Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 244 The Shocked Bae Joo-hyun and That "Hello~" (10,000 words, please subscribe and vote)

“Oppa~ You said you didn’t care about others, but you’ve dumped everything on me, making me feel like a babysitter.”

As soon as Park Jiyeon entered the apartment, she seemed to have all her strength drained away. She casually threw her bag onto the sofa and then collapsed onto it with a thud.

As she said this, she pouted, her cheeks puffed out, and her face was full of dissatisfaction.

She even gave Lin Xiuyuan's back a disapproving look, her eyes full of resentment.

After finishing their coffee, the group moved into the apartment, since there were too many people and too much noise outside, and some things were not suitable to be said in public.

As for the "stalker" Park Hyomin, she had already been half-pushed and half-pulled away by Ham Eunjung, whom Park Jiyeon had summoned via text message, under the pretense of going shopping and having dinner.

As soon as she entered, Park Jiyeon couldn't help but complain about Lin Xiuyuan, her tone carrying a touch of girlish capriciousness and coquettishness.

After all, the other party had just handed over his little idea about Li Shaoxi, namely the idea of ​​an "assistant," to her to handle.

Lin Xiuyuan casually placed the bread he had just bought next to the coffee table, slowly sat down on the other side of the sofa, turned to look at her with a slightly teasing smile, "Changing someone's fate with a flick of your wrist, Zhiyan, don't you think that feeling is very fulfilling?"

After all, when facing the 2013 version of Ji-yeon, he dared not use words like "exciting," "stimulating," or "trendy," for fear of scaring her into thinking he was a pervert. So he had to choose a relatively milder way of putting it.

If it were Da Longzai, he would probably just blurt out "It's so awesome!"

"Hmm...it is indeed quite interesting." Park Jiyeon sat up straight, put her legs up on the sofa, and answered while swinging them, but her tone still carried a hint of dissatisfaction. "But this will also cause a lot of trouble. Who knows what young people are thinking?"

"That's why I need you to do some research on this in your spare time."

Lin Xiuyuan crossed his legs over the other, his posture languid, but his tone self-righteous.

"Otherwise, why would I put you under my command? This is just to give you a gofer. You can't leave all the work of your startup to the company's assistants, can you? Salary is one thing, reliability is another. You need to have your own team."

Upon hearing this, Park Jiyeon first glared at him fiercely, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but turn up.

She deliberately dragged out her words and chuckled, "Oppa~ You must have just made these up, right? Although it sounds a lot like a lie, I have to say... it actually makes a bit of sense. Okay, I agree."

"No way, I've already thought this through." Lin Xiuyuan immediately put on an innocent look, spreading his hands and speaking with a hint of feigned seriousness, "Zhiyan, how can you look at me like that?"

"Hmph hmph hmph." Park Jiyeon crossed her arms, leaned back, and grinned mischievously like a little devil. "Oppa, ever since you slept with that old woman, your credibility with me has completely dropped to zero."

After saying that, he raised his eyebrows, his expression full of resentment.

“Hey, Jiyeon, you have to be reasonable when you say that.”

Lin Xiuyuan immediately sat up straight, gesturing frantically as he hurriedly explained, "Regarding Da Zhiyan, it was clearly you who 'sold' her out first. I initially refused, thinking it wasn't a good thing, but you kept persuading me..."

"Hey... oppa~"

After her little scheme was exposed, Park Jiyeon blushed instantly, like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on. She angrily punched the sofa, her voice filled with both embarrassment and annoyance.

"That was just a momentary impulse! How could you do something so impulsively, and with such strong execution skills..."

"Ouch, is it my fault?" Lin Xiuyuan exaggeratedly leaned back, pretending to have been hit, and laughed until his eyes narrowed into slits. "Wow, Zhiyan, your punch went straight through time and space and sent me to 2025!"

"oppa~"

Park Jiyeon pounced on him angrily, spreading her arms as if to scratch him.

Her eyes were wide open, and she looked fierce, but she looked more like she was being coquettish.

"Haha, okay, oppa~ Jiyeon, you two stop arguing."

