Chapter 271: Jessica: “i Need To Use The Bathroom!!!”
“Not enough. Give me another reason that will make me willing.”
Jessica’s tone was neither rushed nor slow, yet it carried a probing force, like a lone lamp lit in the dead of night, shining directly onto Krystal’s heart.
Facing Jessica’s direct question, Krystal took a breath, her chest rising and falling slightly. Her gaze fixed on the other woman as she slowly began to speak.
“There are no more reasons. That’s all. If you absolutely must have another one… I don’t want to see you dragged down anymore. Or, if you truly wish to be dragged, then letting someone else do it might not be a bad option.”
Jessica slightly raised her eyes, her gaze falling on her younger sister’s fair and clear face.
That face was full and healthy, with an air of youthful certainty and calmness about her brows, forming a stark contrast to Jessica’s current haggard appearance.
In that instant, countless complex emotions surged within her, like unrevealed undercurrents, even mixed with a trace of inexplicable wavering.
But in the end, she didn’t speak, merely lowered her head, stared at her current predicament, and said in a hoarse voice, “So, if I don’t agree, you’ll keep me tied up until I say yes?”
“As it stands, yes.” Krystal’s gaze did not falter, her voice very calm.
This made Jessica frown deeply, her struggle evident on her face. She then stared at Krystal and continued to press, “Since you’ve come over, does that mean the matter from twenty-five years ago is concluded? Did you… truly mess up my career completely?”
“No.” Krystal was honest about this point and answered the other woman.
She and Lin Xiuyuan and the others felt there was no need to provoke Jessica on this matter, as both her past self and her two younger sisters understood her stubborn personality very well – she was tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
At the same time, Krystal also told her the time: “However, if you don’t agree, Jessica, you’ll likely have to stay here for another week.”
That precise, almost calmly stated timeframe made Jessica’s heart jolt, and a certain past fragment instantly flashed through her mind.
The next second, she abruptly raised her eyebrows, anger flashing in her eyes, and gritted her teeth as she roared, “Hey, it’s Lin Xiuyuan again! That guy was trying to trick me about the time when we were chatting earlier, wasn’t he?”
Krystal simply nodded slightly, “That’s right.”
Then, she lowered her voice and, with a bit of patience and conviction, advised, “So, unnie, please consider it again. Accepting this situation isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Jessica suddenly looked up, glaring fiercely at her a few times, and coldly retorted, “Are you asking me to accept a man suddenly lying next to me? Or to get pregnant for him.”
The air fell silent for a few seconds.
In response, Krystal’s tone became even more firm, shrugging her shoulders, “Jessica, didn’t you have quite an interest in Xiuyuan before? You must have felt something during that dinner, otherwise, there wouldn’t have been any follow-up actions.”
Hearing this, Jessica paused for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. The rigid lines on her face finally softened somewhat.
Then she said in a low voice, “Don’t try to trick me. Yes, I did feel a bit of a flutter back then.”
However, just as she said this, she looked up and met Krystal’s gaze. Her eyes remained cool, but they held an undeniable fatigue, “But that was only for a limited time. After that moment passed, I… lost the feeling.”
The room suddenly became quiet. Their gazes stretched an invisible tension across the air.
A moment later, Krystal blinked and changed her approach, continuing to try and persuade Jessica, “Actually, it’s not that you absolutely have to lie in bed or get pregnant. We just need to ensure you won’t leak any information. There needs to be some kind of hook to keep you tethered.”
Upon hearing this, Jessica’s brows furrowed again.
“Then why me?” Her voice held a hint of cold curiosity. “What about the others? Yoona, Taeyeon, Ji-yeon… why don’t they have to do this?”
However, as soon as the words left her lips, she herself froze.
Because the answer almost slammed into her face.
She suddenly realized that each of the others seemed to have had their own entanglements in the past.
Even the most elusive Lin Yoona had her obsession with popularity and her acting career, not to mention the life-and-death separations or battles with illness that others had experienced.
Only she had no “desired future” or “past to reclaim.”
Thinking of this, Jessica’s chest felt slightly heavy, her breathing deepening.
She remembered Lin Xiuyuan asking her again and again: Do you have any regrets?
