Chapter 294: “jessica, Are You Going To Propose To Me?”
After being “threatened” by Jessica into taking quite a few insincere photos, Lin Xiuyuan finally pulled her back into the car.
Following her directions, he drove the vehicle and soon arrived at a rather secluded location.
The restaurant was named “Casamia,” but it wasn’t located on a bustling street-front shop or in a large shopping mall; instead, it was hidden deep in a quiet alley.
From the exterior, it didn’t even look like a restaurant. With the tightly shut door, if not for the inconspicuous lighting signboard with the shop name beside it and a blackboard signboard placed on the ground, passersby would probably think it was a private residence or studio.
“This is the place.” Jessica, who had brought Lin Xiuyuan here, pushed open the heavy wooden door first.
The scenery inside the door was a sight to behold.
Warm lighting, Italian-style decor, soothing jazz music created a very nice atmosphere… if only the dining tables weren’t a bit too densely packed, the sensory experience might have been even better.
“There are a bit too many dining tables.”
Although the air was filled with the enticing aroma of food and a faint coffee scent, as soon as Lin Xiuyuan saw the cramped positioning with no sense of space, he immediately frowned.
He didn’t know if it started from the time he obtained the time-space door, but Lin Xiuyuan had become very particular about space, distance, and sense of privacy.
Jessica, who knew this well, had already reserved a spot. After giving her name to the server, they were immediately respectfully led to a relatively quiet corner booth seat.
Next came ordering. Lin Xiuyuan, unfamiliar with the place, handed the task to Jessica, who smilingly ordered quite a few things.
From the appetizing ham salad to the fresh and plump scallops, to the main courses of lobster, classic spaghetti, and perfectly seared steak…
Each dish was served in sequence, beautifully plated, but the portions weren’t as petite as the “pretty food” Lin Xiuyuan had imagined.
He originally wasn’t too keen on restaurants that overly emphasized form, but after tasting a few bites, he suddenly had a change of heart.
He didn’t know if it was the exceptional quality of the ingredients here or the perfectly controlled cooking, but the seasoning had slight innovations over some Italian dishes he’d eaten before, without the half-raw or bizarre tastes he had worried about.
Especially that lobster—the meat was firm and springy, the sauce rich and delicious, perfectly suiting his taste buds and leaving him quite satisfied.
Meanwhile, in Seoul.
Im Yoon Ah, just finishing a day’s schedule, returned to her apartment, shed her exhaustion, and flopped lazily onto the sofa.
Her fingers slid across the phone screen, found that special chat group, and immediately sent a message.
Im Yoon Ah: 【Is anyone there~（Bored to death growing mushrooms.jpg）】
Not long after the message was sent, someone responded.
Sweet Eun-jung: 【What’s up Yoona?（Peeking.jpg）】
Im Yoon Ah: 【Feels like forever since I went out to relax and have a meal, looking for company. Older sister, how’s your foot? Can you walk around yet?】
Sweet Eun-jung: 【That might not work（Crying face）. It’s much better than before, no need for a crutch, but walking is still not very convenient, not easy to go out.】
Im Yoon Ah: 【Ah…（Disappointed flop.jpg）Rare day off tomorrow…】
While Im Yoon Ah was looking at Sweet Eun-jung’s reply and sighing at the ceiling, her phone vibrated again.
With some anticipation, she looked down and saw that Kim Tae Yeon had joined the conversation.
Kim Tae Yeon: 【Where are you? Come pick me up, I’m free right now, bored to death at home.】
At this moment, Kim Tae Yeon was indeed holed up in her own apartment. Having finished several days of audio recording work, today was a rare idle day, and she was feeling a bit bored.
However, seeing her message, Im Yoon Ah grinned mischievously and quickly typed a reply.
Im Yoon Ah: 【（Disdainful face.jpg）Ah~ I’ve seen you too much older sister, a bit tired of it, let’s pick someone else!】
Kim Tae Yeon on the other end of the phone, seeing this “outrageous” reply, laughed in exasperation, her lips curving into a helpless arc as her two little fingers jabbed forcefully at the screen.
Kim Tae Yeon: 【Hey~ Yoona, are you trying to use an excuse to lure out that Xiuyuan guy? He hasn’t made a peep in the group, I bet he’s slipped off to ‘that side’ again.】
As if to confirm Kim Tae Yeon’s guess, just as the message was sent, Sweet Eun-jung’s message popped up right after.
