Chapter 189: Xiuyan

"Huh, why is it this person?"

"Who is it? That newly popular idol who was flirting with you just now?"

Standing beside him, Li Juli heard Lin Xiuyuan mutter and immediately leaned in, taking off her sunglasses while also glancing at his phone screen.

As a senior, although she had been hiding in Lin Xiuyuan's arms just a moment ago, the corner of her eye had still caught the little eye movements between Lin Xiuyuan and Liu Zhimin, seeing them clearly.

If someone were to say the two didn't know each other, Li Juli wouldn't believe it for a second.

"What are you thinking? It's Sunny." Lin Xiuyuan smiled, then answered the call, "Hello, Teacher Sunny, why did you suddenly call me? This is rare."

Sunny's voice carried an irrepressible enthusiasm, "Xiuyuan, where are you right now?"

On the other end of the line, the background noise around Sunny was a bit chaotic, yet it gave Lin Xiuyuan a sense of familiarity, so he replied, "I'm at the airport. You wouldn't happen to be at the airport too, would you? The background noise sounds so familiar."

"Oh my, really?" The next second, Sunny's surprised voice rang out, her tone instantly rising a notch, "I just landed too, I really am at Incheon. How did you come to the airport too?"

"I just got off the plane."

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, Sunny's hearty laughter came from the other end of the line, "Haha, me too. That's perfect. Xiuyuan, how are you planning to get back to Seoul?"

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, understanding her hint, "Understood, there's no one here to pick you up, right?"

He looked up at the vehicles not far away and said, "I'll send you my location. Come over to the parking lot. You can find your way back in a bit, right?"

"I can, hahaha."

Just like that, as Lin Xiuyuan hung up the phone, Jessica in front asked first, "Shun Gui is coming over? Why would she call you to pick her up?"

Her tone clearly carried a bit of curiosity.

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged and casually teased, "Right, why would she look for me instead of you? I really can't figure it out."

Afterward, he put down his phone, glanced at Jessica, shrugged with a smile, picked up his suitcase, and amidst Dalongzai's irrepressible laughter, walked to her side and called out, "Stop laughing, hurry and help me open the trunk so I can put my luggage in."

Jessica, having been retorted, gritted her teeth as she looked at the guy who ignored her. She was just about to get angry, but when her gaze touched Li Juli, who had completely taken off her hat and sunglasses, her anger vanished instantly.

That face really gave her too much of a shock, and it wasn't just once; it was the kind where she would be stunned every time she looked at it.

Afterward, the group stood in front of the car, waiting together for Sunny's arrival.

Then Dalongzai started the conversation first, casting a curious look at Li Juli and Lin Xiuyuan, and asked with a smile, "Xiuyuan, how was your Maldives trip? I noticed you two played pretty wildly, didn't you?"

Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, full of the relaxation that comes after a vacation, "Don't ask about useless things. If you want to go, why don't we just go together next time?"

"If it weren't for work, I would have followed along this time. It's a pity." Dalongzai pursed her lips and continued, "Next time there's an opportunity, I really have to go and play. I feel like the island you guys went to this time is more fun than the ones we went to ourselves."

"It was also more expensive, right? Isn't that so, Juli?" Lin Xiuyuan turned his head to look at Li Juli.

After all, all the expenses for this trip were basically covered by her. Although he hadn't asked for the specific amount, judging by the experience, it definitely wasn't cheap.

Li Juli smiled very calmly, "It really wasn't expensive. I think it was worth the price."

Her words made Dalongzai laugh out loud.

More than worth the price, it was a huge bargain, unnie~

Just as they were chatting lively, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly heard a series of footsteps "pitter-patter" on the ground.

Then he turned his head to look and saw Sunny pushing a suitcase, walking toward them.

Her appearance also instantly attracted the attention of the few people beside him.

When Sunny walked closer, the scene of the people standing in front of the car surprised her a little.

