Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 245 The "Cute" Bae Joo-hyun (Please Subscribe and Vote)

……

In 2013, Jin Ruanruan had a tire blowout at the highway exit.

"Um, Bae Joo-hyun..."

"Ok?"

"If a stranger suddenly approaches you and starts talking, given your personality and circumstances, what do you think your first words should be to grab your attention?"

"Want to strike up a conversation?" Bae Joo-hyun raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone a little tentative.

"You can think of it as striking up a conversation, or just chatting."

"The first sentence?"

"Yes, first impression."

"..."

Bae Joo-hyun was silent for a few seconds, her eyes flickering slightly.

"What's wrong? Is it hard to say?" Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but ask.

"It's a little embarrassing..." she pursed her lips and added softly, "because I actually prefer when people compliment me."

The underground parking lot was dimly lit.

As soon as Bae Joo-hyun said those words, Kim Yeon-yeon and Sulli next to her exchanged a glance and burst out laughing almost simultaneously.

However, the laughter was not mocking, but rather a resonance with a certain understanding.

“That’s normal. I also like to be praised,” Jin Ruanruan replied with a smile.

“Yes, me too,” Shirley raised her hand in agreement.

Upon seeing this, Bae Joo-hyun blushed slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she still answered Lin Xiuyuan's question softly.

"If I had to pick the first thing that would attract me, it would be a compliment, like saying I'm good-looking."

Do you like straightforward people?

"Ah."

"Then what's the most effective way to praise you?"

Bae Joo-hyun bit her lip, seemingly mustering a lot of courage, before whispering out two words.

"cute."

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned for a moment, his face full of question marks.

"???"

In the underground parking lot, an unexpected sense of contrast suddenly appeared.

A woman with a contrasting personality?
……

Restaurant counter in 2025.

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at Pei Zhuxuan beside him and suddenly remembered a question he had casually asked back then. He never expected it would come in handy at this moment.

After exchanging pleasantries, he spoke first with a smile, "I noticed you when you came in just now. I didn't expect your image in the video to be so different."

Bae Joo-hyun was originally going to speak first, but Lin Xiu-yuan beat her to it, which surprised her slightly.

But after hearing his words, a faint smile still flashed in her eyes.

After all, his female companion is Krystal.

The fact that one can still be aware of oneself in such a situation speaks volumes.

Just as Bae Joo-hyun was thinking about this, Lin Xiuyuan finished his sentence, "He looks quite aloof and proud on stage, but who would have thought he'd be so cute in private?"

"Huh? Me?" Bae Joo-hyun's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Ah."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then extended his fair, slender, and well-defined right hand, and introduced himself with a smile, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Xiuyuan, and I'm Krystal's friend."

Looking down at that hand, Bae Joo-hyun felt a subtle flutter in her heart.

As a self-proclaimed "hand fetishist," she hesitated for a moment before reaching out and gently shaking hands. "My name is Bae Joo-hyun."

Before she could say anything more, Lin Xiuyuan interrupted, "Did you come here out of curiosity about my identity, or did you come specifically to thank me for what just happened?"

Finding herself being led around by a young man made Bae Joo-hyun slightly flustered, and she hurriedly explained, "Ah, no, I just came to pay the bill."

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her, or rather, peeked through the top of her head at her friend across from her who was eating, and laughed again.

Who pays the bill before finishing their meal?

Her nervous demeanor at that moment actually suggested a degree of social anxiety.

It even reminded him of that night in 2013.

But more than ten years have passed, and it's still the same?
However, Lin Xiuyuan did not expose the other party, and nodded slightly, "Ah, is that so? I was presumptuous, I'm sorry."

After saying that, he turned around to pay the bill.

Yu Guangzhong keenly noticed that Bae Joo-hyun's gaze was always fixed on him, her gaze filled with curiosity and even a bit of daze, which she made no attempt to hide.

Lin Xiuyuan understood that this kind of "distracted" state was a common minor problem for many idols.

It's nothing more than the side effects of overwork and excessive stress.

So after completing the payment, he didn't continue the conversation, but simply nodded politely and turned back to his seat.

By the time Bae Joo-hyun came to her senses, that figure had already sat back down opposite Krystal.

After glancing at Lin Xiuyuan again, Bae Joo-hyun turned back and asked the counter staff for the bill.

But the next second, she was told that the boy had already paid the bill for her.

This result surprised Bae Joo-hyun slightly.

She couldn't help but turn her head and look deeply at the boy who had said "cute" to her face the first time they met.

