Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 204 You cook for her, I'll cook with you (Please subscribe and vote)

On a summer afternoon in Tokyo, sunlight streams down between the skyscrapers of Ginza, refracting into shimmering spots on the glass curtain walls.

Wearing sunglasses and masks, the six members of T-ara strolled briskly through the streets and alleys, full of enthusiasm.

While studying a food map on her phone, Park Hyomin cheerfully issued orders like a commander, "Unnie~ We absolutely have to try that Wagyu beef BBQ place today, so we'll have BBQ for lunch and matcha beer for dinner, perfect itinerary, let's go~"

"Agreed!" Lee Qri, Park Jiyeon, and the others said in unison, seconding the decision without hesitation.

A burst of light laughter echoed through the streets and alleys, as if they had instantly returned to their carefree student days.

They walked and chatted, occasionally stopping at the convenience store to take selfies and group photos, enjoying this rare moment of relaxation.

After strolling around for a while, when they arrived at a shopping mall, Park Jiyeon and Ham Eunjung went to an outdoor cafe to reserve seats, ordered drinks, and waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

At the same time, it's also a good opportunity to quietly get down to business.

"Eunjung unnie".

After sitting down, Park Jiyeon spoke softly, her fingertips gently tracing the tabletop, as if she were organizing her thoughts.

“I talked to Jinri again these past two days, and I still think you should really try for that supporting role that Yoona unnie played. Although it's just a supporting role, the character's brilliance in that script is really on par with the leading ladies in other scripts this second half of the year.”

Her tone was anxious and tinged with worry, and she looked intently at Ham Eun-jung, as if afraid that the other party might hesitate or back down due to pride or other concerns.

Unexpectedly, Ham Eun-jung laughed after hearing this, and then nodded, "What are you thinking? I've already spoken to the company, and oppa is also working hard to contact the TV station and writer Kim."

Upon receiving this answer, Park Jiyeon smiled, her eyes showing a hint of relief. "That's great! Actually, that drama is really good. When we get back to Seoul, we can go and watch it with oppa. That way, unnie will feel more confident."

Ham Eun-jung raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with emotion, "Yeah, I know. Actually, what happened that night still feels a bit like a dream to me, not quite real."

“I understand what you mean, Unnie. For example, the first two or three times I interacted with you, it felt like a dream.”

Park Jiyeon nodded, then looked at the street scene in the distance, her tone gradually softening, "It wasn't until after several attempts, and after my father's condition was diagnosed and confirmed, that I felt a sense of reality, and my heart was filled with anxiety."

"Ah, it'll be several more days before we can go back, right? Hearing you say that makes me even more eager to come," Ham Eun-jung added with a smile.

At this moment, the waiter brought the drinks. After thanking him, Ham Eun-jung teased Ji-yeon, "If I had known this would happen, I should have invited Soo-won to Tokyo and bought an apartment there, so we could go back anytime."

"Yes, that's what I was thinking too. I have been looking at houses recently, but the ones in good locations are all too expensive, and my budget can't keep up."

Park Jiyeon gently swirled her cup, shrugging helplessly. "The cheaper ones are too small, and there aren't many rooms available... We can only wait and see for now."

Actually, she had considered making a move immediately, but she had invested almost all of her available cash.

She has no worries about her daily life right now, but when it comes to big purchases like buying a house, her savings are indeed a bit tight.

“I have money here, I’ll just buy it. Jiyeon, didn’t you say that you need to pay membership fees to join the church?” Ham Eunjung joked with a smile.

Upon hearing this answer, Park Jiyeon immediately covered her head and let out an exaggerated wail, "Ah, unnie, if you do this, it makes it seem like I haven't paid my membership fee yet."

No sooner had she finished complaining than Ham Eun-jung delivered another blow, "Huh? Didn't you already pay your membership fee?"

"Huh? When did I submit it?" Park Jiyeon looked shocked, her eyebrows almost popping out of her forehead. "How come I didn't know!"

Ham Eun-jung raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on her face as she reminded him, "Didn't you team up with Soo-won to swindle your 25-year-old self? Even Dae Ji-yeon over there got tricked and ended up in the same situation."

Because Ham Eun-jung only chatted with Sweet Eun-jung for one night, she only had a superficial understanding of most of the situation over the past 25 years, as well as how much information was exchanged between the two timelines.

So much so that it's completely unclear whether Park Jiyeon understands or doesn't when she says these things.

