Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 297 [Double J Meeting] (10,000 words, please subscribe and vote)

In the living room, bright lights illuminated every corner clearly.

The three people who were originally standing in front have now sat down around the coffee table in a subtle triangular formation.

Lin Xiuyuan, feeling rather helpless, took the initiative to sit in the very middle of the sofa, using himself as a buffer zone.

On the left is Jessica, who is relaxed and has a smile on her face.

On the right is Jessica Jung, with a cool expression and sharp eyes.

Whether it was a subconscious action or some kind of coincidence, when Lin Xiuyuan sat down, he happened to bring his left hand, which was wearing the Möbius strip ring, closer to the side that was paired with Zheng Xiuyan's.

From the moment she sat down, Jessica Jung's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, would frequently fall on the uniquely designed silver ring with a scrutinizing look. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she were studying some tricky code.

In contrast, Jessica on the other side seemed much more relaxed.

As she ate the soft and chewy roasted rice cake, her gaze swept around the apartment below, a nostalgic look on her face, and she sighed softly.

"Sigh, ever since I sold this apartment a few years ago and moved to a new place, I've almost forgotten what this place looks like. I never thought I'd be able to come back to this familiar place one day."

When Jessica said this, her tone carried a hint of melancholy, as if things had changed and people were no longer the same, and also a subtle sense of regret.

Her words immediately made Jessica Jung, who was staring at the ring, look up and deliver a cold, mocking remark.

"You've sold your house? You must have lost a lot of money in your business and are having cash flow problems, so you had to sell your house to save the day? Hmph, to be honest, some people shouldn't 'go into business' if they're not cut out for it. If you didn't know better, people would think you were planning to take some crooked path or try to find some kind of channel like those Japanese actresses."

The highly aggressive words, carrying obvious hostility, were directed at someone.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was surprised by Jessica Jung's fierce attack, was so startled that he quickly took a big bite of the beef skewer and chewed it vigorously.

They used their busy mouths as a shield, fearing they would be caught in this life-or-death storm.

However, as "the same person," and the one with more experience, Jessica is clearly not one to be trifled with.

So after hearing these harsh remarks, she didn't get angry. Instead, she chuckled and said with a condescending sense of superiority, "This house has nothing to do with starting a business~ Well, thinking about it carefully, you can't say it's completely unrelated."

Jessica paused deliberately, enjoying the probing gaze from the other person. "Mainly because I had made some money by then, I felt that this apartment was too small and didn't match my status. So I moved to a bigger one with a better view, and I paid for it all in full."

After saying that, he glanced lightly at Jessica Jung and continued to add insult to injury.

"If you continue to be content with being an idol and earning a meager living like some people are now, by then, when housing prices skyrocket, you'll probably only be able to afford a down payment."

Upon hearing this, Jessica Jung raised an eyebrow and quickly began to calculate in her mind.

In terms of personal savings, even if I failed in my business ventures 25 years ago, my accumulated savings over those years would still be less than what I have now.

Thinking of this, she immediately seized another angle and let out another cold laugh.

"Ha, after all that talk, I thought you were making a fortune. But after working hard for over a decade, all you have left are a few cold, impersonal houses."

"What about the brand? It's long gone."

"What about the company? I heard they got ripped off pretty badly."

"The most ridiculous thing is that after working so hard for so many years and being a so-called 'female CEO,' she still has to sheepishly return to the stage to jump around with her juniors and try to please her fans... It's so pitiful to watch!"

These words were incredibly sharp, hitting Jessica right where it hurt the most.

However, to Jessica's surprise, Jessica not only did not get angry, but even leaned forward slightly, past Lin Xiuyuan who was trying to minimize his presence in the middle, and stared at Jessica's young and impetuous face for a few seconds.

Then he shrank back and chuckled lightly.

"It's quite pitiful~ I heard from Soojung that someone was the first to become a member, No.1. But he was overtaken and trampled underfoot by one newcomer after another, watching helplessly as others cut in line and rose to the top while he could only stay in the same place. If it were me, tsk tsk~~ I would probably not want to live anymore."

