Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 334 "Big sister is too good at this..." (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

Before we knew it, evening had arrived.

The sky was tinged with a deep gray-blue by the rain clouds, and the rain became sparse, no longer pouring down, but a light drizzle.

Fine raindrops fell obliquely in the fading light of the sky.

With this kind of rain, even without an umbrella, you won't get soaked immediately after a short walk outdoors.

After soaking in the hot springs, feeling relaxed and refreshed, the group returned to the parking area in front of the hotel.

"Oppa, shall we have dinner together again later?" After getting out of the car, Park Jiyeon looked at Lin Xiuyuan and asked about the dinner arrangements.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had just locked his car, glanced at everyone and shook his head. "Forget it, we've already had a long day. It's rare to relax like this after taking a bath. Let's all go back and rest. If we go out to eat again, we might get caught in the wind and rain and lose all the warmth we had. That would be a waste."

Hearing this, Ham Eun-jung nodded in agreement, "Yes, I think so too. Actually, everyone should be a little tired today, so let's all get some rest and be ready to work tomorrow."

The group exchanged glances, seeing the languid comfort of soaking in the hot spring on each other's faces, and thus stopped insisting and waved goodbye.

Lin Xiuyuan, along with Shirley and Goo Hara, went straight back to their hotel suite.

Ham Eun-jung, Park Ji-yeon, and Park Hyo-min then headed to the dormitory rented by the T-ara group next door.

As the group unlocked the dormitory door with their keys, a warm, dry breeze carrying the aroma of food wafted out.

Looking around, you can see Jeon Boram sitting cross-legged on the soft carpet in the living room, with a takeout oden from a convenience store in front of her, eating it in small bites.

After hearing the door open, he turned his head to look at the people who came in.

"Oh, you're back?" Jeon Boram asked in a soft, sweet voice, looking at them with a hint of surprise. "I thought you guys would be out late."

"Come back and rest early," Ham Eun-jung replied with a smile as she changed her shoes.

"Unnie, what are you eating? It smells so good! I want some too!"

After changing her shoes, Park Jiyeon's eyes lit up like a puppy smelling a bone, and she immediately ran over.

Then he plopped down next to Jeon Boram, sniffing hard and staring longingly into the still steaming paper cup.

Seeing this, Jeon Boram smiled gently and naturally picked up a small, unused plastic spoon from the side, handing it to her softly, "Here, eat whatever you like. What's wrong? Didn't you guys grab something to eat after soaking in the hot spring?"

Park Jiyeon, who had already started carefully selecting fish balls and radishes with her spoon, was so engrossed in the food that she didn't realize the hidden meaning in those words and simply mumbled an "Mmm."

But Ham Eun-jung, who was standing at the door, instantly caught the key point.

So he keenly raised his head and looked at Jeon Boram, his eyes filled with a hint of doubt and inquiry.

"Unnie, how did you know we went to the hot springs? We didn't even have a chance to tell you when we got back, and no one sent any messages or photos on their phones yet?"

After she finished speaking, she subconsciously glanced at Park Hyomin, who was taking off her coat next to her.

Upon receiving the other person's gaze, Park Hyomin quickly shook her head to distance herself, saying, "Eunjung, why are you looking at me? I didn't say anything."

At that moment, Jeon Boram, realizing she had let something slip, immediately shut her mouth, a barely perceptible look of panic flashing across her face.

Then she lowered her head, pretending to be focused on the konjac noodles in her spoon, as if she hadn't asked that question at all, trying to get away with it.

But who is Ham Eun-jung? She is a master of reading people and has excellent logical reasoning skills.

So even though Jeon Boram was pretending to be mute, she quickly connected the information in her mind, glanced at the other person, and finally locked onto the most likely leaker in her mind.

At the same time, a knowing smile appeared on his face as he looked at his unnie, who was trying to hide.

"Oh~ Hoo~" She deliberately drew out her words, "I know who told Unnie, Unnie. It seems you and Xiuyuan have been chatting quite a lot these past few days, quite frequently~"

Park Jiyeon, who was trying to cool down a piping hot meatball, caught the keyword "Xiuyuan" in her ears and immediately looked up from her food.

Even with her cheeks still puffed out, she asked indistinctly, "Huh? What are you guys talking about? How did you get onto the topic of oppa?"

The little dragon, who was working on a single thread, had been completely focused on the oden.

Seeing this, Jeon Boram quickly reached out and hurriedly pressed Park Jiyeon's ear to try to physically block out the noise, her tone carrying a hint of trying to hide something, "N-nothing, Jiyeon, you can continue eating, we didn't say anything."

At the same time, she cast a slightly weak look at Ham Eun-jung and mouthed silently: No, it's really not as much as you think!

"Oh~ okay~" Ham Eun-jung laughed even more happily, her smile clearly saying "I don't believe it".

However, she knew when to stop and didn't press the matter further.

Only Park Hyomin, standing to the side, felt even more confused as she watched the silent exchange and conversation between the three.

She couldn't help but wonder: Wait... what's going on here? How come even Baolan unnie seems to be quite familiar with Lin Xiuyuan? Didn't they only meet a few times? Did I miss some important plot point? Or is there something wrong with my comprehension?

