Chapter 226: Xiuyuan, do you have any plans to send Jessica over?

The year 2025.

Late at night, in the tranquil atmosphere, Jessica dragged her suitcase toward the elevator lobby of the apartment building, her footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space of the underground parking garage.

Then, thinking of something, she turned her head to look at the car not far away.

She saw that Lin Xiuyuan, who had just helped her take down the suitcase, had already sat back in the driver's seat, and Li Juli had also moved to the passenger seat.

As the car's engine gave a soft roar and it slowly drove toward the parking garage exit, Jessica's gaze followed the car involuntarily, and some incredible images subconsciously surfaced in her mind.

However, a moment later, she shook her head slightly, as if trying to dispel the doubts in her heart, a trace of self-deprecating laughter at the corners of her mouth.

"It shouldn't be that far, right? It's not like Juli hasn't seen the world, and this guy isn't exactly some treasure that everyone loves."

Just as she finished speaking, Jessica suddenly remembered the face of Li Juli she had noticed on the way back to Seoul.

That face, which had regained its firmness and elasticity, had skin that seemed as smooth and tender as it was in the beginning.

Although the dim light in the car at the time had prevented her from observing and examining it carefully, those details that flashed by following the lights of passing vehicles still left a mark on her heart.

"Forget it, I'm thinking too much."

Jessica, shaking her head slightly, sighed, smiled self-deprecatingly again, and then turned and walked into the building.

However, the narrow space of the elevator did not bring her the expected quiet; instead, a sudden sense of unease surged into her heart like a tide, leaving her restless.

It made Jessica tighten her grip on the suitcase subconsciously, while her heart felt a faint, elusive sensation.

At the same time, Lin Xiuyuan's car had already driven out of the parking garage and onto the main road.

Outside the car window, streetlights and neon lights flashed by, casting their colors onto his profile.

The car was silent; Lin Xiuyuan focused on the road ahead, while Li Juli gently guided him, the car following her navigation toward the apartment.

Along the way, Li Juli occasionally asked Lin Xiuyuan about his feelings regarding this trip to Europe, to which he responded concisely with "It was alright."

After he finished speaking, the car returned to silence, leaving only Li Juli's restless little hands moving about.

Soon, the car arrived from Jessica's apartment to the downstairs of Li Juli's apartment building.

However, Lin Xiuyuan was in no hurry to get out of the car; he turned to the side, looking at Li Juli's eyes with a smile, his right hand gently pinching a certain little hand that wanted to do something more mischievous.

Li Juli smiled slightly, blinking those clear, bright eyes, "Let's go, Xiuyuan~ come up, I'll treat you to a cup of coffee."

"Drinking coffee this late at night?"

Lin Xiuyuan responded with a smile, but ultimately got out of the car and followed her into the apartment's elevator lobby.

Afterward, the two walked into the apartment's front door and went to the bedroom upstairs.

As they entered the upstairs bedroom, the lights in the room were dim, and a tranquil atmosphere permeated the air.

"……"

The next morning.

Lin Xiuyuan lay in bed, eyes slightly closed, quietly feeling the sound of Li Juli's light breathing beside him.

The bedroom was quiet, the air filled with a warm breath, with only the low humming of the humidifier echoing in this silence, as if it were the lingering charm of the night.

The morning sunlight spilled into the room through the gaps in the curtains, the soft light dancing on the white sheets like a layer of golden gauze spread out, warm and serene.

At this moment, Li Juli opened her eyes slightly, turned over, and her gaze fell on Lin Xiuyuan, who was fast asleep beside her.

His face appeared exceptionally quiet in the morning light, his breathing even and steady.

She couldn't help but gaze at him quietly, layers of ripples rising in her heart as she recalled the events of last night.

It had been a crazy and passionate night, making Li Juli feel a complex set of emotions.

In truth, she didn't hold very deep feelings for this boy, and she was clear that her affection for Lin Xiuyuan wasn't profound.

But as Little Dragon Cub had said, long-term intimate contact, especially in such an environment and during such activities, inevitably leads to a woman's heart developing slight feelings.

Li Juli knew this well, but she couldn't help but recall that everything that had happened to the person she had known since meeting Lin Xiuyuan was always as elusive as a mystery, carrying many mysterious colors.

It gave one the feeling that he could never be fully understood, like an unfathomable enigma.

