Chapter 187: That Phone Call
In the restaurant.
After the Big Dragon Cub saw Jessica’s surprised gaze fixed on her, she felt amused, and with a hint of pride, she greeted her.
“Good noon, unnie~”
“Good noon, Ji-yeon.”
After Jessica nodded in response and sat down, her gaze landed on the two people beside her.
Regardless of who it was, their complexions and spirits looked radiant, giving a refreshed feeling, which made her frown involuntarily.
But even though her heart was full of questions, Jessica felt a bit too embarrassed to ask, so in the end, she could only pick up the menu and start ordering.
“What do you guys want to eat?” Jessica asked, flipping open the menu.
“Just order anything, I can’t eat too much,” Krystal shook her head, her tone relaxed, “I have to go to fitness later.”
“Me too, unnie, I need to get my abs defined.”
The Big Dragon Cub said with a smile, her tone much lighter than before, now filled with playful ease, as if not just her state, but her spirit had also become younger.
And the Big Dragon Cub’s remark drew Jessica’s curiosity, “Krystal has schedules, so dieting and exercising are quite normal. Ji-yeon, why are you also so invested? Exercising is fine, why are you so focused on abs?”
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be abs, mainly working on the glutes, tightening them up, someone will like it more,” the Big Dragon Cub said frankly, without any hesitation.
Jessica was utterly stunned, only Krystal glanced meaningfully at the Big Dragon Cub, let out a soft hum in her heart, and said nothing, just thinking about having a good chat with Lin Xiuyuan when he returned, and doing some…
After ordering, Jessica finally couldn’t help but ask, “Jung Soo Jung, did you ask me out just for a meal, or for something else?”
“To bother you with something, I forgot to mention it last time,” Krystal smirked.
“What is it?” Jessica asked curiously.
“It’s nothing much, actually. Since Jessica, you’ve closed your shop now, can you give me a copy of the design drawings from before, the ones from the division symbol?”
Facing Krystal’s question, Jessica was first stunned, then looked at her with confusion, “You’re not doing this, why would you want it.”
Krystal chuckled softly, with a hint of helplessness, “I want to use it for learning.”
Then she secretly thought: I can’t possibly say that in 2013 Jung Soo Yeon was too lazy to draw design drawings and wanted to get them in bulk from you.
If she said that, for Jessica, who had just closed her shop, it would be rather like killing her heart.
After hearing this, Jessica raised an eyebrow slightly and asked softly, “Learn what, you’re not planning to…”
Krystal quickly waved her hands, “Don’t, Jessica, don’t misunderstand, I have no intention of starting a business, I just want to take a look. Anyway, you don’t need them anymore, just let me learn from them.”
If Krystal’s computer in her Seoul apartment had these files, she wouldn’t have bothered asking Jessica and would have just copied them.
Jessica looked deeply at Krystal and then said, “I’ll tell you about this later.”
Then, she turned to the Big Dragon Cub and asked with a smile, “Ji-yeon, how have you been lately?”
The Big Dragon Cub, who was drinking water, didn’t expect Jessica to ask that suddenly and chuckled, “What is it, unnie? Haven’t we just met not long ago? Why are you asking like this?”
“I didn’t get a chance to ask last time at the tavern, so it’s a good time today,” Jessica replied casually.
The two then chatted about recent events, the busyness of work, and the trifles of life.
During the conversation, Krystal occasionally interjected, talking about her own schedule arrangements, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.
However, the topic suddenly shifted, and Jessica inadvertently mentioned the other members of Tara.
“By the way, Ji-yeon, are the other members of Tara resting? Why do I only see Eun-jung filming?” Jessica asked thoughtfully.
“That’s roughly it. Everyone is in a semi-retired state. We only gather occasionally for events or parties,” the Big Dragon Cub nodded and replied softly.
In response to the Big Dragon Cub’s answer, Jessica seemed to feel something and chuckled, “Actually, this is quite good. Everyone rests well and likes to go out and travel. I’m also thinking along those lines now.”
“Travel? Goo Ri unnie is already traveling. I actually want to go too, but I have an appearance in the evening for an interview,” the Big Dragon Cub’s tone carried a hint of regret.
Hearing the Big Dragon Cub say that Lee Ji-eun was already traveling, Jessica became somewhat curious, “Where is she traveling to? We just met a few days ago.”
