Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 305 Is this a triple fold? (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

Inside the pub at night, soothing jazz music, like a flowing stream, gently envelops every corner.

The sizzling sound of oil on the baking tray, the clinking of wine glasses, and the occasional laughter of the girls intertwined to create a warm and joyful atmosphere.

The group of people sat in a circle on the sofa, enjoying the delicious barbecue while chatting about interesting things happening inside and outside their circle.

As the only "green leaf" among these red flowers, Lin Xiuyuan, though surrounded by excitement, had half his mind wandering elsewhere.

The chopsticks in his hand were unconsciously propping up his chin, his gaze fixed on the smoky grill in front of him, his mind replaying the expectant and pleading look Shirley had given him just now.

In fact, Lin Xiuyuan could understand why Shirley was in such a hurry.

Although there are still a few years before the terrible things that Goo Hara was supposed to encounter in the original timeline, who can predict the trajectory of fate with 100% certainty?
If the butterfly effect happens one day, who knows what unexpected changes might occur?

Therefore, letting Goo Hara know the truth as soon as possible and join this circle where risks can be predicted and mitigated to some extent is undoubtedly the safest approach, thus avoiding many unnecessary regrets and mistakes.

Lin Xiuyuan was aware of this as well.

Therefore, he never rejected Goo Hara's participation from the very beginning, unlike Jessica did back then.

He simply said that she needed to completely sever ties with the complicated interpersonal relationships around her, especially that small circle that was gradually deteriorating, before considering formally "joining the church," so as to avoid any unexpected complications in the future.

Now that Goo Hara has personally stated that she has distanced herself from Yong Jun-hyung and his circle of friends, it can be considered a complete break, which also fulfills the implicit condition previously implied by Lin Xiuyuan.

That's exactly why Shirley just sent him a signal with her eyes.

The timing seems to have ripened.

However, even if Lin Xiuyuan could agree now, there is no suitable time to carry out that crucial "initiation ceremony".

After all, 25 years ago, he was still in Shanghai.

Although the portal allows him to travel to different places instantly, he can't exactly perform a dramatic transformation into a living person and walking through the streets in public.

Moreover, if Goo Hara is to truly understand and believe in this miraculous 25-year event, she will have to wait until he finds a reasonable excuse to "normally" fly back to Seoul from Shanghai.

Besides that, Lin Xiuyuan was also considering another idea.

That is, for someone like Goo Hara, whose personality is somewhat impulsive and stubborn, simply relying on the flow of information is probably not enough to make her deeply aware of the situation, let alone to make her fully realize the truth.

Ideally, you should give her a strong enough impact during the first connection, just like you did with Sherry.

Using a reality that transcends cognition, directly "wake her up" from the soul level, let her see the true nature of certain people and things, as well as the abyss she may face in the future, and make up for or hide some of her character flaws.

Just as Lin Xiuyuan was pondering these plans, a clear voice woke him from his thoughts.

"Oppa, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and eat your barbecue, it's going to burn!"

It was Park Jiyeon who spoke.

As she spoke, she deftly wrapped several perfectly grilled pieces of Korean beef in lettuce and placed them on the plate in front of Lin Xiuyuan without saying a word.

Then, as if remembering something interesting, Park Jiyeon smiled and said with her eyes crinkling into crescents, "By the way, oppa, have you seen any news about Krystal lately?"

"What?" Lin Xiuyuan replied, picking it up and stuffing it into his mouth.

"Haha, it's that 'crystal ball' nickname you joked about with her before. It seems like some netizens and fans are starting to use it on her lately. So chubby, hahaha~"

As soon as Park Jiyeon finished speaking, Sulli next to her giggled and added.

"That's right, oppa. When Krystal saw these comments, she was furious. She even swore that you were the culprit who spread rumors about her online, otherwise how could this nickname have appeared by such a coincidence? She also told me that she would definitely teach you a lesson when she got the chance."

Hearing about this undeserved misfortune, Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his brow with his fingertips, somewhat amused.

"Honestly, wouldn't you say I'm just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire? I've never had the time to go online and play these games. Everyone probably just casually mentioned the crystal ball, but she just happened to walk right into the crossfire."

After offering a defense, he then casually asked, "By the way, Jinri, you've been filming variety shows, so where's Krystal Jung? Why isn't she with you?"

