Chapter 260: “soo Jung Ah, Do You Still Have Your Dimples?”
Early morning.
Sunlight swept across Seoul’s streets, reflecting a warm golden hue on the glass curtain walls, plating the entire city in soft light.
On the streets of Gangnam District, pedestrians hurried along, the aroma of coffee mingling with car horns to form a familiar morning rush hour symphony.
Amid this bustle, a certain beauty salon presented a different scene.
As members of the idol group Girls’ Generation, this was the starting point of their day.
As usual, they drew lots to decide the makeup order, and as usual, Kim Soft Soft unluckily drew first.
Upon entering the beauty salon, Kim Soft Soft immediately sat in her spot, first greeting the familiar makeup artist and stylist, then closing her eyes to rest in a state of feigned sleep.
The staff behind her worked in perfect tacit understanding, skillfully applying skincare, makeup, and hot oil treatment to her long hair, completing today’s styling step by step.
The entire process was quiet and smooth, with only the hum of the hair dryer and occasional low voices.
As time passed, two or three more members arrived one after another.
Her spot was arranged in the corner, not easily noticed, quiet as if isolated from the outside world, so when Lin Xiaolu came to this side, she didn’t appear right away.
It wasn’t until a slight commotion sounded at the doorway that she curiously walked out from in front of the mirror.
Originally just peeking out casually, her steps paused slightly the instant she saw Lin Xiaolu, her whole body nailed in place.
That state was too eye-catching.
Her skin was delicate as if water could be pinched from it, her eyes bright like stars, her whole person as if brushed by spring breeze, even the surrounding air sweetened a bit.
Jung Soo Yeon couldn’t help narrowing her eyes, slowing her steps as if giving herself time to digest.
Reason told her not to ask too much or overthink, but her emotions surged uncontrollably.
Soon, reaching Lin Xiaolu’s side, Jung Soo Yeon’s gaze was like a hook, scanning her from head to toe.
That bright smiling face, the faint red marks at the collarbone, and the subtle sheen at the lip corners…
Thus, the conversation above occurred.
After hearing Lin Xiaolu’s answer, Jung Soo Yeon was momentarily stunned, feeling even more unsettled inside.
She knew she shouldn’t press further, yet she couldn’t help staring at Lin Xiaolu for two seconds, trying to find a flaw in her eyes.
But Lin Xiaolu smiled brightly and innocently, impossible to pick fault with; this openness only stirred more turmoil.
The atmosphere between them hung delicately in the air, as if sparks could fly at any moment.
Just then, a soft “ah” came from the other side of the makeup room, breaking the standoff.
Immediately after, Kim Soft Soft’s head poked out, her face full of gleeful mischief, her voice laced with clear teasing, “Wow, Yoona, what’s up with you today? Did you eat something skin-boosting last night?”
She crossed her arms leaning on the doorframe, a smile tugging at her lips, her eyes full of unconcealed schadenfreude.
That smile carried a hint of slyness, as if saying: plan succeeded.
After taking a couple steps, she simply came to Sunny’s side, pretending casually to mutter some daily chatter with her, while her eyes never left the two over there.
Watching Jung Soo Yeon stare at Lin Xiaolu, and Lin Xiaolu smiling back with that “I’m so happy” expression, her smile almost couldn’t be hidden.
: Ah, ah, this scene is just like an idol drama’s love triangle.
Kim Soft Soft, unable to help snickering inwardly, even subconsciously held up her phone to gauge the angle, as if wanting to etch this scene in her mind to savor later.
Jung Soo Yeon noticed Kim Soft Soft’s action and couldn’t help glaring at her, as if warning her not to stir trouble.
But Kim Soft Soft turned her head and winked at her, her expression infuriatingly smug, practically telling her: Soo Yeon, I know what happened.
After several rounds of eye contact, the tension in the room eased slightly.
Sunny and Kwon Yuri became mere bystanders again, completely unable to grasp the eye acting and subtle gestures among the three, unable to guess or figure it out.
Soon, with Tiffany and Choi Soo Young and others arriving one after another, the atmosphere gradually returned to normal.
But Lin Xiaolu was still surrounded in the middle, continuously receiving everyone’s envy and exclamations.
Luckily, though Lin Xiaolu’s vitality had improved, her facial features hadn’t changed much, still the same energetic young girl, just with fuller vitality and a radiant glow.
There was no sudden overnight visual impact like in 2025.
Just the glow from vitality, and that filter-like buff.
Making people unable to help looking a few more times, and wondering: what exactly happened last night?
A few minutes later.
Back at her seat, Kim Soft Soft pulled out her phone again.
