Chapter 155: “xiuyuan, Bread Isn’t As Tasty As You!”
Inside the apartment, in the kitchen island area.
As Im Yoon Ah’s words, “Lin Xiaolu is indeed a fool, look, isn’t this what you initiated?” fell, Lin Xiuyuan froze as if struck by something, gazing at her blankly.
The warmth on his lips seemed to have not yet dissipated, but his formation had already been thoroughly disrupted by the offensive of the woman before him.
“Wow…”
After a long pause, Lin Xiuyuan finally came to his senses, couldn’t help but chuckle softly, and raised his hand to support his forehead, “Yoona, you like this… I’m really a little afraid of you.”
“Afraid of what?”
Im Yoon Ah hooked the corners of her mouth, leaning lazily against the island counter, tilting her head up to look at him.
The warm yellow lighting in the kitchen cast a glow on her shoulders, making her eyes bright and clear, as if they could see through a person.
“Afraid you’ll dig a pit for me, set a trap to get me to talk, and then smile as you watch me jump in.”
“I didn’t tie you with a rope, nor did I put a knife to your neck, you jumped in yourself.”
Im Yoon Ah chuckled softly, her tone neither rushed nor slow, “Besides, pit or not… I’ve delivered myself to your doorstep, don’t you like it?”
As she spoke, she slowly raised her hand, her fingertips gently tracing a circle on her bare collarbone.
That movement carried an unintentional tease, more lethal than any words.
Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously swallowed, his gaze involuntarily drawn downwards by Im Yoon Ah.
But then, as if suddenly realizing something, he abruptly looked up, meeting her eyes.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.
Im Yoon Ah was the first to laugh.
She revealed a smile that couldn’t have been more obvious, “I won,” like a cunning Little Deer Bambi teasing a big mushroom, waiting to swallow it whole after playing enough.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
This scene made Lin Xiuyuan a little unable to hold back, and he quickly shifted his gaze, “Let’s make bread, no more wasting time, what time is it?”
“Can’t even take a look, then can we play around a bit?”
But Im Yoon Ah smiled lazily, yet her words were full of meaning.
Then, with another seductive tone, “I’m dressed like this, you don’t think it’s everyday wear, do you? And I said those things to you… If you can still think of nothing, then I’ll have to question if you’re incapable, or if I truly lack charm.”
Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, his gaze sharpening, his brow furrowed while a faint arc of a smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Yoona, I’ve discovered a similar situation. That is, you all are so proactive and crazy after 2025. Soo Jung is, Ji-yeon is too, and now you…”
“I’m not. Whether you’re proactive or not is your own business.”
Suddenly, Im Yoon Ah stood up straight and slowly approached Lin Xiuyuan, her voice also dropping to a whisper.
“I’m just enjoying seeing you completely captivated by me right now, and I’m also reminding you not to underestimate ‘Im Yoon Ah’. Although Lin Xiaolu is a bit clumsy… that’s still me.”
Her breath neared his cheek, separated by only a thin, misty distance.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Lin Xiuyuan asked, his breathing slightly rapid.
“I do.” Im Yoon Ah replied softly, her smile full of charm, “I’m tempting a little boy who’s been hesitant to make a move, wanting him to admit sooner… that he himself has long been smitten.”
As her tone fell, she turned and picked up a water cup from the side of the kitchen, as if the dangerously provocative words she just said were just ordinary chat.
Lin Xiuyuan stood in place, gazing blankly at her retreating back, as if his soul had just been captured, yet he showed no resistance.
In this round of ambiguous stalemate, there was no suspense; he had completely lost.
The situation after that, as Im Yoon Ah turned around, the two of them stood back on either side of the island counter.
The moment just past seemed as if nothing had happened, leaving only the soft lighting of the kitchen and the neatly arranged ingredients.
Lin Xiuyuan lowered his head, pretending to seriously look at the measured flour and yeast, his fingers pinching the rim of the measuring cup, his fingertips trembling slightly.
The lingering warmth from the kiss had not yet completely faded, and Im Yoon Ah’s recent words were like a fire secretly planted in his heart, burning more intensely the longer it was suppressed.
“Did you forget how to knead? Didn’t we just do it last night?”
Im Yoon Ah’s voice came from across the counter, a hidden smile in her tone.
Before Lin Xiuyuan, who had just looked up, could reply, he saw her come around to his side.
Her movements were as natural as if everything was going with the flow, just like when he used to stand behind Lin Xiaolu in Roppongi, teasing her.