This kind of boy really isn't suitable for settling down and living a life.

But if it's just for fun...

Thinking of this, Li Juli subconsciously raised her hand to gently stroke her own firm skin.

The premise of having fun is being able to pull away at any moment, and with Lin Xiuyuan, she felt that this was likely impossible to achieve; at least for now, she was reluctant to do so.

Just as she was deep in thought, a low voice sounded in her ear, "Awake?"

Li Juli shuddered slightly, sensing that Lin Xiuyuan was no longer in a deep sleep.

She saw that Lin Xiuyuan had opened his eyes, just in time to see her eyelashes trembling slightly, a smile on his lips as he asked gently, "Hmm?"

"Hmm."

Responding with a sound, Li Juli looked up at Lin Xiuyuan's handsome face.

The questions that had been swirling in her heart just a moment ago seemed to be cast to the back of her mind in this instant.

At the same time, her gaze fell involuntarily on Lin Xiuyuan's face, and then she reached out, gently stroking that handsome face, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips.

"Last night was the best sleep I've had recently, Xiuyuan~ according to the descriptions in novels, why do I feel like you're really like a poppy flower?"

Lin Xiuyuan laughed, a hint of helpless joking in his eyes, "Don't say that, I don't want to become that kind of thing."

He gently stroked Li Juli's smooth back a few times.

Then he turned his head to look at the room.

The layout of the master bedroom was simple and modern, the sheets were pure white, and the room was so clean it was almost devoid of any clutter, reflecting Li Juli's consistently preferred minimalist style.

Directly opposite the large bed was a large window; because the curtains didn't completely cover it, one could vaguely see the distant city scenery through the gaps, as well as the sunny weather today.

Noticing Lin Xiuyuan's gaze, Li Juli smiled slightly, called out to the smart butler, and then had the butler open the curtains.

As the curtains slowly rose, the scenery outside the huge floor-to-ceiling window was instantly revealed.

This apartment was located on the 30th floor of a high-rise building, with an extremely open view, overlooking the entire downtown area of Seoul.

The distant high-rise buildings, the vehicles rushing by on the streets, Namsan Tower under the morning sun—everything was in full view, like a beautiful scroll.

"The view is really nice; this place can't be cheap."

Lin Xiuyuan leaned against the headboard, his voice carrying a hint of lazy sleepiness, as if he hadn't fully woken up yet.

Li Juli nodded, her gaze subconsciously withdrawing from outside the window and turning to the still-dazed Lin Xiuyuan on the bed, smiling, "Hmm, I suppose so, but no matter how expensive it is, it's still a place for people to live, so in my view, living comfortably is the most important thing; if it's uncomfortable, it's not a good house no matter how expensive it is."

As a result, Lin Xiuyuan answered exceptionally calmly, "Don't mess around, I don't have any relationship with the person inside, just friends, I don't need to lie to you about this."

Afterward, seeing that he didn't speak again, Li Juli didn't continue to press, her eyes rolling as she suddenly thought of something.

Then she turned over gently, slowly got up, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Not caring about the boundless spring scenery, she stepped on the soft carpet and walked to the window, resting her arms on the glass, her body leaning slightly, her posture charming and alluring.

Then she looked back at Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation and a smile, "Xiuyuan~ with such good weather, such a good view, and such a good atmosphere, shouldn't we do something else?"

Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but let out a low laugh, his tone burning, "Tsk tsk, you've really stimulated this small-bellied boy, Juli~"

Just as Li Juli had said, the scene before him was indeed very charming, so Lin Xiuyuan immediately threw off the quilt and came behind her, his warm body pressed tightly against her back.

Then, slowly, quickly, skillfully, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, he guided her to begin the yoga exercise for the new day.

……

……

In the afternoon, backstage at a Girls' Generation event in 2013.

The backstage lighting was dim, and the environment was noisy.

At this moment, Lin Xiaolu was being pestered by Kim Taeyeon, her arm held tightly by the other, who then asked with a puzzled face, "YoonA, when is that guy coming over? He won't be gone for days, will he? I said, why weren't you guys in a hurry to find him before? Turns out you couldn't find him."

Lin Xiaolu curled her lips into a smile, gave Kim Taeyeon's arm a light tug, and said mysteriously, "Unnie, do you know what you look like right now?"