So she paused slightly, her gaze first falling on Li Juli, who was standing beside Lin Xiuyuan, and then she caught sight of Dalongzai and Jessica.

These figures made Sunny freeze for a few seconds, a look of surprise appearing on her face, followed by a gentle smile as she walked up.

"Wow, you're all here? What a surprise."

After walking over, Sunny couldn't help but smile and greet everyone. Her eyes still held surprise, but she quickly returned to her usual lively and enthusiastic self, "Xiuyuan, why didn't you tell me everyone was here? I thought it was just you."

"You didn't ask either." Lin Xiuyuan smiled, raising the corners of his mouth at her.

Listening to Lin Xiuyuan's reply, Sunny's gaze shifted to Li Juli and Dalongzai; the state of these two seemed even more radiant than in her memory.

It was as if they had shed their accumulated fatigue and were glowing with a brand-new vitality.

"Hmm..."

Because of this, Sunny couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment, her eyes full of surprise and joy, "Unnie, and Zhiyan... have we really, really not seen each other for that long? You two have changed so much."

Li Juli and Dalongzai smiled at each other and hurriedly responded modestly.

"Not at all, actually we're still the same."

"Yeah, you haven't seen us for too long, that's why you have that illusion."

The three of them took the opportunity to chat warmly, evoking shared memories while quickly closing the distance between them. The atmosphere became familiar and relaxed before they knew it.

Jessica, standing to the side, seemed a bit detached. Her gaze rested on Lin Xiuyuan, with an indescribable meaning in her eyes. After a while, she withdrew her gaze and began catching up with Sunny.

"Alright, stop standing there like fools chatting."

Lin Xiuyuan smiled and interrupted their small talk, taking Sunny's suitcase with one hand, "Hurry and put the luggage in the car. Let's leave early, don't get stuck here at the airport."

Only then did everyone come back to their senses and get into the car one after another.

Once everyone was in the car, Lin Xiuyuan sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. The car gradually drove away from the airport, onto the highway, heading toward Seoul.

Laughter erupted from time to time in the car, with topics ranging from recent news to past collaborations and old embarrassing stories; there was almost no lull in the conversation.

Only Lin Xiuyuan remained focused on the road ahead, his hands steadily gripping the steering wheel. Only occasionally did he glance at the familiar faces in the back seat through the rearview mirror, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, though he did not join in their lively conversation.

At this moment, Sunny suddenly turned to Lin Xiuyuan and asked with a bit of curiosity, "By the way, Xiuyuan, is your Small Tavern finished with renovations? I haven't been able to go over and take a good look yet."

Hearing her question, Lin Xiuyuan didn't take his eyes off the road and responded briefly, "It's done. Just make an appointment with me when you're done with work."

Sunny nodded and then asked, "So Xiuyan, why did you run over here today too?"

Jessica smiled indifferently and replied, "Nothing, I just happened to have an appointment with Zhiyan to play tennis today. After hearing she was coming to pick someone up, I just tagged along."

"So that's how it is." Sunny nodded, her tone light.

But in her heart, she didn't believe a single punctuation mark of it; there must be something going on, so her eyes began to dart back and forth between these people.

At the same time, she secretly thought: Seoul is still the best. Seoul has flower fields, and even more melon fields.

As the car drove on, the relaxed conversation continued, and there was no pressure or reserve in the atmosphere.

Lin Xiuyuan remained the one who spoke the least, but he would chime in every now and then, always managing to set the rhythm just right.

About an hour later, the car drove into downtown Seoul. Outside the car windows, the high-rises gradually increased, and the crowds became dense.

At this moment, Dalongzai leaned out from the back seat, looked at Lin Xiuyuan who was driving, and suggested, "Xiuyuan, let's have lunch together, since everyone is here."

"I'm afraid that won't work this time. I have something to take care of, I need to go handle it. Next time?"

Glancing at Dalongzai beside him, Lin Xiuyuan smiled apologetically.

