Chapter 174: Zhiyan, the future you also has it very hard

"Why didn't you open The Gate two years earlier?" This book is first published on Tian Tian Kan Xiao Shuo, which is super easy to use; ttk. tw is waiting for you to read, providing you with an error-free and well-ordered reading experience.

"You're asking that too? Haha, I wasn't even in Seoul two years ago. Besides, I know what you want to ask, but even if I had opened The Gate two years ago, you wouldn't have known about that matter at all back then."

Inside the tavern, after Xian Enjing leaned into Lin Xiuyuan's arms and calmed her emotions slightly, she got up and went into the restroom to wash her face and adjust her state.

Tian Enjing, on the sofa, took a deep look at Lin Xiuyuan, and after he sat down, she opened her mouth to throw out that sentence from just before.

And when she heard Lin Xiuyuan's half-teasing reply, she suddenly stood up, leaned over to sit beside him, and tilted her whole body forward, seemingly wanting to create a bit of pressure.

As it turned out, Lin Xiuyuan sat calmly, not dodging at all.

Consequently, that forward-leaning movement caused Tian Enjing to bump directly into Lin Xiuyuan's arm, and immediately after, her whole body slid forward a bit more, almost kissing him directly.

Frightened, she hurriedly stopped her movement, frowned at him with slight embarrassment, then sighed softly and said in a low voice, "I mean, why didn't you come back from a further future timeline?"

Lin Xiuyuan, who had just been immersed in that fleeting touch, let out a "wow" after hearing this and laughed, "Tsk tsk, this novel idea from this angle—even Taeyeon hadn't thought of it. Enjing, you're amazing."

"Taeyeon?"

Tian Enjing recited the name, then a series of events flashed through her mind, and finally, she raised an eyebrow slightly, "Oh, that's right. In Taeyeon's situation, I suppose you would be taken over by the other side to make up for her psyche. When did she go over?"

"Last night," Lin Xiuyuan replied.

Hearing this, Tian Enjing was stunned, seemingly realizing something, "So, the reason Zhiyan told us today that you were sleepy and tired, and then Taeyeon answered the phone, was because of this?"

"Yeah, I rushed to Jeonju overnight and only came back this morning," Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

"You met?" Tian Enjing was surprised again, though she felt it was unlikely after saying it.

Sure enough, the next second Lin Xiuyuan shook his head, "Just met while sitting in the car. Do you want to go over?"

This question hit the center of Tian Enjing's heart perfectly. A certain figure immediately flashed through her mind, and her body stiffened slightly.

However, she reacted quickly and shook her head gently, "According to what you said earlier, once The Gate is opened, it can't be hidden from me either. Let me sort out my thoughts first. There are too many problems entangling me tonight; I need to slow down."

Just then, Xian Enjing walked out of the restroom, saw the two people sitting unusually close on the sofa at a glance, frowned slightly, walked over, and plopped down opposite them, then said something half-true and half-joking.

"With the level of intimacy between you two, don't tell me... you've already had some 'extra-friendly' incident?"

Facing Xian Enjing's accusation, Tian Enjing, who had originally wanted to pull away upon seeing her return, stopped her movement instead, smiled, hooked her arm around Lin Xiuyuan's, and said with a smile, "You really shouldn't say that. If Xiuyuan is willing, I actually want to try what the legendary Rejuvenation Great Medicine is."

"What Rejuvenation Great Medicine?" Xian Enjing looked puzzled.

On the contrary, Lin Xiuyuan next to her immediately wanted to cover Tian Enjing's mouth upon hearing this, but he was a step too late.

Tian Enjing dodged to the side, then looked at Xian Enjing and said, "Don't you know? After being intimate with Xiuyuan, one's complexion becomes excellent. Zhiyan's state directly underwent Rejuvenation by several years, and her skin became tight again. It made Juli unnie envious to death."

Xian Enjing, opposite them, looked at the scene before her: Tian Enjing slumped to one side, Lin Xiuyuan reaching out to stop her, but ending up pressing against the other person, and that figure being pressed happened to be 'herself'.

In that instant, she had a strange illusion of being a "double."

This scene was already shocking enough for Xian Enjing, but the words that came out of Tian Enjing's mouth made her brain feel like it had been blown up again, her ears buzzing.