"Like what?" Kim Taeyeon turned her head in confusion, looking at Lin Xiaolu.

"Like a resentful wife waiting for a cheating husband to come home, furious, yet unable to let go."

Lin Xiaolu's voice carried a hint of teasing, a flash of mischief in her eyes.

After Lin Xiaolu finished this sentence, Kim Taeyeon immediately rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up, "Forget it, that guy Xiuyuan is indeed quite good, but I don't want to talk about love for the time being."

"Hmm? Unnie, what kind of ghost are you talking about?" Lin Xiaolu's eyes widened suddenly, clearly not expecting Kim Taeyeon to say that.

Kim Taeyeon raised an eyebrow and asked back, "Why, did I say something wrong?"

"In the 14-year romance, you are definitely present," Lin Xiaolu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, teasing.

A smile appeared on Kim Taeyeon's face, "It's like you don't have one either."

"To each their own." Lin Xiaolu pouted helplessly.

The two engaged in a round of "mutual harm," and although the atmosphere was relaxed, it also revealed a silent tacit understanding and knowledge.

In the end, both couldn't help but look at each other and laugh, and the air was filled with an intimate atmosphere.

Then Kim Taeyeon restrained her smile slightly, turned back to Lin Xiaolu, and asked the initial question, "So when is he coming back?"

"Not sure."

Lin Xiaolu shrugged, "He used to come over every day, but recently he seems to have gone to London with Xiujing, so I guess it will take a few days."

Kim Taeyeon raised an eyebrow, "Xiujing?"

"Krystal." Lin Xiaolu gave another name nonchalantly.

Kim Taeyeon sighed softly, understanding in her heart, "No wonder we have to distinguish names, otherwise when mentioning people in conversation, we wouldn't know which period they were from."

Speaking of this, she suddenly remembered something, and her tone became active again.

"By the way, YoonA, after the schedule is over later, let's go find Xueqiu together. Her identity as a 'screenwriter' is too amazing; she's always running around at the TV station and never returns to the company. I miss her a bit, but I can never find the time to go find her."

"Sure, Sulli happens to be resting today, let's go over and mooch a meal." Lin Xiaolu's tone was relaxed, and she agreed without hesitation.

Once these words were out, Kim Taeyeon immediately looked at Lin Xiaolu, a flash of surprise in her eyes, "How did you know? Did Xueqiu tell you? How come I didn't know?"

From the night she returned from 2025, Kim Taeyeon had been busy.

First there were meetings, and in the following days, she threw herself into work again.

During this time, at most, when rehearsing at the company, she ran over to chat with Kim Jonghyun for a while, and chatted about some 'secrets' with Zheng Xiuyan and Lin Xiaolu on the way to the schedule.

Sulli, because of the crew's affairs, hadn't come to the company to rehearse much.

So she and Sulli had almost no chance to meet, and although there had been messages on her phone, she didn't dare to make a call to speak directly.

But even so, she and the other party had been messaging constantly for the past two days, so how could Lin Xiaolu know about this situation earlier than her?

Kim Taeyeon was wondering when she suddenly saw Lin Xiaolu pat her head, as if she had remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot to pull you into the group, Unnie. We members have a small group where we can talk about things implicitly, and then everyone basically says their schedule arrangements every few days, in order to go back and forth between the two sides smoothly."

Hearing this, Kim Taeyeon immediately narrowed her eyes, her face full of depression, "Then why don't you hurry up and pull me in, Lin YoonA!!!"

Lin Xiaolu giggled, as if she had long expected Kim Taeyeon to have such a reaction, "Hee hee, pulling you in now, pulling you in now."

2 minutes later.

Kim Taeyeon had just entered the group named 【Jieyou Small Garden】 when several messages popped up on the screen.

There were not many members in the group, only six people including her.

And her joining seemed to have aroused the interest of the members, and someone immediately started sending messages.

Park Jiyeon: 【Daebak, Taeyeon Unnie, when did you join the cult?】

Park Jiyeon: 【My god, what big thing has Oppa done behind our backs these past few days? How come every time he doesn't make a sound, he always comes up with something scary.】

Join the cult?

Kim Taeyeon didn't understand for a moment and looked down at Lin Xiaolu beside her.

