Chapter 248: The Kidnapping is Exposed, Jessica and Park Jiyeon and Zheng Xiu

Upstairs.

"Child, think about it, think carefully. As you are now, can you really leave Lin Xiuyuan?"

Dalongzai's voice was neither hurried nor slow, yet it was like a pebble thrown into the water, splashing up ripples in circles.

Park Jiyeon, who had been leaning against the edge of the pool, had her expression freeze for a moment when she heard this, a flash of complex emotion passing through the depths of her eyes.

Then she pursed her lips, as if thinking seriously, yet also appearing a bit impatient.

But a child is a child; emotions come and go quickly.

In the blink of an eye, she ignored the pressure the other had placed on her, turned around, splashed a handful of water, and began to play in the pool.

Dalongzai, who had been splashed all over, wasn't angry; she just sat on the edge of the pool, resting her chin on her hand, watching Park Jiyeon swim back and forth in the water.

Sunlight pierced through the water's surface, refracting onto the other's shoulders and hair tips; fine water droplets sparkled like crushed gold, and fair skin appeared and disappeared in the water, like a nimble dolphin.

Just as she watched, Dalongzai suddenly lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the tattoo on her own arm, and the smile on her lips faded slightly.

In that instant, a hint of grayness flashed in the depths of her eyes, as if pulled by some memory.

But soon, she laughed at herself, raised her hand, and pushed back her wet bangs.

Because what emerged in her mind was no longer the shadows of the past, but Lin Xiuyuan's figure standing in the sunlight.

If she had previously been accustomed to a life without expectations, then after meeting Lin Xiuyuan, she suddenly discovered she could smile more genuinely again, and her life had gained a bit more vitality and warmth.

Just as Dalongzai was lost in a daze because of the tattoo, Park Jiyeon, who had swum close by, happened to notice her dazed appearance; a mischievous thought flashed, and she quietly treaded water to get closer, reached out, and gave a sudden tug.

"Ah... hey!"

Dalongzai, pulled into the water, only had time to let out a short, sharp exclamation before crashing into the pool, splashing a large spray of water that even soaked a large patch of the lawn on the side.

"Hey, you little brat, are you looking for death?"

Dalongzai, who hadn't yet recovered her senses, spat out water while laughing and glaring over, her eyes half-threatening and half-smiling.

The next second, she directly raised her hand and splashed a large handful of water back.

Park Jiyeon had long anticipated her reaction and nimbly kicked backward in the water, laughing like a kitten that had successfully stolen a fish, "What, it's just playing, can't you take it, old woman?"

"Hmph, see if I don't deal with you."

Dalongzai snorted and lunged directly at her.

Water splashed everywhere in the pool, making a splashing sound. The two chased and fled, splashing water, pushing, and even hooking each other with their legs, their laughter rising one after another.

Occasionally, when one really pressed the other into the water and let go the next second, the two looked as disheveled as two puppies that had just finished fighting.

Unfortunately, the resistance of the pool water meant they couldn't really have a "great battle"; every movement was slowed by the current, yet it was even more fun because of that.

Later, the two collided from time to time, splashing water all over their faces, then looked at each other and burst into laughter again.

Sunlight refracted down through the water, casting a golden halo over them, as if the time at this moment had frozen, leaving only laughter and splashes.

And when Dalongzai was pulled into the water earlier, it was exactly when Lin Xiuyuan was confronting Jessica at the entrance downstairs, and Jessica heard the playful sounds coming from the roof.

Thus, she couldn't help but lift her head slightly, a hint of an unreadable curve flashing across her brow.

As for the battle in the rooftop pool, it continued for quite a while longer, until both were panting and lying on the edge of the pool, wet hair sticking to their cheeks, staring at each other with wide eyes.

"Why hasn't he come up yet?" Park Jiyeon muttered, her finger drawing an arc on the water's surface.

Dalongzai also raised an eyebrow, a trace of curiosity hanging on the corner of her mouth, "Shall we go down and take a look?"

The two looked at each other for a few seconds, as if they had reached some kind of tacit understanding, and nodded in unison.

