Chapter 214: The

Inside the outdoor baseball batting range, the night air was cool, and the lights spilled softly over the field.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at the figure sitting on a bench not far away, his expression slightly stunned, his eyes carrying a hint of surprise.

In his ears was Bae Suzy's smiling voice, "Let's go."

With a light smile, she led Lin Xiuyuan toward the bench, her steps light, her tone breezy as she said, "Let me introduce you."

Lin Xiuyuan followed behind her, his mind still struggling to keep up.

The person before him, though her private life was often a topic of heated discussion, held an unquestionable status in the entertainment industry.

But speaking solely of the cultural export of film and television, she was an undeniable presence in the Korean entertainment circle; even from a chronological perspective, Song Hye-kyo was absolutely one of the Korean entertainment legends who could stand alongside Kim Hee-sun, Jun Ji-hyun, and others.

Although her ranking might not be at the very top, her status was not far behind.

Before he could recover from his thoughts, Bae Suzy had already brought him to a stop in front of Song Hye-kyo, saying in a relaxed and natural tone, "Unnie, let me introduce you."

Song Hye-kyo looked up, and seeing that it was Bae Suzy, she glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, then the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, "Indeed, very young."

Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback.

"That's right."

Following that, Bae Suzy let out a laugh, pulled Lin Xiuyuan half a step closer, and introduced him with a smile.

"Lin Xiuyuan, a young man in his early twenties. He's quite strong; if we play baseball in the future, he'd make a perfectly fine temporary pitcher."

Lin Xiuyuan was left between laughter and tears by her "teasing recommendation."

However, he knew what they meant by playing baseball; it seemed to refer to a baseball team formed by male stars in the entertainment industry back when baseball was all the rage on the Peninsula.

It was said to have been initiated by the Peninsula's top male star at the time, Jang Dong-gun, with members including Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Xuan Bin, Jung Woo-sung, Gong Yoo, and others.

At first, it was just for fun, but later it became increasingly formal, and now it even had a team name: 'Play Boys'.

It was said that when Jang Dong-gun and the others first started playing baseball, the audience seats were filled with A-list popular actresses. If one were to rank by seniority rather than popularity, Song Hye-kyo didn't even rank at the very top back then.

Now...

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan gave a light cough and nodded politely toward Song Hye-kyo, "Hello, Ms. Song."

"Ms.?"

Hearing Lin Xiuyuan's phrasing, Song Hye-kyo raised an eyebrow, a bit more curiosity in her eyes, her tone soft and carrying a hint of a smile, "Xiuyuan-xi, you aren't from the Peninsula, are you?"

"Mm, I'm from Huaxia."

"Huaxia, ah. I used to go there often. The vast land and abundant resources there, both the food and the scenery, are quite attractive, hmm."

Song Hye-kyo's voice was gentle, and she looked at Lin Xiuyuan with a soft smile, seemingly valuing this young man more than she would a local, "When I have some free time, I still want to go over and wander around."

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned, then nodded lightly, "You are welcome."

Song Hye-kyo looked at him with soft eyes, then shifted her gaze slightly, as if scrutinizing this young man.

The other party was dressed in a simple short-sleeved shirt and jeans, his face still carrying a youthful casualness and unpolished edges, but his eyes were calm, neither restless nor fawning—a point that surprised her.

Immediately, she turned to look at Bae Suzy and said calmly, "Suzy, you two go ahead and play; I need to get some work done."

Bae Suzy gave a light response, then pulled Lin Xiuyuan toward the equipment area. She picked up a bat, tilted her head to look at him, and teased him with a smile.

"What's wrong, Xiuyuan? Why so reserved today? It's completely different from when you were looking for Zhiyan yesterday."

"Let's not talk about that for now. I really didn't expect you to bring me here to meet her," Lin Xiuyuan said, holding the baseball bat with some surprise.

"Because you're an outsider," Bae Suzy said, as direct as ever. "If you were in the industry, honestly, I might not even bother saying more than a few words to you."