If Jessica refutes other points, Jessica Jung might be able to argue her point.

But faced with this cold and ruthless truth about membership development, Jessica Jung found herself powerless to refute it.

So he could only channel his frustration and resentment into a sharper glare, which he directed at Lin Xiuyuan sitting next to him.

It's all that bastard's fault!!!
I clearly told him before that we couldn't let the flavors mix, but now all the unpleasant things have come to light.

Although Lin Xiuyuan, who doesn't know how to read minds, couldn't understand the specific meaning in Jessica Jung's eyes, he could still clearly feel the resentment that was almost materialized.

So much so that he lowered his head even further, focusing more intently on the sausage and drink in his hand, determined to adhere to the principle of "not speaking unless absolutely necessary".

He understands the principle of "the more you say, the more mistakes you make, silence is golden" better than anyone else now.

Even if he shut up, the clever Jessica Jung quickly found a new way to break through.

Suddenly, she reached out and snatched the sausage that Lin Xiuyuan had just taken a bite of from his hand with lightning speed, then gave Jessica a faint smile.

"What's so pitiful about that? Even if they're pitiful, they're not as pitiful as some people, are they? At most, they're just some temporary teachers who 'taught' Xiu Yuan. Just like those 'nannies' or 'aunts' in the ancient palace who were responsible for teaching the crown prince. Once the crown prince finished his studies and grew up, he would naturally retire and no one would remember them."

"The only ones who can grow up with the Crown Prince and the Emperor are peers of the same age."

What was originally just a quick-thinking idea became increasingly brilliant as Jessica Jung explained it, and her smile grew even brighter.

"Oh~ I suddenly realize I'm right. After all, we're about the same age, aren't we? Xiuyuan, what do you think?"

She deliberately threw the question at Lin Xiuyuan, forcing him to make a statement.

"Cough cough cough..." Lin Xiuyuan coughed repeatedly, choked by the fatal question, and subconsciously muttered, "I'm not that old, am I?"

Upon hearing this, Jessica's smile vanished instantly, her expression turned icy, and her gaze swept over Lin Xiuyuan like a blade of ice.

Jessica Jung, however, seemed to have won a great victory, laughing heartily and even kindly correcting him, "Oh, of course I'm not as old as Xiu Yuan makes you out to be~ Don't you Chinese have a term called 'middle-aged woman'? That's roughly what it means, right? Still charming, um, still charming~"

Using a recently learned Chinese phrase, Jessica Jung emphasized the age difference again in front of Jessica. Seeing Jessica's face darken completely, Jessica felt a surge of relief, like taking a big gulp of soda on a hot summer day – refreshing and exhilarating!

So he happily took a bite of the grilled sausage he had snatched from Lin Xiuyuan.

So cool.

However, the tension in the living room intensified as the two women exchanged their sharp yet deadly blows.

Lin Xiuyuan, sitting blankly in the middle, felt like he was sitting on a powder keg that could explode at any moment. He was caught in a dilemma, and a chill ran down his spine.

Just as the atmosphere in the living room was tense, and the two "Soo-yeons" were exchanging glances and words in a silent yet intense exchange, the phone of the one on the left, Jung Soo-yeon, which was on the coffee table, suddenly rang, indicating that a new message had arrived.

This seemingly insignificant incident became the lifeline Lin Xiuyuan had been waiting for.

So almost reflexively, he suddenly jumped up from the sofa.

This sudden action startled Jessica and Soo-yeon on either side of him, and they both looked at him.

"Oops~"

Lin Xiuyuan raised an exaggerated, annoyed expression on his face, stepped past Jessica, and explained in a rapid-fire manner.

"I think I left my phone at the apartment. I just came to check my messages and let my family know I'm safe, but now I've forgotten my phone. You two can eat first, don't worry about me. I'll go back to get my phone and be right back."

After saying that, she didn't give Jessica Jung a chance to stop her or ask any questions.