Soon, they climbed out of the water, each putting on a bathrobe and a bath towel, wiping their wet hair as they walked.

Park Jiyeon simply tied her hair into a loose bun, looking youthful and casual.

Dalongzai just tossed her long hair back, the sound of her slippers slapping on the wooden floor carrying a bit of lazy languor.

On the stairs, sunlight poured down from the skylight, illuminating the shadows of their long legs.

The two walked one after another from the roof to the third-floor railing, intending to peek at the situation downstairs.

Just at this moment, the door of the Living Room was pushed open by Lin Xiuyuan, who walked in with Jessica, who looked nervous and felt as if danger was lurking everywhere.

The next second.

The two on the third floor happened to lock eyes with Jessica in the Living Room.

Originally, Jessica had just stepped into the Living Room and was initially looking around at the layout of this Villa, but she suddenly heard footsteps coming from upstairs.

Thus, she lifted her gaze and bumped into those two figures appearing at the third-floor railing at the same time.

In an instant, Jessica felt as if she had been electrocuted; her legs went weak, and she almost fell directly to the floor.

That shock was no less than walking alone in a corridor at night and suddenly bumping into a ghost.

After all, suddenly seeing a figure exactly like the Park Jiyeon she knew, who wouldn't be scared?

But her brain's meltdown mechanism, in the extremity, gave Jessica a "self-justifying" explanation.

"Sc-scared me to death..." She retreated half a step almost instinctively, her hands tightly covering her chest, her heart pounding wildly, her face turning somewhat pale.

Her breathing finally smoothed out a bit, but then she froze again, her eyes scanning back and forth between Park Jiyeon and Dalongzai, as if confirming it several times before she murmured in disbelief, "What is this, Zhiyan, you... have a twin sister?"

Saying this, Jessica's gaze fell rapidly on Lin Xiuyuan, clearly waiting for an explanation, her heart full of doubt and unease.

Park Jiyeon and Dalongzai upstairs also immediately sensed the atmosphere was wrong, their voices carrying a probing tone, "Xiuyuan..."

"Oppa..."

The two spoke almost simultaneously, wanting to say something, but Lin Xiuyuan just raised his hand and waved it lightly, signaling them not to worry for now, "You two keep playing, I'm taking her over there for a moment."

As his voice fell, he turned around and, with a crisp and swift movement, grabbed the wrist of Jessica, who was still frozen in place with her breathing somewhat stagnant.

Jessica was startled, as if she had been forcibly dragged back to reality; she dodged backward in a panic, her intuition already screaming, and her sense of crisis was warning her wildly.

This guy was definitely about to do something outrageous.

"Hey, Lin Xiuyuan, what are you doing?"

She resisted instinctively, but couldn't break free at all.

But Lin Xiuyuan's gaze darkened, and he couldn't be bothered to waste more words with her; his other hand simply wrapped directly around her waist.

Jessica's pupils suddenly dilated, her entire body stiffened, and she could hardly believe that she was being held up by Lin Xiuyuan, her feet dangling in the air, her heart feeling as if it were being gripped by someone.

"What is this, Lin Xiuyuan, put me down, put me down right now."

Her voice rose sharply, the corners of her eyes slightly damp, panic and bewilderment intertwined.

She then began to struggle desperately, flailing her arms and kicking her legs, as if wanting to break free from the shackles of the entire world.

However, Lin Xiuyuan paid no heed; her movements were completely ineffective before him, and he carried her, walking straight toward the Time Gate nearby.

Upstairs, Park Jiyeon and Dalongzai watched, dumbfounded; neither opened their mouths to stop him, only watching silently, their eyes filled with complex surprise and helplessness, until the two disappeared before that door.

The next second, following the sound of a clear door lock, the door opened and closed, and the figures of Lin Xiuyuan and Jessica vanished from the spot, the Villa suddenly falling so quiet that only the sound of the two's breathing remained.

"This... what on earth is going on?" Park Jiyeon murmured in a low voice, her brows tightly furrowed. She knew there was some friction between Lin Xiuyuan and Jessica, but she hadn't expected him to bring her over there directly; what kind of maneuver was this?

