Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 215 The Dragon Cub's Tantrum and Haggle Over a Spot (Please Subscribe and Vote!)

Creak~
With a slam on the brakes, Lin Xiuyuan's car came to a steady stop in front of a building.

He glanced around the car through the window and finally parked in front of a shop that was not yet open.

After getting out of the car and closing the door, he followed the instructions Da Longzai had given him on the phone, climbed the stairs next to him, went around to the back of the building, and finally arrived at the entrance of the gym.

The security guard at the entrance immediately tensed up when he approached, and said in an unfriendly tone, "Sir, this place is not open to non-members."

Lin Xiuyuan calmly explained that he was looking for Park Jiyeon, saying that she was working out inside.

The security guard remained skeptical until he took out his phone and dialed Da Longzai's number. After the other person confirmed his identity on the other end of the line, he was met with skepticism.

The security guard reluctantly nodded and let him in.

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan stepped into the gym, he was drawn to the equipment area in front of him.

The room is clean and spacious, with large mirrors embedded in the walls, reflecting the outlines of various training equipment.

Meanwhile, the little dragon cub who had just been talking to him was now standing next to an iron frame, earnestly instructing someone on how to use the leg clamping machine.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan quickly walked over, came up behind her, and greeted her loudly, "Hi, Zhiyan, what are you doing?"

Hearing the voice, the little dragon turned around, his eyebrows curving into a relaxed smile, "Xiuyuan~ you've come."

Then she glared at him with a hint of complaint, "You've been gone for so many days without a word. I almost thought you'd run off to another country."

Lin Xiuyuan was about to explain when he suddenly caught a glimpse of the figure sitting on the leg clamp. He paused, his whole body slightly stunned.

He recognized the person; it was Bae Soo-ji, whom he had met on the day the bar opened.

She was wearing a dark, tight-fitting sportswear outfit. Her features were delicate and well-defined, and she looked radiant under the gym lights.

Having just finished a training session, she noticed his gaze and turned around to look at him along with Da Longzai.

A hint of surprise and delight flashed in his eyes, followed by a smile. "Long time no see, Xiu Yuan. I didn't expect to run into you here."

"It really has been a long time."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan smiled and his gaze naturally swept over Pei Xiuzhi. Although she had a large frame, she had a well-defined figure and a clean and neat temperament.

However, he didn't linger on the other person for long before turning to look at the little dragon and asking with a smile, "How did you two end up together?"

Da Longzai raised his hand to brush his sideburns, draped a towel over his shoulder, and said casually.

"It's not exactly a coincidence, it's more like normal. The main thing is that this gym is quite famous in Gangnam, and a lot of celebrities sign up for memberships. They also have branches in Yongsan and Cheongdam-dong, and the members are mostly people in the industry. I heard that the owner is a senior figure who retired from the industry."

Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, his tone slightly playful.

"Hmm, that makes sense. I glanced at it when I came in, and the membership fee here is more than double that of a regular gym. It's more profitable to charge one member like you than to charge ten ordinary people."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the little dragon cub suddenly moved closer to him, naturally took his arm, and winked and smiled, "Then why don't you add me to your little tavern's membership? I'll give you fifty million a month."

"It's not about the money, it's a real problem for me..."

Faced with Da Longzai's familiar "teasing and coquettish" behavior, Lin Xiuyuan gave a wry smile, but did not pull away the arm that she was holding tightly.

The two's intimate actions made Bae Suzy's eyes light up again, and her gaze towards Lin Xiuyuan and Da Longzai changed.

Actually, she was slightly startled when she turned around and saw Lin Xiuyuan.

Her short blonde hair, her clean and sharp outfit, and her increasingly confident and flamboyant demeanor all contributed to her success.

Standing in the sunlit gym, he exudes youthful energy. Compared to the awkwardness and restraint he showed when they first met at the bar, he now appears more composed and at ease.

Then Bae Suzy slightly raised the corners of her mouth and said with feigned displeasure, "Hey, hey, hey, can you two tone it down a bit? This is a gym, not a double room."

"Ah...no, Suzy, don't talk nonsense."

While explaining with a smile, Da Longzai reluctantly let go of Lin Xiuyuan's arm, then walked behind Pei Xiuzhi and gently patted her.

Lin Xiuyuan then seized the opportunity to ask, "So you were just teaching her leg exercises?"

"Hmm." Da Longzai nodded, then looked at Bae Suzy, "She's started systematic training recently, it seems to be preparing for a new script, with some action scenes, right?"

