Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 301 "Restricted" Battlefield: Tai Xiyun (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

……

"Get up, Xiuyuan~ Yoona wants to see you."

"Let's go, Yoona is coming too."

"Aren't you going to tidy up? Xiuyuan, you can relax a bit next time you hang out with me."

"???"

……

In the blink of an eye, Lin Xiuyuan, Lin Yoona, and Kim Tae-yeon were already sitting around the dining table, enjoying a sumptuous lunch that Jessica had ordered remotely.

However, the meal was not very quiet.

The soft clinking of chopsticks against bowls and plates was mingled with the incessant laughter of the three people.

In particular, Lim Yoona had the most voices. Although she always maintained a gentle and quiet image in front of some people, she completely let down her guard and became lively and talkative in front of Lin Xiuyuan and Kim Tae-yeon, two people she knew very well.

She chattered on and on, sharing funny stories from the film crew and then talking about embarrassing moments she encountered at a red carpet event.

As she was talking, Yoona seemed to suddenly remember something, turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan who was focused on eating a piece of braised pork, and asked, "By the way, Xiuyuan~ do you know that Krystal's company seems to be planning to have her make a solo comeback in music?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan first stuffed the piece of meat into his mouth before nodding and giving a vague reply.

"Yes, I know that. She mentioned it to me before. But it's mainly her company's idea. Soojung said that their company's overall KPIs this year are not ideal, and they are under a lot of pressure to achieve their performance targets."

At this point, he quickly swallowed the food in his mouth and continued.

"In addition, some second-generation idols recently stirred up a wave of nostalgia through online short videos and nostalgic stages, and the data was quite good. Seeing this trend, her company thought that maybe Krystal could also come out for a 'nostalgia trip' to boost the data and popularity."

Sitting across from him, Kim Tae-yeon nodded after hearing this, but she was also a little curious, "Will Krystal go on music shows? Like, the kind where she appears on music programs?"

Lin Xiuyuan shook his head, looking completely bewildered, as if to say, "Don't ask me."

"I haven't really asked her about that in detail. I rarely ask her about these things. Anyway, based on my understanding of her now, she should be quite resistant. After all, she is the Krystal who is more willing to enjoy life and pursue comfort now, not the Jung Soo-jung from 13 who worked hard for the company and the stage and was full of fighting spirit for her dreams."

This statement caused both Yoona and Taeyeon to fall silent for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“That’s true~” Lim Yoona said softly, “Now Krystal seems to prefer traveling around, enjoying vacations, and living a more relaxed life.”

Kim Tae-yeon chimed in, recalling, "I've heard Soo-jung mention it occasionally before; her mother had actually advised her not to work so hard. The current situation is actually because Soo-jung herself can't stay idle and still has some interest in acting, so she chose the relatively free path of acting, which is also a way of giving herself something to do."

At this point, Kim Tae-yeon suddenly seemed to have thought of something very interesting. She looked at Lin Xiuyuan with a smile and asked him deliberately.

"Xiuyuan, what if you accidentally run into Xiujing's family, like her mother or father, in the future? What should you do? How should you introduce yourself? Boyfriend? Or... friend?"

This is a very tricky question.

However, when asked, Lin Xiuyuan calmly picked up a piece of rice with his chopsticks and prepared to put it in his mouth, glancing up at Kim Tae-yeon, who had a look of amusement on her face.

After slowly finishing the food in his mouth, he answered in a leisurely manner.

“Taeyeon, if that’s what you’re saying, then I think the first thing I should do when I go to Seoul in a couple of days is to head straight to Jeonju to find your house and have a good, in-depth ‘chat’ with your mother.”

At this point, Lin Xiuyuan looked up at Kim Tae-yeon's frozen smile and continued to laugh in a calm yet threatening tone.

"Honestly, I might not know which direction other people's houses face. But I know exactly where your house is, Taeyeon, and how much your mother cares about your personal life. What do you think of my suggestion?"

"Pfft~ Hahaha, hahaha!!!"

Lin Yoona, who had been watching the show from the side, burst into laughter without any regard for her image after hearing Lin Xiuyuan's "precision strike" counterattack, and slammed her hand on the table.

“Sure, Xiuyuan~ This is definitely a good idea. Let me tell you, Taeyeon unnie’s mother has been very interested in this kind of thing for the past few years. If you really go there, I guarantee you will receive the warmest and most grand reception, and maybe you can even get your status settled on the spot.”

"Hey~ Yoona, don't join in the commotion!!"

Kim Tae-yeon was both embarrassed and anxious by the two of them singing in unison, and quickly reached out to cover Im Yoon-ah's mouth to stop her from further betraying herself.

Then she quickly turned her head, put on a pitiful expression, put her hands together and bowed to Lin Xiuyuan, "I was wrong, Xiuyuan~ I really know I was wrong. I was just asking casually, please don't take it seriously."

