Chapter 178: Everyone Assembled
Nightfall hung low, starlight quietly sprinkling down.
After taking a shower, Big Dragon Cub stood in front of the bathroom mirror, her damp long hair draping over her fair skin, faintly revealing her slender neck.
After looking at herself in the mirror, Big Dragon Cub smiled slightly, picked up the towel to wipe off the water droplets, then slowly combed her hair with a comb, and finally neatly tied it into a high ponytail.
In the blink of an eye, the somewhat cute and charming Big Dragon Cub in the mirror, after tying up the high ponytail, immediately had a sharper look in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth curved into a captivating smile.
Then she returned to the bedroom and walk-in closet, took out a striped shirt paired with fitted jeans, perfectly accentuating her regal aura.
A pair of pearl drop earrings hung lightly, flickering with elegant sheen as they swayed; she turned gently, her gaze exuding confidence and allure.
Echoing this scene was Lee Ji-eun in front of the apartment mirror.
At this moment, standing in front of the full-length mirror at home, her outfit was much more youthful and vibrant compared to her usual mature and seductive regal style.
Her originally elegant long hair was tied into a playful bun at the back of her head, slightly messy yet exuding boyish freedom, radiating youthful exuberance.
A simple white T-shirt paired with ripped jeans, the fresh and natural look making her seem like a ray of sunlight, both an urban girl and carrying an unpolished innocence.
Meanwhile, Kim Tae Yeon, who had just finished rehearsal, quickly returned to the apartment and slipped into the bathroom to wash away the day’s fatigue.
Half an hour later, she stood in front of the mirror, a hint of melancholy in her gaze.
However, the fatigue on her face had been washed away, and after some simple makeup, her face regained its captivating glow.
Finally taking one last look at herself in the mirror, Kim Tae Yeon turned and returned to the bedroom, changing into the outfit she had already picked out:
A fitted knit vest, understated yet subtly sexy, paired with tight jeans, the waistband slightly rolled up to reveal her slender waist.
Her delicate fingers lightly traced the curve at her waist, she smiled slightly, playfulness in the corner of her eyes.
That sporty little underwear subtly outlined a fashionable charm with her movements.
After tidying up, the three quickly packed their things; Big Dragon Cub slung her bag over her shoulder, and Lee Ji-eun put on her most comfortable sports sandals.
Kim Tae Yeon draped on a jacket, covering a bit of her fair skin.
Soon, the three successively left the apartment, feeling the fresh and cool night air; neon lights on the street adorned the night in a kaleidoscope of colors, with occasional cars passing by, leaving trails of light.
Their steps were light and rhythmic, as if they had become a unique scenery in the city’s night.
Shortly after, the three each got into cars, setting off from their respective residential areas in Seoul’s three locations straight toward Lin Xiuyuan’s small tavern.
Besides them, two other cars set off from different spots, heading in the same direction.
Unlike them, Soo Jung didn’t need to rush at all, because she was already in the villa next to the small tavern.
Having just showered, she walked with seductive steps toward Lin Xiuyuan sitting on the small sofa in the bedroom corner.
Damp hair strands naturally fell on her shoulders; dressed in sexy black lace underwear that faintly revealed her alluring curves, under the dim yellow lighting, it appeared even more tantalizing.
Her light footsteps made the bedroom air tense and silent, like an undercurrent surging.
Finally stopping not far from Lin Xiuyuan, she smiled lightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Xiuyuan, like it?”
“A bit too revealing.”
Though Lin Xiuyuan’s words were utterly serious at the moment, his gaze betrayed them, staring straight at Soo Jung in front of him, unwilling to blink even for a moment.
Mainly because Soo Jung’s figure was slowly bending backward, the movement unhurried yet deliberately maintaining a light yet extremely seductive pose.
Her smooth back curved slightly under the light, with fluid and graceful lines; the lace cutout black underwear faintly outlined her silhouette, a faint fragrance filling the air, causing Lin Xiuyuan’s breathing to pause unconsciously for a few seconds.
“What’s wrong with revealing? It’s not for others to see,” Soo Jung chuckled lightly, “This is one of the gifts I specially picked for you.”
Soo Jung’s gaze fell on him, carrying a silent challenge; she knew clearly that every move she made at this moment had a strong impact on Lin Xiuyuan.