Hearing the sound, Dalongzai also had a headache, "Don't look at me, I'm a bit confused too. I just have a feeling something big is about to happen, I'll call Xiujing and ask."

Park Jiyeon nodded, following the footsteps of Dalongzai as he went to get his phone, her heart also feeling vaguely nervous.

……

……

Inside the Apartment in 2013.

Not long ago, after receiving the information about the "course" earlier, Xueli had called Lin Xiuyuan to chat for a while.

She had also returned to the Apartment from the film set, and had brought Zheng Xiujing along with her.

This was only because Lin Xiuyuan had said he wouldn't be coming over too early today, and wouldn't be back until at least the evening.

So, since the film set happened to have no shooting plans for the afternoon and the two were nearby, they decided to come back to the Apartment to rest for a while before heading directly to the film set later.

Regarding this, Xueli had greeted Lin Xiuyuan, and Lin Xiuyuan also felt there was no problem.

Yet, less than ten minutes after Xueli brought Zheng Xiujing back to the Apartment, Xueli, who was walking out of the bedroom, suddenly saw Lin Xiuyuan carrying Jessica as he burst in from the side of the Time Gate.

In this instant, Xueli only had time to widen her eyes, instinctively realizing that things were not looking good.

Thus, her first reaction was to turn around and push Zheng Xiujing, who was following behind her, back into the room.

This sudden action left Zheng Xiujing, who was behind her, somewhat confused, "What is it, Xueqiu, what are you doing?"

But Xueli didn't pay her any mind, her movements crisp and decisive, fearing that a second of hesitation would be too late.

And in the Living Room, Jessica, who had already been forcibly held by Lin Xiuyuan, had long since gone almost completely stiff in his arms.

Her heartbeat was like a drum, and even her breathing was so rapid she was almost suffocating.

This sudden "kidnapping" left Jessica's mind completely blank, as if even her breathing had been frozen in place.

It was just that she hadn't expected that before she could even digest the sudden change in the scene before her, another scenario that made her nearly collapse appeared silently before her eyes.

Because that figure, so familiar it made her scalp tingle, had inexplicably appeared in her sight just like that.

Xueli.

That person who had clearly already left this world, that person she had only dared to see in her dreams back in the year '25, was now standing alive before her eyes.

"Ah..."

Jessica's pupils contracted violently, a desire to let out a tearing scream surged in her throat, her legs trembled as if they had lost their support, and she even felt she was about to faint the next second.

But before she could actually scream, Lin Xiuyuan's hand had already accurately covered her mouth, the force so great it made it difficult for her to even gasp for air.

Xueli clearly also noticed that the situation was wrong; she only glanced at Jessica and Lin Xiuyuan with those eyes filled with a bit of shock, and immediately reacted.

Following that, she turned around without hesitation, pushed Zheng Xiujing, who was following behind her, back into the bedroom, and slammed the door shut with a bang.

That sound of the door closing overlapped perfectly with Lin Xiuyuan's action of covering her mouth, causing all of Jessica's whimpers to be swallowed into the air.

Afterward, Lin Xiuyuan almost forcibly carried Jessica into his own bedroom and shut the door tight.

Then Jessica was placed on the bed, but even though her hands were pushing away desperately and tears were already swirling in her eyes, it was of no use.

The man sitting on her moved calmly and quickly, lifting his hand to take a belt he had snatched from the hook behind the door just after entering, intending to bind her frantically struggling wrists.

However, before that, he had to plug her mouth first, otherwise he wouldn't have a free hand.

"Woo...! Woo-woo...!" Jessica shook her head frantically, tears already sliding down to her cheeks, her eyes filled with "fear" and "pleading."

Lin Xiuyuan, however, ignored her gaze and just coldly scanned the room, looking for something to plug her mouth with.

A moment later, he suddenly remembered something, bent down to pull open the nightstand drawer, and took out an object from inside.