Bae Suzy didn't deny it, nodding slightly and saying, "It's not completely confirmed yet, but it's good to start practicing first, just treat it as exercise."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan with a bright smile, "Xiuyuan, why don't you practice too? We can practice together."

Lin Xiuyuan pointed to himself, "Me?"

Then he immediately smiled and took a half step back, "I think I'll pass. You guys practice, I'll just watch from the sidelines. I'll treat you to dinner after you're done practicing."

Seeing that Lin Xiuyuan was unwilling to move, Pei Xiuzhi did not intend to let him off easily. She looked at him half seriously and half jokingly and tried to persuade him.

"Really not considering working out? If guys develop abs and have a good physique, they'll find it easier to attract girls' attention and get their attention, right?"

It would have been better if he hadn't said anything... After Da Longzai heard that he could attract girls more, he was a bit stunned.

So he quickly grabbed Bae Soo-ji's shoulder and said seriously, "Come on, Xiu Yuan doesn't even need to train to be attractive enough. You haven't seen his physique, it's absolutely amazing."

Ok? ? ?
Bae Suzy didn't understand at first, but after realizing what was happening, she widened her eyes and looked at Daeyong, "Unnie, you've seen her before?"

When asked, Da Longzai's expression froze instantly. Naturally, he didn't dare to reveal the extent of their intimacy, so he could only make up an excuse, "Don't overthink it. We were just playing together back then, and everyone has seen it."

Everyone???

Bae Suzy was dumbfounded again. No, she had just returned from recording a variety show, and it felt like the social relationships around her had changed completely.

Just as Bae Suzy was about to delve deeper into asking more questions, Da Longzai snapped her back to reality. "Alright, forget about Xiu Yuan for now. Just focus on training. If you want to build strength in your lower body and lift your buttocks, this machine is a great tool for training."

"Won't my legs get thicker from all that training...?"

Lin Xiuyuan, who was sitting to the side scrolling through his phone, looked up at the opportune moment and interjected with a smile.

"You're being long-winded."

Upon hearing this, Da Longzai chuckled, "Strength training should be combined with stretching. After doing this in the morning, do a few sets of yoga or Pilates when you get home in the afternoon. If you combine the two, you won't have the problem of thick legs; instead, they will be firmer."

After speaking, she demonstrated the general rhythm of the movements with her hands, and also rolled her eyes at Lin Xiuyuan.

He's already experienced it himself, yet he's still spreading alarmist rumors and scaring others.

Bae Soo-ji, who was struggling to squeeze her legs together, gritted her teeth and persevered while listening to the two of them chatting and laughing. She couldn't help but turn her head and glare at Lin Xiu-yuan before lowering her head and continuing to exert herself.

Lin Xiuyuan responded to her eye roll with a smile and clicked his tongue, "No wonder you celebrities have such good figures. According to what you said, Zhiyan, it must take a whole day to achieve that. How can ordinary people have that much time and energy?"

"Then choose those light exercise types. They may not be effective as quickly, but if you persevere, the results will be the same."

Da Longzai glanced at Lin Xiuyuan with annoyance, "Alright, just play on your phone and don't disturb Xiuzhi's workout."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan simply smiled and sat down on the nearby exercise equipment, leisurely scrolling through his phone.

This coincided with the post-water gun music festival hype, and social media platforms were filled with related videos.

With each swipe, you can see clips of female idols dancing, from Kwon Eunbi to Yoo Jimin and Shin Yoo Na, each one so beautiful that they are a sight to behold, making Lin Xiuyuan's eyes twitch.

As he scrolled through those "eye-catching" stages, Bae Suzy, who was training hard in front of him, finally couldn't help but laugh out loud and turned around to tease Da Long Zai.

"Ji-yeon, is that guy openly watching these videos right in front of us?"

Da Longzai also turned his head to look at Lin Xiuyuan, who was smiling with a blissful expression, and then his eyes crinkled up, "Yeah, I'm having a blast, I'm really enjoying watching this, hahaha."

"Tsk tsk, they've got guts."

Bae Suzy sighed helplessly, took a deep breath, and forced herself to finish the last set of exercises despite her sore thighs. Then she leaned against the metal frame, panting heavily.

Just then, a bottle of water was handed to him from the side. Turning around, he saw it was Lin Xiuyuan.