Shirley, who was carrying two glasses of water, happened to see the two of them making a ruckus. She couldn't help but laugh so hard that she bent over and almost spilled the water.

She put down the cup, her eyes full of helplessness. "You two are such a clown."

Then, she clapped her hands lightly and changed the subject, "By the way, oppa~ are you having dinner here? If so, I'll go downstairs now to buy some side dishes."

When dinner was mentioned, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly remembered the text message Krystal had sent him that morning.

He paused for a moment, scratched his head, and said with some difficulty, "I'm afraid it won't work, I have plans tonight."

"It must be that old woman, right, oppa~ bring that old woman over here."

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Park Jiyeon immediately bristled, straightened up, and her eyes suddenly turned sharp.

She felt like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, wishing she could immediately roll up her sleeves and have another fight with him.

Although she said she was taking a break these past two days, she didn't waste her free time and even watched a lot of free fighting videos.

Although I'm not sure if I can win in a real fight, at least I know how to dodge, which gives me more confidence.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but chuckle. He raised his hand, waved his phone, and said with a mischievous grin, "I recorded it all, Zhiyan~"

"Go ahead and record it, I'm not afraid of that old woman."

Park Jiyeon tilted her chin up, looking disdainful, and even raised her eyebrows smugly, completely unaware that she was about to dig her own grave.

until……

"Oh, the person who asked me out tonight is Krystal." Lin Xiuyuan leaned back lazily on the sofa, his tone slow and deliberate. "So, Krystal is also the old woman you were talking about, Jiyeon?"

The air fell silent for three seconds.

Park Jiyeon froze upon hearing Lin Xiuyuan's answer. Her arrogant expression instantly turned guilty. She shrank back, hugging a cushion, and muttered softly, "Huh? No way, it's Krystal~"

Then she forced a smile, which looked worse than crying, "Ah... I, I was just saying it casually, oppa, don't take it too seriously."

Then, her eyes darted around, and she quickly tried to salvage the situation, her voice flying, "Krystal isn't an old woman at all, she... she's super cute, she's a beautiful woman... right, oppa? You know I love Krystal the most."

In the end, she softened her tone, making it cloyingly sweet, and hugged the cushion tightly like a kitten, rubbing it against her face as if to hide her embarrassment.

However, her appearance is precisely what makes her even more amusing.

As expected, Lin Xiuyuan was immediately amused and couldn't suppress his laughter.

He leaned back, crossed his arms, and a wicked smile played on his lips, his eyes full of teasing. "Oh, Jinri, did you hear that? Jiyeon is really fickle. She said not long ago that she liked you the most, and now it's Soojung's turn."

He deliberately dragged out his words, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

"Ah... oppa~" Park Jiyeon's eyes widened in alarm, and she rushed to his side, quickly reaching out to cover his mouth with her hands. "You can't say things like that, I didn't mean it that way."

Her face was flushed, her ears were bright red, and she looked as anxious as a little rabbit with its fur standing on end.

She hurriedly turned around and shouted at Shirley beside her, "Truth, that's not what I meant!"

Sulli, who had been quietly standing by, was trying her best to hold back her laughter, but when she saw Jiyeon's flustered and red-faced appearance, she couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

She even bent over laughing so hard that she covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders shaking, and tears streaming down her face. "Ji-yeon, you're usually so arrogant, but I never thought you'd be so scared today. Hahaha, it's so funny."

"Ah, Sherry!!!"

Park Jiyeon lunged forward, trying to snatch the water glass from her hand, but Sulli had already laughed and dodged to the side, almost knocking the glass over.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. He reached out and caught the cushion that Park Jiyeon threw at him, and shook it. "Jiyeon, your reaction is a bit slow. No wonder you can't beat Dae Jiyeon. Her reaction is very fast. I can't even run away."

"Ah, oppa!!!"

Park Jiyeon clenched her fists, her little face puffed up with anger, and glared at him through gritted teeth.

She curled up in a corner of the sofa, like a little hamster cornered, looking fierce but somehow still quite adorable.

