Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 85: A conversation with my past self from over a decade ago. Vlog by YoonA (5K views, please vote!)
In 2013, night fell, and the bright lights illuminated an office at SM Entertainment.

Lim Yoona was talking with her manager and the head of the film and television department across from her about news about "The Heirs".

"Yoona, where did you get this news?"

After rubbing his pen together, the bespectacled man called Agent Cui looked at Lin Yoona, a hint of surprise in his eyes behind his glasses.

Because he had only recently come into contact with this inside information.

Since screenwriter Kim Eun-sook released the plot outline, several major television stations quickly followed up with offers, and various entertainment agencies also moved quickly to compete for the role. SM Entertainment was no exception.

But that's not the point. The point is, how did Yoona find out?
However, for Lim Yoona, her main concern was that the company would never stand up for her and fight for this opportunity.

"The agent, that's not the point of the problem."

Her tone was calm, but her attitude was unusually firm.

Upon hearing this, the manager glanced at Lim Yoona with some concern, then looked at the manager opposite her; both of them understood what Lim Yoona meant.

That's the source of the information, but she won't tell you.

This is quite normal; besides resources, the most valuable thing in the entertainment industry is probably connections.

And the two are mutually supportive.

So when Manager Choi heard Yoona's answer, he sighed with some difficulty, "Yoona, as you know, screenwriter Kim Eun-sook basically decides all the roles, and she prefers actors with strong acting skills, so..."

“Agent, I understand what you mean, but I’m also very clear on my side that I just want an opportunity to prove myself. If it doesn’t work out, I won’t blame the company.”

But if they don't even give you a chance, then it's perfectly normal to blame them.

This resentment, in particular, came at a sensitive time when Girls' Generation was facing a lot of uncertainty regarding their contract renewal.

These words struck a nerve with Agent Cui, leaving him looking troubled.

After pondering for a while, Manager Choi adjusted his glasses and finally relented, saying, "How about this, Yoona, I'll write this down first, and then I'll discuss it with the head of the department later. I'll give you an answer in a couple of days."

After saying that, he looked up at Lim Yoon-a, his tone softening a bit, "Take advantage of these two days to try to adjust your state. If you really have to meet her, it might be your only chance."

"Understood, Representative, thank you!"

Yoona stood up to greet him, her tone calm but revealing a hint of barely perceptible expectation.

……

……

Inside a small bar in 2025.

"thank you."

Lin Xiuyuan, who was frantically shoveling rice into his mouth, looked up and saw that Lin Dajun had actually brought him a glass of ice water. He thanked him, took the glass, and drank a big gulp of it down.

"Slow down, I won't take your food."

Seeing him wolfing down his food, Lim Yoona was both amused and exasperated. "I mean, even if you don't eat for a whole day, you shouldn't be this hungry."

You know, she used to go without food and only drink water for a day to maintain her figure, it's not like she's never done it before, but it wasn't that extreme.

"You do not understand."

Lin Xiuyuan casually tossed out this sentence and continued working on his lunchbox.

After all, carrying the weakened buff from not eating all day and playing golf for most of the day, and then taking on a super boss of level 30 or so, Lin Xiuyuan still managed to come and keep his appointment. He already felt that he was pretty awesome.

"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then forget it."

Yoona, who was sitting on the sofa and stretching, continued, "By the way, I read the document you sent me. How should I put it, it felt familiar to me, because I used to be troubled by these problems too."

"Common problems for beginners, which is normal."

Lin Xiuyuan, with food in his mouth, responded indistinctly.

It's not that I'm not familiar with it, because it's your problem.

Actually, if it weren't for the fact that the person in front of him was such a good match, Lin Xiuyuan would have preferred to ask Bae Suzy for help, since she was better at acting.

"So the solutions to these problems mentioned in the document are actually all in the book, so I can't give any good advice."

As she spoke, Lin Yoona took out her phone and opened the document that Lin Xiuyuan had sent her. It contained Lin Xiaolu's question from 2013, which had simply been scanned into a document.

Then, pointing to one of the questions, she said, "For example, this one: acting too superficially. How can one truly enter the emotions of a character?"

