Chapter 148: Making Bread With Im Yoon Ah In The Middle Of The Night
At Incheon Airport in the early morning past three o’clock, it lacked the daytime hustle and bustle, gaining a bit more desolation and quiet.
Lighting spilled onto the empty apron, reflecting a faint orange glow. Lin Xiuyuan had always said he wanted to see the airport at this time, and now he finally got his wish.
After parking the car in the parking space, Lin Xiuyuan leaned back in the seat, his gaze starting to look sleepy, so after sending the parking space zone number to Im Yoon Ah, he directly closed his eyes for a nap.
Until he was woken by a knock on the window, he slightly furrowed his brow, turned his head to look, and saw Im Yoon Ah standing outside the front passenger car door.
Wearing a white T-shirt paired with a red plaid shirt, the brim of her cap and mask covered most of her face, yet couldn’t hide those exquisite and clear eyes.
Seeing Lin Xiuyuan wake up and press unlock, Im Yoon Ah pulled open the car door and teased, “What’s going on? So sleepy?”
“A bit.” Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his eyes, responding briefly.
“Did you sleep?”
After getting in the car, Im Yoon Ah tossed her bag aside and immediately leaned over to check Lin Xiuyuan’s mental state, “There are so many bloodshot veins in your eyes, I shouldn’t have asked you to pick me up, how about I drive?”
“Sure, you drive.” Lin Xiuyuan didn’t hesitate, directly unbuckled his seatbelt and got out.
As for Im Yoon Ah saying not to come pick her up, he actually didn’t think there was any problem with that; instead, it felt like heavenly music freeing him from the ‘stir-frying’.
Im Yoon Ah in the front passenger seat saw him switch just like that and couldn’t help but chuckle, without nagging, she rolled her eyes, then simply climbed from the front passenger seat to the driver’s seat, too lazy to even open the car door.
So when Lin Xiuyuan opened the front passenger car door, he was full of shock, “What the fck, Yoona, that move of yours… quite free and easy.”
“Nagging, get in the car quick.” She didn’t look back, “You’re the one picking me up, how did I end up the driver in the end?”
Lin Xiuyuan buckled his seatbelt while smiling, “Didn’t I drive the car right to you? Same result, don’t overthink it.”
Im Yoon Ah lightly hummed, shifted gears, stepped on the accelerator, and the car nimbly drove out of the parking lot, heading toward the highway entrance.
After passing through a busy stretch of traffic, the speed finally stabilized, and Im Yoon Ah glanced sideways, seeing Lin Xiuyuan leaning on the seatback, eyelids heavy as if about to close.
“Xiuyuan, hold on for me, don’t fall asleep.”
“Ah, not asleep, just a bit tired.”
Lin Xiuyuan, snapping back to vague awareness, looked at Im Yoon Ah, took a deep breath, rallied his spirits, and replied.
Looking at the stubborn guy, Im Yoon Ah laughed too, “Not asleep? If I hadn’t called you just now, you were about to hang on the seatbelt like a pendant.”
Saying that, she paused, her gaze suspiciously scanning him, “No, this state of yours doesn’t look like you just woke up. If you didn’t sleep all night, what exactly were you doing?”
“Watching… animal world and watching others make fried chicken to eat.”
Lin Xiuyuan, asked about it, thought of his recent nonstop schedule, picked a segment to answer her.
But just after saying it, he heard a cold hum, “Yo, I didn’t know the animal world on TV could bite a person’s neck red like that, Xiuyuan, next time you lie or deceive, you gotta clean yourself up first.”
Saying that, Im Yoon Ah focused on driving while reaching out to lightly tap Lin Xiuyuan’s neck.
Then her fingertip slid downward improperly, brushing over the skin slightly exposed at his collarbone, “This whole area is full of kiss marks, tsk tsk, looks like my call just now interrupted your good time.”