This time, it was Lin Xiuyuan’s turn to have his back against her.
“Come, I’ll teach you.” Im Yoon Ah reached out, gently took his wrist from behind, and guided his fingers to the large bowl of flour, “Slowly pour in the water, then stir vigorously.”
Her voice was not loud, but every word seemed to be spoken right next to Lin Xiuyuan’s ear, her breath like a fragrant orchid, the temperature almost burning his earlobes.
Lin Xiuyuan, unable to suppress his emotions, couldn’t help but shift his body slightly, only to be held even tighter by Im Yoon Ah.
“Don’t move.” Im Yoon Ah, with a hint of deliberate possessiveness, chuckled softly, “Lin Xiaolu said you taught her the same way in the Tokyo hotel, didn’t you? Teasing her, bit by bit?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s movements paused, his expression changed, “Wait… Yoona, are you… going to help Lin Xiaolu get her revenge?”
“If you want to think of it that way, there’s no problem.”
Im Yoon Ah chuckled lightly behind him, her tone unhurried, “But I’m more curious about one thing: after what just happened, which of the kisses between me and Lin Xiaolu do you prefer?”
As those words fell, Lin Xiuyuan’s mind began to race uncontrollably, leaping back and forth between Im Yoon Ah and the Lin Xiaolu of 2013.
He had experienced both of them.
If he had to say what the difference was.
The lips of the Im Yoon Ah before him were fiery.
The lips of the Lin Xiaolu from 2013 were reserved.
One was like a red cherry after drinking, carrying intoxicating provocation and emotional fluctuations.
The other was like morning dew, obedient and gentle, yet easy to get lost in.
Although they were the same person, their personalities had undergone earth-shattering changes twelve years later.
Therefore, the feeling of kissing was completely different, even though the lips were the same lips, even the length of the tongue was the same.
Thinking about these things, Lin Xiuyuan slowly became a little lost in thought. When he came back to his senses, he realized he was staring at Im Yoon Ah’s lips, lost in a daze.
And she happened to notice something and gave him a slight smile.
…
…
At the same time.
In the SM Entertainment practice room in 2013.
Lin Xiaolu, who had just finished dancing a song and was covered in sweat, was now sitting on the floor resting. She looked down at herself in the mirror, her bangs wet and clinging to her forehead, her eyes lost in a dazed confusion.
At this moment, a hand suddenly patted her shoulder from behind.
Jung Soo Yeon bent down to look at her, “What’s wrong, Yoona? You’ve been acting strange since you came back from eating out at noon.”
Hearing the voice behind her, Lin Xiaolu looked back at the other person, then glanced around the surroundings, as if confirming if it was safe, before softly asking, “Unnie, what do you think of Xiuyuan?”
“Hmm? Lin Xiuyuan?”
Jung Soo Yeon, who didn’t expect to suddenly receive this question, was slightly taken aback, then narrowed her eyes, with a hint of inquiry, “Wait a minute, did something happen between you two?”
As smart as Jung Soo Yeon was, she immediately saw the clue from Lin Xiaolu’s absentmindedness and the circumstances of their trip to Tokyo.
“It’s okay, it’s not a big problem.”
What Lin Xiaolu was thinking about was all the words Im Yoon Ah had told her at noon; the core of being proactive or passive was only about Lin Xiuyuan himself.
She had actually understood this before, but she rarely paid attention to it.
Later, when she felt there was no change, she subconsciously thought that it was just a matter of opening a door, why so many thoughts.
But it wasn’t until today, when Im Yoon Ah sharply woke her up with the issues of “experience” and “identity,” that she felt as if she had been hit by a club, and a string in her heart was plucked clearly and loudly.
At this moment, Jung Soo Yeon also quietly watched her pensive expression, and after a moment, she said leisurely, “Although I don’t know what you did, if you ask me. If possible, I’d get a marriage certificate with him right now and lock him down.”
As soon as this sentence was uttered, Lin Xiaolu’s eyes widened instantly, and she turned to look at Jung Soo Yeon in disbelief, “Ah? Unnie, are you serious?”
“Why, are you surprised?”
“A little, then why don’t you… do it.”
Thinking of Im Yoon Ah telling her about Lin Xiuyuan’s carefree life in 2025, Lin Xiaolu couldn’t help but ask.
However, Jung Soo Yeon smiled calmly, “How old is he? Even a supermodel like Miranda can’t lock down a man, I don’t think I can lock him down right now. It’s better to let him play for now, no rush, it’ll happen naturally later.”