Lin Xiuyuan was amused by her words, "So it's because there's no conflict of interest for an outsider, and no backstabbing, right?"

"It's not that complicated," Bae Suzy shrugged. "I just feel that things outside the industry are cleaner, without so many twists and turns."

After saying this, she loosened her wrists, walked into the batting cage, swung the bat twice, and then looked at Lin Xiuyuan beside her, smiling, "Do you know how to play baseball?"

"I've played before."

Lin Xiuyuan had indeed played; after all, baseball didn't have as high a barrier to entry as golf, and it wasn't difficult for an average person to take a few swings.

Hearing Lin Xiuyuan's answer, Bae Suzy stepped aside, giving up the spot, "Then why don't you go first? Let Noona see if you've got the skills."

"Sure."

Lin Xiuyuan gripped the bat, took a few small, adaptive practice swings, and adjusted his feet into a more stable stance.

Then, he gave Bae Suzy a light smile and pressed the ball-launching button nearby.

As the sound of the automatic pitching machine operating rang out, the first baseball flew out suddenly.

"Bang..."

Lin Xiuyuan's movement was clean and decisive; the bat hit the center of the ball steadily, and the ball was sent flying over ten meters away, hitting the protective net overhead.

"Oh my..." Bae Suzy, standing to the side, couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Following that, the second ball, the third ball, the fourth ball...

The swinging motion had no unnecessary embellishments; it wasn't flashy, nor was it violent.

But every strike was precise and steady, as if it were a subconscious action cultivated over many years.

"Xiuyuan, your level..." Bae Suzy squinted at him, "You weren't on a university baseball team, were you?"

Lin Xiuyuan smiled without answering and continued to swing, focusing until he finished the last two balls before stepping out of the cage, handing the bat back to Bae Suzy, "Just playing for fun."

"This doesn't look like a 'playing for fun' level to me." Bae Suzy squinted at him, a bit more suspicion in her tone.

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged and didn't offer much explanation; he couldn't exactly say he had been modified by the Time Gate, making his five senses and physical coordination far higher than an ordinary person's.

He then changed his explanation, "I used to play with friends, and I was pulled into a temporary team for training a few times. It wasn't very professional."

"If a temporary team can train you to this level, then what would happen if you really trained?"

On the other side, Song Hye-kyo, who had been looking down at her phone, had already looked up the moment Lin Xiuyuan's first swing was made.

She watched the young figure swinging in the batting cage through the lights, a bit more scrutiny and appreciation in her eyes.

The other party's calm and composed expression, the rhythm of every swing, and the slightly shy smile when he left the cage all surprised her.

She had originally thought he was just someone Bae Suzy called over for fun, but she hadn't expected him to actually have some skills.

But soon, noticing the expression on Bae Suzy's face as she looked at Lin Xiuyuan, Song Hye-kyo couldn't help but smile, looking down and whispering to herself, "These two little ones are really quite interesting."

At this moment, Bae Suzy, having just finished a round, called out to her, "Unnie, do you want to come and take a round?"

Song Hye-kyo put away her phone, waved her hand with a smile, "No, you guys play. I'll just watch from the side."

She walked to a bench nearby and sat down, hands folded on her knees, her gaze gentle and focused as she looked at the field.

She didn't say anything else, just quietly watched Lin Xiuyuan and Bae Suzy take turns hitting balls.

In the following rounds, Lin Xiuyuan didn't compete for dominance or try to steal the spotlight, but every strike was clean and clear, with high coordination.

Occasionally, he would even whisper to Bae Suzy, teaching her how to adjust her stance and the angle of her grip, his words concise and to the point.

"You explain things more clearly than the coach," Bae Suzy joked.

"Maybe you're just easier to teach," Lin Xiuyuan replied, his tone unhurried.

Song Hye-kyo, on the sidelines, heard this, and the corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously.

This kind of non-aggressive sharpness in a young man was truly rare on the Peninsula.

So she suddenly asked softly, "Xiuyuan-xi, where in Huaxia are you from?"

