Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 158 "I'm thinking about Kim Tae-yeon..." (A long chapter of 10,000 words, please subscribe and vote)

In the evening of June, the city lights begin to come on.

The rain had just stopped, and the air was filled with a moist and fresh scent. Puddles still remained on the ground at the alley entrance, reflecting the streetlights like shimmering shards of broken mirror.

A gentle evening breeze, carrying the sultry heat of summer and the coolness after the rain, rustled the branches in the villa courtyard.

Just as Yoona closed the car door and before she could even straighten her clothes, she heard another car stop behind her, followed by familiar footsteps.

"Yoona-unnie."

Krystal's voice rang out as expected, her tone neither too loud nor too soft, yet it was like a needle pricking velvet, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Looking at her, Yoona had her usual gentle smile on her face and said in a mild tone, "Oh, Krystal, you're here too? I thought you'd been busy filming your new drama lately."

"Unnie, aren't you going to promote your new drama?"

Krystal took two steps closer and tilted her head slightly to look at her, her gaze sweeping from the other's face down to the shoes she had just changed into. "I just finished work here. You look great today, unnie. Have you been sleeping well lately?"

"uh-huh."

Yoona raised an eyebrow, her expression unchanged, and casually brushed her hair behind her ear. "You know, I always pay attention to skincare, and I'm very particular about catching up on sleep. I can't let my condition suffer."

“Yes, skincare is really important, especially for someone like you, Unnie…” Krystal paused, a smirk playing on her lips, “You’re not even in your early twenties anymore.”

Yoona's smile remained unchanged, but her eyes narrowed slightly in an instant. "Yes, as I get older, I understand better how to handle people and things efficiently and effectively. I can't act like a child anymore; if I try too hard, it will backfire."

The air seemed to sink for a moment.

The next second, the two looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time.

"Ah, haha, it seems I still can't say things like that to you, unnie. How strange."

Hearing Krystal's answer, Im Yoona also laughed and said, "It is strange."

However, after saying that, Lim Yoona gave Krystal a deep look and said, "Krystal, you really kept this a secret. If it weren't for dinner last night, I wouldn't have known that this was going on."

"Unnie, don't look at me. I only found out later. I was trying to keep it a secret, but..."

Krystal lowered her eyes, smiled, and then looked up at the light on in front of the villa. A fleeting calm and amusement flickered in her eyes. "But we still need to talk to Xiuyuan about this. He probably doesn't know the situation very well yet, since it's a bit too detached from reality."

“That’s true.” Yoona nodded, as if to say that this round of exchange had ended. “Let’s go. Sulli is going to cook today, so we can’t keep her waiting too long.”

"Hmm, over the years, I don't think I've ever eaten her cooking very often," Krystal replied softly, her calm tone concealing an unspeakable emotion.

"Everything will be alright." Lim Yoona glanced at her sideways and gently took her hand. "Although we can't change things here, let's help Sulli over there and live well."

The two walked side by side toward the villa entrance, their footsteps falling on the damp stone pavement, each with its own rhythm, yet miraculously maintaining a tacit synchronization.

The streetlights overhead cast a warm yellow glow, elongating their shadows like two intertwined lines, ready to separate at any moment.

"Unnie, was it you who initiated it last night, or was it him?"

"He's as rigid as a block of wood. Do you think he was being proactive towards you?"

"Same here. I originally just wanted to give him a reward, but I didn't expect him to get a little carried away later."

"This thing is much more attractive than a time portal."

"I'm fine, but he got off easy."

"Soojung, it's hard to say who will benefit from this. I don't believe you won't be tempted."

"...According to that guy, he seems to have really become a succubus."

Amidst laughter and conversation, the two entered the villa's living room and sat on the sofa for a while.

Suddenly, a door was pushed open, and Lin Xiuyuan poked his head out. He waved to them, "Just arrived?"

"Ah."

"The timing is perfect. Come on over, Shirley has already prepared the food. Let's eat."

A few minutes later.

The aroma of the food filled the entire living room of the apartment.

The table was already laden with dishes, the rising steam carrying the aroma of chili peppers and the fragrance of tofu soup—a familiar scent that made one quicken their pace.

