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the big dragon cub beside him and smiled apologetically.

"Sigh, I'm so busy."

After making a joke with a smile, the little dragon didn't press the matter further, saying, "Let's wait until next time."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded slightly, and after dropping them off at Jessica's parking spot, he got into Da Longzai's car and drove towards his villa.

After returning to the villa, Lin Xiuyuan went to the master bedroom and took a refreshing hot shower.

Then he changed into a clean shirt and trousers, deftly picked out a watch from the wardrobe and put it on, before walking to the living room on the first floor.

Finally, he glanced down at the time on his watch and went straight to the familiar time portal in the corner of the living room.

He stood there in silence for a few seconds, then reached out and grasped the doorknob.

With a slight tightening of his fingers, he gently pushed the door open.

……

……

A quiet apartment in Seoul in 2013.

The midday sun streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft shadow on the wooden floor.

The air still carries the scent of fragrance, subtle and sweet without being cloying.

The bedroom door suddenly clicked open.

Jessica Jung rubbed her sleepy eyes as she came out, wearing a soft pink cotton pajama set that was loose and languid, with ruffles at the cuffs.

She wore a slightly flamboyant bunny ear headband, her long hair was casually tied up, and a strand of hair hung down by her ear, swaying slightly with her light steps.

She yawned widely and stretched, her whole being seemingly floating slowly out of a dream, exuding an effortless sense of relaxation and beauty.

The sunlight slanted across her cheeks, highlighting her fair and delicate skin.

Just as she was yawning and about to walk to the counter on the side of the living room to pour herself a glass of water, she suddenly heard a crisp "click".

She was slightly taken aback, then turned her head and saw the door to the adjacent secondary bedroom being pushed open at that moment.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was just in a villa in 2025, crossed the threshold of time and space and walked in.

When she looked up, she bumped right into Jessica Jung, who was wearing pajamas, bunny ears, and looked completely dazed.

Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze for a second.

"Oh, Lin Xiuyuan, what brings you here all of a sudden?"

Jessica Jung instinctively jumped back a step, letting out a startled cry as if she had been electrocuted, even her bunny ear headband wobbled twice.

"What's your name?"

Lin Xiuyuan closed the door, chuckled, and muttered, "Didn't you send me a message yesterday telling me to come over 'before noon'?"

“I…uh…” Jessica Jung was speechless for a moment.

"And you not only sent a message, but you also called Shirley and told her to make sure to let me know." Lin Xiuyuan said, switching hands and putting his hand into his pocket, looking relaxed.

"..."

Jessica Jung opened her mouth, wanting to find a reason to refute, but found that everything the other party said was true, and she had no way to fight back.

She was so angry that her teeth itched, but she couldn't find a reasonable way to retaliate, so she could only glare at the other person.

But when she glared at him, she discovered that Lin Xiuyuan's gaze hadn't left her since the beginning.

To be precise, it stopped at the set she was wearing... pink cotton pajamas that looked a bit childish and cute.

"Lin Xiuyuan, what are you looking at?" Jessica Jung frowned suspiciously.

Then, she subconsciously looked down and her expression immediately changed, because she realized that she wasn't wearing a bra at all; the neckline was loose, and her pajamas were clinging to her body, leaving her completely unguarded. "Still looking?"

So he quickly covered his clothes and turned to walk back to the bedroom.

Just then, Lin Xiuyuan's laughter came from behind, "Cotton bunny pajamas, tsk tsk, Krystal was right after all."

The voice continued lazily, as if commenting on an impromptu fashion show, "Don't worry, Jessica Jung. Compared to bunny pajamas, I still prefer lace, openwork, and silk slip dress pajamas. I can tell the difference."

He paused, then added with a playful smile, "Don't worry, I'm not blind."

"If you dare utter another word, believe me, I'll whip you with a slipper in a minute, Lin Xiuyuan!!!"

An angry voice came from the bedroom. Before the words were finished, a rabbit ear headband flew out and headed straight for Lin Xiuyuan's forehead.

Lin Xiuyuan nimbly dodged to the side, laughing even more unrestrainedly, "Not bad, pretty accurate."

In the bedroom, Jessica Jung stood angrily in front of the wardrobe, the words "lace, openwork, and suspender skirt" echoing repeatedly in her mind.

Her gaze swept across the wardrobe, only to find that she didn't have any of those so-called "sexy little nightgowns".

All made of pure cotton, loose-fitting, warm, and cute.

I don't have any of the best equipment to fight off perverts.

Finally, Jessica Jung gritted her teeth, and suddenly had a brilliant idea. She pulled out a black tank top from the depths of her wardrobe, paired it with beige high-waisted denim shorts, and then put on a pair of sandals.

Simple and direct, the plan is to give Lin Xiuyuan a visual shock.

A few minutes later, Jessica Jung stood in front of the mirror, examining her reflection with satisfaction.

