Chapter 288: “xiuyuan, Did You Do Something Naughty To Me?”
……
A few days ago in the evening, T-ara dormitory.
Park Hyomin sat cross-legged on the living room sofa, looking at Ham Eun-jung who pushed the door and entered, then subconsciously glanced at the empty spot behind her, and casually asked, “Ji-yeon didn’t come back with you?”
The asked Ham Eun-jung bent over to change shoes while answering, “No, she went with Soo Hee to handle that chain store matter. It seems their branch stores have been opening very quickly lately, and the two of them have barely touched the ground these past few days, busier than us running schedules.”
Hearing this, Park Hyomin nodded along.
Actually, she had been paying attention to that chain brand invested by Park Ji-yeon’s so-called company, which had indeed been booming lately, with tons of news reports drifting over from China to Seoul.
So much so that thinking of this, she couldn’t help but sigh, “I really didn’t expect that the group’s maknae, the youngest member, would be the first to start entrepreneurship, and it looks like she’s about to succeed.”
After sighing, her gaze fell back on Ham Eun-jung, carrying a bit of scrutiny and curiosity.
“By the way, Eun-jung, what’s been up with you these past few days? As soon as rehearsal or work ends, you’re gone. Did you go find Lin Xiuyuan again?”
After changing shoes, Ham Eun-jung straightened up, meeting Park Hyomin’s probing gaze. Not only did her eyes not dodge, she even smiled as if finding it amusing, and countered, “Why ask like that? Wuli Hyo Min, are you jealous? No way, you’re eating a boy’s vinegar?”
For some reason, hearing this, Park Hyomin pouted awkwardly, her tone carrying a faint trace of resentment, “Who’s jealous? I just feel like ever since we met Lin Xiuyuan, the few of us haven’t gone out shopping or eating together for a while. Didn’t we used to do that often?”
Hearing Park Hyomin’s complaint, Ham Eun-jung immediately went along with it and smiled, “Then how about we go now?”
Park Hyomin immediately glared at her irritably, “It’s already evening, what are we going out for, to bump into the night butcher?”
“Hahaha~ It’s not that exaggerated.”
Ham Eun-jung smiled, “Then in a few days. We can find a time when we’re all free and go out for a good meal.”
After saying that, she seemed to think of something, lightly bumping the arm of Park Hyomin who had walked up to her with her shoulder, and asked in a low voice, “But Hyo Min, when the time comes, should we invite Xiuyuan along? Having a milky young boy as company would make eating and shopping more fun, right?”
The teased Park Hyomin rolled her eyes directly, her tone a bit depressed, “If you miss him, just say so. Why drag me into it? I’m not that into Lin Xiuyuan.”
In her view, though Lin Xiuyuan was young and handsome, with a sunny youthful vibe, he wasn’t her preferred type.
She preferred ones with a slightly mature flavor, good body management, some muscle lines, promising young men.
In 2025 terms, that would be “high cadre style.”
Faced with Park Hyomin’s clear statement of “not that into,” Ham Eun-jung just gave her a meaningful look, then said nothing more and turned toward the bedroom.
“I’m going to take a shower.”
However, just as she grabbed a set of pajamas and was about to enter the bathroom, her steps suddenly paused at the doorway. She turned back to look at Park Hyomin who was still sitting thoughtfully on the sofa, and said as if casually mentioning it, or perhaps deliberately emphasizing.
“By the way, Hyo Min, actually Xiuyuan’s figure is really great too. It’s one of the best among the guys I’ve seen, and very standard.”
Finally, under Park Hyomin’s stunned raised gaze, she clearly added four words, “The top-notch kind.”
Then, without waiting for Park Hyomin’s reaction, she slipped into the bathroom and closed the door.
Leaving Park Hyomin alone in the living room, with that phrase “the top-notch kind” echoing repeatedly in her mind.
Her mood inexplicably a bit muddled, and uncontrollably giving rise to a trace of……
Damn curiosity.
……
Back to now, in the restaurant.
Today was actually the day Park Hyomin and Ham Eun-jung had agreed to have dinner together.
But she arrived at the restaurant early. Just as she was led by the server to the reserved spot and hadn’t sat down yet, her gaze was drawn to a table of guests not far away.
At that dining table, Park Hyomin first spotted Goo Hara and Sulli whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. This unexpected encounter surprised her a bit.
Immediately after, she noticed sitting across from the two was none other than Lin Xiuyuan and Lin Xiaolu.