The moment Jessica saw that thing, her whole body stiffened violently, and then she struggled even harder, kicking and thrashing with her hands and feet, the fear in her eyes exploding completely, tears falling drop by drop.

In the following few minutes, there was only the sound of bedding rubbing and suppressed gasping in the room.

Jessica's body was soon firmly wrapped by the entire quilt, like a bound cocoon; her mouth was plugged, and she could only emit muffled whimpers.

Then her wrists and ankles were tied with the belt and spare rope, completely losing the ability to move.

After everything quieted down, Lin Xiuyuan stood up straight, covered in a fine sweat, his gaze falling from above onto the trembling bundle of quilt on the bed.

Letting out a light breath, he looked at Jessica on the bed with some headache, "I told you, don't be so curious, I gave you a chance."

Jessica inside the quilt had bloodshot eyes, teardrops sliding down her temples, her eyelashes wet and clumped together.

Shivering all over, her gaze held both anger and the fear of having just seen Xueli, and even a kind of helpless emptiness, as if she might cry out at any moment.

But because her mouth was plugged by a spherical object, she couldn't speak, and could only let out "woo-woo-woo-woo" muffled groans.

That pair of eyes soaked in tears stared fixedly at Lin Xiuyuan, as if wanting to see a trace of pity on his face, yet she clearly knew she had no room to bargain.

After looking at this unexpected situation with Jessica with some headache, Lin Xiuyuan took a deep breath and picked up his phone from the table to dial Zheng Xiuyan's number.

The call connected quickly, and a familiar voice came from the other end, carrying a bit of panting and the noisy background of music, "Hello? Xiuyuan~"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm rehearsing at the company, why are you calling me suddenly?"

Lin Xiuyuan tilted his head to glance at the trembling Jessica in the bundle of quilt on the bed, his eyes darkening, his voice dropping a few degrees, "I have an urgent matter here, can you come over for a moment? Or go back to your Apartment, and I'll come find you immediately."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone; Zheng Xiuyan seemed to have immediately caught the unusual tone in his voice, her voice suddenly becoming serious, "What happened? You don't sound right."

"It's not good to talk on the phone, I'll tell you in person." Lin Xiuyuan's tone was firm, even carrying a hint of refusal to be denied.

Zheng Xiuyan did not ask any more questions and quickly replied, "Okay, I'm leaving right now."

The moment she hung up the phone, Zheng Xiuyan put down the water bottle in her hand, turned around, and hurriedly apologized to the members in the practice room, "Sorry, I suddenly have an urgent matter; let's end the rehearsal here for today."

Everyone had originally thought she was just making an excuse to slack off, but when they saw her actually running out of the practice room, her hair ends whipping an arc in the air, her footsteps so hurried she almost kicked off her sneakers, they all revealed expressions of surprise and worry.

"Did something happen?"

Jin Ruanruan frowned and chased after her for two steps, but only saw Zheng Xiuyan's back disappear at the end of the hallway.

Then she returned inside, looked at the group of confused faces, and they all shook their heads to indicate they didn't know.

On the other side, Zheng Xiuyan ran all the way to the parking lot, started the car almost without pausing after getting in, and pressed the accelerator harder than usual.

Her heartbeat also accelerated rapidly; even though she didn't know anything, she inexplicably had a premonition: something was wrong.

When she returned to the Apartment, she almost forgot to take her phone before running out of the car, and after returning to get it, she quickly arrived in front of the Elevator and pressed it.

Standing in the Elevator for a moment, she thought about it and still called Lin Xiuyuan back.

"I've already returned to the Apartment," she said in a low voice, wanting to ask "what exactly happened," but the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back down.

However, her amazing sixth sense made her vaguely feel that this matter had something to do with Jessica, but it would be too sensitive to ask clearly on the phone, so she didn't ask.

"Wait for me."

Lin Xiuyuan's voice came through the receiver, crisp and decisive.

The next second, Lin Xiuyuan left the room within Jessica's suddenly constricted pupils, leaving her alone lying on the bed, her mind recalling the words Lin Xiuyuan had said to Krystal when she was standing at the entrance of the Villa not long ago.