And after seeing Park Jiyeon's bewildered expression, he added, "Didn't you tell me a couple of days ago that you planned to trick your future self, who went astray, into marrying Xiuyuan? You've already successfully completed your plan."

"Hey~ wait a minute, wait a minute, unnie, what you're saying sounds like..."

Upon hearing this, Park Jiyeon immediately straightened up, her eyes wide, "Oppa really got together with that old woman over there?!"

Just then, Ham Eun-jung smiled slightly at her, "Ji-yeon~"

"I know, I know!" Park Jiyeon gritted her teeth and changed her words, "Jiyeon, Jiyeon, I understand, I know. So unnie, you mean, oppa and that old Jiyeon are already... hooking up, right?"

"Your use of the word 'old' and the word 'do'... sigh..."

Ham Eun-jung sighed, rubbing her forehead, and shook her head helplessly.

Faced with Park Jiyeon's rebelliousness, what could she say? She could only pamper her own maknae. "Well, the two of them are together, or rather, they're more like lovers."

"How did you know, unnie?" Park Jiyeon frowned, her tone full of complex emotions.

Ham Eun-jung countered with a question, "What do you think?"

This question startled Park Jiyeon, but she quickly realized that Ham Eunjung must have heard it from her future self.

Then he gritted his teeth and said, "Ugh, that old woman is already like this, and she still won't give up and comes here to eat young grass? Wait a minute, why didn't oppa tell me?"

"Oh, you didn't know?"

Park Jiyeon's answer finally made Ham Eunjung understand the situation, and she looked at her with some surprise.

Park Jiyeon shook her head, her face filled with a bewildered expression that said, "I've been kept in the dark." "I don't know! Ah, I'm going crazy, unnie! That old woman is really awful!"

"Ji-yeon~" Ham Eun-jung called her gently, wanting to offer some words of advice.

"Ah, unnie, this is really too much." Park Jiyeon didn't care about addressing her at this point.

And I have this urge to rush back to Seoul and find a ring to settle things with that old woman from the past 25 years, and have a real-life showdown.

Whoever loses gets kicked out, the winner takes all.

Thinking of this, Park Jiyeon suddenly remembered something, "Wait a minute, I remember when oppa and Jinri came to Tokyo last time, they stayed at the same hotel. Could oppa come to their hotel room?"

"Hmm? I really didn't know that. Do you want to try it?" Ham Eun-jung's eyes widened.

"I want to go over there and give that old... Ji-yeon a good beating."

Park Jiyeon, who wanted to continue speaking, changed her form of address back to Ham Eunjung after meeting her slightly smiling gaze.

Hearing this, Ham Eun-jung smiled with satisfaction, "Then you'll have to ask Xiu Yuan, but there are so many surveillance cameras over there, it's not very safe."

"Ugh……"

Upon hearing the word "safety," Park Jiyeon instantly deflated like a punctured balloon, her entire demeanor drooping.

Then she looked at Ham Eun-jung, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Unnie, let's go buy a house."

Ham Eun-jung looked at the maknae in front of her, who was still angry but had a bright smile. However, the image of the other woman in Sweet Eun-jung's phone, with empty eyes and a thin face, appeared in her mind, and her heart sank slightly.

But she didn't say anything, only smiled indulgently again and nodded, "Okay~ Buy it, buy it~"

The two smiled at each other, the Tokyo summer sun shining on their faces, warm and just right.

Just then, several members carrying shopping bags walked towards us from a distance, their faces full of smiles and satisfaction.

In this moment, youth shines brightly, and friendship sparkles.

Even if reality is as complex as a mystery, at least for now, they still possess the gentlest of qualities.

……

……

Around noon, Lin Xiuyuan, who had slept soundly all morning in his Seoul apartment, finally woke up from his deep sleep.

He lingered in bed for a while, stretched, and then slowly walked into the bathroom. After a quick wash, he opened the door and came out.

In the living room, Shirley was curled up on the sofa, watching a variety show on TV while typing away on the laptop on her lap.

The screen is displaying the script selection document that everyone compiled after discussing it last night.

Hearing the noise from the bedroom door, Shirley instinctively turned her head to look. Seeing Lin Xiuyuan come out, her eyes immediately curved into a smile, and a light, cheerful smile appeared on her lips. "Good morning, oppa~"

"Good morning, Shirley. Why are you up so early? Aren't you sleepy?"

Lin Xiuyuan asked, yawning.