“But in 2025, he seems a bit…”
Lin Xiaolu couldn’t finish her sentence because it involved Krystal, and she was a little worried that the Unnie in front of her would explode.
“So, with neither identity nor reason, should I go and have a big argument with him? Besides, the marriage I mentioned has nothing to do with feelings; I just want to use this identity to give that guy some insurance.”
Jung Soo Yeon’s words seemed free and easy, but her tone was not light, and her expression was even more complex.
She didn’t look down on Lin Xiuyuan; his ability to rely on the Time-Space Door alone was enough to make her heart flutter.
Not to mention his looks, age, and personality were also OK, so Jung Soo Yeon was very willing to try a genuine relationship with him, and knew that this kind of man was worth her investing her emotions in.
But unfortunately, she didn’t have time.
This was a time when Girls’ Generation was extremely busy. As a top-tier member in terms of popularity within the group, Jung Soo Yeon’s schedule was almost entirely filled with commercials, endorsements, and commercial performances, in addition to rehearsals.
If she had occasional free time, it would require Lin Xiuyuan to wait for her, not like she was keeping a kept boy.
She would have to make offerings to him, so this was clearly not possible.
Therefore, their relationship had been lingering in place. There were undercurrents, there were emotions, but there was a lack of a true detonating fuse.
After listening to Jung Soo Yeon’s direct answer, Lin Xiaolu seemed to have grasped an idea.
Nodding lightly, she asked with a smile, “Unnie, if I really wanted to be in a romance with him, what do you think?”
Her voice was not loud, only enough for Jung Soo Yeon to hear.
Then the latter froze, “Huh? Romance?”
“Yeah, I mentioned the ‘method acting’ situation to you before, and I seem to have really fallen into it recently. I used to feel a lot of pressure about those thoughts, but now, hearing you say it, I don’t feel any pressure.”
Jung Soo Yeon was startled again, “What did I say?”
“Just to get some insurance.”
…
…
Im Yoon Ah’s apartment in 2025.
At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan had finished kneading the dough, and the task of shaping it was handed over to Im Yoon Ah.
He picked up his phone and took a few photos as a memento.
He also sent these photos to Krystal, Big Dragon Cub, and Lee Ji-eun.
These people had been constantly messaging him, asking what he was doing, seeming even more curious than him about the progress of the bread that night.
“Are you done reporting?”
Im Yoon Ah, while shaping the proofed bread dough, said with a smile, “Once you’re done, come help me. You’re not really planning to let me finish alone, are you?”
“Last night, it was just me alone.”
Lin Xiuyuan put down his phone and stepped forward to say.
After speaking, he picked up a rolling pin and pressed down.
But after only a few strokes, Im Yoon Ah beside him suddenly raised her hand and took the rolling pin from his palm, “Not like this, you’re squashing it.”
As she spoke, Im Yoon Ah directly placed the dough in her hands in front of him, “Come, I’ll teach you.”
Her hand covered his fingers, soft yet firm, correcting his restless movements bit by bit.
Lin Xiuyuan looked down at their intertwined hands, the warmth of his hand transmitted by her palm, rising like fermenting dough, burning hot.
Then he smiled, “You’re starting again, really planning to get back the ground Lin Xiaolu lost from me, right?”
“What do you think?” Im Yoon Ah raised her eyebrows and smiled, her expression light, but she couldn’t hide that hint of triumph.
After hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan clicked his tongue again, “Don’t you know that you… are very alluring right now?”
Im Yoon Ah didn’t answer, just raised her eyebrows slightly, a faint smile on her lips, her gaze not averting, “Then you can’t resist?”
“Do you want me to resist?”
Lin Xiuyuan countered.
“I’m not forcing you.”
Saying that, Im Yoon Ah’s finger suddenly slid across his palm, stopping at the inside of his wrist and lightly scratching it, as if by accident or as a probe.
Lin Xiuyuan felt something ignite, and suddenly reached out and pulled, drawing Im Yoon Ah towards him.
With a stumble, Im Yoon Ah almost fell into Lin Xiuyuan’s arms, her scent so close that his heart rate suddenly quickened.
“What are you doing!” Im Yoon Ah said softly, scolding him.
“I’m helping you knead the dough.” Lin Xiuyuan lowered his head, his gaze falling between her eyelashes and the corner of her mouth, “Just in a different way.”