Sweet Eun-jung: 【Oh~ Taeyeon, that guess of yours is wrong（Sneaky laughing puppy.jpg）. Xiuyuan is still on our side, just probably a bit busy right now.】
Im Yoon Ah: 【（Curious bear.jpg）Busy? Busy with what?】
Sweet Eun-jung: 【He flew to Magic City this morning, so if nothing unexpected, at this time, he should be over there~ um, busy.】
Kim Tae Yeon: 【Magic City?!（Shocked black-and-white face.jpg）】
Im Yoon Ah: 【（O-shaped mouth.jpg）Sulli older sister?】
Im Yoon Ah immediately thought of something and quickly scrolled through the group member list with her fingers, trying to confirm if a certain name was there.
However, Jessica’s account wasn’t in the group members.
Mainly because after Jessica finished her “confinement period” last time, she didn’t stay in Seoul for two days before heading to Magic City for work.
Plus, Im Yoon Ah and the others had been swamped with their own schedules lately, and Lin Xiuyuan, who should care the most, was hands-off, so inviting Jessica to the group had been delayed.
Im Yoon Ah: 【Right, has Jung Soo Yeon older sister joined the group? I can’t find her.】
Kim Tae Yeon: 【No sign of her.】
Sweet Eun-jung: 【Probably hasn’t been added yet.】
Kim Tae Yeon: 【I’ll add her.】
With that, Kim Tae Yeon exited the group chat interface, found Jessica’s account in her contacts, and clicked to invite her to the group.
After the operation, she stared at it for a few seconds before returning to the group to report.
Kim Tae Yeon: 【Added her, but no response, probably busy and not checking her phone.】
Im Yoon Ah: 【So what is Xiuyuan doing there this time? Specifically going to keep Sulli older sister company?】
Sweet Eun-jung: 【According to what he said（David thinking.jpg）he’s gone to ‘clear the fog of war’ and establish a new ‘stronghold.’】
This phrasing with game terminology caused a brief silence in the group, then Im Yoon Ah and Kim Tae Yeon, understanding what it meant, smiled knowingly.
While the group chat was buzzing, Big Dragon Cub and Krystal, who was checking her phone during halftime break, joined one after another, chatting lively back and forth.
However, Lin Xiuyuan, far away in the Casamia restaurant in Magic City, was completely unaware of all this.
At this moment, he was focused on the ribeye steak on his plate, tender and juicy with excellent flavor.
Jessica sitting across from him had already set down her knife and fork; her body management instincts were ingrained in her bones.
After elegantly wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin, she propped her arm on the table, rested her chin in her palm, and quietly gazed at Lin Xiuyuan before her.
The restaurant’s soft lighting reflected in her eyes, rippling with a rare, almost tender glow.
“Xiuyuan,” she said softly, breaking the silence at the dining table, “this time you’ve come over… planning to hang out here for a few days before going back?”
At that moment, Lin Xiuyuan had just put a piece of beef in his mouth, chewed and swallowed before looking up to answer, “Haven’t thought specifically, just wandering around for now. Anyway, transportation is convenient, so if anything comes up, I can get there anytime, no big deal.”
The “transportation” he mentioned was something Jessica knew well.
So a hint of amusement flashed in her eyes as she sighed, “Your transportation ability is just too good, too OP. No need to waste tons of time on the road like others, rushing to and fro.”
But Lin Xiuyuan smiled, “Not entirely good, you need to be an unemployed drifter like me to be this free. If it were someone with a nine-to-five job or packed schedule, they wouldn’t have this leisure.”
“That’s true,” Jessica smiled faintly, recalling something Krystal had once said about Lin Xiuyuan, “I remember Soo Jung told me once you’re some kind of goalkeeper, I didn’t get it then, but now I finally understand.”
“Goalkeeper?” Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and laughed, then nodded in strong agreement, “So, Jessica, when do you plan to pay your ‘membership fee’? This unemployed drifter is almost out of money to make ends meet.”
Faced with Lin Xiuyuan’s words, Jessica rolled her eyes at him in annoyance, but then her gaze instinctively glanced at her bag beside her.
Because inside was something she had carefully picked out yesterday specifically for Lin Xiuyuan—a “gift.”
Originally planning to surprise him back at the apartment, but with the atmosphere just right now, she suddenly felt it was quite appropriate to bring it out.
With her mind made up, Jessica reached into her bag without hesitation and took out the small, exquisite deep blue gift box, gently pushing it onto the tablecloth in front of Lin Xiuyuan.
“Membership fee can be settled later.” With those words, a mysterious smile played on her lips, “First, a little gift as ‘interest’—how about that?”