……

……

While Lin Xiuyuan was playing and laughing with Xiao Zhiyan 13 years ago, 25 years later, Da Longzai had already walked out of the company with Li Juli and others.

There were no dinner parties today, just a routine company meeting.

The main points had already been discussed beforehand; it was simply a matter of adjusting the upcoming schedule and discussing expanding the new popularity pool.

The so-called "new popularity pool" focuses on the Chinese domestic entertainment market.

However, at this meeting, Li Juli and Da Longzai had already reached a consensus and their attitudes were very clear.

That is: a semi-retired state.

As for Sweet Eun-jung, there's even less to say.

Having transitioned into acting early on, she didn't have any blockbuster works in the entertainment industry at the time, but she lived a stable life with a constant stream of acting offers and a comfortable lifestyle.

Only Park Hyo-min was unusually serious. She not only nodded in agreement to all the arrangements, but also signed short-term cooperation contracts with several studios in mainland China on the spot.

It seems like they're testing the waters first, and then considering longer-term plans later.

By the time I left the company building, the atmosphere of the meeting had dissipated.

But Da Longzai couldn't help but steal a glance at Park Hyomin, his heart tightening slightly, his brows furrowing, and his tone carrying a hint of worry, "Unnie...you seem to be in an even more exaggerated state than I was back then. Are you really okay? If there's a problem, you can tell us."

Beside her, Lee Juri was also looking at the other person with a serious expression. Although she didn't say anything, the worry in her eyes said it all.

Park Hyomin, instead of responding to their stares, gave a hearty smile, waved, and replied casually.

"It's nothing, really nothing. We just want to make as much money as we still have some popularity. After all, in a few years, people might not even remember us."

"Unnie, this is actually making the fans feel bad," Da Longzai said, frowning.

"Let's see how it goes, just in case it doesn't work."

Park Hyomin gently changed the subject, her smile unchanged, but the complex emotion deep in her eyes flashed quickly, and no one could catch it.

The three then parted ways in the company parking lot and got into their respective cars.

Da Longzai didn't drive, so he hitched a ride with Li Juli on the way back.

Park Hyo-min then left directly, seemingly to find her man, or perhaps to start a new job.

On the way back, the atmosphere in the car driven by Li Juli was quiet for a while.

It wasn't until they stopped at the traffic light that Daeyong couldn't help but speak up, "Unnie... don't you think Hyomin unnie is acting a little strange? The way she signed those temporary contracts seemed too hasty."

Lee Juri gripped the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her voice deepening, "Yeah, I think so too. She seems to be really short of money."

"Short of money?" Da Longzai was taken aback, his brows furrowing deeply. "How could Hyomin unnie be short of money? Her income has always been quite good. Over the years, with YouTube and various promotional activities, she's never lacked money; she's basically never had a shortage of income... Could she have been scammed?"

The car fell silent again, with only the ticking of the dashboard remaining.

Lee Juri was silent for a moment, then sighed softly and shook her head. "I don't know either, I really don't know. I just feel like she's rushing or in a hurry to do something, like she's being forced to do it."

Da Longzai pursed his lips, a hint of worry in his eyes. He wanted to ask more, but Li Juli had already changed the subject, not wanting to continue suppressing her feelings.

"Forget about that for now. Tell me about your situation with Xiuyuan, Zhiyan~"

"Huh? How did we suddenly get involved with him?" The little dragon was taken aback for a moment, then smiled helplessly.

Lee Juri glanced at her, a hint of amusement in her eyes, "I told you not to bother you two, what's going on? Did you two get together? I can stop calling and bothering you, but what about Krystal?"

The little dragon was stunned for a moment, then grinned, his tone light and a little stubborn, "What can we do? What else can we do? Fair competition, of course! We can always fight!"

Lee Juri almost choked, bursting out laughing. She shook her head and glanced at her, intending to tease her, but she froze when she met those eyes.

This was because the dragon cub's eyes were bright and clear at that moment, filled with naked sincerity and earnestness.

