Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 122 Park Jiyeon's Upcoming Party and Gifts (Seeking Monthly Tickets and Subscriptions)
What was Kim Tae-yeon like in 2013?

Although Lin Xiuyuan hadn't met the other person in person many times, he could tell from the video that her features weren't sharp or glamorous, but rather soft and well-proportioned, giving her a very pleasing appearance—a look that combined purity and refinement.

She is petite, truly deserving of the nickname "Little Gold".

But the proportions are excellent, with straight shoulders and back, and slender limbs, making it very suitable to be described as "exquisite".

Small and exquisite, with a tight outline, it exudes a clean and neat beauty amidst its gentleness.

As for temperament~
It's hard to give a proper evaluation, because Lin Xiuyuan was only with me briefly in person.

But it feels like the kind of thing you "like more and more the more you look at it"—unpretentious, natural, and with a healing quality.

Returning to the present, in 2025, Kim Tae-yeon asked, "So what do you think of me?"

This made Lin Xiuyuan think for a long time before finally uttering a single word, "White".

But Kim Tae-yeon's face was dark.

Sunny, standing nearby, burst into laughter, "We're doomed, Taeyeon! You're good for nothing except being white, hahaha~"

"Shut up, Lee Soon-kyu!"

Kim Tae-yeon, who was already irritable, turned her head and glared fiercely at Sunny.

But no, the other person laughed even harder.

Kim Tae-yeon's gaze then shifted to Lin Xiu-yuan, startling him so much that he quickly added, "No, I just wanted to say that her skin is the biggest highlight, and she's beautiful in other aspects too. After all, everyone knows that, so I don't think it's necessary to say it."

Sunny glanced at him discreetly at his last sentence, while Kim Tae-yeon was both angry and amused, "Wow, Xiu Yuan, your tongue has become quite oily lately."

"I've learned a lot from watching the videos," Lin Xiuyuan replied.

Kim Tae-yeon expressed her dissatisfaction, saying, "Don't watch those videos. The things in them can easily lead people astray."

Sunny laughed again, "What? Taeyeon, you're talking like you're teaching a child. She's an adult."

"shut up."

It's that same sentence again.

However, Sunny is always very obedient and quiet, but she just can't stay still for long.

As the restaurant dishes were served, the group began to eat and chat. With Kim Tae-yeon's help, Lin Xiuyuan and Sunny gradually found themselves able to have some conversations.

The most frequent topic was drinks; one was a drinker, and the other was a bar owner and bartender, and they seemed to be having a very engaging conversation.

As the two got more and more into their conversation, Kim Tae-yeon, who had been quietly eating, suddenly said, "By the way, Sun-kyu, why did you suddenly come back to Seoul this time?"

Previously, due to the company split, Sunny left SM Entertainment with Lee Soo-man and went to Singapore to join a new company. She has been busy with the new girl group recently, so Kim Tae-yeon didn't expect her to suddenly come back recently.

After stirring the pasta in front of her a few times, Sunny explained why she had come.

“It’s Jiyeon’s birthday in a couple of days, and she told me about it. I was originally busy, but the kids went to LA to film recently, so I had some time to go out.”

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon replied, "Okay, I thought you came back to see me."

"Taeyeon, are you out of your mind? Let me tell you, Jiyeon's birthday party this year is a swimsuit party! Tsk tsk tsk, this is going to be fun! Do you want to come and join the fun? Hehehe~"

After saying that, Sunny didn't notice Lin Xiuyuan's sudden look of shock as he looked up, and she even forgot to chew the beef in her mouth.

Noticing this, Kim Tae-yeon recalled the invitation from not long ago, and then looked at Sunny with a surprised expression, "Really? A swimsuit party?"

"Yeah, we were talking about it last night. Jiyeon originally wanted to change to something else, but Qri and Hyomin stopped her, saying she wanted a swimsuit party."

Presumably because they were eating, Sunny didn't notice anything amiss and continued talking to herself.

It wasn't until she finished her bite of noodles and looked up at their expressions that she noticed something was wrong. "What's wrong? Why do you look like that? Is something the matter?"

"I'm fine, but Xiu Yuan is in trouble," Kim Tae-yeon laughed.

"How did Xiuyuan end up in such a terrible state?" Sunny asked, puzzled.

