Chapter 160: Lin Yoona’s Plan Backfires
Sunlight filtered through the decorative window outside the small tavern, slanting across the wooden floor and casting a soft golden halo.
The afternoon time was so still it felt unreal, the air filled with the fresh scent of wood mixed with a faint lemon wine aroma.
Lin Xiuyuan adjusted the last lantern to the perfect brightness, then glanced back at the sofa area where Lee Ji-eun, who had nearly startled him earlier, was now sitting.
The pink shirt on her body appeared especially soft in the interplay of light and shadow, making her blend naturally into the space.
Noticing Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze, Lee Ji-eun smiled lightly and patted the sofa beside her, “What are you looking at? Come sit.”
Soon, Lin Xiuyuan walked over, holding a chilled bottle of sparkling wine, and sat down across from her very naturally.
He first poured half a glass for her, then casually poured some for himself.
But he didn’t hand it to her right away; instead, after his gaze fell on Lee Ji-eun, he asked again, “Really drinking? It’s the middle of the day.”
Lee Ji-eun ignored his somewhat perfunctory reminder and reached for the wine glass herself, taking a gentle sip.
The sour-sweet wine burst between her lips and teeth, its icy chill bringing a refreshing clarity.
She then narrowed her eyes slightly, her shoulders unconsciously lifting a bit, “Tasty~.”
Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, raised his wine glass, and lightly clinked it against hers.
“Ding—” A crisp sound echoed in the air.
In that instant, the wind outside rustled the leaves, sending a sliver of fragmented light through the gap in the curtain, like the whisper of time brushing past their ears.
The two sat facing each other quietly, neither in a hurry to speak, as if those few light probing exchanges at the door had never happened.
After a while, Lee Ji-eun slowly set down her wine glass, her palm resting on her knee, one finger subtly tapping the fabric, her beautiful eyes scanning Lin Xiuyuan, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly.
Beside her, Lin Xiuyuan inexplicably felt a bit panicked at the sight; the conversation at the dining table last night had left him with much to think about, so he quickly spoke up, “Ji-eun, if there’s something you need help with, just say it. Staring like this makes me nervous.”
Lee Ji-eun glanced at him, her gaze seeming hesitant, or perhaps she had already decided what to say.
But she didn’t answer immediately; instead, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and slowly said, “It’s not that I must have your help; it’s just to confirm one thing.”
“What thing?” Lin Xiuyuan frowned slightly but instinctively sat up straighter.
As he spoke, his heart sank: Oh no, could she really have noticed something?
But Lee Ji-eun didn’t rush to reveal the mystery; she just lowered her eyes to stare at the half glass of wine on the table, as if weighing something or brewing her words.
Finally, she looked up, her eyes shimmering faintly, her tone gentle yet piercing, “You guess.”
“Can’t guess.” Lin Xiuyuan shook his head, answering straightforwardly.
Dissatisfied with this response, Lee Ji-eun gave the boy a look, “Can’t you stop being so perfunctory? You didn’t even think before answering.”
“Then give me a hint at least. How am I supposed to guess? It’s like searching for a needle in the sea.” Lin Xiuyuan spread his hands in response.
“A hint… forget it, I’ll just say it directly.”
Murmuring softly, Lee Ji-eun pictured the big dragon cub’s face in her mind, then looked up at Lin Xiuyuan in front of her, “It’s nothing really, just want you to help me find a birthday cake.”
“Birthday cake? What kind?” Lin Xiuyuan was a bit dumbfounded; he had thought of many answers, but not this one.
“Mm, I liked the one from Ji-yeon’s birthday party.” Lee Ji-eun smiled slightly.
Lin Xiuyuan froze completely in place.
Her voice continued by his ear, “Although it’s still some time until the birthday, I really want to try that cake. Help me find one, okay?”
Pausing her tone, she downed the remaining wine in her glass, “Otherwise, I’d have to…”
Just as Lee Ji-eun hadn’t finished speaking, the sound of the electronic lock came from the small tavern’s door, followed by someone pushing it open.
