Chapter 151: Court Storms

Inside the private room.

Following the disappearance of Lin Xiuyuan and Dalongzai, Lin YoonA turned to chat with Li Juli about the restaurant's location and the taste of the food.

However, not long after, another figure nearby stood up.

The one who stood up this time was Krystal.

"Unnie, I'm going to the restroom."

As she spoke, she walked toward the entrance with a steady, unhurried pace, her makeup exquisite and her expression calm.

The gazes of Lin YoonA and Li Juli fell upon her almost instantly; the two did not speak, merely letting their eyes follow her back as she passed by.

Krystal ignored their expressions, simply walking toward the restroom at the end of the hallway with the "tap-tap" sound of her small leather shoes, then pausing slightly at the corner.

The spot where she stood was neither too far nor too near, allowing her to clearly see the "lingering resonance" of that hug that hadn't quite ended, while also meeting Lin Xiuyuan's eyes.

She did not frown, nor was she angry; instead, she wore a lazy smile, as if enjoying a drama whose ending she had long since guessed.

"Tsk, you two really have some nerve." Her tone was soft, yet her words were hidden needles, "Being so intimate in public, Zhiyan, you should be careful~"

Krystal spoke lightly, her tone gentle yet concealing a long, thin nail, "If you really get caught, then Xiuyuan will truly become that legendary little male model lover who seduces married women."

As this voice rang out, Dalongzai hurriedly released Lin Xiuyuan, turned back to look at Krystal, and revealed a smile as she said, "Haha, Xiujing, you came out too? If I said I just lost my footing and fell into Xiuyuan's arms, would you believe me?"

Krystal raised an eyebrow and replied, "If you say it, I'll believe it. Let's go, this is no place to linger."

Having said that, she brushed past the two and walked calmly into the women's restroom.

Dalongzai leaned in close to Lin Xiuyuan, blew a light breath against his ear, and teased, "Don't worry, as long as you're a good boy, Xiuyuan, I'll go easy on Xiujing and won't scare you."

After she finished speaking, she gave him a faint smile, patted his shoulder lightly, and then turned to follow her inside.

Both walked away with grace, yet the backs they left in Lin Xiuyuan's eyes seemed to intentionally leave behind a trailing note, swaying lightly at the intersection of the light and the hallway.

Like an unfinished love confession, or a declaration of war that had yet to reach its climax.

After standing blankly for two seconds, he finally let out a long breath, patted his face, and turned to walk toward the private room.

And when Lin Xiuyuan pushed the door open to return to the private room, he was greeted by Lin YoonA and Li Juli, both wearing expressions that said, "We've been waiting for you to come back so we can interrogate you properly."

Especially Lin YoonA, who held her water glass, swirling the ice cubes slowly as she laughed, "Yo, Xiuyuan, you actually managed to escape unscathed, very impressive."

"You didn't hide in the restroom until you heard there was no noise outside before coming out, did you?" Li Juli laughed even more deviously than her, "You should've said so; if you had, I would've gone over to pick you up."

"You two enjoyed the show, didn't you?"

After sitting down, Lin Xiuyuan took a bite of meat and replied, speechless.

"Enjoyed? This was nothing, how could this count as a scene?" Lin YoonA glanced at him, smiling like a devil who looked like an angel, "If you're talking about Xiujing and Zhiyan fighting just now, that would have been enjoyable to watch. Unnie, who do you think would win?"

Li Juli curled her lips, her tone ambiguous, "Xiuyuan, just as YoonA said, we definitely didn't get our fill, so who do you want to win?"

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned, his chopsticks nearly falling to the floor, "Your imaginations are way too wild."

"It's the truth; bickering a few words isn't interesting at all, not even as fun as watching our own team fight and argue." Lin YoonA suddenly dropped a bomb.

"Ah, YoonA, your team has actually fought before? We've only ever argued." Li Juli also looked over, somewhat surprised.

To this, Lin YoonA explained, "It doesn't really count as fighting; we just smashed some things, we didn't lay hands on anyone."

Li Juli laughed after hearing this, "Oh, that definitely doesn't count as fighting."

After speaking, she tilted her head and examined Lin Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, what are your thoughts on just now? Two great beauty idols fighting over you. If you don't feel like you've had enough, I can join in to make up the numbers, pick a side, and liven things up."

"I can too, Xiuyuan." Lin YoonA added a follow-up blow.

Hearing these two, Lin Xiuyuan felt his scalp tingle, "Don't, I beg you, just watch the show, don't get involved."

"Then play golf with me tomorrow." Li Juli smiled as she named her price.