Although he didn't know why Song Hye-kyo was asking, Lin Xiuyuan turned and answered politely, "Yuefu."

"Yuefu, ah..."

Song Hye-kyo nodded thoughtfully, her gaze falling on him, while in her mind, the director who always loved wearing sunglasses appeared, along with the movie star surnamed Liang she had worked with.

"So you must be able to speak Cantonese, then."

"Mm, a little bit."

Lin Xiuyuan said modestly.

"Then are you here just to visit?"

"No, I'm here to open a shop."

This answer was something Song Hye-kyo hadn't expected, and she looked at Lin Xiuyuan, "Opening a shop? Xiuyuan-xi, where are you living now?"

After thinking for two seconds, Lin Xiuyuan chose not to hide it and told Song Hye-kyo the general location.

After hearing it, Song Hye-kyo felt a slight stir in her heart.

She knew that area; she had previously thought about buying a house there. Nearby, apart from a few apartments, most were detached villas, and even the apartments were not cheap.

Thinking of this, Song Hye-kyo subconsciously re-examined Lin Xiuyuan, but didn't see a shred of showing off or affectation in him.

The kind of flamboyance he carried was unpretentious; there was no impatience or vanity as she had imagined, which was quite a difference from her inherent impression of certain "second-generation" kids from Huaxia.

Just as Song Hye-kyo wanted to chat more, her phone vibrated at an inopportune moment.

After glancing at the caller, she gave them an apologetic smile, stood up, and walked away to take the call.

Lin Xiuyuan was left watching her back as she walked away, fragments of news he had seen in the past appearing in his mind, and he couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

Bae Suzy, with sharp ears, heard the movement and said with a smile, "What's wrong? Do you feel that Unnie is different from what you saw on the internet?"

"Don't provoke me to speak; I didn't say anything."

Lin Xiuyuan leaned against the iron cage, watching Bae Suzy swing the bat, and replied.

However, he was also quite curious about how the two of them, with such an age gap, managed to hang out together.

"We were able to get close thanks to screenwriter Kim Eun-sook," Pei Xiuzhi said, swinging her baseball bat as she explained. "Then, Unnie probably felt our experiences were somewhat similar, so we gradually chatted and became close."

"You two? Similar experiences?"

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan was a bit confused; no matter the family or circumstances, these two didn't seem to have anything in common.

Bae Suzy let out a hum of laughter, then explained, "What are you thinking? I'm referring to our development in the film and television industry. Starting with the 'first love' persona, then walking step by step, and later meeting writer Jin Enshu, that's how we reached the podium."

After hearing the answer, Lin Xiuyuan made a slightly amused retort, "Setting aside everything to talk about achievements, Suzy, you're being a bit unreasonable here."

As a result, Bae Suzy immediately swung the bat at him, signaling him to stop talking nonsense.

Just as the two were still chatting, Song Hye-kyo, who had left to take the call, returned to the batting range.

But this time, there was someone else with her.

Under the lights, the woman had a slender figure, fair skin, and features as exquisite as if they had been carved. Although she wore a baseball cap pulled low, the familiar silhouette was enough for anyone to recognize who she was, even with only half her face visible.

Lin Xiuyuan's eyes flickered, and he suddenly heard Bae Suzy give a light "tsk."

"Who is this?" he asked in a low voice.

"Who else could it be? Han So-hee."

Bae Suzy replied in a lukewarm tone, the end of her sentence slightly raised.

Hearing this name, Lin Xiuyuan was stunned, and the news headlines that had been flooding his feed just a few days ago immediately surfaced in his mind.

【Han So-hee's romance crashes; male party exposed for two-timing; netizens call out to the goddess to run away】

【Han So-hee responds strongly, proves her innocence, perfect comeback】

【After Lee Hye-ri's romance is exposed, her reputation crashes; breakup timeline dug up; Han So-hee's reputation actually reverses】

The general content was nothing more than Han So-hee dating an ugly man, then Lee Hye-ri stepping in to mock the woman as a mistress, leading to a chaotic battle across the entire internet.

