Chapter 191: That Little Gift For Bae Joo Hyun And “respect”
Early morning.
Cheongdam-dong, the underground parking lot beneath the Girls’ Generation dormitory building. The cold white lighting bathed the spotless cement floor, exuding a sense of chill and alienation in the stillness.
Lin Xiuyuan expertly reversed the Mercedes-Benz into an empty spot, turned off the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, and then pushed open the car door to get out.
His movements were swift, with almost no superfluous hesitation.
Kim Tae Yeon had already positioned herself on one side of the car’s front, arms crossed, watching him get out. She then stepped forward to meet him.
Lin Xiuyuan, in turn, handed her the car keys, a teasing smile playing on his lips, “Remember to have someone replace the tire tomorrow. Don’t rely on the spare tire for driving; a spare won’t get you far.”
“Yes, I know.”
Receiving the keys, Kim Tae Yeon spoke with a smile, her lips curving unconsciously at the corners as well, as if unable to hide a hint of helpless amusement at having her thoughts exposed, “I always feel like you’re just teasing me.”
“I’m really not this time, it’s a genuine reminder.” Lin Xiuyuan also smiled, his gaze honest.
“Are you guys going to get a late-night snack next?”
After hearing Lin Xiuyuan’s words, Kim Tae Yeon asked casually.
This question made Lin Xiuyuan glance at Sulli in the front passenger seat of the Land Rover next to them, realizing it was likely due to her suggestion. He nodded slightly, “Yes, I’m out with Sulli to find something to eat. Do you want to join us?”
Although Kim Tae Yeon was tempted, she ultimately shook her head, “Never mind, I have work tomorrow.”
“Okay, then I’ll be going now.” Lin Xiuyuan nodded in acknowledgment, his tone gentle.
Watching Lin Xiuyuan, who had already turned to leave, Kim Tae Yeon actually had many questions she wanted to ask this young man.
But the words, reaching her lips, finally condensed into a soft reminder, “Okay, drive carefully.”
“Don’t worry.” He waved his hand back, smiling casually, his footsteps never pausing as he walked towards the Land Rover.
Just then, a cool but slightly sleepy female voice drifted from the passage on one side of the parking lot, “Oh, hello, Senior~”
Lin Xiuyuan’s steps faltered, and he turned to look.
He saw Bae Joo Hyun, dressed in a long, home-wear gray-blue hoodie, her hair loosely tied up, wearing slippers, holding her mobile phone in one hand and what appeared to be… some recently packaged late-night snacks in the other.
Bae Joo Hyun’s gaze lingered on Lin Xiuyuan’s face for a second, then swept past him to notice Kim Tae Yeon not far away.
Immediately, a clear look of surprise appeared in her eyes, but she quickly recovered and immediately bowed ninety degrees to Kim Tae Yeon, her voice respectful, “Hello, Senior Kim Tae Yeon.”
“Hello,” Kim Tae Yeon nodded, her voice gentle.
She remembered this girl; she was a preparatory member of the new group the company was planning to debut.
Lin Xiuyuan also raised an eyebrow, smiling as he greeted her, “Long time no see.”
At this moment, Sulli, sitting in the car, seemed to notice the commotion. She rolled down the car window, poked her head out curiously, and said in a cheerful tone, “What’s up, oppa~”
Hearing this familiar voice by her ear, Bae Joo Hyun obviously froze again. Almost reflexively, she turned her head and bowed again, “Hello, Senior Sulli.”
“Oh, I remember you. You’re from the company’s pre-debut group, right? Hello.”
Sulli offered a gentle smile, her eyes showing a bit of surprise and warmth, “Your name is… Joo Hyun, right?”
“Y-yes.”
Bae Joo Hyun nodded, looking somewhat disbelieving, her voice still carrying a hint of flustered reverence.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiuyuan, standing nearby, suddenly seemed to remember something. He lightly tapped his forehead, “Ah, right, I almost forgot about this.”
Kim Tae Yeon and Sulli both looked at him, and Bae Joo Hyun also turned her head.
