Chapter 273: “i’ll Move Myself”
The lighting in the bedroom was much softer than in the living room, casting a warm yellow glow on the wooden floor and the wardrobe’s mirror surface, giving off a delicate sheen. The atmosphere was quiet and ambiguous.
Jessica stood in front of the wardrobe, her fingertips gently stroking the door. A faint scent of perfume and the fresh smell of fabric lingered in her nose.
Her gaze then drifted back and forth inside, watching rows of pajamas neatly hung within. They were almost all camisole styles or extremely revealing, mostly in light colors, appearing both delicate and provocative.
So she casually flipped through a few items. The fabric was light and silky, and the cool touch transmitted through her fingertips made Jessica instinctively retract her hand.
At the same time, her mind, as if out of control, conjured up an image of what she would look like if she wore these clothes herself.
The scene was so vivid it made her heart warm.
If she were alone, she might not have cared, just picking out whatever to put on.
But now…
Thinking this, Jessica couldn’t help but turn her head, stealing a glance at Lin Xiuyuan standing beside her.
In that instant, the embarrassing memory from the afternoon flashed through her mind. The scene of her being forced to wear a gag struck her heart like an electric current, making her tremble all over. Her breathing immediately became erratic.
No!
What a joke, wearing this in front of him?
How could she possibly accept wearing this in front of him!!!
Moreover, she had to share a room with this guy tonight.
Just thinking about it made her chest feel tight and itchy, with an indescribable heat and awkwardness.
“I don’t want the pajamas from here,” Jessica abruptly closed the wardrobe door, her posture rigid and displeased, her voice unintentionally rising. “I want to go back to my own apartment to get them.”
Lin Xiuyuan, however, smiled, the corners of his eyes curving slightly. His tone was as relaxed as if he had expected her to say this. “No, there’s no room for negotiation. Either you continue wearing what you have on now, or choose any of the private clothes inside. It’s all the same.”
Hearing this, Jessica immediately looked up, her almond-shaped eyes widening, her gaze showing clear defensiveness and caution.
“Lin Xiuyuan, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Do you just like looking at these?”
In response, Lin Xiuyuan spread his hands, as if to soothe a startled cat, and said with a faint smile, “Don’t be nervous. I’m not the only one living here. Sulli is also here, so you won’t have to sleep in the same bed as me tonight.”
Jessica froze for a moment, her expression instantly stiffening. But then her brow furrowed even deeper, and the anger in her heart felt even more suppressed.
What he said sounded reasonable, but the more he said it, the more uneasy she felt.
What did he mean by that, did he dislike me??
But since he had gone that far, she really had no reason to push the issue any further. She could only reluctantly open the wardrobe again.
After rummaging through, she finally picked out a relatively “conservative” pajama dress.
Even so, it was a V-neck, open-back style.
But if she had to wear those fashionable private clothes to sleep, that would be even more uncomfortable. After all, “fashion” was basically linked to “uncomfortable experience.”
Looking at the dress in the mirror, Jessica’s chest tightened, and she was so angry she almost threw the hanger. She couldn’t help but curse inwardly: Krystal, you crazy girl, are you a pervert or just shameless?!
With a belly full of resentment, after cursing inwardly through gritted teeth, she fiercely grabbed the pajama dress and turned to enter the bathroom.
However, she didn’t notice one thing: she had opened not the common bathroom in the living room, but the bathroom in Lin Xiuyuan’s bedroom.
This kind of instinctive inclination from the heart…
was very dangerous.
Soon, the sound of water began to fill the bathroom, and mist slowly rose, enveloping the frosted glass.
Outside, Lin Xiuyuan leaned on the sofa in the living room, casually scrolling through his phone. The bedroom door was left ajar.
He neither lurked by the door to peep as Jessica feared, nor did he act on his earlier words about watching her bathe. He simply left the door half-open, a silent reminder: don’t think of sneaking away.
Under these circumstances, unless Jessica could pull off a movie-level escape,
such as dismantling the bathroom ceiling and crawling out through the ventilation shaft, she wouldn’t be able to leave here, even with a shrinking skill.
Just as Lin Xiuyuan was chuckling inwardly, his phone suddenly rang.
It was Sulli.
“Hello?”
Lin Xiuyuan answered, his tone casual.
The voice on the other end was mixed with a noisy background, yet still carried its familiar lightness. Sulli then said softly into her phone, “Oppa, I’m not coming back tonight. I’m staying with Soo Jung at the film crew. You know, she just took over those matters, so she needs someone to be with her.”
