Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 157 "Gathering Intelligence" and Kim Tae-yeon: "Who is Little Peach?" (A long chapter of 10,000 words, please subscribe and vote)

In early summer 2025, the afternoon sun in Seoul was so bright that it almost made people forget their troubles.

The ginkgo trees lining the streets swayed gently in the breeze, and the shadows of the plane trees were dappled onto the asphalt. Pedestrians dressed in light summer clothes sat on the outdoor seats outside the coffee shop, chatting quietly with each other, as if the whole city was enveloped in a peaceful breath.

But the weather, like emotions, can change faster than anyone else.

Shortly after Kim Tae-yeon hung up the phone with Im Yoon-ah, the sky suddenly changed.

The sunlight gradually receded, and a vast curtain of rolling clouds pressed down from the horizon, dark gray like raging waves, followed by what looked as if someone had suddenly pulled back the curtain of a torrential downpour.

Large raindrops poured down, pounding on every unguarded corner of the city, bringing with them sudden urgency and chaos.

At that moment, a car was speeding through the streets blurred by the rain.

Behind the steering wheel, Lim Yoona adjusted the wiper settings while glancing at the location on the phone's navigation screen in the passenger seat. She muttered, "What? This rain came so suddenly. And unnie, why did you suddenly shout that?"

A dozen minutes later, the car came to a smooth stop in front of a low-key yet stylish afternoon tea restaurant.

The rain was still falling outside, and it was even getting heavier.

Yoona glanced at the rain outside, turned around, took out an umbrella from the back seat, opened the car door, and quickly walked into the store with the umbrella open.

As the glass door was suddenly pushed open, the wind chimes rang out with a "ding," instantly isolating the warm indoor light from the thunder and rain outside.

After entering the room, Lim Yoona shook off the remaining water droplets on her hands, straightened her clothes slightly, and then looked around.

Not far away, at a small round table by the window, Kim Tae-yeon was sitting.

Today she was wearing a cream-white cardigan over a black slip dress, her hair loosely tied back, quietly gazing at the rain outside the window, her expression thoughtful.

It wasn't until Yoona approached with her umbrella that Taeyeon turned around, smiled slightly, and said, "You're here, Yoona."

However, in that instant when she glanced back, Kim Tae-yeon's gaze suddenly froze, and she seemed to be instantly frozen in place.

She blinked subconsciously, focusing her gaze forward.

Standing next to her was Yoona, who was wearing a light blue denim shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing a section of her fair and slender wrist.

She wore a high-waisted black midi skirt that clearly outlined her figure.

Her refreshing and capable style, combined with a touch of girlish charm, made her look like a painting that had stepped out of a summer magazine.

But what truly shocked Kim Tae-yeon was her face.

It wasn't makeup or lighting, but rather her face—with its translucent skin, soft contours, and radiant complexion that almost glowed.

She looked as if she had been polished inside and out, too natural, yet too ridiculously beautiful.

What's particularly outrageous is that when she smiles, you can't even see a single fine line at the corner of her eyes.

"Yoona..."

Kim Tae-yeon's lips parted slightly, and she leaned back in her chair, frozen in place as if struck by lightning. "What... what's going on with you?"

Yoona smiled, put down her umbrella, hung her bag on the back of the chair, and sat down opposite Taeyeon. "What's going on? I don't know what you're talking about, unnie."

"Don't act stupid for me."

Stunned, Kim Tae-yeon suddenly spoke faster, her eyes scanning from her face to her neck and then to her arms like a scanner. She even involuntarily leaned over the table and poked Im Yoon-ah's cheek.

"How can your skin be so smooth? Did you get a skin transplant or something? Did you have some kind of cosmetic procedure? Tell your sister!"

Im Yoona, whose cheek was poked by Kim Tae-yeon, immediately covered her cheek and dodged backward, laughing as she slapped her hand away.

"Ah~ Unnie, don't talk nonsense, what do you mean by changing your skin? I just took a good rest for a while, plus I ate healthily, had a regular schedule, drank less alcohol, and did my skincare routine every day."

"You must have felt guilty when you said that."

Faced with Yoona's explanation, Taeyeon narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "No, after all these years of being sisters and teammates, you're going to keep this from me, unnie?"