At the time, she had indeed considered it, just not seriously enough, so she had treated it as a sarcastic joke and given her answer.
And now, she finally understood the true weight of that question.
Krystal watched Jessica remain indifferent and unwavering, feeling a sense of helplessness.
So, she bit her lower lip and, softening her voice to be even more cautious, said, “Jessica, it’s okay even if you ignore Lin Xiuyuan. But can you, for the sake of me, Sulli, and Taeyeon unnie, bear to inconvenience yourself a little?”
As soon as these words were spoken, Jessica first blinked, then unceremoniously rolled her eyes, with clear teasing, “Yo, Jung Soo Jung, are you starting to learn how to use emotional blackmail?”
The smile on her face was chillingly thin, her tone full of provocation and teasing, “Have you forgotten what Lin Xiuyuan told me before? He said that as long as an individual has no morals, then morality cannot blackmail them.”
Saying this, she deliberately paused, a thorny smile curving her lips.
“This sentence, you should ask him. I consider it a treasure now.”
Krystal stood there, almost choking on her words.
Her heart felt even more suffocated, she really wanted to go back immediately and pin Lin Xiuyuan on the sofa for a good “duck sit.”
What kind of nonsensical things is he saying.
Now, she herself was being put on the spot, and it was incredibly troublesome.
But just as Krystal was speechless, Jessica on the bed was not entirely cold.
For instance, when she saw Sulli again, a light that was too eager clearly flashed in her eyes, and her voice trembled slightly, unable to be suppressed.
Although the emotional fluctuation was quickly suppressed, it was not nonexistent.
At that moment, she even uncontrollably thought: If seeing Sulli made her like this, then Kim Tae Yeon… what kind of feelings would they have when they saw that person?
But ultimately, Jessica was an adult.
She took a deep breath, pushing back those sudden fluctuations, becoming calm to the point of cruelty.
Then she said in a light tone, a statement that was almost a verdict, “Jung Soo Jung, I will not live my life for others.”
She then looked up at Krystal, her voice steady, but with an unquestionable firmness, word by word, “If my personality were truly like that, I wouldn’t have left the group back then.”
There was no guilt in her words, nor regret, but rather a clear affirmation of her own choices.
She was very clear about her core nature and admitted her true disposition: selfishness.
She could make concessions for her family, even a considerable one.
But beyond that, she would not easily sacrifice herself for anyone else.
“Don’t think of me as too noble, Jung Soo Jung.”
She shook her head slightly, her tone carrying a hint of frankness, “Everyone is actually selfish. It’s just that your selfishness happens to be coordinated by Lin Xiuyuan, a point of interest. But me, you haven’t found it yet. If you can give me a suitable reason, I will throw myself into his arms right now, without the slightest hesitation.”
Hearing these straightforward words, Krystal’s heart sank.
A crucial reality lay hidden behind these words: Jessica’s isolation and danger could not be resolved by simple emotions.
She was too independent, too guarded, and too easily exploited.
It was precisely for this reason that everyone was extremely worried about her.
This was also why Lin Xiuyuan hadn’t involved her in the first place.
And although she desperately wanted to, she could only come up with such a devilish plan, pushing Jessica into this quagmire.
There was no other choice.
Who told Jessica she had sunk too deep into the previous quagmire, with nowhere left to retreat.
After she finished those thorny words, she slightly raised her eyebrows and added, “But you’re right, with you all here, I wouldn’t report anything. So, let me go. I promise I won’t bother you, just pretend I never came today, how about that.”
Hearing this, Krystal’s expression tightened, and her voice deepened slightly, “Jessica, do you think everyone will believe that? This isn’t just a matter of a few words, it’s about the lives of a large group of people.”
Jessica snorted coldly and turned her face away, “I might report others, but I can’t report my own sister.”
“Stop talking, it’s impossible. Think about it again. I’m leaving now.”
Krystal sighed deeply, raising her hand to her forehead in exasperation, preparing to turn and leave the bedroom.
But just as she was about to leave, a sudden shout came from behind her.
“Hey, Jung Soo Jung, don’t go!” Jessica suddenly raised her voice in a rush, “I need to use the restroom.”
