Chapter 192: Lin Xiuyuan

Inside the Villa.

After Lin Xiuyuan had brought Zheng Xiuyan back to the Living Room, he headed straight for the 2013 Apartment, mainly because the latter needed to check her phone and messages to see if anyone had contacted her.

Upon discovering no one had reached out, the two then returned to the 2025 Villa.

Having arrived here again, Zheng Xiuyan walked toward the refrigerator in the Kitchen, while simultaneously turning her head to ask Lin Xiuyuan, "I'm a bit thirsty, do you want to drink something?"

"Cola."

After replying, Lin Xiuyuan lay down casually on the sofa, picked up the phone on the table, and prepared to reply to those few messages from just a moment ago.

Suddenly, a familiar name appeared on the screen—Krystal.

This call caught Lin Xiuyuan a bit off guard, but he still answered, his voice carrying a hint of laziness, "Hello, Krystal, what's up?"

Krystal on the other end of the line was smiling, her tone laced with a bit of confusion, "Xiuyuan, did you get into some conflict with Jessica again?"

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned for a moment, then let out a soft laugh, "No, why do you ask that all of a sudden?"

Hearing this, Krystal immediately informed Lin Xiuyuan about the call she had just received.

"Not yet, but she just called me, constantly beating around the bush to ask about you. Like where you're living now, what you usually do, how tall you are, what your family business is like, and so on; she even interrogated me more thoroughly than when we ate together last time."

"Did she complain about me to you?" Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh.

Everyone else brings in their elders, so how did it turn into bringing in her younger sister when it comes to Jessica?

"No, she just asked some questions, what happened between you two?" Krystal's curiosity wasn't directed at Jessica, but rather at Lin Xiuyuan.

At this moment, Zheng Xiuyan happened to bring over a can of cola and a bottle of orange juice. Lin Xiuyuan looked at her with a smile and turned to say to Krystal on the other end of the line, "It's nothing, just that your sister said to her, 'You've become so ugly,' and I guess it hit a sore spot."

After saying this, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh out loud himself.

Krystal on the other end of the line muttered in confusion, "My sister? My unnie?"

Then she suddenly realized and exclaimed, "Oh my, the one from my hometown? You brought her over and even took her out?"

She didn't dare to be too specific, only using some adjectives to express it.

"Just out for a walk," Lin Xiuyuan replied.

Immediately following this, Zheng Xiuyan, who had also heard the previous sentence, smiled and said, "Xiujing, when do you get off work?"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Krystal on the other end of the line also answered with a smile, "Unnie~ I still have work to finish tonight, I probably can't make it back, I'll have time tomorrow."

Then she also understood Jessica's situation, "So no wonder Jessica was so worked up; she probably realized something after being scolded."

"Forget her, I've already blocked her number anyway, read and not replied, let her guess."

As Lin Xiuyuan spoke, he opened the pull-tab and took a big gulp of cola; refreshing.

Knowing that Lin Xiuyuan didn't have a good impression of Jessica because of that incident last time, Krystal didn't say anything more; anyway, the two wouldn't kill each other, they could take it slow later.

She had only called this time to check on the situation, and now that she understood, she ended the call.

Putting down the phone, Lin Xiuyuan looked at Zheng Xiuyan immediately, "I thought with your personality, you wouldn't go crying to Krystal, I didn't expect..."

Zheng Xiuyan, who was lightly teased by Lin Xiuyuan's gaze, didn't say much, just sat quietly beside him and handed him the juice she couldn't twist open.

Then she explained nonchalantly, "I didn't cry to her either, it was just like Xiujing said, the other party was just asking for your information. But Xiuyuan, based on my personality, I would definitely be at odds with you, so you better be careful, don't get caught like YoonA last time."

Lin Xiuyuan took the bottle, twisted it open, and returned it to Zheng Xiuyan, "That wouldn't happen, Jessica's stupid appearance here compared to you looks like a regressed beetle, having nothing but her exterior."

After he finished speaking, he paused and added, "But compared to you, she doesn't even have the exterior."

This "compliment" that slipped out inadvertently made Zheng Xiuyan smile with great satisfaction, a shallow curve forming on her face.