Lin Xiaolu lowered her head and pursed her lips, explaining with a smile in her eyes, "This is what Xiuyuan said when he fooled Jiyeon at the beginning, and she has remembered it until now. Unnie, you can just take it as half a joke, don't take it too seriously."

Then, Lin Xiaolu began to tell the story in detail, explaining how Lin Xiuyuan had fooled Park Jiyeon before, and how this "organization" called 【Jieyou Sect】 was formed, along with the absurd "doctrines" inside.

It made Kim Taeyeon laugh until her sides hurt, feeling that these things were truly absurd, yet she couldn't help but find them extremely interesting.

Immediately, she thought of the situation between Lin Xiuyuan and the 2025 Kim Taeyeon, thinking about how the other party used this 'future answer' to fool herself, and laughed again, "It's the kind of trick that guy Xiuyuan can play."

Lin Xiaolu, looking at Kim Taeyeon, seemed to have thought of something, smiled, and a flash of mischief crossed her eyes.

"By the way, Unnie, that 【Jieyou Sect】 actually has a special 'rule'."

She paused, her tone becoming a bit mysterious, "That is, you need to pay membership fees to join the cult, Unnie, how much do you plan to give?"

Kim Taeyeon frowned in confusion, her face full of bewilderment, clearly not understanding, "What membership fee, what do you mean?"

Then Lin Xiaolu began to tell Kim Taeyeon everything about the 'fundraising' of Lin Xiuyuan's two small taverns, and the situation of the 25-year-old Little Dragon Cub being sold; anyway, if she didn't say it, the Kim Taeyeon over there would tell her sooner or later, it was just a matter of time.

And when Kim Taeyeon heard that so many magical things had happened among the members of the tavern, she was shocked again.

"Omo, my god~ YoonA, I said why you and Xiuyan didn't pay much attention to the group's affairs before; it turns out you found something more fun, more interesting, and something that could help your own life."

"It is quite cheerful; compared to the daily life of an idol who is either on schedule or performing, staying with Xiuyuan is more like living."

Lin Xiaolu didn't deny this, but instead thought of that trip to Nihon, the hot kiss at that small tavern, and the tug-of-war during those few days in the presidential suite.

Just at this moment, Kim Taeyeon found that the phone in her hand was vibrating crazily, not like a call, but rather like a message sound.

So she hurriedly picked it up to look, and her eyes showed a look of surprise.

Just because at this time, someone appeared in 【Jieyou Small Garden】.

Sulli: 【Jiyeon, didn't I tell you? Did you forget?】

Park Jiyeon: 【Zhenli, when did you say that?】

Sulli: 【I said we could call Taeyeon Unnie to go to the tavern for a drink together at the next gathering.】

Park Jiyeon: 【Is this the way to join the cult?】

Xian Enjing: 【Hahaha, don't argue, you two, let's talk when we meet later, don't say too much.】

Lin Xiuyuan: 【What's wrong, what are you chatting about so vigorously?】

Sulli: 【Oppa~ you're back?】

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Just got home, where are you?】

Park Jiyeon: 【Oppa, stay in the apartment, I'm on my way now, coming over to find you immediately.】

Sulli: 【I went out to buy groceries, Jiyeon and the others said they are coming over for dinner tonight, Oppa, is there anything you want to eat?】

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Buy some chicken and duck back, let's make beer duck and spicy chicken.】

Sulli: 【OK~】

Kim Taeyeon: 【Can I order, Xueqiu.】

Under the supermarket lights, Sulli was pushing the shopping cart while quickly browsing her phone; seeing Lin Xiuyuan's message, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up, and her mood clearly became even happier.

Seeing Kim Taeyeon also leaving a message in the group, she immediately replied.

Sulli: 【Unnie, what do you want to eat? Let me see if I can make it.】

Kim Taeyeon: 【Nothing, just teasing you, I'll eat whatever you make, I'm not picky, I'll go over with YoonA later.】

Zheng Xiuyan: 【Taeyeon, you guys stop whispering over there, everyone is looking at you, come over to work, let's talk after work.】

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Zhenli, give me a location, I'll come over and buy groceries with you, it feels like a bit much.】

Xian Enjing: 【No need for you to come out, Jiyeon and I will go, Xiuyuan, you just wait at home.】

After several rounds in the group, the dinner party for tonight was quickly decided, and everyone's mood became relaxed and happy.