Yoona sat down first, smiling as she glanced at Sulli, who was still pacing back and forth. "Sulli, I'm really surprised. You can actually cook, and it smells so good."

Shirley smiled gently, "Since I haven't had much work lately, I specifically sought out V-Mom to learn how to cook. Anyway, I'm just idling around, so I might as well learn a skill. Also, it's not good for oppa to eat takeout all the time, so it's perfect for me to cook."

After hearing this, Krystal silently picked up a piece of tofu, took a bite, and nodded. "It really tastes like V-Mom. I haven't seen her in so long."

Sulli couldn't truly understand the pain of the group's separation, but she still managed to give Krystal a hug and laugh, saying, "You comforted me before, telling me not to overthink it, but why are you getting all emotional when it comes to Krystal? V is fine, if you want to see her, just go see her, taking action is the most important thing."

While adding rice to his bowl, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, "Shirley, she was just teasing you. As far as I know, the two of them only met and had a meal at the beginning of the year, and they've been chatting all the time."

"Ah, Soojung~ You've become bad."

"Xiuyuan, don't you dare undermine me."

Amidst laughter, everyone took their seats.

The warm yellow light shone on everyone's faces, like a soft mist covering them. After the fire in the stove went out, the room was quiet, with only the sounds of tableware clinking and soup bubbling floating in the air.

Several pairs of chopsticks moved among the plates and dishes, and the steam from the tofu casserole seemed to heat up the air itself.

Lin Yoona picked up a piece of pork belly and put it into Lin Xiuyuan's bowl, smiling as she said, "This is your favorite, right, Xiuyuan? It's a must-order at every restaurant. Now that Shirley has made it for you, eat more."

Krystal also put a piece of tofu on Sulli's plate and then chatted with her with a smile about her recent work situation.

Soft laughter occasionally broke the silence at the dinner table, interspersed with brief moments of quiet contemplation, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. No one was in a hurry to get somewhere or interrupt, simply sharing the meal casually and leisurely, as if time itself had slowed down.

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly brought up the company-related matters he had discussed with Park Jiyeon that afternoon.

"By the way, Shirley, Jiyeon told me about the investment company this afternoon. When did you invest the money? You didn't even tell me."

After scooping a spoonful of soup and handing it to Lin Yoona, Lin Xiuyuan slowly said, "And I really didn't expect that you guys could finalize the script with the TV station in such a short time. That's incredibly fast."

Yoona sprinkled some scallions into the soup bowl. The soup was boiling, and she gently blew on it before handing the bowl to Sulli.

Sulli took it, smiled and nodded to thank her, then turned to Lin Xiuyuan and said with a slightly complaining tone, "Oppa, while you, Soojung, and Yoona unnie were having fun in 2025, you were never here. We wanted to let you know, but we didn't have the time or opportunity."

After saying that, she smiled and looked at Lin Xiuyuan with bright eyes, "Oppa, I'll be cooking here from now on. You can continue to order takeout if you want, but don't blame me for not reminding you, the aroma of food waits for no one."

As soon as she finished speaking, Krystal and Yoona exchanged a glance, as if they understood each other perfectly, and then they both burst out laughing.

“Haha, don’t worry, Sulli,” Yoona said, “I’ll keep a close eye on him and make sure he comes over for meals more often.”

“Exactly, exactly, what are you doing lounging around over there?” Krystal added.

The group laughed and started talking about the script again.

When Yoona heard that the script would cast Krystal, "from this side," as the female lead, her eyes widened immediately. "Isn't this drama going to make me gain weight? Sulli, Krystal, you guys are too ruthless! You're using little Krystal as a scapegoat?"

"It's for the role, unnie. It's not just my decision; Xiuyuan also has to make it."

Krystal, not wanting to take the blame, turned her gaze to Lin Xiuyuan.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was engrossed in his meal, was called out. He quickly put down his chopsticks, waved his hand, and laughed, "Oh, it should be alright, right? Aren't all actors like this? They can gain or lose ten pounds without even flinching."

"Xiuyuan, this is all about Krystal idols." Hearing this, Yoona immediately smiled.

Shirley chimed in, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at Krystal with bright eyes, which made her look amused. "Why are you looking at me? You know why I became an actor, right? And you insist that I say I'm too old, don't you?"