While a mini-drama was unfolding at Tara's dormitory, the time portal in the hotel suite next door was slowly opening.

When Lin Xiuyuan said he was going back to rest, he didn't just mean sitting in the hotel in 13.

Upon arriving at the door, he casually pulled it, and the portal connecting two different time periods quietly opened once again.

"Let's go surf the internet and surf the waves. There's nothing to do here anyway," Lin Xiuyuan gestured to Goo Hara and Sulli.

She took the lead and stepped in, with Sulli pulling along Goo Hara, who was still a bit curious. The three of them stepped inside.

Just a step away, the surrounding scenery changed in an instant.

The damp atmosphere of a rainy Tokyo night was replaced by the dry, warm air from the central air conditioning, and the minimalist, modern decor replaced the business style of the hotel suite. In the blink of an eye, the three of them found themselves in Lin Xiuyuan's spacious villa in Seoul, which had been there for 25 years.

This is what Lin Xiuyuan meant by taking a break, coming here to enjoy 25 years of uninterrupted high-speed internet surfing, and a more free and relaxed environment.

Then, with practiced ease, he took out a brand-new, unopened mobile phone from the locker, unpacked it, turned it on, and handed it to Goo Hara after a series of skillful operations.

"Here you go, Hera. This is your new gear. It's already set up new social media accounts for you, and the phone number is new too. It's completely anonymous, so you can chat and research online without worrying about being tracked."

Shirley, as if she were back in her own home, naturally walked to the double-door refrigerator in the open kitchen, took out washed fresh fruit and several cans of low-sugar drinks, and placed them on a delicate tray on the spacious coffee table in the living room.

Then he sat down next to Goo Hara, took the new phone, and patiently began to teach her.

"Unnie, look, this is a commonly used video software here. This is an anonymous forum; you can use this search engine if you want to find any information. It's actually similar to what it was like in 13. And this movie app; you can watch a lot of movies here that haven't been released or that we can't find resources for in our area..."

She carefully explained to Goo Hara how to use several key apps and how to safely use these new accounts to browse information.

As for Lin Xiuyuan, after giving the phone to Goo Hara, he seemed to enter a different work mode.

He sat silently on the single sofa next to him, picked up his phone which was always connected to the internet, and started typing away at the backlog of messages.

His expression shifted between seriousness, helplessness, and a hint of a smile.

Seeing him so busy, Goo Hara, while learning to use the new phone, asked Sulli curiously in a low voice, "Jinri, what is Xiuyuan busy with? He replied to messages as soon as he got here."

"Reply to Unnie and the others' messages."

When asked, Shirley explained as if it were common sense, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb Lin Xiuyuan.

"If anyone has something to say or wants to chat about, they usually leave a message for oppa first. Then, after he comes over from our side, we reply to him all at once. The reverse is also true; if oppa is mainly staying here, and we have something to do over there, we'll leave a message for him first."

After saying that, he added, "But if it's something really urgent, we'll just call. If oppa sees a missed call, he'll call back immediately, or just open the door and come over to us."

"Oh, I see. I understand now." Goo Hara nodded, feeling like she had learned another operating rule of this cross-time group.

Despite having personally experienced the time portal yesterday, this lifestyle of asynchronous communication using time differences still felt incredibly novel to her. "Traveling back and forth between two timelines like this is truly amazing." "Unnie, you'll get used to it," Shirley smiled, her tone relaxed.

"At first, I was not used to it at all, and it felt like a dream. But after experiencing more, I gradually realized that it is not much different from living in the same world, except for some time difference and resources."

Just as Shirley finished speaking, Lin Xiuyuan, who had been replying to messages, suddenly stood up.

After glancing at his phone screen again, he looked up at Sulli and Goo Hara and said, "Well, you two can play here for a bit. I have something to do and need to go over to Jessica's place."

"Okay, oppa, go ahead and be careful." Sulli nodded understandingly without asking any further questions.

"Yes, we'll wait for you to come back." Goo Hara looked up and replied softly.

Lin Xiuyuan then gave the two a reassuring gesture and turned to walk towards the corner.

As that magical door opened and closed, his figure disappeared into the villa's living room.

Watching this magical scene unfold before her eyes once again, Goo Hara suddenly thought of a practical problem and turned to Sulli, "Jinri, what if we suddenly have an urgent matter here and need to go back to 13 immediately, but Xiuyuan isn't there?"

"Make a phone call."

This time, Sulli answered matter-of-factly, picking up her phone and waving it, "Oppa just went to another place here, it's not like he went back 13 years. As long as we're still in the same time and space, we can call each other. Just give him a simple hint, and he'll be back in no time."

"Oh, yes."

Having already learned about the Anywhere Door function from Sulli last night, Goo Hara immediately slapped her forehead, realizing she had asked a silly question.

The main issue is the cognitive shock brought about by this cross-time and space perspective. Sometimes, she subconsciously thinks about problems using the mindset of "two worlds," and her values ​​don't immediately shift.

"It's okay, unnie, you'll get used to it gradually." Shirley smiled understandingly and handed her a slice of apple.