Lin Xiuyuan, sitting on the apartment sofa, suddenly thought of something and continued to type a line.

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Should we call Xiujing and the others~】

Everyone in the group was their own people, and they all knew that this 'Xiujing' Lin Xiuyuan mentioned definitely didn't refer to their own people in 2013, but the people over in 25.

So everyone quickly gave their opinions.

Sulli: 【Call her, it's been a while since I saw her.】

Lin Xiaolu: 【Call her, I have something to find the other one for.】

Kim Taeyeon: 【Sure, it's almost time anyway, let's chat.】

Xian Enjing: 【Call her.】

"Hahahaha..."

The people around were also amused until they leaned back and forth, echoing, "Agreed~ Agreed~"

In this laughter, they finally started to eat.

The first chopstick went down to the Mapo Tofu, and as soon as it entered her mouth, Park Jiyeon, the little dinosaur, let out an "Ow", "Wow~ so spicy!"

As a result, everyone thought she was going to put down her chopsticks, but didn't expect her to immediately take a second bite, a third bite, saying while eating, "Too delicious, Zhenli, your cooking skills can completely go out and open a restaurant, being an idol has no future."

Her words made everyone look at her with a smile.

And Sulli agreed very much, "Yeah, so I'm a screenwriter now, Jiyeon~"

The atmosphere at the table became more and more lively, everyone occasionally picking up food for each other, teasing each other.

On this side, Lin Xiuyuan secretly picked out the fish he liked, but was caught by Zheng Xiuyan, "Lin Xiuyuan, don't just eat for yourself, leave some for everyone."

Causing everyone to burst into laughter again.

In the restaurant, the crisp sound of cups gently colliding, the sound of chopsticks picking up food, and bursts of hearty laughter were intertwined, and the whole space seemed to be filled with joy and warmth.

I don't know how long passed.

The laughter on the dining table gradually dissipated, and the bowls and plates on the table only left residual fragrance and oil.

Everyone leaned back on their chairs contentedly, stretching one after another.

Not long after, Tian Enjing stood up first, patting her knees, "Alright, everyone is full, I'll clean up."

As soon as the words fell, Park Jiyeon immediately jumped up, pulling Tian Enjing's sleeve, "I'll do it, Unnie~ you are our guest today, how can I let you do the work alone!"

"I am a guest, isn't Jiyeon one too?" Tian Enjing looked up at her with a smile, her eyes full of gentleness and doting.

"I'm from 2013, of course not."

Park Jiyeon's righteous answer made Lin Xiaolu purse her lips and smile lightly, the corners of her eyes curving with a hint of softness.

"I'll come help too."

After responding obediently, she got up from her seat, carefully stacked the soup bowls on the table, and moved them gently to the side of the sink.

The three of them cleaned up while chatting and laughing, as if they were a small team that had cooperated for many years.

Two minutes later, on the sofa on the other side, Kim Taeyeon was curled up in the cushion, talking to Kim Taeyeon and Lin YoonA about recent things with a somewhat depressed and helpless expression.

"You guys don't know, two nights ago I just came back from 25 and held a meeting, intending to chat about the problems in the group. Later, I thought it was fortunate that Xiuyan was there to hold the line for me, otherwise, if I were alone, I definitely wouldn't have been able to say anything, and wouldn't have been able to suppress them, several of them are 'seniors' older than me."

Kim Taeyeon held a cup of warm water and nodded slightly: "Hmm, otherwise you thought I was slacking off because I couldn't do anything over in 25. Externally, everyone can be unified and focused. Internally, as a leader, I was still a bit useful in the early stage, but later I really couldn't hold it steady."

Lin YoonA's eyes carried a hint of heartache, and she said softly, "It's because you were too easy to talk to at the beginning, Unnie."

"But if I wasn't easy to talk to at the beginning, there wouldn't have been that period where everyone worked together to impact the stage and achieve results."

Kim Taeyeon suddenly spoke, her words carrying a kind of relief and helplessness.

This sentence made the three fall into silence for a short time, as if time and memories were intertwined, carrying complex emotions of good and bad mixed together.

In the corner of the dining table near the kitchen, Xian Enjing and Sulli were still immersed in the lingering charm of the cooking.

And at this time, Zheng Xiuyan appeared somewhat absent-minded; she quietly walked to Lin Xiuyuan's side, reached out and pulled his sleeve, signaling him to go to the window with her.