"No, let's eat." Lin Xiuyuan didn't dare to answer that question and quickly lowered his head to eat.

At this moment, as the topic came up, Sulli picked up the grapefruit juice on the table and took a sip, but couldn't help but look at Krystal and Yoona sitting opposite her again.

Their skin was in such good condition, so smooth, hydrated, and radiant that it looked like a filter was being applied, completely unlike what it looked like a week ago.

Actually, from the moment they met, Shirley had a vague feeling that they had changed, but she was too embarrassed to ask at the time.

Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, he blurted it out.

"Unnie, you two... have you been secretly doing some high-end treatment lately? Look at your skin, your complexion, how did you suddenly become so good? And I remember Yoona unnie, you said a few days ago that your sleep schedule was messed up and your face was about to explode."

Yoona was ladling soup with a spoon when she heard this and paused for a moment. She turned to look at Krystal, a mischievous smile appearing in her eyes.

Krystal raised an eyebrow, put down her chopsticks, and slowly looked up at Lin Xiuyuan, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "Right, Sherry, you figured it out too, didn't you?"

Yoona smiled gently, her tone carrying a hint of mystery, "But we didn't go to any beauty salons, nor did we get any injections or take any medicine. It's just that spending so much time with someone has adjusted our constitution."

Shirley blinked, a little confused. "Someone?"

"Xiuyuan."

Krystal pointed to Lin Xiuyuan beside her, her tone nonchalant.

"There seems to be something in his body that... how should I put it, something with a 'strengthening' or 'purifying' quality. Simply put, if you spend a lot of time with him, you will inexplicably... become fairer, more tender, and younger, and even your sleep quality will improve."

"Really?" Shirley's eyes widened, she could hardly believe her ears. "What... is this the legendary living beauty filter?"

“Look at Yoona unnie,” Krystal said calmly, pointing. “She was saying she had pimples a few days ago, but look at her now! Her skin is so tight I’m envious.”

"Haha, during the spa treatment just now, Taeyeon unnie kept staring at me and even asked if I changed my skincare products."

Yoona, who picked up the conversation, laughed twice and said, "When I told her I had changed men, she almost threw the face mask in my face."

Hearing this, Shirley was both amused and exasperated. She turned to Lin Xiuyuan and said, "Oppa, this is too amazing... What's going on with this physique?"

But what he saw was Lin Xiuyuan, who looked just as confused as he did. He was a little bewildered and asked, somewhat clueless.

"No, Krystal, Yoona, are you two... are you talking about a sci-fi movie or advertising? I didn't know I had this condition."

"After spending a lot of time together, it might not be so obvious, but you can feel it."

Lin Yoona, who was sitting close to Lin Xiuyuan, stretched her pretty face right in front of him and asked him to touch it.

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at Krystal with a guilty conscience.

Krystal smiled slightly and said, "Take a look for yourself before you speak. Suddenly I think this is quite good. You won't be able to fool anyone anymore."

Looking at Lin Yoona again, Lin Xiuyuan also noticed something was amiss.

Because the fine lines around Yoona's eyes... are gone.

So I poked her cheek with my index finger and then stroked the corner of her eye. It was smooth and soft, definitely not the effect of lighting or makeup.

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan instinctively looked at Krystal again, and she leaned closer, their eyes meeting.

He even lowered his head slightly, and after a while asked, "So, did you notice anything wrong?"

"Your big forehead is gone."

"Get lost~" Krystal rolled her eyes and pretended to be angry as she pulled her head back.

"Really? Krystal, you've grown hair on your forehead? Daebak, what happened?"

Lin Xiuyuan frowned as he scrutinized Krystal, his mind racing as he began to recall the various anomalies that had occurred recently.

From Krystal to Da Long Zai, and last night Yoona's...extremely proactive attitude.

A few seconds later, his expression visibly shifted from confusion to astonishment, his eyes darting back and forth between Yoona and Krystal's faces, as if confirming some terrible suspicion.

Finally, he opened his mouth slightly, pointed at himself, and raised his voice a little, "So all these changes in you... are because of me?"

“From your brother,” Krystal stated bluntly.

Yoona, who was standing next to her, laughed so hard she leaned back in her chair, her shoulders shaking.