With a "whoosh," he quickly arrived at the toilet door, then, gripping the doorknob, his figure flashed and instantly disappeared behind the door.

Only a soft "click" of the door closing echoed in the suddenly silent living room.

The speed was so fast that it felt as if a raging flood or ferocious beast was chasing after them.

Looking at the glass door that instantly blocked out the man's figure, the smile that had appeared on Jessica Jung's face because she had won the argument earlier instantly cooled and disappeared.

Then he slowly turned his head, his gaze as cold as ice, and stared straight at Jessica beside him, squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth, "What the hell are you doing?"

Jessica was still a little stunned, but provoked by her accusatory tone, she immediately retorted, "Who's crazy? Don't make false accusations. I'm sitting here perfectly fine, and I haven't done anything."

"Are you not out of your mind?"

Jessica Jung's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed anger, "Then why did you give him a ring like that? You know how many eyes are watching that guy, what are you trying to do by giving him a ring? Are you trying to make things worse by setting off a volcano?!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, especially when she thought about that glaring ring on Lin Xiuyuan's hand.

The most important thing is that I didn't give it to you myself!!!
After being questioned by Jessica Jung, Jessica's temper, which she had rarely shown after years of restraint, finally surfaced.

He put down the rice cake, which was already almost cold, and sneered.

"What? You think I can ignite your jealousy just by giving you a simple ring? Jessica Jung, Jessica Jung, you were the first person to know Xiu Yuan, and the first person to know all the secrets! After all this time, you can't even manage the most basic relationships, you can't balance them, what good are you?"

Her words were like knives, showing no mercy. "It's not that I look down on you, but you know perfectly well that Xiu Yuan is like a fool when it comes to relationships, rushing headlong into things, acting entirely on instinct and feelings. Even if you can't stop him from having affairs everywhere, you should at least try to win over Yoon-ah and Ji-yeon and form a solid 'alliance,' right?"

The more Jessica talked, the more she felt that the "self" in front of her was disappointing, and the speechlessness in her eyes was almost overflowing.

"Based on what I've recently learned from Jiyeon, even in the 25-year timeline, there are two or three small groups dividing and balancing each other. And here, 13 years is Xiuyuan's stronghold. And you? As the first person to appear and holding the first-mover advantage, what use are you? Besides sulking and being jealous, what else can you do? Aren't you just a complete waste?"

When it comes to criticizing herself, Jessica shows absolutely no mercy; every word is like a knife to the heart.

Similarly, after being bombarded with this barrage of insults, Jessica Jung felt her face burning with shame and anger.

So he glared at Jessica through gritted teeth, "Don't tell me you don't know how busy my schedule is right now, I don't have time for all this..."

However, it would have been better if she hadn't explained; the more she explained, the more she ran into Jessica's line of fire.

"So you guys are all talk and no action," Jessica interrupted her bluntly, her tone dripping with disdain.

"You have such a great 'cheat code' right next to you, but you don't know how to make good use of it. Instead, you insist on pretending to be high and mighty, thinking that you can rely on yourself to fight and prove yourself, and creating some kind of independent and successful persona. But what is the reality? Ask yourself honestly, which of your key successes so far, after going through twists and turns, didn't rely on the information and resources that Xiu Yuan brought back from 25 years ago?"

At this moment, she seemed to be able to see through all of Jessica Jung's thoughts, and even directly pointed it out.

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You just want to put on airs, try to use your charm to control this young man, make him devoted to you, and prove your worth, right? And look what happened, you've gone too far. Xiuyuan has been 'taught' more and more cunning by my Yoona, Jiyeon, and others, and he's become more and more aware of his own 'worth.' Do you think you can still control him now? You can't control him at all."

"I do not have."

"hehe."

Honestly, if Jessica were still in her early twenties, she might be able to understand the pride, struggles, and little thoughts of the "self" in front of her.

But now that she's in her thirties and has experienced many ups and downs, looking back with a perspective that has seen through reality and shortcuts, she finds those actions utterly foolish.

