Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 114 "Wait a minute, are you trying to get me to date Lin Xiuyuan?" (Seeking monthly votes and subscriptions)

The living room of the villa in 2025.

Lin Yoona and Lin Xiaolu sat at opposite ends of the sofa, smiling broadly, but the atmosphere was as delicate as a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

Lin Xiuyuan, caught in the middle, quietly took a sip of water, his eyes darting left and right, trying to find a reason to retreat.

He cleared his throat and tentatively said in a low voice, "Well, you guys have class, so I'll excuse myself for a bit. I'll also check the tavern's inventory while I'm at it. Call me when you're done."

Just as he was about to get up, Lim Yoona grabbed his shoulder and pressed him back down without any politeness.

"Don't go. This acting training requires your participation. You are her co-star today."

Seeing this, Lin Xiaolu stopped being emotional and asked in a slightly more serious manner, "Then how do we do it?"

Lin Yoona, who had pressed Lin Xiuyuan back onto the sofa, slowly got up, picked up her tablet, and skillfully projected the first episode of "The Heirs" onto the TV in front of her.

Then, looking at Lin Xiaolu, he spoke softly with some emotion.

“With only two months to prepare, plus tours and other work commitments, there’s simply no way to practice slowly step by step. So I came up with a solution these past two days: the ‘analysis method.’ We’ll break down the play directly and use technical training to go through the process with you.”

Lin Xiaolu looked at the screen and pouted, "If that's the case, then I can watch the TV series by myself, right?"

"Can you analyze the changes in rhythm yourself? Can you distinguish which expressions are transitions and which are emotional outbursts? Do you know how the camera cuts should correspond to your inner rhythm?"

In response to Lin Xiaolu's answer, Lin Yoona smiled, but her tone was sharp.

“Scripts aren’t meant to be read aloud; they’re meant to be dissected. Whether a female lead can carry the emotional storyline depends entirely on your ‘performance awareness.’ When you encounter a director who changes the lines on the spot, let’s see how you handle it.”

After saying that, she had completely entered teaching mode, her posture confident and calm, no longer arguing with Lin Xiaolu.

“Let’s start with the first scene, where Cha Eun-sang is working in America and is humiliated here.”

As the television screen slowly played, Yoona stood in front of it, looking quite like a teacher as she explained things one by one.

"This is the character's first impression, and it's crucial. Her state is 'introverted,' outwardly she has to appear strong, but inwardly she's extremely turbulent. Notice this shot; her eyes dart to the lower right, which is a 'defensive gaze,' indicating that she feels threatened but chooses to suppress her reaction."

Lin Xiaolu looked at Lin Yoona as she analyzed each frame of the video, her expression genuinely puzzled.

"Why am I just stunned when I look at her? Is she terrified?"

No sooner had he said that than Yoona chimed in, "It's precisely because you interpreted this as 'being terrified' that the roles you played before were completely unremarkable."

"You too, thank you."

Lin Xiaolu, who was being scolded, was taken aback and subconsciously replied.

……

……

After half an hour.

Yoona yelled, "Stop! What's with that expression? Your eyes look like you're waiting for takeout. What's wrong? Are you starving?"

She walked up to Lin Xiaolu and personally demonstrated the look in her eyes at that moment, explaining and showing as she went.

"Your gaze is too flat; you need some inner tension. Sigh, come on, let's break the rhythm."

The first second is 'emotional defense,' the third second is 'self-suppression,' and the fifth second is a point of 'trembling.' At this moment, you need to create a 'slight resistance' at the corners of your mouth and eyes simultaneously.

"What kind of confrontation? How can the corners of the mouth and the corners of the eyes confront each other?"

Lin Xiaolu's eyes were clear.

……

……

after an hour.

"Let's start with some 'technical training' then."

Lin Yoona turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan on the sofa, "Xiuyuan, have you seen any of my dramas before? Like 'Love Rain'? Give me your opinion."

Unexpectedly being called out, Lin Xiuyuan quickly sat up straight, his eyes darting between the two men, one angry at their lack of ambition, the other pouting.

So he answered in a low voice, "Uh, I've seen a little bit. When I first arrived in Seoul last year, it was being broadcast on TV, so I watched a few episodes."