Sulli picked up a tissue and wiped her mouth, explaining, "Do you think Krystal has it as easy as me? My main role in this event is as a screenwriter, and idol activities are just a side job, so I can just occasionally participate in variety shows that I like."

"But Krystal is both the lead actress in a drama and an idol. During the promotional period, she has to be running around non-stop. Moreover, the drama is not completely finished filming yet, and she still has to find time to go back to the set to film the remaining episodes. She is as busy as a spinning top."

After hearing the answer, Lin Xiuyuan nodded slightly, then looked at Shirley with a hint of approving smile in his eyes.

"So, Truth, it was such a wise decision of yours to choose to focus more on screenwriting back then. At least you had a lot more autonomy."

His gaze then shifted to Park Jiyeon beside him.

Seeing this, Park Jiyeon immediately understood, proudly raised her small chin, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and confidence for the future, and gave a soft hum.

"Hmph, mine will be soon too. Once I receive the company's dividends next year and have enough funds, I can expand my business empire. Then it will be my turn, President Park, to take care of you all. At that time, Snowball, you can focus on writing your scripts, and I'll invest."

Upon hearing her bold statement, Shirley and Lin Xiuyuan exchanged a glance, both seeing a broad smile in each other's eyes, and then couldn't help but burst into laughter together.

Goo Hara, who had previously expressed her desire to join the small group, had become somewhat silent afterward, quietly observing the interactions among the others.

Witnessing this perfectly harmonious and relaxed scene, a certain rumor in my mind became clearer.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he asked Park Jiyeon during a lull in the laughter, "Jiyeon, I think I heard some people say that you left the group and started your own company? Is that true?"

Park Jiyeon across from her picked up her glass and nodded readily with a hint of pride. "Yeah, it really is. Oppa and I opened it together."

Upon hearing Park Jiyeon's affirmative answer, Goo Hara's gaze almost instinctively turned to Lin Xiuyuan with a shocked expression.

After sensing her gaze, Lin Xiuyuan simply shrugged indifferently and then casually distanced himself from the situation, saying, "Don't look at me. I'm just a puppet shareholder who offers some advice and occasionally helps out. The real president is Zhiyan, and she's the one who calls the shots in all matters of the company."

"Bullshit, oppa, you're the chairman, okay?"

"A chairman who doesn't even have an office, huh?"

"It's because you didn't come."

"Hmm?"

Watching the natural yet tacit exchange between the two, Goo Hara actually had many questions in her mind, such as the company's business, scale, and start-up capital. But when the words reached her lips, she ultimately swallowed them back.

Ultimately, her relationship with Lin Xiuyuan and Park Jiyeon is at most a little more familiar than that of ordinary friends; it's far from being at the point where they can delve into such clearly private business matters.

The fact that I even dared to ask this question already shows that I've gone a bit too far, fueled by the alcohol and the atmosphere.

So if she continues to press the issue without any sense of propriety, then she is being unreasonable.

Thinking of this, Goo Hara couldn't help but sigh slightly in her heart, then reached out with her chopsticks, picked up a piece of grilled beef that was charred and put it in her mouth.

The meat was tender and juicy, and tasted great, but as she chewed it, she inexplicably felt a slight mental daze, and the desire in her heart to truly integrate into this small circle seemed to become even clearer.

So his gaze involuntarily drifted gently towards Shirley sitting opposite him.

Perhaps it was a tacit understanding, but Sulli always seemed to be able to accurately capture Goo Hara's emotions, so at this moment she also raised her eyebrows, and her gaze met Goo Hara's in mid-air.

Upon seeing the complex emotion in Goo Hara's eyes, Sulli immediately responded with a warm and reassuring smile, conveying the message "Unnie, don't rush, take your time" through her eyes.

This signal allowed Goo Hara's tense nerves to slowly relax, and she gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

He then temporarily suppressed those turbulent thoughts and proactively steered the conversation toward a safer and more public topic.

For example, KARA's upcoming comeback plans, Tara's recent pre-launch activities, Park Jiyeon's solo album in preparation, and the direction of Sulli's next script, etc.

The girls and Lin Xiuyuan chatted about all sorts of things, finishing plate after plate of food on the grill and refilling their glasses again and again.