"I'm not hiding it from you, I really didn't do anything."

As she said this, Lim Yoona was still yawning, "If I had to say what I did, would staying up all night making bread count? I'm so sleepy right now. If you hadn't called me, I really wouldn't have wanted to go out."

"Wow, amazing, Yoona. Are you showing off or what?" Kim Tae-yeon chuckled, her eyes widening. "Such great skin, and you're telling me it's the result of staying up all night, right?"

Across from her, Yoona smiled but didn't reply.

Because I did stay up all night last night making bread, the kind of baguette that was overcooked and became dry and hard.

Then Yoona beckoned the barista to order an Americano, before leaning back in her chair and looking at Tae-yeon, "Unnie, why did you call me out today?"

“I was originally planning to invite you to go to a spa together, but now it seems…” Kim Tae-yeon glanced at her with a complicated expression, “You’re completely unnecessary now.”

She stared at Yoona, who seemed to have been reborn, her mind churning with thoughts, but she couldn't utter a single serious word.

The person is still the same person, the facial features are still the same facial features, and the face shape is unchanged, but when put together, the whole person looks radiant.

"It's okay, unnie, let's go together. My back is a little sore, I'll go get a massage."

Upon hearing the reason, Lim Yoona stretched and agreed.

Last night's intense struggle was indeed a bit excessive. The first time the sword and its sheath were used together left a deep impression on her. Although she was in surprisingly good spirits, the soreness and numbness in her body were undeniable.

My lower back, in particular, is very sore and numb.

Kim Tae-yeon didn't think much of it and nodded, then casually asked, "By the way, should we invite Xiu Yuan out for afternoon tea? I haven't seen him in a while. He didn't even come to my concert last time I invited him."

"Xiu Yuan?" Lin Yoona chuckled and snorted. "Unnie, he probably won't be free today."

"Ok?"

Seeing Kim Tae-yeon looking at her with a puzzled expression, Lim Yoona teased with a smile, "Unnie, you're a little too concerned about Xiu Yuan. You were joking about him being a little puppy earlier, you don't actually have that kind of fetish, do you?"

"Tsk, you're the one who introduced him to me, and now you're setting me up again, aren't you?" Kim Taeyeon rolled her eyes at her youngest member, speechless, and then retorted, "It's not that you, Yoona, really like this boy and don't want me to have too much contact with him, is it?"

"Yes, unnie." Im Yoona nodded slightly, her expression smiling, but her tone was anything but joking.

This startled Kim Tae-yeon, who unconsciously sat up straighter. "Huh? Yoona, are you serious?"

"I do like him, but it's not to the point of 'dating' that you're thinking of, Unnie. The main thing is that I feel very happy when I'm with him, and that's enough for me."

"Sigh~"

Upon hearing Yoona's answer, Taeyeon gasped, "Daa, you really like her?"

"I really like it, who doesn't like a cute puppy?"

Yoona did not deny it, after all, spending time with Lin Xiuyuan had brightened her world and life considerably.

Moreover, she was quite happy when they were together, which rekindled her longing for life and the future, which was a bit confusing for her. It was like she had been given a second spring.

Most importantly, the magical effect last night made Yoona realize immediately that she couldn't live without this boy.

The buff of eternal youth is irresistible, even in a mythological world, let alone for a mortal with mundane thoughts.

Yes, there was certainly some ulterior motive in this affection, but she didn't shy away from it.

For Yoona, liking someone is one thing, being together is another, and making bread... is a whole other world.

She can distinguish right from wrong, and she lives an upright life.

Looking at the serious and calm Lim Yoona in front of her, Kim Tae-yeon was a little stunned for a moment.

She raised her hand and waved it, letting out a soft sigh, "Wait, let me gather my thoughts..."

Yoona smiled gently, then picked up the Americano that the waiter had just brought and took a sip.

The coffee was bitter and astringent, but my mood was unexpectedly sweet.

She was already planning when to "make bread" next time.

The ability to savor a dish after its first taste is never limited to the first time.

If it's the right person, every time is something to look forward to.

……

……

In Seoul in 2025, torrential rain poured down.

Meanwhile, in a KTV room in 2013, Lin Xiuyuan was being "hung" on by Park Jiyeon, having a great time with a group of acquaintances.

