Chapter 150: Three People, Two Embracing, Four Eyes Meeting (Please Subscribe)

Seoul in 2025, around 7:00 PM.

As the sunset completely submerged into the western mountains, night descended quietly, and the entire city began to drape itself in a shimmering coat.

The surface of the Han River rippled with gentle light reflected from the lamps; pedestrians along the riverbank moved in twos and threes—some jogging, some taking photos, and others using drones to weave through the city's unique nightscape, attempting to capture the nocturnal view.

Following the drone as it passed through the glass reflections of layer upon layer of high-rise buildings, it finally arrived at the heights where Namsan Tower is located, filming a secluded and private high-end restaurant.

This place is situated on the hillside near Namsan Tower, a location with a unique geographical advantage.

The restaurant's design is primarily a minimalist style blending Korean and modern elements; the entire floor-to-ceiling glass window by the private room captures the night view of Seoul in its entirety, as if the whole city were flowing right beneath one's eyes.

The drone, having circled the restaurant, captured its final shot of a Mercedes-Benz slowly pulling into a parking space.

However, this image was only a fleeting glimpse before the drone operator pulled it up toward another location, turning to fly in the direction of Namsan Tower.

Completely unaware of what they had missed.

Because the person who got out after that car's engine cut off was none other than the center and visual of Girls' Generation, Lin YoonA.

Moreover, after getting out of the car, she smiled and walked to the front of the vehicle, took the arm of the man who had stepped out of the driver's seat, and walked into this restaurant together with him.

At the same time, inside a certain private room in the restaurant, the lighting was gentle and restrained; the dim, yellow lamplight reflected between the wooden dining table and the soft cushions, creating a quiet and elegant atmosphere.

Li Juli sat leaning against the window, wearing a low-key black long dress; her posture was elegant, and a faint, ambiguous smile hung at the corners of her mouth.

Dalongzai was wearing a light gray knit top, her hair loosely pinned behind her head, occasionally turning her head to speak softly with Krystal beside her, her voice carrying the intimacy and tacit understanding of old friends.

Krystal, compared to the other two, was somewhat more aloof, wearing a striped shirt paired with loose trousers as if she had just finished work, yet her gaze occasionally drifted toward the city lights outside the window, her expression revealing a hint of contemplation.

Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open from the outside.

"Are we late?" a familiar voice rang out.

The few people inside the room looked toward the doorway one after another; they saw Lin Xiuyuan in a clean, crisp white shirt, his sleeves slightly rolled up, his temperament possessing a bit more of a mature, refined flavor compared to the sunny, handsome boyishness he had before.

Beside him was Lin YoonA, who looked exceptionally dazzling tonight.

A white T-shirt paired with a black hip-hugging skirt, refreshing yet professional, generous and appropriate, just like the bright smile revealed when the corners of her lips lifted.

"You finally arrived. Xiuyuan, what were you and YoonA unni doing?"

Seeing the two enter, Dalongzai was the first to speak, her eyes and brows carrying a smile, but her tone hid a trace of teasing.

It was just that those who understood could hear the implication in such words, while those who didn't would simply take it as banter.

Therefore, Lin Xiuyuan didn't catch it at all and replied very seriously, "Went to deliver charity, dropped off some bread at a community for the elderly."

"Hmm~"

Watching the serious-faced Lin Xiuyuan, Li Juli found it quite amusing; after responding, she helped him out, "Impressive. Sit down first, want to drink something?"

"Ice water, please."

As Lin Xiuyuan responded, he scanned the seats and chose one next to Li Juli to sit down.

Lin YoonA also sat down generously right next to him, then looked at Krystal, who had just greeted her, and smiled, "Xiujing, when did you arrive? How are you faster than us?"

"I took a taxi directly after leaving the station, but I was only a little earlier than you, unni."

As she spoke, Krystal tilted her head slightly, looking past Lin YoonA's figure at Lin Xiuyuan over there, and added meaningfully, "Xiuyuan, long time no see."