Hearing this, Krystal immediately raised her eyebrows and retorted with a half-smile, “Why don’t you agree first?”
It was somewhat like taking advantage of her distress.
“Get lost, I need to use the restroom!” Jessica said impolitely.
“Oh, then I’ll call Xiuyuan to help you.” Krystal pretended to be unconcerned.
“If you dare call him, I’ll bite my tongue and kill myself! Let me tell you, I’ll go myself.” Jessica’s eyes were sharp, and her pronunciation was particularly heavy.
Krystal remained unmoved, calmly shaking her head, “But I can’t untie you.”
Jessica gritted her teeth, “You’re all here, where can I escape to? I’m a weak woman.”
“Then I’ll still go find Xiuyuan.” Krystal’s voice was light, as if deliberately provoking her.
“Hey, Jung Soo Jung!” Jessica was almost amused to the point of anger.
…
While the JK sisters were making a fuss in the bedroom.
In the small hall outside the bedroom, the atmosphere was also not light.
The small hall was softly lit, with several unfinished alcoholic beverages on the bar counter. The warm light cast by a few small lanterns illuminated everyone’s faces, and the air carried a faint scent of alcohol and a hint of suppressed contemplation.
Lin Yoona held a cup in her hand, took a sip of wine, frowned deeply, and muttered in a low voice.
“If you ask me, persuading unnie like this won’t work. I’ve known her for so many years, and I know very well how stubborn she is, not inferior to anyone. If you really want her to admit defeat, you either have to leave her alone to struggle until she figures it out herself, or you must provide a sufficiently good reason.”
Saying this, her gaze shifted slightly towards Jung Soo Yeon, and she asked with a hint of probing, “Unnie, have you thought about this aspect? What method could be used to convince your future self?”
Jung Soo Yeon’s fingertips gently rubbed the rim of her wine glass, but her gaze was unfocused.
After a moment of silence, she slowly began to speak, “I’ve thought about it… In fact, I’ve thought about it many times. But… as myself, I can’t think of any reason that would convince my future self.”
After speaking, she paused again and pulled a self-deprecating smile to her lips, “The past self can be moved or blackmailed with future information. But what can the future self be convinced by?”
Jung Soo Yeon’s voice was light and powerless.
Because she genuinely couldn’t think of anything.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked Lin Xiuyuan to ask Jessica if she had any regrets.
If the answer from the other side was regret, then perhaps there would still be a glimmer of hope.
But the other woman’s stubbornness was unbearable even to Jung Soo Yeon herself.
As soon as her voice fell, a brief silence ensued.
Only the crisp sound of ice cubes clinking against the glass from the bar counter could be heard, as if sighing on behalf of everyone.
Just then, Jung Soo Jung finally couldn’t help but purse her lips, stare directly at the group, and break the silence, “Then what does Krystal actually think? Snowball, didn’t you say she has her own methods?”
At these words, the atmosphere immediately stiffened.
Those who knew exchanged glances, their eyes flickering, as if no one wanted to speak first.
That plan was too crazy, too difficult to articulate.
Once it was truly spoken, Jung Soo Jung would likely explode immediately, and even the air would ignite.
For this reason, previously, both Jung Soo Yeon and Sulli had subtly pushed the topic back, telling her to ask Krystal.
At this moment, seeing no one respond to her persistent questioning, Jung Soo Jung’s brows furrowed tighter, her lips pursed, and obvious impatience appeared on her face.
She let out a muffled sigh, exhaled heavily, and looked away, clearly angered by this deliberate concealment.
She recalled asking Krystal at the villa earlier, but the other woman had merely looked at her with amusement and said, “You’re better off not knowing,” her tone carrying a certain certainty.
And she stated with certainty that Jung Soo Jung would feel guilty upon learning the truth.
This answer made Jung Soo Jung feel both anxious and annoyed.
“Forget it…” she muttered dejectedly.
Sulli had been watching her, and seeing her like this, she finally couldn’t help herself.
She gently leaned sideways, approached Jung Soo Jung, and whispered into her ear.
Her voice was suppressed extremely low, almost drowned out by the scent of alcohol and breathing sounds in the small hall.
