Chapter 244: Stunned Bae Joo Hyun And That “hello”
“Oppa~ You said you weren’t interested in me, but you’ve pushed everything onto me, making me like a nanny.”
As soon as Park Ji-yeon entered the apartment, she felt as if all her strength had been drained. She casually tossed her bag onto the sofa and then plopped down on it herself.
When she said this, she pouted, her cheeks slightly puffed out, her face full of dissatisfaction.
She even deliberately shot a glare at Lin Xiuyuan’s retreating back, her eyes filled with resentment.
After drinking coffee, the group moved to the apartment. After all, it was crowded and noisy outside, and some things were not suitable to be said in public.
As for the “stalker” Park Hyomin, she had already been half-dragged away by Ham Eun-jung, whom Park Ji-yeon had summoned via text message, under the guise of going shopping and eating.
As soon as she entered the door, Park Ji-yeon couldn’t help but complain about Lin Xiuyuan, her tone carrying the wilfulness and petulance unique to young girls.
After all, the other party had just handed over her small thoughts about Lee So-hee, that is, the idea of an “assistant,” for her to handle.
Lin Xiuyuan casually placed the freshly bought bread next to the coffee table, sat down slowly on the other side of the sofa, turned his head to look at her, a teasing smile on his face, “Ji-yeon, don’t you feel a sense of accomplishment when you casually change someone’s destiny?”
After all, facing the young Ji-yeon of 2013, he didn’t dare to say words like “awesome, stimulating, or exciting,” for fear of scaring her into thinking he was a pervert. He could only choose a relatively mild way of putting it.
If it were the Big Dragon Cub, he would probably have just blurted out “flying to heaven.”
“Mmm… it is a bit interesting, I guess.” Park Ji-yeon sat up straight, her legs crossed on the sofa as she swayed, her tone still carrying some dissatisfaction, “But this will also cause a lot of trouble. Who knows what young people are thinking.”
“That’s why I need you to casually check on them.”
Lin Xiuyuan crossed his legs to the other side, his posture lazy, but his tone was righteous.
“Otherwise, why would I put them under you? This is also finding you a delivery girl. You can’t hand over all your entrepreneurship to the assistants in the company, can you? Salary is one thing, but reliability is another. You need to have your own team.”
Upon hearing this, Park Ji-yeon first glared at him fiercely, but then the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up.
She deliberately drew out her tone and chuckled, “Oppa~ You must have just made these words up, right? Although they sound very deceptive, but… I have to admit, they do sound a little reasonable. Alright, I promise.”
“How could that be? I’ve already thought of this.” Lin Xiuyuan immediately put on an innocent look, spread his hands, and said with a hint of fake seriousness, “Ji-yeon, how could you see me like that?”
“Hmph hmph hmph.” Park Ji-yeon crossed her arms, leaning back, a mischievous smile on her face like a little devil, “Oppa, ever since you slept with that old woman, your credit with me has completely gone to zero.”
After saying that, she even raised her eyebrows, her expression full of resentment.
“Hey, hey, hey, Ji-yeon, you have to be reasonable about this.”
Lin Xiuyuan immediately sat up straight, gesturing frantically, and quickly defended himself, “As for what happened with Big Ji-yeon, you were the one who ‘sold’ her out first. I refused at first, thinking it was a bad idea, but you kept persuading me…”
“Ya… Oppa~”
After her little secret was exposed, Park Ji-yeon’s face instantly turned red. Like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, she angrily pounded the sofa, her voice a mix of shyness and annoyance.
“That was just a moment of impulsiveness! How could you just go ahead and do it, with such strong execution…”
“Oh, it’s my fault?” Lin Xiuyuan exaggeratedly leaned back, feigning being hit, and laughed so hard his eyes turned into slits, “Wow, Ji-yeon, with one punch, you’ve sent me to 2025 across time and space!”
“Oppa~”
Park Ji-yeon angrily lunged at him, her hands spread as if to scratch him.
Her eyes were wide open, her demeanor fierce, but the way she looked was more like acting cute.
“Hahaha, okay, Oppa~ Ji-yeon, you two stop arguing.”
Sulli, who was walking over with two cups of water, happened to see the two of them squabbling and couldn’t help but laugh so hard she bent over, almost spilling the water.