Kim Soft Soft: 【Plan phase one complete, phase two begins.】
Ham Eun-jung: 【Do we really have to do this? I feel like we’ll be hoist with our own petard later, Taeyeon.】
Kim Soft Soft: 【Tony Stark said it right: just do it first.】
Ham Eun-jung: 【It’s Stark.】
Kim Soft Soft: 【It’s Stark.】
……
……
Meanwhile, on the other side.
In Lin Xiaolu’s apartment, the curtains half-drawn, sunlight filtering in to cast a warm band of light on the bedding.
After the other left, Lin Xiuyuan lying on the bed closed his eyes for another long nap, sleeping straight through to noon.
Until the phone ringtone sounded, he groggily rolled over and reached for the phone on the bedside.
Checking the phone, it wasn’t anyone else but Sulli, who almost ruined his good time with Lin Xiaolu last night.
He couldn’t help laughing, answering with a husky sleepy voice, “Hello~ Jinjin, what’s up?”
“oppa~”
Sulli’s distinctive sweet tone came from the phone, the end drawn out long, clearly in a great mood, “You still sleeping? Not awake yet?”
While speaking, Sulli exchanged a meaningful glance with Jung Soo Jung beside her, her lips curving up, “This call… didn’t disturb your rest, did it?”
Lin Xiuyuan, tricked many times before, instinctively glanced at the empty pillow beside him, then chuckled, “Don’t try to scam me, just say what it is, you’ve called, what rest?”
“Hee hee~” Sulli laughed out loud, revealing a row of small white teeth, “No beating around the bush then, oppa, if you’re free at noon, how about…”
She deliberately drew out the end, “Treat me to a meal?”
As soon as she spoke, Jung Soo Jung beside her anxiously poked her waist repeatedly, urging her to finish.
Sulli calmly pressed down her arm, winking at her with an expression saying: calm down, Soo Jung, calm down.
Sure enough, the next second, Lin Xiuyuan’s voice came from the phone to Jung Soo Jung’s ear, “Come on, is it treating you or treating you both, I know, nothing but Jung Soo Jung gossiping, right, Jinjin.”
At those words, Jung Soo Jung, who had been play-fighting with Sulli, flushed red instantly, her earlier movements stopping, fingers frozen mid-air.
Sulli, who had anticipated this, laughed uncontrollably, quickly adding, “Ah, oppa, you haven’t eaten anyway, we can eat together perfectly, right?”
“Eat we will, what time is it?” Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his brow, finally sitting up on the bed.
“11 o’clock sharp, oppa, get ready and head out, time will be just right.” Sulli’s voice carried laughter, clearly expecting him to agree.
“Okay, pick a place, send the address, I’ll get up and wash up first.”
“Got it, oppa~”
Having settled everything, Sulli happily gave Jung Soo Jung an OK gesture.
Jung Soo Jung was about to smile, but the next second, Lin Xiuyuan’s words turned her ears bright red, “Jung Soo Jung has such a cool personality, yet she gossips too, looks like she’s not as good as her sister.”
After hanging up, Jung Soo Jung stayed in her pose stunned for two seconds.
In seconds, her ears reddened all the way to her neck, pouting, “What do you mean cool people can’t gossip, I don’t gossip about others, and that scene last night… who could hold back.”
She slapped the table while speaking, eyes wide round, voice low but excitement spilling out, “Snowball, you saw it too, the two hugging and kissing like that, if we weren’t there, probably directly…”
Sulli was amused, nodding with pursed lips, pulling her hand over, “Yes yes, I get you, not saying it out festers inside.”
She added seriously, “Honestly, that scene last night was stimulating even for me, couldn’t help wanting to look more.”
“See!” Jung Soo Jung’s eyes lit up instantly, like finding a kindred spirit, “Even you say that, so what’s wrong with me gossiping a bit.”
The two bantered back and forth, laughing together, the atmosphere lightening up.
Soon, they started discussing what to eat for lunch.
“I don’t want anything too oily.” Sulli wrinkled her nose, “Ate barbecue last night, want something refreshing today.”
“Then Thai food, sour and spicy to whet appetite, I want prawns too.” Jung Soo Jung agreed.
They hit it off, immediately picking a highly rated Thai restaurant on their phone, sending the address to Lin Xiuyuan.
“Done!” Sulli waved her phone, a smug little smile on her lips.
On the other side, Lin Xiuyuan checked the address, raised a brow, and chuckled.
He got up, went into the bathroom, took a cold shower under the showerhead to fully wake up.
After washing, in front of the mirror, the reflection’s features still carried last night’s fatigue.
But compared to those confidante big sisters in 2025, Lin Xiaolu tasted nice but still lacked some side dishes.
So for Lin Xiuyuan, who had leveled up successfully in 2025, he could still handle it for now.
Even thinking whether to give Lin Xiaolu some props, like borrowing Im Yoon Ah’s.
Thinking this, Lin Xiuyuan touched his chin, lips curving up, “Kinda tempting.”