You know, people always describe her as "pretty," "good-looking," and "beautiful."
The only missing word was "cute".

After all, at first glance, her face doesn't really seem to fit the word "cute".

Only those who have truly met her and understand her personality would occasionally make such a joking comment.

After glancing at Lin Xiuyuan's back, Bae Joo-hyun returned to her seat. However, as she looked at the boy's profile from the side, a thought popped into her mind: He looks so young.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiuyuan returned to the dining table.

Krystal was looking down at her phone replying to messages. When she saw him sit down, she closed the screen and looked up at him.

A half-smile curved his lips, and a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.

"Xiuyuan~" She rested her chin on her hands, her tone light and cheerful, "You chatted for quite a while, how was it? Did you have a pleasant conversation with Bae Joo-hyun? You haven't already exchanged contact information, have you?"

She deliberately dragged out the words "contact information," her eyes seeming to carry a hint of teasing, yet also a subtle probing.

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but chuckle as she stared at him, then gave her a look and said, "I didn't leave any contact information."

Then he added, "However... I used your supplementary gold card to pay her bill and treated her to dinner."

"..."

Krystal blinked, paused for a moment, then rolled her eyes, both angry and annoyed, "You really are... I'm taking it back."

"In that case, I'll use Yoona next time," Lin Xiuyuan continued with a smile.

Krystal glanced at him, wanting to say something more, but in the end she just pursed her lips and gave a soft hum.

Then she picked up the small bag from the back of the chair, stood up, and said, "Let's go, it's getting late."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled and got up, straightening his clothes.

The two walked out side by side. As they passed another table, Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously turned his head and glanced in Bae Joo-hyun's direction.

In that instant, his gaze was devoid of any extra emotion; he simply nodded quietly and politely.

Bae Joo-hyun froze, pursed her lips and looked back, her heart skipping a beat.

Lin Xiuyuan then turned around and followed Krystal to the table where Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny were sitting. He greeted them with a smile, exchanged a few brief pleasantries, and then left the restaurant side by side with Krystal.

Under the warm yellow light, the figure gradually disappeared into the night as the door was pushed open.

Inside the restaurant, Bae Joo-hyun's friend looked at her with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "That guy just now, Joo-hyun, do you know him? He seemed quite familiar with you."

Bae Joo-hyun's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously wanted to shake her head and say, "I don't know you."

But then, the voice of that boy suddenly echoed in my mind.

"She looks quite aloof and proud on stage, but who would have thought she'd be more adorable in private?"

And there was the faint smile on his face when he reached out.

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Lin Xiuyuan."

These two sentences made Bae Joo-hyun bite her lip lightly. After frowning for a moment, she finally nodded and replied softly, "Um... a friend."

She spoke softly, yet clearly.

At the moment she said those words, the emotions that welled up inside her were something even she couldn't quite understand.

Whether it was an accident, curiosity, or some indescribable ripple, I don't know.

She really, really, really loves it when people say she's cute.

And someone who says that on the first meeting.

This is the first one.

……

the other side.

The night breeze wasn't cold, and the light from the streetlights swayed slightly in the wind.

Lin Xiuyuan drove Krystal back to her apartment complex, parked the car in the parking lot, and accompanied her upstairs.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, I walked to the entrance of the corridor.

Then the door clicked, and as I pushed it open, a warm feeling rushed towards me.

However, Lin Xiuyuan was stunned as soon as he stepped into the entrance hall.

Krystal, who had intended to turn around and give him a hug, was also stunned.

Because all the lights in the apartment were on.

Even more surprisingly, the sound of running water could be heard coming from the bathroom.

Both of them paused simultaneously, a look of astonishment appearing on their faces.

About ten seconds later, Jessica came out wearing a bath towel, her hair wet and still dripping water.

But when she looked up, she saw Lin Xiuyuan and Krystal standing next to him.

"..."

She stood there stunned, her eyes clearly showing shock and a hint of panic. She instinctively hugged her towel tightly, as if some secret had been suddenly exposed.

"You... how did you get here?" Jessica's voice was filled with disbelief.

Lin Xiuyuan was also taken aback, then quickly raised his hand with a smile, his tone both calm and teasing, "Me? I brought Krystal back. Jessica, what are you doing here again? Did you forget to pay the water bill? But wait, no matter how much you use, the water bill should last a month or two."

Jessica paused for a moment, then her face darkened, and she glared at Krystal as if blaming her for not telling her in advance that someone was coming.