She put down the cups, her eyes full of helplessness, “You two are truly a pair of clowns.”
Then, she lightly clapped her hands to change the subject, “By the way, Oppa~ Are you eating dinner here? If so, I’ll go down and buy some side dishes now.”
As soon as dinner was mentioned, Lin Xiuyuan’s mind suddenly flashed to Krystal’s text message that morning.
He paused for a moment, raised his hand to scratch his head, and said with some difficulty, “I’m afraid not. I have plans tonight.”
“It’s that old woman again, isn’t it? Oppa~ Tell that old woman to come over.”
As soon as Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Park Ji-yeon immediately bristled, straightened her body, and her eyes sharpened instantly.
She was like a cat with its tail stepped on, wishing she could roll up her sleeves and have another match with him.
Although she had been resting these past two days, she hadn’t wasted her free time and had even watched a lot of free combat videos.
While she wasn’t sure if she could win in a real fight, she at least knew how to dodge, which gave her more confidence.
Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn’t help but chuckle, raised his hand, and waved his phone, saying with a wicked smile, “I’ve recorded it all, Ji-yeon~”
“Record it if you want. I’m not afraid of that old woman.”
Park Ji-yeon tilted her chin up, looking dismissive, even raising her eyebrows proudly, completely unaware that she was about to dig her own grave.
Until…
“Oh, the person I’m meeting tonight is Krystal.” Lin Xiuyuan leaned back on the sofa lazily, speaking slowly, “So, is Krystal also an old woman in your words, Ji-yeon?”
The air instantly fell silent for three seconds.
After hearing Lin Xiuyuan’s answer, Park Ji-yeon’s entire face froze. Her arrogant gaze instantly turned guilty, and she hugged the cushion, shrinking her neck and muttering in a low voice, “Ah? No way, it’s Soo Jung~”
Then she forced a smile that looked worse than crying, “Ah… I, I was just saying that casually. Oppa, don’t take it too seriously.”
Then, with a roll of her eyes, she quickly tried to salvage the situation, her voice speeding up, “How can Krystal be an old woman? She… she’s clearly super cute, a beautiful woman… right, Oppa, you know I like Soo Jung the most.”
By the end, she softened her tone to a sickening sweetness, hugging the cushion tightly like a kitten and rubbing her face against it, as if it could shield her embarrassed face.
However, her appearance only made people laugh more.
As expected, Lin Xiuyuan was directly amused, his laughter uncontrollable.
He leaned back, crossed his arms, a wicked smile on his lips, his eyes full of provocation, “Oh, Jinjin, did you hear that? Ji-yeon is truly fickle. Not long ago she said she liked you the most, and now it’s Soo Jung’s turn.”
He deliberately lengthened his tone, his voice laced with schadenfreude.
“Ya… Oppa~” Park Ji-yeon’s eyes widened in panic, and she lunged at him, her hands quickly reaching out to cover his mouth, “You can’t just say that. I didn’t mean it like that.”
At this moment, her face was flushed red, her earlobes were even redder, and she was flustered like a ruffled kitten.
Hastily turning her head, she shouted to Sulli next to her, “Jinjin, I didn’t mean it like that!”
Sulli, who had been quietly observing, had been trying to hold back her laughter. But seeing Ji-yeon’s flustered, red-faced appearance, she could no longer contain herself and burst out laughing with a “Pfft~”.
She even bent over from laughing so hard, covering her mouth with her hands, her shoulders shaking, tears streaming down her face, “Ji-yeon, you’re usually so arrogant, I never thought you’d be so scared today. Hahahaha, it’s really too funny.”
“Ah, Sulli!!!”
Park Ji-yeon lunged at her, trying to snatch the water cup from her hand, but Sulli had already dodged to the side from laughing so hard, almost knocking over the cup.
Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh. He reached out and caught the cushion that Park Ji-yeon threw, shaking it, “Ji-yeon, your reaction is a bit slow. No wonder you can’t win against Big Ji-yeon. Her reactions are very fast. I can’t even escape.”
“Ah, Oppa!!!”
Park Ji-yeon clenched her fists, her small face puffed out in anger, and she glared at him through gritted teeth.
She curled up in the corner of the sofa like a cornered hamster, looking fierce but somehow still adorable.