Soon, Lin Xiuyuan, who had turned towards the back of the Land Rover, rummaged around inside and took out a delicate small bag, clearly something he had prepared in advance.
He walked back with a relaxed tone, his eyes smiling as he looked at Bae Joo Hyun, his smile clean and gentle, his tone light as he said, “Here, this is a gift I promised to bring you last time I saw you. I didn’t expect it to take so long.”
This was a small item Lin Xiuyuan had seen on a shelf while picking out a gift for the Big Dragon Cub.
He thought of Bae Joo Hyun at the time and decided to get it for her too.
Bae Joo Hyun stared at him blankly, then looked down at the small gift in her hand, her mind seemingly going blank for a moment.
She hadn’t expected at all that Lin Xiuyuan would actually remember this small matter that was mentioned as a joke.
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, her reaction was slow by half a beat.
“Is this… is this for me?”
She stammered, as if seeking confirmation, or perhaps disbelief, her fingers unconsciously tightening their grip on the bag’s handle.
Sulli, in the front passenger seat, leaned over to glance at it and immediately raised an eyebrow.
Kim Tae Yeon in the back also tilted her head, her gaze meaningfully fixed on Lin Xiuyuan.
Bae Joo Hyun stood rooted to the spot, holding both the late-night snack bag and the gift, as if still reeling from the surprise.
“Th-thank you, Senior… really… thank you…”
Seeing Bae Joo Hyun standing there dazed, Kim Tae Yeon finally spoke, “Speaking of which, why are you down here so late at night? Did you buy late-night snacks?”
Hearing this, Bae Joo Hyun’s expression instantly changed, and her whole body froze as if she had been hit by a paralyzing dart.
So, she instinctively hid the bag of late-night snacks behind her, looking at Kim Tae Yeon with a flustered expression, “I, I… I was just, I was just a little hungry… I hadn’t eaten after practice…”
Her voice grew softer and softer, as if waiting for the judgment of fate to fall.
After all, the company had extremely strict requirements for trainees like them who were about to debut, especially regarding weight management. Sneaking food late at night would absolutely result in scolding.
However, Kim Tae Yeon simply smiled gently, her tone surprisingly soft, “Don’t be nervous. When I was a trainee, I wasn’t I often go downstairs with her…”
She gestured towards Sulli with her finger, unable to hide her smile, “We used to sneak downstairs together to buy fried chicken.”
“Yes, Taeyeon unnie and Yoona unnie were the ringleaders back then,” Sulli chimed in, smiling so much her eyes curved, “They even taught me how to avoid company inspections, to throw away the wrappers right after eating, to open windows for ventilation, or to spray perfume and other scented things to mask the smell of food.”
“R-really?”
Bae Joo Hyun’s eyes widened, looking at the two seemingly unreachable seniors in disbelief.
“Of course, it’s true,” Kim Tae Yeon nodded with a smile, “So relax, it’s not illegal to eat late-night snacks occasionally. As long as you pay attention to maintaining your figure, there’s no problem.”
“Mhm, mhm, mhm!”
Bae Joo Hyun nodded repeatedly, like a pardoned chick, with a serious and touched expression.
Seeing the relaxed atmosphere, Lin Xiuyuan decided not to linger any longer, “Then we’ll be going now. Tae Yeon, you guys should go up and rest early too.”
Saying this, he patted the car door and looked at Sulli inside the car, “Let’s go, Sulli.”
“Okay, oppa~”
Sulli smiled and waved gently, then rolled up the car window.
Just as Lin Xiuyuan was about to start the car, he suddenly seemed to remember something. He lowered the car window again and called out to Bae Joo Hyun, “By the way, that… Bae Joo Hyun…”
“Hmm?” Hearing her name, Bae Joo Hyun almost instinctively straightened her body.
“…”
A moment later, Kim Tae Yeon also waved slightly, her expression unreadable to Bae Joo Hyun as she turned to leave and walked towards the elevator.