Faced with this undeniable fact, Lin Xiuyuan looked down at himself in disbelief, his voice filled with shock, "WTF, really?"

"Of course it's true, otherwise why do you think my skin is in such good condition lately?" Lim Yoona nodded with a smile. "Haven't you noticed that Jiyeon's skin has also become much fairer and smoother recently?"

Lin Xiuyuan stared at her blankly, "So, Yoona, you came here last night for... this?"

"Otherwise, I like you~"

Yoona teased him a little, but her smiling expression and gentle tone didn't seem like she disliked it.

While the three of them were chatting enthusiastically, Shirley remained sitting there with a blank expression, as if listening to gibberish.

"No, unnie, Krystal, oppa, what are you talking about? I don't understand a word."

Then, Krystal leaned close to her ear and whispered something for a while.

When Shirley looked at Lin Xiuyuan again, her eyes had changed. She couldn't look him in the eye, and there was a hint of surprise and... scrutiny in them.

Finally, she exclaimed, "Wow! Daebak, oppa, if this is true, wouldn't you become the Tang Monk's flesh from 'Journey to the West'? Every woman would want to take a bite out of you!"

Lin Xiuyuan, "..."

"Something's not right, wait a minute, Krystal, I remember you weren't like this at first, you weren't like this back then..."

“I was wearing an umbrella at the time,” Krystal replied as always, getting straight to the point. “I didn’t wear one when I had my period, and I didn’t wear one the night before last either, so it worked.”

Lin Xiuyuan's eyes widened suddenly, and he turned to look at Lin Yoona.

The other person was sipping soup with their head down and casually said, "Oh, I went up to your master bedroom to take a look before, and I was thinking that this kind of thing... I should experience it for myself firsthand. Turns out, I was right."

"Holy crap...you two, you're both incredibly accurate."

Lin Xiuyuan was completely stunned, like a wild resource being hunted, his face filled with shock. "This...this isn't right, how could you scheme against me like this?"

"Won't that...prone to problems?" Sherry asked in a low voice, sounding a little panicked.

"Compared to this effect, what's the problem with taking medicine?" Krystal said calmly. "You're too young to understand. You'll understand when you're a few years older."

"What kind of twisted logic is that?" Shirley was both annoyed and amused. "So, according to what you told Unnie, what would happen if it were with the younger one? Double the effect???"

"I don't know, do you want to give it a try?" Yoona looked at Sulli with a smile.

Shirley paused for a moment, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards Lin Xiuyuan.

Lin Xiuyuan quickly raised his hand to interrupt: "Stop! Let's stop this topic! I'm still sitting here, are you just going to treat me like a tool and start assigning tasks? Can you give me some time to process this? My brain is a complete mess right now."

At that moment, as if remembering something, Lim Yoona raised her hand and pointed to the portal behind her, "Is it possible... that it's related to that portal?"

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on that spot.

Krystal nodded thoughtfully, "I've recently watched some educational videos about unusual environments, which say that some people experience subtle changes in their bodies after spending a long time in special magnetic fields or time-displaced fields."

"Spacetime factor".

Yoona added softly, "It may not be able to maintain a youthful state in the long term, but a short-term 'rejuvenation' is possible. Xiuyuan, you keep wearing these clothes, perhaps you have some kind of 'special constitution'."

"Wait... this is a modern urban drama, not a fantasy setting, right?" Lin Xiuyuan looked doubtful. "Besides, don't you guys often travel back and forth through time? How come you're fine?"

“It’s obvious that you’re the one who owns that door.” Lim Yoona shrugged. “Besides, with the time portal already appearing, yours isn’t anything special. But compared to the people of 2013, your physique is more enviable than the time portal itself.”

When she said this, Lin Yoona's eyes were truly shining as she looked at Lin Xiuyuan. Having already verified the effect, she wanted to see just how effective it would be.

Then Krystal added, her tone calm but not intimidating, "So Xiuyuan, you better not sneak food anymore. It's not a big deal, it's fine if only a few of us know, but if word gets out, it could cause some trouble."

"I……"

Exposed for his "romantic deeds" to his face, Lin Xiuyuan's skin was still a little too thin. He coughed lightly, lowered his head and continued to drink his soup, as if that piece of pork belly had suddenly become extremely valuable for research.