Feeling the weight on his back, Lin Xiuyuan said with a wry smile, "Zhiyan, come down quickly."

"No."

Park Jiyeon lay on his back, pouting sweetly, "Oppa, your back is so broad, it's so comfortable to lie on, just let me lie on it for a bit."

Park Jiyeon, who had just come of age, was much more mature than many of her peers, but she was still prone to being a little temperamental, acting cute, and being playful with her friends and relatives.

These little tantrums weren't annoying; on the contrary, they had a touch of childlike cuteness. Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, Lin Xiuyuan gave up and let her continue singing while lying on his back.

He spoke up just now only because the little dragon's singing voice was so "magical" and its penetrating power made people unable to help but laugh.

At this moment, Kim Tae-yeon, who had just finished singing a song, returned to her seat, holding a water glass, and looked at Lin Xiuyuan and Park Ji-yeon with interest.

Or more accurately, he was looking at Lin Xiuyuan.

Lin Xiuyuan ignored her teasing gaze and instead chuckled, "As expected of the lead vocalist and leader of Girls' Generation, you sang really well. Is this a live performance I can actually watch for free?"

“Then you have to pay.” Kim Tae-yeon raised her hand, smiling as she extended it towards him. “Xiu-yuan, pay up.”

"I'll pay you back first, and see how much I can owe you, or maybe I'll pay you back in ten or twenty years."

Looking at that little hand, Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her, his tone light, but his eyes held a deeper meaning.

Kim Tae-yeon smiled, but didn't retract her hand.

Ham Eun-jung chimed in, "Owed for more than ten years? According to Xiu Yuan, the creditor will be the boss then, hahaha."

"Who knows."

Lin Xiuyuan responded softly with a happy smile.

Park Jiyeon, who was on her back, listened to their conversation and secretly glanced at Kim Tae-yeon with a subtle expression.

She seemed to have sensed something, but wasn't sure.

After all, heart attacks are sudden and unpredictable; these conditions are quite unpredictable.

After a while, Park Ji-yeon was finally "pulled" off Lin Xiu-yuan's back.

However, she didn't come down voluntarily; Park Hyomin pulled her down.

In the other person's words, it was like, "Ji-yeon, be more reserved, you're a girl."

"Hehe, unnie, what are you talking about? It's not as serious as you think. I was just whispering to oppa."

Park Jiyeon, who had been reprimanded, explained with a grin and even took a sip of water to feign innocence.

"What secrets can't you tell us?" Park Hyomin raised an eyebrow, her eyes sharp.

“It’s not that I can’t explain, it’s just that you wouldn’t understand even if I did,” Park Jiyeon replied.

"What did you say? Tell me."

Park Jiyeon tilted her head and suddenly asked, "Unnie, do you know what 'Double-Gun Granny' means?"

"What?" Park Hyomin, who had been so aggressive, was suddenly dumbfounded. "Dual guns... what does that have to do with the old woman?"

"See, unnie, you didn't know that, did you?"

Park Jiyeon gave a smug look and turned to Lin Xiuyuan, asking, "Oppa, do you know what a 'double-gun old lady' is?"

"Ok?"

Upon hearing the words, Lin Xiuyuan was first taken aback, then quickly realized what was going on, after all, he had been looking at the image of the two guns for several nights.

Every single line has been meticulously crafted, so much so that it's incredibly familiar.

So she quickly laughed, "Ji-yeon, don't give people so many nicknames."

The references to "old woman" and "double-gun old lady" left Lin Xiuyuan both amused and exasperated.

"Anyway, she doesn't know." Park Jiyeon pouted and snorted.

The 'encrypted conversation' between the two left everyone in the private room completely baffled. "What? What are you talking about?"

"It sounds like they're talking badly about other people."

"Double-gun old lady, is she some kind of auntie?"

"Hey, stop saying only half of what you mean! I hate people like that the most; it's practically forcing someone to their death!"

The last sentence was shouted by Sunny Lee Soon-kyu, whose gossip spirit was etched into her very bones. At this moment, she looked at Lin Xiuyuan in front of her with great frustration.

Since meeting this guy, she felt like she had stumbled into a huge melon field, with so many melons that it was dazzling and she was itching to make a move.

But she soon discovered that there was a fence around the melon patch, with only one entrance and a sign that read: "Members Only".