"Oh, you can do that?" Lin YoonA's eyes lit up, "Then Xiuyuan, you have to agree to what I told you at noon, too."

Watching these two take advantage of the situation, Lin Xiuyuan, for the sake of his own safety, had no choice but to nod and agree, signing this "humiliating and self-degrading" unequal treaty.

"Don't worry, we won't tell Zhiyan and the others."

Seeing him agree, Li Juli mimicked his usual tone, feigning comfort, "You should know, YoonA and I are the best at keeping secrets."

"That's right." Lin YoonA echoed with a smile.

"Can I say I don't know?" Having said this, Lin Xiuyuan helplessly lowered his head to shovel rice.

Not long after, Dalongzai and Krystal returned from the restroom side-by-side, their expressions as natural as ever, as if that "storm" had vanished into thin air after they went out to touch up their makeup.

Dalongzai sat down and laughed, "Xiuyuan, remember to play tennis after we finish eating."

"Can I say I've never played?" Lin Xiuyuan's mouth twitched as he glanced at Krystal, who had a cold expression on the side, "I'm suddenly a bit worried that you aren't playing with the ball, but with me."

This small, involuntary complaint immediately caused all four of them to laugh out loud.

Perhaps it was because of the 'treaty' Lin Xiuyuan had signed, but the rest of the meal didn't have such nerve-wracking scenes; although there were still a few small, catty remarks, compared to the earlier confrontation, it was considered peaceful coexistence.

As time slowly passed, after dinner, the five of them finally followed Dalongzai's 'suggestion' and moved to the tennis court on the roof.

Although their outfits weren't very suitable, if it was just about swinging a racket, warming up, and digesting, that was no problem at all.

Night fell, and the city's Nihon flowed slowly across the skyline like rivers of light and shadow.

The lights on the rooftop tennis court turned on, the white light pillars illuminating the surroundings and making the ground shine brightly.

"Hmm, the wind is quite strong. Zhiyan, how did you find this place? It's really not bad."

Lin YoonA, wearing a tight-fitting skirt, loosened her wrists, scanned the reserved court, and then looked at Li Juli, "Unnie, will you be on my team?"

Hearing this, Li Juli pointed at their outfits and laughed, "I'm wearing a long skirt, and you're wearing a short one. And the two of us are against the two of them, right? Then we might as well just admit defeat."

After speaking, she raised her hand and tied her hair into a ponytail.

Lin Xiuyuan, hearing this from the side, immediately stated, "I think I saw a clothing store downstairs when we came up. I'll go down and buy you two sets of sportswear, and shoes too."

However, Lin YoonA indicated, "Let's just play and see, no need to go to the trouble."

Li Juli also nodded, then looked down at the long skirt she was wearing; without further ado, she grabbed the hem of the skirt, wrapped it around her waist, and finally took a rubber band to tie the end.

In the blink of an eye, the long skirt became a short skirt.

Under the lights, her pair of fair, slender legs were fully exposed, dazzling Lin Xiuyuan into a moment of daze.

Just then, a dull thud of a ball being struck caught everyone's attention.

It turned out that while they were chatting, Krystal and Dalongzai had already started their match a step ahead.

One was an outstanding first-generation ACE queen among idol groups, and the other was a practical fighter with a Taekwondo black belt and lightning-fast reaction speed.

Both of them had perfect athletic reflexes; it was a clash of titans, and the air was thick with tension.

On the court, the "thud" of the racket swinging down sent the ball into a sharp, spinning arc, like a crisp and restrained declaration of war.

Krystal, with her ponytail tied high, looked exactly like the icy campus beauty walking out of a manga; she stood with perfect posture after her strike, her gaze coldly locked onto Dalongzai across the net.

Opposite her, Dalongzai had taken off her knit top at the side of the court, wearing only a form-fitting tank top and shorts; her movements were agile and powerful, and every swing of her racket seemed like an instinctive response honed by real-world combat.

"Snap!"

Another ball was caught, landing just barely grazing the net.

Krystal moved her feet rapidly, returning the shot with an angle so tricky it made one's scalp tingle.

"Tsk."

Dalongzai clicked her tongue softly, but she wasn't discouraged; instead, her interest grew even stronger. She jumped up to smash the ball back, a provocative curve tugging at the corner of her mouth, "You've got quite a bit of strength, Xiujing."

"Your technique isn't bad either, Zhiyan."

Krystal caught that heavy shot while panting slightly, her racket tracing an arc in the air, "It's like you're sewing needles into cracks, you really found your chance."

As the words fell, her return shot slid almost against the net, cutting through the air like a blade, skimming directly past the corner line on Dalongzai's left.