Her words carried teasing laughter, but her fingertip brought coolness, making Lin Xiuyuan shudder all over, goosebumps rising.
He instinctively looked down, but the angle was wrong, couldn’t see at all.
The next second, a fair hand opened the makeup mirror on the front sun visor, “See for yourself, next time check the mirror before going out, good thing it’s me, if it were someone else, you’d be treated like a pervert.”
Hearing Im Yoon Ah’s laughter, Lin Xiuyuan quickly looked through the mirror at the skin on his neck.
Sure enough, just as she said, the color wasn’t deep but densely distributed, full of traces from last night’s ‘spoils of war’.
But fortunately, the marks weren’t heavy, should fade soon.
Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan breathed a sigh of relief, closed the mirror, leaned back on the seatback exhaustedly, completely slumping.
At that moment, Im Yoon Ah suddenly spoke, full of curiosity, “Who is it, Xiuyuan, not Lin Xiaolu, right?”
Lin Xiuyuan turned at her words, looking at that familiar face. At this moment, she was almost identical to the face a few years younger in the presidential suite in Roppongi a few days ago.
These past two days, on that face… he had kissed until the lips turned red.
Now meeting her gaze, his body reacted instinctively, his eyes falling on Im Yoon Ah’s slightly reddened cherry lips.
At this time, probably because they passed the toll station, the car stopped briefly.
Noticing the gaze, Im Yoon Ah looked sideways, and upon meeting Lin Xiuyuan’s eyes, she immediately understood, “Hey, Xiuyuan, don’t mistake me for her, don’t think random things.”
Lin Xiuyuan, called out, dry laughed twice, withdrew his gaze to look at the highway ahead dotted with taillights like shooting stars, “Relax, not that perverted, and I didn’t touch her anyway, you’re overthinking.”
“?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s words just now suddenly threw off Im Yoon Ah’s previously confident guess.
She had thought she guessed right, even planning to go find Lin Xiaolu tomorrow to “verify” and “consult”.
But hearing Lin Xiuyuan say “didn’t touch her”, her emotions suddenly twisted.
What does that mean? Didn’t touch her?
Look down on her, or no interest at all?
Looking down on Lin Xiaolu, what’s the difference from looking down on her Im Yoon Ah?
Thinking of this, emotions surging, Im Yoon Ah’s foot unconsciously pressed the accelerator harder.
The car body lurched forward, the sudden acceleration plastering Lin Xiuyuan to the seatback, instantly clearing his sleepiness, startling him into shouting.
“Uh… Yoona, do you have something urgent? This speed seems… a bit fast.”
Hearing the slightly nervous voice from the front passenger guy, Im Yoon Ah slowly eased off the accelerator, slowing the car, and lightly hummed, “Scaredy-cat.”
These words carried an ambiguous double meaning, and Lin Xiuyuan understood, but he didn’t dare retort.
After all, with the steering wheel in her hands right now, it was like his life was in Im Yoon Ah’s control, didn’t dare move, not one bit.
The rest of the way, he was especially well-behaved, not daring to say anything random.
Fortunately, Im Yoon Ah didn’t press further, changing to a light topic, chatting about his eating and strolling in Tokyo, the atmosphere slowly easing.
The car soon entered Seoul city center, turning into the underground parking lot of Im Yoon Ah’s apartment.
Arriving here, Lin Xiuyuan was just about to say some goodbye words, but saw Im Yoon Ah reversing into the spot, so he quickly spoke, “No need to park, right? You get out, I’ll switch and go.”
“Who said you can leave?”
With the car steadily parked, Im Yoon Ah turned to the speaking guy, a bright smile on her lips.
Hm?
Lin Xiuyuan had just reached to open the door, stunned at her words, hand suspended in mid-air, instinctively gripping the car door.
This reaction was pure body instinct.
No way around it, the big sisters of 2025 were too enthusiastic, leaving him a bit overwhelmed.