After she finished reading, she looked up at Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes smiling but with a hint of seriousness.

"This is a problem that most people will encounter at the beginning, and after all these years I have only understood one thing, that is, 'emotions' are not something that bursts out all at once, but something that accumulates and leaves traces of life."

"So that's why you've slowed down your schedule these past two years, given yourself some time to reflect and enjoy life?"

In response to Lin Xiuyuan's question, Lin Yoona nodded without denying it, "That's right. In the years before, I was either running around or on tour, and I didn't have time to reflect on the little things in life. How could I improve my acting skills?"

Lin Xiuyuan, who had put down his chopsticks, asked, "So, Yoona, do you think there's a shortcut?"

That's a great question, which made Yoona smile. "You know what, I recently talked to Son Ye-jin about this, and we came to a conclusion."

"I'd like to hear the details," Lin Xiuyuan said, also curious.

"If you want to film a romance, just fall in love. If you want to act in a realistic drama, lock yourself at home and torture yourself according to the script."

As soon as Lin Yoona finished speaking, Lin Xiuyuan gasped, "Hiss~ That's ruthless, an immersive experience?"

Lin Xiuyuan's words made Lin Yun'er's eyes light up. "You know too?"

“There’s a super-talented actress in our country who does exactly this kind of thing.”

Thinking about Xun Ge'er's amazing acting skills, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but sigh, "But this depends on talent, it's not something you can just try whenever you want."

"Doing something is better than doing nothing."

Yoona's eyes were filled with determination, "If you do it, at least you can get some feedback in front of a specific camera. If you don't do it, you get nothing."

At this point, Lin Xiuyuan finally finished eating quickly, packed up the food container, and threw it into the trash can.

Then he looked at Lim Yoona and said, "Alright, what you've said so far is enough for me to deal with my friend."

"It's really that sloppy."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yoona chuckled, and Lin Xiuyuan also laughed, "It's alright, I'm just going through the motions anyway."

However, after she finished laughing, her next words made Lin Xiuyuan's laughter stop. "Well then, Xiuyuan, I also have a small request I'd like to ask you. One night, I passed by your tavern and saw a girl go inside. Could you introduce her to me?"

Lin Yoona didn't ask who the other person was or who they resembled. Instead, she went straight to the point and asked Lin Xiuyuan to introduce the other person to her.

She skipped directly the steps that would allow Lin Xiuyuan to fool her, deceive her, and fob her off.

Lin Xiuyuan now only has two choices: either introduce them or refuse.

But refusing would seem like protesting too much.

But if I were to introduce myself, I'd die even faster.

So with those words, Lin Xiuyuan was suddenly put on the hot seat.

After hearing the question, Lin Xiuyuan looked down at the bag of food waste he had just packed and regretted not taking it with him so he wouldn't hear what was going on.

However, he still hesitated for a moment, "Ah, which night? I rarely open at night."

"That's perfect, aren't there security cameras?"

Yoona smiled slightly and pointed to the surveillance camera over there.

Lin Xiuyuan, having shot himself in the foot, grinned an ugly smile and tried to counterattack by exploiting the time difference.

"Yoona, do you remember how many days ago it was? My place is too small, and there aren't many customers coming and going, so the surveillance cameras are basically only for 7 days."

Upon hearing this, Lim Yoona gave him a deep look, but still gave the date that was so memorable, which was already beyond the acceptable range.

However, she still had her own methods. "Since you rarely open at night, Xiuyuan, you must remember who that girl is, right? Isn't this place a members-only place? And I heard from Zhiyan and the others that it was your opening day, so you shouldn't have forgotten, right?"

Looking at the confident and relentless Lin Yoona, Lin Xiuyuan really wanted to drag her back to the villa and see her worldview crumble and her face contort in 2013.

But this idea is just a thought; it's impossible to actually do it.

Therefore, Lin Xiuyuan's answer to this problem was to stall.

“I remember now, I know who you’re talking about. But I have to ask them first, because as you know, most of my members are people with ‘problems,’ so it’s not appropriate for me to make any decisions for them directly.”