Immediately following that was the scene change after walking into The Gate, and then the appearance of that Sulli, and then she was truly tied up.

Tears had long since soaked the corners of the quilt as she was tightly wrapped; she was like a drowning person thrown into the deep sea, her breathing rapid, her eyes bloodshot, and her heart thumping wildly.

She had no idea what would happen next; the only thing she could do was keep struggling in fear.

Suddenly, she remembered that she seemed to have heard a familiar voice just now.

Thinking of this, Jessica also began to squirm frantically on the bed, hoping that the person in the next room would notice something.

On the other side.

Through the flash of the Time Gate, Lin Xiuyuan's figure quickly stepped out and landed on the floor of Zheng Xiuyan's Apartment.

At this moment, Zheng Xiuyan was waiting by the sofa, and the moment she saw him appear, without any pleasantries, she frowned and asked directly, "Xiuyuan, is it about Jessica?"

Lin Xiuyuan met her gaze, and after a moment of silence, he still nodded.

Then he spoke slowly, roughly narrating the process of Jessica blocking the door not long ago and their previous small argument when they met.

It gave Zheng Xiuyan a bit of a headache; she raised her hand to rub her temple and couldn't help but mutter, "Ya, this stupid woman, I really can't bear to look at her anymore."

But just then, she noticed Lin Xiuyuan's eyes wandering restlessly around the Living Room, as if searching for something.

So she frowned, "What are you looking for?"

Lin Xiuyuan did not evade and stated bluntly, "Rope."

Zheng Xiuyan was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, the other party's next sentence made her entire body freeze.

"I tied her to the bed over there, but using a belt and a towel isn't very secure."

"Wh-what?!" Zheng Xiuyan widened her eyes almost subconsciously, her mind instantly flashing back to that "plan" Krystal once mentioned that seemed like a joke but was full of madness.

Her breath hitched, she subconsciously covered her mouth, her voice trembling, "You aren't really thinking of going crazy with Krystal, are you? That idea of hers is illegal."

"The 25-year-old law judging the 13-year-old me?"

Lin Xiuyuan's expression was relatively calm; he stared at Zheng Xiuyan and smiled, then said in a very flat tone, "Things have come to this, let's just do it first, so Xiuyan, do you have rope here at your place?"

The air was quiet for a few seconds, with only the sound of Zheng Xiuyan's accelerating heartbeat remaining.

Her throat was dry, and she couldn't even speak.

After a long while, she bit her lip, her expression complex, and finally nodded slowly.

"The rope is in the utility room, on the bottom shelf on the right."

Lin Xiuyuan turned his head, the corners of his mouth curling up, "Looks like you'll have to have a share in this kidnapping matter too."

"Don't smile so smugly, like a villain," Zheng Xiuyan glared at him, "I'm asking you, you aren't really thinking of trapping that stupid woman here to death, are you?"

"Who knows, let's take it one step at a time." Lin Xiuyuan replied to her and turned to walk toward the storage room.

Zheng Xiuyan leaned back on the sofa, supporting her forehead with both hands, and muttered in a low voice, "You lunatic, I knew that since you dragged me into self-destruction from the very beginning, you couldn't possibly be this well-behaved; crazy, it's all crazy."

Not long after, Lin Xiuyuan came out with the rope, his expression more serious than before, "Let's go, let's go over and see her, and by the way, there's something I need you to go over and handle."

Zheng Xiuyan looked at the rope in his hand and stood up, "What is it?"

"In a moment, I need you to use your phone to call the other party's 25-year-old team and explain the situation; I asked before, and she said she seems to have a few days of rest, so I need you to speak over the phone."

Hearing this idea from Lin Xiuyuan, Zheng Xiuyan's mouth rarely curled into a smile, "Yo ho, you've got some brains now, Xiuyuan. Then why are you so impulsive? Wouldn't it be better to just drive her away?"

"Stop nagging, let's go."

Lin Xiuyuan, who had been roasted, tapped Zheng Xiuyan on the head, then took her across The Gate and returned to the Apartment side.

……

……

Inside the Villa in the 25-year timeline.