Then Lin Xiuyuan spoke up, "It's alright. If that's the case, then I won't go over. I'll just give you a gift and leave."

He was hoping he wouldn't go, though he used a clever little trick to temporarily appease Xiao Zhiyan on the other side.

But who knows what might happen the next day?

"Ok?"

Sunny then realized the problem and asked, "Xiuyuan, are you going too?"

“Yes, Jiyeon invited me before. But if it’s a swimsuit party, I won’t go, so you guys can have more fun,” Lin Xiuyuan replied, offering his thoughts as well.

But Kim Tae-yeon chuckled, "Soo-won, I don't think you have a choice. Ji-yeon is always a woman of her word."

Otherwise, they wouldn't have gotten married and divorced so easily.

She naturally didn't say the latter two points aloud, and at the same time, she admired Park Jiyeon's courage, since she herself couldn't do that.

Faced with Kim Tae-yeon's teasing, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but smile wryly, "If that's the case, then I've already made a huge profit, so I definitely haven't lost out."

After all, Sunny, Park Hyomin, Lee Qri, and Daeyongzai all have top-notch figures, and I guess we should add Ham Eunjung to the list.

After observing Ham Eun-jung at the 2013 bar last night, I can confirm that her figure is just as good.

If he really can't escape this swimsuit party, then he's definitely hit the jackpot.

"Then I'll have to think about it."

Upon learning of this situation, Sunny immediately said this with a smile, which seemed like a joke but was actually the truth.

Although the young man in front of her was quite interesting, she couldn't bring herself to show off her bikini figure in front of a guy she had just met.

Lin Xiuyuan quickly waved his hand, "It's okay, you guys have fun. I'll tell Zhiyan later that I won't be going. I'll just give her a gift the day after tomorrow as a formality."

Speaking of gifts, Kim Tae-yeon asked, "By the way, Xiu Yuan, what gift did you prepare?"

In her opinion, it should be a bracelet or necklace, or at the very least, a bag or perfume.

Lin Xiuyuan's reply was, "I haven't watched it yet. Taeyeon, do you have any recommendations?"

"Huh?"*2
"Your birthday is the day after tomorrow, and you still haven't bought a present?"

Hearing Kim Tae-yeon's somewhat explosive shout, Lin Xiuyuan felt a little embarrassed. "I've never given a gift to anyone before. This is my first time, and I'm a little unsure of what to choose."

He's received quite a few gifts lately, but he's never actually given one.

He had promised to give Kaka Bae a gift but hadn't decided yet, so in terms of the current situation, choosing a gift for both Park Jiyeon and Park Dae-yeon would be the first time he had given a gift to someone else, especially a girl.

Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny were stunned to hear this, staring blankly at the good-looking, even charming, boy opposite them.

What century is this? There are still people who have never given a gift?
"Surprised?"

Seeing through their intentions, Lin Xiuyuan smiled again and said, "I rarely socialize, so I avoid these gift-giving formalities. I just give them a red envelope directly, which is more convenient and less troublesome."

"That's your style. It seems like it's the same in Singapore."

As Sunny spoke, Lin Xiuyuan asked again, "Then do you have any suggestions?"

After hearing Lin Xiuyuan ask her the question, Sunny asked back, "Xiuyuan, why don't you tell me your thoughts first? You can't just have none at all, can you?"

Then, Kim Tae-yeon saw a scene that she considered one of the most spectacular in recent times, even more spectacular than Lin Xiuyuan's previous display of his physique.

Lin Xiuyuan and Sunny began a rapid question-and-answer session, discussing the gift.

"flower?"

"No, that's too tacky. Besides, the person sending flowers must either be someone of status or have a special purpose. Pass."

"Lipstick?"

"Same reason as above, pass, next."

"perfume?"

"Do you know Jiyeon's preferences? No? Then what should you give her? It'll be passable, but let's leave it for now and move on to the next one."

"necklace."

"If it's too cheap, I won't give it away; if it's too expensive, she'll feel embarrassed to accept it, it'll be a burden. It's not acceptable, pass, next one."

Watching Sunny eat while passing him by, Lin Xiuyuan sighed, "Sunny, you're making me a little insecure. I can't think of anything else. I might as well just go to a jewelry store and buy her a set of stickers."