Bae Suzy took the water bottle with a smile, and asked with a hint of reproach, "I thought you were engrossed in watching it. Doing this right next to us is a bit disrespectful."

Lin Xiuyuan shook his head with a smile, "How could that be? I may be having some fun, but I can still distinguish between serious matters and casual ones."

If Lin Xiuyuan hadn't said that next sentence after saying that, Bae Suzy would have actually believed him.

Unfortunately, as soon as he finished speaking, he immediately handed his phone screen to the big dragon cub next to him, "Ji-yeon, do you know this person?"

"Which one?"

The little dragon cub, who was secretly laughing, leaned over to look at the screen and shook his head. "I don't recognize her, but I feel like I've seen her somewhere before. Maybe she's a new member of some girl group."

"Who?"

At this moment, Bae Suzy, who had just finished refilling her water bottle, came over, took the phone, glanced at it, and immediately burst out laughing.

"Oh, I know her. I heard she's the recognized visual center of a new girl group, named Tian Jizhen. I think she was born in 00, and many netizens have dubbed her the 'new generation's goddess of beauty.' What's up, Xiuyuan, do you like this type?"

After hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan casually typed the name into the search box and said in a daze, "Oh, born in 00? Older than me."

Completely ignoring the subtle changes in the expressions of Bae Suzy and Daeyong Zai upon hearing these words.

Especially Bae Suzy—she's recently started exercising, in addition to preparing for a new script.

More importantly, the body is starting to show warning signs: protein loss and sagging body lines.

That's why I had to rely on training to maintain and tighten my body, and I no longer dared to eat or sleep whenever I wanted like before.

The big dragon cub on the other side was also feeling a bit down, but it was much better than before.

The main reason is that Lin Xiuyuan gave her a lot of anti-aging injections, and she is gradually recovering her youthful appearance. Moreover, she has noticed that she doesn't know if it's because she has received too many injections or because the medicine has become more effective.

The effect used to only last a few days, but now it seems to last for more than half a month. So, although she was anxious these past few days, she didn't frantically search for people.

If they still can't see Lin Xiuyuan after a few more days, Da Longzai will probably have to report it to the police or put up a missing person notice in the newspaper.

Thinking of this, Da Longzai suddenly asked, "By the way, Xiuyuan, what have you been up to lately? You haven't been answering the phone or replying to messages. If Eunjung unnie and Yoona unnie hadn't said you were busy with something, I would have thought you had disappeared."

"I'm just going to help a member with something." Lin Xiuyuan had already prepared his answer, and his tone was calm.

"A member, huh?"

The little dragon let out a long roar, then suddenly moved closer to Lin Xiuyuan, puffed out its cheeks, and said in a tone that revealed some dissatisfaction.

"Then tell me, how do I get into your bar's membership circle? I didn't realize it before, but after Eun-jung unnie joined, I found out that you guys have set up a little organization, all of it is a secret."

She paused, then continued.

“Before, she would answer any questions I asked her quite frankly, but now, if I ask her about your situation, she shuts up. And this time, I couldn't find you anywhere, but they knew exactly where you were in an instant. Tell me, isn't this preferential treatment?”

Faced with the relentless questioning from the little dragon, Lin Xiuyuan simply plopped back down in his seat, looked up at her face, which was gradually recovering and radiant as if she had returned to the age of 18, and smiled.

"It's hard to say, you said it's a secret. What if you get in one day? You wouldn't want the members to leak information outside, would you?" Just as Da Longzai was about to ask more questions, Lin Xiuyuan's phone rang. After glancing at the caller ID, he gestured to Da Longzai and Pei Xiuzhi and walked over to answer it.

"Hey~ Yoona..."

While Lin Xiuyuan and Lin Yoona were talking on the phone, Bae Suzy tugged at Da Longzai's clothes behind them and whispered, "What's going on? I feel like there's...something going on between you two?"

Da Longzai replied casually, "No, I just want to join that membership circle, it's just my competitive spirit."

They're all insiders, seasoned veterans, so of course she wouldn't easily reveal the truth.

Moreover, the other party is a famous "face-obsessed, love-obsessed" female celebrity. If he is not careful, Lin Xiuyuan may be completely under her thumb.

Bae Suzy sensed that she was deliberately avoiding the topic, which piqued her interest. She smiled and said, "Unnie, I'll teach you."

"Actually, dealing with men is nothing more than three steps: either act cute, act shamelessly, or be gentle."