Immediately after, Han So-hee responded strongly, posting chat logs to prove the man was single at the time.

Unfortunately, in the process, the scumbag hid away from the storm the whole time, enjoying his invisibility, leaving Han So-hee alone to face the fire of public opinion.

But her reaction was extremely fast; she released a handwritten statement overnight, her attitude firm and her wording calm, which instead won the support of a large number of neutral fans.

As negative information about the man continued to be dug up, the situation completely reversed. Han So-hee not only cleared her name but also made people feel she was "true to herself" and "tough enough," and the trending topic instead became an opportunity for her to clear her name.

But the period of being cyberbullied was still quite terrible, and she had gained a lot of haters out of thin air.

It wasn't until Lee Hye-ri's romance was recently exposed that everyone discovered she had been on a sweet trip to Japan with her current boyfriend in February 2023, while the official announcement of her breakup with the ugly man was only in November 2023.

And Han So-hee's first meeting with the ugly man was in November 2023.

So, according to the timeline, once everyone compared them, Lee Hye-ri suddenly exploded.

The "each playing their own game before the breakup" maneuver instead became a laughingstock, and online public opinion crashed again.

Thus, Han So-hee's reputation warmed up, while Lee Hye-ri was backlashed by netizens, and her reputation plummeted.

However, Lee Hye-ri had a hit drama to back her up; although her image had collapsed somewhat, her actual losses were not significant, and she even profited heavily from the "victim" filter she had earlier.

So, the only one truly injured in that war of public opinion was Han So-hee.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan looked at the woman who had just walked over, and it was indeed her.

Although she looked thinner in person than on camera, that unique cold and glamorous temperament couldn't be hidden, whether on or off camera.

After Song Hye-kyo brought her over, she spoke to Lin Xiuyuan and Bae Suzy in a gentle tone, "Suzy, Xiuyuan-xi, come, let me introduce you. This is So-hee."

"Hello, I'm Han So-hee."

Han So-hee's voice wasn't loud, but it was clean and decisive, slightly husky, with a presence unique to her.

"Hello," Lin Xiuyuan nodded in response.

Bae Suzy was more indifferent; although there was a smile on her lips, her tone wasn't as enthusiastic as when she was talking to Lin Xiuyuan, "Good evening, Unnie. Long time no see. It looks like your state of recovery is pretty good lately."

Han So-hee raised an eyebrow and smiled, not annoyed, "Thanks to you, I finally figured things out and came over."

The air was subtle for a moment. Song Hye-kyo seemed to sense something, gave a light cough, and smiled to smooth things over.

"So-hee just happened to have some free time to relax, so I thought we'd come out for a walk together tonight and chat about our future collaboration."

"Unnie, you two have a collaboration in the future?" Bae Suzy asked.

"It's just a possibility; let's get to know each other first."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan roughly understood Song Hye-kyo's intention in "bringing someone along." It was both to help Han So-hee recover a relaxed state and because she didn't want to meet this person alone; it was better to sit down and talk with everyone together.

To put it bluntly, it was the indifference of a big senior; this was about the same as the situation he had seen in the parking lot with Kim Taeyeon and Irene.

But it was normal; rather than wasting personal time to make another appointment, it was better to cook everything in one pot.

Next, because Lin Xiuyuan and Bae Suzy had been playing for a while, it was Song Hye-kyo and Han So-hee's turn to walk into the cage, holding baseball bats to hit balls.

Han So-hee wasn't very familiar with it and needed Song Hye-kyo to teach her slowly.

At this time, Lin Xiuyuan, sitting outside, had time to have a good chat with Bae Suzy.

"What's going on? I feel like you have some hostility toward her," Lin Xiuyuan said half-jokingly.

"Xiuyuan, you know what 'stupidity-phobia' is, right?" Bae Suzy didn't answer directly but threw out a question.

"Mm, she doesn't seem stupid, though," Lin Xiuyuan nodded.

Bae Suzy smiled, "I don't mean she's stupid; it should be more like that feeling of 'rejecting ugliness'."