But first things first, wash up.
After getting ready, he immediately went out, back to the apartment to change into a clean silk shirt and casual pants, looking much sharper.
Then downstairs, started the car, heading straight to the restaurant.
At this time in the restaurant, Sulli and Jung Soo Jung had arrived early.
It was a cozy Thai restaurant with wood and rattan decor, air filled with lemongrass and coconut milk scents, sunlight filtering through half-open bamboo curtains outside the window, dappling the tabletops, lighting the space bright and warm.
They chose a semi-enclosed round booth facing the floor-to-ceiling window, great street view, good visibility with privacy.
Sulli studied the menu intently, fingertip tapping dish names, while Jung Soo Jung idly poked the napkin on the table, glancing at the doorway now and then.
“Hey, Snowball,” she muttered softly, “Lin Xiuyuan won’t dawdle too long, right? We have to rush back to the film crew after eating.”
“Don’t worry, Soo Jung, oppa’s always punctual.”
Sulli smiled, and before she could say more, she saw Lin Xiuyuan enter at the doorway.
Led by the server to the booth, as he approached, his lips curved in a smile, exuding a clean, crisp aura.
Gazing at this guy, Jung Soo Jung instinctively glanced at a certain spot, her mind imagining last night with him and Lin Xiaolu.
Sulli looked up beaming, waving, “oppa, here!”
Lin Xiuyuan reached the booth led by the server, propped one hand on the table edge to sit, scanned the surroundings, lips quirking, “Great spot, super private, nice view too, you specially reserved?”
“Yeah, friend’s place, so they held a spot.” Sulli smiled, handing over the menu, “oppa, see what you want.”
Lin Xiuyuan glanced, quickly ordered spring rolls, big prawns and stir-fried noodles, drinks just lemon water.
After ordering, he lounged in the booth, cuffs rolled loosely revealing forearm, looking fully relaxed.
A while later.
In the Thai restaurant, midday sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the wooden round booth, warm and cozy.
The table now had refreshing lemon water and appetizers, Sulli poking a spring roll wrapper with her fork, expression casual, eyes sparkling at Lin Xiuyuan.
“oppa~ Didn’t you sleep much last night?”
Sulli’s voice carried subtle amusement, tail drawn out, hinting at something big.
Then Jung Soo Jung beside her followed suit, sneakily lifting her eyes to size him up, gaze like spotlights.
Lin Xiuyuan paused, set down chopsticks, raised a brow at them, “What do you mean? See my dark circles?”
He even rubbed his eyes, pretending exhaustion.
“No~” Sulli grinned eyes to crescents, poking Jung Soo Jung beside her, “Just bet with Soo Jung that oppa barely rested last night.”
“Hey!” Jung Soo Jung’s ears reddened instantly at that, covering her mouth, “What are you saying!”
Covering while glaring, eyes full of “please shut up” panic.
Lin Xiuyuan choked out a laugh, took a sip from his water cup, eyes twinkling as he looked at them, “So what exactly do you want to gossip about? Just ask straight, I’ll answer all at once, save the beating around.”
“Really, oppa? Then I’m really asking.” Sulli perked up instantly, sitting straighter like a prosecutor ready to interrogate.
But next second, Lin Xiuyuan dropped a king bomb warning, “Yeah, ask. Worst case, I’ll call Yoona to answer with you, more fun that way.”
Tone casual, smile infuriating.
Sulli deflated instantly, pouting, “Who teases like that.”
She was fine gossiping with Lin Xiuyuan, but not bold in front of Lin Xiaolu, how to casually inquire about such things.
“Didn’t say I won’t answer.” Lin Xiuyuan shrugged lazily, expression saying “ball’s in your court.”
“But you bring out Yoona unnie, how can we ask.” Sulli whined softly.
“That’s your problem then.”
Lin Xiuyuan smiled wider, deliberately stringing them along. Watching the two anxious curious kids opposite, he found it amusing.
Still green.
If it were 2025’s Krystal, no need for his words, the second he sat, she’d have voice messaged Yoona already.
Thinking of Krystal, Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze fell on Jung Soo Jung, laced with teasing.
Jung Soo Jung felt a chill down her spine, instinctively pursing lips to meet his eyes, feeling like they could strip her thoughts bare.
Inappropriate scenes flashed in her mind, cheeks heating, body uncomfortable.
Noticing, Lin Xiuyuan quickly read her panic, and mischief rose in him.
So he slowly set down his water cup, dropping another king bomb, “Right, Soo Jung, after gaining that weight, do you still have those dimples?”
At that, Sulli facepalmed: done for, oppa fouled again.
Jung Soo Jung froze, eyes wide round, shocked speechless.
She clearly remembered never showing her dimples.
Never ever!!!
How did he know?!
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