"clear."

Yoona smiled and nodded slightly, then softened her tone, "Actually, I was just a little curious."

Since the question had already been asked to this extent, Lin Xiuyuan simply did the opposite and gave her a direct answer, hoping to give her a little shock.

"You're curious why the other person looks like Jessica, right?"

Sure enough, this time it was Yoona's turn to be surprised, and she stared at Lin Xiuyuan with wide eyes.

She was a little confused because she hadn't expected the other person to tell her directly. She had been thinking of investigating what the secret might be.

The fact that the other party said it so openly makes it seem like there are no secrets at all.

“She’s a huge fan of Jessica, so she got plastic surgery to look like her.” Lin Xiuyuan continued with a smile, “Just like the friend I asked you to help me with, she also got plastic surgery to look like you, and they look exactly alike.”

He looked completely at ease, even with a hint of mockery.

I felt no pressure at all, after all, it was the same person, and he wasn't wrong at all.

"Really?"

Lin Yoona was shocked again, clearly not expecting Lin Xiuyuan to reveal such a situation, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond.

Actually, this wasn't the first time she'd heard of something like this. After all, as the model for most plastic surgery companies in Seoul, she'd seen plenty of similar cases before.

I'd never run into anyone like this before, so it was a bit of a surprise.

but……

She still wanted to see him.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan sighed inwardly, but could only nod in agreement.

Then they quickly changed the subject, steer the conversation back to 'acting instruction'.

After several days, having finally gotten what she wanted, Yoona was in a much better mood.

Therefore, I also paid much more attention to this 'acting coaching'.

For example, at this moment, she said earnestly, "Xiuyuan, actually, videos can't help much with guidance. Many micro-expressions and body language responses require on-site interaction and timely adjustments."

"It's alright, let her take a look first. If she finds it useful, then we'll really need your help."

Lin Xiuyuan also thought of a question and tapped the coffee table, "Oh right, if possible, could you please focus on guiding me in one aspect of acting this time?"

"In what aspect?"

"Crying scenes".

"Ah, a crying scene?"

Yoona blinked, somewhat amused and exasperated. "Hey, Xiu Yuan-xi, I seriously suspect you're teasing me."

"I was serious."

Lin Xiuyuan paused for a moment, then said, "I hope you can use yourself from over ten years ago as a template to record a video explaining crying scenes."

……

……

The day after tomorrow.

Inside the pub in 2013.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the sunlight had not yet fully entered the tavern.

At the bar, Lin Xiuyuan lay on the counter, looking at the energetic Lin Xiaolu across from him with a tired expression.

"That's too early... Which tavern opens at nine in the morning?"

He muttered to himself, having only wanted to have a quiet breakfast, but was dragged over by a barrage of phone calls from Yoona.

"I'm a little anxious," Lim Yoona said frankly.

Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her, sighed, and then gestured for her to wait a moment.

Then he took a USB drive out of his pocket, plugged it into the control panel, fiddled with it for a while, and the TV above his head lit up, with the picture frozen in a paused state.

After finishing everything, Lin Xiuyuan looked at the other person and asked, "Are you ready?"

"That's fine." Im Yoona nodded.

The video started as Lin Xiuyuan pressed the space bar.

There are no fancy transitions or background music; the film opens with a scene of a girl sitting upright in front of the camera.

Wearing a beige shirt and light blue jeans, she was dressed cleanly and elegantly, with her hair naturally draped over her shoulders, making her appear gentle and genuine.

If the AI ​​professionals from 2025 were here, they would probably spot the subtle distortion at a glance.

But it's 2013 now, the distance is far, and the image quality is low.

So Yoona didn't notice much at first, but felt that the girl in the video looked somewhat like her.

However, this curiosity was quickly overshadowed by the other person's explanation of 'acting guidance,' and he listened attentively.

At the same time, comparing it with my own problems, it seems to actually be somewhat helpful.

Even if it's just theoretical knowledge, it's better than nothing.

Soon, when all the questions she had raised were answered, Lim Yoona thought the class was over.