But she still gave Lin Xiuyuan's thigh a slightly annoyed slap, "Even if you try to make up for it, I heard you call me stupid just now."

Lin Xiuyuan curled his lips, his smile undiminished, "I was talking about Jessica."

Zheng Xiuyan gave him a light roll of her eyes, picked up her phone, and imitated Lin Xiuyuan, slowly leaning back on the sofa.

In a moment, the atmosphere inside the Villa began to relax.

The two lay quietly at opposite ends of the sofa, fingers sliding across screens, occasionally making eye contact; the air was filled with an unspoken sense of ease.

The sofa space was spacious enough, their four feet intertwined, the distance between them neither too close nor too far, just enough to keep each other in a comfortable state of relaxation.

Suddenly, Lin Xiuyuan adjusted his posture slightly, preparing to stretch his legs further, and his toes accidentally touched the soles of Zheng Xiuyan's feet.

In that instant, Zheng Xiuyan's toes curled slightly, and her body trembled subconsciously.

She was slightly stunned, then felt that subtle touch, her whole body stiffening for a moment, almost unconsciously pulling her feet back.

"What are you doing?"

Zheng Xiuyan raised one eyebrow slightly, and although there was a smile on her face, a hint of ambiguous emotion flashed in her eyes.

Lin Xiuyuan pursed his lips and looked at her feigning innocence, "I was just changing positions, I didn't notice."

However, his gaze lingered slightly on her feet.

Zheng Xiuyan's toes were slender, the exposed insteps tinged with a faint pink, as if every inch of skin had been carefully cared for.

Although they often bore a heavy load due to dance training, her feet still maintained delicate lines, her ankles were slightly slender, and her leg lines were smooth.

Zheng Xiuyan was stunned and subconsciously pulled her feet back.

Then she averted her gaze slightly, as if she didn't want Lin Xiuyuan to see her reaction.

She knew very well that her feet weren't particularly pretty, and although she didn't want Lin Xiuyuan to see them, she muttered, "Are you doing that on purpose?"

Lin Xiuyuan raised his eyebrows, his smile deepening, "On purpose? How could I dare."

Before the words were even finished, his feet brushed against the soles of Zheng Xiuyan's feet again; if the first time was truly an accident, this time it was definitely intentional.

Zheng Xiuyan's face felt a little warm, and her body subconsciously leaned slightly, but this time she didn't pull her feet back immediately.

Instead, she rubbed her feet against the sofa a few times, as if silently responding to Lin Xiuyuan's provocation.

At the same time, she felt a subtle heat spreading from the soles of her feet, her toes curling slightly and touching his toes, as if communicating something unspoken.

Lin Xiuyuan, who was scrolling through videos, narrowed his eyes slightly; his toes brushed against Zheng Xiuyan's toes, his movements slow but still carrying a hint of testing.

And Zheng Xiuyan, after being touched by him several times, no longer dodged, and began to wander lightly over his feet.

As the sofa shifted, her toes lightly grazed the top of his feet; that delicate touch seemed to cross the boundary between the two, as if it had touched some fragile nerve.

Each slight exertion of her toes carried a hint of flirtation,

At the same time, an indescribable tension permeated the air; however, neither of them looked directly at the other, instead pretending to be calm while looking down and scrolling through their phones.

Despite this, the distance between them quietly closed through this physical contact.

Nevertheless, to ease the atmosphere, Zheng Xiuyan was the first to speak and break the silence, "By the way, Xiuyuan, in your opinion, if I really want to enter the Huaxia entertainment industry, where should I start?"

Lin Xiuyuan, being asked, gently stepped back on her foot with his own, thought for a moment, and smiled slightly.

"If you're asking about that, it's very simple; after all, quite a few people have already paved the way for you before this."

"Hm?"

Zheng Xiuyan sounded somewhat surprised, and immediately, her foot stepped back in retaliation, her toes gently brushing against Lin Xiuyuan's instep, the soft touch still carrying that silent temptation.

Lin Xiuyuan continued, "It is currently 2013, which is the explosion period for the talent show market. Some music-based talent shows have already become top-tier programs, and I'm afraid it would be difficult for you to get a foot in the door.