When she asked Lin Xiuyuan curiously, "How do I apply for membership?"

Lin Xiuyuan only replied with four words: "As long as it looks good."

At this point, Sunny was both frustrated and longing for Lin Xiuyuan.

Just as the atmosphere became slightly eerie because of the phrase "double-gun old lady," Park Hyo-min, who had been watching from the sidelines, suddenly narrowed her eyes and smiled slowly, as if she had suddenly thought of something interesting.

"We've been singing for so long, let's play a game."

"What game?" Sunny asked immediately, intrigued.

All eyes turned to Park Hyomin, wondering what she was thinking. Since they were just killing time anyway, playing a game to pass the time wouldn't hurt.

But Park Hyomin countered by asking everyone, "Let's first determine the punishment for this game. Is it drinking, or something else?"

"punish?"

Upon hearing this, everyone glanced down at the few scattered cans of beer on the table, and then Kim Tae-yeon immediately shook her head, "Drinking is not a good idea. Not to mention it's only afternoon, if something suddenly comes up that we need to get busy, it would be troublesome if we got drunk."

Immediately afterwards, Ham Eun-jung smiled and offered a suggestion, "How about we change it to a performance? Singing, dancing, or a personal talent, anything is fine."

Then everyone immediately agreed.

"This is good."

"Okay."

"This suggestion is interesting, let's go with this one."

"Hyomin, tell me the rules of the game. How do we play?"

Seeing that everyone had agreed, Park Hyomin sat down in front, slapped her thighs with both hands, and said in a relaxed tone:

"It's very simple. We sit in a circle and then ask questions clockwise."

She paused for a moment, then explained, “Each round starts with the current person asking a question, and the next person answers. For example, I might ask, ‘Do you think I’m a man?’ It has to be a roundabout way, so that the next person can answer based on their own guess.”

If you answer correctly, I lose and have to accept the punishment; if you answer incorrectly, you lose and it's your turn to accept the punishment.

"So wouldn't the person asking the question just need to deliberately ask tricky questions to make the other person answer incorrectly?"

Sunny raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with a wary look that said, "I won't be fooled so easily."

"so……"

Park Hyomin smiled, raised her index finger, and added, "The question and answer must be known to someone present. No making things up, otherwise you'll automatically lose and be punished, OK?"

"Oh? There's even a refereeing mechanism?" Kim Tae-yeon said, resting her chin on her hand with interest. "Then who decides whether the answer is reasonable?"

"This is basically a hidden referee, it's just for fun, no need to take it too seriously," Park Hyomin replied quickly.

Upon hearing this, the people present exchanged glances, seemingly finding it quite amusing.

Lin Xiuyuan clicked his tongue and slightly raised the corner of his mouth, "It sounds like a game that's easy to expose personal information. Is it really appropriate for me to participate?"

"It's okay, oppa, I'll help you." Park Jiyeon immediately grinned. "I like this game."

"What about the punishment?" Sunny raised her hand again to ask. "If it includes singing, dancing, and telling jokes, how about drinking alcohol too, just to quench your thirst?"

As a well-known alcoholic in Girls' Generation, she believes that drinking a little alcohol is essential to truly enjoying the game.

"Either way is fine. It depends on who gets the punishment, or the person who sets the questions can choose." Park Hyomin explained while laughing, "We're all friends playing, so the rules can be flexible. Don't be so rigid."

“Alright, let’s begin.” Sunny patted her thigh, stood up, and looked around at everyone. “Come on, move the coffee table, everyone gather around.”

The group quickly did as instructed, clearing a space in the middle of the coffee table, which was originally cluttered with drinks and snacks, and sat down in a small circle.

The lights were soft, the music was turned down, and the air was filled with anticipation and excitement as people waited for their "prey" to appear.

"Okay, I'll give you the order."

As everyone took their seats, Park Jiyeon grabbed an empty beer can and placed it in the middle of the table, saying with a grin, "Let's spin the bottle to decide who asks first, and we'll go clockwise."

"It's been so long since we've played these party games," Kim Tae-yeon said, rubbing her hands together with a sparkle in her eyes. "I'm kind of looking forward to it."