How did these people end up together? Park Hyomin had a big question mark in her mind.
So while Ham Eun-jung hadn’t arrived yet, she couldn’t hold back her curiosity, adjusted her expression, and walked over with a smile.
“Yo, what a coincidence?”
After greeting, Park Hyomin, under Lin Xiaolu’s enthusiastic welcome, smoothly sat in the empty seat next to them.
Her gaze swept over everyone’s faces, finally landing on Lin Xiuyuan who seemed like the central figure, “How did you all end up together? Coincidence?”
“What coincidence, unnie,” Sulli smiled with pursed lips and explained, “We planned this.”
At this time, Lin Xiuyuan also smiled and greeted her, then looking at one person’s figure said, “Just you alone, Hyo Min?”
“No.” Park Hyomin shook her head, “Eun-jung too, but she hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Eun-jung’s coming too,” Lin Xiuyuan was a bit surprised, then very naturally followed up about another figure, “What about Ji-yeon?”
“Ji-yeon doesn’t have time, went to handle your stuff.”
Park Hyomin looked at Lin Xiuyuan. Though not explicitly said, they both knew it was the chain store matters.
Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan smiled knowingly, his gaze turning to Goo Hara who had been a bit quiet since Park Hyomin arrived across from him.
The moment their eyes met, he naturally suggested, “Hara ya, since Eun-jung and Hyo Min happened to run into us, how about we join together? More people, more lively.”
Goo Hara was stunned by this sudden proposal, then glanced at Park Hyomin and instinctively nodded lightly, “I can.”
Sulli next to her looked at the table that wasn’t too big to begin with, “But oppa, our table seems a bit short on seats.”
Then Im Yoon Ah chimed in, “I just heard the restaurant has private rooms, how about asking?”
The always quiet Park Hyomin, seeing them quickly decide to merge tables with just a few words, waved her hands repeatedly, “No need, no need, you eat yours, we won’t disturb……”
But before she could finish, Lin Xiuyuan had already raised his hand to call the server.
After confirming there was an available private room, he directly said to the server, “Then please move us to the private room side.”
After saying that, he looked at everyone, stood up first with a big wave, carrying a refreshing decisiveness, “Let’s go, gogogo~ change venue.”
Sulli, Im Yoon Ah, and Goo Hara seeing this also smiled and stood up.
Goo Hara even smoothly pulled the still somewhat dazed, confused-looking Park Hyomin.
The group thus followed the server to the more private and spacious private room.
And in this spacious private room, they all sat down again.
But before the chairs were even warmed, the private room door was pushed open again, and Ham Eun-jung stepped in wearing a pair of small boots.
When she clearly saw the circle of familiar faces in the room, her pretty eyes first widened in surprise, then narrowed slightly, carrying a bit of playfulness and scrutiny as she scanned the room, finally landing on a certain boy surrounded by beauties, and laughed exaggeratedly.
“Wow, what’s the situation today? Everyone’s here? Xiuyuan, did you set this up?”
While saying this, Ham Eun-jung very naturally circled half the table and walked straight behind Lin Xiuyuan.
Then under Park Hyomin’s slightly weird gaze and Goo Hara’s curious one, she very familiarly placed both hands on Lin Xiuyuan’s shoulders and pinched lightly.
Only then did she lean down slightly, lower her head close to him with a smile and ask, “Is it true? What’s the situation today, Xiuyuan? It’s really rare to see you proactively coming out for a meal. In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve only seen it a few times.”
Just as she finished, Sulli and Lin Xiaolu nearby laughed out. Both knew what Ham Eun-jung meant.
Nothing more than teasing Lin Xiuyuan for not often being in this 2013 time-space.
As for Lin Xiuyuan, when he felt the force on his shoulder and the warm breath by his ear, he naturally turned back to look at Ham Eun-jung.
In that instant, his mind’s memories uncontrollably flashed back to yesterday afternoon’s scene.
In that 2025 apartment, the erotic scene of tangling and fooling around with the more mature and bold “Sweet Eun-jung.”
So his gaze flickered slightly, but he quickly concealed it, then raised a natural smile and replied, “What you said, I do come out to sunbathe occasionally. Staying cooped up at home all day would make me moldy.”
However, at this moment, Ham Eun-jung seemed not to hear his answer.
Because all her attention was drawn by that one glance Lin Xiuyuan had just turned back to look at her.
That gaze…… was strange.