They could have used Lin Xiuyuan's abilities to embark on the broadest and fastest road to success, but instead they chose to forge their own thorny and winding path.

It seems that success achieved in this way is more "honorable," but in the end, after all the hard work, what you get might not even be as good as someone else's starting point. What's the point?

Jessica Jung's face flushed red and then turned pale as she was scolded. She stared at Jessica with her eyes fixed on her. She wanted to argue a few more times to save face, but she found that all her reasons were so pale and powerless in the face of Jessica's all-knowing and merciless criticism.

Finally, as if all her strength had been drained, she slumped back against the sofa, only able to retort with the words she had previously spoken to Krystal Jung, "What do you know? At least my design career is already showing signs of collaborating with CJ..."

But before she could finish speaking, Jessica interrupted her with a casual question, "So? Who did you rely on? You're not going to say it's yourself, are you?"

"..." Jessica Jung was speechless.

Jessica pressed her advantage, her tone laced with sarcasm, "Wasn't it only because of Xiu Yuan's futuristic designs and potential appeal that you caught CJ's attention? Why didn't you just be more direct back then, like Park Ji-yeon here, and simply partner with him to start a company, firmly binding him to your cause? Why did you have to go through all this trouble?"

Jessica opened her mouth as if to say something, but Jessica seemed to know what she was going to say and interrupted her with a cold laugh.

"Don't give me that Girls' Generation nonsense about team responsibility. In the face of this huge secret of the Time Gate, as long as you are determined to step out, with the help of Xiu Yuan, you can quickly accumulate capital in just a few years and become one of the rule-makers."

"Instead of being stuck in this small place like Seoul, playing idol games with the company and those so-called peers. Not only are you trapping yourself, but you're also indirectly dragging Xiuyuan here to play house with you... Jessica Jung, you have no shame."

Faced with Jessica's blunt, cold, and even cruel remarks, Jessica Jung lost all her strength to refute.

After letting out a deep, weary sigh, the anger that had been surging in his chest strangely subsided, replaced by a sense of powerlessness and bewilderment.

Then she looked up at the self that represented the "future," her eyes filled with complex emotions, and finally just softly replied, "I haven't experienced the emotions you went through when you left the group, and I haven't walked the path you walked. So the ideas you're talking about probably don't align with mine yet."

The meaning of this sentence is quite clear: she respects Jessica's experience and opinions as someone who has been through it all, but because they are at a different stage and in a different state of mind, she cannot understand.

Simply put, it's about respect, but not understanding.

This is a stubborn adherence, but also a limitation of the times and a personal understanding.

After Jessica Jung said that she "respects but doesn't understand," the living room fell into a brief silence.

She looked at the sharp-tongued "herself" from the future, took a deep breath, and spoke again, her tone calm yet undeniably firm, "I think I understand your thoughts, but Jessica, isn't there something you've completely overlooked?"

"What?" Jessica raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"Cultivate your own ideas."

Jessica Jung continued clearly, "I admit that I may not have done well in some of the things you just criticized me for, but there is one thing I think I did right, which is that I never forced Xiuyuan to do anything."

Meeting Jessica's probing gaze, she continued, "I mostly let him do whatever he wants, as long as it's not murder or arson. But your idea sounds more like pushing him, or even forcing him, in a direction you think is 'right'."

Jessica Jung's tone became insightful as she spoke.

"Your suggestion isn't bad, but everyone has their own personality and choices. You probably haven't known Xiuyuan for very long. He's not the kind of person who's willing to be pushed forward. He's inherently easygoing and carefree. I don't know if you understand that?"

Then she began to summarize, "In general, from what you just said, it seems that you, not me, are the one who really wants to 'control' Xiuyuan. I just chose to let him go free because I feel that this is his life, and I have no right, nor should I, try to manipulate him too much."