“You don’t know, unnie? Goo Ri unnie went to the Maldives with Xiuyuan.”
This sentence made Jessica freeze.
Lee Ji-eun and Lin Xiuyuan… going on vacation? To the Maldives?
Thinking of this, Jessica immediately looked at Krystal beside her. The latter shrugged, “Why are you looking at me? It has nothing to do with me.”
“Why is that guy Lin Xiuyuan going too?” Jessica asked curiously.
“To relax, staying in Seoul all the time is quite boring,” Krystal answered naturally.
Then the Big Dragon Cub also nodded and sighed, “Yeah, I heard Xiuyuan say it’s his first time traveling out… Ah, I shouldn’t have accepted this schedule, I want to go to the Maldives too.”
“How about we make a call to see what they’re doing?” Krystal suddenly became interested.
“To Goo Ri unnie?” the Big Dragon Cub asked in surprise.
Krystal shook her head, “Forget it, let’s call Xiuyuan.”
So the two hit it off, and Krystal found the contact list, preparing to dial.
At this moment, Jessica spoke up for someone, “What if they’re not awake yet?”
“It’s already noon here, and with a four-hour time difference, it must be morning by now, they should be up.”
“Exactly, exactly, dial it, Soo Jung.”
The Big Dragon Cub also started laughing.
…
…
In the Maldives.
It was early morning in the Maldives, and as time passed, the lingering warmth after breakfast still permeated the air.
Lee Ji-eun and Lin Xiuyuan did not rush to go out and play, but leisurely sat on the living room sofa, enjoying this moment of peace.
The curtain in the corner of the sofa was gently lifted by the sunlight, casting dappled light and shadow, soft as a dream.
Suddenly, Lee Ji-eun leaned slightly to the side, moving closer, her elbow gently brushing against Lin Xiuyuan’s arm, deliberately not moving away.
A provocative smile played on her lips, her eyes cast towards him through the sunlight outside the window, her gaze filled with an undeniable hint.
“Xiuyuan, don’t you think this morning is just a little bit less than perfect?”
Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her, a helpless smile on his lips, “You really know how to enjoy yourself. You just finished breakfast and you already want to heat things up a bit more, don’t you?”
“I’m just going with the flow,” Lee Ji-eun said with a smile, gently tapping Lin Xiuyuan’s thigh, “Why don’t you cooperate a bit, maybe it will be more perfect.”
Cooperate?
Lin Xiuyuan repeated the word in his mind, his body involuntarily rolled over, pinning Lee Ji-eun beneath him, a hint of mockery in his eyes, “For example, what style do you prefer?”
Lee Ji-eun pursed her lips and chuckled, puffing out her chest, her eyes slightly raised, she retorted, “A storm, or a gentle breeze?”
Lin Xiuyuan softly replied, “Mm.”
Hearing this, Lee Ji-eun’s fingers gently moved to Lin Xiuyuan’s waist, slowly tracing, as if guiding something.
Then she chuckled softly, “Xiuyuan, didn’t I say last night? Don’t worry about me, just worry about yourself. I like everything.”
Feeling the touch of her fingers, Lin Xiuyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist, pinning her against the back of the sofa.
Lee Ji-eun let out a soft hum, and as she moved, the strap of her pajamas slipped down slightly. The morning light of the Maldives fell precisely on her collarbone, casting a soft shadow.
“Did you rest well last night?”
Lin Xiuyuan asked with a smile, his voice accompanied by the gentle lapping of waves, which entered through the floor-to-ceiling sliding door.
Lee Ji-eun immediately rubbed her knees against the folds of his pajama pants, the shadow cast by her eyelashes like fluttering butterflies, “Rest? What you’re saying is… I was just a bit dizzy from protein last night…”
Before she could finish, the sound of the doorbell suddenly broke the silence.
They both froze. The butler’s voice penetrated the door, with a greeting about a tropical fruit basket, “Sir, Madam, hello, your requested fruit has arrived.”
Lin Xiuyuan pushed himself up, breathing heavily, only to see Lee Ji-eun suddenly grab his collar and gently bite his earlobe, “What’s the hurry? Let them wait.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she threw a pillow at the doorbell switch, and the smart system immediately switched to do-not-disturb mode with a blue light.