“Gift?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze fell on the familiar-looking velvet box, guessing subconsciously, “Not a wristwatch, is it?”
Mainly because the gift box resembled the one Kim Tae Yeon had once given her dad—not too big or small, square-shaped.
Jessica shook her head with a smile, teasing a little, “If you guessed it that easily, where’s the fun?”
Lin Xiuyuan’s curiosity was finally piqued, and he leaned forward slightly, staring at the box as he asked, “What, do I have to guess right to accept the gift?”
“No need for that.” Jessica shook her head again, “Since I’ve given it, of course it’s yours. But you can guess—guess a few times, see if you can figure it out.”
The person saying this was enjoying the process, seemingly certain Lin Xiuyuan wouldn’t guess the answer.
So under Jessica’s stimulation, Lin Xiuyuan set down his knife and fork, stared at the small box, and began tonight’s “guessing game.”
From expensive gold and jade to exquisite crystal and cufflinks, then from small handicrafts to car keys…
Brainstorming wildly, he guessed almost everything that could fit in a small gift box.
But every guess was denied by Jessica with a delighted smile.
So by the end, Lin Xiuyuan half-jokingly muttered, “It can’t be a pregnancy test stick or something, right? Though some novels say you might have a fertile constitution, Jessica, but not to this extent…”
“Hey!!” Before he finished, Jessica’s cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment and annoyance; she kicked his calf lightly under the table and hissed, “Lin Xiuyuan, what nonsense are you spouting?”
She then shoved the gift box closer to him, glaring shyly and irritably, “Does this box look like it could fit something like that?! Forget it, stop guessing, just open it and see—no more nonsense.”
Seeing her flustered expression, Lin Xiuyuan laughed even harder, then picked up the small box and, under Jessica’s gaze laced with anticipation, gently opened the lid.
But the instant his eyes met the item inside, he froze.
Or rather, was dumbfounded.
He jerked his head up to look at Jessica, his face full of disbelief, blurting out, “Wait, Jessica, are you proposing to me?!”
There, on the deep blue velvet lining, lay a ring.
Jessica, who had just lost her blush, flushed again; she glared at him, both shy and annoyed, “Can you stop exaggerating and talking nonsense?”
By now, Lin Xiuyuan had pinched the ring with his fingers.
The small item gleamed with a cool silver-white luster under the restaurant lighting, its design very unique.
Upon closer inspection, he saw it wasn’t a traditional round band; the ring itself seemed like a smooth twist.
Or rather, it was composed of two intertwined yet seamless parts that could elegantly slide and rotate with slight finger movements.
Strong design sense, very distinctive.
But Lin Xiuyuan still didn’t quite grasp its meaning.
So he looked up at Jessica again with puzzled eyes, waiting for her explanation.
Jessica, who had been watching Lin Xiuyuan closely, took a deep breath to calm her heartbeat disrupted by his “proposal” remark, then pointed vaguely at the center of the ring as a hint.
“Look closely at the structure of that ‘loop’ in the middle.”
Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan focused again, noticing more details this time.
The center of the twist wasn’t mere decoration but formed a peculiar, endless loop structure with no beginning or end.
A classic concept from math and physics instantly hit him.
“This is…” He murmured uncertainly, “A Möbius strip?!”
Seeing Lin Xiuyuan finally recognize it, Jessica smiled with relief and a hint of deeper meaning, nodding as she softly explained.
“Yes, Möbius strip. Though it looks complex, it essentially has only one side, one boundary. Symbolically, it can represent infinity, cycle, and eternity… just like time itself, and like your door.”
Jessica’s voice grew softer yet clearly reached Lin Xiuyuan’s ears, “Wearing it is like encountering us and the ones ‘over there.’ Meeting and intertwining across different timelines, so I think this symbolism suits you perfectly.”
Lin Xiuyuan looked down again at the intricately designed Möbius strip ring in his hand, imbued with infinite cycle meaning.
The cold metal touch now seemed warm, an indescribable emotion spreading through him.
With Jessica’s explanation, the gift suddenly became quite meaningful.
So Lin Xiuyuan gently rotated the silver ring between his fingers, watching the infinite looping surface shimmer subtly in the light, momentarily at a loss for words.
Previous double event completed, Ten Thousand Daily +5.
Ten Thousand Daily progress bar: 108/139.
PS: But after doing over a hundred lines of Ten Thousand Daily, the tenosynovitis is really bothering me, fingers and wrist still uncomfortable, so Ten Thousand Daily will come slowly, please understand!!
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