“Ding bell~”
The familiar wind chime rang out, and under the sunlight, Im Yoon Ah stepped into the tavern with a tipsy afternoon aura.
Her pretty, fair face was full of charm and beauty in the sunlight, not to mention that captivating smile, “Oh, Xiuyuan, older sister, what are you doing here?”
No sooner had she spoken than another small head poked out from behind her.
It was Kim Tae Yeon, who had just parted from Lin Xiuyuan. “Eh~ Xiuyuan, older sister, how come you’re meeting here?”
This sudden interruption extinguished the spark of emotion that had just ignited in Lee Ji-eun, and the large gulp of alcoholic beverages she had just swallowed slid slowly down her throat.
After her gaze lingered on Kim Tae Yeon for a moment, she stood up with a smile to Im Yoon Ah, “Long time no see, Yoona. And Taeyeon, I didn’t expect this coincidence. I just came to talk to Xiuyuan about something; if I’d known you were coming, we could’ve come together.”
Then Kim Tae Yeon gave a very reasonable explanation.
“This is really quite a coincidence, because I came to find Xiuyuan and Yoona to invite them to my concert. But Yoona wasn’t free at noon, so we planned to sit here at the tavern in the afternoon.”
Im Yoon Ah, now at Lin Xiuyuan’s side, looked at the somewhat stiff boy and smiled, recalling how Kim Tae Yeon had hurriedly called her earlier, saying someone was trying to steal home base.
So she quietly opened the location sharing on a certain Apple mobile phone—it was something Im Yoon Ah had set up that evening while making bread when someone was asleep. It wasn’t for surveillance on Lin Xiuyuan, just worry that he might get lost sometimes.
After checking the direction of his route, she smiled and sent the destination address to Kim Tae Yeon, then drove over herself.
Now it seemed the timing was neither too early nor too late—just right.
Lin Xiuyuan stood up, “Don’t stand and chat; sit first. I’ll make you some drinks—no alcohol.”
“No alcohol, we’re driving.” Kim Tae Yeon nodded, then sat down one on each side of Lee Ji-eun with Im Yoon Ah.
However, Kim Tae Yeon noticed that Lee Ji-eun’s gaze didn’t look at her at all, instead fixed intently on Im Yoon Ah beside her.
That gaze held no hostility, but was exceptionally serious, even carrying a hint of excitement.
And Lee Ji-eun wasn’t examining Im Yoon Ah’s clothes or expression, but staring at her face.
More precisely, that bright and radiant face, the delicate glossy skin, and the natural vitality and energy she exuded upon entering.
This familiar yet strange scene froze Lee Ji-eun in her chair.
Her lips curved in a smile, but her eyes held complex emotions hard to conceal, even with a faint tremor.
At this moment, she knew exactly what she was seeing.
It wasn’t an effect piled on by skincare products.
Lee Ji-eun blinked, even instinctively glancing down at the back of her hand, feeling the subtle dryness and faint spots at her knuckles, her heart suddenly skipping a beat.
It wasn’t that she was old, or that she couldn’t lose.
But she knew Yoona had once been in a state of fatigue and dull complexion.
Even if outsiders didn’t know, idols shared some news, especially when using the same makeup artists—gossip topics were endless.
But now, this Im Yoon Ah sitting beside her, glowing even bare-faced, was like she had just soaked in a hot spring and drunk three bowls of ginseng soup—her complexion unrealistically good.
Thus, the thoughts in Lee Ji-eun that had just ignited and been suppressed resurfaced fiercely in her heart, making her sit up straight completely, a unprecedented firmness and expectation flashing in her eyes.
She slowly turned her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan behind the bar counter, her gaze carrying an inexplicable request and an increasingly clear determination.
Noticing all this, Im Yoon Ah’s heart skipped a beat.
Oh no, it seemed she’d backfired.
She… she had clearly just come to “rescue” him.