…
…
While Lin Xiuyuan was playfully fooling around with young Ji-yeon in 2013, at another end in 2025, the Big Dragon Cub and Lee Ji-eun had already left the company.
There were no dinner parties today, just a routine company meeting.
The main content had actually been communicated beforehand, which was nothing more than adjustments to upcoming schedules and discussions about expanding the pool of new artists.
The so-called “new artist pool” focused on the domestic entertainment market in China.
However, at this meeting, Lee Ji-eun and the Big Dragon Cub had already unified their stances and their attitudes were clear.
That is: semi-retirement.
As for Sweet Eun-jung, there was even less to say.
Having transitioned to acting early on, although her acting career in the Peninsula hadn’t produced any breakout hits, she lived a stable and comfortable life with continuous acting offers.
Only Park Hyomin’s attitude was surprisingly serious. Not only did she agree to all the arrangements, but she also signed short-term cooperation contracts with several studios in mainland China on the spot.
It seemed like she was testing the waters before considering more long-term plans.
As they walked out of the company building, the meeting atmosphere had dissipated.
But the Big Dragon Cub couldn’t help but secretly glance at Park Hyomin, her heart tightening slightly, her brow furrowed, with a hint of worry in her tone, “Unnie… your current state, why does it feel even more exaggerated than when I first started? Are you really okay? If there’s any problem, you can tell us.”
Beside her, Lee Ji-eun was also looking at her seriously. Although she didn’t say anything, the worry in her eyes conveyed everything.
Being stared at by the two of them, Park Hyomin instead showed a hearty smile, waved her hand, and replied nonchalantly.
“It’s fine, really fine. I just want to earn more money while I still have some popularity. After all, in a few more years, people might not remember us anymore.”
“Unnie, acting like this will give fans a bad impression,” the Big Dragon Cub said with a frown.
“Let’s just see. What if it doesn’t work?”
Park Hyomin lightly changed the subject, her smile unchanged, but the complexity deep in her eyes flashed quickly, unseen by anyone.
The three then parted ways in the company parking lot and got into their respective cars.
The Big Dragon Cub didn’t drive, so she took a ride back in Lee Ji-eun’s car.
Park Hyomin, on the other hand, left directly, seemingly to meet her man, or perhaps for new work.
On the way back, the atmosphere in Lee Ji-eun’s car was quiet for a while.
It wasn’t until they stopped at a red light that the Big Dragon Cub couldn’t help but speak, “Unnie… don’t you think Hyomin Unnie is acting a bit strange? Her attitude when signing those temporary contracts seems too rushed.”
Lee Ji-eun held the steering wheel, her gaze fixed ahead, her voice deepening slightly, “Yeah, I think so too. She seems to be in urgent need of money.”
“In need of money?” The Big Dragon Cub was stunned, her brow furrowing tightly, “How could Hyomin Unnie be in need of money? Her income has always been pretty good. Over the years, she’s had YouTube and some platform appearances, she’s never lacked opportunities, her income has basically never stopped… Was she deceived?”
The car fell silent again, only the ticking of the dashboard could be heard.
Lee Ji-eun was silent for a moment, then sighed softly and shook her head, “I don’t know, I really don’t know. I just feel like she’s rushing for something, in a hurry for something, like she’s being forced to do it.”
The Big Dragon Cub pursed her lips, her eyes carrying a trace of worry. She wanted to ask further, but saw that Lee Ji-eun had already proactively changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on it any longer.
“Forget it, let’s not talk about this for now. Why don’t you tell me about your situation with Xiuyuan, Ji-yeon~”
“Ah? Why did you suddenly bring him up?” The Big Dragon Cub was taken aback, then smiled helplessly.
Lee Ji-eun glanced at her with a smile in her eyes, “You told me not to disturb you two. What’s the situation? Did you two make it official? I can not call to bother you, but what about Krystal?”
The Big Dragon Cub paused, then grinned, her tone light and a little stubborn, “What to do? What else can I do? Fair competition, at worst, we’ll have a fight!”
Lee Ji-eun almost choked, let out a laugh, and shook her head looking at her. She wanted to tease her a bit, but when she met those eyes, she froze.
This was because at that moment, the Big Dragon Cub’s eyes were bright and clear, filled with naked sincerity and seriousness.