Bae Joo Hyun remained standing in place, watching Lin Xiuyuan’s car slowly drive out of the parking lot until its taillights completely disappeared at the exit. Only then did she let out a gentle sigh.
After the elevator doors closed, Bae Joo Hyun finally came to her senses. She gathered her thoughts, carried the late-night snacks, and passed through the parking lot via another exit.
She walked through the building behind them, along the familiar stairs, and quietly returned to the dormitory temporarily prepared by the company for trainees like them.
As soon as she entered, the warm yellow lighting in the dormitory cast a soft glow on the wooden floor, filling the air with a gentle warmth and a faint scent of wood.
“You’re back? Why did it take so long?”
In the living room, Son Seung Wan, who was watching a drama with a cushion, jumped up as soon as she heard the movement and ran over cheerfully to greet her.
“Yeah, I just ran into Senior Kim Tae Yeon and… Senior Sulli downstairs.”
Bae Joo Hyun’s tone was still a bit dazed, and her movements with the late-night snack bag were half a beat slower.
“Wow, really? How were they?” Son Seung Wan’s eyes instantly lit up, her face full of surprise.
“Th-they were all good…” Bae Joo Hyun said, placing the late-night snacks on the coffee table.
Then, as if remembering something, she carefully took out the delicate small bag from her embrace, her expression inexplicably serious.
“What’s that?” Son Seung Wan leaned closer, her eyes immediately drawn to it.
“A… gift from a senior,” Bae Joo Hyun said softly, still finding it hard to believe herself, “He said he promised to give it to me before, and he actually gave it to me today.”
“Amazing! Could it be that he likes you? That’s so magical…”
Son Seung Wan, as if discovering a treasure, leaned even closer in excitement, “Quick, let’s see, open it and take a look.”
Bae Joo Hyun nodded and carefully opened the small bag.
Inside, there was no gift box or accessories as she had imagined, but rather a semi-transparent kraft paper envelope containing a card.
She gently pulled the card out of the envelope.
The next second, Son Seung Wan exclaimed, “Wow!”
“This is so beautiful?!” She patted Bae Joo Hyun’s arm, her eyes wide as she looked at the card, “Unnie~ is this you? This drawing looks so much like you.”
It was a finely detailed, artistic pencil sketch.
The girl in the drawing wore an exquisite hair accessory, a well-tailored gown and short skirt, standing under a spotlight, tilting her head slightly. Her expression revealed confidence and composure, as if she were standing center stage, the focal point of everyone’s attention.
This was her on stage, the future Bae Joo Hyun standing in the center of the stage.
Bae Joo Hyun stared at the drawing, as if her soul had been profoundly touched at some moment, and she fell into silence.
“Who drew this, unnie? The senior who gave you the gift?”
Son Seung Wan asked softly, her voice full of envy, “They can actually draw, and draw so well…”
Bae Joo Hyun didn’t respond immediately, her fingertip gently caressing the edge of the card, her movements soft and focused.
In the bottom right corner of the drawing, there was a line of scrawled but elegant Korean handwriting: To my future self, when you stand there, you will be even more dazzling than you imagine.
The moment she saw this line, Lin Xiuyuan’s smiling words from before he left suddenly flashed in her mind, as if clearly echoing in her ears again.
“By the way, Bae Joo Hyun. If a stranger suddenly approaches you to talk, given your personality and situation, how would you say your first sentence to attract your attention?”
Why would that senior ask such a question?
And why would he give her such a… uniquely special gift?
Could it really be that he likes her, as Seung Wan said?
“Hey, Joo Hyun, why aren’t you talking?”
Son Seung Wan leaned over and nudged her, “Let’s sit down and talk. There’s late-night snack too, eat up.”
“Oh… uh…” Bae Joo Hyun came to her senses but found she had no appetite at all.
She then forced herself to pick up a piece of rice cake and put it in her mouth, but couldn’t even taste it.
Her gaze quickly fell back to the card. She stared down at the sketch, her heart seeming to be gently nudged, a warm current surging, creating subtle ripples.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t met seniors who could talk and take care of others.
