Chapter 200: Lin Xiuyuan Turns Into “food”
Just as Lin Xiuyuan was called out at the villa, Jessica, who had previously set up Kim Tae Yeon, also returned to her apartment.
Then she walked into the bedroom, changed into a set of comfortable home clothes, and slowly returned to the living room, sitting down on the sofa.
As her body sank into the sofa, her thoughts fell into a deep silence.
Her gaze was unfocused, as if her body and mind had merged with this quiet space, her spirit scattered, recalling all sorts of things.
What she was recalling in her mind at this moment was everything that had happened today.
From picking them up at the airport in the early morning, to seeing Lee Ji-eun’s astonishing transformation, then inadvertently encountering the scene of Lin Xiuyuan and that mysterious girl during lunch, and the impulse she felt later when she followed and blocked Lin Xiuyuan at his doorway.
All of this, in this short span of half a day, had already been replayed countless times in Jessica’s mind.
Every detail, every moment, was like a continuously replaying movie in her mind.
But every time the scene focused on the mysterious woman wearing a mask, an involuntary chill would run down Jessica’s spine, like a cold current shooting up from the base of her spine to the back of her head, piercing every inch of her skin and reaching the depths of her soul.
In this sweltering heat of the nearly dog days of summer, the chill was exceptionally strong, as if a cold wind of midwinter had struck, causing her to shiver involuntarily.
Since returning home in the afternoon, Jessica had been immersed in these thoughts until the evening, when the lights outside gradually lit up.
Although night gradually enveloped the entire city, her thoughts remained fixated on the mysterious masked girl, unable to extricate herself.
Finally, unable to suppress her inner doubts, Jessica picked up her phone and dialed Krystal’s number again.
After the call connected, she asked directly, “Krystal, do you also know who that member is who went out with Lin Xiuyuan today?”
Surprised by Jessica’s directness, Krystal was silent for a moment, then said with a hint of hesitation in her voice, “I know, but I can’t tell you. Members have a confidentiality agreement.”
“If you don’t say, and I don’t say, who will know you told me, Jung Soo-jung~” Jessica retorted through gritted teeth, already somewhat obsessed.
“Jessica, this is a matter of principle.”
Krystal actually knew very well Jessica’s emotional state on the other end of the phone – nothing more than anxiety, anger, and confusion.
But she couldn’t say it, after all, it wasn’t just her own affair, but that of two time-spaces and many people.
Upon hearing this, Jessica’s heart tightened, and she didn’t press further.
Furthermore, Krystal’s refusal didn’t make Jessica give up; instead, it made her thoughts more active, and doubts swirled in her mind.
After thinking for a while, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and a bold guess arose in her heart, which she eagerly asked the other party:
“Wait a minute, Lin Xiuyuan said before that I knew the other person, and Tae Yeon also knows the other person. Now your reaction also tells me that you, YoonA, Ji-yeon, and the others all know the other person. This means this person must be someone in our circle, or even someone very familiar, or someone right beside us. Is that why you’re afraid to tell me? Right?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the silence on the other end of the phone became heavier, and Krystal’s hesitation became more apparent.
Jessica’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. She could almost hear every tiny breath on the other end of the phone, feeling as if she were on the verge of the truth.
However, Krystal didn’t answer, only remaining silent for a moment, as if hesitating whether to say something.
The other party’s silence also made Jessica realize that her guess had almost been verified; she knew she hadn’t guessed wrong.
But…
She didn’t have any young close friends around, and her social circle spanned across herself, Kim Tae Yeon, Lin Xiuyuan, and the Big Dragon Cub group.
Before this phone call, there were a few uncertain potential suspects in her mind, but she couldn’t confirm them.
Now, with more information, the scope had narrowed.
But in the end, it became even more difficult to know where to start, and she didn’t even have a clear suspect.
Finally, she sighed, her voice laced with a hint of helplessness, “Okay, if you don’t want to say it, then don’t. Forget it.”
Upon hearing her response, Krystal’s tone softened, and she seemed to want to comfort her, “Jessica, figuring out these things is not as simple as you think, so don’t rush. Time will give you the answer later.”
“Jung Soo-jung, when did you become a fortune teller?” Jessica retorted with a direct jab.