As he spoke, he pulled her hand up again, and they stood together, their fingers intertwined as they kneaded the dough.
Lin Xiuyuan held her hand, fingers intertwined, the dough soft and warm, and they were extremely close.
His gaze remained fixed on Im Yoon Ah’s lips, those lips that had just been smiling and slightly upturned.
Now they were slightly parted, revealing a hint of dissatisfaction and curiosity mixed with a hint of seductive provocation, after being teased.
So Lin Xiuyuan suddenly stopped kneading the dough.
The hand holding Im Yoon Ah’s slowly withdrew, then moved up her wrist, past her forearm, to her shoulder.
His palm rested against her skin, his movements unhurried, yet with a clear direction.
Im Yoon Ah paused slightly and looked up at him.
At that moment, she met Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze.
It wasn’t playful teasing, but a serious, almost dangerously intense ardor.
Like a brewing storm, quietly approaching, yet with an undeniable sense of aggression.
The next second, he kissed her.
The moment their lips met was a sudden, unpredicted plundering.
Lin Xiuyuan, kissing directly, felt a fire in his heart, with a certain impulse that could no longer be suppressed.
It was as if he was confirming something, or perhaps punishing Im Yoon Ah for her earlier teasing, “Then you can’t resist?”
The breath between their lips was chaotic and rapid, Lin Xiuyuan was almost filled with endless anger and possessiveness, as if he wanted to completely swallow the faint smile that had been on Im Yoon Ah’s lips.
Moments later, Im Yoon Ah’s hands, which had been resting on the edge of the island counter, trembled slightly as she tried to maintain her balance, but in the next second, she instead actively leaned in.
Her delicate hands quietly climbed onto Lin Xiuyuan’s neck, pulling the heat surrounding her delicate body closer, to a point of no return.
Then, just as Lin Xiuyuan was still immersed in his own dominance, she suddenly bit him back.
It wasn’t a painful bite, just a light tease and provocation.
Lin Xiuyuan let out a muffled groan, and before he could react, Im Yoon Ah took the opportunity to flip over, one arm around his neck, and pushed him towards the edge of the island counter.
Her figure was light, yet in that instant, she seized the initiative.
It was as if the wind had suddenly shifted; the hunter, who had been on the offensive, found their throat locked by the prey.
She looked down at him, a playful smirk glinting in her eyes.
“Didn’t you say you’d help me knead the dough?”
Im Yoon Ah leaned in extremely close, her lips almost touching Lin Xiuyuan, and looked down at his restless hands. “Instead, you kneaded me first?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s throat tightened. Just as he was about to retort, Im Yoon Ah leaned down and kissed him.
This time, Im Yoon Ah’s kiss was bolder than his previous ones and more adept at leading.
It was as if she had long known how to use his breath to dismantle all his rationality, bit by bit.
As Im Yoon Ah lunged forward, Lin Xiuyuan almost lost his balance.
His hands instinctively went to her waist, feeling that astonishing softness.
It was then that Lin Xiuyuan finally realized that in this battle, he, who had taken the initiative first, had suddenly become the one being led.
The Im Yoon Ah before him was too good at seducing, too good at probing.
The air grew hot, and it continued for a while before finally slowing down.
Im Yoon Ah then retreated slightly with a hint of satisfaction, a blush from the recent kiss on her face and a lingering desire. She looked at him, breathing heavily, the corner of her lips curving into a triumphant little arc.
“See, you were the one who initiated,” she said softly, like a pronouncement, or perhaps a boast.
Lin Xiuyuan stared at her blankly, his breathing slightly erratic, his chest heaving unevenly.
Just as he was about to step forward to continue, his chest was stopped by a slender finger.
The finger gently pressing against his chest was soft but carried an absolute sense of deterrence.
Lin Xiuyuan’s intention, which had already been leaning forward and was on the verge of losing control, was suddenly doused with a basin of lukewarm water by this action, forcibly pulled back.
Then came Im Yoon Ah’s laughter, “Let’s finish the bread first.”
Lin Xiuyuan looked down at her finger, his Adam’s apple bobbing heavily. He forcefully suppressed the surging heat in his heart and replied with a helpless chuckle, “Wow… you women are really something…”
“Then aren’t you going to get to work?” Im Yoon Ah raised an eyebrow. “If we don’t start soon, the fermentation time will be delayed.”
Lin Xiuyuan sighed and finally, resignedly, took a step back, pulling the dough back in front of him. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
The kitchen lighting remained warm, like a soft filter, concealing the emotions and desires that could no longer be hidden within the quiet, mundane routine.