But someone so meticulous and thoughtful… this was truly the first time.
Beside her, Son Seung Wan ate and looked at the drawing, muttering again, “This senior is too good at this, unnie. Is he trying to date you?”
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Bae Joo Hyun was startled and glared at her, quickly lowering her voice, “Keep it down…”
However, when she thought of the senior figures who had successively appeared around Lin Xiuyuan, Bae Joo Hyun felt a little more uneasy.
She… she wouldn’t dare to overthink it.
Even so, this gift, and that scrawled yet confident message, were like a silent seed, quietly planted in her heart.
She thought she would remember this card.
For a very, very long time.
……
On the other side, Lin Xiuyuan was driving towards Jung Soo Yeon’s apartment. Sulli in the front passenger seat was staring at him, her tone carrying a hint of teasing.
“Oppa, what did you just give that future visual goddess of the company?”
Sulli knew about Bae Joo Hyun’s future in broad strokes from short videos, so she smiled and playfully remarked, “Using future information to charm girls from the past like this is a bit too unfair, isn’t it?”
In response to Sulli’s question, Lin Xiuyuan smiled and reiterated his previously stated sexual preference, “I don’t intend to charm her. I don’t like girls with that kind of 50/50 build. Girls with slender waists, long legs, and big chests are my favorites.”
Upon hearing this, Sulli glanced discreetly at herself and then let out a snicker, “So, like Goo Ri unnie, who traveled to the Maldives with you?”
“Hyo Min would also work,” Lin Xiuyuan said with a faint smile.
“Hey, oppa, you’re such a wifey-type lover. It’s fine to just say it, but don’t ruin someone’s marriage,” Sulli said, startled, and immediately corrected him earnestly.
“Where is your mind going?” Lin Xiuyuan chuckled helplessly, “I’m talking about Hyo Min in 2013. She wasn’t married yet, right?”
Facing this answer, Sulli pursed her lips and smiled, changing her approach, “So if you can’t eat the ripe fruit, you’ll pick the unripe ones to taste, oppa?”
“Hiss, that’s a sharp remark, Sulli.”
“Hmph~”
The two chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at Jung Soo Yeon’s apartment.
Entering the building, going upstairs, unlocking the door – it was all done smoothly, without any special incidents.
Upon entering the living room, Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the interior decoration style and quickly averted his gaze.
Having become accustomed to the avant-garde and fashionable styles of 2025, the aesthetics of 2013 indeed seemed somewhat outdated in comparison.
Next, Lin Xiuyuan casually led Sulli to a door, gripped the doorknob, and gently pushed it open.
Beyond the door, the villa living room came into view – it was the villa from 2025.
“Done.”
With these words, Lin Xiuyuan, with Sulli in tow, walked into the villa, then closed and reopened the room door, and the 2013 apartment appeared.
Closing and reopening it again, the scene inside returned to Jung Soo Yeon’s apartment.
Returning to this side, Lin Xiuyuan looked at Sulli, “Mission accomplished.”
“Even though I’ve seen it before, it still feels so magical every time,”
Sulli gazed at the door and exclaimed, “It’s even more shocking than when you took me directly to the 2025 villa… How is this even possible?”
“I also find it magical,” Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, “But if you ask me about the principles, I can only say, I don’t know.”
As he spoke, he placed a hand on Sulli’s soft head and ruffled her hair, “Alright, thinking too much about things you can’t figure out is pointless. While we still have time, let’s set up Lin Xiaolu’s apartment too. We’ll get some late-night snacks later, and then I need to go back to the Maldives to rest.”
Back in the car, Sulli was still replaying the memory of the door that crossed time and space.
She leaned back in the front passenger seat, tilting her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan, “Seriously, oppa, every time you travel back and forth, I feel like I’m dreaming.”
“Are you hinting that you don’t want to pay for the late-night snacks later?” Lin Xiuyuan teased as he started the engine.
Sulli chuckled, “Ah, oppa~ I’ll treat, I’ve earned money.”
Amidst their conversation, the car started and drove onto the streets of Cheongdam at night.