"Hey, you really are busy beyond measure."

After Dalongzai teased him with a smile, he did not insist further, "Then let's wait for next time."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded lightly, and after dropping the others off at the place where Jessica parked, he drove Dalongzai's car toward his own Villa.

After returning to the Villa, Lin Xiuyuan first went back to the master bedroom and took a refreshing hot shower.

Then he changed into a clean shirt and trousers, nimbly picked a wristwatch from the wardrobe to put on, and then walked to the Living Room on the first floor.

Finally, he lowered his head to check the time on his watch and walked straight to that familiar Time Gate in the corner of the Living Room.

He stood there in silence for a few seconds, then reached out his hand to grasp the door handle.

His fingers tightened slightly, and with a gentle push, The Gate slowly opened.

……

……

2013, a quiet Apartment in Seoul.

The noon sunlight poured in through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft shadow on the hardwood floor.

The scent of fragrance still lingered in the air, faint, sweet but not cloying.

The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open with a "click."

Zheng Xiuyan walked out, rubbing her sleepy eyes; she was wearing that set of soft, pink cotton pajamas, loose and lazy, with a ruffled design at the cuffs.

On her head, she wore a slightly ostentatious rabbit-ear headband, her long hair tied up casually, with a strand of hair hanging by her ear, swaying slightly with her light steps.

While letting out a big yawn, she stretched, the whole person looking as if she had drifted out slowly from a dream, carrying an unintentional sense of relaxation and beauty.

The sunlight shone obliquely on her cheeks, reflecting that fair and delicate skin.

Just as she was yawning and preparing to walk to the counter on the side of the Living Room to pour a glass of water, a crisp "click" suddenly came to her ears.

She was slightly stunned, then turned her head, only to see the door of the adjacent bedroom being pushed open at this moment.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had just been at the 2025 Year Villa, stepped across the threshold of the Time Gate and walked in.

As soon as he looked up, he bumped straight into Zheng Xiuyan, who was wearing pajamas, a rabbit-ear headband, and looked completely dazed.

Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze for a second.

"Ah, ya~ Lin Xiuyuan, why did you suddenly come in."

Zheng Xiuyan jumped back subconsciously, screaming as if she had been shocked, and even the rabbit-ear headband wobbled twice.

"What are you yelling for."

Lin Xiuyuan closed the door and chuckled, not forgetting to retort, "Wasn't it you who sent a message yesterday, asking me to 'come over before noon'?"

"I... uh..." Zheng Xiuyan was speechless for a moment.

"And not only did you send a message, you also called Xueli, telling her she must notify me." Lin Xiuyuan said as he switched hands to put one in his trouser pocket, his expression leisurely.

"..."

Zheng Xiuyan just opened her mouth, wanting to find a reason to refute, but found that everything the other party said was true, and she had no way to fight back.

It made her teeth itch with anger, but she couldn't find a reasonable point to counterattack, so she had to glare at him.

As a result, when she glared over, she found that Lin Xiuyuan's gaze had not moved from her since just now.

To be precise, it had stopped on that... pink cotton, slightly childish and cute pajama set she was wearing.

"Lin Xiuyuan, what exactly are you looking at?" Zheng Xiuyan frowned suspiciously.

Then she looked down subconsciously, and her expression changed instantly, because she realized that she wasn't wearing any underwear underneath, the neckline was loose, the pajamas were form-fitting, and she was in a completely defenseless state.

"Still looking?"

So she quickly covered her collar and turned to walk back to the bedroom.

And just at this moment, a laugh from Lin Xiuyuan came from behind, "Cotton rabbit pajamas, tsk tsk, Krystal really wasn't wrong."

His voice continued lazily, as if commenting on some impromptu fashion show, "Don't worry, Zheng Xiuyan. Compared to rabbit pajamas, I actually prefer small camisole pajamas made of lace, cutouts, and silk; I can still tell the difference."

He paused, then added with a flirtatious smile, "Don't worry, my eyes aren't blind."