This reason made Lin Xiuyuan pause slightly. He raised a hand to rub his temples, his gaze involuntarily flicking towards the bedroom.
The sound of water from the bathroom inside had stopped, but he could imagine Jessica’s frowning expression through the door.
So Lin Xiuyuan couldn’t help but lower his voice and ask, “Ah, if you do this, what about the one here at home?”
Hearing this, Sulli let out a light laugh, with a hint of teasing in her tone, “Oppa, you can handle this. I believe in you.”
Before Lin Xiuyuan could ask anything further, someone from the film crew on the other end called out to Sulli, so she could only hastily leave behind a “Please,” and hang up.
Then the screen went dark. Lin Xiuyuan stared at his phone for a few seconds before shaking his head gently, a slightly helpless smile on his face.
A few minutes later, the bathroom door in the bedroom opened, and a wisp of steam seeped out.
After a while, Jessica, who had been doing something unknown, slowly emerged.
By then, she had changed into that camisole pajama dress. The silky fabric clung to her figure, draping naturally along her waistline, each step accentuating subtle curves.
The deep V-neckline accentuated her fair collarbones and hinted at curves, while the back was almost entirely open, with only two thin shoulder straps crossing to hold up the fabric.
The lighting fell on her, making her appear particularly striking, sexy yet with a dangerous lack of pretense.
In fact, in front of the bathroom mirror, Jessica had already noticed this.
So now, she held a jacket in her hand. She had picked it up from the wardrobe on her way out. As she walked out of the bedroom, she draped the jacket over herself, barely concealing the overtly direct sexiness.
But when she looked up, she found that Lin Xiuyuan wasn’t staring at her as she had expected, but was still looking down at his phone.
In that moment, her chest felt inexplicably constricted, a feeling of wasted effort and frustration making her want to rush over and punch him a few times.
“Who called just now?”
As soon as she came out, she asked curiously, her tone deliberately cool, but her eyes filled with vigilance. “I heard you talking in the bathroom.”
Lin Xiuyuan on the sofa cleared his throat, and when he looked up, there was a hint of awkwardness. “Ahem, it was Jinjin who called.”
Hearing this, Jessica’s brows immediately furrowed even tighter. “What’s wrong? What did she say?”
Lin Xiuyuan paused his speech and coughed twice more. Noticing Jessica’s unwavering gaze, he finally confessed honestly, “Uh, she said she’s not coming back tonight.”
This sentence stunned Jessica. Her steps halted, her eyes locked onto his face, and she bared her teeth, growling, “Lin Xiuyuan, are you setting a trap for me? Did you collude with Sulli? You bastard!”
Her emotions erupted suddenly, leaving Lin Xiuyuan almost speechless with amusement and exasperation. He put his phone on the coffee table and spread his hands. “What trap could I set? There’s nothing to collude about. If I really wanted to do something to you, I would have already done it. You can’t exactly call the police here, can you?”
Seeing that she still didn’t believe him, he patiently explained, “Mainly, Sulli is worried about Soo Jung’s unstable situation. After all, she just learned all this information, and Sulli is concerned her emotions might fluctuate too much, so she decided to stay with her tonight.”
This statement poured a basin of cold water on Jessica’s heart.
Jessica knew Jung Soo Jung’s personality better than anyone. She appeared cool and detached on the surface, with no desires, but in reality, her empathy was quite high, and her emotional threshold was very low. She was prone to overthinking.
To suddenly receive so much information about the future, it was normal for her to break down. If she didn’t, that would be a good thing.
So Sulli staying to accompany her was not only reasonable but also necessary.
However, this reasonableness put Jessica in an extremely awkward position.
She opened her lips, but couldn’t speak for a long time. She could only bite her lower lip hard, her eyes still fixed on Lin Xiuyuan, as if trying to find a flaw in his words.
Lin Xiuyuan simply shrugged helplessly, leaning back against the sofa, spreading his hands. His relaxed demeanor seemed to say: believe it or not, it’s up to you.
The air froze at that moment.
The living room was very quiet. Only the ticking of the second hand on the wall clock could be heard. Jessica’s heartbeat, however, sounded like a drum, rapid and chaotic.
It was now two in the morning. The chaos of the afternoon, the recent argument, and the constant emotional tug-of-war had gradually made Jessica’s body feel weary.
Yet her mind remained taut, like a string stretched to its limit, ready to snap at the slightest disturbance.
Thus, her tired body and stimulated nerves formed a stark contrast.