Sherry gently pushed the computer aside, got up and poured him a glass of ice water, her voice soft, "It's alright, I just woke up not long ago, I didn't get up too early."

After handing the water glass to Lin Xiuyuan, he casually asked, "Oppa, is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll get you something."

Lin Xiuyuan took the water glass, took a sip, and glanced at the wall clock; it was already past 11 a.m.

So she shook her head and said with a smile, "It's almost noon, let's not bother anymore. Let's rest for a while, and then we'll go to the villa and order some takeout. Krystal seems to have gone back to Seoul today too, so we can get together."

Shirley nodded obediently and agreed.

Just as she was about to sit back down on the sofa, her phone rang. Shirley glanced down at the caller ID and answered with a smile, "Hey, Soojung, what's up?"

"Sulli, where are you right now?" Krystal asked on the other end of the phone.

"I'm at home," Shirley replied naturally.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Krystal Jung was standing at the door of Sulli's former apartment, having rang the doorbell several times, but no one answered.

Then he frowned suspiciously, "That can't be right, I'm right at your door right now, I've practically worn out the doorbell."

"Ah~"

Upon hearing this, Shirley glanced around and then seemed to remember something. She burst into laughter, "Oh, Soojung, I recently moved to a different place."

She spoke casually, her laughter tinged with embarrassment.

Since she was living with Lin Xiuyuan, it wasn't appropriate to explain the details to the other members, so she didn't inform them beforehand.

"Okay, where are you staying now? I'll come over to see you. I have some questions about the script that I need to ask you."

As for Sulli moving, Krystal didn't think much of it. After all, there are some things that don't need to be said in public, and people need their own private space.

However, Sulli glanced at Lin Xiuyuan beside her with a headache because of Jung Soo-jung's question.

The latter noticed her predicament, smiled gently at her, and then pointed to the portal in the corner of the room that led to the tavern, meaning: I'll leave first, you can make your own arrangements without worry.

Hearing this, Sulli hesitated for a moment before giving the address of the bar, "Soojung, let's meet at oppa's bar. I'm a little hungry, let's go out and get something to eat and chat at the same time."

Upon hearing this, Jung Soo-jung, who had already turned and walked towards the elevator to get to her car in the parking lot, immediately had some uneasy thoughts.

She wondered if Shirley was in a relationship and didn't want her to know.

Or perhaps there's some secret or something that's hard to reveal.

But she wasn't the type to get to the bottom of things; although she was a little curious, she kept it to herself.

After thinking for a moment, she softly replied, "Okay, I'll go over now."

"Well, see you later."

After Shirley hung up the phone, Lin Xiuyuan immediately asked, "Why didn't you let her come over? It would have saved you from having to go out again."

Shirley pouted and replied softly, "Forget it, I'm afraid that next time Soojung will just block the door again, which would be troublesome. It's safer to meet outside."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan, a slightly apologetic smile on her lips. "But in that case, I won't be able to go back to the villa to meet Xiujing. Oppa, could you please tell her for me that we'll see each other tonight, and I'll make her something delicious to make it up to her?" Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and tapped her head lightly. "What kind of nonsense are you thinking? It's not like we're never going to see each other again, what are you talking about?"

Shirley smiled gently, lowered her head and obediently replied, "I know, I won't say that again next time."

Without further delay, the two quickly left the apartment.

One walked down to the small bar, while the other went through a time portal to the villa 25 years in the past.

However, to Lin Xiuyuan's surprise, as soon as he stepped into the villa, there was already a figure sitting quietly on the sofa in the living room.

Afternoon sunlight streamed into the living room through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the entire space in a gentle golden glow.

That familiar figure sat in the center of the sofa, wearing a light khaki work jacket, leaning slightly forward, making her long legs appear even straighter and more elegant.

He was holding an unopened bag of snacks in his hand, but seemed to have completely forgotten about it.

The other person's profile was still as fair and delicate as when we last met, with skin as translucent as cream, as if it could bounce back with a gentle pinch.

Her eyebrows and eyes were delicate, yet they concealed the sharp features unique to a mature woman, and her light pink lips were like petals blooming in early spring, gentle yet with a touch of coolness.

So when Lin Xiuyuan pushed open the door and his eyes fell on her, he froze.

At the same time, Krystal also keenly sensed his arrival.

"Krystal, what's wrong with you..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Krystal suddenly stand up and, almost without hesitation, rush towards him like a kite with its string undone.

In those few short steps, her coat fluttered slightly with her movements, and the idly folded cushion she was playing with on her wrist instantly fell to the ground.