This made Lee Juri's laughter stop abruptly. She froze for two seconds, then couldn't help but stare blankly, "You're not serious, are you?"

"What do you mean 'serious'? Fighting? Of course!" Big Dragon replied with a grin, his tone relaxed.

"I wasn't talking about fighting, I was talking about Xiu Yuan." Li Juli frowned slightly, her eyes gradually becoming serious. "You're really interested in him?"

She considered herself to still have some sense. Although she didn't completely treat that puppy-like man as a plaything, she definitely didn't intend to let herself get too deeply involved.

But the tone of the big dragon cub in front of her gave her a headache. "Ji-yeon, didn't you just have a problem? Don't get carried away. It hasn't been that long. Did the marriage and divorce bring out your love brain?"

"Of course I'm serious." The little dragon blinked, looking completely matter-of-fact.

However, he did not tell Li Juli that he had entered Lin Xiuyuan's inner circle.

After all, she herself needed two full nights to recover from the "time portal" thing, and she still feels like she's dreaming.

Such a secret cannot be revealed casually.

the other side.

The same afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, dappling the wooden floor with a warm and lazy sheen.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of black tea, and the entire living room was quiet and comfortable.

After finishing her work at the company, Krystal did not return to the villa to find Lin Xiuyuan as usual, but instead drove straight to Jessica's residence.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Jessica nestled on the sofa, wearing a loose, light-colored loungewear set, with a soft gray blanket draped over her knees, her body half-sunken into the sofa.

Holding a cup of warm black tea, she looked languid and relaxed, not at all like an artist who was still busy working.

“Jessica!”

Krystal walked in while changing her shoes, her brows slightly furrowed. "Didn't you say the performance in China had been approved? Why was it suddenly changed? What happened?"

Jessica looked up, her gaze falling lightly on her younger sister, but her expression remained largely unchanged.

She gently stirred the liquid in her teacup, her tone as calm as if she were talking about someone else.

"You ran all this way just to ask this?"

Krystal pursed her lips and walked towards the sofa, her tone softening slightly, "It's not really like that, I just finished up and stopped by to sit down and ask around."

Jessica smiled faintly and then explained, "I guess it's because quite a few artists from the peninsula have recently violated certain censorship mechanisms. Although I'm not a peninsula citizen, the people in charge don't care about that and have put me on the list too. We need to communicate with them again, which may take some time, but don't worry, there won't be any problems."

"How long will it take?" Krystal pressed, her brow still furrowed.

"Who knows? But it's okay, the 'Weibo Night' next month has been confirmed. Missing a couple of shows is fine, I'll just take a break and find some time to do a live stream and chat with my fans."

Krystal paused for a moment after hearing this, then couldn't help but sneer. She crossed her arms and leaned against the corner of the sofa, her eyes filled with sarcasm.

"Those entertainment companies are really crazy. They clearly had the opportunity and time to expand outside, but they insisted on staying in Seoul and fighting each other to the death. As a result, they only realized this after T-ara and others rose to prominence and wanted to get a share of the pie. But it was too late."

She shook her head, her tone growing increasingly sharp. "Later, when they had nowhere else to go, they still only knew how to fight it out on the peninsula, never thinking about how to maintain their overseas fans. Now that they see an opportunity, they want to go abroad again, but their fans are no longer students; they're all adults now. They're not so easily fooled. Trying to treat them like fools is outrageous."

Jessica was amused by her serious self-deprecating remark. She took a sip of her tea, her eyebrows curving upwards, her eyes filled with a hint of teasing.

"That's why I'm not too worried. They can't make a splash on those short video platforms at all. Even Tara back then was the same, let alone others."

Upon hearing this, Krystal paused suddenly, her gaze falling on her sister, her expression becoming serious.

Then, she switched to Chinese, and although her voice was halting, she asked clearly, "Jessica, what shall we eat tonight?"

Jessica paused for a moment, then chuckled and replied in Chinese, "I'm not eating. I'm on a diet. Go find Lin Xiuyuan to eat with you."

"Oh? You're dieting again? You're not fat at all," Krystal couldn't help but complain, but her eyes were full of laughter.