The conversation then turned to Yoona and Jiyeon, "And the 'guidance' Yoona and Jiyeon gave to Xiuyuan 25 years ago is completely different from what you said. They taught him more about how to understand his own heart and how to take responsibility for his choices. They guided him on 'how to make choices,' rather than trying to tell him 'what to do,' like you did."

At this moment, when Jessica looked at her, her gaze carried a hint of pity and admonition.

“Jessica, although I don’t know exactly what you’ve been through over the years to develop such a strong, controlling personality, I have to make one thing clear to you: you really need to change this personality. The main reason we hesitated to bring you in right away was... 99% of it.”

Jessica, who had been vehemently criticizing and felt she was absolutely right, was completely stunned by Jessica Jung's logical and to-the-point rebuttal.

He opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't find the right words to retort.

The entire living room fell into an even deeper silence.

Two women, resembling each other and sharing the same soul, yet existing in different times and spaces, gazed at each other across the air, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
The air, which had been thick with tension just moments before, seemed to freeze, leaving only a silent contemplation flowing through it all.

After a long while, Jessica seemed to finally find her voice. She looked away slightly, feeling a little guilty, and her tone was no longer as domineering as before, but rather carried a hint of subtle concession.

"You may be right. In recent years, I have indeed gotten used to meddling too much and wanting to control everything."

She admitted her mistake, but then regained some ground, saying, "You can let Xiuyuan be, but you shouldn't ignore the others around him. That's also a serious dereliction of duty."

Hearing this, Jessica Jung nodded without refuting anything. "You're right about that. I really didn't handle the relationship with other people well, or rather, I didn't do it at all."

He then sighed, "But it's too late for you to say anything more now. Xiu Yuan doesn't have a second portal to start over. To use his oft-repeated phrase, it's 'let nature take its course.' And as things stand, although there are some minor frictions, I don't think the situation has reached the point of no return."

"A minor skirmish?" Jessica laughed as if she'd heard a joke. "Jiyeon got into a fight with herself, and you call that no problem?"

Jessica Jung, however, remained remarkably calm, saying, "Isn't it normal for clashes of ideas from different eras and levels of understanding to erupt? Put yourself in her shoes. Imagine a young woman who has just come of age and is full of hope for the future suddenly seeing herself in another time as a divorced 'young woman.' How much of a psychological gap would that be? If it were me, I probably would also want to fight to vent my frustration."

Upon hearing this, Jessica immediately replied, "Jessica Jung, who are you subtly referring to?!"

With her keen observation, she seemed to have detected something specific.

However, Jessica Jung didn't flinch, meeting her gaze directly with a hint of provocation.

"I'm talking about you, what do you say? There's no cure for stupidity. You can fall headfirst into such an obvious business trap, what a waste of your brilliant brain. Hmm~ to answer you with Xiu Yuan's words, you're not a sucker for looks at all, you fell for someone with a long, narrow face."

Surprisingly, Jessica wasn't angry this time. Instead, she smiled and asked back, "I know that Xiuyuan only officially contacted you at the beginning of this year. So guess who got to know someone first at the end of last year?"

Jessica, bringing up the past again, said with certainty, "I'll say it again, Jessica Jung, if it weren't for Xiu Yuan and the changes he brought, you...(ˉ▽￣～)Tch~~"

Jessica Jung knew perfectly well that she had almost been fooled by the "shoehorn face" label back then, but she absolutely could not admit to it at this moment.

So she immediately put on a stern face and coldly replied, "Do you have any evidence? If you don't, I'll sue you for defamation!"

This almost cheating answer stunned Jessica, who instinctively exclaimed "Wow!" and exclaimed incredulously, "I really didn't expect you to cheat like this, Jessica Jung. I always keep my word."

Since she'd already cheated, Jessica Jung continued her cold attack, "So what? You were fucked by Xiu Yuan once, and you've completely submitted to him and been tamed by him, right?"

Well, things are really messed up now. If we hadn't brought up this topic, it wouldn't have been a problem, but once we did, we were in Jessica's comfort zone.

