Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 260 "Soojung, do you still have your back dimples?" (Please subscribe and vote)

early morning.

Sunlight swept across the streets of Seoul, casting a warm golden glow on the glass curtain walls and bathing the entire city in a soft light.

On the streets of Gangnam, pedestrians hurry by, and the aroma of coffee mingles with the sound of car horns, creating a familiar symphony of the morning rush hour.

Amidst this hustle and bustle, a certain beauty salon presents a completely different picture.

For the members of the idol group Girls' Generation, this is where their day begins.

As usual, the order of makeup application was determined by drawing lots, and as usual, Jin Ruanruan was unlucky enough to draw the first one.

Upon entering the beauty salon, Jin Ruanruan immediately sat down in her seat. After greeting the familiar makeup artist and stylist, she closed her eyes and began to doze off, just as she was doing before.

Meanwhile, the staff behind her were already working in perfect harmony, skillfully applying skincare, makeup, and hair treatments to her long hair, completing her look step by step.

The whole process was quiet and smooth, with only the buzzing of the hair dryer and the occasional low-pitched conversation.

As time went on, two or three more members entered the beauty salon.

Her seat was arranged in a corner, making her difficult to notice, so quiet that she seemed isolated from the outside world. That's why she didn't appear immediately when Lin Xiaolu came over.

Instead, she didn't come out of the mirror until a slight commotion suddenly came from the doorway.

He had only peeked out casually, but the moment he saw Lin Xiaolu, he paused slightly, as if he had been nailed to the spot.

That state was far too conspicuous.

Her skin was so delicate it seemed like you could squeeze water out of it, her eyes shone like stars, and she looked as if a spring breeze had swept over her, making even the surrounding air sweeter.

Jessica Jung involuntarily narrowed her eyes and slowed her pace, as if giving herself time to process what was happening.

Reason told her not to ask too many questions or overthink things, but her emotions surged uncontrollably.

Soon, Jessica Jung arrived beside Lin Xiaolu, her gaze seemingly hooked as she scrutinized the other woman from head to toe.

That radiant smile, the faint red marks on her collarbone, and the subtle sheen at the corner of her lips…

This led to the conversation described above.

When Jessica Jung heard Lin Xiaolu's answer, she was stunned for a moment, and felt even worse.

She knew she shouldn't keep asking, but she couldn't help staring at Lin Xiaolu for two seconds, trying to find a clue in her eyes.

Lin Xiaolu's smile was so bright and pure that no one could find fault with it, and this frankness only made people more uneasy.

The atmosphere between the two remained subtly suspended in mid-air, as if sparks could fly at any moment.

Just then, a soft "Ouch!" came from the other side of the dressing room, breaking the stalemate.

Then Kim Yu-yeon poked her head out, her face beaming with amusement, and her voice was clearly teasing, "Wow, Yoona, what's wrong with you today? Did you eat something to boost your complexion last night?"

She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with an undisguised schadenfreude.

There was a hint of slyness in that smile, as if to say: the plan has succeeded.

After taking a few steps, he simply came to Sunny's side and pretended to casually chat with her about everyday things, but in reality, his eyes never left the two of them.

Watching Jessica stare at Lin Xiaolu, and then seeing Lin Xiaolu smile back with that "I'm so happy" expression, the smile on her lips was almost impossible to hide.

Oh dear, this scene looks just like a love triangle in an idol drama!
Jin Ruanruan couldn't help but chuckle to herself, and even subconsciously used her phone to check the angle, as if she wanted to etch the scene into her mind and savor it later.

Jessica noticed Kim Yeon-yeon's actions and couldn't help but glare at her, as if warning her to stay out of trouble.

But then Kim Ruanruan turned her head and winked at her, her expression incredibly irritating, practically telling her: Xiuyan, I know what happened.

After several exchanges of glances, the tension in the room subsided slightly.

Sunny and Kwon Yuri were once again left out in the cold, completely unable to understand the subtle expressions and actions of the three. They couldn't guess what was going on, and couldn't figure it out at all.