The black tank top clung to her figure, the soft fabric against her skin, making her long, swan-like neck and delicate collarbones look exceptionally charming.

The two thin, hair-like bra straps slid perfectly across her shoulders, rising and falling slightly with her light breaths, alluring yet natural.

Following the hem of her clothes were denim shorts that reached her upper thighs, with frayed edges that curled up naturally, perfectly outlining her slender waist and shapely, straight legs.

The skin glowed with a delicate luster in the sunlight streaming through the window, as clean as polished porcelain.

Wearing simple flip-flops and sporting cool black nail polish, she added a sharp edge to her "casual and sexy" outfit.

Then she casually tossed her long, smooth hair, letting it cascade down to her shoulders like a waterfall, gently covering them, yet subtly concealing them, striking the perfect balance.

With a smirk playing on her lips, Jessica Jung's eyes held a hint of malice. "Hmph, Lin Xiuyuan, you just wait."

After examining herself in the mirror one last time, Jessica Jung smiled with satisfaction, opened the door, and strode out of the bedroom, thinking to herself: This will show Lin Xiuyuan what "visual impact" really means.

Jessica Jung thought Lin Xiuyuan was eagerly waiting for her, but as soon as she stepped out, she saw him sitting cross-legged on the living room sofa, holding the remote control and watching a variety show on TV with great interest, completely unaware of her presence.

"You...you..." Jessica Jung almost laughed out of anger.

Then, she stood angrily in front of him, striking a powerful pose, chest out and head held high, waiting for that intense gaze that followed her amazement.

As a result, five seconds passed, then ten seconds, and Lin Xiuyuan didn't even lift his eyelids.

Jessica Jung's chest heaved violently with her emotions, a surge of anger welled up inside her, and she grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at the source.

"Lin! Xiu! Yuan!!"

"Ouch!" Lin Xiuyuan instinctively dodged to the side, and the pillow grazed his shoulder and hit him behind him before he finally looked up.

A tank top, hot pants, long legs... plus her long hair that had just been tousled, she looked like she had stepped out of a magazine, sexy but not over the top, refined but not pretentious.

Looking at Jessica Jung in front of him, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly recalled Jessica in 2025, whom he had just separated from.

The 25-year-old Jessica is clearly not as good as the 13-year-old Jessica Jung in front of us.

Her skin wasn't as radiant, and her expression betrayed a hint of fatigue and weariness. Despite her refined and elegant appearance, the "girlish charm" had long since faded, and her occasional dazed look revealed her undeniable exhaustion.

But the Jessica Jung in front of me is like a freshly picked summer fruit, bright, flamboyant, and sweet with a hint of bitterness.

The subtle sheen on the shoulder straps, collarbone, and neckline exudes a fatal attraction in every detail.

This is a youth that Jessica can never reclaim, no matter how much she throws a tantrum.

"Wow, this outfit..." After looking at it, Lin Xiuyuan's lips curled up slightly, and a mischievous smile flashed in his eyes. "Changed your style today? Xiuyan, hot women's clothing."

His tone was languid, but his eyes clearly lingered on her several times. "Give me a score, um... 8.8."

"Only 8.8?" Jessica Jung put her hands on her hips, her eyes wide with anger.

"You deducted 1.2 points from my TV time," Lin Xiuyuan said matter-of-factly.

"..."

Jessica Jung almost threw something at him again.

Lin Xiuyuan smiled and leaned back on the sofa again, saying lazily, "But to be honest, you look much more attractive in this outfit than in those bunny pajamas."

"Hmph, I don't need your opinion." Jessica Jung snorted and turned to sit on the single sofa opposite her. "Besides, this is a 'refreshing summer style,' not the 'spicy girl style' you're talking about."

"Okay, okay, you're right." Lin Xiuyuan raised his hands in surrender, blinked, and said, "So why did you call me here from 2025 in the middle of the day?"

Jessica rolled her eyes and said lazily, "Looking for you?"

She raised her chin, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Of course, it's something important."

"What's the big deal?" Lin Xiuyuan looked at her warily.

Jessica Jung didn't speak immediately. Instead, she lowered her head and remained silent for a few seconds, as if she was thinking seriously, before slowly raising her eyes to speak.

"I was thinking, you said that Jiyeon and the others were able to succeed so much in the Chinese entertainment industry, so if I went there and gave it a try, would I be able to succeed too?"

When she said this, her expression became much more serious, and a hint of caution appeared in her eyes. "Look, in that timeline of 25 years ago, I also went there. Soojung also said that I made a lot of money later, which shows that I can accomplish things."

"you?"

Lin Xiuyuan was somewhat shocked after hearing the answer, and then continued, "Wait a minute, are you sure you didn't misunderstand? It should be Girls' Generation together, right?"

"No, it's just me." Jessica Jung shook her head, her tone certain.

Lin Xiuyuan frowned. "But you haven't gone solo or released a solo album, so how are you going to develop your career there?"

"I rely on my personal activities," Jessica Jung replied casually.