Fortunately, the two older women finished their conversation and finally let him go, then turned to Sulli to talk about Goo Hara's recent situation.

However, Sulli said that Hara is too busy lately and can't spare the time for now. But she will continue to contact Hara on Kakao and keep talking until the time is right, then they can discuss things openly.

Seeing that Sulli already had a plan in mind, Krystal and Yoona didn't interfere much, only offering a few token suggestions.

The group then ate their meal quietly, and the conversation gradually turned to some interesting stories and the subtle changes brought about by the time portal.

The three chatted more and more happily, but Lin Xiuyuan sat there with a complicated expression, glancing left at Lin Yoona, then right at Krystal, and finally looking down at himself...

He had no appetite during the meal and felt like he was receiving a life-reflection lesson.

As night deepened, Krystal took a short rest after dinner before getting up to go home, as she had work to do the next day.

Seeing this, Lim Yoona also got up, preparing to leave together.

But when Lin Xiuyuan opened the door to take them back to the villa, the two women found that he had no intention of going back with them and just stood there at the apartment.

This made Krystal narrow her eyes. "Xiuyuan, aren't you going to come and rest?"

"No, no, I should stay in the new house for a few days."

Lin Xiuyuan quickly waved his hand, making an excuse with a serious expression, but actually he wanted to calm down and sort out the bunch of strange things in his mind. As soon as he said that, those playful eyes looked at him at the same time.

Seeing this, he immediately closed the door and left, his decisive action surprising Krystal and Yoona on the other side of the villa.

A moment later, Lim Yoona laughed and said, "Did we scare him?"

"Serves him right. Who told him to lie to me when I asked if he had done something wrong?" Krystal snorted, her tone disdainful but with a hint of reluctance at the end.

After humming, she said with some concern, "You weren't scared, were you? Don't worry, you might not really come over."

"I was just kidding, Krystal, you actually took it seriously?"

"Then he..."

Do you think he'll leave Shirley to live alone?

"Oh~"

at the same time.

In the apartment in 2013, after closing the door, Lin Xiuyuan turned around and looked at Shirley, who was sitting cross-legged on the sofa. His expression was a little awkward and his smile was a little guilty.

But Sulli didn't care about all that and said, "Oppa, if Jiyeon finds out that you're over there... having an affair with Dae Jiyeon, she'll probably drag you to the taekwondo gym and give you a good workout."

"Oh, really?" Lin Xiuyuan said, somewhat amused and exasperated. "It was her idea in the first place."

"Haven't you noticed she's been unhappy lately?" Shirley laughed.

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, "Yes, a little, which is why I didn't dare say anything. It was an accident over there; I didn't expect Zhiyan to be so agitated. I..."

“I understand, oppa, you're a victim too. Judging from Krystal and Yoona's expressions just now, I can see that age and physical condition are really too important to them.”

After saying that, Shirley looked at Lin Xiuyuan with bright eyes and a hint of curiosity, "Oppa, how about we give it a try?"

"Try it out of your head, go wash up and go to bed."

Lin Xiuyuan's face darkened, and he turned and walked into the small water bar next door, intending to get himself a drink and slowly sort out the situation.

Then Sulli behind him said again, "Oppa, I don't believe you haven't seen my last movie."

Lin Xiuyuan paused abruptly, then darted into the bar in a flash, leaving behind a trail of silvery laughter.

Half an hour later, Shirley, having finished her shower and changed into a refreshing nightgown, appeared obediently at the water bar.

She walked over to Lin Xiuyuan, who was sitting on the sofa in a daze, and sat down opposite him with a smile. "Oppa, are you still thinking about what just happened? Do you think unnie and the others are too calculating?"

"Not really. If it were me, I'd also like to practice yin-yang replenishment." Lin Xiuyuan shook his head and laughed, making a small joke. "But judging from this situation, I even have to be careful when I go for massages."

"Ah~ oppa~"

Sulli couldn't help but laugh, "With Krystal and Yoona unnie already, you still want to go for a massage? Those two are enough for you to enjoy, not to mention there's Daejiyeon, a recently divorced woman. Isn't that your kind of fantasy?"

"You're joking, that's not what I was thinking."