Soon, as Tiffany, Choi Soo-young, and others arrived, the atmosphere gradually returned to normal.

Lin Xiaolu was still surrounded in the middle, constantly receiving envy and sighs from everyone.

Fortunately, although Lin Xiaolu's blood and energy improved, her face and features did not change much. She was still the same energetic girl, but her whole body was full of energy and glowing.

There is absolutely no visual impact like the sudden surge of 25 years.

All that's left is the glow from her blood and energy, and that filter-like buff that's like a cheat code.

It makes you want to take a second look, and you can't help but wonder: what exactly happened last night?
A few minutes later.

Back in her seat, Jin Ruanruan pulled out her phone again.

Jin Ruanruan: [Phase one of the plan is complete. Phase two begins.]

Ham Eun-jung: [Is this really how it has to be? I have a feeling that if we continue like this, we'll be digging our own graves later, Taeyeon.]

Jin Ruanruan: [Tony Tucker is right about one thing: just do it first, then talk about it later.]

Ham Eun-jung: [It's Stark.]

Jin Ruanruan: [It's Stark.]

……

……

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Inside Lin Xiaolu's apartment, the curtains were half-drawn, and the sunlight streaming in cast a warm band of light across the bed.

After the other party left, Lin Xiuyuan, who was lying on the bed, closed his eyes and took a long nap, which lasted until noon.

He didn't turn over until his phone rang, still half asleep, and reached for his phone on the bedside table.

He picked up the phone and saw that it was none other than Shirley, who had almost interrupted his and Lin Xiaolu's good time last night.

So she couldn't help but laugh out loud, and answered the phone with a slightly hoarse, sleepy voice, "Hey~ Zhenli, what's up?"

"oppa~"

Sherry's characteristically sweet voice came from the other end of the phone, with a drawn-out ending, clearly in a good mood, "Are you still sleeping? Haven't you woken up yet?"

As Sulli spoke, she exchanged a meaningful glance with Krystal Jung beside her, and couldn't help but smile, "This phone call... won't disturb your rest, will it?"

Having been tricked many times before, Lin Xiuyuan had developed an instinctive reaction. He subconsciously glanced at the empty pillow and then laughed, "Stop trying to trick me. Just tell me what's wrong. You've already called, why are you talking about noise?"

"Hehe~" Shirley couldn't help but laugh out loud, revealing a row of small white teeth, "Then I won't beat around the bush, oppa, I was thinking if you don't have anything to do at noon, how about..."

She deliberately drew out the last syllable, "Treat me to a meal, okay?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Krystal Jung next to her kept poking her waist, as if urging her to finish speaking quickly.

Sulli calmly pressed down on her arm, her expression seemingly winking at her, silently calling out: Calm down, Krystal, calm down.

Sure enough, the next second Lin Xiuyuan's voice came from the phone to Jung Soo-jung's ears, "Come on, do you think I don't know whether I'm treating you to dinner or you guys? It's just Jung Soo-jung being gossipy, right? That's the truth."

Upon hearing this, Krystal Jung, who had been playfully teasing Sulli, blushed instantly and stopped her little actions, her fingers frozen in mid-air.

Having already anticipated this, Sulli couldn't help but laugh so hard she almost fell over. She quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Oh, oppa, you haven't eaten either, so it's perfect for us to eat together, right?"

"Let's eat, but what time is it?" Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his temples and finally sat up in bed.

"11 o'clock sharp, oppa, get ready before you leave, the timing will be perfect." Sulli's voice was filled with laughter, clearly having anticipated his agreement.

"Okay, find a place and give me the address. I'll get up and wash up first."

"Okay, oppa~"

Having taken care of everything, Sulli happily gave Krystal an OK sign.

Just as Krystal was about to laugh, Lin Xiuyuan's next words made her earlobe turn red: "Krystal usually has a rather aloof personality, so how come she's gossiping about this? Looks like she's not as good as her sister." After hanging up the phone, Krystal remained in the same position for two seconds, stunned.