The atmosphere was harmonious and warm, and time slipped into the late night without us even realizing it.

After Lin Xiuyuan and Li Shaoxi, who were mainly responsible for finishing off the last few pieces of mushrooms and beef, everyone leaned back on the sofa with great satisfaction, enjoying a lazy moment after the meal.

Until Goo Hara's phone, which was in her bag, started buzzing.

It was a call from her assistant, reminding her that she had a schedule to run early the next morning and shouldn't stay out too late.

It was only then that Goo Hara realized how late it was. After hanging up the call, she began to think about how to gracefully end this pleasant late-night snack.

Fortunately, Lin Xiuyuan was always observant and noticed the subtle changes in her expression when she answered the phone, as well as her subconscious action of checking the time.

Before she could even speak, he stood up and, with a smile, gave his concluding remarks for the evening.

"Alright, the barbecue is all gone, and we've had our fill of drinks. I think we should call it a night. Everyone probably has things to do tomorrow, so let's go home and get some rest."

After saying that, he immediately looked at Goo Hara and asked, "Hara, how are you getting home? Do you need me to call you a taxi?"

In response, Goo Hara quickly waved her hand, "No need to trouble yourself, I'll have my assistant come and pick me up."

As soon as she finished speaking, Park Jiyeon chimed in, "Unnie, you don't need to go through the trouble of having your assistant make the trip again. I'll have Sohee take you home. She didn't drink tonight, so she can drive without any problems."

These words made Goo Hara look at Lee So-hee.

Li Shaoxi smiled and nodded in confirmation.

As someone who was more like a staff member present, she was very sensible and didn't drink any alcohol throughout the party, only drinking fruit juice and being ready to handle any unexpected situations.

Goo Hara looked at Lee So-hee and thought that this was indeed more convenient, and it would save them the time of waiting for their assistant to come over.

So he nodded in agreement, "Alright then, I'll trouble you, Shaoxi."

"No, unnie."

However, what happened next left Goo Hara a little bewildered.

Because he saw that only Li Shaoxi picked up the car keys and walked with him towards the entrance of the tavern.

Sulli and Park Jiyeon remained seated comfortably on the sofa, showing no intention of getting up and leaving.

This situation made Goo Hara stop in her tracks, slowly turn around, and look at the two behind her with a puzzled expression. "Jinri, Jiyeon, aren't you... going back together?"

Then Shirley immediately gave a natural smile and pointed towards the apartment building behind the bar, "Unnie, I live in that apartment building behind, it's just a short walk away."

Then Park Jiyeon looked at Lin Xiuyuan and said in a somewhat matter-of-fact tone, "I have some company matters to discuss with oppa, so I'll go back later."

Goo Hara was completely stunned when she heard this.

So... I was the only one who got "sent away"?
So... this was a deliberate attempt to get rid of me and my assistant, giving the three of you some alone time?

What... is there some "secret" you want to discuss that you can't let me know?

Are you guys... planning a threesome? A three-part affair??
Of course, she only dared to mutter these somewhat outrageous thoughts and ideas to herself, and would never dare to say them aloud.

So she looked up and took a deep look at Lin Xiuyuan standing by the sofa, and finally just said a soft reminder, "Then you guys be careful and don't chat too late."

After saying that, he turned around and followed Li Shaoxi out of the tavern and got into the car parked by the roadside.

Under Lee So-hee's steady driving, the vehicle merged into the traffic of Seoul's nighttime streets, heading towards her dormitory.

Inside the tavern.

With Goo Hara's departure.

Park Jiyeon then turned to Lin Xiuyuan, her face filled with concern, and said, "Oppa, let's go. We still have some time, and I want to go see how Eunjung unnie is doing. I didn't know before, but now that I know she injured her foot, it's only right and proper that I go and visit her."

Shirley, who was standing next to her, nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I'll go too."

However, neither of them noticed that upon hearing this sudden suggestion, Lin Xiuyuan's face flashed with a subtle expression that was a mixture of embarrassment and guilt.

He opened his mouth and uttered a meaningless "Ah...this..."

Cold sweat almost dripped down my forehead.

It wasn't that he was unwilling, but if the two of them looked back 25 years from now...

Then wouldn't everything that happened between me and Tian Enjing a few days ago, or rather, during the day... be exposed on the spot?
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(End of this chapter)