Her limbs felt heavy from exhaustion, yet she had no desire to sleep.
Thinking this, Jessica immediately raised her head, her voice tinged with stubbornness. “Then I’ll sleep in Sulli’s room tonight.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan shook his head without hesitation, a hint of a playful smile appearing on his lips. “You’re not much to look at, but you think quite prettily. The lives of so many of us are in your hands, how could I dare let you stay alone?”
He then deliberately emphasized, “It seems Soo Jung was right tonight. Either you stay with me, or shall I tie you up again? A bow would look prettier.”
“Get lost…” Jessica’s eyes widened, her tone filled with genuine anger.
But when she saw Lin Xiuyuan actually stand up and move towards her, her heart suddenly tightened, and she reflexively took two steps back.
Her expression held not just annoyance, but a clear hint of genuine apprehension.
“I told you, I won’t hurt Soo Jung!” she explained hastily, her voice still trembling slightly. “And even if I ran away, wouldn’t you just catch me? Do you think I don’t value my own life, that I’d voluntarily be tied back to the research lab with you?”
Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, his expression playful. “Who knows? What if you weren’t happy with how things turned out in 2025? Seeing how perfect everything is in 2013 might unbalance you, and you’d decide to become a human bomb and destroy it all.”
These words made Jessica grit her teeth in anger, her fingertips clenching.
Then, as if finding her reason, she stared intently at the man before her, almost biting out the words, “Hey, Lin Xiuyuan!! Can you stop thinking of me so darkly? What did I ever do to offend you, that you dislike me so much?”
Once the resentment was voiced, it surged out like a gushing outlet.
“I know I messed up that time with the camera, but I apologized. I really didn’t expect the other person to react like that.”
Her tone gradually grew heavier, her breathing deepened, and a hint of grievance appeared in her eyes. “Besides, you didn’t lose anything in that incident, did you? That guy ended up in the hospital thanks to you.”
Jessica, her emotions escalating, blurted out all the dissatisfaction she had been holding in her heart.
“In the end, it seems you’ve disliked me since before that. Did I do something to offend you? Or do you treat everyone with such a cold face? While our first meeting wasn’t pleasant, isn’t that normal? If a stranger encounters your strange attitude, would anyone greet you with a smile and be all lovey-dovey? That would be even weirder!”
As she spoke, Jessica suddenly thought of something, narrowing her eyes at Lin Xiuyuan. “Is it because of Jung Soo Yeon? Because you knew her first and felt like my actions were a failure from her perspective, so you dislike me?”
Lin Xiuyuan on the sofa had been listening quietly, his expression not showing much emotion. Only when he heard the last sentence did he shake his head slightly.
“You got some things right,” he said slowly, his tone calm. “But some of your thoughts are overthinking.”
Jessica immediately pressed, “Which things, which thoughts?”
“For example, the first few meetings not being pleasant, that’s correct. And I’m a bit petty, so I’ve remembered it until now.”
Lin Xiuyuan even had a slight curve to his lips as he said this, his smile lifting slightly. “As for your later remarks about actions, choices, or involving Soo Yeon. Those aren’t the problem. You and I were simply strangers at first, it’s not as complicated as you think.”
As he spoke, he casually picked up the remote and pressed a few buttons. Finding nothing to watch, he abruptly turned off the TV.
The next second, silence enveloped the apartment, and even the air seemed to become much quieter.
In this silence, Jessica finally spoke, her voice carrying a strange tone of speechlessness. “So, Lin Xiuyuan, you mean… you dislike me simply because my attitude was bad back then, and you’ve been holding a grudge?”
“Mm, it’s that simple.” He leaned back on the sofa, nodding, his expression matter-of-fact. “What did you think?”
Jessica was so choked by the answer that she couldn’t speak for a moment.
She was angry enough to curse, yet also couldn’t help but laugh.
It felt absurd, yet maddening.
In the end, she could only glare at him fiercely and squeeze out a speechless sentence, “Hey, you’re a man, can’t you be less petty?”
“Do men have to be generous?” Lin Xiuyuan pushed himself up, resting his hands on his knees, and yawned slightly. “Jessica, you’re a bit stereotypical. Besides, I’m not exactly being ungenerous. I’m just a bit vengeful, a bit petty.”
As he spoke, he looked up at her, the corner of his lips forming a playful arc. “However, when I need to be generous, I am very generous. For example, right now, I can still speak to you face-to-face in a good mood. If I were truly petty, you would have been bullied by me long ago.”