Then, with another light leap, she landed straight into Lin Xiuyuan's arms.

Before Lin Xiuyuan could even react, his swift movements had already caused him to instinctively open his arms.

"Hey...wait a minute..."

He quickly steadied himself before Krystal crashed into him, reaching out to support her slender waist the instant she bumped into him. He then gently held her in his arms with one hand supporting her pert buttocks to prevent her from falling.

Before Lin Xiuyuan could react, Krystal cupped his face in her hands and, without hesitation or warning, planted a firm kiss on his lips.

"..."

"..."

The entire villa fell silent instantly, with only the soft, intermittent breathing of the two people remaining.

Her lips were so soft they were almost unreal, with a slight coolness that they made Lin Xiuyuan feel a surge of heat from his heart to his limbs, as if he had been suddenly set on fire.

Then he chuckled softly, "Is it really necessary? It hasn't been that long since we last met, why the rush?"

Krystal didn't intend to chat with him. Instead, she gently whispered in his ear with a slightly arrogant yet matter-of-fact tone, "Don't worry about how long it's been, I'm going crazy missing you anyway, so why don't you kiss me back?"

Lin Xiuyuan was momentarily speechless at her sudden enthusiasm, the soft warmth of her lips still lingering on his lips, and the fragrance of her body filling his nostrils.

With each breath, the clean fruity scent and the refreshing smell of shampoo blend together to create a familiar aroma that gently stirs the soul.

Krystal, nestled in his arms, clung to his neck, her small face pressed tightly against his shoulder, as if she wanted to pour out all the longing she had felt over the past few days at once, leaving him no room to escape.

"Krystal, have you been letting yourself go more and more lately?"

Lin Xiuyuan smiled as he gently supported her waist and patted her back lightly under her loose coat, his movements unconsciously tender.

Krystal tilted her head back, her watery eyes filled with a hint of pride, and said, "So what if I'm going to fly free?"

Her voice was soft and sweet with a hint of provocation, like a kitten rubbing against someone and begging for attention.

"Alright, alright." Lin Xiuyuan shook his head helplessly, but his eyes were full of smiles.

Then Krystal snuggled against him again, like a kitten deliberately acting cute. Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she pulled away slightly from his embrace, but her arms were still wrapped around his neck. She blinked and looked at Lin Xiuyuan up close.

"By the way, this morning, Unnie started complaining to me about what happened last night. She said that even though she was home, she didn't look for me, and that I always seem to be going around you."

"Oh? And then?" Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow.

"Then this time she didn't scold you or say anything to me, but just asked some more questions about you."

At this point, Krystal's expression suddenly became more serious, and her tone lowered.

“Xiuyuan, my previous plan was indeed difficult to implement when Jessica was still resistant. But now it seems that it can be carried out. She seems to be less resistant now.”

After she finished speaking, she looked at Lin Xiuyuan, blinked, and her clear eyes shone like stars. "Xiuyuan, your dinner last night was a genius move. You really charmed her."

"You know?" Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow again.

Krystal smiled slowly, "What? You still want to hide it from me?"
"You're still not giving up, are you?"

"How could I possibly abandon the plan I've painstakingly devised halfway through?"

Lin Xiuyuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Krystal suddenly straightened her body, straightened her back, tightened her grip around his waist, and leaned closer to him again.

"But we'll talk about that later."

She spoke softly, gently cupping his face in her hands, her gaze serious, not like flirting, but with a warm solemnity.

“Last night you said Jessica is my older sister, so I cooked for her. Well today, as her younger sister…”

Krystal chuckled softly, her voice as gentle as a feather, "Of course I have to reward you properly. Even though XXOO will have to wait a while, I can give you some interest first~"

As soon as she finished speaking, she offered herself to his lips again, her soft lips pressing against his.

This time, there was no suddenness or urgency like before; instead, the kiss was slow and gentle, as if carefully tracing every curve of Lin Xiuyuan's lips.

You cook for her, and I'll do XXOO for you?

This situation startled Lin Xiuyuan for a moment, then he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and silently responded to Krystal's deep affection.

Sunlight streamed into the living room, and everything seemed to melt away in its gentle warmth.

Krystal nestled against Lin Xiuyuan's chest, her small hands threading through his hair, her fingertips tightening subtly.

Lin Xiuyuan then hugged her back tightly, his palms resting on the curve of her shoulder blades, gently caressing that familiar softness.