"Ah..."

Lin Xiuyuan, who had just been 'pressed' last night, looked at Krystal's calm smile, stunned for a moment before immediately reacting, "Oh, it's alright, it's only been a few days, not really a long time."

Lin YoonA, on the side, seemed to be observing something.

Her gaze landed quietly on Krystal's skin and complexion; after a few seconds, she withdrew it imperceptibly and glanced at Dalongzai opposite her.

Then, she slowly lowered her eyes, a flash of realization and faint excitement passing through her pupils.

It was true; she was certain.

She then glanced out of the corner of her eye at Lin Xiuyuan, who was 'catching up' with Krystal, thought of Lin Xiaolu whom she had seen today, and finally, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly of their own accord.

At this moment, Dalongzai had already confirmed the serving time with the restaurant via the indoor intercom, then suddenly leaned forward and proposed to Lin Xiuyuan with high spirits, "Xiuyuan, let's go play tennis after we finish eating."

"Exercising right after eating?" Lin Xiuyuan looked at Dalongzai with some amusement.

"We can rest for a bit. There is a private tennis court near my apartment, the kind that's on an upper floor; it has great privacy, the lighting and atmosphere are also fantastic, it's really fun."

By the end, Dalongzai was openly acting a little spoiled toward Lin Xiuyuan in front of everyone, "Just come play with us. I've only been working these past few days and haven't broken a sweat in a long time. Since everyone is here, let's go relax, right, Xiujing~"

Haven't broken a sweat?

Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, then looked at Krystal.

These two were truly full of lies.

"I'm fine with it." Krystal, who had raised her eyes to look at the two, finally let her gaze fall on Dalongzai's rosy face and spoke, "But Zhiyan, your complexion has been much better lately. Compared to the end of last year, it's much better."

As soon as these words were out, Li Juli and Lin YoonA both widened their eyes slightly—such strong aggression.

The end of last year... wasn't that when Dalongzai got divorced?

Fortunately, Dalongzai had long since turned the page on that matter, and instead, she followed Krystal's words with a smile.

"Right? I think so too. It's all thanks to you, Xiujing. If you hadn't introduced Xiuyuan to me, where would I have gotten such a good mood? When the mood is good, the blood and energy naturally return."

Sure enough, as Dalongzai finished speaking, Krystal, who had just been worried about whether she was being too aggressive, saw her face turn black in an instant.

At the time, she had only been focused on locking this person in 2025 and hadn't thought about any other consequences.

If she had known the situation would be like this, she never would have introduced any 'mature woman' or 'married woman' to this guy.

Actually, Krystal had heard stories about locking people up on the bus before; at the time, she didn't have any thoughts on it, even treating it like a joke.

As a result, now, she suddenly understood what the core of that story was.

Thinking of this, the two words "core" seemed to strike her reason; Krystal suddenly looked at Lin Xiuyuan.

"By the way, Xiuyuan, how is the renovation at the Tavern coming along? It's been a long time since I've been to the Tavern to sit; is it not finished yet?"

Facing Krystal's question, Lin Xiuyuan answered crisply, "It's already finished. I just got the notification call today, but I haven't gone to see it yet; I've been a bit busy lately."

The renovation the two were talking about was actually adding a small hidden compartment and a back door to the Tavern; this operation had been carried out at the Taverns in both timelines.

The purpose was to allow 'unexpected' people to hide inside during certain special times, or to slip out the back door and return to the Apartment or Villa to hide and wait for the next arrangement.

"Then once you've finished checking, let's find a time to get together with the members; it's been a while since we sat down to chat."

Krystal continued, her tone shifting nonchalantly as her gaze landed on Lin YoonA, "Unnie, you didn't make it to the last gathering, so surely you should come see everyone this time, right?"

Not expecting to be roped in, Lin YoonA let out a snort of laughter, then nodded with a smile, "Sure."