It didn’t contain much naked desire, yet carried a kind of…… a penetrating insight that seemed to pierce through flesh straight to the soul’s depths.
As if in that instant, all her disguises, all her secrets, even the subtlest curves of her body, were taken in by him.
A bizarre sense of shame and palpitation, like being stripped of all clothes and nakedly exposed under his gaze, surged up Ham Eun-jung’s spine the moment that gaze touched her, making her heart tremble.
Almost instinctively, her brain neurons immediately linked this gaze to another figure.
That one existing in 2025, more mature, more languid, and more dangerous…… herself.
Could it be……
A thought Ham Eun-jung had always deliberately avoided and unwilling to dwell on exploded in her mind like thunder at this moment.
Over there in 2025, something bad didn’t happen with Xiuyuan, right?
Otherwise, Ham Eun-jung couldn’t understand why Lin Xiuyuan, whose gaze toward her had been fairly normal before, would today, just now, suddenly reveal this gaze that knew everything, even the hidden secrets in her bones……
Strange gaze.
Thinking of this, Ham Eun-jung’s gaze toward Lin Xiuyuan instantly became complex and subtle.
She even subconsciously lowered her head for a quick glance at her outfit today: the most ordinary T-shirt layered with hoodie, conservative enough not to show even a bit of collarbone.
But even this outfit could make that guy Lin Xiuyuan show that kind of gaze?!
Confirmed!
Ham Eun-jung nearly screamed in her heart.
Over there in 2025, something improper definitely happened with this kid, otherwise it couldn’t be like this!
With this chain of brain storm and deduction ending, in reality only a short few seconds had passed.
So after guessing roughly, Ham Eun-jung quickly reined in the stormy waves in her eyes, but a thought of “verification” had already formed.
Before that, she still needed to give someone a little “retaliation.”
So the hand on Lin Xiuyuan’s shoulder suddenly pinched hard!
“Ah~”
This caught Lin Xiuyuan off guard, and he yelped in pain unexpectedly, turning to look at Ham Eun-jung, “What was that for.”
But the asked Ham Eun-jung just lightly hummed, as if nothing happened, released her hand, gracefully circled to the opposite side, and sat in the empty seat next to Park Hyomin.
Leaving Lin Xiuyuan alone rubbing his shoulder, gazing at her figure, full of bafflement.
Soon, the previously ordered dishes were brought in by the server one by one.
Exquisite Spanish dishes filled the table, aromas wafting everywhere.
After the servers fully exited the private room and closed the door, the atmosphere livened up again.
For example, Park Hyomin took the lead in warmly chatting with Goo Hara. As fellow Invincible Youth G7 members, they had endless topics, from recent updates to past embarrassing stories, laughter nonstop.
The latest arrival Ham Eun-jung also adjusted her emotions and casually chatted with Lin Xiaolu, asking about her recent drama filming and group activities.
Soon, the entire private room’s atmosphere became harmonious and lively.
However, just as Lin Xiuyuan thought this was just a pleasant dinner party. Ham Eun-jung, after chatting a bit with Lin Xiaolu, suddenly smiled and patted her arm, saying something in a low voice.
Then the two exchanged a tacit look, and Lin Xiaolu smilingly stood up to switch seats with Ham Eun-jung.
At this time, Lin Xiuyuan was turned sideways, quietly chatting with Sulli on the other side about Jung Soo Jung’s recent schedules, completely unaware of the situation nearby.
And after sitting down, Ham Eun-jung didn’t immediately disturb Lin Xiuyuan, just quietly looking at his profile, her eyes flickering with a fairly complex gaze.
A few seconds later, she suddenly reached out and lightly patted Lin Xiuyuan’s arm.
“Xiuyuan~”
Lin Xiuyuan instinctively paused his conversation with Sulli and turned his head, “Hm?”
In the instant he turned, Ham Eun-jung suddenly leaned in close.
Their faces instantly drew to an extremely ambiguous distance, her bright eyes carrying interrogation locking tightly onto Lin Xiuyuan’s pupils, inescapably.
Red lips parted lightly, breath like orchid, in a tone only they could hear, with certainty, she asked softly.
“Xiuyuan, I have a question.”
“What? You’re a bit too close.”
“Too close?? Then tell me, did you do something bad to me over there in 2025?”
Yesterday I went for acupuncture therapy, heard from a friend that fascia gun massage is useful too, not sure if it’s true, have any godfathers tried it??
