Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 294 "Jessica, are you going to propose to me?" (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

After being "threatened" by Jessica to take many photos against her will, Lin Xiuyuan finally pulled her back into the car.

Following the other party's directions, they quickly drove to a rather secluded location.

The restaurant is called "Casamia", but it is not located in a bustling street-front shop or a large shopping mall. Instead, it is hidden deep in a quiet alley.

The exterior doesn't even look like a restaurant. The door is tightly closed, and if it weren't for an inconspicuous illuminated sign with the store's name next to the door and a blackboard sign on the ground, passersby would probably think it's a private residence or studio.

“This is it.” Jessica, who brought Lin Xiuyuan over, was the first to push open the heavy wooden door.

The scenery inside the gate is surprisingly unique.

The warm lighting, the Italian-style decor, and the soothing jazz music created a very nice atmosphere... If the dining tables weren't a bit too close together, the sensory experience would probably be even better.

"There are a bit too many dining tables."

Although the air was filled with the enticing aroma of food and a faint scent of coffee, Lin Xiuyuan frowned immediately upon seeing the cramped and uninspiring space.

It's unclear whether it started when Lin Xiuyuan obtained the time portal, but he has always been very concerned about and valued space, distance, and privacy.

Jessica, who was also aware of this, had already made a reservation. After giving her name to the waiter, the waiter immediately and respectfully led them to a relatively quiet corner booth.

Next came the ordering. Lin Xiuyuan, who wasn't very familiar with the place, handed this important task over to Jessica, who then happily ordered quite a few things.

From the appetizing ham salad to the tender and succulent scallops, then to the main courses of lobster, classic pasta, and perfectly seared steak...

Each dish was served in turn, with exquisite plating, but the portions were not as small as the "beautiful meal" Lin Xiuyuan had imagined.

He wasn't initially a fan of restaurants that focused too much on formality, but after a few bites, his opinion suddenly changed.

Whether it was due to the excellent quality of the ingredients or the perfect control of the cooking temperature, the seasoning was slightly innovative based on some Italian dishes he had eaten before, and there was no undercooked or strange taste that he had worried about.

The lobster, in particular, had firm, springy meat and a rich, delicious sauce that suited his palate perfectly, leaving him quite satisfied.

Meanwhile, in Seoul.

Having just finished a long day of activities, Yoona immediately relaxed and collapsed onto the sofa upon returning to her apartment.

After swiping my finger across the phone screen and finding that particular chat group, I immediately sent the previous message into it.

Im Yoona: [Is anyone there? (So bored I'm growing mushrooms.jpg)]

She received a response shortly after the message was sent.

Sweet Eunjung: [What's wrong, Yoona? (peeks out.jpg)]

Yoona: [It feels like it's been ages since I went out to relax and have a meal. I'd like to find someone to go with. Unnie, how's your foot? Are you able to go out and walk around now?]

Sweet Eun-jung: [That might not be possible (crying face). Although it's much better than before, and I don't need crutches anymore, walking is still a bit unsteady, and going out is inconvenient.]

Im Yoona: [Ah... (slumps in disappointment.jpg) I finally have a day off tomorrow...]

Just as Lim Yoona was looking at Sweet Eunjung's reply and sighing at the ceiling, her phone vibrated again.

With a hint of anticipation, she looked down again and found that Kim Tae-yeon had joined the conversation.

Kim Tae-yeon: [Where are you? Come pick me up, I'm free right now, I'm practically turning into mold at home.]

At this moment, Kim Tae-yeon was indeed staying in her apartment. Having finished recording work for the past few days, she was enjoying a rare moment of leisure and was feeling rather bored.

However, when Yoona saw her message, she smiled mischievously and typed a reply with her fingers flying across the keyboard.

Im Yoona: [(Disgusted face.jpg) Ah~ I've seen you so many times, unnie, I'm getting a little tired of it. Let's find someone else!]

Kim Tae-yeon, on the other end of the phone, was so angry at the "outrageous" reply that she laughed. A helpless smile appeared on her lips as she forcefully poked the screen with her two little fingers.

Kim Tae-yeon: [Hey~ Yoona, are you trying to find an excuse to lure that Xiu Yuan out? He hasn't said a word in the group chat, I bet he's probably gone off to 'over there' again.]

As if to confirm Kim Tae-yeon's guess, as soon as the message was sent, Sweet Eun-jung's message popped up right afterward.

Sweet Eunjung: [Oh~ Taeyeon, you're wrong about that (smirking puppy.jpg). Xiuyuan is probably still on our side, but he's probably a bit busy right now.]