However, dance-based and diving-based Variety Show talent programs are experiencing explosive growth, and the competition in these fields is relatively smaller. You could consider participating in a dance-based talent show."

"Ah, dancing?" Zheng Xiuyan exclaimed, seemingly a bit unwilling.

"Are you silly? I'm telling you to go and compete for a mentor position. Besides, given your current situation, if the company is willing to invest and push you into a mentor position for a music-based talent show, that would be even more appropriate; after all, 2013 is a big year for music."

As he said these words, Lin Xiuyuan suddenly remembered something, tapped the message option on the screen with his fingertip, and looked at the few messages Liu Zhimin had sent earlier.

Feeling those soft toes on his instep twisting slightly at this moment, he opened the chat box and quickly typed a string of text.

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Just an idol friend like you, don't overthink it, I was just afraid of being recognized.】

After sending this message, he pulled up his stickers and chose one to send over.

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Look at feet. JPG】

After sending the message, Lin Xiuyuan put down his phone and glanced at Zheng Xiuyan opposite him, who was currently pursing her lips in thought, "A mentor? Wouldn't that be a bit too exaggerated? I feel like my personal ability might not be up to the task for that position."

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh, "Look at you, you've been staying with me in '25 for so long, how have you still not changed this way of thinking?"

Just after Zheng Xiuyan finished saying the above, she was teased by Lin Xiuyuan.

"Starting from 2014, the world entered a new internet era, which is the traffic era. Whoever has high popularity and high traffic, and can bring more exposure to the production team and the TV station, that is what is most important and most valued. They don't care about ability at all, understand?"

Seeing Zheng Xiuyan nod slightly, Lin Xiuyuan added, "Besides, many places in the Huaxia entertainment industry are actually like a makeshift troupe, and the training system isn't perfect enough. By comparison, your ten-year trainee career can simply crush them, don't look down on yourself."

"But there are also many excellent singers and dancers over there," Zheng Xiuyan retorted.

"Those are gradual evolutions after becoming famous, you don't need to worry," Lin Xiuyuan said nonchalantly, "I'm not asking you to go and fight for a living with famous stars, but to be a mentor, to play the role of guiding newcomers and cultivating talent, right?"

This time, after listening to Lin Xiuyuan's words, Zheng Xiuyan stopped arguing, only expressing her small dissatisfaction with the movements of her feet.

She kicked, then gently rubbed.

A moment later, she pulled up short videos on her phone and, under Lin Xiuyuan's guidance, searched for some talent shows in Huaxia from 2013.

And at this moment, Lin Xiuyuan's phone also received a reply.

Liu Zhimin: 【?】

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan smiled slightly and continued to reply: 【Look at legs.】

Liu Zhimin: 【Pervert.】

Lin Xiuyuan stopped wasting words and directly selected a photo of his abs that Li Juli had taken for him recently in the Maldives and sent it over.

In the photo, he was kneeling in front of the lens under the sunlight, sweat soaking his skin, and the abs and physique under the light were coated with a layer of bright water sheen, tugging at the heartstrings.

Such a physique, especially for women, appeared both sexy and alluring.

Sure enough, just a few seconds after Lin Xiuyuan sent it, Liu Zhimin's reply came.

Liu Zhimin: 【Oh my, this pose... hey, how are you guys taking photos.】

Before Lin Xiuyuan had time to reply, Zheng Xiuyan opposite him spoke up, "Xiuyuan, according to the schedules of those programs, wouldn't I have to be stationed in Huaxia if I went? That won't work, the company's tour schedule was just released."

Hearing that Zheng Xiuyan still didn't seem to understand the situation, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but click his tongue and subconsciously kicked her calf with his foot.

"Don't use the situation in Seoul to gauge the market over there. The Huaxia entertainment industry isn't like Seoul where they record and broadcast simultaneously; usually, they record everything before, or wait until the recording is nearing the end, before they start broadcasting the program."

Saying this, he saw that Zheng Xiuyan still hadn't reacted, so he added, "Anyway, it can be communicated slowly. I don't know the specific situation too well either, you can let your company negotiate it, the timing can be coordinated."

Zheng Xiuyan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she angrily retracted her leg, "Hey~ I got it, just say it, why are you being handsy?"