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled softly, picked up his drink, and took a sip. "In that regard... let nature take its course. It will happen naturally when the atmosphere is right; forcing it will only make things less interesting."

"Yeah, oppa, that's the right way to think. Anyway, you're not losing out."

Seeing that Lin Xiuyuan's answer was still so carefree, Shirley felt much more relaxed. She had been worried that Lin Xiuyuan would mind Krystal and the others' "scheming", but after hearing what he said, she felt relieved.

Since it wasn't that, she became a little curious. "Then what are you thinking, oppa?"

"I was thinking about your Taeyeon unnie." Lin Xiuyuan said to Sulli without any concealment.

Then she talked about what she had talked about with Park Jiyeon at the karaoke bar that day, and some of her thoughts when Kim Taeyeon sang "Father". Finally, she said, "I'm thinking about whether I should help her, but apart from that, it seems like she doesn't have any other problems. Lately, I've suddenly felt that inviting too many people over might not be a good idea."

"Luckily, oppa, you only recently came up with this idea, otherwise I would be finished." Sulli smiled faintly upon hearing this.

“Life and death are different. As for Kim Jonghyun, Luhan and Jessica have been in contact with each other. If they take care of each other slowly, there shouldn’t be any problems. So I’m a little hesitant about whether to recruit Kim Taeyeon into the cult.”

After listening, Shirley pondered for a moment, then her tone suddenly became firm, "Oppa, when you hesitate about a problem, then don't do it, otherwise you won't even have this idea."

"Ok?"

Lin Xiuyuan made a nasal sound, then couldn't help but laugh, "Isn't Kim Tae-yeon your roommate unnie? I thought you, Sulli, would try to persuade me."

"Of course I want to help Taeyeon unnie emotionally, but the premise is that oppa himself is willing."

Shirley looked at him, her tone calm and gentle, "If oppa refuses, then I will definitely stand by your side. After all... you saved my life."

Lin Xiuyuan felt, whether it was his imagination or not, that Shirley had changed completely since that trip to the cemetery.

It's not about becoming distant or unfamiliar, but rather a kind of reassuring clarity.

Her eyes were no longer lost, and her demeanor became increasingly confident and composed.

Compared to the naive girl she once was, she is now more like a mature woman who has undergone trials and tribulations, with a clear and firm mind.

But after saying that, Sulli paused for a moment, then added, "No, it was saving both me and Hara unnie, two lives. So no matter what, I will always stand by your side, oppa."

"Thank you, Sherry~"

"Hee hee~"

The two continued to sit by the small bar, slowly sipping their drinks and chatting as time quietly slipped into the late night.

When he got up to go back to his room, he walked to Shirley's door, where she suddenly stopped and turned to stand in front of Lin Xiuyuan.

With her hands behind her back and her body slightly leaning forward, her smile was as gentle as a summer night breeze. "Oppa, I'm so happy tonight."

"As long as you're happy, take a rest."

Lin Xiuyuan responded with a smile, his eyes unconsciously glancing at her before returning to her feet, as if afraid she might accidentally fall.

But Sulli suddenly spoke up again, "Oppa, do you want to call me Peach?"

"Huh? Why?" Lin Xiuyuan was a little surprised. When he called Lin Yun'er from the villa earlier, he called her "Little Peach," which Shirley shouldn't know.

"Because... it's a peach."

Shirley suppressed a laugh, a faint blush rising to her cheeks, as she gently touched the two peach-patterned designs on the front of her pajamas.

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, you're teasing me, aren't you? I'm about to hit you!"

No, hehe~

With a giggle, Shirley turned and opened the door. She had just stepped inside when she suddenly pulled her foot back, turned around abruptly, and before Lin Xiuyuan could react, she gently pecked him on the cheek.

Then he added, "Oppa~ Goodnight~"

After saying that, he quickly slipped into the room and slammed the door shut.

Leaning against the door, she breathed softly, her cheeks flushed, and a hint of shyness and excitement lingered in the barely suppressed smile on her lips.

Lin Xiuyuan stood there, shaking his head helplessly yet gently, then turned and went back to his room. After washing up, he fell asleep peacefully.

The next morning.

"Boom boom boom——"

A soft yet unmistakable knock on the door pierced the quiet air inside, waking Lin Xiuyuan from his sleep.