This made Lee Ji-eun’s laughter stop abruptly. She froze for two seconds and couldn’t help but look dumbfounded, “You’re not serious, are you?”
“What do you mean serious? Fighting? Of course,” the Big Dragon Cub answered with a playful smile, her tone relaxed.
“I wasn’t talking about fighting, I was talking about Xiuyuan.” Lee Ji-eun frowned slightly, her gaze becoming serious, “Are you really serious about him?”
She considered herself somewhat rational. While she didn’t see that puppy-like man as a mere plaything, she definitely didn’t intend to get too deeply involved.
But the tone of the Big Dragon Cub in front of her gave her a headache, “Ji-yeon, didn’t you just go through something? Don’t let your emotions get the better of you. It’s only been a short time. Did marriage + divorce directly bring out your romance brain?”
“Of course I’m serious,” the Big Dragon Cub blinked, her expression matter-of-fact.
But she didn’t tell Lee Ji-eun that she had already entered Lin Xiuyuan’s inner circle.
After all, even she herself took two full nights to recover from the “Time-Space Door,” and it still felt like a dream.
Such secrets could not be casually revealed.
On the other side.
The same afternoon sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, dappling the wooden floor with a warm and lazy glow.
The air was filled with a faint scent of black tea, and the entire living room was quiet and comfortable.
After Krystal finished her work at the company, instead of returning to the villa to find Lin Xiuyuan as usual, she drove directly to Jessica’s residence.
As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw Jessica curled up on the sofa, wearing a loose, light-colored home outfit, with a soft gray blanket on her lap, half-sunk into the sofa.
She held a warm cup of black tea in her hand, her expression lazy and relaxed, completely unlike an artist still busy with work.
“Jessica!”
Krystal walked in while changing her shoes, her brow slightly furrowed, “Didn’t you say your performance in China was approved? Why were you suddenly replaced? What happened?”
Jessica looked up, her gaze falling lightly on her sister, her expression not showing much emotion.
She gently stirred the liquid in her teacup, her tone as calm as if she were discussing someone else’s affairs.
“You rushed over here just to ask about that.”
Krystal pursed her lips and walked towards the edge of the sofa, her tone softening slightly, “Not entirely. I just finished my work and happened to be passing by, so I decided to stop by and ask.”
Jessica smiled faintly and then explained, “It’s probably because many artists in the Peninsula have triggered some review mechanisms recently. Although my nationality isn’t Peninsula, the people executing the orders don’t differentiate and have included me in the list. We need to re-communicate, which might take some time, but you don’t need to worry, there’s no problem.”
“How long will it take?” Krystal pressed, her brow still furrowed.
“Who knows. But it’s okay, the ‘Weibo Night’ next month has already been confirmed. It doesn’t matter if I miss a couple of performances. I’ll just take it as a break and find time to do a live broadcast and chat with fans.”
After hearing this, Krystal paused, then couldn’t help but let out a scoff. She crossed her arms, leaned against the corner of the sofa, her eyes filled with sarcasm.
“Those entertainment companies are really sick. They had opportunities and time to expand overseas, but they insisted on staying in Seoul to fight amongst themselves, killing each other. Now they realize it after T-ara rose to prominence and want to get a piece of the pie? But it’s too late.”
She shook her head, her words becoming increasingly sharp, “Later, when there was nowhere else to go, they still only knew how to fight within the Peninsula, never thinking about how to maintain their overseas fans. Now they remember to go out when they see an opportunity, but the fans are no longer the students they were back then. They’re adults, not so easily fooled. Wanting to treat them like fools is ridiculous.”
Jessica was amused by her serious rant. She took a sip of her tea, her eyes curved, a hint of teasing in her gaze.
“That’s why I’m not too worried. They can’t make much of a splash on those short video platforms. Even Tara back then couldn’t, let alone others.”
Krystal heard this and suddenly paused, her gaze falling on her sister, her expression becoming serious.
Then, she switched to Chinese, and though her accent was unpolished, her words were clear as she asked, “Jessica, what are we eating tonight?”
Jessica was slightly taken aback, then chuckled and replied in Chinese, “Not eating, I’m on a diet. You go find Lin Xiuyuan to eat.”