Hearing this, Jessica’s eyes immediately tensed, and she reflexively took half a step back, pressing herself against the wall.
Her expression held a hint of suspicion and a touch of resistance.
Lin Xiuyuan, who had pushed himself up, looked at the clock on the wall after saying this, and stretched again. “What can I say, it’s really late now, time to sleep.”
“Sleep? My hair isn’t even dry yet.”
Jessica snorted, her tone revealing unconcealed defensiveness.
At the same time, she brushed away strands of wet hair, a few long strands clinging to her neck, making her look particularly cool.
Lin Xiuyuan frowned at this, rubbing his temples, his voice tired. “Then go blow-dry it. I’m really sleepy. Today’s nonsense with you has nearly snapped my nerves.”
“Then you sleep. I’m not stopping you.” Jessica crossed her arms, her tone casual, but with a hint of provocation.
Lin Xiuyuan looked at her and suddenly smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The next second, he walked directly forward, his steps somewhat forceful, pushing Jessica, who was already leaning against the wall, back into a corner.
Then he reached out and grabbed her wrist. “What you said, come on, let’s go inside.”
“Hey~ Don’t touch me, I’ll walk myself.” Jessica struggled repeatedly, her eyes widening in anger. “Lin Xiuyuan, I said I’ll walk myself.”
However, the moment she finished speaking, after entering, she immediately heard the bedroom door click shut and lock.
And before Jessica could even react, Lin Xiuyuan swiftly moved a wooden frame and placed it horizontally across the doorway, blocking it tightly.
Seeing this scene, Jessica froze completely, her eyes instantly igniting with anger. “What are you doing?”
Lin Xiuyuan clapped his hands, seemingly satisfied with his accomplishment, and nodded to himself.
“This should be fine. I should be able to sleep soundly tonight. If you really want to run, you’ll have to move this frame first and then open the door. The noise will wake me up, right… well, probably.”
Towards the end, his eyes flickered, landing on a rope in the corner.
Jessica immediately caught this small movement, and her entire body bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, forcefully blocking Lin Xiuyuan’s view.
“Enough, it’s really enough. I told you I won’t run. If you dare tie me up again, you won’t sleep tonight. When you fall asleep, I’ll definitely bite you to death.”
Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and said, half-jokingly, “What about just tying one hand?”
“No!! Nowhere!!” Jessica’s voice was almost a scream, utterly exasperated, her ear tips turning a faint red, whether from excitement or embarrassment.
Lin Xiuyuan could only shrug, with a “knew this would happen” expression, and seeing no point in further argument, he directly lunged onto the bed, resting his hands behind his head. “Alright, I’m going to sleep then.”
His actions completely stunned Jessica. She blinked and asked uncertainly, “Wait… you’re sleeping on the bed, so where do I sleep?”
Lin Xiuyuan turned over, his back to her, his voice laced with lazy exhaustion. “Wherever you want. There’s a small sofa in the corner, carpet on the floor, and spare quilts in the wardrobe. You pick, I won’t say anything even if you want to sleep in the bathroom.”
His answer made Jessica’s face freeze instantly. Her entire face screamed “ridiculous.” “Lin Xiuyuan, you… don’t you think, as a man, you should have some gentlemanly manners and give me the bed?”
However, Lin Xiuyuan didn’t even lift an eyelid, and suddenly threw out a sentence, “You’re dreaming.”
Then he truly lay down on the bed, his breathing gradually evening out, as if he could fall asleep in the next second.
“Hey, Lin Xiuyuan!” Jessica exploded, her scream almost threatening to rip off the ceiling.
Yet the man on the bed remained unresponsive, as if completely shut off from the outside world, his back infuriatingly still.
Jessica gritted her teeth, fuming, and turned to storm into the bathroom, and slammed the switch.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh…”
The roar of the hair dryer instantly filled the entire bedroom, exceptionally piercing.
And Jessica, haphazardly blow-drying her hair in front of the mirror, had a stubborn expression, like a child throwing a tantrum.
Lin Xiuyuan on the bed heard the noise and couldn’t help but curve his lips, letting out a low laugh, but his eyes remained tightly shut.
The sleepiness was real.
Until the sound of the hair dryer gradually stopped, and the bedroom returned to silence.
Jessica finally emerged from the bathroom, her hair soft and fluffy from the blow-drying. Her expression still held anger, and her steps were slightly puffed out.
Her gaze involuntarily fell on the bed.
Lin Xiuyuan was lying on his side, the quilt casually tucked between his legs, his breathing deep, his features relaxed, his eyelashes casting faint shadows in the light.