Im Yoon Ah divided the proofed dough into small pieces, instructing as she divided, “Knead them into balls, then make an indentation in the middle and fill it with red bean paste. Don’t pinch too tightly; leave a little gap so it bakes nicely.”
Lin Xiuyuan followed her actions beside her, but after only a couple of tries, his dough “cracked open,” revealing the filling, looking messy and comical.
“How much strength do you have?” Im Yoon Ah asked with a wry smile. “You’re making a bread that looks like a hand grenade.”
Lin Xiuyuan held up the “defective product” and shrugged innocently. “Maybe it’s because you aroused me a little too much just now.”
“Excuse,” Im Yoon Ah rolled her eyes with a laugh, then handed over her own perfectly round piece of dough for reference. “Use this as a reference. If you fail again, I’ll make you wash all the tools.”
As Lin Xiuyuan took the ball of dough, he accidentally touched her fingertip. It was soft and warm, and he instinctively looked at her.
At this moment, Im Yoon Ah was looking down, focused on her own dough. Her long eyelashes drooped, her cheeks were slightly flushed from the kitchen’s heat, and she appeared so serene, as if nothing had happened.
Yet, the lingering warmth from her fingertips made it impossible to concentrate.
“Are you here to have me make bread, or to mess with my mind?” Lin Xiuyuan mumbled softly.
Im Yoon Ah didn’t look up, but the corner of her lips curled slightly. “Already hooked? You’re quite easily swayed then. No wonder Soo Jung and Ji-yeon managed to conquer you in such a short time.”
“I’m not a saint who can resist temptation. Who could endure that?”
“Lin Xiaolu, you endure it.”
“My mistake, my mistake. I shouldn’t have admitted it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be so passive right now.”
This statement made Im Yoon Ah look up at him. “Are you saying you want to know my sensitive points?”
“Can I know them?”
The two of them bantered back and forth, teasing each other, and continuing their “baking endeavor.”
Unknowingly, Lin Xiuyuan also became serious. The dough in his hands became pliable and soft, and he gradually made a few passable shapes.
The oven was already preheating, and a faint sweet fragrance began to fill the air.
Flour, red bean paste, and warm steam intertwined, as if enveloping the entire room in a soft, viscous emotion, like warm water slowly rising to the heart.
As one bread embryo after another was placed into the oven, the temperature gradually rose, and the sweet aroma slowly diffused through the air.
Lin Xiuyuan’s heart, however, felt filled with another, more intense aroma.
He looked at Im Yoon Ah, who was standing in front of him, dusting flour off her hands, his gaze deepening.
It was like transitioning from early morning to evening, and then straight into the night.
The next second, he suddenly stepped forward and hugged her from behind.
Im Yoon Ah let out a soft gasp instinctively, but didn’t struggle. She just smiled and asked softly, “What’s wrong, Xiuyuan?”
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t respond immediately. He just lowered his head and kissed the side of her ear. This light kiss carried his long-suppressed heat.
“I don’t know what’s been going on with you these past two days…” he murmured in a slightly hoarse voice, “but your actions… are simply setting a fire.”
He paused, then pressed his lips against Im Yoon Ah’s ear and continued to whisper, “Those who light fires burn themselves; you should understand this principle, right?”
Im Yoon Ah turned slightly, bumping directly into his embrace.
Before she could speak, Lin Xiuyuan gently lifted her and placed her on the edge of the island counter.
The cold marble countertop touched her skin, causing her to tremble slightly.
At this moment, Im Yoon Ah’s camisole strap had slipped off one side while kneading dough, revealing half of her fair shoulder.
Her hair was messy, but it added a captivating allure.
Lin Xiuyuan stood before her, their eyes meeting. Before she could even purse her smiling lips, his kiss descended.
It was a kiss that swallowed all thoughts, carrying the sweet aroma from the kitchen, and the throbbing excitement that boiled from his head to his toes.
Im Yoon Ah leaned back, her hands braced on the island counter, her fingertips trembling. Her skirt hem rose slightly at her waist, and her long, fair legs swayed, naturally hooking around his waist.
Lin Xiuyuan’s hands fell to her waist, feeling the soft undulation, and his breathing grew increasingly heated.
He didn’t want to stop, and he simply couldn’t.