"Jiyeon, don't let us pry out all your little secrets in a moment." Ham Eunjung and Park Hyomin leaned over from either side, their eyes playful, as if they were conducting an interrogation.

And so, amidst an atmosphere of growing tension and banter, the game quietly began. Lin Xiuyuan glanced at Park Hyomin on his left, then at Kim Tae-yeon on his right, and his heart tightened. He vaguely sensed... he might be being hunted?
However, the die was cast, so there was no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

As the wine jar began to spin on the table, its opening finally came to rest in front of Sunny.

"Hahaha, Taeyeon, you're doomed." Sunny was overjoyed after seeing the result and turned to announce it to Kim Taeyeon with schadenfreude.

Kim Tae-yeon smiled nonchalantly and replied casually, "You're not asking me a question, so what's there to be afraid of?"

"Huh huh huh~"

Sunny chuckled coldly three times, her eyes sparkling as she stared at her, and suddenly said, "Taeyeon, my bust size is bigger than Hyomin's, don't you think?"

hiss~
A brief silence fell over the private room.

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned for a moment, and then he mentally jumped up and down: No way, they're going to play this aggressively right from the start?

Even Kim Tae-yeon was taken aback by the question and almost choked, "Sun-kyu, how can a game start with such a powerful move right from the beginning?"

As she spoke, she kept giving Sunny coded glances, reminding her not to get too carried away and to be mindful of her image, since there were guys present.

But Kim Tae-yeon forgot one thing: Sunny when she plays games is a completely different person from Sunny when she doesn't play games.

For Sunny, a gaming prodigy, losing is worse than death.

"Stop dawdling and answer!" Sunny urged, her expression smug. "This kind of question is totally out of the question for me."

She was well aware of the nickname 'Milk Gui'.

But Park Hyomin was a little annoyed, "Sun-kyu, you've dragged me into this mess."

“You said you wanted to play first, so you can’t blame me.” Sunny smiled innocently.

Knowing she couldn't avoid it, Kim Tae-yeon sighed and turned her gaze to Park Hyo-min.

The latter immediately crossed her arms over her chest, looking like she was protecting herself, and said, "Hey, Taeyeon, looking me up and down like that is cheating."

“There has to be a time limit; we can’t keep dragging this on,” Ham Eun-jung added with a smile.

"One minute, start the timer now." Park Jiyeon had already taken out her phone and held it in the air like a referee.

Seeing this, what could Kim Tae-yeon say? She quickly replied, "I think it's you, Sun-kyu."

Compared to Park Hyomin's figure, she had only seen Sunny's, and that was one of the most magnificent she had ever seen.

Given that Park Hyomin is not as wealthy and generous as she will be many years from now, Kim Tae-yeon's answer is quite reasonable.

However, Sunny laughed as soon as she finished speaking, "Wrong!! Taeyeon, you lost. It's either a performance or a drink."

"Ah, why?" Kim Tae-yeon looked shocked.

“Because Hyomin is older than me.” Sunny paused, then added, “But I should say she’s more muscular, while I’m more of a softer type.”

Just as Sunny was about to continue her eloquent speech, Park Hyomin, who was sitting next to Lin Xiuyuan, became a little shy. She had originally intended to trick Park Jiyeon and Lin Xiuyuan, but unexpectedly, the competitive Sunny came along and tricked her right from the start.

Seeing that she wanted to describe it in more detail, Park Hyomin quickly waved her hand to stop her, "Okay, Sunny, let's move on to the next question, or I'll just leave!"

A burst of laughter erupted in the private room.

Kim Tae-yeon turned to look at Lin Xiu-yuan, who had a smile on his face, and then quickly admitted defeat.

"Okay, okay, Sun-kyu, you just wait. Let's add a rule: after one round, we'll start going counter-clockwise. We can't keep asking like this forever; we need a chance to get revenge."

“Sure, that’s fair.” Sunny grinned, looking completely unconcerned.

Lin Xiuyuan leaned back on the sofa, watching them bicker, and felt that this group of girls was more interesting than a game.

After adding a rule, Kim Tae-yeon began her punishment. Dancing was out of the question, and Sunny was asked to choose a funny song. After singing, Sunny sat back down in her chair.

However, after she sat down again, when she looked at Lin Xiuyuan again, her eyes were filled with fire, which can only be described as her competitive spirit being ignited.