So she smiled and reached out her finger, lightly touching his shoulder, the warmth of her fingertip carrying endless temptation.
Just as the two were about to go further, Lin Xiuyuan’s phone on the side suddenly rang, the bell breaking the tranquility.
At the same time, Lin Xiuyuan unconsciously swallowed, his throat and mouth slightly dry from excitement.
Soo Jung glanced at the screen, smiled lightly, her eyes mixing provocation and tenderness, then lightly kissed his lips.
Only then did she slowly lift her head, pausing slightly before saying softly, “Alright, Ji-yeon’s call, answer it.”
Lin Xiuyuan, whose lips had been moistened, finally recovered a bit and answered the phone, “Hey, Ji-yeon, how’s it going?”
“Xiuyuan, is there any fruit left in the tavern?”
Big Dragon Cub, who was originally driving over, had stopped her car in front of a fruit shop, “I remember the tavern hasn’t opened for a while; if there’s no fruit, I’ll buy some here to bring over.”
“Buy some; the fresh ones are probably gone, only some frozen ones left.”
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t mind Big Dragon Cub spending money; he even ordered some watermelon and coconut chunks, planning to make a few watermelon coconut drinks.
Big Dragon Cub smiled pursed-lips upon hearing this, “Got it, but you have to make it tasty later, or I’ll make you reimburse the bill.”
“Buy it first and we’ll talk.” Lin Xiuyuan laughed along.
After Lin Xiuyuan ended the call with Big Dragon Cub, he looked up across, and Soo Jung had already changed clothes, but the outfit surprised him somewhat.
Adidas pure cotton three-stripe sports shorts, paired with a gray base layer short-sleeve, topped with a dark blue denim jacket.
Under such an ordinary outfit, who could imagine she was wearing an incredibly sexy underwear set underneath.
The contrast was perfectly showcased by Soo Jung at this moment, leaving Lin Xiuyuan stunned, his eyes widening instantly.
At this point, a thought bubbled up in his mind: he wanted to strip off that pure cotton sports attire to properly admire the lace cutout little fabric underneath—it was too tantalizing.
Soo Jung clearly noticed Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze, so she smiled pursed-lips, hands in the denim jacket pockets, eyebrow arched lightly, “How is it, not bad, right?”
“Jung Soo Jung, this contrast of yours is a bit tempting.”
This was the first time Lin Xiuyuan called Soo Jung by her Korean name, making her lips curve up as she replied, “Not calling me noona is one thing, now straight-up using my full name? Xiuyuan, you’re getting wilder.”
“So, do you prefer I call you by your full name, or Soo Jung, or maybe Good Do…”
“Get lost, Shut up, let’s go, time to head to the small tavern to prepare; the others are arriving, and we’re not there yet.”
Lin Xiuyuan had just started when Soo Jung immediately guessed what he wanted to say.
So she grabbed the towel just used to wipe her body and quickly threw it at him, hitting his face squarely; a burst of fragrant aura hit him instantly, silencing Lin Xiuyuan’s mouth.
He then chuckled lightly, “Soo Jung, I remember you taught me to say it first.”
“As if, I didn’t teach you; don’t falsely accuse me.”
“You clearly did.”
“I’m saying it’s you; I didn’t tell you to use it on me.”
“But your pose…”
“Shut up!!!”
“Hahaha.”
Soon, the two, still bickering as they left, walked from the villa to the tavern in less than a few minutes.
As Soo Jung followed Lin Xiuyuan’s steps back into the tavern, it was her first time entering after the redecoration; she couldn’t help but notice the dim yellow soft lighting had been adjusted in color, making the entire tavern’s atmosphere even more perfectly warm.
Besides that, there was another change: the record wall over there had some new additions.
Several aged record posters hung up, as if quietly telling stories of the past.
The bar counter remained in its familiar layout; the myriad bottles on the liquor shelf glowed warmly under the light and shadow, everything in the tavern evoking a serene passage of time.
So upon entering, Soo Jung first headed to the wall covered in records, her gaze wandering over classic album covers, fingertip lightly brushing each record’s edge, as if selecting her favorites from those old records.