Suddenly, Im Yoon Ah gently pushed him away. Her breathing was slightly disordered, but she looked at Lin Xiuyuan and smiled, a mischievous glint in her deer eyes that was captivating.
“You’re being proactive again.”
Before Lin Xiuyuan could retort, Im Yoon Ah herself hooked her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, “Xiuyuan, you can carry me, right?”
At these words, Lin Xiuyuan was almost set aflame and lifted her horizontally.
Im Yoon Ah chuckled softly, letting him carry her out of the kitchen. They stumbled past the warm lighting, across the distance between the sofa and coffee table, and finally collapsed onto the soft, beige fabric sofa in the living room.
Her skirt was already rumpled, and the strap on one side had slipped down further, her smooth shoulder line faintly visible.
Her long hair was spread across the sofa, one hand braced on the edge, the other pulling at Lin Xiuyuan’s collar, as if provoking him, or perhaps holding him firmly in place.
Lin Xiuyuan braced himself above her, his gaze burning intensely.
“Yoona, you again…”
“Again what?” Im Yoon Ah interrupted him, her eyes blinking, her expression both wicked and pure. “You’ve gone this far and still want to be stubborn, Xiuyuan~”
Then she leaned in closer, a light smile on her lips. “I really hope your ‘performance’ later won’t disappoint your mouth.”
Criticized, Lin Xiuyuan’s throat bobbed, but he didn’t rush to respond. Instead, he lowered his head and kissed her again.
And at this very moment, the bread in the oven began to emit a rich aroma.
Mellow, rich.
But no matter how fragrant, it couldn’t compare to the temperature on the sofa.
The heat that could scorch reason and ignite emotions.
…
…
While Lin Xiuyuan and Im Yoon Ah were making bread.
On the other side of Seoul, in a warm apartment.
The Big Dragon Cub, having just showered, was curled up on the sofa, drying her hair, and couldn’t help but laugh as she watched Lee Ju-ri sipping sake in small sips beside her.
“Unnie, why are you here instead of going back to rest?”
“There’s a question I want to discuss with you.”
“It’s not about Xiuyuan, is it?”
The Big Dragon Cub reacted almost immediately.
Lee Ju-ri didn’t answer right away. Instead, she glanced at her, a hint of complexity in her expression.
The Big Dragon Cub then grinned. “Unnie, you can’t be that foolish, can you? You actually believe in the existence of essence?”
“It’s hard not to think about it,” Lee Ju-ri said calmly, gently swirling the wine in her glass. “Looking at your face and Soo Jung’s, it’s too unbelievable.”
Hearing this, the Big Dragon Cub also recalled Krystal’s state tonight and immediately flopped onto the sofa, kicking her little feet and laughing.
“It is a bit. I didn’t believe in these superstitious things at first, but these past two times… after being with Xiuyuan, my skin condition has been truly extraordinary. Could this birthday cake really be a gift from God to me?”
“I actually think it’s just a kind of luck.”
Lee Ju-ri leaned against the sofa and said slowly, “There are things in the world like HeLa cells that can multiply infinitely, and people born with the ability to conduct electricity. It’s not impossible to accept that Xiuyuan is a little special.”
Hearing her say that, the Big Dragon Cub nodded.
Of course, she knew there were people in the world with “abnormal constitutions.” She had also seen similar explanations while watching short videos.
But the Big Dragon Cub still looked at Lee Ju-ri curiously, half-jokingly and half-seriously, “So, Unnie, you want to try it?”
“Mmm.”
Lee Ju-ri looked at her with an open gaze. “So I wanted to ask you, you don’t mind, do you? If you’re serious, then I won’t proceed.”
After these words, the Big Dragon Cub fell silent for a few seconds, then shrugged.
“Serious about what? Feelings? There are definitely special emotions, but they haven’t escalated to feelings yet… Well, for now, I can’t say for the future.”
After all, for a woman to develop feelings for a man is sometimes just a matter of time and familiarity.
Moreover, the Big Dragon Cub was also aware of that outlandish theory about the path to a woman’s heart.
If it happened a few more times, she couldn’t say if she would have deeper emotional reactions towards Lin Xiuyuan. Anyway, not at the moment.
“Then I’m relieved,” Lee Ju-ri smiled softly.
“It’s just…” the Big Dragon Cub propped herself up, touching the back of her neck, her tone a little hesitant. “Are we doing this, will it be unfair to Xiuyuan?”
“Meat delivered to his door, he probably wouldn’t refuse,” Lee Ju-ri said nonchalantly, her tone rational as if analyzing market supply and demand.