“Ah? Diet again? You’re not even fat,” Krystal couldn’t help but complain, though a smile played in her eyes.
“Then I’ll find another excuse, so as not to disturb your two-person world.” Jessica raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in her eyes.
“Jessica~” Krystal drew out the sound playfully, like a spoiled child.
“Dare you say you’re not? Didn’t you look for him right after you got back? I don’t believe you.” Jessica chuckled lightly.
Their brief exchange, though their spoken Chinese was still a bit stiff, had correct sentence structure and grammar, clearly indicating they had studied seriously.
Krystal, having no response to her sister’s retort, finally couldn’t help but laugh, “Alright, I did have dinner plans with him tonight, but if you want to join, it’s not impossible.”
“Forget it.” Jessica shook her head lightly, her tone crisp, “That guy probably wouldn’t even enjoy his meal if he saw me.”
There was a dismissive indifference in this statement, but her eyes darkened slightly.
She wasn’t the type of person who would force herself where she knew she wasn’t wanted.
She had now figured out Lin Xiuyuan’s attitude towards her.
Although he no longer completely ignored her as he used to, that superficial politeness and consideration were more for Krystal’s sake, or for other reasons.
It wasn’t exactly indifference, but it was certainly not warmth.
But she didn’t want any of those feelings that came from others’ condescension.
The reason she agreed to go on the trip with Krystal last time was only because she was moved by the two steaming dishes late at night.
But as time cooled down, coupled with Lin Xiuyuan’s reaction, her heart gradually grew colder.
It didn’t matter. She had experienced her life changing because of the man she chose before.
She was used to it.
Krystal wanted to retort with “No way,” but swallowed the words back before they could be spoken.
She knew her older sister’s personality and the subtle dynamics between them.
So, she could only accompany her silently, not saying anything further.
Yet, the thoughts in her heart were growing stronger.
…
…
It was evening.
Inside the villa in 2025, the air still held the warmth of the day, and the sunlight outside the window was gradually fading, leaving only a trace of golden afterglow.
Although he had intended to lie low this morning, Lin Xiuyuan couldn’t bring himself to stand Krystal up.
So, he ended up coming over. As soon as he entered the villa’s living room, he heard the buzzing vibration of a mobile phone on the table, each sound muffled against the wooden coffee table.
Lin Xiuyuan thought it was Krystal calling and instinctively walked over quickly.
But when the screen lit up, the caller was none other than: Big Dragon Cub.
This made him laugh as he answered, “Hello, Ji-yeon, what’s up?”
“Xiuyuan~ did you go… over there?” Big Dragon Cub’s voice had a hint of hesitation. She originally wanted to say “to 2013,” but swallowed the words back before they could be spoken.
“Yeah, I went for a bit,” Lin Xiuyuan leaned against the sofa, his tone light. “After all, I’ve been here too long, I had to go back and see them.”
Big Dragon Cub wanted to say more, to press for details, but ultimately realized they were on a call and it wasn’t convenient for a lengthy discussion.
So, she changed the subject, her tone a little lighter. “Okay, then let’s go out for dinner tonight, my treat.”
“Ah, I have plans with Soo Jung tonight.” Lin Xiuyuan felt a bit of a headache and then chided Big Dragon Cub, “And also, Ji-yeon. You were a little naughty last night. Leaving marks on me was one thing, but then you left your shoes in the corner. You weren’t trying to upset Soo Jung, you were pushing me into a fire pit!”
“You sound full of energy, you’re fine,” Big Dragon Cub said with a smile, pursing her lips.
She continued, “Alright then, since Soo Jung made plans with you earlier, I won’t compete with her. But come by my place later, I need to talk to you about something.”
Lin Xiuyuan’s heart stirred slightly, and he asked suspiciously, “Could it be…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t take you to see the fried chicken anymore, okay?” Big Dragon Cub hummed, with a hint of acting cute.
“Alright then.” Lin Xiuyuan chuckled and agreed.
After hanging up with Big Dragon Cub, Lin Xiuyuan was about to put his phone back on the coffee table when he saw the screen light up again.
This time, the caller was: Krystal.
Lin Xiuyuan smiled softly and answered the call again.
“Hello, Xiuyuan~ Who were you just talking to?” Krystal’s voice sounded casual, like an offhand question.