At the crucial part, Sulli even deliberately slowed her speech, as if afraid that saying anything too quickly would make Jung Soo Jung unable to bear it.
However…
Even just hearing the beginning, Jung Soo Jung froze as if acupunctured, her shoulders tensing tightly.
By the time Sulli finished explaining the “first stage” of the plan, Jung Soo Jung stood stunned for a long while, then her eyes suddenly widened, her breathing quickened, and her voice even trembled slightly as she said, “What? Is she crazy? Is she crazy!”
Her reaction was so intense that several people around her subconsciously glanced at her.
But soon they each withdrew their gazes, returning to their own discussions.
Compared to Jung Soo Jung’s shock and anger, their expressions seemed too calm, as if this “crazy plan” was just another feasible option in their eyes.
The main reason was that Krystal herself was involved as a “hostage” in this situation.
Knowing Jessica as they all did, they were all very aware that she would absolutely not let Krystal be in real danger.
So even if Jessica couldn’t be persuaded, it was merely that the “hook” to reel her in wasn’t strong enough, and it wouldn’t escalate into an unmanageable situation.
On the other hand, Krystal’s plan…
Everyone knew that if it were truly implemented, it might snap the “fishing line,” and then it would either succeed or be impossible to reel back, far too extreme.
Just then, faint footsteps could be heard from the corridor.
Krystal’s figure appeared in everyone’s sight.
Peeking out half her body, she waved at Lin Xiuyuan, her expression as natural as if nothing had happened, “Xiuyuan, come here for a moment.”
As her words fell, everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to her, falling squarely upon her.
Jung Soo Yeon couldn’t help but ask, her brows filled with suspicion, “What is it, what are you doing?”
Krystal turned back, smiled at them, and said in a very relaxed tone, “It’s nothing, just asking Xiuyuan for a small favor. You don’t need to worry.”
With that, she didn’t give them a chance to ask further questions, directly took Lin Xiuyuan away, and disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Leaving the people in the small hall looking at each other, their curiosity hanging in mid-air, itching with impatience, yet no one dared to follow.
…
The air in the bedroom was noticeably more stuffy than outside.
The air in the bedroom was more stifling than outside. The floor-to-ceiling window was slightly ajar, and the night seeped in through the sheer curtains, enveloping the room in a hazy grayish-blue.
Jessica, lying on the bed, was neatly bound by rope, her hands secured behind her back, her body leaning slightly against the headboard.
The mask that had previously covered the lower half of her face had been removed, but the cold and suppressed expression in her eyes remained as sharp as a blade.
After Krystal brought Lin Xiuyuan in, she exchanged a glance with him, then turned to look at Jessica on the bed and said softly, “Xiuyuan, can you untie her? She can’t run anywhere in this house.”
Lin Xiuyuan glanced at Jessica and noticed her cheeks were visibly flushed and her breathing a little rapid.
Recalling that Sulli had mentioned giving her water earlier, a thought struck him, and a smile played on his lips as he chuckled, “Ah, I get it. Are you in a hurry to use the restroom?”
As soon as he said this, Jessica’s cheeks turned even redder, her entire face burning as if roasted. Her eyes instantly shot daggers at him, wishing she could nail him to the wall.
Krystal, meanwhile, let out a suppressed giggle and patted Lin Xiuyuan’s shoulder, feigning a scolding, “You, why are you saying it so directly.”
A subtle awkwardness and tension immediately filled the room.
Jessica, however, gritted her teeth, her gaze cold and sharp, as if tightening her last shred of dignity.
But Lin Xiuyuan didn’t move to untie the rope. Instead, he turned his head to look at Krystal, changing the subject, “Soo Jung, don’t you have that plan? What, are you not going to implement it now? I was kind of hoping to try if I could get pregnant.”
“What?” Those three words burst from Jessica’s lips like an explosion. Her pupils widened sharply, and she froze in utter shock.
Infertility?!
The thought exploded in her mind.
Krystal saw the reaction of the figure on the bed and quickly explained.