This time, the destination was Lin Xiaolu’s apartment.
The process was the same as before: locate, confirm, activate – everything was so familiar.
Lin Xiuyuan even casually took a bottle of water from the apartment’s refrigerator to drink. The entire process took less than two minutes, yet it left Sulli staring in a daze once again.
“What we’re doing right now… feels more like being a protagonist than those sci-fi drama characters, oppa~”
“Then don’t spoil our future plot later.”
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t turn back, just said casually, then smiled and patted the door, “Alright, this side is set up too.”
He then reached out and patted her head again, “Let’s go, let’s go eat late-night snacks.”
Half an hour later, at a barbecue restaurant near Cheongdam-dong that stayed open until the early morning.
The charcoal fire sizzled, and smoke mingled with the aroma of meat in the air.
Sulli skillfully flipped the pork belly on the grill pan, and handed a piece to Lin Xiuyuan, “Be careful, oppa~”
Then she looked at Lin Xiuyuan opposite her with amusement, “It’s strange, oppa, you’re not like you can’t cook, why can’t you learn to barbecue, it’s very simple.”
Sulli explained how to barbecue as she spoke.
However, Lin Xiuyuan was only focused on eating and completely ignored her teaching, “…Mmm~ this barbecue is quite delicious.”
Sulli shook her head helplessly watching him eat, then laughed again, “Of course, I’m always right when it comes to picking late-night snack places.”
Lin Xiuyuan raised his coke cup and gently clinked it with hers, smiling, “Then I really must give you credit.”
The two lightly clinked their cups, the atmosphere relaxed and intimate.
After Sulli took a sip of her beverage, she leaned back in her chair, blinked, and as if suddenly remembering something, leaned closer to Lin Xiuyuan.
“By the way, oppa, the script I wrote, the company’s reaction recently has been very good.”
Sulli’s voice lowered slightly, but her excitement was undeniable.
“Oh?” Lin Xiuyuan looked up at her, “The ‘Weightlifting Fairy’ one, right? Wasn’t it already approved by the TV station, so your company’s reaction shouldn’t be needed anymore.”
“Mm, that’s the one.”
Sulli nodded, her eyes shining, “But now the company knows my identity as a screenwriter. When I go back to the company recently, many people call me Writer Choi instead of Sulli.”
Seeing Sulli’s joyful expression, Lin Xiuyuan smiled warmly and asked, “Then which title do you like, Sulli?”
“I like both, they are both me,” Sulli pursed her lips and smiled.
She continued, “By the way, for the female lead, Krystal has been confirmed, and the contract has been signed.”
This made Lin Xiuyuan think of Lin Xiaolu, “Haha, compared to your side, Lin Xiaolu’s side is really a bit slow. You’re almost catching up to their progress.”
“It’s different, oppa. Yoona unnie’s drama involves all sorts of real-life filming and going abroad. Mine is very niche.”
Hearing Lin Xiuyuan’s answer, Sulli quickly explained about Lin Xiaolu.
“I know, I was just saying.” Lin Xiuyuan nodded.
Across from him, Sulli glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, then continued to smile and shake her beverage can, “Honestly, oppa, this change is really magical. Even the representative of the entertainment department, whom I hadn’t met much before, personally came to talk to me about the direction of the next project.”
“It’s simply that they saw your potential… pfft, more like the size of the cash cow.” Lin Xiuyuan quipped.
“I know, but at least it shows me some respect.”
Sulli’s understated reply made Lin Xiuyuan look up and gaze at her deeply. She quickly smiled, “It’s okay, oppa, I’m just feeling a bit emotional.”
“Let’s eat barbecue.”
“Okay~”
Eagerly, the two continued to eat and chat, until the night deepened and a light rain began to fall outside the window. Only then did they slowly leave the restaurant.
After returning to the apartment, Lin Xiuyuan didn’t rush back to 2025.
Instead, he sat in the living room chatting with Sulli for a while longer, then slowly got up, bid her farewell in front of the Time-Space Door, and headed to the Maldives in 2025.