After some pacing, Dalongzai finally picked up the phone and dialed Krystal's number.

"Hello? What's wrong?"

On the other end of the phone, Krystal's voice was accompanied by noisy background sounds and a bustling crowd; she seemed to be backstage at a movie promotion.

"We just saw Xiuyuan bring Jessica in." Dalongzai stated the situation he had just witnessed, his voice lowering a bit.

"What?"

Even across the phone, Krystal's tone carried a trace of obvious nervousness; it seemed as if even her breathing paused for a beat, "Did Xiuyuan really bring her in?"

Actually, when Lin Xiuyuan hung up her call just now, she already had a premonition, but she still felt that it wouldn't be this crazy.

She didn't expect that the call Dalongzai made now would confirm this guess.

"Yes," Dalongzai nodded, leaning back against the sofa, her expression somewhat complex, "and she saw the little brat; her legs went a bit weak at the time, but Lin Xiuyuan didn't give her time to react and just pulled her away right then."

Beside her, Park Jiyeon listened to the call on speakerphone, feeling a bit dazed herself.

What on earth was going on?

There was a silence of several seconds on the other end of the line, then Krystal asked, "Where did they go?"

"They went over there."

Although Dalongzai didn't explicitly say the words "Time Gate," Krystal clearly understood the implication.

On the other end of the phone, Krystal slowly closed her eyes and raised a hand to press her brow, a look of both headache and complexity appearing on her face.

"No way... it didn't actually happen, did it?"

She muttered softly, her brows furrowing deeper, "But how is this supposed to be wrapped up now? I haven't thought it through yet. I don't know if Xiuyan can handle this..."

Her voice held a rare trace of panic and a sense of helplessness, as if she were talking to herself.

Dalongzai was completely bewildered, unable to help but ask, "What exactly do you mean by that 'happened' you were talking about earlier? Why does it sound like... it's something very serious?"

Krystal took a deep breath, not explaining directly, and indicated, "It's not easy to explain this to you in a moment. Xiuyan, call YoonA now and tell her the situation; she knows what to do. I have to go on stage now."

After speaking, she seemed to nod at the staff beside her, and the sound of someone calling her name could be heard in the background.

"Contact you again after I finish the promotion."

Krystal gave this final instruction, then hung up the phone.

The screen went dark, and Dalongzai stared at the phone for a few seconds, her brows slightly knitted, "What is this, all this trouble..."

Meanwhile, back in 2013, after returning to the Apartment, Lin Xiuyuan ended up seeing a scene he really did not want to see.

He saw that at the door of his bedroom, Xueli was holding Zheng Xiujing, urgently explaining something, her tone filled with panic and nervousness.

It was only when they heard the movement behind them that the two turned to look.

When Xueli saw Lin Xiuyuan and Zheng Xiuyan appear, she was happy, and her heart felt a little more at ease.

But when Zheng Xiujing saw Lin Xiuyuan and Zheng Xiuyan appear, she was extremely terrified.

This was because inside the open bedroom door, there was another Jessica tied up there, unable to move.

It turned out that just when Lin Xiuyuan had briefly tied up Jessica in the bedroom, Zheng Xiujing in the next room had already sensed something was wrong.

The muffled groans were intermittent, carrying suppressed whimpers, as if someone had their mouth covered, revealing panic and helplessness.

"Xueqiu..." Zheng Xiujing sat on the bed, her brows knitting tighter and tighter, "Did you hear that? What's going on over there?"

Xueli's heart also tightened.

Although she knew Lin Xiuyuan had brought Jessica over, she had no idea what was going on, or rather, she had thought of something but was too embarrassed to say it, so she hurriedly brushed it off, "Maybe... maybe it's just Oppa and them talking about something. Xiujing, you don't need to worry about him. Why don't we go out for some afternoon tea?"

"You're acting very strange, Xueqiu~" Zheng Xiujing stared at her, her eyes full of suspicion.

Xueli gave a dry laugh, her brain spinning so fast it was almost sparking, "You know, Oppa is a guy, after all. Sometimes he might get in the mood, and it's normal to watch some things or do some DIY stuff."