“Jessica, don’t overthink it. It might be because of the Time-Space Door. Xiuyuan came with a special physique, which likely caused the sperm’s activity to be invalidated. That’s why it’s like this. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing; it actually saves us a lot of trouble buying condoms, saving money and worry.”
This explanation made Lin Xiuyuan chuckle, and it also made Jessica roll her eyes.
After hearing Krystal’s words, Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze fell on Jessica again, lost in thought. “I’m serious, Soo Jung. Since we have a rare test subject, why not try it?”
“Hey, Lin Xiuyuan, are you crazy!” Jessica couldn’t help but curse, her chest heaving with anger.
But Lin Xiuyuan was unusually calm, his tone almost chillingly placid. “Look away, Jessica. I warned you not to come in. You insisted on barging in, wanting to check something, see something. See? Now you’re in this situation. Who can you blame? Is it your own problem?”
These words ignited her shame and anger like a torch, making Jessica’s face flush even more. She turned her head away, unwilling to look at the scoundrel.
Yet, Lin Xiuyuan was still enthusiastic, starting to talk about the “experiments” and “plans” in his mind.
His explanation was clear and serious, leaving Krystal next to him dumbfounded. She hadn’t expected Lin Xiuyuan to think so much and so thoroughly.
Jessica was even worse off.
She was already feeling stifled, and these words made her blood rush, her breathing quicken. Her legs rubbed against the sheets uncontrollably, and she gritted her teeth, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
“I need to use the restroom!” she said, her voice trembling. She glared fiercely at Lin Xiuyuan. “If you keep delaying and push me further, Lin Xiuyuan, I will never forgive you in this lifetime. I’ll expose you then!”
Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, smiling carelessly. “Then drag Krystal down with you.”
“This brat…” Jessica roared in anger. “She doesn’t even see me as an older sister anymore, why should I care about her!”
“Then you die with us too.” Lin Xiuyuan spread his hands and shrugged, his posture extremely flippant.
The tension in the air was about to explode. Jessica’s chest heaved violently. She would rather fight to the death than endure the shame of wetting herself.
“If we die together, we die together!”
She gritted her teeth, staring intently at Lin Xiuyuan.
Krystal couldn’t stand it anymore and kicked Lin Xiuyuan’s shin, grumbling, “Stop messing around.”
Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan no longer delayed. He walked to the bed and leaned down.
He deliberately took a few seconds longer to untie the rope. As his fingers brushed against Jessica’s wrist, her body visibly trembled, and her eyes seemed to spew fire.
The distance between them was so close they could hear each other’s breathing. Jessica’s cheeks were flushed, and her entire body was extremely stiff.
Finally, the rope came loose. Jessica broke free abruptly and stumbled into the bathroom, the door slamming shut with a heavy thud.
The bedroom was suddenly empty except for Lin Xiuyuan and Krystal. They exchanged a glance, and the air fell silent for a beat.
*Poof~*
Krystal couldn’t help but chuckle lightly and nudge Lin Xiuyuan. “If you’ve got the guts, don’t just talk big. Why didn’t you just go for it earlier? Then I wouldn’t be involved now.”
Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, his expression nonchalant, a faint smile playing on his lips. “I wanted to, but who knew you and Jinjin were here? If no one was watching, I might have actually done it.”
Their voices, not lowered at all, clearly passed through the thin glass bathroom door and into the inside.
Jessica sat on the toilet, her fingers tightly gripping her thigh, her whole body trembling slightly.
She couldn’t tell if it was from anger or from holding it in.
Her entire face was burning as if it were about to emit smoke. Shame, frustration, and anger churned together, about to explode in her chest.
She knew they were doing it on purpose.
She gritted her teeth, as if a roar was about to erupt from her chest.
She would never forget this situation in her life.
When the opportunity arose, she would definitely make those two guys understand what a mistake was.
…
After a long while, Jessica slowly walked out of the bathroom and stood at the doorway, her gaze locked onto the two in the bedroom like nails.
After Lin Xiuyuan untied Jessica, he no longer had any intention of tying her back up.
The confrontation of several hours was enough for Jessica to understand the general situation. Although she remained verbally stubborn, she wouldn’t scream and make a fuss anymore.
All that remained was to keep a close eye on her to prevent her from leaving the apartment.