Beside him, Im Yoon Ah, after turning off the car, saw his guarded expression and laughed even more happily, “What are you spacing out for, get out, come on, upstairs I need you to help with something.”
“This late at night, how about… tomorrow.”
Lin Xiuyuan was vigilant like a little animal, tone softening a bit, he was really scared.
“No, you’re a big guy, scared I’ll eat you? If worst comes, just run.” Im Yoon Ah smiled slightly.
Was this about running? This was about whether he could hold back.
The younger 2013 version was clueless, playing edging challenges, he could endure.
But the 2025 big sister was different, they played but did what needed doing without holding back.
If she took the initiative like this, how could he endure?
But after Im Yoon Ah stared at him intently a few times, Lin Xiuyuan sighed lightly, “No, can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
While he hesitated, Im Yoon Ah gave him a meaningful look, then smiled faintly, “You’ll know when you come up.”
A few minutes later.
Taking the elevator upstairs, Lin Xiuyuan followed Im Yoon Ah’s steps into this apartment countless fans dreamed of, Im Yoon Ah’s apartment.
And as he stepped into the entryway, a “click” of the door lock locking behind him.
Lin Xiuyuan reflexively turned back, surprised, gazing at the beauty behind him.
“Safety first.” Im Yoon Ah said matter-of-factly, then boldly walked past him into the room.
Left behind, Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the door lock, raised an eyebrow slightly, then looked at her back, lips twitching.
Damn, anyway, he wouldn’t lose out.
A few minutes later, an incredulous voice came from Lin Xiuyuan, “Ah, Yoona, you called me up in the middle of the night for this?”
Immediately after, shocked, he rephrased, “No, should say you flew back to Seoul in the middle of the night for this?”
“What do you mean ‘for this’?”
At the kitchen island counter, Im Yoon Ah playfully looked at Lin Xiuyuan inside, “Do you remember last time you came here to get bread?”
“Yeah, what about it?” Lin Xiuyuan nodded.
“Let me tell you, all these years, no matter men or women, young or old, you’re the first guy who stepped into my apartment and bolted in less than ten minutes.”
Saying this, Im Yoon Ah narrowed her eyes, “You know how hurtful that afternoon move of yours was?”
Faced with this argument, Lin Xiuyuan looked innocent, “Ah, no way, that…”
“Way, extremely so, you don’t understand women’s pride and dignity.”
Shouting, Im Yoon Ah paused, then added, “Anyway, I don’t care, tonight you must bake me a batch of bread before you go. Don’t think you can just grab my bread, piss me off, then walk away scot-free.”
“If you dare run…”
Im Yoon Ah slowly straightened, sweet smile on her face, yet said a devastating line, “I’ll call Soo Jung and ask how those marks on your neck happened.”
“Hiss~”
Lin Xiuyuan, who had some ideas, gasped at her words, “Such ruthless tactics, Yoona, is this the vicious little tricks you learned over the years?”
“……”
Im Yoon Ah, just joking, didn’t expect to be stabbed in the heart in a blink.
So grumpily, she turned and grabbed a bag of flour, handing it to Lin Xiuyuan, “No nagging, get to work.”
“I don’t know how.” Looking at the flour, Lin Xiuyuan gazed at her helplessly.
“Then beg me, beg and I’ll teach. Otherwise search tutorials yourself, anyway I want hot bread first thing tomorrow morning.”
Im Yoon Ah stood with arms crossed, half-smiling at him.
But the next second, Lin Xiuyuan shamelessly bowed his head immediately, “Please, Yoona xi, help me out. I really don’t know, the kind where I hug your thigh to beg…”
Im Yoon Ah, who the second before thought this young guy might not swallow his pride and struggle a bit, didn’t expect his slide-in kneel to come so suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving her a bit stunned.
“Ah, where’s your pride, Xiuyuan~”
“A real man bends and stretches, this is nothing.” Lin Xiuyuan said righteously.