Seeing her instantly cower in fear, Lin Xiuyuan and Lin Yun'er exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh.

And so, in this relaxed, cheerful atmosphere, with occasional playful banter and playful threats, the lunch, which was late in the afternoon, came to a pleasant end.

After the meal, the three of them did not choose to go out shopping.

On the one hand, it's because Yoona and Taeyeon's identities are too conspicuous on the streets of Shanghai. Even if they wear disguises, they could easily run into trouble, which would be terrible if it caused unnecessary problems.

On the other hand, and more importantly, after so many busy days, they finally have a day to rest that is completely their own. They want to quietly curl up in a comfortable place and completely relax.

So, in this new apartment with a rare view of the river, the three of them took over the spacious and comfortable sofa in the living room.

Then we went back to our villa in Seoul and got a few board games. We played them with great enthusiasm as the afternoon sun gradually slanted westward, turning the sky golden.

"Haha, I won."

"Oh no, Xiuyuan, you're cheating."

"Unnie, did you peek at my cards just now?!"

The sounds of cheerful chatter, triumphant laughter, and frustrated complaints rose and fell, echoing throughout the apartment, filling it with the warmth and vibrancy of everyday life.

Every now and then, Lin Yoona and Kim Tae-yeon, enraged by Lin Xiuyuan's sharp comments, would team up and playfully pin him down on the sofa for a good beating.

Of course, for Lin Xiuyuan, this repression was more of a benefit than a punishment.

After all, being dominated and ravaged by two top beauties with soft and delicate skin, surrounded by their faint fragrance, and with everything soft and warm to the touch, was undoubtedly a royal enjoyment.

So in the midst of two, or even occasionally three, people rolling around in playful frolicking, time seems to be fast-forwarded.

The sky outside the window changed from a bright afternoon to a splendid dusk without us even noticing, and finally sank completely into the night as the city lights began to come on.

The lights in the apartment were already all on, illuminating the interior with warmth and brightness.

Just as the streetlights along the road outside the window turned on in unison, the electronic sound of the door lock came from the apartment door, followed by the click of the lock cylinder turning. Then the door was pushed open from the outside, and Jessica, who had been busy all day, walked into the apartment carrying several heavy-looking shopping bags, her face showing a hint of fatigue but also the relief of having finished her work.

While bending down to change his shoes, he shouted loudly into the room, "Xiuyuan, come and help me out, they're so heavy!"

Upon hearing the sound, Lin Xiuyuan quickly walked to the door and took the heavy shopping bags from Jessica.

The weight he received made him raise an eyebrow slightly; it was indeed quite heavy.

Following behind, Yoona and Taeyeon curiously approached, greeting Jessica who had just returned home while peering into the bag.

"Onie~"

"What did you buy? So much!" Kim Tae-yeon asked curiously.

Jessica had already bent down to change into comfortable slippers, rubbed her slightly sore wrists, and explained.

"I figured you wouldn't be able to go out to eat anyway, and I'm not very good at cooking, so I bought some ready-made food, as well as some seafood and meat to have hot pot for dinner. It's convenient and lively. I also ordered a few side dishes from the restaurant next door to take back with me. I can just heat them up and eat them in a bit."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan, who had already put the bag on the dining table, turned around and interjected, "Actually, I can cook. Why didn't you ask me first?"

As a result, Lin Xiuyuan's words only made things worse. Jessica straightened up, put her hands on her hips, glared at him with a hint of reproach in her voice.

"Hey~ Lin Xiuyuan, are you sure I didn't ask you? Take a good look at your phone! I sent you so many messages asking what you wanted to eat tonight, whether you wanted me to buy groceries, and you didn't reply to a single one. Now you have the nerve to turn the tables on me? I think you've been having too much fun with Yoona and Taeyeon and don't even know where you put your phone."

Lin Xiuyuan's expression froze at her words, and he subconsciously turned his head to look at the sofa area in the living room.

Sure enough, in the corner of the sofa and on the edge of the carpet, his poor cell phone lay all alone, screen down.

It was obviously accidentally knocked off when she and Yoona were playing around, and no one paid any attention to it afterward.

"Uh..." This situation left Lin Xiuyuan speechless. He gave an awkward smile and quickly raised his hands in surrender, "My fault, my fault, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Then he waved to Jessica, "You've worked hard, you've worked hard. Go sit down and rest for a while, have some water. I can take care of these things, it'll be quick."

Later, Yoona and Taeyeon wanted to come and help, but Lin Xiuyuan waved them away.

"No, don't bother us. We don't need to cook. It's just arranging the ingredients and reheating the takeout. It's very simple. I can handle it all by myself. You guys go and chat with Jessica."

So soon, the three women were ushered to sit on the spacious sofa.

After relaxing her body against the soft cushion, Jessica let out a long sigh of relief.