"If you dare say one more word, see if I don't take a slipper and smack you later, Lin Xiuyuan!!!"

An angry voice came from the bedroom, and before the words had faded, a rabbit-ear headpiece flew out with a "swish," heading straight for Lin Xiuyuan's forehead.

Lin Xiuyuan dodged nimbly to one side, laughing even more wantonly, "Not bad, that was quite accurate."

In the bedroom, Zheng Xiuyan was standing angrily in front of the wardrobe, the words "lace, cutouts, small camisole" echoing repeatedly in her mind.

Her gaze scanned back and forth in the wardrobe, only to find that she didn't have any of those so-called "sexy little pajamas."

Everything was pure cotton, loose, warm, and cute.

How could she be missing all the best gear to strike down a pervert.

Finally, Zheng Xiuyan gritted her teeth, and suddenly an idea struck her; she pulled a black camisole from the depths of the wardrobe, paired it with a pair of beige high-waisted denim shorts, and stepped into a pair of sandals.

Simple and direct, she intended to give Lin Xiuyuan a visual shock.

A few minutes later, Zheng Xiuyan stood in front of the mirror, examining the figure in the mirror with satisfaction.

The black camisole clung to her figure, the soft fabric hugging her skin, setting off her long swan neck and softly lined collarbones to be exceptionally charming.

The two hair-thin straps on her chest slid perfectly onto her shoulders, rising and falling slightly with her light, shallow breathing, alluring yet not contrived.

Following the hem of the shirt were those denim shorts that reached the base of her thighs, the frayed edges naturally curled, perfectly outlining her slender waist and well-proportioned, straight leg lines.

Her skin glowed with a delicate luster under the sunlight streaming in from the windowsill, as clean as polished porcelain.

A pair of simple flip-flops on her feet, with cold, sharp black nail polish on her toes, added a touch of edge to this "casual yet sexy" outfit.

Then, she casually brushed back her soft, long hair, letting the strands fall like a waterfall to her shoulders, gently covering them, yet seemingly covered and uncovered at the same time—the balance struck just right.

With a curl of her lips, Zheng Xiuyan had a hint of mischievous amusement in her eyes, "Hmph, Lin Xiuyuan, you just wait."

Finally, after inspecting herself in the mirror one last time, Zheng Xiuyan curled her lips in satisfaction, pulled open The Gate, and strode out of the bedroom, thinking to herself: I'll let Lin Xiuyuan see what a "visual impact" is.

Zheng Xiuyan had assumed Lin Xiuyuan would be eagerly waiting for her, but as soon as she stepped out, what met her eyes was him sitting cross-legged on the Living Room sofa, holding the remote, intently watching a Variety Show on TV, not noticing her appearance at all.

"You... you..." Zheng Xiuyan was almost so angry she laughed.

She then stood right in front of him, brimming with indignation, striking a pose full of presence, chest out and head held high, waiting for that hot, stunned gaze to sweep over her.

As a result, five seconds passed, ten seconds passed, and Lin Xiuyuan didn't even lift his eyelids.

Zheng Xiuyan's chest heaved violently with her emotions, a fire surged up, and she grabbed a cushion from the side of the sofa and threw it at him.

"Lin! Xiuyuan!!"

"Ouch!" Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously dodged to the side, the cushion grazing his shoulder and landing behind him, and only then did he finally look up.

Camisole, hot pants, long legs... plus the long hair she had just tossed back, she looked as if she had walked out of some magazine pictorial, sexy but not over the top, exquisite but not artificial.

Looking at the Zheng Xiuyan before him, Lin Xiuyuan's mind suddenly flashed to the Jessica from 2025 he had just parted with.

That Jessica from '25 was clearly not in as good a state as this Zheng Xiuyan from '13.

Her skin wasn't as bright, and her expression held a hidden weariness and fatigue; despite her exquisite and proper appearance, that "youthful feeling" had long faded, and the moments she occasionally spent dazed revealed an unconcealable exhaustion.