What is Rejuvenation, what is excellent complexion, what is... wait a minute, Zhiyan???

Xian Enjing, who had suddenly grasped the keyword, turned her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan. The other party was already a little embarrassed at this moment, not daring to look directly into Xian Enjing's eyes.

After a long while, Xian Enjing's voice sounded, "No wonder I heard Zhiyan talking about 'married women' and 'old women' over there before. So she was talking about her future self? And you, Xiuyuan, you... tsk, if little Zhiyan knew, Xiuyuan..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her tone was meaningful.

"It's a misunderstanding, a total misunderstanding. I'm a victim too."

Fearing that Xian Enjing would tell Park Jiyeon about this, Lin Xiuyuan hurriedly tried to explain, but when the words reached his mouth, they turned into, "That... this... how about we order a late-night snack first?"

Xian Enjing, whose expression had been a bit heavy, immediately turned to look at Tian Enjing upon hearing this, and then the two of them burst into laughter at almost the same time.

As the same person with the same personality, how could Tian Enjing not see that Xian Enjing was joking earlier?

However, amidst the joking, Xian Enjing still said seriously, "Xiuyuan, why don't you just tell Zhiyan. Whether she knows is one thing, but whether you tell her is another."

Tian Enjing also nodded in agreement, "Indeed, the Zhiyan from before cared quite a bit about this, unlike now that she's grown up."

Lin Xiuyuan scratched his head after hearing their words, "I'll think about it. Let's order some late-night snacks first; I'm hungry."

"Didn't you eat enough for dinner?"

"I'm hungry again."

In the end, at Xian Enjing's curiosity, they ordered a pile of takeout.

There was Army Stew, Fried Chicken, Stir-fried Rice Cake, and Grilled Meat Platter, etc. Because it was a large order, it was delivered with a fragrant aroma in no time.

After the phone rang, Lin Xiuyuan got up and walked to the door to get the takeout. When he returned, he put the food on the coffee table and asked while unpacking the bags.

"Who wants to eat spicy food? This Stir-fried Rice Cake is especially spicy. If I don't say so in advance, don't blame me if you cough later."

"Me!"

"I'll have some too."

The two "Enjings" answered in unison, then looked at each other and smiled.

Tian Enjing glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, raised the corners of her mouth, and teased, "Xiuyuan, isn't asking that a superfluous act? Don't we both have the exact same taste?"

"It hasn't changed after so many years?" Xian Enjing asked curiously.

"It hasn't changed much. After eating too much, I actually don't want to eat it as much," Tian Enjing nodded.

After speaking, Tian Enjing even leaned lazily on the sofa, hugging a cushion, and teased Xian Enjing, "But I remember that you shouldn't dare to eat too spicy food yet, right?"

"Nonsense, I can eat more than you."

Xian Enjing raised an eyebrow in retaliation, snatched the bamboo skewer Lin Xiuyuan handed over, and stuffed a piece of Grilled Pork Belly directly into her mouth, "Mmm... it's grilled really well."

Watching her pretend to be calm, Tian Enjing chuckled lightly without exposing her.

Instead, she took the opportunity to shift her body, moved a bit closer to Lin Xiuyuan, and said with a hint of coquettishness, "Xiuyuan, I want to eat that Stir-fried Rice Cake, help me get some."

"Coming right up."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled while portioning out the food.

He carefully placed them on the coffee table, then handed a can of soda to each of the two people opposite him, "Here, let's not drink alcohol anymore; drink some soda and chat while sober."

The three of them moved the sofa and sat more closely around the coffee table.

The soup in the pot bubbled and rolled, the steam permeated the air, and the room was suddenly filled with the warmth of daily life.

"Honestly, the fact that you all say Zhiyan got married first and then divorced is just too shocking to me."

While eating, Xian Enjing poked at her bowl and chopsticks while shaking her head, "Everyone in the group thought it would definitely be Su Yan unnie who got married first, even she herself nodded to it, but it turned out to be Zhiyan. Do you know how that happened?"

"It seems to be a family issue."

Tian Enjing picked up a piece of crispy sausage with her chopsticks and bit into it, her tone slowing down, "Her father's health has never been very good. Although he had a liver transplant surgery, his recovery wasn't ideal. She said... she hoped to let him see her get married while he was still conscious."