His posture looked remarkably peaceful, even possessing a calmness that made one’s heart tremble slightly.
This scene made Jessica feel an inexplicable awkwardness welling up inside her.
Before she could even think about it, she directly lifted her foot and kicked his leg with a “bang,” her tone full of dissatisfaction, “Hey, Lin Xiuyuan, seriously, where am I supposed to sleep!”
Lin Xiuyuan wasn’t actually asleep; he was just resting his eyes.
After being kicked and rolling over, he lazily raised his hand and pointed to the carpet by the bed, “Lay out a quilt and sleep here.”
“No way.” Jessica immediately refused, her tone as firm as if she were negotiating.
Lin Xiuyuan glanced at her sideways, his tone carrying a hint of a mischievous grin, “Then how about I tie you up and you sleep directly on the bed?”
Jessica instantly exploded, her eyes widening, “You dare!”
But the next second, her eyes darted, and a sly smile suddenly appeared, “Okay, then I’ll sleep on the floor, but you have to help me lay out the quilt.”
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t think much of it. He got up, took a spare quilt from the wardrobe, and squatted down, spreading it out on the carpet.
He propped his arms on his knees, his movements neat and his expression natural.
The moment he turned around, there was a “swoosh” from behind him.
Jessica, who had been standing at the foot of the bed, suddenly pounced onto the bed like a little fox, and in the next second, she was already burrowed under the quilt, wrapped up tightly. Only a pair of smiling eyes peeked out, her expression triumphant, as if declaring “Plan successful.”
Lin Xiuyuan looked up at her, not at all surprised. Instead, he slowly finished laying out the quilt in his hands, then stood by the bed and calmly asked, “Are you coming down yourself, or do I have to do it?”
Jessica, huddled in the quilt, shook her head like a rattle, her attitude clear: absolutely not!!
Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with a bit more amusement, “Then if I have to do it, I won’t be polite. If I touch something I shouldn’t… I can’t guarantee if it’s intentional or unintentional.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly leaned down and reached to pull at the quilt she was wrapped in.
Jessica shrieked in alarm, desperately holding onto the corners of the quilt with both hands, shrinking into a ball and struggling with all her might, “Ya~ Lin Xiuyuan, don’t touch me~”
But given the difference in strength between a man and a woman, her wrist was quickly grasped by Lin Xiuyuan. With a gentle pull, she was dragged towards the edge of the bed.
“Let go of me, Lin Xiuyuan~”
Jessica, screaming loudly, her long legs kicked wildly as she struggled, her movements rapid and flustered.
However, the camisole she was wearing slipped down during the struggle, exposing half of her fair shoulder.
Her snow-white skin gleamed softly in the gentle light of the bedside lamp, like a secret unintentionally revealed, drawing one’s gaze.
As she struggled, her upper body arched, causing the curve of her chest to tremble. The fabric was stretched taut, her curves undeniably noticeable.
Lin Xiuyuan, who had only intended to scare her, involuntarily held his breath, his gaze freezing for a moment.
Wow~
What a figure~
Jessica’s heart suddenly panicked when she noticed his gaze, her face flushing with shame and anger, “You pervert, where are you looking.”
Hearing her voice, Lin Xiuyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. He intended to look away, but in the process of shifting his gaze, he made a mistake, and his palm and fingertips quickly brushed against the soft flesh of her waist.
The smooth, delicate sensation shot into his fingertips, as if carrying a slight warmth, causing Lin Xiuyuan to immediately stop his movements, even subconsciously pinching twice.
Jessica, on the other hand, felt as if she had been electrocuted, her entire body stiffening, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid.
The touch was so brief it was almost nonexistent, yet it was more unsettling than any provocation.
The moment they locked eyes, the air seemed to freeze.
Jessica’s eyes widened, the corners of her eyes trembling slightly with nervousness. Her lips parted slightly, but she couldn’t speak, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of her chest.
The temperature in the air seemed to have stopped, leaving only the sound of their breaths intermingling.
Then, gritting her teeth, she suddenly shouted, “Stop, don’t move, please don’t move, I’ll get down myself, I’ll get down myself.”
Her voice trembled, almost like a plea.
Then, as if escaping for her life, she forcefully broke free from Lin Xiuyuan’s grasp and scrambled out of the quilt, tumbling and crawling.
The camisole on her shoulder had slipped even lower in the chaos, her shoulder almost completely bare, but Jessica didn’t bother to adjust it. She jumped off the bed barefoot with a “thump-thump” and dove into the quilt Lin Xiuyuan had just spread on the floor.