Then she tilted her head slightly, looked at Lin Xiuyuan already busy at the bar counter, a smile tugging at her lips, suddenly pointing at a classic album on the wall, “Xiuyuan, this record looks pretty good; where’d you find it?”
“Which one?” Lin Xiuyuan looked up that way and immediately said, “Park Hyomin gave it.”
“Park Hyomin? Hey, Xiuyuan, can you change your XP or something? Don’t mess around.”
Hearing that name, Soo Jung immediately thought of something unfavorable, frowning slightly, turning back to give Lin Xiuyuan a warning glance.
Lin Xiuyuan laughed helplessly, “What are you thinking? It was just a normal celebratory opening gift. Last time she came empty-handed, so she sent this later—a few records.”
After speaking, he continued lowering his head to clean the cocktail shaker, movements clean and swift, each rinse accompanied by a crisp sound.
“Oh, that’s fine then, that’s good; don’t get too close to her.”
“Got it, nag.”
As he prepared the base liquor while organizing ingredients, Soo Jung over there finally picked a record she liked and placed it into the record player’s turntable.
Then she turned and walked to the bar counter to sit down, propping her chin while smiling at the busy guy, letting the familiar melody slowly permeate the tavern.
Musical notes rippled like water waves in every corner; the tavern’s air seemed infused with them, blending with Soo Jung’s aura and teasing vibe, making the whole place even more intriguing.
At that moment, the tavern doorway sounded with the familiar electronic tone and wind chime; Kim Tae Yeon pushed open the tavern door and walked in.
After entering, she scanned the tavern space, her gaze quickly landing on Lin Xiuyuan busy mixing drinks at the bar counter.
Seeing him focused on bartending, warmth rose in her eyes, and she slowly approached.
She quickened her pace deliberately, like a gentle breeze carrying an unspoken familiarity.
“Hi, Xiuyuan, Soo Jung.”
Kim Tae Yeon called out softly with a playful tone, “Are the drinks ready for tonight? If not enough to drink, I’m complaining about this tavern.”
Seeing Kim Tae Yeon, Soo Jung asked somewhat surprised, “Noona, how’d you get here so early? Didn’t rehearsal go until evening? I thought you’d come later.”
“Washed up after work and came straight over; staying home is boring anyway, might as well come out and sit.”
After saying that, Kim Tae Yeon remembered something and lifted the item in her hand, “Here, Xiuyuan, this is a bottle of Louis Royer brandy someone gave me; it’s been sitting at home forever, no point wasting it—better bring it to you.”
“Why give it to me? Too good to mix; better drink pure.”
Lin Xiuyuan took the bottle, glanced at it, and smiled slightly, “This one’s fruity and smooth, no harsh aftertaste—perfect for you ladies to sip during a small gathering; that’s probably what they had in mind giving it to you.”
“Whatever, I rarely drink alone at home; leave it here, I’ll come drink when I want.”
Hearing Lin Xiuyuan’s explanation, Kim Tae Yeon had no intention of taking the bottle back; instead, she turned to Soo Jung with an inquiring gaze, “Soo Jung, though it’s been a while since I saw you, how does your little face not show any age?”
“Noona, I did medical aesthetics.” This pleased Soo Jung greatly, so she smiled slightly and brushed it off.
Talking about medical aesthetics piqued Kim Tae Yeon’s interest, and the two huddled together, chatting enthusiastically.
Lin Xiuyuan took the chance to open the Louis XO, dropped three small ice cubes into wine glasses, poured a bit for them to taste.
Shortly after, the tavern doorway again sounded with vehicle engine roars; Big Dragon Cub and Lee Ji-eun arrived almost simultaneously, followed one minute later by Sweet Eun-jung.
This prompted Big Dragon Cub, who had just mentioned fruit, to turn back to the car immediately, glance, then smile and go greet, “Noona, how are you so punctual too?”
Sweet Eun-jung, getting out after turning off the engine, looked at the fruit in their hands and exclaimed, “Wow, bought so much?”
“Some for me to eat, some Xiuyuan wants; Noona, help me carry some, it’s heavy.”
Big Dragon Cub tried handing fruit to Sweet Eun-jung, but got an unexpected reply, “I’ll take one bag; need a free hand to open the door later.”
“Open the door? What door?” Big Dragon Cub exclaimed.