She sighed again. “If your effect wasn’t so extreme, I wouldn’t have had this idea. And Soo Jung too, she’s too attractive. And I always feel like Yoona also…”
“Huh? No way? Aren’t Yoona Unnie and Xiuyuan making bread?”
The Big Dragon Cub scrolled through her phone, clicked on the photo Lin Xiuyuan had just sent, and teased, “Their side is so pure; they’re kneading flour.”
She slid her finger across the screen, looking through a few kitchen photos, but didn’t find anything particularly unusual.
As she casually smiled while looking, Lee Ju-ri suddenly reminded her.
“Ji-yeon, zoom in on the photo. Don’t look at the corners, look at the metal panel of the oven under the feet. Yoona seems to be wearing something a bit revealing.”
The Big Dragon Cub froze at the words and immediately started operating.
Before she had even tapped to open the screen, she suddenly turned her head and looked at Lee Ju-ri, a mischievous smile on her lips.
“Unnie, the spot where you’re sitting right now is the same spot where Xiuyuan and I made it.”
Lee Ju-ri was taken aback and turned to look at the sofa where she was currently sitting.
…
…
In Im Yoon Ah’s apartment.
As her breathing became increasingly disordered, the intoxicating feeling from the forceful kiss hadn’t yet faded from Im Yoon Ah’s eyes when Lin Xiuyuan had already pressed her into the soft cushions of the sofa.
Her head was tilted slightly, her long black hair spread across the edge of the sofa, like a blooming epiphyllum in the night, quiet yet extremely seductive.
“Do you really want to continue?”
Im Yoon Ah looked at Lin Xiuyuan, her voice breathless, but she still couldn’t resist asking, as if wanting to lure him again.
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t speak. He just gazed at her intently, his fingers answering the question.
His fingertips traced her slipping camisole strap, slowly caressing Im Yoon Ah’s collarbone, as if deliberately confirming the texture.
His touch was warm and strong, yet also carried an extreme, restrained slowness.
Lin Xiuyuan wasn’t unwilling to be fast, but he wanted it so much that he could only approach inch by inch, as if this was the only way to prevent his emotions from spiraling out of control.
Im Yoon Ah didn’t evade. She just looked at him motionlessly, but her eyes held an almost playful acceptance.
Even as his fingers fell on the thin strap at the side of her pajamas, she instead raised her hand, slowly and proactively pushing the shoulder strap aside until it slid completely down.
Then, she let out a soft laugh. “Xiuyuan… Has Lin Xiaolu never seduced you like this?”
“No, she seemed uncertain, so I didn’t touch her.”
Back then, in the Roppongi hotel, although Lin Xiaolu wouldn’t refuse, she wasn’t completely sure. Lin Xiuyuan could feel that.
So, having already had his fill, he had only continued to tease her, treating it as a game.
“She probably wants to have a romance with you, and is questioning her own heart.”
Im Yoon Ah smiled and reached for his collar again, pulling him closer. “But in my opinion, if you have an idea, you should act on it, even going beyond what’s expected. People like us don’t have that much time for so-called ‘true love.’ Liking someone is enough, that’s what Suzy told me.”
“Bae Soo Ji. That sounds like her style,” Lin Xiuyuan murmured with a smile.
Soon, the living room lights were dimmed.
The bright main overhead light was turned off, leaving only a floor lamp in the corner.
The warm yellow lampshade, like a slowly beating heart, cast a soft glow, drawing elongated heart curves on the partially lowered blinds.
On the coffee table in front of the sofa, a water cup reflected that faint light, vibrating slightly as if just accidentally touched.
The water cup on the coffee table was lightly touched, causing ripples to form in its slight tremor, reflecting a corner of the night sky outside the window.
A soft sound came from in front of the sofa, the sound of knees bumping against the coffee table.
The water surface rippled outwards, and in the shimmering light, a tangled silhouette was reflected.
Lin Xiuyuan braced one hand on the sofa backrest and the other gripped Im Yoon Ah’s waist, pressing her between himself and the sofa.
The glass vase on the dining table tipped over during some action, and a few white rose petals scattered onto the tablecloth, like tenderness shed during a gentle tug.
Im Yoon Ah was now sitting on his lap, her knees naturally bent, hanging on either side of his body, her posture both intimate and bold.
The audio equipment had stopped playing unnoticed, and the room was silent except for the sound of the night wind outside the window.