Although Krystal’s comfort eased her slightly, she still felt unwilling, but she forced herself to put aside the mystery of the masked girl and asked another question, “Then I won’t ask about her identity. Let me ask about your situation.”
“Me? What situation do I have?” Krystal’s tone carried a hint of confusion.
“What did you, Ji-yeon, and Ji-eun do? Don’t tell me it was medical aesthetics and skincare. It was fine to fool me before, but don’t be perfunctory now.”
Hearing Jessica’s words, Krystal finally laughed. Her silly older sister had finally gotten to the point. She was a bit slow, but not beyond saving.
Thinking this, Krystal let out a faint smile, “Unnie, if you weren’t so slow, you should have noticed some connection, right?”
“Lin Xiuyuan.”
Jessica coldly uttered the name that had frequently appeared in her mind recently.
Every time she said it, her heart was filled with suppressed emotions, and it was a series of troublesome matters that made her blood pressure rise.
“So, Unnie, asking me is useless. You should ask Xiu Yuan directly, or observe him more.”
After saying this, Krystal’s tone abruptly shifted, and she said disdainfully, “But don’t bother him, Unnie. If you don’t get what you want and mess things up, I really won’t be able to help you then.”
“Get what? Get what thing,” Jessica caught the key point.
“Ah, I didn’t say anything. Unnie, you misheard.”
Krystal secretly suppressed a laugh, denied it, and continued, “Okay, Unnie, I have work to do, so I won’t chat with you randomly. Let’s talk next time.”
Jessica was silent for a moment, then finally nodded, “Okay, you’re busy.”
“Mm.”
After the call ended, Jessica put down her phone, and her whole being was once again immersed in the echoes of the conversation.
Her mind was filled with various pieces of information, but she still couldn’t find clear clues.
The lighting in the apartment was dim, with a few secondary lights casting a faint glow, accompanying Jessica as she sank into deep thought and solitude.
…
…
On the other side.
Lin Xiuyuan, who had been “attacked” by Kim Tae Yeon and Jung Soo Yeon earlier, was finally rescued by Sweet Eun-jung and managed to escape their “siege,” slipping back into his 2013 apartment.
As soon as he returned to the apartment, Lin Xiuyuan threw himself onto the sofa and let out a huge groan, his head aching terribly, “Ah, it’s over, it’s over. I can’t be discovered. If I’m discovered, my kidneys are going to be gone.”
Lin Xiuyuan liked the concept of Cao Pi, but he wouldn’t like it if Cao Pi became a delicacy.
His head was feeling fuzzy, and unable to think of a good solution, Lin Xiuyuan had no choice but to call his little helper back. He took out his phone and called Sulli.
A few seconds later, the call connected, and Sulli’s familiar voice came through, “Hello~ oppa.”
“Sulli, where are you?” Lin Xiuyuan asked.
“I’m back downstairs. I just went grocery shopping. When did you get back?”
Sulli, standing downstairs in the elevator hall, narrowed her beautiful eyes. She was very happy to receive Lin Xiuyuan’s call because they hadn’t eaten together in a while.
Knowing that Sulli was downstairs, Lin Xiuyuan didn’t say much, “Then let’s talk when you get home. I’ll be waiting for you at home.”
I’ll be waiting for you at home.
These words made Sulli’s eyes light up again and again, and a long-lost sense of warmth surged in her heart.
This was a feeling she had longed for but never truly possessed.
So when the elevator door opened, her steps became lighter as she walked in.
Soon, Sulli returned to the apartment and, upon opening the door, saw Lin Xiuyuan sitting on the sofa. She then changed her shoes and ran over, “Oppa~ When did you get here? I thought you might not be eating dinner tonight.”
Lin Xiuyuan stood up, smiling, and took the shopping bag from her hand, “Then why did you buy so many groceries?”
“Just in case. If you came, I could quickly stir-fry a couple of side dishes for you.”
Handing the bag to Lin Xiuyuan, Sulli felt a strong “home” aroma and her smile became even more brilliant.
Then, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly said, “But it’s good that you bought so many groceries. Let’s go cook at the villa. It’s a good opportunity for a small gathering. If Ji-yeon and the others hadn’t gone to Japan, I would have invited them too.”