“? Are you teasing me?”
“Ah? No?”
“Then what are you bending and stretching?”
More than ten minutes later.
Lin Xiuyuan watched Im Yoon Ah walk out from the bedroom, changed into a simple yet charming set of pajamas, her originally shoulder-length long hair tied into a high ponytail, revealing a refreshing neckline, her whole aura under the dim lighting exuding a gentle and seductive atmosphere.
The pajamas were lightweight white cotton, simple design revealing laziness, neckline slightly loose, vaguely showing her shoulder lines.
And no slippers, just bare feet lightly walking over, feet stepping on the carpet, making slight sounds, air filled with her faint fragrance.
“Come on, Xiuyuan,” Im Yoon Ah walked to the island counter, playful smile on her face, “I can teach you to make bread but I won’t do it, you do it yourself, don’t blame me if it doesn’t turn out.”
Her gaze fell on Lin Xiuyuan’s face, lingering a moment on the kiss marks on his neck, that look carrying an unspoken tease.
Lin Xiuyuan felt a bit guilty under her stare, “First time doing this, just tell me what to do, if it fails can I go buy some to make up for it?”
At the same time, he still felt uneasy inside, mainly being alone with Im Yoon Ah this late, man and woman alone, after rushing two events, he always felt that ambiguous atmosphere everywhere.
“What do you think, that… of course not.”
Lin Xiuyuan’s words made Im Yoon Ah smile sweeter, “But I believe you’ll be great, just like your… muscles.”
Saying that, she walked to the side, skillfully taking various ingredients and tools from the cabinet.
Movements orderly, but soon turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan, gaze puzzled, “You’re standing pretty far, Xiuyuan. Come over, you’re making the bread, not me.”
Lin Xiuyuan smiled awkwardly, then walked over, helping take out all the tools and materials for making bread.
Soon, under her guidance, smoothly reached the dough kneading process.
Just as his hand movements gained rhythm, Im Yoon Ah suddenly approached from behind, reaching out lightly to grip his wrist, “Not like this, press down here, twist inward a bit more.”
Her hand slid down his arm from wrist to palm, then kneading the dough together, the touch light yet almost skipping heartbeats.
To onlookers, this was just normal teaching contact.
But to Lin Xiuyuan, Im Yoon Ah’s occasional close breathing, and intentional or not finger touches, were simply some seductive hint.
Stirring his endless fantasies.
“Relax.”
Suddenly, a laugh came, Im Yoon Ah said to the dazed Lin Xiuyuan, corners of her mouth with faint smile, eyes with some provocation.
Then smiling lowly, “Don’t be so tense, Xiuyuan, it’s nothing, worst case do it again.”
Lin Xiuyuan wanted to joke along, but she suddenly laughed and pulled back, eyes adding mischief and playfulness, “Alright, not teasing you anymore.”
Finished, she turned and left the kitchen, walking lightly like slow dancing in the living room.
At the master bedroom doorway, she even turned back and wagged her finger at him, “Xiuyuan you continue yourself, I taught you the process, I’m going to shower, don’t mess up.”
Lin Xiuyuan stood in place, watching her figure disappear at the bedroom door, snapping back only when it “clicked” shut.
No way? Just like that??
For a moment, he felt an indescribable emptiness, like being left hanging breathless with nowhere to land.
Just like a few days ago in the Roppongi hotel suite, when he left Lin Xiaolu hanging.
Only this time, he was the one left hanging.
The kitchen air still carried the fermenting dough scent, lighting soft and warm, kettle still bubbling.
Lin Xiuyuan stood there a while before lightly “tsk”-ing, unconsciously tugging a helpless smile, then lowering his head to continue with the dough.
Knead dough, proof, whip cream, preheat oven.
He thought this night might be like some past “ambiguous nights”, spark some friction, at least probe something, but didn’t expect Im Yoon Ah to just walk away and take a shower.