Seeing Jessica come out, Lin Xiuyuan gestured towards the door. “Let’s go, we’re going out.”
“You don’t need to tie me up anymore?”
“If you like it that way, I don’t mind doing it all over again.”
Jessica frowned, her anger not yet subsided, but she still followed him out of the bedroom.
In the small hall, everyone was chatting in low voices. They were all stunned when they saw Lin Xiuyuan bringing Jessica out.
Park Ji-yeon was the first to stand up, her eyes wide, her voice rising slightly. “Ah? Oppa, did you succeed?!”
The others also stood up one after another, as if they had seen a turning point.
But Lin Xiuyuan just pouted and spoke first. “We didn’t solve it; she’s just quieter. So, you guys keep an eye on her and don’t let her run off.”
Jessica heard this and shot him a glare, the anger in her eyes almost burning out.
But soon, her gaze shifted to the opposite side, looking at her past self.
Jung Soo-yeon.
Their eyes met in the air, like looking in a mirror, yet completely different.
One was the future, bearing sharpness and frost; the other was the youth not yet bent by time. As they looked at each other, both were stunned for a moment.
Jung Soo-yeon felt a strange tremor in her heart, as if she had seen an answer she had desperately tried to avoid; Jessica, on the other hand, pursed her lips slightly, a hint of unacknowledged panic in the depths of her eyes.
Lin Xiuyuan ignored this wordless reunion and clapped his hands to break the atmosphere. “It’s getting late, let’s eat. But should we order takeout or cook ourselves?”
“I can cook,” Sulli raised her hand first.
But Jung Soo-jung immediately suggested, “Ah, Snowball, let’s just order takeout. We still need to go to the film crew for filming later, remember? If we delay any longer, we won’t have enough time.”
“Me too, I have rehearsal tonight,” Park Ji-yeon added.
The few exchanged glances and finally unanimously decided: takeout.
However, the takeout system in 2013 was far from convenient. So Lin Xiuyuan had to return to the villa in 2025 to order directly and then pick it up himself, which would be much faster.
During Lin Xiuyuan’s absence, the remaining people naturally turned their attention to Jessica.
“Unnie~” Lin Xiaolu said cautiously, her voice tinged with probing.
“What is it, you don’t recognize me?” Jessica raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
“No, it’s just that I didn’t expect to see you in this situation. I actually have a lot of things I want to talk to you about.” Lin Xiaolu shook her head gently, her tone filled with cautious anticipation.
“Yes, none of us expected you to suddenly appear here.”
Kim Soft Soft also chuckled, trying to soften the atmosphere, her tone as relaxed as if she were trying to smooth out the tension in the air.
Jessica looked around, silently imprinting each face in her mind. She nodded slightly and said, “Lin Xiuyuan has really done a lot of good things.”
“It’s really good for us to meet oppa,” Park Ji-yeon said earnestly, genuine gratitude in her eyes.
At this point, no one tried to persuade Jessica about anything. Instead, they casually talked about the benefits of being a “member,” as if sharing random information.
Jessica listened from the side, her expression calm for a moment, and finally spoke. “Don’t worry, I won’t report anything. You don’t need to worry. I’m just shocked that such a thing exists, and that Lin Xiuyuan, who did those things to me, is so infuriating.”
As she spoke, she snorted coldly and glanced at Krystal from the corner of her eye. Just as she was about to glare at her, she inexplicably met Jung Soo-jung’s face.
They both froze.
Jessica was startled and instinctively called out, “And you, Jung Soo-jung…”
Jung Soo-jung, whose name was called, waved her hands in panic and quickly explained, “Ah, Unnie, it’s not me. I’m Jung Soo-jung. You mean Krystal, right?”
This scene made Krystal and Lin Xiaolu next to them laugh until they bent over, slapping the sofa.
“Hahaha!”
“Oh my god, that expression is too similar!”
The atmosphere was instantly dispelled by the laughter, and even the others who were tense couldn’t help but smile.
Jessica’s face went from green to red. In the end, she could only glare fiercely at Krystal, blaming her sister for everything, but soon she also started laughing.