Then it went out of bounds.

Dalongzai didn't look back; she just exhaled lightly and looked at Krystal with a smile, "I still need an opportunity to be able to seize it, which just goes to show that you still need to practice, Xiujing. Just like this time, don't you agree?"

This made Krystal narrow her eyes slightly, but she quickly returned to that calm and composed look, "It's fine, I just wasn't used to the feel of the ball yet. Next time, there won't be another chance."

"I thought you never liked to sweat," Dalongzai teased, half-jokingly.

"If the opponent is worth it, then changing the way I sweat is fine too," Krystal said, though her eyes swept over Lin Xiuyuan as she spoke.

There was no blame in that gaze, more of a casual announcement.

Her strike wasn't out of hostility, but because the target was worth competing for.

Dalongzai naturally caught this signal; she picked up the ball and spun it on her fingertip, "Indeed, if the opponent is worth it, then it really is worth competing for."

"Is that so? Then we'll have to see who wins tonight."

To this, Krystal just smiled and slowly retreated to the service line.

At the edge of the court.

Lin Xiuyuan, watching the two of them get competitive, turned his head to look at the two beside him, only to find that they were already stretching their limbs, preparing to enter the court.

It was then that Lin Xiuyuan noticed Li Juli's shoes and hurriedly called out, "Wait a second, Juli, with those high heels, who are you trying to kill?"

"It's fine, I'll just play barefoot."

As Li Juli said this, she really intended to play a few balls like that.

Lin YoonA looked down at the situation and advised, "Don't, it's easy to get hurt. Why don't we just watch them play for a while and leave it at that."

"I'll go downstairs and buy you a set of clothes and shoes so you can go play?" Lin Xiuyuan suggested again.

This time Li Juli didn't refuse, and Lin YoonA also smilingly gave her shoe size; as for the clothes, she was a clothes hanger herself and wasn't picky.

This time, Li Juli didn't refuse; instead, she walked a few steps to Lin Xiuyuan, whispered her shoe size, paused, and added with a meaningful smile.

"Xiuyuan, please bring me a sports tank top while you're at it."

Huh?

Seeing Lin Xiuyuan look at her, Li Juli smiled at him and puffed out her chest slightly, "You don't think I'd still have this curve after wearing it, do you? It's not like you haven't seen me in my swimsuit."

Really... going commando?

Thinking of the chest-heavy scene at the birthday party last time, this term instinctively popped into Lin Xiuyuan's mind.

Fortunately, Li Juli didn't keep him in suspense and threw out a line with some amusement, "Milk cap, get it? Go on now."

She then turned and walked to the side of Krystal's court to enjoy this unique 'Shura battlefield'.

Behind her, Lin Xiuyuan, having heard Li Juli's answer, stood stunned for a moment; after the image of red bean milk cap surfaced in his mind, he swallowed hard, turned, and walked toward the entrance he had come from.

Ten-plus minutes later.

On the court, Krystal lifted her chin slightly, her voice unhurried, and smiled at Dalongzai opposite her, "Zhiyan, do you want to play another set?"

The two had just played a total of 10 balls, and she had narrowly won by one, 6:5.

Dalongzai wiped her forehead; although she lost, she smiled even more wantonly, "Sure, let's continue. If we don't settle this today, I won't be able to sleep tonight."

At this moment, they were no longer idols, not friends, and not fellow artists in the industry.

They were more like evenly matched opponents.

At this time, Lin Xiuyuan, who had rushed downstairs to buy sportswear and shoes, had also returned to the scene.

Lin YoonA and Li Juli took the clothes and walked into the nearby changing room, quickly coming out in sportswear; however, this same white-based, blue-trimmed short-sleeved sports T-shirt and slim shorts looked completely different on the two of them.

Li Juli had her hair tied up high, and the moment she walked out, she immediately drew Lin Xiuyuan's gaze.

Although the T-shirt was a loose style, her proud figure made the fabric seem almost inadequate, especially the small area on the chest where the brand logo was printed, which was naturally stretched into an elegant curve, giving the originally flat pattern a three-dimensional tension.

The latest novels are released here!

Even without deliberately showing off, that mature and sexy aura flowed out inadvertently, and even the originally "fresh and sporty" temperament seemed to have been forcibly endowed by her with the beauty of a high-end lady by the pool.

When Lin Xiuyuan saw it for the first time, a thought popped into his mind.

Can this milk cap really cover it?

On the other side, Lin YoonA jumped a few times full of energy, then, not fearing trouble, rolled up the hem of her T-shirt, revealing her flat, fair abdomen and a waistline that could be held in one hand.