"So what do you think?"

"Um……"

Lin Xiuyuan hesitated for a moment, then added dryly, "I think the two supporting teachers who played my parents had pretty good acting skills."

Lin Xiaolu immediately rolled her eyes and sighed, "Enough, I know my acting is bad. You tell me how to practice, and I'll do it."

Seeing that the effect was good, Lim Yoona nodded in satisfaction and turned to the TV. "Let's go through the first scene again. Practice the 'three-stage emotional control' exercise, coordinating your breathing and eye contact. Xiuyuan, you need to coordinate your movements."

Lin Xiuyuan could only get up helplessly, silently thinking: I'm just a doorman, how did I end up as an audition partner?

……

……

After what seemed like an eternity, seeing that Lin Xiaolu still hadn't gotten into character and her emotions remained superficial, Lin Yoona couldn't hold back any longer.

"Sigh, we haven't calmed down yet. Let's try doing a blindfold exercise."

She took a long scarf and gently covered Lin Xiaolu's eyes, only revealing the area below her brow bone. "Sometimes the audience can't see your eyes, but you have to let them see the flow of your emotions through your breathing, lips, and jaw muscles."

After saying that, Lin Yoona turned around and pointed at Lin Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, stand in front of her, about a meter and a half away, for the rehearsal."

Lin Xiuyuan paused, then asked, "How do we rehearse the scene?"

"You be a mirror."

Yoona's tone was clearly angry, like a cat about to puff up its fur, "She's looking at your expression to get into character. You keep a close eye on her, and if you feel something's wrong, immediately tell her to stop."

……

……

This state of affairs lasted from around 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Although they had a quick lunch in between, the training hardly stopped. They ate and chatted at the same time, their mouths and hands never idle.

Even so, after most of the day had passed, Lin Xiuyuan discovered that Lin Yun'er hadn't even finished explaining the analysis work for Lin Xiaolu in a single episode.

So, taking advantage of this short break, he finally raised his hand and said, "Um, Yoona, I'm not saying you're a bad teacher, I just want to make a suggestion."

"Hmm, what suggestion?"

Sitting to the side, Lin Yoona, who seemed to be questioning her life, glanced around and spoke with a hint of weariness and self-doubt.

In the past half day, she has gone through all the acting techniques, from breathing and eye contact to rhythm and expression, scrutinizing each one in the hope of rekindling the "lifeless" eyes of Lin Xiaolu.

But after trying for so long, there has been no improvement.

She even began to doubt whether she was simply not suited to teaching, or whether she truly lacked the talent.

Anyway, I was a bit taken aback for a while.

Lin Xiaolu next to her was in a similar situation. It wasn't that she couldn't understand what Lin Yoona was saying, and she also understood those so-called "techniques."

But even if she can't do it.

Ultimately, she had no idea how to "act".

Last time, she was able to "act out" because of the 'hypothetical scenario'.

But this time, when it came to simply "acting," she really couldn't pull it off.

So when Lin Xiaolu heard that Lin Xiuyuan was going to make a suggestion, she immediately looked at him, wanting to hear what he had to say.

"I think it's not that Lu Han can't act..."

Lin Xiuyuan thought for a moment and slowly said, "But every time you tell her to 'do this or that,' she gets restricted by your words. Like last time, you didn't say much, and she acted quite well by 'imagining' it herself."

After Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Lin Yun'er still didn't understand, "So, Xiuyuan, what kind of advice do you want to give?"

Lin Xiaolu also sat up straight, her eyes fixed on him.

“What I mean is, since she was able to perform through ‘immersive experience’ last time, could we try it this time as well? First, enter a familiar emotion, and then bring that emotion to the role?”

At this point, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but recall a saying: "No skill involved, just pure emotion." After hearing this, Lin Xiaolu also began to think about it seriously, but quickly realized that there was a major prerequisite involved.

Before she could even speak, Lim Yoona had already spoken for her, "Xiuyuan, I'm not saying that 'experiential learning' is no good, of course it's effective. But the problem is, it requires a certain amount of emotional depth and life experience."

Previously, Lin Xiaolu was thinking about Jessica's departure from the team. The premise of 'immersion' had already been completed in the emotions accumulated over the years, so she was able to have enough emotional outburst.