“Hoo…”
Once nestled in the bedding on the carpet, Jessica’s rapid breathing caused her chest to rise and fall unevenly.
Her entire face was as red as a ripe apple, even her earlobes burning hot. She bit her lip, trembling with anger but unable to utter a single harsh word, much like a puffed-up kitten with nowhere to vent its frustration.
Lin Xiuyuan, on the bed, propped himself up on one arm, watching her with an amused gaze.
As if thinking of something, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and a hint of a smile flickered in his eyes. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “See, isn’t this good? If you had listened earlier, it would have saved all this trouble.”
Jessica, however, turned her back to him, tightly wrapping herself in the quilt, her teeth almost biting through her lower lip: This bastard, really… just you wait, I’ll get my revenge eventually!!!
But the more she thought about it, the more her anger couldn’t be suppressed. So she simply buried her head in the blanket, wrapping herself up completely, as if isolating herself from any potential danger.
Just as Jessica tilted her head to look at the ceiling, the lighting overhead was blindingly bright, making her feel annoyed and agitated.
Just as she hesitated, wondering whether to speak, preparing to ask if he could turn off the light.
“Click…”
The light suddenly went out.
The room instantly plunged into darkness, so quiet that only the sound of their breathing could be heard.
Jessica flinched violently in fear and immediately burrowed tighter into the blanket, her voice urgent as she called out, “Lin Xiuyuan, turn on the night light, I can’t sleep in this darkness.”
Lin Xiuyuan, on the bed, rolled over, his voice muffled as he replied, “I can’t sleep with the light on.”
“But I’m afraid of the dark,” Jessica retorted, not to be outdone, her tone laced with a hint of urgency.
Lin Xiuyuan was silent for two seconds, then grumbled under his breath, “So troublesome,” and casually turned on the auxiliary light by the bed.
A dim orange glow softly spread, casting soft, warm shadows in the room.
Under the illumination of this auxiliary light, the tension in the air slightly receded, but a layer of ambiguous tranquility settled upon it.
Jessica breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she could finally sleep peacefully.
But before she could even close her eyes, Lin Xiuyuan on the bed suddenly spoke, “Jessica, let’s play rock-paper-scissors, whoever wins, the other listens to them.”
“Deal!” Jessica immediately sat up, her eyes as bright as if she had found a new toy.
They faced each other across the edge of the bed, their hands moving in the air.
“Rock!”
“Scissors!”
For the first time, Lin Xiuyuan won.
Jessica immediately frowned, crying out in protest, “That doesn’t count, you didn’t say ‘start’ just now, let’s do it again!”
Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, shaking his head, “Cheating, huh.”
He said that, but he still went along with her request.
So they played a second time.
“Starting now.”
“Paper!”
“Paper!”
A tie.
They looked at each other, the atmosphere suddenly becoming tense, as if sparks were hidden in the air.
Jessica narrowed her eyes and snorted, “Again.”
The third time…
“Scissors!”
“Paper!”
Lin Xiuyuan looked at his hand, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, “Okay, I won, nothing more to say, right?”
Jessica immediately sat up straight, hands on her hips, and stated righteously, “No, it’s best two out of three.”
“Too lazy to deal with you.” Lin Xiuyuan simply rolled over, positioning himself to sleep.
The next second, Jessica reached out and grabbed his quilt, stubbornly pulling him from closing his eyes, insisting on continuing the game.
Lin Xiuyuan sighed helplessly and accompanied her.
The fourth round – she won.
The fifth round – she won again.
Jessica smirked triumphantly, flicking her hair, her eyes curving, “See? Listen to me, turn on the light.”
Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his forehead with his hand in exasperation, “Sulli wouldn’t be like this.”
These words, which clearly stepped on a landmine, made Jessica glare at him fiercely. She then turned over and lay back down, her previous excitement and happiness vanishing instantly.
The room finally quieted down under the dim strip of the auxiliary light.
Jessica curled up in the blanket, but her eyes continued to restlessly stare at the ceiling.
After a long while, she suddenly spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of inquiry, “Lin Xiuyuan, can you feel your body type, is there… anything particularly strange about it?”
On the bed, Lin Xiuyuan opened one eye, his brow furrowing slightly, clearly not expecting her to suddenly bring up this topic.
After speaking, Jessica’s gaze remained fixed on the ceiling, though it had long since lost its focus.