Im Yoon-a: [(Curious bear.jpg) Busy? Busy with what?]

Sweet Eun-jung: [He just flew to Shanghai today. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be there right now—busy, I guess.]

Kim Tae-yeon: [Shanghai?! (Surprised face.jpg)]

Im Yoona: [(O-shaped lips.jpg) Jessica unnie?]

Immediately realizing something, Lim Yoona quickly scrolled through the group member list, trying to confirm if a certain name existed.

However, Jessica's account did not appear in the group members.

The main reason is that after Jessica finished her "detention period" last time, she didn't stay in Seoul for more than two days before heading to Shanghai for work.

In addition, Yoona and the others have been very busy lately, and Lin Xiuyuan, who should be the most concerned, is a hands-off manager. So the matter of bringing Jessica into the group has been delayed.

Yoona: [By the way, has Jessica unnie joined the group yet? I can't find her.]

Kim Tae-yeon: [I don't see anyone.]

Sweet Eun-jung: [That probably means they haven't brought them in yet.]

Kim Tae-yeon: [Let me help you out.]

After saying that, Kim Tae-yeon exited the group chat, found Jessica's account in her contact list, and clicked to invite her to join the group.

After completing the operation, she stared at it for a few more seconds before returning to the group to report the situation.

Kim Tae-yeon: [She pulled, but there was no response. She's probably busy and didn't check her phone.]

Im Yoona: [So what was Xiuyuan doing there this time? Was he going specifically to keep Jessica unnie company?]

Sweet Eun-jung: [According to him (David thinking.jpg), he went to 'open up the fog of war' and establish a new 'outpost'.]

This statement, which had a touch of gaming jargon, caused a brief silence in the group chat. Im Yoona and Kim Tae-yeon, understanding what it meant, both smiled knowingly.

Just as the group chat was in full swing, Da Longzai and Krystal, who was browsing her phone during the break, joined in one after another, chatting away and making quite a scene.

However, Lin Xiuyuan, who was far away at the Casamia restaurant in Shanghai, was completely unaware of all this.

At that moment, he was focused on the ribeye steak on his plate; the meat was tender and juicy, and the taste was quite good.

Jessica, sitting opposite, had already put down her knife and fork; the instinct for maintaining her figure was ingrained in her very being. After elegantly wiping her mouth with a napkin, she rested her chin on her palm, propped herself up on the table, and quietly gazed at Lin Xiuyuan in front of her.

The restaurant's soft lighting reflected in her eyes, creating a rare, almost tender glow.

"Xiuyuan," she spoke softly, breaking the silence at the table, "are you planning to stay here for a few days before going back?"

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan had just put a piece of beef into his mouth, chewed it a few times, swallowed it, and then looked up to answer, "I haven't thought about it in detail yet. I'll just wander around for now. Anyway, the transportation is convenient, and I can be there anytime if anything happens, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Jessica knew perfectly well what he meant by "traffic".

So a smile flashed in her eyes, and she exclaimed, "Your transportation ability is really too good, it's too incredible. Unlike others, you don't have to waste a lot of time on the road, rushing around."

But Lin Xiuyuan smiled and said, "It's not all good or bad. Only an unemployed person like me can be so carefree. If it were an office worker who has to work nine to five or has a full schedule, how could they have this much leisure?"

“That’s true,” Jessica smiled, recalling Krystal’s comment about Lin Xiuyuan. “I remember Xiujing once told me that you were a goalkeeper. I didn’t understand at the time, but now I finally get it.”

"Goalkeeper?" Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and smiled, then nodded in agreement. "So, Ms. Jessica, when are you planning to pay your 'membership fee'? I'm unemployed and I'm almost out of money to make ends meet."

In response to Lin Xiuyuan's words, Jessica immediately rolled her eyes at him, but then her gaze unconsciously drifted to her bag placed beside her.

Because inside was something she had carefully chosen as a "gift" for Lin Xiuyuan yesterday.

She had originally planned to surprise him when they got back to the apartment, but the atmosphere was just right, and she suddenly felt that it was quite appropriate to bring it up now.

With her mind made up, Jessica reached into her bag and took out the small, exquisite dark blue gift box without hesitation, gently pushing it onto the tablecloth in front of Lin Xiuyuan.

"The membership fee will be settled later." After saying this, she smiled mysteriously. "How about I give you a small gift first as 'interest'?"

"Gift?"

Lin Xiuyuan's gaze fell on the familiar velvet box, and he subconsciously guessed, "Could it be a wristwatch?"