Then, looking left and right at Lim Yoona and Kim Tae-yeon sitting on either side of him, a complex emotion appeared in his eyes, and he said softly, "To be honest, not to mention too far back, just half a year ago, I couldn't have imagined that such a scene would actually happen to me."

"What scene?" Yoona tilted her head and asked curiously.

Jessica's gaze lingered on Kim Tae-yeon's face for a moment, then turned to Im Yoon-ah, her tone tinged with wistfulness, "It's the kind of scene where the three of us can sit together quietly and peacefully, chatting like this."

She shook her head slightly and continued, "Thinking back, before this year, it seems like I could only occasionally have meals with Yoona, and with Taeyeon..."

She didn't say anything more, but the meaning was quite clear.

It's not that their relationship is bad; it's more about the frustration of their schedules never aligning with each other's.

I can still meet with Lim Yoona occasionally because she later mainly focused on acting, which gave her more freedom in her personal schedule.

For Kim Tae-yeon, a solo vocalist and singer with a packed schedule, finding time to leave Seoul or even the peninsula for a get-together is incredibly difficult.

In contrast, the rumors about leaving the group and the breakdown of friendships are the least convincing among the three of them.

Others may have complicated situations, but the name Tae-seo-yoon... YYDS~
After listening to Jessica's heartfelt words, Kim Tae-yeon fell silent for a moment, seemingly reflecting on her past busyness and missed opportunities.

After a while, she raised her head, her gaze passing over the living room and landing on the back of Lin Xiuyuan, who was busy in the dining room. A gentle smile unconsciously appeared on her lips as she softly asked Jessica.

"So, Xiuyan, you mean you think meeting Xiuyuan is a very lucky thing?" She paused, her tone probing. "Then do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing?"

“Of course we’re lucky,” Jessica answered almost without hesitation, her tone certain. “Think about it, if it weren’t for him, how could we have this time and opportunity to put aside all our work and worries and sit down and chat so leisurely? He can instantly teleport you all from Seoul to Shanghai.”

As she spoke, she looked in Lin Xiuyuan's direction, "So meeting a man like this is undoubtedly a good thing for me."

Just as Jessica finished speaking, Yoona, who was sitting on the other side of her, nudged her lightly with her elbow, a provocative smile on her face, and said in a low voice.

"Unnie~ You're not being honest with yourself. You were just kidnapped by Xiu Yuan not long ago, how come you've changed your tune so quickly and think it's all good news? I don't think it's just because of the 'Anywhere Door', is it?"

If it were the former Jessica Jung, being directly ridiculed by Yoona like that, especially when it involves such a slightly embarrassing "dark history," she would definitely feel ashamed and embarrassed, finding it difficult to speak up.

But it's Jessica sitting here right now.

So when she heard what Lim Yoona said, she wasn't embarrassed at all. Instead, she raised her chin slightly, a knowing smile with a touch of mature charm on her face, and answered the other person frankly.

“Hmm~ Yoona, you’re right, it’s not just because of that.” She deliberately dragged out her words, glancing suggestively in the direction of the restaurant. “Besides the Anywhere Door, he himself tastes amazing too. In the past few years, I was so busy eating inferior stuff that I almost forgot about the pure and authentic ‘wonder’ of young men.”

Faced with Jessica's bold and straightforward remarks, Kim Tae-yeon, who was standing next to her, seemed to have a nerve touched and couldn't help but interject, her tone carrying a somewhat inexplicable meaning.

"Xiuyan, you're overthinking it. Xiuyuan is one of a kind. Compared to other so-called young men, he's practically a 'waste'."

Upon hearing this, Jessica immediately grasped the significance of the information.

He immediately turned slightly to the side, looking at Kim Taeyeon with a knowing smile, "Oh? Taeyeon~ that's quite a lot of information you just said~"

Kim Tae-yeon then realized she had let something slip and quickly waved her hands to explain, "No, I... I just heard it from someone else."

Jessica's smile became even more meaningful. "Who told you that? Who's so close to you that they share even such intimate details with you?"

Cornered, Kim Tae-yeon had no choice but to use Sunny, who was thousands of miles away in Singapore, as a shield: "It's Sunny. You know Sunny's personality. She told me about it before."

In a recording studio in Singapore, Sunny, who was drinking water, suddenly sneezed several times in a row. She rubbed her nose in confusion and asked, "What's going on? Who's talking about me?"

Seeing Jessica and Kim Tae-yeon chatting away, their conversation gradually veering towards more explicit topics and involving them revealing secrets about each other, Lim Yoon-a wisely stood up and said, "Um, I'll go see if Xiu-yuan needs any help."

After making an excuse, he quickly fled this place of trouble and headed towards the restaurant in Lin Xiuyuan's direction.

It's best for her to stay away from battlefields of this level for the time being.

(End of this chapter)