"Xiuyuan," Kim Tae-yeon said with a smile, raising an eyebrow, "Do you think I prefer older men or younger women?"

As soon as the question was asked, Park Jiyeon couldn't help but laugh. Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she quickly waved her hand and said, "It's okay, it's okay, you guys continue, continue."

Lin Xiuyuan didn't hesitate much and answered simply, "Young, puppy-like, with abs, but not too muscular, it has to be the kind of lean muscle definition."

With each piece of information he uttered, Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny exchanged glances, their hearts skipping a beat.

After several thumps, Kim Tae-yeon was completely baffled.

Although she was a bit superficial, she never shared these thoughts with outsiders.

Suddenly, she realized something and raised her voice sharply, "Wait a minute, did Yoona tell you, or Jessica?!"

When she asked him that question, Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously looked away.

You can't exactly say this is a "chronic problem" that you developed more than ten years ago...

It seems that Lin Xiaolu and Jessica Jung can only take the blame for this.

Seeing this, Kim Tae-yeon got angry. "Wow, this is terrible! I'll teach them a lesson when I get back. I'm not Kim Tae-yeon anymore."

However, Lin Xiuyuan didn't care about that. He laughed and said, "Then did I guess right?"

Kim Tae-yeon paused in anger, while Sunny chuckled beside her, "Alright, Tae-yeon, let's sing."

"Singing my foot, I want to drink."

As she spoke, Kim Tae-yeon raised her hand and took a big gulp of beer, suppressing all her frustration.

Now it was Lin Xiuyuan's turn. He turned to look at Park Hyomin, who was now a newlywed wife in 2025, and asked, "Hyomin, do you think the number of times I've met you is odd or even?"

Park Hyomin blinked, a little surprised that Lin Xiuyuan asked so simply, but after carefully calculating the number of times the two had met, she quickly replied, "It's an odd number."

As she spoke, she began to list the occasions in which the two of them had met, as if she were blocking any way for Lin Xiuyuan to cheat.

However, Lin Xiuyuan still smiled and shook his head, "No, it's an even number. If you don't believe me, you can ask Zhiyan."

Park Hyomin was taken aback and looked at Park Jiyeon.

Park Jiyeon naturally understood what Lin Xiuyuan was talking about; he was simply taking into account the number of times the timeline in 2025 had occurred. So she nodded, trying hard not to laugh.

“That’s right, unnie, I can vouch for the even number.”

"You two teamed up to scam me?" Park Hyomin stared, somewhat amused and exasperated.

Faced with this situation, Lin Xiuyuan didn't know what to say, but Park Jiyeon was different. "No cheating, unnie."

"Who reneges on their debt!"

Park Hyomin shouted, grabbed her glass, gulped down a mouthful of beer, and then turned her gaze to Ham Eun-jung beside her, her eyes burning with intensity, "You're next."

Startled, Ham Eun-jung quickly said, "Hyomin, I didn't do anything to you, don't take it out on me."

"Unnie, why didn't you explain more clearly when you stole my persona?" Park Hyomin rolled her eyes and chuckled in feigned indignation.

After several rounds of "landmines," the atmosphere was ignited, and the game quickly entered a heated phase.

As people gradually loosen up, the standards for questions become increasingly unrestricted, and the forms of punishment become ever more varied.

Not only did some sing and dance, and some imitate the members, but others were also asked to imitate the advertising slogans from their idols' debut days. Sunny was even forced by Kim Tae-yeon to reenact a clip of herself recording a song with a broken voice, which made everyone burst into laughter.

Lin Xiuyuan experienced both wins and losses in this game, but his biggest gain was that he "accidentally" extracted many people's secrets and personal information from these questions and answers, especially Kim Tae-yeon.

"Taeyeon, when you eat fried chicken, do you prefer it with sauce or plain?"

“Original.”

"real or fake?"

"It's true! I don't even use sweet and sour sauce, I just eat the crust. Do you know that crispy feeling?"

Sunny burst out laughing, "She's like a criminal, eating PUBG but not drinking Coke."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded silently, remembering: eat fried chicken = original flavor, drink cola.

Several more rounds have passed in the blink of an eye.

From Sunny, Lin Xiuyuan learned whether she liked to wash her face or her hair first when taking a shower (the answer was face).