"Then you have to share the money you earn with the other members, right? When you think about it that way, you don't really need to work so hard, do you?"

After Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Jessica Jung laughed, but also asked in a somewhat strange tone, "Wait, who told you about this profit-sharing method?"

Seeing Jessica Jung's reaction, Lin Xiuyuan said with some surprise, "Isn't that right? I've seen a lot of comments online saying that the most popular members in the group work themselves to the bone to earn money, but the income has to be split equally among them, while the others just lie around and enjoy the fruits of others' labor, living a very comfortable life."

"Nonsense."

After making a comment, Jessica Jung paused for a moment before continuing, "Small companies are probably like this, but SM isn't. Our company just takes a higher cut, but the income from individual activities belongs to the individual and isn't shared with the members. So when Yoona made a lot of money a few years ago, quite a few people were envious."

"Really?" Lin Xiuyuan's eyes widened. "Won't the members in the group who don't have any solo activities be upset?"

"What's all the fuss about?" Jessica Jung said calmly. "Don't the popular members also contribute to the group? The group's resources are still shared by everyone. As long as it's not too obvious, no one has any reason to argue. They should even say thank you."

"What about the case of missing A?"

Lin Xiuyuan pondered her words, then suddenly thought of something and gave an example.

Jessica Jung bluntly stated, "I know what you're trying to say, anti-explosive, right?"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Seeing this, Jessica Jung raised her index finger and shook it gently. "Before that, Xiuyuan, there's something you need to know?"

"What?" Lin Xiuyuan asked curiously.

Then Jessica Jung raised an eyebrow, grabbed a cushion, hugged it, and began to explain.

"That means the kind of 'anti-popularity' thing usually only happens to idols whose earning power and popularity are not commensurate. For example, if you have a lot of popularity but your monetization ability is too low, not as fast or as high as the team's monetization speed and potential, then the company will definitely take measures to prevent you from dragging the whole group down."

Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly, saying, "That seems to make some sense."

At this point, Jessica Jung paused, then continued speaking with a sharper tone.

"But if your earning power and popularity are equal, and your monetization ability exceeds that of the portfolio, then there's no such thing as protection against collapse; the company will protect you very well."

For example, Yoona back then, Hara from the early days of KARA, and Victoria from f(x) when they first debuted.

All of this boils down to prioritizing profit. If you don't earn enough money and keep exploiting others' popularity, the company will eventually sideline you.

Finally, Jessica Jung added, "And as far as I know, JYP and YG groups don't split individual income. I don't know where you heard about splitting. But if it's other smaller companies, I really don't know."

"I understand. So you want to go to China to make money as soon as possible?" Lin Xiuyuan nodded after hearing the explanation and then said.

"Can't you use your brain for once?" Jessica Jung rolled her eyes at him. "What I lack right now isn't money, it's popularity and influence, okay? A market of over a billion people, even just a small portion of it is enough for me to expand my brand line."

As she spoke, she curled her lips into a confident smile, "Once my own brand is officially launched and I have the foundation in China, then my development will truly be like riding the waves."

"So essentially it's still paving the way, preparing for your design dream?" Lin Xiuyuan said speechlessly.

"Well, I've been looking at online comments and news these past few days, and I've noticed that only the media on the Korean Peninsula are really active. Outside of the Korean Peninsula, there's been almost no overseas media buzz."

At this point, Jessica Jung narrowed her eyes slightly, "If you look at it this way, and I have to choose a popular location, then I don't want to stay in a gradually marginalized market and give up the future center of the world."

"They have great vision and a lot of ideas."

Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback by her train of thought and nodded, but then asked curiously, "But why are you telling me all this? Shouldn't you be discussing this with your company?"

When asked, Jessica Jung paused for a moment and lowered her voice, "Because I need you to give me some confidence."

She looked at Lin Xiuyuan earnestly, her tone unusually frank, "Although I think this decision is right, I still feel a little uneasy. You know, this is related to my future path. A small deviation could lead me completely astray... just like Jessica in 2025."

That part of herself that went astray is currently the most difficult shadow to dispel in Jessica Jung's heart.

She knew, and was very clear, that she needed a supporter at this time, and that person was Lin Xiuyuan.

After hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh. He stood up and patted his knees. "Then let's go. I'll take you on a trip to 2025. There are some things you won't believe if I tell you; you have to see them with your own eyes."

Jessica Jung smiled, nodded slightly, and stood up as well.

I went back to my room, grabbed a light-colored straw hat, put it on, and then stepped out the door, ready to step into that familiar yet unfamiliar year of 2025 once again.

Moreover, Jessica Jung had a strange feeling that as long as she stayed by the side of the guy in front of her, she would have no more confusion or hesitation.

Besides support, Lin Xiuyuan seemed to give her a sense of confidence.

A sense of security that comes from having someone behind you.

　As usual, I'll update another chapter later. You can wait until tomorrow to read it.

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(End of this chapter)