Lin Xiuyuan noticed that she had unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt at some point. Just as he was about to say something, a flock of birds suddenly flew past outside the window, accompanied by a few chirps, signaling the start of a new day’s morning exercises.
Outside the door, the butler seemed to sense the situation inside, calmly placed the fruit basket at the door, and then slowly retreated.
After a while, the private beach outside the yard was kissed inch by inch by the tide.
Inside, as Lee Ji-eun whispered, the scent of white peach slowly crept up Lin Xiuyuan’s Adam’s apple.
Just as Lin Xiuyuan’s hand slid over her softness, preparing to lift her delicate body, Lee Ji-eun suddenly bit his earlobe and chuckled muffledly, “Xiuyuan, your phone is vibrating, aren’t you going to check it?”
“Let it wait.”
Hearing the same words, Lee Ji-eun became exceptionally happy. She suddenly let out a muffled groan and bit Lin Xiuyuan’s shoulder.
…
“No answer?”
Krystal looked at the phone that had naturally hung up, somewhat surprised, then very naturally thought, “Maybe they’re not awake yet.”
“Can they sleep that long even in the Maldives?”
The Big Dragon Cub said with a doubtful tone.
After all, Lee Ji-eun went with Lin Xiuyuan, how could she resist not “digesting” Lin Xiuyuan, that “great tonic”?
So, she took out her phone and dialed Lee Ji-eun’s number again.
…
Inside the villa on Vila Island in the Maldives.
Lee Ji-eun was lying on the sofa, gazing hazily out the window, trying to regain some sense of reason from the vast blue sea.
However, the storm behind her made her mind increasingly chaotic.
The air was filled with an undeniable humidity, her skin felt sticky, and every breath seemed heavy, as if she were caught in a warm and urgent wave, unable to break free.
She gently gripped the back of the sofa, trying to stay conscious.
But the scene before her was already blurry, her thoughts drifted with the sea breeze, and she felt every inch of her body sinking into relaxation, unable to resist.
Just then, Lin Xiuyuan’s voice came from behind, “Ji-eun, your phone seems to be vibrating.”
“Don’t mind it.”
“That won’t do, I was looking forward to this scene.”
Lin Xiuyuan smiled and finished speaking. Lee Ji-eun suddenly took a deep breath, and two seconds later, gasped.
Immediately after, the coolness of the phone pressed against her back, and Lin Xiuyuan continued, “It’s Ji-yeon’s call.”
Lee Ji-eun’s already weak body trembled violently upon hearing this, and goosebumps instantly covered her entire body.
“Don’t answer it, Xiuyuan, please.”
Lee Ji-eun was very aware of her current state and couldn’t handle this kind of game right now.
But Lin Xiuyuan’s laughter, and the Big Dragon Cub’s teasing “Hello, unnie” voice, made her vision black out.
Helplessly, Lee Ji-eun had to bite her cherry lips, turn her head back, her embarrassment evident, and glare fiercely at Lin Xiuyuan.
…
At the Seoul restaurant.
After the phone rang for a few seconds and was answered, the Big Dragon Cub called out softly. A few seconds later, Lee Ji-eun’s voice came from the other end, “Hello?”
Her voice was hoarse, low, and soft, seeming to carry a hint of grogginess from not being fully awake.
Although Lee Ji-eun tried her best to control her emotions, that moment of weakness and helplessness still quietly revealed itself.
This tone surprised the Big Dragon Cub, who asked with some doubt, “Goo Ri unnie, why are you answering the phone so late? Are you guys still sleeping?”
Krystal on the other end of the phone heard something unusual and her eyes widened instantly.
Lee Ji-eun on the other end of the phone narrowed her eyes and curved her lips into a slight smile.
Even though her body still felt weak and limp, she forced herself to regain some clarity, controlling her speed and tone, “We… just woke up. Ji-yeon, why are you calling so suddenly? Is something wrong?”
However, even though she tried to keep her tone calm to conceal the shock, as if from another world.
But the vibrations behind her and the voice on the phone seemed to be constantly provoking the sensitive points deep within her nerves, causing her to frown involuntarily and exhale softly a few times.
“No, I just wanted to ask unnie, is it fun in the Maldives?”
The Big Dragon Cub’s words carried a hint of teasing, seeming to break Lee Ji-eun’s silence.