Within seconds, her ears turned red all the way down to her neck, and she couldn't help but pout, "What do you mean I can't gossip just because I'm aloof? I don't gossip about other people, and besides, what happened last night... who could stand it?"

As she spoke, she slammed her hand on the table, her eyes wide, her voice low but brimming with excitement, "Snowball, you saw it too, right? The two of them were hugging and kissing like that. If we hadn't been there, they probably would have..."

Shirley was amused by her, nodded with her lips pursed, and took her hand. "Yes, yes, I understand you. If you don't say these things out loud, they'll grow weeds in your heart."

After saying that, he added in a serious tone, "And to be honest, even I found yesterday's scene exciting, and I couldn't help but want to take a second look."

"See!" Krystal Jung's eyes lit up immediately, as if she had found a kindred spirit. "Even you say so, so what's wrong with me gossiping a little?"

The two of them bantered back and forth, laughing heartily, which immediately lightened the atmosphere considerably.

Soon, they began discussing what to have for lunch.

"I don't want anything too oily," Shirley wrinkled her nose. "I already had barbecue last night, so I want something lighter today."

"Then let's have Thai food, it's sour and spicy and appetizing, and I also want to eat shrimp," Krystal Jung chimed in.

The two hit it off immediately and quickly picked a highly-rated Thai restaurant on their phones, sending the address to Lin Xiuyuan.

"Done!" Shirley held up her phone and waved it, a smug look on her face.

On the other side, Lin Xiuyuan looked at the address he received, raised an eyebrow, and couldn't help but smile.

I got up, went into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and took a cold shower to completely wake myself up.

After taking a shower, I went to the mirror and looked at my reflection. My eyes still looked a little tired from last night.

But compared to those caring older sisters who have been around for 25 years, Lin Xiaolu, while having a good taste, does lack the attention to detail in her side dishes.

Therefore, for Lin Xiuyuan, who has already successfully leveled up in 25 years, it is still within his grasp for the time being.

I even thought about giving Lin Xiaolu some props, like bringing back Lin Yoona's props for her to use.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan stroked his chin, and the corners of his lips slowly curved up. "I'm a little tempted."

But right now, washing up is the priority.

After getting ready, he immediately opened the door and went back to the apartment to change into a clean silk shirt and a pair of casual pants, making him look much more neat and tidy.

Then I went downstairs, started the car, and headed straight for the restaurant.

Sulli and Krystal had already arrived at the restaurant.

It's a charming Thai restaurant with a focus on wood and rattan. The air is filled with the aroma of lemongrass and coconut milk, and sunlight filters through the half-open bamboo blinds, dappling the tabletops and making the whole space bright and warm.

They chose a semi-enclosed circular booth facing the floor-to-ceiling window, which offered a good view of the street while also providing a sense of privacy.

Sulli looked down at the menu intently, her fingertips clicking back and forth on the dish names, while Jung Soo-jung poked at the napkins on the table listlessly, glancing towards the door every now and then.

"Hey, Snowball," she muttered softly, "I hope Lin Xiuyuan won't dawdle for too long. We have to rush back to the film set after we finish eating."

"Don't worry, Soojung, oppa is always on time."

Shirley smiled, but before she could say anything more, she saw Lin Xiuyuan walk in from the doorway.

He was led to a booth by the waiter, a smile playing on his lips as he approached, exuding a clean and efficient aura.

Looking at the boy, Krystal subconsciously glanced at a certain spot, her mind replaying what happened between him and Lin Xiaolu last night.

Sulli smiled and looked up to greet him, "Oppa, over here!"

Lin Xiuyuan was led to a booth by the waiter. He sat down, propping himself up on the edge of the table with one hand, and glanced around at the surroundings. A slight smile appeared on his lips. "This is a great spot. It's very private and has a good view. You even made a reservation?"