Seeing this, Dalongzai across from her checked Lin YoonA's state, and after finding nothing amiss, looked back at Krystal's face.

She certainly knew that from the moment Krystal stepped into this private room, tonight's meal was destined to be anything but calm.

After all, with that rosy complexion and skin that remained delicate and lustrous even without makeup, Dalongzai would be the first to disbelieve that nothing had happened between Krystal and Lin Xiuyuan.

And the same thought was quietly taking shape in Krystal's mind as well.

Originally, these were just traces of suspicion, but after entering the room and seeing that "nourished" look on Dalongzai's face, she confirmed her judgment was correct.

Thus, the series of gunpowder-filled exchanges that had occurred earlier.

After all, female rivalry never picks a time or occasion, nor does it distinguish by age.

So when Dalongzai heard the word "member," she also beamed, looking toward Lin Xiuyuan, who was sitting as obediently and quietly as a model student.

"By the way, Xiuyuan, have you seen the status I posted recently? I actually put the birthday gift you gave me up on the platform."

Her tone carried a smile, the tail end of her words drawn out softly, but her gaze was as sharp as a knife hidden in a smile, drifting straight toward Lin Xiuyuan.

Although he had ordered the food on the way over, Lin Xiuyuan still kept his head down, pretending to study the menu intently as if weighing the calories of the "main course," until his fingers paused slightly upon hearing Dalongzai's voice.

"Ah, I saw it. It's very beautiful, and the fans' comments are quite good too. And what you said about telling everyone not to get tattoos is also great; it's all very good."

Raising his head, Lin Xiuyuan pulled a smile that was stiffer than a cry, his peripheral vision clearly scanning Krystal's reaction.

However, before he could let out a sigh of relief, Krystal spoke up leisurely, "Speaking of gifts... Zhiyan, do you know Xiuyuan's clothing size?"

Her tone was light, but her words were barbed, "This guy is a natural clothes hanger. When I went to Europe on a business trip last time, I picked up a few pieces for him. Every single one fit him ridiculously well; the effect when he wears them is even more model-like than a model. Perhaps he could moonlight as a runway male model in the future."

Krystal paused at this, slowly and methodically lifting the water cup in front of her and taking a light sip.

Her cold, pale fingertips scraped along the edge of the Glass Cup, and then she looked up at the forehead of Lin Xiuyuan, who was clearly breaking into a cold sweat, and ultimately softened, adding, "By the way, Jessica wants you to get her some RMB cash; see if you can find someone to exchange some for her."

"RMB? Sure, how much?"

"I don't know, you should exchange a few tens of thousands for her; that should be enough for her to use. If it's not enough, let her find you herself."

Seeing Lin Xiuyuan nod without hesitation, Krystal finally curled her lips in satisfaction.

"Then I'll go out to make a call."

Lin Xiuyuan tossed out this sentence casually and quickly rose to leave the table, using it as an excuse to avoid the situation.

Even though the private room's air conditioning was cool and he was surrounded by beauties with alluring scents, he felt like he was being choked to death by the atmosphere; it was stimulating enough to cost a life.

He had made solemn promises to Krystal just last night, and today he was caught red-handed with Dalongzai; it was even more thrilling than filming a spy movie.

Lin YoonA looked at Lin Xiuyuan leaving the room with amusement, her fox-like eyes curving slightly as if watching a good show.

However, she didn't say anything, instead picking up the menu and leaning over to Li Juli's side, "Hey, the lamb chops at this restaurant look quite good. Juli Unnie, do you want to try them?"

"That's what I ordered, YoonA," Li Juli laughed.

Her eyes, however, glanced at the state of Krystal and Dalongzai a few times; the heat and shock in her heart were actually becoming a bit hard to suppress at this moment.

If the scene had been a golf course or the Villa from the previous birthday party, perhaps she would already be clinging to Lin Xiuyuan, intending to take a good, careful, and serious look at who this boy really was.

And with Lin Xiuyuan's departure, Dalongzai and Krystal returned to their previous friend mode, chatting about work one sentence after another.