Speaking of this, she paused and added another sentence, "That was what Zhiyan told us at the time. Actually, we all tried to persuade her back then because it was too fast, even faster than Su Yan unnie, but you all know the final result now."

After hearing the answer, Lin Xiuyuan immediately retorted, "Sure enough, the reasons for marriage are nothing more than personal or family-related. If it were personal, there wouldn't be a divorce, but family..."

Just as he reached the end of his sentence, he was locked in place by the gazes of the two 'Enjings', so he immediately raised both hands high, "Alright, I won't say anything else, I'll eat my late-night snack."

Afterwards, Tian Enjing asked Xian Enjing about the current situation in 2013, since with the addition of Lin Xiuyuan as an uncertain factor, there would definitely be different changes.

So, while Tian Enjing was explaining the situation here to Xian Enjing earlier, it was now Xian Enjing's turn to explain the changes that had occurred in '13 to Tian Enjing, while Lin Xiuyuan remained as he was before, just quietly eating his food.

Of course, when they talked about him during this time, whenever Xian Enjing blamed all the 'fault' on herself, Lin Xiuyuan would also refute a few words.

The three of them bickered back and forth like this, eating and chatting.

Rolling in the hot pot were spicy rice cakes and instant noodles, the air was filled with the fragrance of pepper and chili oil, and the laughter of three young people intertwined.

Outside the window, the night breeze brushed against the wind chimes, ringing with a tinkle; inside the house, the lights were soft and warm, reflecting on the faces of Xian Enjing and Tian Enjing with identical contours, yet with completely different expressions.

One was still carrying the heavy burden of reality, with concerns occasionally hidden in her eyes.

The other had long since shed her naivety, with a sense of clarity and determination in her expression.

"Seriously though," Tian Enjing suddenly brought the topic back, "Xiuyuan, have you ever thought that if a few more years pass and this Time Gate of yours changes again, could a third me come?"

"Oh my, don't scare me."

Lin Xiuyuan frowned while biting into a chicken wing, "The two timelines I have now are already enough to give me a headache. If another one comes, I'm really afraid something will go wrong."

"Are you afraid that your future self will suddenly open the door and come in?" Xian Enjing curled the corner of her mouth with a mischievous smile.

"You two should stop teaming up to scare me," Lin Xiuyuan feigned pity, "I'm just a little boy, I really can't handle it."

"Who's little?" The two Enjings looked up at him in unison, then both burst into laughter.

The night slowly deepened outside the window; in a corner of the Small Tavern, the three sat together, laughter constant.

The miracle of time travel and the future direction of the world suddenly became less heavy; at least for this night, relaxation and warmth were the main themes.

However, in a corner that Tian Enjing ignored, there was a group chat on her phone that kept popping up with messages.

Dalongzai: 【Unnie, say something, what gift did you receive?】

Li Juli: 【Exactly, you've been chatting for so long, haven't you finished yet?】

Park Hyomin: 【I've been asking for a long time too, what on earth are you doing?】

Dalongzai: 【It's over, Juli unnie, Enjing unnie wouldn't be...】

Li Juli: 【Ah... Zhiyan, stop talking. Enjing, don't eat, you aren't really eating Xiuyuan, are you...】

Soon, the time reached the early morning.

The three finished their late-night snack and sat on the sofa chatting and laughing for a while, the atmosphere even more relaxed and familiar than at the beginning.

Until Tian Enjing yawned from time to time, and Xian Enjing leaned against the back of the sofa, gently rubbing her temples.

Seeing that they were both a bit tired, Lin Xiuyuan suggested, "Let's stop here for tonight, we have to get up early tomorrow."

"Are you going to send her back?"

Tian Enjing pointed at Xian Enjing, and seeing Lin Yi nod, she immediately became interested, "Then I'll go take a look too. I haven't seen that 'magical Time Gate' she just mentioned with my own eyes yet, I'm a bit curious."

"Let's go," Lin Xiuyuan agreed with a smile, not stopping her.

The three stood up, tidied up their things briefly, and then left the Small Tavern one after another. The night breeze was cool, the street had become much quieter, and only the headlights of cars passing by in the distance occasionally flashed, illuminating the damp stone path in the alley.