But if you listened closely, you couldn’t hide the faint trace of concern.
Lin Xiuyuan glanced at the sky outside the window and replied with a smile, “It was Ji-yeon asking about her. It’s normal to be curious after joining the cult. How about you, are you done with your work?”
“Yes, I finished a while ago.”
Krystal replied softly, and in the background, one could faintly hear the sound of a cup being set down. “I’m at Jessica’s place now, getting ready to go out. I’ll send you the address in a bit.”
As she said this, her voice became a little softer and more caring. “Don’t be late, you should head out soon too, and be careful on the road.”
“I know, I’m leaving now.” Lin Xiuyuan nodded, his voice smiling.
Not long after hanging up, his phone vibrated twice, and a restaurant location address was sent.
After confirming the address, Lin Xiuyuan grabbed his keys and drove out.
…
The restaurant in the evening had a tranquil atmosphere.
The street view outside the floor-to-ceiling window was softened by the warm yellow lighting. The wooden tables and chairs, along with the quietly flowing jazz music, created an exceptionally comfortable environment.
The moment he opened the door, Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze fell upon the seat by the window.
Krystal was already there.
Today, she was wearing a simple white shirt with the cuffs slightly rolled up, paired with a pair of clean, sharp jeans.
Her hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and the lighting on the side of her face outlined soft curves, making her look both fresh and unintentionally elegant.
Looking down at the menu, her slender fingers gently glided over the pages, as if contemplating what to order. Her serious expression softened the atmosphere around them.
Lin Xiuyuan approached and asked softly, “Been waiting long?”
Krystal, who looked up at him, smiled slightly. In that moment, the sparkle in her eyes almost outshone all the lights in the restaurant. She replied, “No, I just arrived too. Sit down quickly.”
They then ordered a few dishes, and after the server quietly confirmed and left, it was just the two of them at the dining table.
Heat and aroma filled the air, the bubbling sound of soup and the melodious background music from nearby intertwined, adding a quiet and intimate warmth to the atmosphere.
After ordering, Krystal naturally steered the conversation away from the topic of the Time-Space Door and discussed the situation they had talked about earlier at Jessica’s place.
As she spoke, her tone grew a bit dissatisfied and vexed. “Xiuyuan~ Do you think I’m right? If you don’t take care of your fans, and now you want to go back, aren’t you treating people like fools?”
Faced with Krystal’s question, Lin Xiuyuan looked at her slightly furrowed brow. He found her rare, serious, and excited demeanor amusing and also a little curious.
“Soo Jung, I rarely see you this worked up. What’s going on?”
Krystal paused, then bit her lip slightly. As if gathering courage, she spoke some words she had held in her heart for a long time.
“How should I put it? Actually, I’ve been thinking over the years, if the company had shifted its focus to China earlier and increased our workload, maybe Sulli wouldn’t have had those subsequent problems. She had too much free time back then, always overthinking, feeling empty inside, which led her to that point.”
This was the first time Krystal had brought this up in front of Lin Xiuyuan, so he was also quite shocked after listening.
However, after speaking, Krystal immediately let out a long sigh. Her gaze drifted to the night sky outside the window, her voice carrying a hint of relief and a touch of helplessness.
“But I understand, the company probably didn’t have the energy to manage us back then. Jessica’s group was at their peak, and with two major boy groups dominating, the company naturally wanted to allocate more resources to them.”
She continued, gently cutting her steak with her knife, “Compared to that, even though our fandom was very loyal, in their eyes, we were just a niche genre like the Korean entertainment novels you mentioned. People liked us, but we were never mainstream.”
“What you’re saying makes some sense, but it feels a bit strange.”
Lin Xiuyuan, sitting opposite her, smiled gently, breaking the heaviness in her tone. He then followed up, “What did your company say? I heard from Ji-yeon that their company has similar plans. As a member of Victoria, f(x) is still very popular in China, right?”
Krystal sipped from her cup and answered without hesitation.
“The company mentioned it and even talked about Amber. But I thought about it and decided against it. I don’t want to move. For me, being an actress now is just a normal job. I’ll be wherever is comfortable and convenient. I can do occasional business trips, but not to be stationed there. Just look at how tired Jessica is.”