Until a few minutes later, when Lin Xiuyuan returned to the private room with the waiter delivering the food.

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As he passed behind Krystal, he said, "Done. Have Jessica add my WeChat, and I'll transfer it to her."

He still held a domestic identity here, so exchanging RMB was simple; he just went out, opened the domestic bank app, and performed a few facial recognitions.

After speaking, he sat back down, thinking he could finally land and catch his breath.

Little did he expect that the real war had only just begun.

The cause was this sentence from Krystal, "OK, thanks. As a token of gratitude, drive me home tonight; I have something to give you."

"Ah? No need."

This time, Lin Xiuyuan wasn't afraid or worried about anything; he just simply felt it wasn't necessary, as the vast majority of the money in his account came from Krystal anyway.

Who would have thought that the next second, Krystal would smile, "I don't have a car to get back; what's wrong with giving me a ride?"

"Xiujing, I'm going the same way as you; I'll take you."

Dalongzai suddenly interjected, her smile bright and her tone natural, yet she had abruptly interrupted their "private itinerary."

Everyone immediately looked at her in unison.

Krystal raised an eyebrow, her smile as sharp as a knife, "Yo, truly worthy of being an idol to a die-hard fan. Zhiyan, you're protecting your master quite quickly."

"Can't help it, you said it yourself—I'm a die-hard fan. Besides, Xiuyuan has been keeping me company for so many days; I still feel bad for him."

As Dalongzai said this, her eyes looked toward Lin Xiuyuan, her tone very affectionate.

Krystal let out a "pfft" of laughter, her tone suddenly becoming as gentle as a spring breeze, "How come the way you say that... makes Xiuyuan sound like a paid companion?"

She looked toward Lin Xiuyuan, her tone shifting abruptly, "Zhiyan, don't hurt our Xiuyuan; he's very pure, right, YoonA Unnie?"

When she said this, the curve of Krystal's lips was as sweet as honey, but her tone seemed to carry a knife's edge, lightly wrapping around Lin Xiuyuan's neck.

Lin YoonA, being called out, simply played dumb to the end, smiling with an innocent face, "Pure? You mean youthful, right, Xiujing?"

This "I'm just a passerby here to eat" attitude was like a knife pushing Lin Xiuyuan directly into the center of the battlefield.

If it were the old Dalongzai, she would have jumped up in frustration.

But now, she just smiled slightly and said calmly, "That wouldn't be it. As for being a companion... perhaps while keeping company, everyone ends up happy."

Immediately following this, she shifted the topic, her tone seemingly profound, "And keeping company for a few more days is nothing. At least don't let your emotions be like a light switch—lighting up whenever someone presses it; that wouldn't look good."

Upon hearing this, Krystal smiled without showing any weakness, her tone cold and precise, "That's not right. I think it depends on who is pressing the switch. Some people press it for three years and it doesn't even light up, while others only take three days, and the whole lamp is powered on. It's incredible."

When she said this, she didn't look at Dalongzai, but stared straight at Lin Xiuyuan, "What do you think, Xiuyuan?"

As her voice fell, the private room suddenly went quiet for a second.

The atmosphere felt as if a veil had been gently lifted, revealing the scalding undercurrents beneath.

Lin Xiuyuan, meanwhile, felt as if he were sitting on a chair caught between ice and fire.

On one side was the understated sarcasm of Krystal, and on the other, the hidden needles in the smile of Dalongzai.

The veins on his temples throbbed faintly, and a strained smile hung on the corners of his mouth, as if his very expressions were about to cramp.

Just as the atmosphere was about to spiral out of control, Li Juli gave a light cough and finally showed some mercy, "Can you two let Xiuyuan catch his breath? I think he's about to break into a cold sweat."

"It's nothing, it was just a bit hot outside, I'll be fine in a moment, just a moment."

Lin Xiuyuan waved his hands hurriedly, his tone as urgent as if he were trying to find a gap to catch his breath.