The two stood side by side by the floor-to-ceiling window, the night outside was deep, the city lights were dotted, the traffic on the street passed slowly, the flashing light and shadow reflected on the figures of the two, stretching and intersecting.

Zheng Xiuyan, who had been watching outside the window for a long time, spoke softly, "Xiuyuan, I'm a bit worried about Xiujing recently."

Lin Xiuyuan turned his head to look at her, his eyebrows moving slightly, not interrupting, just listening quietly.

He heard the tone of the other party; what she said shouldn't be Krystal, but Zheng Xiujing here.

"She's really working too hard for the role recently."

Zheng Xiuyan sighed, her gaze drifting slightly under the flashing neon outside the window, "In order to get the effect of weight gain, she almost stuffs food into her mouth all the time, completely ignoring her body. Although I know this is the transformation needed for the role, she's making it too extreme... as if she's competing with herself."

Speaking of this, her tone lowered: "Plus, in order to ponder acting, she often stays up all night without sleeping... I'm afraid she will force herself crazy. She has always been like this, seemingly strong on the outside, but on the inside, she's actually particularly prone to drilling into a dead end."

The night was quiet, the neon outside the window flashing, as if reflecting the worry in her heart.

After saying the paragraph above, Zheng Xiuyan turned her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes carrying a hint of helplessness and pleading, "Tell me, should I manage her? Or... follow her? I'm really afraid that if she continues like this, she'll go crazy."

Lin Xiuyuan listened quietly, his gaze softening, not speaking immediately, but first raising his hand to gently rub Zheng Xiuyan's shoulder.

"I know what you're worried about, but according to the stage Zheng Xiujing is at now, it's indeed easy to drill into a dead end. But if you look at it from an actor's perspective, this is also a way for her to break through herself. We all know how stubborn she is in her bones, right? The more you block or comfort her, not only might it not have any use, but it will bring her greater burden."

Zheng Xiuyan bit her lip, silent, but the worry in her eyes never completely let go.

Her fingers gently pinched the corner of her clothes, slightly nervous, as if using the action to relieve the unease in her heart.

Lin Xiuyuan, seeing this, smiled gently, his tone slowing down, carrying a gentle and soothing tone.

"And it's not like Sulli hasn't managed her; a few days ago she even found YoonA and Krystal, and brought Zheng Xiujing two 'acting insights' that had been organized. This should allow her to at least have some direction when she's crazily pondering the role, and not just run into a wall."

He paused, looking at the smile and relaxation gradually emerging in Zheng Xiuyan's eyes, the corners of his mouth rising slightly, "And she's not supporting herself alone, she has you behind her, and you have me... and Krystal and the others."

【I have you behind me】 This sentence slid through Zheng Xiuyan's heart like a warm current.

Making her eyes tremble slightly, her breathing lightened, as if she had put down a stone, and the tension in her heart also loosened a bit.

Lin Xiuyuan leaned on the window sill, turned his head to look at her, a flash of laughter in his eyes.

"Of course, if you're still worried... you can also consider pulling her into the cult."

When saying this, his tone was relaxed and carried a hint of teasing.

"Anyway, there's one more stool for dinner, not one less. If she comes in and acts directly according to the original work, she should be able to find balance from another angle like Xiaolu. After all, compared to "The Heirs", that drama of hers doesn't have too many emotional scenes that need to be focused on."

Finally, Lin Xiuyuan added another sentence, his voice carrying half a joke, "Just consider it a small surprise for Krystal."

The night wind blew gently through the window crack, blowing Zheng Xiuyan's hair into a mess, she reached out to smooth it, but still stared at Lin Xiuyuan blankly.

A flash of thought in her eyes, finally the corners of her mouth curled up gently, and she shook her head slightly, but didn't refuse this suggestion.

Her attention seemed to be more concerned with Lin Xiuyuan's last sentence, as if Krystal occupied a not-small position in his heart.

Thinking of this, Zheng Xiuyan wrinkled her nose slightly, but there was a hint of silent silence in the bottom of her eyes.

After this, everyone who had finished their own things also sat around the sofa, chatting about the topic of the 'Time Gate'.

Everyone talked about their first impression of seeing Lin Xiuyuan, as well as their reactions and thoughts about crossing time and space, and most people's thoughts were to treat Lin Xiuyuan as a liar.