Lin Xiuyuan watched her, gazing at her eyes which lit up slightly with her emotions. The corner of his mouth curved gently, and he didn’t interrupt her.
He just listened quietly, occasionally adding a few words to keep the conversation flowing.
The atmosphere of their dinner wasn’t passionate, but a sense of intimacy flowed naturally.
It was as if their hearts could slowly draw closer without needing to deliberately maintain anything.
As they were talking quietly, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly paused.
His gaze went past Krystal’s shoulder towards the restaurant entrance.
A familiar figure was walking in.
Bae Joo Hyun.
She was wearing a light-colored jacket and was accompanied by several companions, seemingly out for a dinner party together.
The lighting reflected on her fair face, making her momentary pause exceptionally clear.
Lin Xiuyuan averted his gaze after a quick glance, but Krystal noticed the pause in his look and tilted her head in confusion. “What’s wrong? Do you know her?”
Lin Xiuyuan smiled faintly and replied casually, “Yes, I met her in 2013.”
His tone was calm, as if he was just casually mentioning it, with no intention of going over to greet her.
However, Bae Joo Hyun, who also saw Lin Xiuyuan after sitting down, couldn’t remain as composed as he was.
In her eyes, seeing Lin Xiuyuan again had a significant impact.
The main reason was that she very clearly remembered the last time she saw Lin Xiuyuan was at another restaurant.
At that time, this young man was sitting face-to-face with her Senior Kim Tae Yeon, and the atmosphere was very ambiguous, even drawing the appearance of Tara’s Senior Lee Ji-eun.
The scene of those two women vying for attention had deeply shaken her at the time.
But she never expected that after such a short period, she would encounter him again in such a setting.
And this time, Krystal was sitting beside him.
Under the light, the two sat facing each other, their smiles showing an unspoken tacit understanding. Even their casual conversation and the ease and naturalness in their gazes suggested more than just ordinary friendship.
Bae Joo Hyun was truly shocked and couldn’t help but linger her gaze on them for longer.
However, her shock had only just begun.
Because not long after, there was another sound from the restaurant entrance, and two more familiar figures walked in.
Lin Xiuyuan, who had been chatting and laughing with Krystal over there, suddenly looked up and saw two unexpected yet incredibly familiar figures.
As he watched them walk towards him, Lin Xiuyuan was somewhat shocked and surprised.
It wasn’t until the two women reached his table that he finally spoke, “What’s going on? Sunny, why are you here?”
As soon as he spoke, Kim Tae Yeon, standing beside him, couldn’t help but gently nudge Sunny. With a hint of displeasure and a touch of teasing, she looked at Lin Xiuyuan and said,
“What are you doing? What are you doing? I’m here too, Xiuyuan~ Don’t just stare at Sunny.”
Her playful tone made everyone laugh. Then, Kim Tae Yeon gave a polite smile and nodded at Krystal, “Long time no see, Soo Jung~”
Hearing this, Krystal quickly stood up, smiling and exchanging pleasantries with them.
She then instinctively glanced around at the nearly full restaurant and naturally asked, “Unnie, would you like to sit down and eat with us? I don’t think there are any more seats.”
Sunny waved her hand, her smile bright and carefree. “Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to come in. You guys eat your meal, we just came over to say hello.”
Then, Kim Tae Yeon looked at Lin Xiuyuan. “Xiuyuan~ Remember to call me later. Don’t stand me up tomorrow for our scheduled plans, I’ll be really angry.”
“I know, I remember.”
Lin Xiuyuan replied with a smile, his voice calm.
As the two left, the dining table returned to silence.
Krystal took a sip of water, her gaze fixed on Lin Xiuyuan, and narrowed her eyes slightly. “What did you and Tae Yeon unnie schedule?”
“Her father’s situation,” Lin Xiuyuan said, taking a sip of water.
Krystal understood the issue after hearing this and didn’t ask further. She suddenly leaned forward, a hint of ambiguity in her smile, and said in a low voice, “Then it seems I can’t stay over tonight.”
Lin Xiuyuan chuckled. “It should be fine, her appointment is for tomorrow night… but it’s hard to say, the other side needs to return in the morning.”
Krystal listened, then sighed as if joking, leaning back. “Then forget it, I’ll go back and play chess with Jessica.”