Before she could finish, another clear sound of struggling came from the bedroom.

Zheng Xiujing looked at Xueli, her eyes full of questioning, as if to say: Let's see how you explain this one?

Xueli swallowed, hurriedly finding another excuse, "Uh, maybe it's a body pillow, or some props guys use to please themselves. We've discussed these kinds of things before, haven't we?"

Looking at this best friend who was lying through her teeth, Zheng Xiujing didn't know whether to laugh or cry, or just confront her directly.

Just then, the sound of Lin Xiuyuan opening the door and leaving rang out, and Xueli finally breathed a sigh of relief, "See, it's all over now, isn't it?"

"So fast?" Zheng Xiujing glanced at the time, her brows still tightly furrowed.

"Uh, maybe the props were too stimulating?" Xueli thought for a long time before replying with that.

But not long after she finished speaking, a very clear muffled groan and sound of struggling came from the bedroom next door.

This situation finally made Zheng Xiujing unable to hold back and stand up, "Let's go over and take a look. I always feel like there's someone hidden over there. Xueqiu, that guy Lin Xiuyuan isn't some kind of perverted serial killer, is he?"

"How could that be, Xiujing~" Xueli panicked, reaching out to stop her, "If you can't trust Oppa, can't you at least trust me?"

However, the muffled groans over there, accompanied by the even more obvious sound of the bed frame colliding, struck directly at their nerves.

"Listen, Xueqiu, there is definitely someone over there."

Zheng Xiujing's voice had risen, and then she pushed Xueli away, left the bedroom in a few steps, and after coming out, she pulled open the door to the next bedroom.

The light in the room was dim, but looking from the doorway, that Jessica tied to the bed was vaguely visible.

This scene caused Zheng Xiujing to freeze instantly, her brain exploding with a boom, her heartbeat almost jumping out.

The scene was too bizarre, too shocking.

"Ya~ that perverted lunatic..."

She instinctively rushed over, wanting to untie the person, but was held back tightly by Xueli who had chased after her.

"Xiujing! Wait! Don't move yet!" Xueli lowered her voice, sweating profusely with anxiety, "Calm down first, calm down first, I have something to explain to you, really."

"Calm down?!" Zheng Xiujing turned back in disbelief, her eyes red, "Is this calm?!"

Just as the two were deadlocked and pulling at each other, the sound of a door opening and closing came from behind them again.

Then, Lin Xiuyuan and Zheng Xiuyan walked in.

Xueli, who turned to see this situation, was the first to breathe a sigh of relief, but Zheng Xiujing was like a small animal that had been stepped on its tail, looking at them in terror, even instinctively opening her mouth to scream.

"Mmph..."

Fortunately, Xueli reacted extremely quickly and covered her mouth.

Forcibly suppressing the scream that Zheng Xiujing was about to let out.

Lin Xiuyuan stood at the door with his brows slightly furrowed, sighed long, and rubbed his brow with his fingers, his eyes revealing a trace of helplessness and slight fatigue, as if he didn't really want to encounter such a scene.

However, the current situation was clearly beyond his expectations.

So he turned his head to look at Zheng Xiuyan, then looked toward Zheng Xiujing and said faintly, "How about we tie both of them up together?"

At these words, Zheng Xiujing's pupils contracted violently, and her whole body instinctively struggled more intensely, nearly springing out of Xueli's embrace.

"Wait, wait!" Zheng Xiuyan rushed over there in great anxiety, helping Xueli hold down Zheng Xiujing's shoulders, then looked at Lin Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, don't do anything yet, let me explain to Xiujing."

"That's right, let us explain to Xiujing together!" Xueli also hurriedly chimed in, her voice nearly coaxing, then looked at Zheng Xiujing, "Xiujing, don't move around, things aren't what you think!"

Zheng Xiuyan quickly gave Lin Xiuyuan a look, then pulled Zheng Xiujing, half-pushing and half-carrying her into the adjacent bedroom, with Xueli following closely behind, quickly closing The Gate to shut out the light from the room.