“Then I’ll come up with another excuse, so as not to disturb your time together.” Jessica raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in her eyes.

"Jessica~" Krystal said in a teasing tone, drawing out the sound as if she were being coquettish.

"You dare say you didn't? You just got back and you didn't look for him? I don't believe you." Jessica chuckled softly.

Although their spoken Chinese was still a bit stiff, their punctuation and grammar were correct, indicating that they had studied it seriously.

Krystal was speechless after being teased by her sister, and finally couldn't help but laugh, "Okay, I did have dinner with him tonight, but it wouldn't hurt to include you."

"Forget it." Jessica shook her head slightly, her tone decisive. "That guy probably won't even be able to eat properly when he sees me."

His words carried a dismissive indifference, yet his eyes darkened slightly.

She's not the kind of person who would force herself on someone who dislikes her.

She now roughly understands Lin Xiuyuan's attitude towards her.

Although they no longer completely ignore her as before, that superficial politeness and thoughtfulness is more out of consideration for Krystal or other factors.

It's not fair to call them indifferent, but they're not exactly enthusiastic either.

Jessica doesn't want this feeling of relying on others' charity at all.

The reason I agreed to go on a trip with Krystal last time was simply because I was touched by those two steaming hot dishes late at night.

But as time went by, and considering Lin Xiuyuan's reaction, her heart gradually grew cold.

It doesn't matter. It's not the first time she's experienced her life changing because of the man she chose.

Used to it.

Krystal wanted to retort with "No way," but she swallowed the words back. She knew her sister's personality and the subtle tension between them.

So he could only stay by her side silently, without saying anything more.

But the idea in my mind was growing stronger.

……

……

at dusk.

Inside the villa in 2025, the air still retained the warmth of the daytime, and the sunlight gradually faded outside the window, leaving only a faint golden afterglow.

Although he had intended to hide away in the morning, Lin Xiuyuan still couldn't bring himself to stand Krystal up.

So I came over anyway, and as soon as I got back to the living room of the villa, I heard the phone on the table vibrating, buzzing dully on the wooden coffee table.

Lin Xiuyuan thought it was Krystal calling and instinctively walked over quickly.

But when the screen lit up, the caller ID showed: Da Long Zai.

This amused him, and he answered the phone, "Hey, Jiyeon, what's up?"

"Xiuyuan~ You went... over there?" Dalongzai's voice was hesitant. He originally wanted to say "13 years", but he swallowed the words back.

"Yeah, I went over there for a bit." Lin Xiuyuan leaned back on the sofa, his tone light. "After all, I've been here for too long, I had to go back and check things out."

Da Longzai hesitated, wanting to ask more questions, but ultimately realized that they were on a phone call and it wasn't convenient to talk in detail.

So she changed the subject, her tone becoming lighter, "Okay, let's go out for dinner tonight, I'll treat you to something delicious."

"Ah, I'm meeting with Soojung tonight." Lin Xiuyuan had a bit of a headache, then complained to Dalongzai, "And also, Jiyeon. You were a little naughty last night. It's one thing to leave marks on me, but you also left my shoes in the corner. You weren't just trying to upset Soojung, you were practically pushing me into a fire pit."

"Your voice sounds so strong, you're alright." Big Dragon smiled.

He continued, "Alright then, since Soojung made an appointment with you in advance, I won't compete with her. But come over to my place later, I need to talk to you about something."

Lin Xiuyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said suspiciously, "Could it be..."

"Don't worry, I won't take you to see the fried chicken, okay?" Da Longzai hummed, with a hint of coquetry.

"Alright then." Lin Xiuyuan chuckled and nodded in agreement.

After hanging up with Da Longzai, Lin Xiuyuan was about to put his phone back on the coffee table when the screen lit up again.

The caller this time was Krystal.

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled softly and then pressed the answer button again.

"Hey, Xiuyuan~ Who were you talking to on the phone just now?" Krystal's voice sounded casual, as if she were asking a question unintentionally.

But upon closer listening, one can't hide the subtle, almost imperceptible concern.