"Yeah, it's a friend's restaurant, so they saved a table for me," Sulli explained with a smile, then handed over the menu. "Oppa, see what you'd like to eat."

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the menu and quickly ordered a spring roll, prawns, and fried noodles. For drinks, he only ordered a glass of lemonade.

After ordering, he casually leaned back in the booth, his sleeves loosely rolled up to reveal his forearms, looking completely relaxed.

Another moment passed.

In the Thai restaurant, the midday sun shines through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the round wooden booths and creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

At this moment, refreshing lemonade and several appetizers were already laid out on the table. Shirley was poking at a spring roll wrapper with her fork, her expression seemingly nonchalant, but her eyes were shining as she stared at Lin Xiuyuan.

"Oppa~ Did you not sleep much last night?"

Shirley's voice carried a faint chuckle, and she deliberately drew out the end of her sentences, as if hinting at something extraordinary.

Then Jung Soo-jung next to her was also influenced, and she secretly raised her eyes to sized up the person opposite her, her eyes shining like two searchlights.

Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback, put down his chopsticks, and raised an eyebrow at them. "What do you mean by that? Are you looking at my dark circles?"

As she spoke, she deliberately rubbed her eyes, pretending to be very tired.

"No~" Sulli smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and poked Jung Soo-jung next to her with her finger, "It's just that Soo-jung and I bet that oppa definitely didn't get much rest last night."

"Hey!" Krystal's ears turned bright red instantly after hearing her words, and she immediately covered her mouth. "What nonsense are you talking about!"

She covered her mouth while glaring at her, her eyes filled with a panicked plea for her to shut up.

Lin Xiuyuan choked and laughed. He picked up his water glass, took a sip, and looked at the two of them with a hint of a smile in his eyes. "So what exactly do you want to gossip about? Why don't you just ask and I'll answer you all at once, instead of beating around the bush."

"Really, oppa? Then I'll really ask." Sulli's eyes immediately lit up, and she sat up straighter, like a prosecutor ready to start a trial at any moment.

But the next second, Lin Xiuyuan gave him a "trump card" warning: "Hmm, go ahead and ask. I'll just call Yoona and have her answer you too. That would be more fun."

His tone was relaxed, but his smile was infuriating.

Shirley immediately deflated, pouting and muttering, "How can you be so funny?"

She was comfortable gossiping with Lin Xiuyuan, but she was really too embarrassed to act recklessly in front of Lin Xiaolu. How could she casually pry into such matters?

"I never said I wouldn't answer," Lin Xiuyuan said lazily, shrugging with an expression that said, "The initiative is in your hands."

"But if you bring up Yoona unnie, how are we supposed to ask?" Sulli complained softly.

"Then that's your problem."

Lin Xiuyuan laughed even harder, as if deliberately teasing them. Looking at the two anxious and curious children opposite him, he couldn't help but find it amusing.

Still too inexperienced.

If it were Krystal at 25, he probably wouldn't need to say any of this; he would have already sent a voice message to Yoona the moment he sat down.

Thinking of Krystal, Lin Xiuyuan's gaze involuntarily fell on Jung Soo-jung, his eyes carrying a hint of teasing.

Krystal Jung immediately felt a chill run down her spine, and subconsciously pursed her lips to look back at him, feeling as if his eyes could strip away all her thoughts.

Some inappropriate images flashed through my mind, my cheeks instantly flushed, and I felt quite uncomfortable all over.

Noticing this, Lin Xiuyuan quickly saw her panic and, after understanding her situation, felt a mischievous urge.

So she slowly put down her water glass and then dropped another bombshell, "By the way, Soojung, after you've gained so much weight, are your waist dimples still there?"

Upon hearing this, Sulli immediately facepalmed: Oh no, oppa has cheated again.

Krystal Jung froze, her eyes wide with shock, unable to speak.

She clearly remembered that she had never shown her back dimples.

Never!!!

How did he know?!

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(End of this chapter)