Then, she looked at Jung Soo-jung and said playfully, “But you look exactly like you did at the beginning of this year, chubby and very cute.”
Jung Soo-jung, realizing she had been described by Jessica like that, hadn’t even had time to blush before her gaze fell on Krystal. “So what Lin Xiuyuan said earlier about the crystal ball state was referring to you.”
“???” Krystal.
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Before long, Lin Xiuyuan returned with the takeout. The fragrant dishes were soon laid out on the coffee table, and everyone gathered around the sofa, chatting and sharing the food.
The scene was somewhat peculiar—the past and the future intertwined, like a family dinner spanning time and space.
Jessica didn’t say much, but she still took some food and ate silently.
Occasionally, when she heard a familiar laugh, her eyes would subtly shift, but she would quickly return to her cold demeanor.
After the meal, everyone gradually put down their bowls and chopsticks, stretched, and it was about time.
“I have to go, the film crew is waiting,” Jung Soo-jung picked up her bag and quickly stood up.
“I need to go practice dancing too,” Park Ji-yeon added. Big Dragon Cub also nodded. “I have to go back and rehearse too, we still need to practice our positions for the concert performance.”
“I have an event tomorrow too,” Im Yoon Ah also stood up, tidying her clothes and hair strands, a slightly hurried smile on her face.
Lin Xiaolu and Kim Soft Soft exchanged a glance and also stood up, indicating they were returning to the dormitory.
The atmosphere had eased considerably. Everyone, with their own tasks and thoughts, began to prepare to leave.
Seeing the situation, Lin Xiuyuan also stood up and clapped his hands. “Let’s go, I’ll see you back.”
Hearing this, Kim Soft Soft shook her head and said, “I drove here. Yoon-ah and I will go back ourselves. You can take the others.”
And so, after learning that Lin Xiuyuan planned to use the Time-Space Door to send people back, Jessica also stood up, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity and a subtle probe. “Is it okay if I want to see what’s going on?”
Lin Xiuyuan smiled faintly and nodded. “Sure, what’s the problem?”
Afterward, he first sent Lin Xiaolu, Kim Soft Soft, Jung Soo-jung, and Sulli out of the apartment. Then, he took Big Dragon Cub, Im Yoon Ah, along with Jessica, Jung Soo-yeon, and Krystal, to the old brass Time-Space Door.
As Lin Xiuyuan turned the doorknob and twisted it gently, the door slowly opened. The scene before them made Jessica, standing behind him, gasp as her pupils constricted.
Although she had heard Lin Xiuyuan and the others explain the magic of this Time-Space Door before, seeing the scene with her own eyes, she couldn’t suppress the shock within her.
Her worldview seemed to collapse in an instant. The astonishment surging in her mind made her breathing slightly rapid.
After Lin Xiuyuan used the Time-Space Door to send Im Yoon Ah and Big Dragon Cub back to their respective apartments, he also brought them to the villa. Then, through this side, he sent Park Ji-yeon back to her bedroom.
Only then did he bring Jessica, Jung Soo-yeon, and Krystal back to his own apartment.
The moment the door closed, Lin Xiuyuan walked directly to the sofa and sat down, casually picking up the remote control to find a program. He appeared nonchalant but remarkably calm.
However, Jessica was still standing in front of the room door, staring intently at it. She opened it in disbelief, looking into the storage room inside, her emotions unable to calm down for a long time.
“Does everyone have to open this door and try it the first time they come?”
She muttered to herself, a hint of disbelief in her voice.
“That’s true. It was the same for me back then,” Krystal said with a smile and a nod.
Jung Soo-yeon, however, was a bit different. “I don’t think I did, right, Xiuyuan~”
On the sofa, Lin Xiuyuan, when asked, found the scene amusing. “You saw it too, just at the villa. Everyone does this, can’t you do something else?”
Jung Soo-yeon turned her head and gave him a look, her tone filled with helplessness. “Nonsense, who wouldn’t be shocked by this?”
Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, then suddenly thought of something and turned to look at the dining table. “Oh no, those people ran off one by one after eating and haven’t cleared the table yet.”
He then turned to Jessica and said with a hint of probing, “That newcomer, shouldn’t you do something since it’s your first time here?”