I learned from Ham Eun-jung that she has a habit of eating ice cream after taking a shower, and even Park Hyo-min "accidentally revealed" that when she is feeling down, she will find a nice place, dress sexy, take pictures, and post them online.

Lin Xiuyuan memorized every detail of these daily lives, not missing a single word.

As the game progressed, everyone became more and more unrestrained, and they stopped caring about winning or losing. Instead, bringing up old stories and revealing secrets about each other became the new source of fun, with laughter rising and falling, sometimes even causing people to laugh until they were breathless.

"Xiuyuan, you're not here to gather intelligence, are you?"

Just as everyone was having more and more fun, Sunny, who had been keeping an eye on Lin Xiuyuan, finally couldn't help but tease him, "I think the questions you answered when you won were pretty perfunctory, but the ones you answered when you lost were quite practical."

"Huh? This sounds too much like a conspiracy theory, doesn't it?"

Lin Xiuyuan tapped the table with his drink bottle as he said seriously, "I earned your trust through sincerity, okay?"

Across from her, Park Jiyeon watched Lin Xiuyuan having fun with everyone, secretly took out her phone, snapped a photo, and sent it to Jessica Jung, commenting: "Unnie, everything is going according to plan."

Then he thought to himself: Old woman, let's see how you beat me.

On the other side, the teasing and laughter continued, the lively atmosphere like a refreshing summer soda, cool yet with a hint of stimulation and sweetness, making everyone's face glow.

The game continued, and the tacit understanding among this group of people was gradually brought closer together.

Time quickly slipped into evening, and everyone was tired after playing for a while. After paying the bill, they prepared to leave.

Park Jiyeon originally wanted to go to Lin Xiuyuan's apartment with him, but Park Hyomin forcibly grabbed her and said seriously, "Jiyeon, men and women shouldn't touch each other. Come back to the dorm with me, and let Eunjung and I give you a good lesson."

Park Jiyeon was completely biased towards Lin Xiuyuan throughout the game, repeatedly "tricking" all the other sisters. She deserved to be taught a lesson.

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh as he watched this "educational scene".

Then, he waved to Kim Tae-yeon and Sunny, and drove back to his apartment.

When Lin Xiuyuan returned to the apartment, a familiar figure was already tidying up inside.

Hearing the door lock click softly, the person immediately turned around. Upon seeing Lin Xiuyuan, they smiled and said, "Oppa, you're back?"

Shirley greeted her with a smile, her face showing a rare ease and joy.

"Ok?"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, looking at her with some surprise, "When did you come back? I thought you would stay in Tokyo for a while longer."

Because the only people returning from Tokyo ahead of him were him and Lin Xiaolu.

Sulli stayed in Tokyo, intending to spend some time alone with Goo Hara and advising her to extricate herself from those complicated relationships as soon as possible.

According to her at the time, she should have stayed at least a few more days.

So Lin Xiuyuan didn't expect that she would return to Seoul so quickly.

“I just got back to Seoul this afternoon. As soon as I landed, I went back to my dorm to pack my things and then moved here.” Shirley smiled, her eyes crinkling.

She blinked and suddenly asked, "Oppa, did you set up my skincare products, computer, and script in my room?"

Lin Xiuyuan casually replied, "Yeah, I got you a set of skincare products from Krystal's room, and the computer is brand new. I felt the house was too empty, so I decorated your space a bit. I don't know if you like it."

Upon hearing this, Sulli immediately said happily, "Thank you, oppa~ I really like it."

"No need to thank me. Actually, this house is still yours. I'm the one living here."

The two chatted as they walked into the living room. Outside, the night was getting dark, and the wind blew through the window with a soft whistling sound, but inside, it was warm and cozy, with the freshness and anticipation unique to a new home.

Lin Xiuyuan draped his coat over the back of the sofa chair. Just as he was about to say something more, he heard the sound of running water coming from the kitchen. Shirley had already rolled up her sleeves and was getting ready to cook.

"Hmm? Do you want me to cook? Let's go to the villa to eat. It's easy to order takeout, no need to bother."

While pouring rice into the rice cooker, Shirley said earnestly, "No, oppa~ the first meal in the new house has to be cooked by myself, that's what makes it feel like home cooking."