She gave a soft huff and focused on looking down at the video, clearly unwilling to tangle with Lin Xiuyuan any further.

As for the chat box on Lin Xiuyuan's phone, because he didn't reply in time, Liu Zhimin on the other end didn't know what was going on; she seemed somewhat unwilling and anxious, and actually sent him a few beautiful photos of her thighs.

Liu Zhimin: 【Photo】 【Photo】 【Photo】

It was very clear that Liu Zhimin in the photos was lying on the sofa taking them on the spot.

Her posture was slightly tilted, her legs straightened, presenting a perfect sense of lines.

A pair of long legs were as slender and straight as if finely carved; with the change of angle, the curves and contours of the entire leg became even more prominent, and the skin emitted a hint of luster under the soft light, appearing incomparably smooth and delicate.

The knee area was slightly bent, but the straight line of the lower leg below the thigh had almost no flaws, exuding a natural sexiness and elegance.

Looking at this photo of beautiful legs on his phone, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but sigh.

Her physique was undoubtedly stunning among many idols; after all, at nearly 170cm tall, her tall and slender figure could make every part appear extremely elegant and full of power.

Suddenly, Lin Xiuyuan glanced at this photo on his phone, then looked down and swept his eyes over Zheng Xiuyan's pair of thighs.

Then he suddenly discovered that compared to Liu Zhimin's pair of thighs, the one in front of him didn't seem to be any less impressive.

Thus, Lin Xiuyuan asked involuntarily, "Xiuyan, how long are your legs?"

Zheng Xiuyan, who was watching the video, didn't expect Lin Xiuyuan to suddenly ask this question. After looking down at her own legs, she looked at him with a smile in her eyes, "Why, have you fallen for my pair of long legs?"

Lin Xiuyuan laughed, "You, from the 'short-stature group', how are you embarrassed to call yourself long-legged?"

This answer made Zheng Xiuyan very shy and annoyed, and she stretched out her leg and kicked him, "Hey, I'm 162.5."

"Yo, even the decimal point is precise, does this count as long legs too?" Lin Xiuyuan laughed uncontrollably.

"Can't be bothered with you."

Zheng Xiuyan gave a soft huff and turned her head away, no longer wanting to talk to Lin Xiuyuan. But her pair of long legs did not retract, instead reaching out again to resume the previous interaction with Lin Xiuyuan.

Their toes made contact again inadvertently, rubbing against each other gently; the atmosphere was scorching, yet it made one unable to help but be immersed in it.

……

……

On the other side.

After ending the call with Krystal, the scene of meeting Lin Xiuyuan downstairs at the restaurant kept replaying in Jessica's mind.

If she hadn't had any particular reaction at first, it was only when Zheng Xiuyan casually said a sentence that the familiar voice made her wake up all at once.

That so-called "mirror," that so-called "familiarity," wasn't it just herself?

The other person's height, figure, proportions, and even that outfit, all seemed like her former self.

Although her reason told Jessica this was impossible, the curiosity deep in her heart made her unable to suppress it, and she couldn't help but want to find Lin Xiuyuan to ask clearly.

Just like the emotions Lin Yun'er felt when she saw Zheng Xiuyan's back, Jessica's mood at this moment was a hundred times more frantic than Lin Yun'er's impulse back then.

So Jessica dialed Lin Xiuyuan's number again, but still heard the "no one answering" voice prompt.

Gritting her teeth, Jessica sat in the car and stared blankly for quite a while, finally deciding to start the car and head straight toward the Small Tavern.

Jessica remembered very clearly that in the previous "conflict incident," after she called the other party, Lin Xiuyuan had quickly walked out with Lin Yun'er.

So if there were no surprises, he should be living nearby.

Thinking of this, Jessica started the car without hesitation, her heart filled with determination.

You won't see me, right? Then I'll just go over and find you directly.

At the same time.

Kim Taeyeon, who had finally finished her tour, also set off from her Apartment with a complex mood filled with extreme curiosity, heading toward Lin Xiuyuan's Villa.

Her mind was full of the situations of Lin Yun'er, Dalongzai, and Li Juli.

She thought to herself that since she had already become a member, they couldn't possibly keep hiding it from her.

(End of this chapter)