She first gave a faint smile, a smile that carried a sense of superiority from someone who had been there, and a hint of ambiguity.

"As an outsider, where do you get the courage to say that? You have no idea that everyone who has used Xiuyuan raves about it!"

Jessica deliberately emphasized the word "used" before saying meaningfully, "Ah~ that's right, it seems that someone has never really tried Xiuyuan, let alone mastered it, so of course they don't understand its wonders."

Faced with Jessica's provocative remark, Jessica Jung was initially taken aback, then realized the deeper meaning behind her words. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she growled in a mixture of embarrassment and anger, "Hey! Jessica!!!"

Jessica, who was called out, laughed and said, "What? Do you want me to describe in detail how it feels? Anyway, our bodies are roughly the same, so our sensitive spots are probably the same too. If I tell you, you should be able to imagine some similar 'experiences', right?"

“I don’t need it,” Jessica Jung refused through gritted teeth. “I can have it anytime I want.”

Jessica laughed even harder, casually tossing out, "I've heard that a million times. It's always just the impotent rage of an outsider. All you've got left is stubbornness."

"Bullshit!" Jessica Jung cursed angrily.

Just as Jessica was about to use even more explicit words to provoke her "young" and stubborn self...

"Click."

In the corner of the living room, the glass door to the bathroom was opened from the inside.

Holding his phone and pretending to have just found something, Lin Xiuyuan walked out again with a "natural" expression, returning to this "battlefield" that had just experienced a battle without gunpowder but with swords and shadows.

His return also interrupted the conversation between the two, which was about to escalate again and slide into a dangerous direction.

Jessica suppressed her overly expressive emotions, and Jessica Jung also quickly adjusted her expression, but the lingering blush on her ears and her slightly rapid breathing betrayed her earlier excitement.

……

……

front.

When Lin Xiuyuan returned to the tavern apartment through the time portal in the bathroom, the first thing he did was rub his temples.

I was just sitting here eating something, and it felt more exhausting than flying from Seoul to Shanghai all day.

He paced back and forth for a couple more steps, then finally sighed, walked to the coffee table, picked up his phone, found Shirley's number, and dialed it.

The call was answered almost instantly.

"Hey, oppa~ You're back?" Sulli's cheerful, laughing voice came through the receiver.

However, before Shirley could say anything else, Lin Xiuyuan interrupted her urgently, "Truth, this is an emergency, and we can only rely on you now!"

"Huh?" Shirley was taken aback by Lin Xiuyuan's abrupt "cry for help," but she still instinctively asked with concern, "What's going on, oppa? How can I help you?"

Then Lin Xiuyuan began to explain quickly, “I’m with Xiuyan right now, but the atmosphere is a bit off. Wait a minute, in about ten minutes... no, about five minutes. After five minutes, call Xiuyan or me. Just make up an excuse and say you have something urgent to tell me or her. Try to get me out of this ‘situation’.”

Upon hearing Lin Xiuyuan's words, and noticing the strange atmosphere and the hints of Jessica Jung in them, Shirley immediately recalled the warning call from Krystal Jung not long ago.

No way... Did I accidentally mess with oppa?

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind and she imagined the possible scenarios, the corners of her mouth turned up uncontrollably, and she couldn't help but let out a short chuckle.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was already in a bad mood on the other end of the phone, got even more a headache when he heard the laughter. "You're still laughing? Truth. Tonight, Xiuyan is acting strangely, her temper is really explosive, like she's eaten gunpowder. I feel like I'm about to lose it, and I also brought another one with me."

"Wow...no wonder."

On the other end of the phone, Sulli stuck out her tongue a little shyly, suppressing a laugh as she confessed, "Um, oppa, it seems...maybe...I probably messed things up."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Lin Xiuyuan felt a sense of foreboding.

Then he heard Sulli, in an apologetic tone, briefly explain how Krystal had called Jessica, relaying information about how her relationship with Lin Xiaolu and Ham Eunjung had become closer.

And that so-called "sense of crisis"...