As the two finally separated, Krystal breathed softly, a faint blush rising on her face, as if she had just rolled around in a sugar bowl.

Her forehead touched Lin Xiuyuan's brow, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Xiuyuan, you can do more 'warm-hearted' things in the future, and I'll reward you even more handsomely."

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, "Are you encouraging me to be someone else's good guy? What if Jessica comes after me with a pot and starts throwing it at me one day, or that shoehorn-faced guy actually challenges me to a real-life showdown?"

"Hmph, I'm not afraid then." Krystal curled her lips and praised Lin Xiuyuan without any politeness, "With his mediocre skills, he definitely can't beat you, Xiuyuan. You're the best."

Perhaps it was Jessica's reaction that made her in such a good mood, but Krystal was unusually lively today, as if she had been sprinkled with sugar, her tone light and playful.

"Your logic..." Lin Xiuyuan was both amused and exasperated.

A short while later, he carried Krystal back to the sofa and gently put her down.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had just settled down, suddenly remembered something and casually said, "Oh right, Shirley isn't coming today."

"Huh?" Krystal blinked. "Why? Didn't she say yesterday that she had no plans for today?"

The two people who were chatting on the app yesterday agreed to meet today.

"Nothing was arranged, but she received a call from Krystal Jung at the last minute. The other person needed to talk to her."

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged as he spoke, "To be honest, I seriously doubt whether you deliberately chose this time to call, since we were about to come over anyway."

She then added, "But she said she'll cook you something delicious tonight."

"Oh~" Krystal nodded, not paying much attention, but instead smiled meaningfully, "She knows how to avoid suspicion."

"Huh?" Lin Xiuyuan didn't understand for a moment.

Krystal smiled without saying a word, but simply sat down next to him on the sofa and leaned on his shoulder. "I've finished up my work recently, so I'll have some free time for a while. I can finally spend some quality time with you and Snowball."

“That’s perfect. I’ve been thinking about cleaning up the rooftop pool sometime so we can all play in the water together.”

Lin Xiuyuan looked at her with a smile.

"Hmph, do you want to see me in a swimsuit, or do you want to see Snowball? Or... other people's?"

Krystal deliberately squinted at him.

Lin Xiuyuan, whose little scheme had been exposed, smiled without answering, just like her. He simply lowered his head and slowly wrapped a strand of her long hair around his fingers, gently playing with it. "So how long can you rest?"

"Well... I'm free except for Wimbledon next month."

Krystal's voice softened slightly as she spoke, as if she were cautiously probing, "Xiuyuan, I want to go to Wimbledon in person. It's been so long since I've seen a match of that caliber... Will you come with me?"

Lin Xiuyuan paused.

"Me? Watching tennis?" he repeated softly.

Krystal immediately noticed his hesitation, her eyes widened slightly, she tilted her head, and her tone carried a hint of accusation.

"It's not like I'm asking you to hit me. Just think of it as coming out with me for a walk, a chance to relax. You're willing to go with Lee Juri, but not with me, right?"

Lin Xiuyuan looked into her earnest yet slightly coquettish eyes, a smile gradually spreading across them, and finally nodded gently, "Go, I'll go with you."

"Yay!" Krystal winked and smiled, looking smug, and moved even closer.

"I'm going to the kitchen to cut some fruit. Have you ordered lunch yet?" Lin Xiuyuan asked as he stood up.

"I ordered it, it'll be here soon."

Krystal answered with a smile, then hugged the cushion and laughed like a little wildcat who had successfully stolen a bite.

And while Lin Xiuyuan was in the kitchen, she took out her phone and quickly typed a line of text on the screen.

[Jessica, I'm going to London next month for Wimbledon, want to come along?]

Jessica's reply popped up quickly.

I can't go. I'll be busy in a couple of days, and the timing doesn't suit me.

Krystal looked at the simple and direct text, pursed her lips, her eyes flickered slightly, and then added:
Xiu Yuan will go too.

This time, there was a long delay in receiving news from that side.

Krystal stared at the "typing" message for a good ten seconds, expecting the other person to type a lot, but ultimately received only a simple reply:

【it is good. 】

She stared at the simple, somewhat ambiguous words, but the corners of her mouth slowly turned up, and a smile quietly bloomed on her face.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiuyuan was quietly cutting fruit in the kitchen, completely unaware that in those few short minutes, he had once again become bait for someone's cunning "fishing".

　One more chapter, I'll update it later~
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(End of this chapter)