The whole person instantly changed from "sister-style" to "student-style," sunny and full of vitality.

The skin near her navel was smooth and firm, showing a slight, soft rise and fall with every breath; paired with her sneakers and tied-up ponytail, she was simply the campus sports goddess in the flesh.

"YoonA, don't be so excited; seeing you like this, I'm under a lot of pressure," Li Juli chuckled, sweeping a glance over Lin YoonA's sparkling slim waist, and then laughed.

Lin YoonA countered generously, "Unnie, let's make a bet. If you lose, how about you give Lin Xiuyuan's time tomorrow to me?"

"Since you put it that way, I don't feel any pressure," Li Juli raised an eyebrow, "Come on then."

The two walked back to the side of the court while chatting and laughing, smoothing their hemlines, their steps light; there was none of the stiffness one usually has after just changing clothes.

On the court, Krystal and Dalongzai also stopped what they were doing when they saw these two new combatants arrive.

"Wow, Unnies, when did you buy those clothes?"

"You guys play then, we're going to take a break."

The rooftop wasn't large to begin with, and a standard court took up almost the entire space.

So, as Li Juli and Lin YoonA took the court, Krystal and Dalongzai voluntarily gave up their spots and returned to the side to sit and rest.

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan, much like a junior student bringing water to a senior in college, thoughtfully brought towels and mineral water to this "mature woman + married woman" duo.

"Xiuyuan, aren't you going up to play?"

Dalongzai, having wiped away her sweat, smiled and patted the spot to her right, then glanced at Krystal on her left, gesturing for Lin Xiuyuan to sit between them.

Seeing this situation, Lin Xiuyuan shook his head repeatedly and replied, "I won't join in the fun. I can manage badminton and table tennis, but I've truly never touched tennis."

It was true; children who grew up in the village had never seen a tennis court, they had only watched *The Prince of Tennis*.

"You have to play a bit. I'll teach you in a moment," Krystal, who had taken a sip of water, said from the side.

"I know how too, Xiuyuan. Let me teach you," Dalongzai said the same.

"We'll see."

After giving this response, Lin Xiuyuan looked back at Lin YoonA and Li Juli, who had already started playing, "Who do you think is better between those two?"

"No need to think, it's definitely YoonA Unnie," Krystal blurted out.

Then Dalongzai also stood on her own Unnie's side, "Not necessarily. Juli Unnie plays tennis too, and she definitely plays more often than YoonA Unnie. I think Juli Unnie is better."

After hearing this, Krystal's eyes flashed, "Wanna bet?"

"You name it," Dalongzai was also interested.

"Whoever wins gets to teach Xiuyuan, and the loser has to stand on the other side, how about that?"

As Krystal finished speaking, an image immediately appeared in Dalongzai's mind.

Herself standing on the sidelines, watching Krystal and Lin Xiuyuan being all lovey-dovey and teaching him up close... she was instantly furious.

But she still gritted her teeth and accepted the bet, then stood up abruptly and shouted at Li Juli, "Juli Unnie, you can't lose! If you lose, I'm going back to throw all your skincare products into the pool!"

This shout gave Li Juli a start, and she didn't react in time, losing a point.

Seeing this, Krystal laughed out loud, then looked at Lin YoonA, "Unnie, go for it! I'm counting on you."

Standing to the side, Lin Xiuyuan had by now completely become the "trophy," watching this gradually escalating Shura Field with a wry smile.

With the addition of Dalongzai and Krystal's bet, Lin YoonA and Li Juli seemed to start taking it more seriously.

Lin YoonA, who hadn't wanted to run around, was now dashing back and forth with all her might.

It was the same for Li Juli.

Earlier, she hadn't wanted to run because those two heavy lumps on her chest made her feel uncomfortable and short of breath when they bounced.

That was why she hadn't wanted to run before; as for tomorrow's time, she would just give it up, there was always the day after, or the day after that.

But after Dalongzai's threat, she didn't dare not to run, because this youngest member was truly capable of doing it.

However, it was a pity that, burdened by those two lumps, Li Juli ultimately lost to Lin YoonA with a score of 6:3.

And so, very quickly, Li Juli slumped onto the chair at the side of the court, panting as she looked at Lin YoonA, who wore the expression of a victor, "Is this what you call 'knowing a little bit' about tennis? YoonA~ you can't lie to people."

"I don't play often, just occasionally," Lin YoonA smiled, looking both sweet and mischievous, as she used a towel to wipe the sweat from her face, not forgetting to hand a bottle of water to Li Juli.

"Damn it, it's all because of these two things," Li Juli took the water, complaining about her own figure while drinking.