“Taking it one step at a time is the normal process, while implementing it 1+1 is the difficult mode. If all three steps are taken in turn, I have yet to find a man who cannot solve it.”

Finally, she blinked. "So if you really want Xiuyuan to give in, why not try what I said? Seriously, I've personally tested it and it works 100%."

The little dragon, who had initially taken it as a joke, finally became serious when he heard her say "100% effective, personally tested," and gave her a deep look.

Seeing this, Bae Suzy remained calm and smiled, gently placing her hand over Bae's shoulder, as if asking a casual question, or perhaps offering a hint.

"But... isn't Xiu Yuan your fan? With that status as a buff, you should have a great advantage, Unnie."

"Suzy, you don't understand."

The little dragon chuckled softly, his tone now carrying a hint of calm and insight.

If everything were simply a matter of "fans" and "idols," it would be far too simplistic.

But she knew very well that at times like this, what truly mattered was not status, but the sense of need.

Whoever has higher needs will have a more secure social standing compared to the other.

And if I can recover my condition and return to my youth...

No matter what kind of idol filter, wealth, or status she has, in her eyes, nothing is more important than a phone call, a greeting, or even a location sharing from Lin Xiuyuan.

She is no longer that unattainable idol, and Lin Xiuyuan is no longer just a "fanboy".

Meanwhile, when Bae Suzy heard Da Longzai say that he didn't understand, she immediately narrowed her eyes and looked at Lin Xiuyuan's back with even more curiosity.

Although Da Longzai is already divorced, in terms of figure, appearance, and influence, she is still a "Venus-level goddess" in the hearts of countless people.

But this goddess, without his knowledge, completely switched identities within a month or two, giving the young man the upper hand.

What exactly happened?
She couldn't understand it, which made her even more curious.

the other side.

On the other side, Lin Xiuyuan, who was on the phone with Lim Yoona, heard her mention that she planned to go back to her hometown later. He couldn't help but glance back at Da Longzai and Bae Suzy, who were chatting enthusiastically, and then said.

"I'm not sure when I'll be available, so you might have to wait."

Upon hearing this, Lim Yoona immediately began to complain in a sweet voice.

"Xiuyuan, you're not really going to become one of those unreliable scumbags, are you? Last night you said you'd come see me, but when I woke up, everything was perfectly in order except the blanket was off. You obviously didn't come at all, you liar~"

Lin Yoona's words were tinged with laughter, yet also carried a hint of flirtation, causing Lin Xiuyuan to burst out laughing. He apologized while chuckling, "I drank a little too much last night..."

"I know, I'm not really blaming you," Lim Yoona said with a light laugh. "But I have to come over tonight. I have something to talk to Xiao Lu about. We already discussed it last night."

Lin Yoona on the other end of the phone naturally didn't blame Lin Xiuyuan; she was just teasing him. Then, remembering that Lin Xiuyuan hadn't socialized for a while, she added a sentence.

"It doesn't matter if it's late, just come and wake me up. Even if you're already asleep, you should still wake me up."

"Hiss~ Is it that serious? What did you two talk about last night?"

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan asked with some curiosity.

"It's not convenient to talk about it over the phone, I'll tell you tonight."

"Row."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Xiuyuan turned to look at the two people behind him and chuckled, "Any plans to make something later?"

"That's all, training is over for today."

Da Longzai shook his head, glancing subconsciously at Lin Xiuyuan's phone as he spoke, his lips pursed, perhaps still thinking about what Pei Xiuzhi had just said.

"Let's head out to find something to eat, it's getting late."

I just checked the time, it's almost 12 o'clock, which is lunchtime.

Bae Suzy did not refuse the invitation to dine together, but simply said, "I need to go back and wash up."

Then the big dragon cub nodded in agreement, "Me too."

As female celebrities, they certainly wouldn't shower at the gym; who knows if paparazzi might be lying in wait.

So the two of them didn't bother driving themselves and simply got into Lin Xiuyuan's Mercedes together, with Pei Xiuzhi giving directions to go back to her apartment first.

Lin Xiuyuan was very tactful. He didn't ask any unnecessary questions when dropping her off. After arriving at the community parking lot, he arranged to pick her up at a later time and then dropped her off first.

The remaining dragon cubs were quite simple; when they returned to her apartment, they simply followed her upstairs.

The remaining dragon cubs then followed him back to his residence.