Among them, Zheng Xiuyan and Park Jiyeon were the most interesting. As the first two to join the cult, they almost treated Lin Xiuyuan as a perverted serial killer at the beginning.

When expressing, Park Jiyeon's expression was exaggerated, her voice carrying half horror and half curiosity, making everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Subsequently, the topic gradually turned to the frontier of time-space information, and several members from 2025 provided experience and suggestions for the few in 13, which were real experiences and insights that couldn't be found on the computer, so the few in 13 listened very seriously.

During the discussion, time passed unconsciously, and in the blink of an eye, it was late at night.

So everyone stood up to say goodbye.

However, because everyone drank a little wine, driving was impossible, so they just opened the door and went back.

So later everyone saw a magical phenomenon.

Lin Xiuyuan stood in front of the Time Gate, with several members of 25 behind him, Kim Taeyeon, Lin YoonA, and Tian Enjing.

As he mechanically opened, closed, and opened the Time Gate, the three also waved goodbye to everyone one after another, and then returned to their respective apartments in 25.

This scene, even for Zheng Xiuyan and others who had seen the Time Gate many times, was still shocked, their eyes full of shock.

Just at this time, Park Jiyeon's little head suddenly flashed, and she popped out a sentence.

"Daebak, this is really too scary, Oppa~ what if you replace these people with grenades? Does this count as killing without a trace! Once a person goes in, throw a bomb directly, there is no evidence at all, it's simply too terrible."

The speaker is unintentional, the listener is intentional.

After Lin Xiuyuan finished listening to her words, a thought immediately flashed in his mind, he turned his head to look at Zheng Xiuyan beside him, his eyes raised slightly, carrying a hint of probing meaning.

Zheng Xiuyan is not stupid, she immediately pointed at him, her tone carrying a hint of warning and worry, "Don't mess around, what if something happens, why do you care about her? As long as she doesn't die and lives, that's it."

As soon as her words came out, the whole atmosphere stagnated slightly, and several people also realized something, turning their heads to look at Lin Xiuyuan, their eyes carrying a hint of worry and tension.

Park Jiyeon, who said that "sassy operation", covered her small mouth, her face slightly flushed, as if regretting her loose tongue.

But Lin Xiuyuan chuckled, his expression leisurely, "What's wrong, I didn't even speak, what are you guys thinking about? Let's go, let's go send you guys home."

After saying that, he pulled open the room door, and what came into view behind the door was the villa in 25.

The lighting was soft, and the warm light penetrated from the living room, as if welcoming them.

To send them back in 13, one must start from the villa in 25.

However, as soon as they went over, the few were reluctant to leave, and they all took out their "phones" and curled up on the sofa to swipe videos.

The charm of short videos, these few 'old people' in 13 clearly couldn't resist.

Mainly for a group of people like idols who have a lot of fragmented time, every swipe and playback is an exciting stimulation, completely unable to stop.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't disturb them, silently sharing the movements and interesting things of the few to everyone in 25 in the group, immediately causing the few who had already returned home to laugh constantly, as if they were on the scene.

However, in a place Lin Xiuyuan didn't know, the owner of a car, after getting the news that Tian Enjing had returned home, immediately went downstairs, got in the car, started the car, and drove toward him at a constant speed.

About twenty minutes later, the air in the early morning carried a hint of coolness.

Lin Xiuyuan then sent Zheng Xiuyan and the others back to their apartment; as for Kim Taeyeon's side, because there was no positioning yet, he simply sent her to Lin Xiaolu's house.

Sulli, because she was resting for these two days, didn't go back to 13 tonight, but stayed at the villa, and chatted with Krystal over in LA by the way.

Just as everyone was settling down, Lin Xiuyuan's phone rang, and the caller ID made both him and Sulli slightly stunned.

"Jiyeon~" Sulli called out softly, carrying a hint of surprise.

Then Lin Xiuyuan answered the phone, his voice steady, "Hey, Jiyeon, what's wrong?"

On the other end of the phone, Little Dragon Cub's voice carried a hint of seduction, "Xiuyuan~ are you done now? I'm at the entrance of the tavern, come out for a couple of drinks?"

At the entrance of the alley, Little Dragon Cub stood there; she didn't say that she had called and the other party hadn't answered, just stared straight inside.