Then they walked into the narrow and deep alley next to the Tavern, the dim yellow streetlights hitting the ground, dragging out three long shadows.

"It's like a movie scene."

Looking at the shadows on the stone bricks under her feet, Tian Enjing said with a bit of amusement, though her pace was not slow, "And I really didn't expect that you actually live right next door, Xiuyuan."

"In his words, it should be for the sake of emergencies or temporarily hosting guests; safe and convenient, right?"

Xian Enjing suddenly brought up what Lin Xiuyuan had said before, making him unable to help but laugh, "I'm just too lazy to run too far."

Then he stopped, "Alright, we're here."

As her gaze shifted to the Villa in front of her, Tian Enjing, like the others before her, showed a surprised expression.

Especially when she followed Lin Xiuyuan into the courtyard and saw the large floor-to-ceiling windows paired with hidden light strips, the decor low-key yet luxurious, she finally couldn't help but exclaim.

"Wow~ Xiuyuan, are you sure you aren't some second-generation heir? Or some low-key chaebol?"

Standing in the Living Room, Tian Enjing took a light breath, her gaze scanning the room back and forth, sighing without blinking.

"This is too exaggerated... This kind of Villa isn't cheap, right? Although Juli unnie bought one too, that's in the suburbs. This is Gangnam District, it's ridiculous."

Lin Xiuyuan just smiled slightly and did not respond directly.

After the two 'Enjings' had looked around the house, he smiled and urged, "Alright, you've seen enough for now. You can visit slowly next time, come over here quickly now."

After speaking, he reached out and opened The Gate, and the lights in the Apartment on the other side turned on in response, soft and warm.

Tian Enjing immediately walked up and stood at the entrance looking inside, her gaze gradually turning from curiosity to shock.

Then, looking at the completely different room layout on the other side, she couldn't help but whisper, "So this is real, not a sci-fi movie."

"Just a moment ago you said you wouldn't be surprised, look, you're the same."

Xian Enjing shrugged, her tone seemingly flat, but her eyes couldn't help but look for a few more seconds, "But I was even more shocked than you when I first saw it; I wanted to turn around and run back at the time."

"So as long as we cross this door, we can go back to 2013?" Tian Enjing asked in a low voice.

"Yes," Lin Xiuyuan turned to look at Tian Enjing, "But if you want to go with me to send her back, it's best to wear a mask to avoid causing chaos after crossing over."

"Understood," Tian Enjing nodded, took a white mask she had prepared in advance from her pocket, and put it on skillfully.

Then, following in the footsteps of Lin Xiuyuan and Xian Enjing, she took a step across and returned to the 2013 Apartment.

Standing once again in this familiar Living Room, a hint of complexity appeared in Xian Enjing's eyes.

The room was still as quiet as when she had left; the few pieces of clothing draped over the sofa had not moved an inch, and only the wall clock showed that it was now two-thirty in the morning.

"This was way too smooth," Tian Enjing, who had followed along, couldn't help but exclaim. "There wasn't even a sense of swaying, and I don't feel dizzy... I thought there would be some kind of time-travel special effects."

"You watch too many movies."

Upon hearing this remark from Tian Enjing, Lin Xiuyuan chuckled softly and gestured to Xian Enjing, "Let's go, we'll take you back to the Dormitory first."

……

The late-night air was slightly chilly, and the mottled shadows of trees swayed under the streetlights.

After dropping Xian Enjing off downstairs at the Dormitory, Lin Xiuyuan waved at her and did not forget to ask, "Shall I call a designated driver to bring your car over to you tomorrow?"

Xian Enjing indicated, "There's no rush. I'll just go over and drive it myself; there are some personal items inside."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded without saying more, and after waving goodbye, he stepped on the gas and left the quiet neighborhood.

Watching the taillights gradually fade into the distance, Xian Enjing stood in place for a moment, then gently patted her cheeks and turned to walk toward the Dormitory.

The experience of these short two-plus hours tonight was truly too shocking.

Soon, after returning to the Dormitory, Xian Enjing had just put on her slippers and was preparing to let out a sigh of relief.