"What do you mean?" Lin Xiuyuan raised an eyebrow.

"I've known Han So-hee for quite a while. When she first met that 'ugly man,' we bumped into each other backstage once and chatted for a bit. I gave her a well-intentioned reminder at the time, but she didn't pay any attention to it at all. So I stopped talking."

Saying this, Bae Suzy shrugged and said lightly, "I'm just afraid of being infected by her kind of 'taste'; that would be too much trouble."

Lin Xiuyuan listened and shook his head with a laugh, "That's a bit exaggerated."

But thinking about it carefully, none of Bae Suzy's past rumored boyfriends were ugly; even those she was just rumored to be with were all flower boys without exception.

This was very consistent with her famous "super visual-focused" image.

Han So-hee, who was hitting balls over there, happened to look back and met the gaze of Lin Xiuyuan, who was looking at her.

She then glanced at the expression Bae Suzy had when looking at her, and she couldn't help but grip the bat in her hand a little tighter.

After a while, Bae Suzy stepped up to take over, swapping Han So-hee out so she and Song Hye-kyo could practice in the cage together.

Han So-hee walked out of the batting cage and sat directly opposite Lin Xiuyuan, smiling frankly, "Suzy just complained to you about my taste, didn't she?"

This straightforward question made Lin Xiuyuan once again experience the free-spiritedness and sharpness of these actresses; it seemed every one of them had their own flamboyant colors.

So he gave a 'tsk' and smiled, "Sss... So-hee-xi, this is a question I really find hard to answer."

"It's okay," Han So-hee looked down at him, her tone light, "Just asking casually."

After saying this, she lowered her eyes and started scrolling through her phone.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at Han So-hee's profile, and the word "resources" involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

What true love, what liking ugly men—in the end, wasn't it just for resources?

It's just that this person was a bit unlucky; she didn't get the resources and instead got into a mess because of that ugly man.

After another while, Bae Suzy and Song Hye-kyo, who had warmed up slightly from swinging, also left the field and returned to the rest area.

The four of them drank water while chatting intermittently.

Although Han So-hee and Bae Suzy didn't get along very well, the atmosphere wasn't as awkward as imagined, and with Lin Xiuyuan there to smooth things over, it actually seemed relaxed and comfortable.

After a few bits of idle chatter, the topic suddenly turned to the school graduation season.

At this time, Han So-hee suddenly sighed, "August, ah. I also graduated during this time of year and then came to Seoul to make my way."

Murmuring, her eyes fell on the empty space of the batting cage, as if she were seeing some blurred yet glaring past through that patch of light.

"I was at this time, right after graduating from high school, when I took less than two million won in living expenses from my bank card, took a bus, and came to Seoul alone from Ulsan."

"Alone," Song Hye-kyo repeated softly, her expression seeming to resonate with it.

"Mm, I didn't notify my family; I just came over like that."

Han So-hee smiled, the curve of her mouth carrying a bit of mockery, and even more self-deprecation, "It wasn't an impulsive decision, really. It was just... I wanted to escape so badly at that time, and anyway, the old folks couldn't afford to send me to university anymore."

"Did you want to be an actress back then?" Lin Xiuyuan asked.

"No, at first I didn't even know what I wanted to do."

Han So-hee shook her head, her tone as calm as if she were telling someone else's story, "I first worked at a cafe in Cheongdam-dong, making coffee during the day and washing dishes at night. Later, I worked the overnight shift at a convenience store, and the next morning, with dark circles under my eyes, I still had to rush to the subway to get to cram school."

"Cram school?" Bae Suzy asked.

"Yes, to study acting."

She nodded and continued, "I didn't want to be an actress at first, but one day while I was working at the cafe, a GG director took a liking to me and said I had a good 'camera sense.' I didn't understand what 'camera sense' meant at all back then, but I thought, let's give it a try... and that's how I slowly took on some GGs, and later someone introduced me to an audition, and I truly stepped into this circle."