“A small gathering? Who will be there?” Sulli asked curiously.
“Everyone is there, and Soo Yeon is also here,” Lin Xiuyuan replied.
“Soo Yeon unnie? From 25 years ago?”
Sulli blinked, clearly not processing it.
“Silly, the one from 25 years ago is Jessica.”
Having said that, Lin Xiuyuan had already brought Sulli to the Time-Space Door, opened it, and with a stride, brought her to the villa.
The moment the two appeared in the 2025 villa, when Sweet Eun-jung saw Sulli, who had died in the 2025 time-space, again, the shock was so intense that she could barely speak.
Standing there, her gaze was fixed on Sulli’s face, as if that familiar yet unfamiliar face was an insurmountable barrier.
After a stunned moment, Sweet Eun-jung slowly came back to her senses, then walked forward and, under Sulli’s gaze, gently hugged her.
Similarly, Sweet Eun-jung’s inner feelings were extremely complex at this moment.
Originally, her perception of parallel time-spaces had always been vague and abstract, even though Lin Xiuyuan and Ham Eun-jung’s encounter that night had given her a great shock.
And there hadn’t been many real feedback experiences; the feeling at that time was more like a dream, lacking a true sense of reality.
It wasn’t until this moment, seeing the living Sulli before her, that Sweet Eun-jung suddenly felt a deep touch.
Her touch, her aura, her warmth…
All of this made Sweet Eun-jung feel an unprecedented shock.
Then, the lost memories in her mind began to emerge, like fragments of an old movie, appearing clearly one by one.
Lost loved ones, past events, all seemed to be reawakened at this moment.
Effortlessly calming the turmoil within her, Sweet Eun-jung shifted her gaze from Sulli’s face and slowly turned towards the dishes in Lin Xiuyuan’s hands.
Then she smiled slightly and said softly, “Speak of the devil, the dishes for tonight are finally sorted.”
Lin Xiuyuan also smiled relaxedly and then explained, “Sulli is the person I asked for help, and I can help too.”
But unfortunately, after using Sweet Eun-jung as a shield, he was sold out by her as soon as he turned around.
“No need for Xiu Yuan’s help, Sulli and I can do it. The kitchen doesn’t need men. You go chat with Tae Yeon and the others, they’re waiting for you.”
Having said that, Sweet Eun-jung happily took Sulli’s small hand and walked towards the kitchen, where she had many things to talk to Sulli about.
For example, the Big Dragon Cub’s longing for her, the memories of their past activities together, and her wish for Sulli to have a better life.
Lin Xiuyuan, however, was unaware of this. As he turned around, he met the sharp gazes of Kim Tae Yeon and Jung Soo Yeon once more.
Those gazes pierced him like sharp knives, making him unconsciously nervous, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
He couldn’t help but chuckle, trying to ease the atmosphere, “Um, why aren’t you guys looking at your phones? Watch some videos.”
However, facing Lin Xiuyuan’s relaxed tone, Kim Tae Yeon and Jung Soo Yeon still didn’t avert their gaze. Their eyes were fixed on him like searchlights, not letting up, until he was almost creeped out by their stare, and then they finally reacted and slowly looked away.
They didn’t ask any further questions, nor did they want to deal with him.
Just then, Lin Yoo Na, who was watering flowers and watching the show outside the yard, quickly smiled and waved at Lin Xiuyuan.
Lin Xiuyuan also hurried out, then took the hose from Lin Yoo Na and asked, “What’s going on? I thought those two were going to keep asking. I almost soaked my clothes with sweat.”
“You have to ask Eun-jung unnie about that. Fortunately, you called Eun-jung unnie! Otherwise, you would have been driven mad by Tae Yeon unnie and the others.”
Lin Yoo Na’s words puzzled Lin Xiuyuan, “What’s wrong?”
Lin Yoo Na smiled and explained, “The situation is like this…”
…
…
“Oh, I see. So you were interrogating Xiu Yuan just now.”
As Sweet Eun-jung said this with a smile, Jung Soo Yeon and Kim Tae Yeon also replied.
“This isn’t an interrogation.”
“Exactly, this is called communication.”
After hearing their answers, Sweet Eun-jung smiled again and said, “So what is it you want to know? For example, why Yoo Na’s face is getting prettier and prettier, right?”