Lin YoonA also stepped in at the right time, raising a gentle smile to smooth things over, "Let's eat first, don't starve yourselves."

Under the mediation of the two older sisters, Krystal and Dalongzai finally pressed the "pause button" on their verbal sparring.

One second they were at daggers drawn, and the next they were nonchalantly sharing the food before them, softly discussing the texture of the dishes and the colors of the plating; the sudden shift in tone left Lin Xiuyuan completely caught in a "culture shock of tea art."

As he mechanically shoveled rice into his mouth, he silently pondered: what kind of divine battlefield is this?

However, this temporary "peace treaty" did not last long.

And the "war" that ignited this time was actually sparked by Lin Xiuyuan himself.

When Dalongzai picked up her knife and fork to cut her steak, Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously handed her a napkin and casually gestured for her to cover her clothes so she wouldn't get splattered.

It was just this small gesture that drew that meaningful gaze from Krystal.

Calm, yet carrying a certain depth, like a hunter spotting a flaw exposed by its prey.

A few seconds later, the second round of confrontation began again.

"Zhiyan, didn't you say you took some Tattoo Stickers? Aside from those... how many on your body are actually real?"

"You want to know?" Dalongzai replied with a smile, "It's a pity you didn't come to my birthday party last time, otherwise you would have known long ago. As for now... Xiuyuan knows much better than you do."

"Oh, I was just asking casually. After all, Xiuyuan... he quite likes abs." Krystal raised an eyebrow and smiled, her tone light and stinging.

"Speaking of fitness and abs," Dalongzai immediately took the bait, "I haven't been training very well lately. Xiuyuan, when will you teach me how to get a physique like yours?"

"Ah? I... I'll go to the restroom first."

Lin Xiuyuan put down his chopsticks as if by reflex and fled in a panic.

Once he left, the laughter of the ladies at the table emerged; although the atmosphere seemed lively, they were all laughing as if they were holding needle tips.

But less than two seconds later, a second person stood up.

"I'll go too."

Dalongzai stood up with clean, efficient movements, a sweet smile on her face, but a cunning light hidden in the depths of her eyes.

Inside the men's restroom, Lin Xiuyuan was completely bewildered.

Currently experiencing a "Shura Field" for the first time, his mind was a mess; he could only mechanically shake off water and finish urinating, his movements even while zipping up distracted.

Then, just as he pushed the door open to leave, he ran straight into Dalongzai.

She was leaning at the end of the hallway, the soft light hitting her face, her smile carrying a touch of teasing composure.

"What's wrong? You should have told me earlier that you and Xiujing also have a thing going on."

Dalongzai, her eyes curved into crescents, said, "Scared, aren't you?"

"Uh..." Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously wanted to deny it, but didn't know where to begin.

"I know, I won't give her a hard time when I go back," Dalongzai smiled like a child who had gotten a treat, "but you have to promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"I haven't thought of it yet. Wait until I've thought it through, then you can promise; just say yes or no for now."

She smiled playfully, but her voice carried an unquestionable tone of coquetry.

Lin Xiuyuan recalled the complex atmosphere in the private room and didn't even hesitate, "Fine... okay."

"Good boy."

Dalongzai moved a step closer in satisfaction and took the opportunity to hug him, "You ran away so fast last night; you aren't allowed to do that next time, okay? At least leave some time for intimacy."

She said softly, her face pressed against his shoulder, her tone as soft as a flirtation, yet with a sense of intentional marking.

But what she didn't see was that the moment she hugged Lin Xiuyuan.

Krystal, standing at the end of the hallway, was crossing her arms and watching them quietly, a faint, imperceptible smile on her lips, as if she had long anticipated this scene.

She stood there, her silhouette under the bright lights like a motionless judge, her gaze calm, yet meeting Lin Xiuyuan's eyes directly.

Three people, two in an embrace, four eyes meeting.

(End of chapter)