The gift box looks a bit like the one Kim Tae-yeon once gave to her father; it's neither too big nor too small, and it's square.

Jessica smiled and shook her head, keeping everyone in suspense a little, saying, "If it were that easy for you to guess, it wouldn't be fun."

Lin Xiuyuan's curiosity was finally piqued. He leaned forward slightly, staring at the box, and asked, "What, do I have to guess correctly before I can receive the gift?"

“No need for that.” Jessica shook her head again. “Since it’s already been given away, it’s naturally yours. But you can try to guess, try a few more times, and see if you can guess it right.”

The person who said this seemed to enjoy the process and was convinced that Lin Xiuyuan couldn't guess the answer.

Spurred on by Jessica, Lin Xiuyuan put down his knife and fork, stared at the small box, and began tonight's "guessing game".

From precious gold and jade, to exquisite crystal and cufflinks, and then from small handicrafts to car keys...

With a burst of imagination, I guessed almost everything that might be packed in the small gift box.

However, Jessica rejected every guess with a cheerful smile.

So, after guessing for a while, Lin Xiuyuan almost jokingly muttered, "It can't be some kind of pregnancy test, right? Although some novels say that Jessica might be highly fertile, it shouldn't be this bad..."

"Hey!!" Before he could finish speaking, Jessica, who was sitting opposite him, blushed instantly. She was both embarrassed and annoyed. She kicked his shin lightly under the table and said in a low voice, "Lin Xiuyuan, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Then she pushed the gift box almost halfway in front of him, glaring at him with embarrassment and annoyance, "Does this box look big enough to hold that kind of thing?! Forget it, forget it, you'd better stop guessing and just open it and see, and don't talk nonsense anymore."

Seeing Jessica's embarrassed and angry expression, Lin Xiuyuan laughed even harder. Then he reached out and picked up the small box, and under Jessica's expectant gaze, he gently opened the lid.

However, the moment his gaze fell upon the items inside the box, he froze.

Or rather, they were dumbfounded.

He suddenly looked up at Jessica, his face filled with disbelief, and blurted out, "No, Jessica, are you proposing to me?!"

On the deep blue velvet lining, a ring lay quietly.

Jessica, whose blush had just faded, blushed again. She glared at him, both embarrassed and angry, "Can you please stop making such a fuss and talking nonsense?"

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan had already picked up the ring with his fingers.

The little gadget gleamed with a cool, silvery-white luster under the restaurant lights; its design was very unique.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was not a traditional circle; the ring itself appeared to be a smooth knot.

Or rather, it consists of two intertwined yet seamlessly integrated parts that can gracefully slide and rotate with the slightest movement of the fingers.

It has a strong sense of design and is very unique.

But Lin Xiuyuan still didn't quite understand the meaning behind it.

So he looked up at Jessica again with a questioning look, waiting for her explanation.

Jessica, who had been watching Lin Xiuyuan closely, took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, which had been shaken by his "proposal," before lightly touching the center of the ring with her finger as a hint.

“Take a close look at the structure of the 'circle' in the middle.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan focused his attention again, this time noticing even more details.

The knot at its center is not merely decorative; rather, it forms a peculiar, interconnected loop structure with no beginning and no end.

A classic concept in mathematics and physics suddenly struck him.

“This is…” he murmured uncertainly, “a Möbius strip?!”

Seeing that Lin Xiuyuan finally recognized her, Jessica's face showed a relieved yet meaningful smile. She nodded and explained softly.

"Yes, a Möbius strip. Although it looks complicated, it essentially has only one face and one boundary. In a symbolic sense, it can represent infinity, cycles, and eternity... just like time itself, and like your door."

Jessica's voice then became softer, yet it reached Lin Xiuyuan's ears clearly, "When you carry it, it's like you've met us, and also them 'over there.' Meeting and intertwining in different timelines, so I think this meaning is very suitable for you."

Lin Xiuyuan looked down again at the ingeniously designed Möbius strip ring in his hand, which symbolized an infinite cycle.

The cold metallic touch now seemed to carry warmth, and an indescribable feeling spread through his heart.

After Jessica mentioned it that way, the gift suddenly became quite interesting.

So Lin Xiuyuan gently turned the silver ring on his finger, watching the infinitely looping surface shimmer with a subtle luster under the light, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

　The previous double reward event is complete, with a daily increase of 5.

　　Daily progress bar: 108/139.

　　P.S.: But since I've done over 100 reps a day, the tenosynovitis area is really uncomfortable, and my fingers and wrists are still a bit sore. So I can only take it slow with the daily reps. I hope everyone can understand!
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(End of this chapter)