But this Zheng Xiuyan before him was like a midsummer fruit just picked—bright, flamboyant, sweet yet tart.

The luster faintly visible between her shoulder straps, collarbone, and neckline—every detail was releasing a fatal attraction.

This was a youth that Jessica could never get back, no matter how much she threw a tantrum on the floor.

"Wow, this outfit..." After looking her over, Lin Xiuyuan's lips curled slightly, a trace of a mischievous smile flashing in his eyes, "Changed your style today? Xiuyan, quite the spicy look."

His tone was lazy, but his gaze clearly swept over her several times, "Let me rate it, hmm... 8.8 points."

"Only 8.8?" Zheng Xiuyan put her hands on her hips, her eyes rounded in anger.

"You deducted 1.2 points from my TV time," Lin Xiuyuan said as if it were only natural.

"..."

Zheng Xiuyan almost threw something at him again.

And Lin Xiuyuan laughed as he leaned back into the sofa cushion again, saying lazily, "But seriously, you wearing this... is indeed much more lethal than the bunny pajamas."

"Hmph, I don't need your evaluation," Zheng Xiuyan huffed, turning to sit on the single sofa opposite, "And this is my 'summery refreshing style,' not the spicy girl style you're talking about."

"Fine, fine, fine, you're always right," Lin Xiuyuan raised his hands in surrender, blinking, "So, you called me over from 2025 in the middle of the day, what exactly do you want?"

Zheng Xiuyan rolled her eyes, her tone lazy as she said, "Looking for you?"

She lifted her chin, her lips curling slightly, "Of course, for something big."

"What big thing?" Lin Xiuyuan looked at her vigilantly.

Zheng Xiuyan didn't speak immediately, instead lowering her head in silence for a few seconds, as if thinking seriously, before slowly lifting her eyes.

"I'm thinking, you say Zhiyan and the others can break into the domestic entertainment industry so successfully, so if I go over and try, could I also make it?"

When she said this, her expression was much more serious, a hint of caution in her brows and eyes, "Look, in that space-time in '25, didn't the later me go too? Xiujing also said I earned a lot of money later, which means it's something that can be done."

"You?"

Lin Xiuyuan was somewhat shocked after hearing the answer, then continued, "That's not right, did you mispeak? It's Girls' Generation together, right?"

"No, just me," Zheng Xiuyan shook her head, her tone certain.

Lin Xiuyuan frowned, "But you haven't gone solo, and you haven't released a solo album, how would you develop over there?"

"Relying on individual activities," Zheng Xiuyan answered nonchalantly.

"Then the money you earn, don't you have to split it with the other members? If that's the case, you don't really have much need to push yourself that hard, right?"

As Lin Xiuyuan finished this sentence, Zheng Xiuyan laughed, looking a bit strange, "No, who told you that's how the split works?"

Seeing Zheng Xiuyan's reaction, Lin Xiuyuan said with some surprise, "Isn't it? I've seen many claims online saying it's like that, saying the popular members in a group run themselves ragged earning money, only for the income to be split evenly, while the others just lie there and reap the benefits, living comfortably."

"Nonsense."

After this retort, Zheng Xiuyan paused, then continued, "Small companies might be like that, but S. M. definitely isn't. Our company just has a high commission rate, but income from individual activities belongs to the individual and isn't split with the members. That's why when YoonA earned a lot of money in previous years, quite a few people were jealous."

"Really?" Lin Xiuyuan widened his eyes, "Then wouldn't the members in the group who don't have many individual activities be dissatisfied?"

"What's there to make a fuss about?" Zheng Xiuyan said very calmly, "Don't the popular members also feed back into the group? Team resources are still shared by everyone; as long as it's not done too obviously, no one has any reason to argue, and they should even say thank you."

"Then what about the situation with miss A?"

Lin Xiuyuan ruminated on her words, suddenly thought of something, and gave an example.