After a brief silence on the other end of the line, Lee Ji-eun suddenly chuckled.
Her gaze drifted to the sea outside the window, trying to calm down, “It’s quite fun, it’s a shame you’re not here, Ji-yeon. If we were together, it would probably be more interesting.”
This remark made the Big Dragon Cub in the restaurant tense up, and she quickly looked up at Krystal and Jessica opposite her, realizing they were both listening quietly.
“Can’t be helped, it’s work. We’ll talk another time.”
Whether the Big Dragon Cub didn’t notice the impropriety of the words or sensed something, she quickly changed her tone and said with a smile, “Since you’re still resting, I won’t disturb you. We’ll talk another day.”
Then she quickly hung up.
…
Maldives.
“Mmm~”
As the phone call ended, Lee Ji-eun adjusted her sitting posture again.
However, her body still felt a wave of fatigue and weakness, as if she had lost all support in the sea breeze, becoming instantly fragile and uncontrollable.
Her eyes then turned seductive, her moist eyes carrying a hint of playful anger as she threw her phone aside and looked at the man in front of her, saying, “You can’t do this next time. I feel like Ji-yeon already heard it.”
Lin Xiuyuan slightly raised his hands, putting on an “I’m innocent” expression, with a hint of mockery and helplessness in his eyes, “It has nothing to do with me, I didn’t do anything.”
His casual tone carried a hint of jest, but also a discernible excitement and playfulness, as if he were truly innocent.
Lee Ji-eun let out a soft hum, shifting slightly to the side. In just an instant, her body seemed to become even heavier.
Her movements were slow, and her fingertips gently gripped the armrest of the sofa, trying to support herself. However, her muscles still felt sore and weak, as if even this simple action challenged her strength.
“You’re comfortable, but you’ve dragged me down with you.”
Lee Ji-eun lowered her head, a playful and acting cute smile on her lips, her voice soft but with a hint of reproach.
However, her eyes twinkled with tenderness and laughter, mixed with some ambiguous teasing.
Then Lee Ji-eun smiled slightly, lowered her head gently, feeling her body gradually sinking into a lazy state, as if everything around her was enveloping her, unable to break free, she could only let that soft feeling consume her.
This made Lee Ji-eun unconsciously lean closer to Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes no longer holding the previous anger, but replaced by a look of relaxation and tenderness.
“Look at how smug you are.”
Seeing Lin Xiuyuan’s smug smile, Lee Ji-eun couldn’t help but laugh too, “Tell me in advance next time.”
Her words still carried a hint of blame, but the smile revealed her acceptance and liking of this jest.
Then, no longer pretending to be strong, she leaned her whole body against Lin Xiuyuan’s shoulder.
At this moment, Lee Ji-eun was weak and limp, like a ship waiting to be hit by waves in a stormy sea. It felt as if only by leaning on Lin Xiuyuan could she feel that sense of security.
…
At the same time.
In a restaurant in Seoul, after hanging up the phone, Big Dragon Cub was cursing Lee Ji-eun in her heart, “Just play your game, why answer the phone.”
She hadn’t reacted when speaking earlier, but after hanging up the phone, she instantly realized.
Fortunately, the two sisters on the other side were sensible people. After Big Dragon Cub hung up the phone, the atmosphere at the dining table didn’t linger on this topic.
Instead, they quickly shifted to discussing the delicious lunch and some beauty and skincare topics.
By the time this lunch ended, Big Dragon Cub had an engagement in the evening, so she went to the beauty salon first to get her hair done.
After she left, only Jessica and Krystal remained at the dining table.
Now Jessica could speak her mind freely, and her first sentence was, “So your man is playing with other women in the Maldives, Soo Jung…”
Krystal retorted, “Then why don’t you fly over to Vila Island and keep an eye on him for me, Jessica.”
“Watch what?”
“See how Lee Ji-eun has changed.”
Adding last night’s chapter, ten thousand words daily achieved. Thank you to my godfathers for your support and votes.
Monthly tickets have broken 9K, ten thousand words daily + 1.
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Seeking monthly tickets, seeking subscriptions, seeking subscriptions, seeking rewards, seeking everything!
PS: I will continue to write ten thousand words daily, but as someone with clumsy hands, it will be slower. I hope everyone will give me lots of support and understanding.