So when Lin Xiuyuan heard Shirley's explanation, he was completely stunned, as if he had been struck by an invisible lightning bolt.

That's it!

No wonder I felt a murderous aura as soon as I walked in!
It turns out I walked right into the line of fire.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan wished he could turn back time and slap himself hard a few minutes ago.

I should have just stayed in Shanghai tonight and drunk myself into oblivion. Why did I have to come back and get involved in this mess? It's like walking into a trap.

On the other end of the phone, Sulli was still carefully apologizing, "I'm so sorry, oppa, I really didn't expect it to turn out like this..."

Lin Xiuyuan quickly took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "It's okay, it's okay, it's not your fault. It's the truth. We had to face this situation sooner or later, I just didn't expect it to come so 'intensely'."

Then, clicking his tongue, he continued, "So the rescue plan remains unchanged. Remember to call me later and make sure to break this 'high-risk heart-to-heart talk' situation."

Lin Xiuyuan felt that it wasn't that they couldn't have heart-to-heart talks, but he absolutely couldn't let Zheng Xiuyan and Jessica get together for 'in-depth exchanges' right now.

This is like Mars colliding with Earth!
Sulli on the other end of the phone seemed to understand, but still obediently replied, "OK, oppa, I understand, leave it to me."

However, she quickly added another question out of curiosity, "But oppa, how did you manage to call me in that situation? Weren't you on the scene keeping an eye on things?"

Immediately afterward, when Shirley heard Lin Xiuyuan reply, "I made an excuse to sneak back to the bar apartment and left the two of them in the living room for the time being," she was so shocked on the other end of the phone that she almost jumped up.

"Daaaaaa!!! Oppa, are you sure Jessica unnie and the others wouldn't have started fighting if you weren't there?! Have you forgotten that Jiyeon unnie and 'that person' had a full-blown brawl the first time they met??"

Lin Xiuyuan felt a little uneasy when Shirley asked him, and replied hesitantly, "I... I don't think so, right? They are both adults, and in some ways their personalities are quite similar. There has to be some logic to it, right?"

But even he himself didn't quite believe it when he said it.

"A head-to-head personality, oppa~"

Shirley was both amused and exasperated on the other end of the phone. "Oh dear~ stop talking and hurry back. I'll call back in five minutes sharp. You absolutely have to be there, at least~ at least you can break up the fight."

"Okay, okay, I'll go back now. Call me again in ten minutes, otherwise five minutes would be too deliberate." Lin Xiuyuan realized that his slacking off was a bit bad, so he quickly agreed.

"Okay, oppa~"

After hanging up the phone, he didn't dare to delay any longer and immediately prepared to return to Jessica Jung's apartment.

However, before heading over, Lin Xiuyuan paused, turned around, and went into the bathroom next door.

There was no way around it; the tense scene earlier was just too exciting, causing him to feel the urge to urinate. He needed to take care of his personal needs first.

……

……

After returning to Jessica Jung's apartment.

Lin Xiuyuan keenly sensed that the atmosphere seemed to have undergone some subtle changes.

Although there is still a silent tension between Jessica Jung and Jessica, it seems to have faded a lot compared to the previous tense atmosphere where they seemed ready to overturn the table at any moment.

The two sat at opposite ends of the sofa, not exchanging words, but seemingly no longer wanting to continue their dangerous, backstabbing exchange.

This made Lin Xiuyuan breathe a sigh of relief. He then put on a smile, waved his phone, and casually walked back to the buffer zone between the two people.

"Haha, finally got my phone back." He sat down and tried to break the silence with a lighthearted tone. "Don't just stand there, come eat some barbecue, hurry up and eat."

Jessica and Jessica Jung exchanged a glance, their eyes still not very friendly, but at least the murderous intent was gone, and they actually picked up their skewers and started eating.

Perhaps it was because the soul-searching "quarrel" had consumed too much energy, or perhaps it was because Jessica Jung was very interested in the unique flavor of Shanghai barbecue, she ate with much more focus than before, one skewer after another.