Then, along with Lee Ji-eun’s equally surprised gaze, they watched Sweet Eun-jung walk to the tavern doorway, verify fingerprint and iris, and after the electronic lock’s “beep beep beep,” the tavern door slowly opened.
Sweet Eun-jung gently pushed open the door, the wind chime’s pleasant ring following.
But so did Big Dragon Cub’s outburst, “Wait, Noona, how can you open Xiuyuan’s tavern door lock?”
“Because I became a member.”
For some reason, Sweet Eun-jung after last night seemed inexplicably relaxed, her words carrying a provocative edge, making Big Dragon Cub clench her fist, “No, I’m asking how you became a member of Xiuyuan’s tavern?”
“Because I caught a fish.” Sweet Eun-jung smiled in reply, a smug glint in her eyes, “Alright, let’s go in first.”
Though Big Dragon Cub had many questions, discussing on the street wasn’t practical, so she and Lee Ji-eun entered the tavern first.
As Lee Ji-eun passed Sweet Eun-jung, her gaze fixed tightly on her, tossing out, “Eun-jung, why didn’t you tell me during the day?”
“You didn’t ask.” Sweet Eun-jung replied nonchalantly.
“Damn it.”
Inside, the moment Big Dragon Cub stood by the door, her gaze locked onto Soo Jung at the bar counter.
Same for Lee Ji-eun entering behind; their gazes unwavering, as if instantly piercing Soo Jung’s exterior to spot every subtle change.
Noticing their stares, Soo Jung was momentarily stunned, then smiled back, meeting their eyes.
The three women’s gazes intersected in the air, seemingly searching for something, then finding no major changes in each other’s appearances.
They mutually breathed a sigh of relief, the atmosphere no longer tense but quickly returning to familiar vibes.
“Ji-yeon, Noona, you finally made it; what good stuff did you two buy?” Soo Jung broke the silence first, her voice light and friendly.
Lee Ji-eun smiled and approached Soo Jung, curiously glancing at the wine glasses in front of her and Kim Tae Yeon, “How’d you two get to the tavern so early? Already drinking?”
Then continued, “I was a bit late because Ji-yeon wanted to buy some fruit.”
After speaking, she didn’t forget to greet Kim Tae Yeon, then looked at Lin Xiuyuan with a squinting smile, “Good evening, Xiuyuan~”
“Good evening, thanks for your hard work.”
Lin Xiuyuan stepped forward to take the fruit, nodded satisfied after glancing at the abundant varieties in the bag.
Now the materials for the fruit platter were complete, saving him from ordering takeout.
Sweet Eun-jung was the last to enter, greeting Lin Xiuyuan first upon coming in, “Xiuyuan, I’m back again.”
“Welcome welcome.” Lin Xiuyuan, who had taken the fruit behind the bar counter, looked up with a smile.
At this point, Big Dragon Cub’s voice rang out, “Xiuyuan, how did Noona become a member? This isn’t the super big gift package you mentioned, is it?”
“Yeah, exactly.”
Lin Xiuyuan nodded; it was the excuse he and Sweet Eun-jung had agreed on—pretty reasonable.
“No way, if you’d said so earlier, I’d have gone fishing too, Xiuyuan.” Lee Ji-eun wailed upon hearing Lin Xiuyuan’s answer.
Equally bummed was Big Dragon Cub; she lowered her head slightly, pouting, clearly unsatisfied with the answer.
Though reasonable, it still felt off.
Winner-takes-all rules were just too unfair.
Just as they planned to continue discussing the gift package membership, the tavern door was pushed open again.
This time, the person entering shocked everyone inside, bodies leaning back slightly.
Only Kim Tae Yeon on the high stool watched with complex eyes as Jessica entered beside Im Yoon Ah, a mix of emotion and surprise welling up.
Thanks to Duo Tian Du Hou Meng’s reward, Ten Thousand Daily +1.
But lately with this weather working, on the edge of heatstroke daily, still coding at night; hand’s tenosynovitis flared up again, body probably really burning out.
For the next one, I’ll see if I can grind out another chapter later; if not, no choice.
So don’t wait up; check tomorrow morning if there’s one—nope means I rested today, yes means surprise.
That’s all, thanks everyone for the support!!!