As soon as Sweet Eun-jung finished speaking, Lin Yoo Na, standing beside her, instantly felt the same embarrassment as Lin Xiuyuan when he was stared at by those sharp gazes.
She couldn’t help but swallow and smiled nervously at Kim Tae Yeon and Jung Soo Yeon, “Unnie, this is really not a member benefit. I think you’d better not ask. If you ask, I’m worried you won’t be able to accept it.”
Facing Lin Yoo Na’s answer, Jung Soo Yeon was silent for a moment, but Kim Tae Yeon appeared exceptionally relaxed and said with a smile, “What is there that I can’t accept?? Yoo Na, tell me quickly.”
Having experienced so many partings in life and death, compared to these things, Kim Tae Yeon truly didn’t think there was anything she couldn’t accept.
As Kim Tae Yeon spoke, what Lin Yoo Na had just said was shoved back down her throat.
She wanted to speak, to babble, but didn’t know how to express it.
Just then, Sweet Eun-jung interjected with a light laugh, “Yoo Na, what’s there to hide? It’s just a matter of personal choice. Just say it directly and let Tae Yeon and the others decide for themselves. After all, the initiative is in your own hands.”
“What? Eun-jung, you know too?”
Kim Tae Yeon’s eyes widened in surprise, her gaze involuntarily shifting to Sweet Eun-jung.
Jung Soo Yeon and Lin Yoo Na were equally surprised.
“Mm, Ji-yeon and Ji-eun both succeeded in ‘eating’ successfully.”
After saying this, Sweet Eun-jung smiled and looked at Kim Tae Yeon and Jung Soo Yeon, “Actually, the situation is very simple. Yoo Na and the others slept with Xiu Yuan, like Wu Tao did, and that’s how it happened.”
As this sentence was uttered, Jung Soo Yeon and Kim Tae Yeon’s eyes nearly widened to their limits.
Lin Yoo Na, standing beside them, lowered her head in shame and gently covered her forehead.
Although such things were not uncommon in the industry, for these words to be spoken so directly, her “young” face could hardly bear such blunt language.
“Just sleeping together can do this? What’s the principle? Superpower users?”
After a brief moment of shock, Kim Tae Yeon first thought of the TV series she watched last year, starring Han Hyo-joo, “Moving”.
Otherwise, she really couldn’t understand how such a situation could arise.
After speaking, her gaze immediately turned to Lin Yoo Na, wanting to hear an explanation from someone who had personally experienced it.
Since things had come to this, Lin Yoo Na naturally had nothing more to hide and explained some of the concepts she had discussed with Krystal earlier.
Seeing this, Lin Yoo Na had nothing left to hide. She began to explain in detail the theories of time-space factors, physique, and absorption that she had previously discussed with Krystal.
The explanation was logical and well-organized, and even Sweet Eun-jung was stunned. It was the first time she had heard such a scientific explanation.
In comparison, the explanations Lee Ji-eun had given her before seemed rather low-level.
“What a magical explanation, what an absurd situation, what…”
“If there’s a Time-Space Door and parallel dimensions, is anything more absurd, Unnie?”
When Kim Tae Yeon was momentarily speechless, Lin Yoo Na’s retort instantly silenced Jung Soo Yeon and Sweet Eun-jung, who were also about to speak.
…
…
After hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan was completely dumbfounded.
He had originally intended to trick them and buy himself some breathing room, but he never expected the situation to escalate so quickly.
His body involuntarily stiffened slightly, then he subtly turned his head, glancing at the scene in the living room.
He found that although the two on the sofa were looking at short videos with their heads down, their peripheral vision kept glancing at him, their eyes holding a strange gaze.
That gaze felt like it could devour him whole, sending a chill down his spine, as if he were “food” being stared at.
Are they crazy? What kind of looks are those!
Daily ten thousand word count finished. Late at night, I’m truly spent. I’ve been writing all night in the rain outside.
Thank you to my Godfathers for your support and votes.
Monthly tickets broke 12,000, ten thousand daily +1.
Ten thousand daily progress bar update: 58/67.
Seeking monthly tickets, subscriptions, subscriptions, rewards, and everything!