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the sky outside the window and replied with a smile, "It was Zhiyan who asked me about her. It's normal to be curious when you first join the sect. Have you finished your work?"

"Yes, I finished a long time ago."

Krystal responded softly, and in the background, one could almost hear the soft clatter of a teacup being set down. "I'm with Jessica now, about to head out. I'll send you the address in a bit."

As she said this, her voice softened and became more concerned, "Don't delay, you should head out quickly too, be careful on the road."

"I know, I'll be going now." Lin Xiuyuan nodded, his tone smiling.

Not long after I hung up the phone, it vibrated twice, and a restaurant location address was sent to me.

After confirming, Lin Xiuyuan took the keys and drove off.

……

The restaurant was quiet and peaceful in the evening.

The street view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was softened by the warm yellow lights, and the wooden tables and chairs and the quietly flowing jazz music made the environment exceptionally comfortable.

The moment he opened the door, Lin Xiuyuan's gaze fell on the spot by the window.

Krystal has arrived.

Today she was wearing a simple white shirt with the cuffs slightly rolled up, paired with a clean and neat pair of jeans.

Her hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and the light shone on her profile, outlining a soft curve that was both refreshing and effortlessly elegant.

Looking down at the menu, her slender fingers lightly traced the pages, as if she were considering what to order. Her earnest expression softened the atmosphere around her.

Lin Xiuyuan approached and asked softly, "Have you been waiting long?"

Krystal looked up at him and smiled slightly. In that instant, the light in her eyes almost outshone all the lights in the restaurant. She replied, "No, I just arrived too. Please sit down."

They then ordered a few simple dishes, and the waiter quietly confirmed their order before leaving, leaving only the two of them at the table.

The aroma of steam filled the air, and the simmering sound of the soup, along with the melodious background music in the distance, created a quiet and intimate atmosphere.

After ordering, Krystal naturally steered the conversation away from the topic of time portals and started talking about what she had discussed with Jessica earlier.

As she spoke, her tone became tinged with dissatisfaction and frustration, "Xiuyuan~ do you think I'm right? You don't take care of your fans, and now you want to go back to your ex? Aren't you treating them like fools?"

Faced with Krystal's question, Lin Xiuyuan looked at her slightly furrowed brows and found her unusually serious and excited appearance somewhat amusing, as well as a little curious.

"Soojung, I've rarely seen you so excited. What's wrong?"

Krystal was taken aback, then gently bit her lip, as if gathering her courage, and finally spoke out some words that had been weighing on her heart for a long time.

"Well, I've been thinking about this for years. If the company had shifted its focus to China earlier and increased our workload, Shirley might not have had those problems later on. Back then, she had too much free time and was always thinking about this and that. She felt empty inside, which led her to that point."

This was the first time Krystal had mentioned this in front of Lin Xiuyuan, so Lin Xiuyuan was quite shocked after hearing it.

However, after saying that, Krystal immediately let out a long breath, her eyes drifting towards the night outside the window, her voice carrying a hint of relief, but also a touch of helplessness.

"But I also understand that the company probably didn't have the energy to manage us back then. Jessica and her group were at their peak at the time, and there were two big boy groups overshadowing them, so the company naturally wanted to allocate more resources to them."

At this point, she lightly sliced ​​her plate with her meat cleaver and continued, "In comparison, even though our fans are very loyal, in their eyes it's just a niche genre like the Korean entertainment novels you mentioned before. Some people like it, but it's never mainstream."

"What you're saying makes some sense, but something feels off."

Sitting across from her, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled softly, breaking the heaviness in her tone, and then casually added, "So what did your company say? I heard from Jiyeon that their company is also planning this. As a member of Victoria, f(x) is quite popular in China."

Krystal sipped from the rim of her glass and spoke without hesitation.

“The company mentioned it, and they even talked about Amber. But after thinking about it, I decided against it. I don’t want to go there. For me, being an actor is just a normal job. I’ll go wherever it’s comfortable and convenient. Occasional business trips are fine, but long-term stays are out of the question. Just look at Jessica to see how tiring it is.”

Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, gazing at her eyes that were slightly brightened by her emotional fluctuations, and gently smiled without interrupting her.

I just listened quietly, occasionally adding a few words in response.

The atmosphere of this dinner wasn't particularly lively, but it naturally exuded a sense of intimacy.

It's like two people don't need to deliberately maintain anything; their hearts can gradually grow closer.

Just as the two were talking quietly, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly stopped moving.

His gaze went past Krystal's shoulder and toward the restaurant entrance.

A familiar figure was walking in.

Bae Joo-hyun.

The other person was wearing a light-colored coat and was accompanied by several companions, seemingly having a meal together.

The light shone on that fair face, making that moment of stunned silence all the more vivid.

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at him and then looked away, but Krystal still noticed the pause in his gaze and tilted her head in confusion. "What's wrong? Do you know this person?"

Lin Xiuyuan smiled slightly and said in a calm tone, "Yes, I met him in 2013."

He spoke calmly, as if he were just casually mentioning it, and showed no intention of going up to greet him.

But when she sat down and saw Lin Xiuyuan as well, Bae Joo-hyun couldn't be as calm as him.

In her eyes, seeing Lin Xiuyuan again was quite a shock.

The main reason is that she clearly remembers the last time she saw Lin Xiuyuan was at another restaurant.

At that time, the boy was sitting face to face with his senior, Kim Tae-yeon, and the atmosphere was quite ambiguous, which even attracted the appearance of Tara's senior, Lee Qri.

The scene of the two women vying for supremacy at that time deeply shocked her.

But to my surprise, not long after all, I ran into him again in this kind of situation.

This time, Krystal was sitting next to him.

Under the lamplight, the two sat facing each other, their smiles revealing an unspoken understanding. Even in their casual conversation, the ease and naturalness in their eyes suggested a bond beyond that of ordinary friends.

Bae Joo-hyun's eyes were truly shocked, and she couldn't help but linger on the two of them for a longer time.

However, her shock had only just begun.

Not long after, another sound came from the restaurant entrance, and two more familiar figures walked in.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was chatting and laughing with Krystal, suddenly looked up and saw two unexpected yet incredibly familiar figures.

As they approached him step by step, Lin Xiuyuan was both shocked and surprised.

He only spoke when the two had reached his table, "What's going on? Sunny, what are you doing here?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Kim Tae-yeon couldn't help but gently push Sunny, looking at Lin Xiuyuan with a hint of dissatisfaction and a touch of teasing.

"What are you doing? What are you doing? I'm here too, Xiuyuan~ Don't just stare at Sunkyu."

Her joking tone made everyone laugh, and then Kim Tae-yeon gave Krystal a polite smile and nodded, "Long time no see, Soo-jung~"

Upon hearing this, Krystal quickly stood up and greeted the two with a smile.

She glanced around at the nearly full tables and then casually asked, "Unnie, do you want to sit down and eat with us? There probably aren't any seats left in the restaurant."

Sunny waved her hand, her smile light and carefree, "Yes, otherwise how could we have come in? You guys eat your food, we just came over to say hello when we saw you."

Then Kim Tae-yeon looked at Lin Xiu-yuan and said, "Xiu-yuan~ remember to call me later. Don't stand me up for our appointment tomorrow, or I'll be really angry."

"I know, I remember."

Lin Xiuyuan responded with a smile, his voice calm.

After the two left, the dining table returned to silence.

Krystal took a sip of water, but her gaze remained fixed on Lin Xiuyuan. She narrowed her eyes slightly and asked, "What did you and Taeyeon unnie agree to?"

"Her father's situation." Lin Xiuyuan lowered his head and took a sip of water.

After listening, Krystal understood the problem and stopped asking questions. She simply leaned over and smiled ambiguously, her voice low, "Then it seems I can't stay overnight tonight."

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, "It should be fine, she's going tomorrow night... but it's hard to say, she has to go back in the morning on the other side."

After hearing this, Krystal sighed as if joking, leaned back, and said, "Never mind then, I'll go back and play chess with Jessica."