But to everyone's surprise, the person in the video smiled gently at the camera and said, "The next part is said to have been recorded for Lim Yoona from more than ten years ago. Please listen carefully."

She exhaled softly, her voice gentle.

"Do you remember one of the crying scenes in 'Love Rain'? You practiced in front of the mirror over and over again how to make the tears fall right after you finished your lines."

You remember things like "control your emotions," "cry beautifully," and "don't let your snot be too obvious," you memorized all those "standard answers" you thought were correct.

In the video, the woman speaking tilts her head slightly, and her tone becomes gentler.

"You put in so much effort and worked so hard back then. But now I want to tell you that what truly moves people in a crying scene is not 'crying well,' but 'crying genuinely.'"

The camera slowly zooms in, and the woman's eyes are filled with memories.

“If you’re playing a girl who’s heartbroken in love, she’s not thinking, ‘I’m going to cry now,’ she’s thinking, ‘Who hurt me? I’m still waiting for the person who’s never coming back.’”

At this point, the other person raised their head, their eyes slightly glistening, but their expression showed no sign of deliberate control; they simply revealed their emotions quietly.

"When I was younger, you were actually already great. It's just that you were too eager to 'prove yourself,' thinking that only by 'acting well' could you make the audience remember you."

But what you may not know is that sometimes, simply 'living honestly' will get you a loyal audience.

She smiled gently, with a hint of self-deprecation, "I don't care much about whether the camera makes me look beautiful when I cry anymore. Instead, I ask myself: Am I 'lying to myself'?"

The camera slowly zooms out, as if she is looking at her past self through the lens and screen.

"So don't be afraid of losing face, don't be afraid of not crying beautifully enough. Being an idol is just an identity, and crying miserably doesn't mean you're no longer an idol."

A crying scene is not a display of acting skills, but a moment when your heartbeat aligns with that of the character.

To my younger self, please believe that the real you is more powerful than you imagine.

At the end of the video, she whispered something.

"Okay, Yoona, good luck. The future will be tough, but you will become a gentler and more determined version of yourself."

Before the video ended, a sentence in neat handwriting appeared on the screen: "Don't try to move others, move yourself first."

Then music appears for the first time in the video, continuing until the end.

As the screen went black, Lim Yoona, sitting at the bar, froze, her blood boiling, a mixture of surprise, confusion, emotion, and shock overwhelmed her.

After a long pause, a hoarse voice rang out, "What is this?"

Lin Xiuyuan, who had already unplugged the USB drive, was marveling at the amazing AI of 2025. It could not only change faces and voices, but also perfectly replicate the micro-expressions in Lin Dajun's recorded videos. It was simply unbelievable.

As for Lin Xiaolu's question, his answer was, "This is a free gift for the first class, and you can only do it once."

He paused, then looked at her again. "So, did you learn anything? It sounds somewhat useful to me."

“It was very useful, but I’m more curious about how the other party knew that I actually thought that way when I was filming ‘Love Rain’.”

As Yoona spoke softly, her hand holding the water glass trembled slightly without her noticing.

I'm so shocked, so shocked, so frightened.

In response, Lin Xiuyuan said, "It was probably a standard, written answer, which the other party guessed pretty much."

Yoona did not refute this point, because she did indeed act according to the 'standard' answer from the company's acting coach.

Mechanical, disciplined, and cautious, he is rigidly inflexible, and remains so to this day.

But that's not what scared her from the video.

Thinking of this, Lin Yoona pursed her sexy thin lips and looked at Lin Xiuyuan with complicated eyes, "Can I watch it one more time?"

"of course can."

Soon, the video played again.

When Yoona looked at the figure in the video, she finally understood why she was a little scared.

Because the girl's expression, eyes, and even some subtle movements on the screen are becoming more and more like her.

　It's a bit late, so I took some time to make some adjustments to ensure the plot flowed smoothly in this chapter.

　　I'm out of luck on the new book monthly ticket chart, but I'm still asking for some more monthly tickets! Don't let the others overtake me. Thank you all for your support, I'm going back to writing now.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)