Her gaze began to drift, her voice carrying a faint sigh, as if spoken casually, yet also like thoughts suppressed for a long time that she was finally letting out.
“It’s just so amazing. Soo Jung’s skin isn’t bad, but it suddenly became so firm. Yoona is the same, no different from a few years ago. And Taeyeon and Ji-yeon… you’ve enjoyed quite a few beautiful women.”
Lin Xiuyuan’s eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly opened slightly. He clearly hadn’t expected her to suddenly bring this up. After a few seconds of silence, he responded faintly, “Actually, I don’t feel anything. At most, my physical condition is a bit better than average.”
Jessica frowned slightly, her gaze shifting to him, with a hint of persistence, “Then… how did you guys find out at the beginning?”
Lin Xiuyuan on the bed rolled over, facing away from her, his voice laced with sleepiness and a dismissive brush-off, “Too many internal settings, you’ll know after eating more.”
As soon as the words fell, the room became unusually quiet.
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t pay it any mind, closing his eyes drowsily.
But Jessica was stunned, then suddenly sat bolt upright, lunging towards the edge of the bed almost instinctively.
She propped herself on the edge of the bed with her arms, leaned forward, and asked in a voice so close it was as if she were whispering in Lin Xiuyuan’s ear, “Really? Hey, is Jung Soo Jung crazy? You guys had only just met not long ago, and you were already that bold?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s eyes snapped open. As he turned his head, he met that almost-close face.
Jessica’s bare face, without any makeup to conceal it, was still much more translucent than that of an ordinary person, with a slight dewy sheen from having just showered.
Her upturned nose and round eyes were now wider with curiosity, her gaze filled with a stubborn inquisitiveness.
Her hair still held a dampness, clinging to her cheeks and collarbones, a faint fragrance mixed with warmth washing over him.
This sudden closeness made Lin Xiuyuan instinctively shrink back into his pillow, his mouth twitching, “Why are you asking so much? Didn’t you say you weren’t interested?”
Jessica’s cheeks suddenly flushed red. How could she not be interested? What she said before was just a complaint.
But thinking about how private “that incident” was, a wave of frustration and shame washed over her.
“I’m just curious,” she said softly, her gaze flickering, not daring to look at him directly, “Then why are you infertile? Don’t you ever feel… bad about it?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s expression was calm, his eyelids half-lowered, his tone laced with a hint of laziness and naturalness.
“If I were forty or fifty now, and at the age where I’d want to pass on my lineage, I would definitely feel it’s a pity. But I’m only in my early twenties, how could I possibly feel bad? This thing called ‘Wutao’… it’s very comfortable, it’s a great thing, I should be thanking it.”
He paused here, his gaze sweeping over her slightly flushed cheeks, the corner of his lips curving slightly, with a hint of teasing.
“Besides, aren’t I still your little test subject? If you were a bit more stubborn, I’d have an experimental subject, and then maybe I wouldn’t have to worry.”
Jessica froze, her earlobes to her neck rapidly turning a fiery red.
The next second, she gritted her teeth, spat lightly with annoyance, her voice full of shame and guilt, “Go to hell, you bastard.”
After a moment of stiffness, realizing she couldn’t come up with any harsh words, she finally turned away abruptly, like a startled small animal, and dove back into the blanket on the floor, wrapping herself up tightly.
With her back to Lin Xiuyuan, Jessica’s breathing became rapid.
Her heart pounded, her lips pressed tightly together. She dared not say another word, fearing she might actually be “handled” like that tonight.
The room fell silent again, with only the dim orange light of the auxiliary lamp casting long and short shadows of him on the bed and her on the carpet, intertwining quietly, creating an atmosphere of ambiguous tranquility.
…
…
The next day.
Around ten in the morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, dappling the floor of the apartment.
“Click…”
The apartment door was opened cautiously, and a head first peeked through a small gap, followed by another.
Jung Soo Jung and Sulli tiptoed in like thieves, carrying breakfast bags.
The soy milk and sandwiches in the plastic bags swayed gently with their movements, making faint clinking sounds.
The two first peeked around the living room, confirming there were “no abnormal situations,” before quietly placing the breakfast on the coffee table.
After a moment of silence, their gazes fell almost simultaneously on the doorway of Lin Xiuyuan’s bedroom.
Jung Soo Jung swallowed and glanced at Sulli, her eyes showing a hint of shock. She lowered her voice and tentatively asked, “Snowball, do you think Unnie might be sleeping in there?”