Krystal was somewhat helpless under that glare, and could only shrug and pretend nothing was wrong, "How was I supposed to know you were coming up, Jessica?"

Jessica turned away angrily and went back to the master bedroom, her footsteps hurried.

Not long after, she took a simple set of pajamas from Krystal's closet, changed into them, and came out again, her expression finally returning to a slightly calmer state.

"cough."

Jessica cleared her throat as she entered the living room, trying to hide her embarrassment. She said casually, "Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that I forgot to pay the water bill. The pipes really broke and are leaking terribly."

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but chuckle, and said in a lighthearted tone, "I thought it was another problem with the hot water. Thank goodness."

Jessica pursed her lips, didn't say anything more, just picked up a towel to dry her hair, and turned to find a hairdryer.

Krystal, on the other hand, frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled.

She had originally planned to come back to the apartment and have some fun with Lin Xiuyuan, but unexpectedly, a "variable" suddenly appeared.

However, in her frustration, Krystal suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with a clever idea.

So she simply turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, pretending to be calm but with a hint of impatience, "Xiuyuan~ when you go back to the villa later, remember to change the mattress in the master bedroom, it's filthy."

Krystal emphasized the last three words.

At the same time, Lin Xiuyuan blinked, feigning ignorance, and asked, "Huh? A mattress?"

"Stop playing dumb." Krystal rolled her eyes at him, her tone carrying a hint of command. "It's the mattress; we need to replace it."

Knowing he couldn't escape it, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, scratched the back of his head, and casually agreed, "Okay, I understand."

After that, the two chatted for a bit about the next two days. Lin Xiuyuan would definitely be unavailable tomorrow, but he could be available the day after tomorrow.

So the day after tomorrow, Krystal directly invited him to eat 'peaches'.

Understanding what he meant, Lin Xiuyuan gave an 'OK' sign and then turned to leave.

In this scene, Jessica, blowing her hair, peeks out from the side and sees Lin Xiuyuan's departing figure, a clear hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

then……

"Krystal Jung."

She called out to Krystal, her tone questioning, "What's going on here? Why did you suddenly ask him to change the mattress? Is there a problem?"

Krystal, who had been waiting for this moment, felt a slight tightening in her chest, but kept a calm expression and slowly said, "This is a matter between the bar members, Jessica, so please don't interfere."

"A bar member?" Jessica was taken aback, frowning suspiciously. "No, what could your so-called little circle possibly have to do with a bar and a mattress? It's not some kind of cult, is it?"

Her eyes grew increasingly suspicious, and she felt a pang of unease, becoming even more concerned.

What she wanted was Krystal's irresistible allure, so how could she possibly offer any explanation? Too lazy to bother with further elaboration, she simply tossed out a casual remark.

"You're interfering too much, Jessica. I'm going to take a shower."

As soon as she finished speaking, she got up and went back to the master bedroom to remove her makeup and wash up.

Jessica was left standing there, the buzzing of the hairdryer in her hand mingling with her confusion, leaving her utterly bewildered.

—What kind of pub membership?
—How did this get involved with the master bedroom mattress?

—A bed partner?

……

at the same time.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was already back in the car, glanced down at the navigation map.

With a click of his tongue, he started the car and continued on to his next destination: Da Longzai's house.

His schedule these past few days has been so packed that it's almost like the "death schedule" of second-generation idols back in the day, leaving him with virtually no room to breathe.

Seoul isn't very big, and there wasn't much traffic tonight, so Lin Xiuyuan arrived at Da Longzai's apartment building quickly.

After parking the car, get in and unlock it with your fingerprint.

Just as Lin Xiuyuan entered the entrance hall, changed his shoes, and was about to look up and greet the people inside, he suddenly felt a tightness around his waist.

The little dragon that ran out of the living room suddenly grabbed his clothes and pinned him against the wall next to the entrance.

"Hey, Jiyeon~"

Before Lin Xiuyuan could finish speaking, he saw the other person raise his chin, his breathing rapid and hot, his eyes filled with excitement and long-suppressed emotions.

The next second, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him fiercely.

The big dragon cub will do all the things Krystal wanted to do but couldn't.

The light in the entryway illuminated her slightly flushed cheeks, and she exuded an explosive urge.

Lin Xiuyuan gently supported her back, smiled, and ultimately responded in accordance with her action.

The atmosphere instantly became lively, and even the air seemed to thicken.

　That's all for today. I guess I've been staying up too late lately, and my eyes have developed dry eye syndrome...

　　I'm going to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow and get some eye drops. Everyone, remember to protect your eyes!!!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)