Seeing this scene, Lin Xiuyuan hesitated for a moment, feeling that he should still be concerned about the original intention of Zheng Xiuyan calling him over, so he cautiously asked, "Um, Xiuyan~ when you texted me earlier to ask me to come over, was there something important you wanted to tell me?"

When asking this question, he tried to make his tone sound natural and without any probing.

Jessica Jung, who was biting into a roasted mushroom, paused when she heard this and looked up at him.

Her eyes held a complex mix of emotions: lingering anger, helplessness, and a hint of amusement at Lin Xiuyuan's cautious attempts to amuse her.

He then swallowed his food, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and replied, "It's nothing particularly serious, it's just..."

Then she briefly told Lin Xiuyuan about her recent contact with CJ Group, and how they were interested in collaborating with her to create a high-end fashion brand.

Jessica, who was listening nearby, instinctively wanted to offer her comments and criticisms.

But just as her lips moved, Lin Xiuyuan, who was standing next to her, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and immediately turned his head to give her a faint look.

It didn't mean anything; he just glanced at her indifferently.

Jessica swallowed back the words she was about to say when she saw his gaze.

She pouted somewhat resentfully, then lowered her head and took a big bite of the skewer of grilled chicken wings in her hand, as if she were treating it as some annoying person.

After successfully "suppressing" Jessica's potential sabotage, Lin Xiuyuan turned to Jessica Jung again, a smile spreading across his face.

"Is this a good thing, Sooyeon?"

"I don't know, let's wait and see."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then inquired in detail about some specific details of the cooperation.

For example, brand ownership, design copyright, revenue sharing ratio, etc.

When Jessica Jung said that CJ was particularly strict about initial copyright sharing, but would provide strong support in brand operation and resource investment, he nodded in satisfaction.

Because his thoughts were basically the same as Jessica Jung's.

Given the enormous advantage of having access to the future, the initial design copyrights do seem less important.

The key is to leverage CJ's platform and resources to quickly establish the brand and increase brand awareness.

When her contract expires, Jessica Jung will truly soar to new heights.

Just as they were finishing their discussion, a crisp cell phone ringtone sounded at the perfect moment.

Shirley's call came as expected.

She picked up her phone and looked at the two words "Sherry" flashing on the screen. She didn't answer immediately, but stared at the screen for a full two seconds.

Then he suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on Lin Xiuyuan, a knowing yet slightly mocking smile curving his lips, and handed the phone directly to him, saying in a light tone.

"You can answer it."

These three words carry a sense of seeing through everything.

Lin Xiuyuan's heart skipped a beat at this, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across his face as he realized he had been exposed, but he quickly regained his composure.

He raised his hand to touch his nose, gave a dry laugh, took the phone, pressed the answer button, and deliberately raised his voice, saying in a very normal tone, "Hello? Zhenli? What's up?"

Shirley on the other end of the phone was clearly prepared. Although she didn't know why Lin Xiuyuan answered the phone, she still cooperated and began to act.

The voices could be faintly heard through the receiver, seemingly discussing something trivial but requiring Lin Xiuyuan or Zheng Xiuyan's "help in making a decision."

Beside her, Jessica Jung leaned back on the sofa, picked up a skewer of grilled corn, and ate it in small bites. Her eyes darted back and forth between Lin Xiuyuan and Jessica, who was listening intently beside her, and the gentle smile on her face became more and more obvious.

After her initial shock, Jessica quickly realized what was happening, rolled her eyes at Lin Xiuyuan, and muttered something in Chinese under her breath.

"childish!"

But the fleeting smile at the corner of her mouth betrayed that she actually found the play somewhat funny.

Thus, this "Double J Meeting," which was almost out of control and triggered by a tip-off phone call, was ultimately saved by Lin Xiuyuan's clumsy but timely intervention and Shirley's tacit off-site assistance.

The curtain has temporarily fallen in a somewhat comical manner.

At least on the surface, peace was maintained.

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(End of this chapter)