The curtain gently swayed, lifting a corner of her pajama skirt. The soft silk, like fingers in the air, slid across, tracing an elusive, intimate curve.
Moments later, her back arched slightly, her skin pressing against the warmth of Lin Xiuyuan’s chest, which had just been washed.
Then, a half-hummed, half-laughed murmur broke the silence, “It’s too tight.”
A charming laugh followed, “Xiuyuan, is it possible that the problem is with your tools?”
In the distance, the kitchen oven beeped.
But the sound seemed to be swallowed by the room’s atmosphere, as if coming from a faraway world, unable to penetrate the soft space woven from ambiguity and intoxication.
The minimalist hanging painting on the wall was slightly askew, perhaps brushed by someone’s shoulder as they passed.
One slipper lay alone on the carpet, while the other had long been left two meters away by the entrance, as if kicked off too hastily to look back.
The silk pajamas that were the focus of attention earlier now hung quietly on the back of a chair, the fabric swaying gently in the breeze, as if still echoing the lingering warmth of the recent actions.
The silhouettes on the sofa had long since blurred into two overlapping shadows, appearing and disappearing with the changing light, seeming both separated and conjoined.
There were no sounds, no dialogue, only the occasional faint sigh rising from the air and quickly absorbed by the soft fabric.
The entire space seemed to have a “pause” button pressed, all daily life frozen at this moment, allowing ambiguity and desire to spread silently, enveloping the entire apartment like gentle ripples.
The clock on the wall moved slowly, its ticking so soft it felt like it was through a layer of mist.
After an unknown amount of time, the intense body heat in the air was gradually replaced by the aroma of bread, reawakened like an unnoticed thread, pulling back to reality.
Until that familiar voice spoke again.
“Xiuyuan, the oven really did go off.”
“I don’t know, it won’t be that fast.”
…
…
After an unknown amount of time, the wall clock in the apartment suddenly clicked.
The minute hand jumped slightly, like a silent witness, gently reminding at this moment—the hour had arrived.
The living room remained silent.
On the sofa, the two still intertwined, their clothes slightly disheveled, the warmth not yet fully dissipated.
Im Yoon Ah moved first, her long hair falling around her, clinging to her shoulders as if after a shower.
She leaned into Lin Xiuyuan’s embrace, her breathing still carrying a residual echo, but she spoke first, her tone a little annoyed, a little lazily charming, “The bread is ruined, the crust must be dry and hard by now.”
“Oh, really?” Lin Xiuyuan replied in a low voice, still with a hint of hoarseness from moments before, his lips brushing her temple.
“Don’t move,” Im Yoon Ah pushed him lightly. “I’m talking about the bread, not you. Don’t waste ingredients, Chef Lin.”
Lin Xiuyuan let out a light laugh, glanced down at their current state, and clicked his tongue. “I don’t know about wasting bread, but Yoona, you certainly didn’t waste anything, you’re quite bold.”
“Stop chattering and go check on the bread.” Im Yoon Ah, with a smile in her eyes, pushed him off her.
Lin Xiuyuan then got up reluctantly, like a student called on by a teacher, and walked back to the kitchen.
Im Yoon Ah lazily followed, leaning against the kitchen doorframe, watching his back.
The light spilled onto his half-buttoned shirt, revealing a touch of post-coital male sexiness, making her lips curl up unconsciously.
Thinking about what had just happened, she suddenly felt that even without the magical healing effect, purely in terms of comfort, she hadn’t really lost out. This young boy was quite something.
As Lin Xiuyuan opened the oven, heat rushed out instantly.
The slightly overcooked bread crust had a faint brown sheen, and the aroma intensified, with notes of milk and egg slowly wafting from the oven, making one hungry and amused.
Lin Xiuyuan broke off a piece and tasted it, frowning and smacking his lips. “Well… that’s a waste. It’s a bit raw inside.”
“It’s okay, we still have time tonight, we can make another one.”
“?? Yoona, I hope you’re talking about making bread.”
“What else? Oh, I’ll go take a bath and see what’s up.”
More than ten minutes later.
Im Yoon Ah emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel, her hair still slightly damp. As she walked past the sofa, she wrung her hair and muttered casually.
“Making bread, Xiuyuan…”
She looked up at the boy in the kitchen, her lips curved, her eyes trembling with excitement. “Bread isn’t as tasty as you are.”
Daily ten thousand words finished. Thank you for your support and votes, godfathers.
Daily ten thousand words progress bar report: 35/41.
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