Footsteps came from the room inside; it was Park Hyomin poking her head out, a hint of relaxation appearing in her eyes.

"Enjing, I thought you weren't coming back tonight either, leaving me alone in the Dormitory to keep an empty room."

"Why make it sound so miserable? I just went out for a late-night snack."

Having changed her shoes, Xian Enjing walked into the Living Room, and then Park Hyomin leaned in from the side, her nose sniffing around on Xian Enjing like a puppy.

A moment later, she looked at her with some astonishment, "... The smell isn't right. Stir-fried Rice Cake, army stew, and a bit of barbecue smell... did you guys really just go out for a late-night snack?"

"What else did you think?"

Amused, Xian Enjing pushed away Park Hyomin's prying little head; she was truly glad that Lin Xiuyuan had actually ordered a late-night snack, otherwise she really would have been exposed.

"What did I think? I thought you two slept together." Park Hyomin changed the subject, her tone full of teasing.

"Xiuyuan isn't that kind of person, and besides... forget it, never mind."

In Xian Enjing's mind, the "constitution" theory that Tian Enjing had mentioned earlier surfaced, though it was hard to fully believe it for the moment.

But she knew very well that given her own personality, there must be a reason, and this theory wouldn't be baseless.

However, it wasn't easy to tell Park Hyomin about this, so she stopped her voice.

Looking at Xian Enjing's hesitant expression, Park Hyomin sat on the sofa suspiciously, crossing her arms as she watched her, "Something's not right, very not right. Enjing, how come you've become like Zhiyan since you came back this time? How can you start a sentence and not finish it?"

"Zhiyan?"

Xian Enjing was stunned; suddenly, as if she understood something, her gaze shifted slightly.

At the same time.

In the car returning to the Apartment, Tian Enjing was sitting in the passenger seat, her gaze slanting toward Lin Xiuyuan, who was driving, her tone carrying a hint of banter.

"Xiuyuan, I'm curious, how did you think of pulling the 2013 version of me in? Don't talk about any gift packages; if you really wanted to give a gift, you could have just pulled me over and that would have been it."

"Then how were you so certain that I definitely had other plans?"

Lin Xiuyuan held the steering wheel, a smile lingering on his lips.

"Intuition," Tian Enjing answered crisply.

Facing this answer, Lin Xiuyuan also let out a laugh, then indicated, "Is the sixth sense of you women all that strong?"

"So you're admitting I guessed right?" Tian Enjing raised an eyebrow.

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, "Actually, it's not that complicated; it's just that lately I've felt that the Zhiyan here... is a bit lonely."

When he said this, his tone was light and slow, yet exceptionally sincere.

"She doesn't have Krystal to confide in like Xueli, or Xiuyan and Taeyeon like YoonA. Compared to them, Zhiyan only has herself to lean on day-to-day."

These words made Tian Enjing knit her brows; after looking at him silently, she finally smiled and relaxed, "So you used this fishing opportunity to see who was lucky, and incidentally find a companion for Zhiyan, right?"

"Something like that," Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

"I was thinking at the time, if the 2025 Zhiyan had been hooked, that would have been a real headache. Given the resentment the Xiaozhiyan has toward the future Dazhiyan... it would have been a full-blown brawl in minutes."

As Lin Xiuyuan finished this sentence, Tian Enjing also thought of something, then laughed out loud, "Hahaha, indeed, the Zhiyan at this age really has a fiery temper."

"So it's a good thing it was you, or Juli would have worked too. I was just praying at the time that it wouldn't be Zhiyan, otherwise I would have been finished on the spot."

"Are you trying to avoid seeing Zhiyan and the others fight, or are you trying to avoid being beaten by Zhiyan yourself?"

In the passenger seat, Tian Enjing looked at Lin Xiuyuan with a suddenly very interesting expression, "I just thought of something—that album of a true fan you gave Zhiyan, no need to guess, it must have been made for you by the Xiaozhiyan here, right?"

"How are you so smart?" Lin Xiuyuan smiled, not denying it.

As a result, Tian Enjing, who had been laughing the second before, suddenly looked serious the next second, "So Xiuyuan, are you admitting that you were deceiving Zhiyan from the very beginning?"

"I admit that part was a deception, but I don't admit that the later part was," Lin Xiuyuan answered calmly.