"Oppa, wake up, breakfast is going to get cold."

Sherry's sweet, soft voice came from outside the door, with a slightly playful, drawn-out tone.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had been lying in bed, rolled over, raised his hand to rub his forehead, yawned, and replied, "Okay, I'm coming."

She then got out of bed and dragged herself to wash up, feeling rather lazy.

A few minutes later, I put on a simple T-shirt and trousers and walked out of the room, and my nose was surrounded by a warm and familiar fragrance.

Sunlight streamed into the living room, casting a soft glow on the wooden floor. Shirley had already set out breakfast at the dining table.

Fried eggs, bacon, French toast, a small plate of beautifully sliced ​​fruit, and even a thoughtfully brewed cup of honey grapefruit tea.

"Perfect timing, oppa. The eggs are freshly fried and still warm." Sulli smiled and patted the back of the chair. "Sit down and eat."

Lin Xiuyuan walked over and sat down, picked up his teacup and took a sip. In the steaming heat, he looked at the girl opposite him, his tone full of amusement, "If your fans saw this, wouldn't I be torn to pieces by their gazes?"

"Then hide it well, don't let anyone find out, I can't bear to see you torn to pieces, oppa." Sulli glanced at him, her tone light but her eyes full of laughter.

"It sounds weird, like having an affair."

“If oppa likes this concept, I can act it out for you.”

Sulli raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with a hint of pride, "I consider my acting skills to be slightly better than Yoona's."

Lin Xiuyuan laughed and said, "Why didn't you say so last night?"

"I dare not say it to your face."

The two chatted casually, the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant, and before they knew it, they had finished their breakfast.

Sulli got up and cleared the dishes quickly and efficiently. While washing the dishes, she turned to him and said, "Oh, right, oppa, I have to go to the company for rehearsal at noon, I probably won't be back until tonight. For dinner tonight..."

"I'll be back in the past 25 years. Don't worry, I won't go hungry." Lin Xiuyuan nodded, his tone relaxed.

A dozen minutes later, Shirley changed her clothes and prepared to go out. Lin Xiuyuan got up from the sofa and saw her to the door.

Shirley was about to push the door open and leave when she paused, turned back to look at him, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Lin Xiuyuan asked.

"It's okay." Sulli gave a gentle smile. "Oppa, remember to eat lunch."

After saying that, she gently closed the door.

The room returned to silence.

Lin Xiuyuan stood there stunned for a few seconds, then sighed softly, turned around and walked towards the storage room next door. He gently pushed open the door, and a familiar scent rushed towards him.

That was the air of 2025, carrying the warmth of the summer sun and the rhythm of the city.

Upon arriving at the villa, Lin Xiuyuan immediately checked his phone for incoming calls and text messages. After learning about his 'special' constitution last night, he felt that something was definitely going to happen today.

Sure enough, two incoming calls and several messages from the big dragon cub appeared on the screen.

Lin Xiuyuan gave a wry smile, his finger hovering above the screen, hesitating whether to call back, but ultimately put it down.

"Forget it, just wait."

Then I went up to the computer room to thoroughly investigate what this so-called 'space-time factor' was.

The investigation went on until midday.

During that time, Lin Xiuyuan looked at everything: videos, novels, forums, marketing accounts, and even flipped through a few poorly written academic papers, browsing through them all in a haphazard way.

The final conclusion is simple: if you can't understand it, just give up.

So I opened the game, opened the interface, and started clearing my inventory with my character, then lay down completely.

Just as he was about to enter the instance, his phone rang.

Lin Xiuyuan, who thought it was Da Longzai, picked it up and looked at the caller ID, and showed a bit of surprise, "Huh~ Tai Xiaoruan?"

After thinking for a moment, Lin Xiuyuan answered the phone, "Hello~ Taeyeon."

"Xiuyuan, are you up yet?"

Kim Tae-yeon's languid voice came from the other end of the phone. She was lying on the bed, scrolling through comments on her tablet while talking to him lazily.

She was wearing a simple tank top, and sunlight streamed into the bedroom, gently brushing against her shoulders, making her fair skin appear slightly alluring.

Unfortunately, no one can appreciate it.