Who knew that this casual remark would make Sunny's eyes light up, "This is great!"

"Ji-yeon doesn't need any of the gifts you gave her before. It's these interesting little things like this that are really fun. So, I'll give her this."

Sunny, getting more and more excited as she talked, snapped her fingers and confirmed the gift for Lin Xiuyuan.

But Lin Xiuyuan still asked, "Then, Teacher Sunny, if it were a gift for Jiyeon from over ten years ago, what would you give her in 2013?"

Now that there was a great teacher available for reference, Lin Xiuyuan naturally wouldn't let the opportunity pass him by, and quickly asked again, "Ji-yeon from 2013?"

Sunny, surprised to hear this question, paused for a moment, then began to think seriously. "The current Jiyeon lacks nothing, but the Jiyeon of the past lacked everything. And 2013, it seems, was precisely..."

“It was during that period when we were being ‘anti’,” Kim Tae-yeon said from the side.

"So if it's Jiyeon during that time period, nothing is appropriate to give her, so it's better to give her a token of your affection."

Sunny, who had lost her appetite, answered the question seriously.

But she didn't specify a particular gift, which made Lin Xiuyuan a little anxious. "Teacher, could you please be more specific?"

“Taeyeon, look, someone who never used honorifics in conversations has started using them now.”

Kim Tae-yeon smiled and helped Lin Xiu-yuan out, "Stop keeping me in suspense, just tell me, I'm curious too."

"It's very simple, just send a future to Jiyeon back then. Jiyeon's future must be bleak back then, so if we can send her a future, that would be better than anything else."

Faced with Sunny's answer, before Lin Xiuyuan could even speak, Kim Tae-yeon rolled her eyes and said, "Can you say something practical?"

"A cake made by hand, a gift made by hand, is fine as long as it's the thought that counts."

This time, Sunny didn't ramble on and gave her advice.

This time, Lin Xiuyuan listened attentively and then fell silent for a moment.

Reflecting on Sunny's earlier summary: Future gifts will be fun and interesting, because other families already have those. Past gifts will be heartfelt, because that's exactly what people are missing.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan picked up the untouched glass of water next to him and handed it to the other person, saying, "Teacher Sunny, thank you for your guidance to someone as lost as me. Please have some water."

"Oh, I didn't take you as a student," Sunny said with a smile, but she still took the glass of water.

Then he took out his phone and said, "But we can exchange contact information first and discuss it together."

"Okay, I'll add you."

Lin Xiuyuan responded with a smile.

Kim Tae-yeon, standing nearby, said, "Xiu-yuan, you can't do this."

"Hahaha~"

Sunny smiled even more happily.

Suddenly I realized that returning to Seoul this time was definitely the right decision. Not only did I meet a fun little guy, but I also saw my girlfriends, and everyone seemed more youthful and energetic.

With this minor incident over, the group's lunch continued.

During this time, Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny gradually shifted their conversation to reminiscing about the past.

Lin Xiuyuan listened quietly, feeling somewhat at a loss, because he saw that Kim Tae-yeon's expression was becoming increasingly downcast, as if she had touched on some past events she didn't want to talk about.

In the end, Kim Tae-yeon made an excuse to go to the restroom and hurriedly left the private room, completely ignoring the fact that the room had its own restroom.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan cautiously looked at Sunny. Although he didn't say anything, his curious gaze surprised her.

"Don't you know about Taeyeon's situation?"

"I know a little, but not much."

Lin Xiuyuan thought for a moment, what about Kim Jonghyun, her father, and what else?

Because he only gets his information online and has never asked Krystal or Yoona privately, he is unaware of many insider details.

"It's okay, just pretend you don't know."

Sunny smiled slightly and didn't say anything more, and Lin Xiuyuan didn't press the matter further.

Lin Xiuyuan understood the unspoken understanding between adults.

With Kim Tae-yeon returning to the private room, the atmosphere became less somber, and the topic returned to Dae-ryong's birthday party.

Lin Xiuyuan was thinking to himself about how to tell Dalongzai after dinner that he had decided not to go to the swimsuit party.

A swimsuit party, tsk tsk, I'd love to, but if I add a little Jiyeon, then forget it.