"Huh? I'm a little confused by what you're saying. You two play chess?" Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, looking incredulous.

“Her friend taught her,” Krystal laughed. “I’ve been bored lately, so I’ve picked up a few tricks too. How about… we go play together later?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan immediately shook his head, his expression one of certainty. "Forget it, the best place to play chess is in front of a car repair shop or under a big tree in a park. Other places just don't have that feel."

At the dining table, Krystal rested her chin on her hand, a smile still playing in her eyes. She clearly found Lin Xiuyuan's reason for refusing to play chess both amusing and absurd.

"Xiuyuan~ you really are..."

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, picked up a piece of steak, and said calmly, "That's a matter of atmosphere. It's like putting this steak in a park square to eat; it just feels like it's missing something."

“Your logic…” Krystal chuckled and shook her head, but didn’t argue further. She simply lowered her head and gently cut the steak in front of her with elegant movements.

The two chatted casually afterward, from Jessica's amusing stories about learning chess to recent gossip and rumors in the entertainment industry.

And the other side.

Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny then sat down at the two-person table.

The warm light shone on them, and the atmosphere quieted down.

"Sunny, aren't you busy? Running around like this all day long." Kim Tae-yeon said with a smile, her tone a little helpless but still affectionate.

Sunny pursed her lips and casually replied, "You know perfectly well who made the appointment, so what's the point of asking me this question?"

Kim Tae-yeon looked at her quietly, her gaze deepening.

She knew, of course, that it was Tiffany's invitation, the reason being that her debut anniversary and birthday coincided, so everyone could get together since they were free.

She initially wanted to refuse, but the other party insisted, so she didn't say anything.

Just like before, he didn't say a word.

"Ah."

Kim Tae-yeon nodded, but her eyes held a complex expression.

But this time, after nodding, she suddenly thought of something and asked softly, "Sunny, if I don't go, will you go?"

The air suddenly fell silent, with only the faint sounds of the restaurant's noise lingering.

Sunny didn't answer immediately, remaining silent for a while, as if weighing her options.

In the end, she simply pursed her lips and remained silent.

Looking at her expression, Kim Tae-yeon roughly knew the answer in her mind, then smiled and said, "Don't overthink it. I was just asking casually. If I had said that back then, maybe it would have been a good thing."

Sunny's mouth dropped open, a look of shock appearing on her face, as if she were seeing Kim Tae-yeon for the first time.

Meanwhile, Bae Joo-hyun sat at her own dining table, her feelings more complicated than when she had just entered the room.

She had noticed the commotion at Lin Xiuyuan and Krystal's table earlier.

Especially after Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny appeared and chatted and laughed with Lin Xiuyuan, the waves in her heart were even greater.

She hesitated for a long time.

Reason told her that she shouldn't rush forward and disturb them.

However, as a former junior colleague, it would be too impolite to pretend not to see Krystal.

Moreover, Bae Joo-hyun clearly sensed that Lin Xiuyuan and the other man had noticed her as soon as she entered the room.

So when she saw Lin Xiuyuan put down his knife and fork and Krystal gently place her napkin aside, she made up her mind and was about to get up.

Their eyes met.

Noticing this, Lin Xiuyuan smiled slightly, shook his head, and gently pressed his hand down, indicating that she didn't need to come over.

Bae Joo-hyun paused for a moment, then stopped and sat back down.

Then Krystal looked over, and the three of them briefly met in mid-air before exchanging a polite and restrained smile as a greeting.

Later, Lin Xiuyuan got up and went to the counter to pay.

Bae Joo-hyun, her mind blank, hesitated for a long time before following them.

Krystal's eyes narrowed slightly when she saw this, but her expression remained unchanged as she watched quietly.

She only relaxed slightly after confirming that the two were simply heading towards the counter.

At the counter, Lin Xiuyuan was taking out his card to pay when he suddenly heard a soft voice, "Hello~"

He turned his head and his gaze fell on Bae Joo-hyun.

After a slight pause, she quickly smiled and nodded, replying gently, "Hello~"

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