"Just woke up, what's up? How come you, such a busy person, have time to call me today?"

Lin Xiuyuan held his phone between his fingers, muting the game while controlling his character to find a safe corner to hide in. The equipment in his backpack was all top-notch, and he would be heartbroken if he lost it.

"I'm a busy person? You're the one who's busy, it takes you days to reply to every message," Kim Tae-yeon retorted with a laugh.

"That's an exception, a special case."

Upon hearing Kim Tae-yeon mention this, Lin Xiuyuan was no longer such a straight man, and said, "Then to express my apology, I'll treat you to lunch today, how about it?"

Kim Tae-yeon's eyes lit up on the other end of the phone. "Wow, Xiu-yuan, you've finally figured it out! Who taught you?"

"You make it sound like I used to be so dense. Do you want some or not?"

“Of course we’ll eat! Why not? But I’ll choose the location, okay?” Kim Tae-yeon said.

"Okay, you can decide."

Lin Xiuyuan knew she was worried that the restaurant he had booked wasn't secluded or safe enough, so he simply agreed without thinking too much about it, which also saved him the time of searching for restaurants online.

And so, with just a few words, lunch was arranged, and it was the kind of lunch where we "depart immediately".

After hanging up the phone, Lin Xiuyuan didn't hesitate. He got up, walked out of the room, grabbed his car keys downstairs, got in his car, and headed straight for the location sent by Kim Tae-yeon.

When he arrived at the restaurant, only about 20 minutes had passed, but he spent ten minutes looking for a parking space and still couldn't find one.

Finally, Lin Xiuyuan, tired of wandering around, simply found a spot at the entrance of a nearby alley and casually dumped his car there.

Fines are fine, whatever. I'll just ask Kim Tae-yeon to reimburse me later.

After parking his car, Lin Xiuyuan arrived at the restaurant following the address.

This restaurant is located on the rooftop of a building and is a true members-only establishment; it does not accept non-members.

If Lin Xiuyuan hadn't mentioned Kim Tae-yeon's name, he really wouldn't have been able to get in.

When the waiter heard that he was "Kim Tae-yeon's friend," his eyes showed obvious curiosity, but he didn't ask any questions. He respectfully led him to Tae-yeon's seat and then quietly left.

There were no photos taken, no gossip, and no unnecessary stops throughout the entire process, which suggests that the staff here had already signed various confidentiality agreements.

Upon seeing Lin Xiuyuan's arrival, Kim Tae-yeon blinked and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Hey? Xiuyuan, why are you even later than me?"

"I couldn't find a parking space and drove around in circles for a while," Lin Xiuyuan replied somewhat dejectedly after sitting down.

Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-yeon laughed, "Ah, sorry, I forgot to tell you, some of the parking lots here have designated parking spaces for restaurants."

"It's okay, if we really get a ticket later, you can reimburse me."

Lin Xiuyuan took a sip of lemonade and glanced around.

Although this is on the rooftop, the use of parasols to create private spaces, along with the unique decor and soft lighting, makes the overall atmosphere exceptionally pleasant.

Suddenly, his gaze caught sight of a familiar figure, and he murmured, "Oh, who is that...?"

Kim Tae-yeon followed his gaze and replied with a smile, "Oh, it's Joo-hyun, you should know her, right?"

"Yes, I know you."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

I had promised to give them a small gift, but I've been putting it off until now.

After finishing speaking, Lin Xiuyuan turned his gaze to Kim Tae-yeon across from him and asked, "Tae-yeon, is your tour over? How come you have so much free time to ask me out for dinner?"

"It's not over yet, it's just a break. Can't I ask you to have a meal since we're free?" Kim Tae-yeon looked at Lin Xiu-yuan with amusement.

"No, I'm just a little curious."

"have what……"

Just as Kim Tae-yeon was about to continue speaking, she was interrupted by Lin Xiu-yuan's phone ringing on the opposite table.

She immediately noticed the flashing phone screen; the caller ID displayed a selfie.

She looks familiar; it's Lee Juri.

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, gave her an apologetic look, and turned to answer the phone, "Hello, Juli."

A laugh, tinged with joy, came from the other end of the phone, "Xiuyuan, I saw you!"

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(End of this chapter)