She knew Lin Xiuyuan lived inside, but didn't know which house he lived in.

In the villa.

Lin Xiuyuan, after hearing this, was stunned for a moment, then looked at the time, "It's early morning, Jiyeon."

"What's wrong, can't drink? Drinking is only felt in the early morning." Little Dragon Cub continued to answer.

Facing this answer, Lin Xiuyuan and Sulli looked at each other, the latter smiled slightly, then pointed upstairs, got up and left, also implying that Lin Xiuyuan could go out to accompany Little Dragon Cub, she was fine alone.

Watching Sulli's departing back, Lin Xiuyuan scratched his hair, then stood up and said, "Alright, I'll go out to pick you up now, wait for me."

"Hmm~"

Hearing Lin Xiuyuan's answer, Little Dragon Cub pursed her lips, showing a smile carrying a bit of complexity.

Afterward, she lowered her head and smoothed out her outfit, her gaze sweeping over the ground at the entrance of the alley, and then looked up toward the villa, a faint anticipation shining in her eyes.

Under the streetlights, the light and shadow at the entrance of the alley were soft and mottled, Little Dragon Cub stood there quietly, the whole person like a painting in the night.

The black sleeveless top made her shoulders and neck slender, the collarbone line slightly shining, the slightly gathered waist cut making the curves clearer.

The light beige skirt fit the leg lines, capable yet charming, both neat and carrying a woman's gentleness.

The red pointed high heels on her feet were like a small flame in the night, setting off her fair legs, carrying a kind of unignorable publicity.

At this moment, Little Dragon Cub didn't deliberately pose, just stood casually, holding her phone lightly in her hand, occasionally looking up toward the depths of the alley.

The breeze blew, gently lifting her hair, as if softening her whole person into the night.

She knew Lin Xiuyuan's preferences like the back of her hand, and it wasn't too difficult to grasp the thoughts of this little boy, but rather easy.

When she wore this outfit last time, the two weren't familiar enough, and what he wanted, she didn't give.

And tonight, if Lin Xiuyuan passed the "test" she gave, then her red-soled high heels wouldn't exclude the possibility of provoking slightly, or lifting toward the sky.

Not long after, the villa's gate slowly opened, and the light behind the door was warm.

The moment Lin Xiuyuan stepped out of the door, he was subconsciously attracted by that figure at the entrance of the alley.

The next second, his whole person was stunned.

That simple outfit was worn out with extreme style because of Little Dragon Cub's temperament, especially those red high heels, as if hitting his heart all at once.

Little Dragon Cub stood there under the light, quiet and dazzling, as if the whole street was supported by her alone, leaving only her radiating light.

Lin Xiuyuan's breathing stagnated slightly, his heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

Just one look and he understood that this was a deliberate dress-up by the other party, but even so, he still couldn't suppress the amazement and heartbeat in his heart.

Little Dragon Cub watched him walk over, the corners of her lips slowly curling into a smile, neither publicity nor restraint, naturally falling into Lin Xiuyuan's line of sight, as if specially prepared for him.

Then she walked toward him slowly, her pace calm and elegant, not in a hurry to go to the tavern, but heading straight toward the other party, toward that villa.

Because she seemed to hear some unusual sounds on the phone just now.

If it were normal, she might have ignored it indifferently.

Men, after all, always have some small movements, not worth taking seriously.

But the thoughts in the evening made her feel a bit worried and scared in her heart, making Little Dragon Cub want to get to the bottom of it.

If this boy in front of her is really a "scum", then bye-bye.

Having experienced so many things, she really can be willing to let go.

Thinking of this, the persistence and detachment in her heart made the whole night seem to soften for her, her steps carrying firmness and calmness.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 229 =====

Lin Xiuyuan didn't refuse this; after all, it was just a matter of opening a door.

So he nodded slightly, "Sure, it's just a small matter anyway. As long as you guys arrange it, I can cooperate."

Zheng Xiuyan, who had been listening on the side, suddenly beckoned to Lin Xiuyuan, and when he leaned closer, she stretched her neck slightly.

The skin under her V-neck T-shirt appeared exceptionally delicate in the light, almost sticking to his ear, and she whispered softly.

"So, Xiuyuan, do you have any plans to send Jessica over?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 227 =====