“Huh? I’m a bit confused by that. You two play chess?” Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, looking incredulous.
“Her friend taught her,” Krystal smiled. “I had nothing to do, so I learned a few moves. How about… we go play later?”
Lin Xiuyuan immediately shook his head, his expression firm. “Forget it. The environment for playing chess must be in front of a repair shop or under a big tree in the park to be fun. Anywhere else just doesn’t have that feeling.”
At the dining table, Krystal rested her chin on her hand, a smile still in her eyes. She clearly found Lin Xiuyuan’s reason for refusing to “play chess” both amusing and absurd.
“Xiuyuan~ you really are…”
Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, forked a piece of steak, and said calmly, “That’s a matter of atmosphere. Just like eating this steak in a park plaza, it always feels like it’s missing a soul.”
“Your logic…” Krystal chuckled and shook her head, but didn’t argue further. She just lowered her head and gently cut her steak, her movements elegant.
Afterward, they chatted casually, from the amusing anecdotes of Jessica learning chess to recent gossip in the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Kim Tae Yeon and Sunny sat down at their dining table.
The warm light shone on them, and the atmosphere quieted down.
“Sunny, aren’t you busy? Running around like this all day.” Kim Tae Yeon asked with a smile, her tone a little helpless, but not lacking in affection.
Sunny pursed her lips and replied casually, “You know who invited me, don’t you? Is it interesting to ask me that question?”
Kim Tae Yeon looked at her quietly, her gaze deepening.
She knew it was Tiffany’s invitation, with the reason being her debut anniversary coinciding with her birthday, and everyone happened to be free to gather.
She had wanted to refuse at first, but the other party was quite persistent, so she didn’t voice her objection.
Just like she hadn’t voiced her objection back then.
“Mm.”
Kim Tae Yeon nodded, her expression somewhat complex.
However, this time, after nodding, she suddenly thought of something and asked softly, “Sunny, if I don’t go, will you?”
The air suddenly fell silent, with only the faint noise of the restaurant audible.
Sunny didn’t answer immediately. After a long pause, she seemed to be weighing her options.
Finally, she just pursed her lips and remained silent.
Kim Tae Yeon looked at her expression and seemed to have an answer in her heart. She then smiled, “Don’t think too much about it, I was just asking casually. If I had said something like that back then, it might have been a good thing.”
Sunny’s mouth fell open, and a look of shock appeared on her face, as if she was seeing the Kim Tae Yeon before her for the first time again.
Meanwhile, Bae Joo Hyun, sitting at her own dining table, felt even more conflicted than when she first entered.
She had noticed the commotion at Lin Xiuyuan and Krystal’s table some time ago.
Especially when Kim Tae Yeon and Sunny appeared and chatted with Lin Xiuyuan, her inner turmoil intensified.
She hesitated for a long time.
Reason told her not to rashly go over and disturb them.
However, as a junior from the same company, pretending not to see Krystal would be too impolite.
Furthermore, Bae Joo Hyun clearly felt that Lin Xiuyuan and Krystal had noticed her the moment she walked in.
So, when she saw Lin Xiuyuan put down his cutlery and Krystal gently place her napkin aside, she steeled herself and was about to stand up.
However, her gaze happened to meet Lin Xiuyuan’s.
Noticing this, Lin Xiuyuan’s lips curved into a slight smile, and he shook his head gently, then pressed his hand down, signaling her not to come over.
Bae Joo Hyun was slightly taken aback, then stopped her movement and sat back down.
Krystal then looked over, and the three of them briefly exchanged glances in mid-air, which finally turned into a polite and restrained smile, as if acknowledging each other.
It wasn’t until later, when Lin Xiuyuan got up to pay the bill at the counter.
With her mind blank, Bae Joo Hyun hesitated for a long time before following him.
Krystal saw this and her eyes narrowed slightly, but her expression remained calm as she watched.
Only when she confirmed they were just walking towards the counter did she slightly relax.
At the counter, Lin Xiuyuan was taking out his card to pay when he suddenly heard a soft voice, “Hello~”
He turned his head, his gaze falling on Bae Joo Hyun.
After a slight pause, he quickly smiled and nodded, responding warmly, “Hello~”
Daily Ten Thousand completed. Thank you to my Godfather supporters and votes.
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