Sulli, who was asked, didn’t answer directly. She just snorted and walked straight to her own room door, opened it, and found it empty.
Then she turned back and winked at Jung Soo Jung, “See, my room is empty. Where do you think she might be?”
“…”
Jung Soo Jung’s eyes widened instantly, and she instinctively bared her teeth, making an ambiguous and shocked gesture.
Although she didn’t make a sound, her small actions clearly conveyed her suspicions.
Sulli chuckled and couldn’t help but shake her head, “Hey, you’re thinking too much. I don’t think it’s possible. At most, they’re sleeping together.”
“What?!” Jung Soo Jung exclaimed softly, her face turning red, “Sleeping together isn’t enough?”
Sulli’s expression remained calm, “Sleeping together doesn’t necessarily mean doing it.”
This answer left Jung Soo Jung stunned for a long moment, as if her little brain had frozen. After a while, she stared at Sulli, her eyes suspicious, “Where have you learned all this recently, Snowball? Your talk is quite bold.”
Sulli’s lips curved slightly, her eyes flickering mischievously, “If you chat with those Unnies from ’25’ a few more times, you’ll probably be similar to me.”
“Huh?” Jung Soo Jung looked completely bewildered, clearly not understanding at all, just feeling overwhelmed by the information.
She glanced at the bedroom door and then hesitated, “Should we call them to wake up? The breakfast will get cold if we wait any longer.”
Sulli nodded, then turned her head to look at her, “You call.”
“Me?!” Jung Soo Jung immediately pointed at herself, shrinking back, “Why me?”
Sulli said matter-of-factly, “Because I won’t get scolded, but you will.”
“…” Jung Soo Jung, who had just lifted her foot, quickly pulled it back, and stiffly turned to stare at Sulli, her brain finally processing the logic of the sentence, “Wait, that’s not right! Why would I get scolded?!”
Sulli couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into laughter, covering her mouth, “Just kidding.”
Laughing, she walked past Jung Soo Jung to the door of Lin Xiuyuan’s bedroom and gently knocked.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Inside the bedroom.
A faint aroma of incense still lingered in the air.
Lin Xiuyuan lay on his back on the bed, the quilt kicked to the foot of the bed, his eyes carrying the peace after tiredness, his breathing steady, as if in a deep sleep.
On the carpet beside the bed, Jessica was curled up in a blanket, her long hair scattered on the pillow, her sleeping posture casually lazy.
As she turned over, revealing half of her delicate profile, her breathing was also quiet and long.
The two, one above and one below, had actually spent the night peacefully together like this.
At this moment, as the knocking outside the door gradually sounded, a subtle undercurrent of aura seemed to appear in the room.
Lin Xiuyuan on the bed was the first to open his eyes, squinting slightly from the stimulation of the sunlight.
Instinctively, his first glance fell on the figure on the floor.
Then, looking at Jessica’s sleeping appearance, a sudden impulse came to him, and he fumbled for a small card camera from the bedside table, aimed it at her, and pressed the shutter repeatedly.
“Click—click—”
A few crisp shutter sounds rang out, waking Jessica, who was already on the verge of waking up.
So, the moment she opened her eyes, she met the scene of someone holding a camera almost pressed against her face.
This scene made Jessica pause for a moment, and she immediately looked down at her own situation.
After discovering that her camisole was still in place and there was no wardrobe malfunction, she let out a long sigh of relief, and then, indignant, yelled, “Hey, Lin Xiuyuan, are you really a pervert? What are you taking photos of so early in the morning?”
Lin Xiuyuan lazily raised an eyebrow, but a mischievous smile curved his lips, “Just keeping a memento. Opportunities for Jessica to sleep on the floor are rare. If you don’t take a photo to remember it, how can that work?”
Hearing this, Jessica’s face turned red “whoosh,” and she directly grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, gritting her teeth, “You know that too? Then why did you make me sleep on the floor!”
Lin Xiuyuan, who caught the pillow with ease, laughed even more wantonly, “Because my body can’t sleep on hard surfaces, just like my stomach can only eat soft food.”
“Dog men.”
“So you like beasts…”
“Get lost.”
Jessica was so angry she almost pounced on him, but Lin Xiuyuan, laughing fearlessly, dodged her “Nine Yin White Bone Claw” and then got up and walked towards the room door.
（PS: Godfathers, double period vote, starting today until the 7th of next month, reaching the target will add 5 chapters of ten thousand daily!!!）
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Double period at the end of the month, there seems to be an activity to participate in, I hope everyone votes a lot.
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