But she doesn't recognize any of the characters in this drama, so how can she 'immerse herself' in the experience?

Lin Xiaolu listened quietly to everything, and nodded gently when Lin Xiuyuan looked at her.

Clearly, she also felt that Lim Yoona was right.

Hearing both of them say this, Lin Xiuyuan was a little confused. "Shouldn't it be that after reading the script, you can immediately immerse yourself in the character's world?"

"What you're describing is talent, right?" Im Yoona laughed as she thought of something.

Then Lin Xiaolu rolled her eyes speechlessly, "If I had this talent, would I still be sitting here taking classes?"

"Ah, I thought 'experiential learning' meant you could jump right in."

"Stop talking, I've really had enough of this."

Lin Xiaolu, who had just rolled her eyes, glared at him again, annoyed.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan quickly waved his hand and laughed, "Ah, sorry, sorry. But if that's what you're saying, how about we try a different approach? How about bringing your real-life feelings for other people into the character? Like transplanting emotions."

This unusual perspective left both Yoona and Lin Xiaolu speechless. They exchanged a glance and then fell silent.

After a long pause, Lin Yoona slowly spoke, "It seems possible, but according to the script, it has to be a love-hate relationship. So many years have passed, I can't remember if Lin Xiaolu has ever had a guy like that who is worth it."

"No." Lin Xiaolu replied instantly, her tone crisp and decisive.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan gave an awkward smile and said, "Well, there's nothing I can do then. Let's continue with the class. Forget what I just said. I'm going to the restroom."

After saying that, he quickly left, intending to find a corner to catch his breath.

As soon as his figure disappeared, Lin Yoona suddenly turned her head to look at Lin Xiaolu and asked softly, "Do you think my lessons were useful?"

"I thought what they said in the video was quite effective, and I figured it out myself. But when I switched to techniques, I couldn't do it. I guess my basics are too weak."

When asked the question, Lin Xiaolu was no longer as confrontational as she had been when she first arrived. Instead, she calmly discussed the issue with Lin Yoona.

He gave his thoughts frankly and impartially.

After listening, Lim Yoona nodded slightly. "When Xiu Yuan asked me to help film that video, I didn't pay much attention to it. I just casually mentioned my feelings, so there wasn't much skill involved. The reason you were able to get through that 'crying scene' was actually more due to that 'hypothetical scenario'."

Lin Xiaolu later realized this as well, and nodded in agreement.

"However, Xiu Yuan's statement about 'immersing oneself in emotions' is not entirely wrong."

Suddenly changing the subject, Lim Yoona smiled slightly and said, "If you can really transplant real-life emotions into the drama, then there will be no problem with it."

Whom did you think of?

As 'herself', Lin Xiaolu immediately knew that the other party had an answer, but she wouldn't repeat those words.

As expected, after hearing this, Lin Yoona smiled and asked, "What do you think of Xiu Yuan?"

Lin Xiaolu's eyes widened slightly, and she seemed to freeze for a moment.

Yoona's whispers continued in his ear, "You see, when you couldn't find him a few days ago, your anxious reaction was just like a certain state of the female lead in this drama, remember?"

"remember."

Thinking back to her somewhat irrational reaction that day, how could Lin Xiaolu not remember it?

The main reason was that she was too anxious at the time. She was a bit obsessed with the opportunity to play the female lead in writer Kim Eun-sook's film, which is why she was in such a hurry to find Lim Soo-won.

And because it left such a deep impression on her, she felt she could recreate it if asked.

Yoona continued, "Also, the shock, astonishment, and surprise you showed when we met that night were also perfect."

Lin Xiaolu chuckled, "Nonsense, that was a genuine expression of emotion."

"Besides, think about it. Ever since we learned about the time portal, our little team has definitely become inseparable. In that case, having a short and 'immersive' quick romance with Xiu Yuan wouldn't be so bad."

Beside her, Lin Xiaolu frowned deeply, feeling conflicted after hearing these words.

It's so strange, so awkward, yet it seems perfectly reasonable.

A moment later, a flash of inspiration swept through, dispelling the fog that had been obscuring her mind. Then her eyes sharpened, "Wait a minute, oh dear, are you trying to get me to date Lin Xiuyuan?"