But Zheng Xiuyan stated very bluntly, "I know what you're trying to say, 'suppression,' right?"

Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Seeing this, Zheng Xiuyan held up her index finger and shook it gently, "But before that, Xiuyuan, you need to know one thing."

"What?" Lin Xiuyuan asked curiously.

Zheng Xiuyan then raised an eyebrow, grabbed a cushion to hold, and began to explain.

"That is, this kind of 'suppression' generally only happens to an idol whose earning ability and popularity are mismatched. For example, if your popularity is very high but your monetization ability is too low, unable to keep up with the team's monetization speed and potential, then the company will definitely suppress you to avoid you dragging down the whole group."

Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly, "That seems to make some sense."

Speaking of this, Zheng Xiuyan paused, her tone becoming a bit sharper as she continued.

"But if your earning ability matches your popularity, and your monetization ability exceeds the group's, then there's no such thing as suppression; the company will protect you well."

"Like YoonA back then, like Hela in the early days of Kara, like Victoria when f(x) just debuted."

"All of this is actually about profit being supreme. If you can't earn enough money and are just hogging popularity, that's when the company will hold you down."

Finally, Zheng Xiuyan added, "And as far as I know, the groups at JYP and YG don't split individual income either; I don't know where you heard about splitting. But if it's other small companies, then I really don't know."

"Understood, so you want to go over to Huaxia to earn money as soon as possible?" Lin Xiuyuan nodded after hearing the explanation, then said.

"Can't your brain be a bit sharper?" Zheng Xiuyan rolled her eyes at him, "Is it money I'm lacking now? I'm lacking popularity and influence, okay? A massive market with over a billion people—even if I only capture a small fraction, it's enough for me to roll out my brand line."

As she spoke, she curled her lips into a confident smile, "Once my own brand officially launches in the future, with Huaxia as the foundation, that development will truly be riding the wind and waves."

"So, in essence, you're still paving the way, preparing for your design dream?" Lin Xiuyuan said, speechless.

"Mm, I looked at the comments and news online these past few days and discovered that only the media in the Peninsula is enthusiastic; once you leave the Peninsula, there's almost no fluctuation in overseas public opinion."

Speaking of this, Zheng Xiuyan narrowed her eyes slightly, "If we look at it this way, if I absolutely have to choose a stronghold for popularity, then I don't want to just stay in a market that is gradually becoming marginalized and give up on that future center of the world."

"Very insightful, and very well thought out."

Lin Xiuyuan was surprised by her line of thinking and nodded, but then asked curiously, "But why are you telling me all this? Shouldn't you be discussing this with your company?"

When asked, Zheng Xiuyan paused for a moment, her voice dropping lower, "Because I need you to give me some confidence."

She looked at Lin Xiuyuan earnestly, her tone uncharacteristically frank, "Although I feel this decision is correct, deep down I'm still a bit uneasy. You know, this concerns the direction of my future path. A small deviation could lead me completely astray... just like Jessica in 2025."

That version of herself who went down the wrong path is the shadow currently most difficult for Zheng Xiuyan to dispel from her heart.

She knew, and was very clear, that she needed a supporter at this moment, and this person had to be Lin Xiuyuan.

After hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh; he stood up and brushed off his knees, "Then let's go, I'll take you for a trip to 2025. There are some things you won't believe when I say them; you have to see them with your own eyes."

Zheng Xiuyan smiled, pursing her lips, and nodded gently as she stood up as well.

She went back to her room to grab a light-colored straw hat to wear, then stepped over the threshold, prepared to step once more into that familiar yet strange 2025.

Moreover, Zheng Xiuyan had an illusion that as long as she stayed by the side of the guy in front of her, it seemed she had nothing to be confused about, nor would she hesitate any longer.

Besides support, what Lin Xiuyuan gave her seemed to also be a kind of confidence.

A sense of security that comes from having someone behind you.

(End of chapter)