Her tone was light and cheerful, tinged with a long-lost sense of satisfaction and contentment. "I'll cook tonight, okay?"

Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback, then smiled and said, "You can cook?"

“Oppa, what do you mean by that?!” Sulli turned around, smiling happily. “My V-mom is a master chef. Although I didn’t learn much from her, I did learn a few dishes.”

"Oh? Victoria, our great beauty from over there."

Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, as if joking or genuinely interested, "Then I'm in for a treat today."

"of course."

Shirley proudly raised her chin, then took a bag of groceries out of the shopping bag. "I bought pork belly, tofu, chili peppers... Tonight I'll make tofu casserole, stir-fried pork, some greens, egg rolls, and a few cold dishes, okay?"

"Sure, you're the chef, so you call the shots. I'll just sit back and wait to eat."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled and walked to the dining table, sitting down. Watching her busy figure, he suddenly asked, "Should we invite a few more people to come and eat together?"

Sulli replied without turning her head, "I already called in the group this afternoon, but everyone was busy. Jiyeon originally wanted to come, but Hyomin unnie and the others pulled her back to the dorm."

"Ah, no wonder Zhiyan insisted on coming with me earlier." Lin Xiuyuan clapped his hands, suddenly realizing, "She didn't say it out loud, probably because she didn't want everyone to know that you moved in with me."

He laughed and shook his head, then said, "How about I go over to the villa and ask Krystal and Yoona if they want to come over and eat together?"

Compared to those busy people here, by 2025 they will all be semi-retired, wealthy women with plenty of time.

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, Shirley immediately looked up, her eyes lighting up. "Are they all free?"

"They should be available. We just had dinner together last night."

"That's great!" Shirley put down the spatula and gave him an "OK" sign with an excited look on her face. "Then hurry up and call them. If they can come, we'll have a little party tonight!"

"Okay, I'll go right now." Lin Xiuyuan stood up and walked towards the time portal, then turned back and asked, "How long will your meal take?"

"About half an hour, it won't be too long anyway."

"OK."

……

……

A spa center in Seoul, 2025.

Yoona just finished a deep massage and feels refreshed. Her back and legs no longer ache.

"Shall we have dinner here?"

Kim Tae-yeon, who had also just finished washing her face, stood behind and looked at Im Yoon-ah's rosy and radiant complexion in the mirror. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, feeling a little envious.

Just as Lim Yoona was about to nod in agreement, her phone rang. Seeing the caller's name, she immediately smiled and said, "Unnie, wait a minute."

"Hey~ Xiuyuan, what's wrong?"

"Little Peach said she's cooking and asked if you want to come over for a meal." Lin Xiuyuan's laughter came from the other end of the phone.

Yoona raised an eyebrow and agreed without hesitation, "Let's go."

"Come on over then, they've already started cooking. If you're late, you'll have to wash the dishes."

"understood."

After a few simple words, the call ended.

After hanging up the phone, Lim Yoona turned around and saw Kim Tae-yeon staring at her with narrowed eyes. "Who is this 'Little Peach' that Xiu Yuan mentioned?"

The question almost made Yoona's expression falter, but fortunately, her years as an actress paid off, and she calmly replied, "A member friend of a bar."

"I thought I could get a free meal since I'm a member."

Kim Tae-yeon pouted and looked at her, "So you're... abandoning me?"

"Unnie, I've spent the whole afternoon with you. How can you call it abandoning me? It's time to give Xiuyuan some time~ I like him, you know."

When she said the last sentence, Lim Yoona smiled so brightly.

"Okay, okay, stop showing off and go now." Kim Tae-yeon rolled her eyes.

"I'll be going now, unnie, see you next time~"

After saying that, Lim Yoona left the SPA center in a hurry and got into her car, heading straight to her villa in Gangnam.

Strangely enough, even though they had only been apart for half a day, she couldn't help but miss Lin Xiuyuan.

However, just as she stopped the car and got out, another car slowly drove up behind her.

Stop the car, turn off the engine, and get out.

Then, Krystal looked at Yoona, who had a rosy complexion and glowing skin, and was completely different from last night, and her heart tightened.

Her eyes narrowed, and only one thought remained in her mind:

Something's wrong; this is really bad.

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