"Let's skip the soaking."

Yoona smiled and shook her head, "I know us too well, it's impossible for us to easily fall for someone."

Then he smiled slyly, "I mean, just use him as a tool. Take advantage of that familiar emotional outburst, put on an act, and that's it. Even if things break up later, it won't be a serious blow, since the time portal is there, the relationship won't be severed."

As soon as Lin Yoona said those words, Lin Xiaolu was stunned and stared at her intently.

"Wow, Dafa! Lin Xiuyuan said you took good care of him before, but now you're scheming against him and using him as an emotional stepping stone?"

"How could he be calculating? He's not losing anything by being this 'tool'."

Yoona argued confidently, "You're really good at acting emotions, throwing yourself at him, and he can still get a woman for free. Even if you two really break up, I can just sleep with him for one night as emotional compensation. Men and women, friends and acquaintances, how could he be at a disadvantage?"

Finally, he said, "Anyway, you have the choice. You can try the 'immersive experience,' which might give you a sudden insight. Or you can continue taking skills classes, but I don't know if you can pass the assessment in two months. It's up to you."

A phrase, spoken clearly but heard in a way that was unclear, drifted into Lin Xiaolu's mind.

This caused her brain to completely shut down. "Wait, what you just said is making my head spin..."

She even raised her small hand, saying, "Let me sort this out, let me sort this out. No wonder Jiyeon said you old women have become so open-minded."

"Huh? An old woman?"

Im Yoona, whose expression had been relatively calm, instantly changed her tone upon hearing the words "old woman," and her voice carried a hint of danger. "Jiyeon said that?"

Realizing she had let something slip, Lin Xiaolu panicked and waved her hands repeatedly, "No, she wasn't talking about you, she was talking about... someone else."

"Oh, I remember now, that photo album."

Im Yoona suddenly realized, and then laughed out loud, "Oh my, little Jiyeon is really bold, daring to say and do. If big Jiyeon knew that she was talking about herself like this behind her back, tsk, I can't even imagine what it would be like if the two of them fought."

As she spoke, she seemed to suddenly remember something, and glanced at Lin Xiaolu with a playful look in her eyes.

"Lin Xiaolu, how should I respond when someone says my face is swollen, my eye bags are heavy, and I've gained weight?"

"Who said that? Online comments? Those are all unreliable, just take them with a grain of salt."

The person behind the scenes was caught red-handed by the main character, and Lin Xiaolu's quick wit in coming up with this line is quite remarkable.

Lin Yoona raised her eyebrows slightly, the corners of her mouth turned up, and she was about to tease him again when Lin Xiuyuan, who had gone to the restroom, came back.

He walked out wiping his hands, and noticing the awkward atmosphere between the two, his eyes twitched. He turned around and was about to slip away again when he said, "Um, I'm going to get a bottle of water."

"Don't run away, Xiuyuan, come here. We need your help with something."

As soon as he turned around, he was stopped by Lim Yoona, who said with a bright smile.

Seeing this, Lin Xiaolu quickly pulled her hand, "No, I haven't decided yet."

Who knew that Lim Yoona would smile so brightly, "This isn't just your problem. Didn't you just say that what I did was scheming against him? If I just discuss it with him directly, then it's not scheming, right?"

"?"

Are you trying to trap me?
Lin Xiaolu stared intently at her, while Lin Yun'er laughed even more heartily. She got up and pulled Lin Xiuyuan, who was standing not far away, over, telling him about what she had just discussed with Lin Xiaolu.

To conclude, "What do you think? Is my suggestion alright?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan's first reaction was not to respond to her, but to silently turn his gaze to Lin Xiaolu.

Beside her, Lin Xiaolu looked away with an embarrassed expression, pretending to be interested in the air.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan curled his lips and shook his head directly, "No, I'm not getting involved in your game. But I think Jessica Jung is quite suitable, and a lily blooming isn't out of the question either, right? Think about it."

Said that Cao Cao Cao Cao arrived.

The next second, the phone rang. It was Jessica calling!

　Please vote with your monthly tickets! There will be another chapter later; this one was written a bit slowly.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)