After staring blankly at the storage room for a while, Jessica was finally pulled back to reality by Lin Xiuyuan’s words.
Slowly turning her head, her gaze fell on him, her lips pursed slightly, a hint of provocation and amusement in her eyes.
She then pointed at herself, her voice cool yet with a touch of playfulness. “Are you referring to me, tied up and brought here, as the newcomer you’re talking about, Lin Xiuyuan?”
“You’re in the door, so you are,” Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her sideways and smiled.
Jessica pouted and muttered under her breath, “Scram.”
However, she eventually went over to help.
After all, Krystal and Jung Soo-yeon had already gone over. If she stood there alone, or sat on the sofa with Lin Xiuyuan, she might as well go help clean the dining table.
While tidying up, Jessica suddenly looked up, raised an eyebrow slightly, and stared at Jung Soo-yeon. “When did you know about this situation?”
“Xiuyuan?” Jung Soo-yeon answered calmly, her tone with a hint of subtle amusement.
Seeing Jessica nod, Jung Soo-yeon didn’t answer directly but instead countered, “Do you think I wouldn’t guess?”
A glint of cunning flashed in her eyes.
They were the same person, and Jung Soo-yeon didn’t believe her own intelligence was that foolish.
Sure enough, after Jung Soo-yeon finished speaking, Jessica pursed her lips and complained speechlessly.
“As expected, I knew this guy was mysterious and definitely up to something. What about the IOUs from ten years ago, and the photos? How could I have no memory of such things? So you were helping him.”
Jung Soo-yeon packed a bag of trash while calmly replying, “Let me state first, if it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have cared about him. You can’t blame me for your problem.”
Jessica couldn’t help but chuckle. “Using the script to trick people, and you couldn’t even trick me. Are you sure it’s my problem, and not a lack of ability on your part?”
At this moment, Krystal, who was wiping the dining table, had quietly put away the placemat and slipped back to Lin Xiuyuan’s side, sitting on the sofa.
Sitting on the sofa with him, she watched the scene of the two people in the dining room.
Then they exchanged a glance, both seeing the excitement and the ‘eating melon’ gleam in each other’s eyes.
And at the dining table.
“So, based on the situation, if it weren’t for your problem, we wouldn’t be standing face to face right now, would we?”
Jessica narrowed her eyes slightly, a cold smile on her lips, her voice probing, yet also provocative.
Her gaze swept lightly over Jung Soo-yeon, as if trying to capture her every subtle reaction.
Hearing this, Jung Soo-yeon lifted her chin, a calm counterattack flashing in her eyes. “You’ve got the order of words wrong. First, you got into trouble over there, and then the issue of me going to trick you arose. If you didn’t have any problems, why would I trick myself?”
Her tone was soft but carried irrefutable confidence, her lips curling slightly upwards.
However, after hearing this, Jessica raised an eyebrow and snorted. “What problem did I have? Leaving the group? Dating?”
“None of those are problems. Your problem is being too hasty; you can’t be a little patient,” Jung Soo-yeon replied unhurriedly, slowly.
But it was this sentence that made Jessica immediately put down the towel in her hand, her eyes fixed on Jung Soo-yeon.
“Don’t spout platitudes here. Ask yourself, since last year, after the group achieved that success, haven’t you become so arrogant, so praised by that popularity and success that you can’t stop smiling? In this situation, I don’t believe you can treat everything rationally.”
After saying this, Jessica suddenly looked at Lin Xiuyuan and sneered again. “Oh right, in this time-space, Lin Xiuyuan took you to see my path of trial and error, so you should have calmed down now, right?”
Jung Soo-yeon was stunned by these words for a moment, her gaze slightly tightened, and her movements slightly paused.
At the same time, a hint of silence flashed in her eyes.
Daily Ten Thousand finished, thank you to my godfathers for your support and votes.
Monthly tickets exceeded 7K, Daily Ten Thousand +2.
Daily Ten Thousand progress bar: 97/105.
End of the month double!!!!
Seeking Monthly Tickets!! Seeking Subscriptions!! Seeking Rewards!! Seeking everything!!!