With this in mind, lunch ended quickly, and Sunny was indeed the one paying the bill, meaning Lin Xiuyuan got another free meal.

And after it was over, Sunny politely asked Lin Xiuyuan what he planned to do in the afternoon.

Lin Xiuyuan answered truthfully, "Find some stickers or temporary tattoos at a jewelry store, Zhiyan should like them."

After that, he wanted to find a private customization shop to get some gifts for Xiao Zhiyan, but he didn't mention it.

"You're teachable, temporary tattoos are good." Sunny gave a big thumbs up, then said, "Want us to give you a ride?"

"It's okay, I drove here myself."

After saying that, Lin Xiuyuan turned on the Mercedes-Benz engine under Sunny's watchful gaze.

After watching him leave, Sunny turned to Kim Taeyeon and asked, "Taeyeon, is Xiuyuan the son of some wealthy family? He seems so naive yet so polite."

Kim Tae-yeon shook her head and answered calmly, "I don't know. I don't really know his identity. I only know that Yoona and Krystal are very close to him, as are Jiyeon and the others."

"Looks like I'll have to go and find out about it the day after tomorrow."

Sunny smiled, a hint of slyness in her eyes.

In response, Kim Tae-yeon simply said, "What if Ji-yeon insists on dragging Soo-won into the party? Would you still go?"

"We'll see when the time comes, I don't think so," Sunny said dismissively.

"Women who have been married and divorced have a very complicated mindset, Soon-kyu, you have to be careful."

After hearing this, Sunny looked down at herself and said, "You make it sound like I'm conservative. If that's the case, then go ahead and watch. Xiuyuan is quite fun."

The lunchtime session gave Sunny a positive first impression of Lin Xiuyuan.

She especially liked the word "teacher".

the other side.

Lin Xiuyuan drove away and soon arrived in Myeongdong. This place has the most temporary tattoos or personalized gifts.

So the next time, he went straight to a custom-made shop he found on a short video platform.

Then I showed the photos to the boss and he estimated that it would take about 24 hours to complete. However, with an extra charge, the time was eventually reduced to 8 pm for pickup.

Then Lin Xiuyuan paid the deposit and turned around to go back to the street downstairs.

He found a jewelry store that looked nice and went inside. He saw a lot of fun things, but he didn't stop there and went straight to the sticker section.

After browsing through some items there, I was about to turn around, pay the bill, and leave.

Out of the corner of his eye, he did catch a glimpse of a card, and the figure on it made him smile slightly.

So they went up and took it down, then went to pay the bill together.

……

……

at the same time.

Inside Daeyongzai's apartment, Park Hyomin finally learned that her youngest member had actually invited Lim Soo-won to the party, and she was completely stunned.

"Wait a minute, Jiyeon, this is a swimsuit party! You actually invited a guy?"

"I said I wanted to change the theme, pajamas or role-playing are fine, it's something you and Qri unnie have been unwilling to do." Da Longzai smiled helplessly.

Then she turned her gaze to Lee Qri, who was quietly scrolling through her phone, and said, "And unnie clearly knew that I invited Xiuyuan, yet you still joined in the teasing with Hyomin unnie."

"What's the big deal? It's not like you're completely naked, it's just a swimsuit."

Lee Qri, who was being stared at by Park Hyomin and Park Jiyeon, calmly flicked her fingers and said, "Besides, Hyomin, those bikini photos we took before were even more revealing. You can wear something more conservative the day after tomorrow. Xiuyuan should be very obedient and not look around."

“This is different.” Park Hyomin sighed and rubbed her forehead.

On the contrary, the little dragon next to him remained calm. "I don't care. If it's really a swimsuit party, I'll wear a bikini. I don't want to waste my time."

Upon hearing this, Park Hyomin and Lee Qri both glanced at her in silence.

Beneath the other person's calm gaze lay a madness waiting to be ignited.

　I'm feeling a bit unwell from staying up late, and I need to go to the hospital for a check-up this afternoon, so my phone update is late. Please forgive me.

　　I'll see if I can combine two 2-word chapters into one update, without splitting them into chapters. What do you guys think? Or should I split it into two chapters?
　　Finally, I'm begging for monthly votes! My ranking has dropped, my godfathers!!!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)