Goo Hara accepted the apple, thanked them, and then lowered her head again to focus her attention on the new phone in her hand.

Slender, fair fingertips glided across the smooth screen, and yesterday's shocking news headlines and images seemed to faintly resurface in her mind.

Finally, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if trying to temporarily dispel those heavy memories.

Then, leaning back into the soft, comfortable sofa, I began browsing online information about this future world with a serious purpose of exploring and rebuilding my mindset.

This is a journey to understanding another version of yourself, and also the beginning of understanding this new world.

……

……

the other side.

Lin Xiuyuan, who arrived directly in the apartment in Shanghai through the Anywhere Door, immediately locked his gaze on the bed next to him as soon as he appeared in the bedroom.

Jessica was lying on the large bed in an extremely lazy and relaxed posture, her two slender, fair legs swinging casually in the air, and she seemed to be holding a phone in her hand, fiddling with something.

"What's wrong? Why did you call me over in such a hurry? What happened?" Lin Xiuyuan looked at the alluring scene, his tone carrying his usual casualness and a hint of barely perceptible concern.

Jessica reacted incredibly quickly upon hearing Lin Xiuyuan's voice.

She suddenly turned her head, and her face instantly blossomed into a smile that was a mixture of surprise, eagerness, and radiant joy.

Without any hesitation, she immediately scrambled out of bed, not even bothering to put on slippers, and ran towards him barefoot on the soft carpet.

"Xiuyuan!" She ran up to Lin Xiuyuan, slightly out of breath from running so fast, and looked up at him with her delicate face, which also had a slightly aggrieved expression. "You have to help me! You absolutely have to help me!"

"What do you mean? How can I help you?" Lin Xiuyuan was a little confused by her actions, but he still instinctively reached out and steadily supported the delicate body that was about to crash into his arms due to inertia.

He then pulled her into his arms, looked down at her, and asked, "Tell me slowly, don't rush."

Immediately afterwards, Jessica, as if she had found a creek to confide in, poured out all the shocking plot that Krystal had told her in the video, about Jessica Jung's attempt to collude with the other party to get her drunk and put her in bed.

Moreover, it was embellished, vividly described, and told from the perspective of a victim and an innocent party.

He recounted the whole story to Lin Xiuyuan.

At this point, you really have to admit that these women with 25 years of experience are truly skilled.

If this were the younger girls from 13, they would have been more inclined to solve the problem themselves and then seek revenge later.

Ninety-nine percent of them will silently swallow this news and secretly plan a counterattack, never easily showing weakness or asking for help.

But if it were Jessica, who has experience in both the entertainment industry and the business world, knows better how to use her own advantages, and understands the principle that "a woman who knows how to be charming has the best life," her strategy would be completely different.

This person directly resorted to the art of acting cute and youthful, finding Lin Xiuyuan as both the referee and protector, and packaging themselves as a pitiful little white rabbit about to be bullied by their evil other self.

By filing complaints first, they seize the moral and emotional high ground.

As a perfectly healthy man, both physically and mentally, he found himself drawn to Jessica, a stunningly beautiful woman with a great figure and elegant demeanor. He threw himself into her arms, poured out his grievances in a soft voice, and sought protection with trusting eyes…

Regardless of who is right or wrong in the matter itself, the satisfaction and vanity of being needed and relied upon are enough to make people dizzy and temporarily lose their rationality.

Therefore, Lin Xiuyuan at this moment is a perfect portrayal of this state.

While enjoying the soft, warm touch of Jessica in his arms, he could smell her pleasant fragrance.

As I listened to the other person's trembling accusations, my sense of fairness and justice had long since tilted to the side.

An unconscious smile of pleasure appeared on his face, and almost without thinking, he readily agreed to every request Jessica made.

Jessica: "You have to help me!"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded vigorously: "Help! Definitely help!"

Jessica: "Then you have to be on my side!"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded righteously and firmly, "Stand! We must stand on your side!"

Jessica: "If she really tries to hurt me, you have to stop her and protect me!"

Lin Xiuyuan patted his chest and assured him, "Stop! I'll fight anyone who dares to touch you!"

Looking at Lin Xiuyuan's tyrannical appearance, Jessica's eyes flashed with a hint of smugness. She then pressed her advantage and made one last, very constructive, or rather, retaliatory, request.

His voice even softened a bit, carrying a hint of encouragement and anticipation.

"And also, if, I mean if Jessica Jung is still up to no good and wants you to help me tie me up and send me to her place, you have to tie her up and send her back, so she can also experience what it's like to be tricked, okay?"

Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously agreed, "Okay, tie me up and put me back... huh???"

But halfway through his sentence, he finally realized how outrageous the request was.

The rationality that had been shattered by the beauty and coquetry momentarily returned, and her eyes widened abruptly, uttering a single syllable filled with doubt and a sense of absurdity.

Then he looked down at Jessica, who was looking up at him expectantly with her beautiful big eyes, and was speechless for a moment.

Jessica Jung is tied up again?

No, wait... isn't this plot a little too intense?

(End of this chapter)