"You're the type who was pulled out of the crowd by force," Song Hye-kyo didn't know what she was lamenting, "There are too many people trying to squeeze into this circle now; being 'picked' in like you is actually very rare."

Han So-hee smiled lightly, her tone light but not without emotion, "Being picked up doesn't mean you can stand firm; the elimination is also fast."

At this time, Lin Xiuyuan, who had been listening, suddenly asked thoughtfully, "Then if you could go back to 2013, would you still choose to come to Seoul to make your way?"

As soon as these words were out, the air seemed to pause for a second.

The other three didn't speak immediately, as if this question had caused everyone to fall into a brief contemplation.

Likewise, Han So-hee didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she looked down at the water bottle in her hand, her fingers slowly turning the cap, as if seriously considering this question.

After a long while, she looked up at Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes carrying a hint of complexity, "If I knew it would be this tiring, this painful, and that there would be so much cold mockery behind my back... honestly, I'm not sure."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded and didn't speak.

"But," Han So-hee changed the subject, her tone carrying a bit of stubbornness, "if I were really given another chance, I think I would still come. Not because this place is great, but because only here could I live better."

After hearing this, the group was quiet for a while, and then Lin Xiuyuan spoke, "So where was your first job?"

"A cafe. I remember it was a small shop in Cheongdam-dong called 'Cheong.' It's been so many years, it must have closed down long ago." Don't look at how lightly Han So-hee said it; she clearly remembered that time vividly.

Lin Xiuyuan, having obtained the information, didn't speak again, just kept the name in his heart, thinking that if he had time to go back, he could go over and wander around, maybe have a chance encounter.

Afterward, the group took turns hitting balls again until the night grew deeper.

The lights above the venue began to gradually turn off, and the surroundings became much quieter, with only a few streetlights illuminating the direction back.

So everyone stood up, and amidst relaxed pleasantries, they all got into their own cars and drove toward their respective destinations.

However, just as Lin Xiuyuan's car started, his phone rang; it was Bae Suzy.

The moment the call connected, he heard her light laughter on the other end, "Xiuyuan, why do you think Han So-hee was so emotional tonight?"

Lin Xiuyuan, who was driving, sighed, "Do you think she's as lucky as you? It's normal to seize the chance to play the victim and seek a collaboration opportunity when she finally meets a big senior."

"Oh my, I thought you didn't see it, and you even went to ask about her work experience."

"Since she said it to that point, and you two didn't pick up the thread, I couldn't just let the words fall to the ground, could I? It would look so awkward, and it would be bad if the atmosphere turned sour."

Bae Suzy on the other end of the phone pursed her lips and smiled; it was good that the young man she had her eye on wasn't that foolish; he was actually quite smart.

After laughing, Bae Suzy continued, "Not bad, not bad, Xiuyuan. It seems there's a reason Xiujing and the others like hanging out with you so much."

Then she asked, "By the way, we didn't have much fun tonight, tomorrow..."

Just at this moment, another call came in. Lin Xiuyuan, after glancing at the caller ID, immediately interrupted Bae Suzy's words, "Um, I have a call I need to take. I'll call you back in a bit. You drive carefully first."

"Okay~" Bae Suzy didn't ask further and hung up the phone.

Lin Xiuyuan then answered Krystal's video call.

"Hey, you aren't home."

On the other side of the screen, Krystal was standing in the villa's living room, looking at him as he drove, her tone carrying a bit of casualness, "Where did you go to play?"

Looking at Krystal's familiar face, Lin Xiuyuan smiled, "On the way back, help me go to the intersection and buy some fried rice; I'm a bit hungry."

Krystal looked at him and nodded, "Got it. Do you want anything else?"

"No need, fried rice is enough," Lin Xiuyuan said, but suddenly noticed the several suitcases behind her and asked curiously, "Wait a second, Krystal, what's with the luggage behind you?"

"Packing luggage, departing for Europe."

At the same time, in Magic City.

Jessica was sitting in a waiting room, holding her phone, her expression dazed, not knowing what she was looking at or what she was thinking.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 215 =====