"If it was a deception from the start, how can there be a 'later part'?" Tian Enjing continued.

"Let me give you an example," Lin Xiuyuan said while driving. "I originally wanted to write 1000 on the check for you, but then I felt it wasn't appropriate, so I crossed out the '1' and wrote 2000."

"So, Enjing, do you think what you ultimately received was 2000, or 1000?"

After hearing the answer, Tian Enjing first replied, "Neither, because you can't cross out a check."

Then she pursed her lips and smiled, "But I understand what you mean; you want me not to just stare at the starting point, but to look at the whole process and the result."

"Something like that," Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Then Tian Enjing pondered for a moment and added, "Your explanation is almost exactly the same as what Zhiyan said when she answered our questions back then. She also said a harsh line that left us all speechless."

The next second, Lin Xiuyuan casually added, "A gentleman judges by actions, not by intentions, right?"

"What a coincidence. Forget it, since you both think it's fine, I won't interfere, but I hope you keep your word, Xiuyuan."

Speaking of this, Tian Enjing's smile slowly faded, "The Zhiyan over in 2025 isn't as young as the one here; it's best if she doesn't get hurt anymore."

"Tsk." Lin Xiuyuan clicked his tongue lightly, "Hearing you say that, I really want to go back tonight and feed her a few tubes of Rejuvenation Great Medicine Pill."

Then Tian Enjing laughed very happily, and at the same time was a bit curious, "Then she would probably be overjoyed, but seriously, Xiuyuan, is it really that effective?"

"How would I know? You should ask Zhiyan about that."

"She said you smell very good, and Sister Juli has also taken a fancy to you."

"……"

A silence suddenly fell inside the car, and then both of them laughed out loud at the same time.

On the way back, the night was gentle, and outside the car window were the quiet city streets. The two chatted and laughed all the way, and in the end, they didn't return to the Apartment immediately, but instead went for a drive in the Seoul night.

It wasn't until Tian Enjing leaned against the seat and fell asleep without realizing it that Lin Xiuyuan slowly drove the car back to the Apartment.

Then he softly woke her up, supported the somewhat dazed her through the Time Gate, and returned to the 2025 side to send her back into her Apartment.

Looking at that beautiful figure lying quietly on the bed, to say that Lin Xiuyuan had no impure thoughts in his heart would be too fake.

But those were just thoughts.

His actions remained very restrained; he helped her take off her coat, covered her with the quilt, and then placed a glass of warm water by the bedside.

His movements were clean, with no overstepping of boundaries.

He did not notice that when he gently closed the bedroom door, those eyes that had been closed were already quietly opened.

Tian Enjing's eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes filled with gentle smiles and a little bit of undisguisable appreciation.

After he left, she got up and came to the Living Room window, watching the Mercedes-Benz slowly drive out of sight, only then did she sigh softly and smile with curved lips.

"Xiuyuan, 'the road is long and winding, I will seek high and low,' what a nice-sounding name."

……

……

The next morning, 2013, Seoul.

After squeezing into the same bed with Xueli and Zheng Xiujing for a night last night, early this morning, Park Jiyeon rushed back to the company to throw herself back into the upcoming stage rehearsals.

But not long after, she noticed something a little different.

That was that today, Sister Enjing was always looking at her with a complex gaze.

That gaze carried a smile, and also hid a bit of pity and care, making Park Jiyeon inexplicably feel a bit guilty, even suspecting if she had done something wrong.

Until the rehearsal ended and everyone collapsed on the floor to rest before lunch, when Park Hyomin was chatting with the dance teacher about the recent situation of friends, she inadvertently mentioned that so-and-so had gotten married again, drawing a chorus of sighs.

Park Jiyeon was sitting nearby listening, when she suddenly rolled her eyes and couldn't help but mutter "old woman" under her breath.

The next second, a pair of gentle hands landed on her shoulders, lightly kneading her sore shoulders for her.

Looking back and seeing it was Xian Enjing, just as Park Jiyeon was about to say "No need, Sister," Xian Enjing spoke in a low voice first, her words striking straight at her heart.

"Jiyeon, don't talk about yourself like that anymore in the future; the future you is also very hardworking."

(End of chapter)