Hm? Wait, shower?
Thinking of something, Lin Xiuyuan unconsciously glanced toward her bedroom.
But soon after, showered Im Yoon Ah with half-dry hair, wearing loose long-sleeve pajamas, came out, but didn’t approach the kitchen.
Just leaning on the corridor, yawning lazily glanced at him, finally saying, “Keep it up, Xiuyuan, I’m going to sleep first, good night.”
Finished, really turned back to her room, casually closing the bedroom door.
At the moment the door closed, Lin Xiuyuan was like a scarecrow left in place, staring at the door for seconds before snapping back.
Then helplessly smiled, muttering softly, “What’s the situation… was I too presumptuous?”
But complaints aside, his hands didn’t slow.
As night deepened, he focused on the bread expanding in the oven, kitchen temperature rising, making him sleepy too.
An hour later, the bread finally came out.
Pale yellow crispy crust, toasty aroma filling the kitchen.
Lin Xiuyuan looked at the freshly baked tray, feeling accomplished “hm”-ed, muttering to himself, “First time, but this finished product’s looks are pretty good.”
He took out his mobile phone to snap a few, casually checked the time—early morning five thirty.
The sky began showing faint blue-white, streets outside the window not yet bustling, the whole world quiet with only the kitchen’s faint residual heat sounds.
Finally done, Lin Xiuyuan dragged his steps to the living room, collapsing on the sofa like a deflated kite.
Pulled over a blanket, casually covered, head buried in the sofa pillow.
Tonight’s events were too much, rushing events and staying up kneading dough baking bread, he was really tired.
But just closing his eyes, his mind still replayed the two event scenes, stimulating, hot.
Then thinking this very moment in Im Yoon Ah’s apartment, his body instinctively reacted more directly than his tired mind.
So seeing the disharmonious “bulge” under the blanket, Lin Xiuyuan was a bit speechless, muttering, “Brother, this sleepy and you’re still so spirited?”
Maybe Im Yoon Ah’s unexpected last “good night” was like a key, unlocking some uncertain emotion in him.
Also making Lin Xiuyuan rarely feel a strange, subtly disappointed sensation.
But he was too sleepy, no time to dwell, sinking into dreams with the first dawn light.
And in the kitchen, those still warm breads quietly emitted fragrance, like some unspoken thoughts quietly baked done.
Meanwhile, what Lin Xiuyuan didn’t know was that the master bedroom door lock actually wasn’t locked.
Normally, even living alone, that door was always locked.
But tonight, no.
……
……
Next morning, nine o’clock sharp.
Seoul in 2013, sunny.
Lin Xiaolu, just putting on shoes at the entryway preparing to go to the company, received a call from her agent.
“Hey, Yoona, where are you now?”
“Dorm, just about to head to company for rehearsal, what’s up, oppa~”
She answered the phone while hopping on one foot to put on the other shoe, tone light and cheerful.
But the other end turned serious: “Then don’t go out yet, wait for me to pick you up. Company just got a call from writer Kim Eun Sook, asking you to go to her studio.”
Lin Xiaolu stunned, straightened up, “Writer Kim Eun Sook? Why suddenly looking for me?”
“It’s about that script, seems there’s a variable with the female lead role.”
“Variable?” Her expression tensed, “What variable? Oppa, explain clearly.”
“Competition, basically.” He was blunt, “And SBS is pushing hard, already communicating with writer Kim Eun Sook, hoping to confirm the female lead soon for subsequent promotion and production arrangements.”
Lin Xiaolu got it instantly, brows furrowing, “So…”
“So you need to do your answer sheet early.” The agent’s tone wasn’t heavy but meaningful, “This trip today is probably the key battle deciding if you get the role.”
She was silent a moment, then took a deep breath, nodding.
“Got it, oppa, I’m ready to answer.”
Seeking monthly tickets, seeking subscriptions, thanks.