As soon as she entered the room, she pounced on him and gave Lin Xiuyuan a surprise hug.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her tone a mix of helplessness and coquettishness, "Please, Xiuyuan, I'm begging you, just give me a membership at a small bar. Otherwise, if you disappear again and I can't find you, I'll be very sad."

After she finished speaking, she pouted again and continued to complain with a wronged expression.

"And then there's Eun-jung unnie, she's been using this membership to tease me every day. I always end up speechless with her words, it's so infuriating."

After saying that, she nestled in his arms, refusing to let go, then slowly brought her face closer to Lin Xiuyuan, her delicate chin slightly raised, a hint of sly allure in her eyes, "Xiuyuan~"

As she called his name, she deliberately lowered her voice, making it soft and sweet, her tone full of coquettishness, "Oppa~"

That "oppa" was so soft and sweet, like it was coated with honey, or like it was sprinkled with a hook.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't speak, but just looked at her quietly, a doting smile on his lips, his eyes filled with a mix of helplessness and happiness.

Seeing this, the little dragon immediately changed its strategy. It frowned slightly, sighed in feigned dissatisfaction, and then snorted coldly, its tone carrying a hint of coquettish threat.

"I don't care, I want it. If you don't give it to me, I'll act like a scoundrel. I'll stick to you all the time and not let you leave, even when I'm sleeping, taking a shower, or going to the toilet."

"This... is really a bit shameless, Jiyeon."

Lin Xiuyuan was amused by her appearance and said in a relaxed tone, "However, this matter needs to be considered carefully. Let me communicate with the members first, okay?"

“Don’t try to fool me,” Da Longzai immediately exposed him. “Eun-jung unnie said that you’re the one who decides the membership at the pub. It’s all your decision.”

Looking at the little dragon cub in front of him, who was acting cute and stubborn at the same time, Lin Xiuyuan's smile deepened.

She is usually poised and assertive in front of others, but now she reveals this unguarded and adorable side to him, just like a little girl who only wants to stay in her lover's arms, soft and sweet.

He stopped talking and suddenly pulled her up in his arms, holding her steadily in his embrace.

"ah!"

The little dragon let out a soft cry, instinctively squeezing his legs together to hug his waist, and his hands tightly around his neck.

What are you doing?!

She laughed nervously and called out softly, her voice tinged with a sweet mix of shyness and helpless resistance.

Lin Xiuyuan glanced down at her, a mischievous smile on his face. "Didn't we already agree... you said you'd follow me to sleep, shower, and even to the toilet? I'm going to shower now, do you want to come with me?"

As he spoke, he carried her step by step into the living room, then through the hallway towards the bedroom.

The little dragon wanted to shake its head and struggle, but as soon as it opened its mouth, Lin Xiuyuan whispered in its ear, "Really don't want to? I want to wash too."

When he finished speaking, his tone wasn't exactly intimate, but his voice was deep and magnetic, and his breath was warm against my ear.

Finally, the swaying of his walk and the warmth of his embrace made the little dragon's heart start pounding wildly.

She looked up at him, her lips twitched, but in the end she didn't struggle anymore. She just snuggled into his arms, as if she had resigned herself to her fate, and mumbled something in a low voice.

"Then you'd better hurry, you still have to pick up Soo-ji later."

"Well, I can't guarantee that."

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, his tone lazy and casual, as if they were discussing what to eat for dinner.

But the little dragon cub he was holding knew that it had been completely defeated.

Membership quotas and pubs were all forgotten in her mind at that moment.

She didn't even seriously consider the deeper meaning of "I want to take a shower too," she only knew that she was being held tightly and she didn't want to get down.

So, when Lin Xiuyuan gently kicked the bedroom door shut, the light inside came on, and the two figures were reflected on the wall, Da Longzai whispered something in his ear.

"Xiuyuan, actually... even if you don't give me a spot, I won't be angry."

"Ok?"

"Because you are much more important than a member."

Lin Xiuyuan paused slightly, and the smile on his face changed from teasing to a gentle warmth of being touched.

He looked down at her, his eyes so tender they seemed to melt everything.

At this moment, no skills or tricks are needed.

This sincerity is far better than any tricks.

And the other side.

While taking a shower, Bae Suzy was thinking about Lin Xiuyuan, whom she had just met. She was very curious about his identity and why he could be so close to Im Yoona, Park Jiyeon, and others.

They'd seen plenty of wealthy young men before, but they'd never noticed those two getting so close.

What exactly is going on?

　There will be another chapter later~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)