Hearing and seeing this, Lin YoonA glanced at her own chest and suddenly felt that winning wasn't all that comfortable either.

But soon, she raised the corners of her mouth again, "It's fine, what comes next will be even more fun."

On the court at this moment, Krystal was gently placing the racket into Lin Xiuyuan's hand, her tone carrying a hint of faint smugness, "Hold it tighter, but not too stiffly. Keep your thumb against the back of the handle; that's the right way to exert force."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded obediently, trying to strike a standard pose.

Krystal walked around him, like an art teacher critiquing the lines of a sculpture.

She suddenly stopped behind him, lifted his elbow a bit, and pressed down on his waist, "The point of force is near the right hip. Twist your shoulders. Don't stare at the ball; just stare at me."

Lin Xiuyuan was thrown off rhythm by that last sentence. As he looked at her, his racket tilted, his hand slipped, and he almost threw the racket away.

"I said stare at me, not get scared," Krystal chuckled, took the racket, and tapped his chest lightly, "Again."

Meanwhile, Dalongzai was already standing at the other end of the court, hands on her hips, and glanced at them, "Hey, hurry up! Are you playing ball or dating?"

"It's no use being jealous," Krystal retorted without hesitation, her eyes sweeping over Lin Xiuyuan who was standing to the side, "Don't embarrass me, Xiuyuan~"

Then, without a doubt, after trying the movements a few times, Lin Xiuyuan was able to serve the ball accurately. Although the angle wasn't precise, the force was sufficient, and the ball landed inside the line at Dalongzai's feet.

"Point!" Lin YoonA shouted from the sidelines, almost laughing out loud, "Amazing, Xiuyuan! Are you really a sports genius?"

"Not as fast as learning golf," Dalongzai muttered softly, though the way she lowered her head to pick up the ball showed some annoyance.

Opposite.

"It's mainly because Xiujing teaches well," Lin Xiuyuan said with a smile.

"I told you, a natural hanger learns everything fast."

Krystal raised an eyebrow and lightly hooked Lin Xiuyuan's collar with her finger, as if wiping away sweat, but in reality, she was spreading another wave of sweetness.

Dalongzai glared at them fiercely, then swung her racket hard to serve.

Seeing the tennis ball coming, Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously stepped forward and took a swing at the yellow ball.

Although it went out of bounds, the movement was gradually taking shape.

After that, it was very simple. As Lin Xiuyuan learned to serve and return, the others took turns being his opponents, feeding him balls to build up his tennis proficiency.

It wasn't until a few fine drops of rain fell that everyone's movements gradually stopped, and they all looked up at the pitch-black night sky.

"Is it raining?" Li Juli spoke up first, her tone revealing a hint of surprise.

"Mm, it seems so." Krystal reached out to catch a few droplets, her palm feeling slightly cool.

On the other side, Lin YoonA and Dalongzai had already walked toward the bench with practiced ease, nimbly packing up their respective gear.

"Let's call it a night here; we should leave quickly, I don't want to turn into a drowned rat," Lin YoonA said while picking up a towel, her movements crisp.

"Let's go, let's go," Dalongzai echoed.

The rain gradually grew heavier, and the group didn't linger any longer, quickly organizing their clothes and rackets before leaving the court.

Before long, after returning the equipment to the venue owner, the group took the Elevator down to the underground parking garage together.

However, just as they reached downstairs, a new "problem" popped up.

For instance, Krystal looked at Lin Xiuyuan, her tone calm yet meaningful, "Xiuyuan, let's go. Take Unnie home first, then take me."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin YoonA laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, her voice filled with amusement and the triumph of a "winner," "Not happening, Xiujing. While we were playing earlier, Xiuyuan already promised me that he would accompany me for Bread Making tonight."

"Hm?" Krystal turned to look at Lin Xiuyuan upon hearing this, her eyebrow arching slightly, "Bread Making?"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded gently, his tone frank, "Mm, I promised YoonA before we came. But... it's getting a bit late now, YoonA."

"It's only past nine, how is that late?" Lin YoonA replied immediately, glancing at him as she did so, "Don't go back on your word like a grown man."

Krystal chuckled upon hearing this and added, "Unnie, how about I come over to watch too?"

"You should get some rest early," Lin YoonA hugged her, "Didn't you just get back from a business trip? Don't overwork yourself."

This scene fell into the eyes of Dalongzai and Li Juli nearby; the two exchanged a look, and although they felt a bit bitter inside, they had no choice but to accept their defeat.

After all, they had lost the game tonight.

It was just that they tacitly added a line in their hearts:

No matter what happens next time, we must switch to golf.

(End of this chapter)