…
With a click of the door closing, Lin Xiuyuan once again stood in the living room of the beach villa on Vila Island.
The white tiles still retained the damp aura of the day, and the sound of waves in the distance rhythmically lapped against the shore, as if everything was still peaceful.
However, the smell of barbecue clinging to Lin Xiuyuan was particularly noticeable at this moment.
“Tsk.”
Lin Xiuyuan frowned, sniffed himself, then simply took off his top and headed straight for the bathroom.
Hot water sprayed down, and steam slowly rose into the air.
Lin Xiuyuan closed his eyes, letting the warm water flow over his body, as if even the fatigue from the continuous string of events that night began to be washed away bit by bit.
He lowered his head to wash his hair, water droplets sliding down his temples and neckline, outlining his muscles in the lighting, gleaming faintly.
Suddenly, a very light sound of footsteps quietly approached.
Before he could turn around, a pair of warm and moist arms gently wrapped around his waist from behind, carrying a hint of moisture and body heat, clinging very tightly.
“Whoa…”
Lin Xiuyuan’s eyes snapped open, startled, he almost slipped, and quickly leaned a hand against the tiled wall as he turned to look behind him, “You scared me.”
The person was none other than Lee Ji-eun, who had been asleep earlier.
She was wearing a soft, long t-shirt, clearly having just gotten out of bed, her hair still a bit messy, standing barefoot on the tiled floor, her eyes still carrying the sleepiness from just waking up.
At this moment, she was standing behind Lin Xiuyuan, her face pressed against his shoulder blade, her warm breath on his wet skin, carrying a hint of playful laziness and affection.
“Why are you awake?” Lin Xiuyuan was somewhat amused and exasperated.
“The bed was too empty, I couldn’t sleep,” Lee Ji-eun’s voice was a little hoarse, as if she had just woken from a dream, or as if she was deliberately softening her whisper.
Lin Xiuyuan turned his head to look at her appearance, but as soon as he moved, she quietly bit him on the back, gently, but it sent a jolt like electricity through him.
“Then how did you sleep before without me?”
“Before was before,” Lee Ji-eun replied without hesitation, “Now is now.”
Then she hugged Lin Xiuyuan even tighter, her fingertips tracing the muscles of his abdomen, as if casually sketching, or as if confirming his presence.
Lin Xiuyuan laughed speechlessly, and just as he was about to turn, Lee Ji-eun raised her hand, pulled out a bath towel from the nearby rack, directly went to his side, and said casually, “Don’t move, I’ll wash you.”
“No way, what kind of treatment is this?” Lin Xiuyuan asked with a hint of teasing.
“If you like it, I can do it every day.”
Lee Ji-eun looked up at him with a charming gaze, then began to seriously scrub the foam from his shoulders, her knuckles gentle yet firm.
Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, closed his eyes, and let her hands slowly move over his body.
Whether it was the comfortable water temperature or the sense of security brought by their closeness, for a moment, he felt a rare sense of relaxation.
Lee Ji-eun scrubbed from Lin Xiuyuan’s shoulders to his back, then slowly down along his waistline, the pressure of her knuckles faint, as if intentional, yet as if unintentional, more enticing than direct provocation.
“Did you used to wash others like this too?” he suddenly asked.
“No, this is the first time.”
“Then you’re too skilled.”
“So, do you want to focus on showering, or on talking?”
“…I can’t win against you.”
The sound of water continued, the lighting was dim, and the atmosphere became more amorous. The wet tiles reflected two blurred figures, pressed close, with almost no space between them.
Lin Xiuyuan braced himself with one hand on the wall, and with the other, he pulled her into the water.
“Since it’s like this, let’s shower together then.”
Lee Ji-eun didn’t answer, but looked up at him, water droplets falling from her chin, landing between their overlapping chests.
The answer was a slow and firm kiss.
As usual, I’ll post another 3000-character chapter later. You can wait until tomorrow to read it. This chapter took me from morning until now. I’m truly a slow writer!!!!