Outside, Lin Xiuyuan stood quietly at the doorway, his expression composed, his brows slightly furrowed, as if evaluating his next move in just a few seconds.

Soon, a mobile phone flew out from the crack of the bedroom door, landing heavily on the carpet with a dull thud.

Lin Xiuyuan looked down at the unfamiliar phone that clearly belonged to Zheng Xiujing, then raised his eyes to look at Zheng Xiuyan through the door crack.

The look in her eyes at that moment was complex yet firm, carrying a hint of silent pleading.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan took a deep breath and turned to walk into his own bedroom.

He flicked on the light, and the cold white glow instantly illuminated the entire room, making it appear sharp and icy.

Jessica, tied to the bed, looked up at him, her eyes burning with rage, as if she wanted to burn right through him.

Lin Xiuyuan did not say another word, simply removing the belt used previously and replacing it with the sturdy rope he had just brought back, his movements very precise.

This time, he not only secured Jessica's wrists and ankles firmly but also took care to leave enough safety distance to ensure she could not break free and would not get hurt while resisting.

The entire process was quiet and steady, with only the faint sound of rope rubbing against the bedsheets echoing in the room, as if magnifying every bit of tension.

After tying her up, he leaned over to look at her and said in a low voice, "Be quiet for a moment, it will be over soon."

The bound Jessica trembled slightly, tears welling up in her eyes, and with her mouth gagged, she could only emit muffled whimpers.

She stared intently at Lin Xiuyuan, trying to find a hint of emotion in his eyes—even a little bit of pity or kindness—but she could feel nothing at all.

Until the other party suddenly spoke, "Jessica, do you know what Xiujing's original plan was?"

Hearing this, Jessica on the bed let out muffled sounds through her gag, and she could only respond with her eyes.

Terror, bewilderment, and a sense of being completely stunned.

She even felt as if her heart had been fiercely grabbed by something; her whole body was nearly rigid on the bed, and even her breathing was suppressed.

Lin Xiuyuan did not rush to wait for her reaction, but explained in a low and slow voice, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, this is the space-time of 2013..."

This sentence was like a cold blade, cutting directly into Jessica's mind.

Her pupils dilated violently, and the struggle she had been testing out froze as if struck by lightning, moving no more.

Her eyes were filled with disbelief and confusion.

And Lin Xiuyuan continued calmly, "That's right, don't be surprised, it is exactly the 2013 you are thinking of. That is why Xueli is still here, why Zheng Xiujing is still so young, and why another you appeared outside the door just now."

He leaned over the bedside, his gaze falling on her bound wrists, his voice low and slow, but every word felt like a heavy weight pressing on her chest.

"And as for the year '25, Xiujing's plan was actually to help you pay off your debts, then have me bring you back to 2013. Then she would unilaterally break up with Quan Ningyi over there, and during that time, have Xiuyan appear remotely via video or wear makeup to stand in for you."

Jessica on the bed was tense all over, her wrists and ankles fixed by the rope, wriggling slightly but unable to break free.

Every piece of information struck her heart like a heavy hammer; her heart pounded wildly, and tears of terror rolled down her cheeks, wetting the corner of the quilt.

She subconsciously wanted to protest and scream, but her gagged mouth turned all her efforts into silent whimpers.

But Lin Xiuyuan continued, his tone narrating the situation with cold yet patient detachment.

"At the same time, she and Xiuyan would help you turn down all work, making you retire from the industry completely. Finally, she would have me get you pregnant, give you a child, and leave you with no way back. She believed that perhaps this would cut off all your lingering thoughts, and everyone would be happy."

After finishing this, Lin Xiuyuan leaned back slightly, looked at Jessica—whose mind had been blown by the information—and asked, "What do you think, Jessica? If such a situation really happened, what would you do?"

Jessica on the bed was still trembling slightly, her breathing rapid.

But slowly, a hint of understanding began to flash in her eyes.

Although fear remained, it was mixed with a tentative look toward the future and a subtle, complex feeling toward the man before her.

The afternoon sun spilled into the bedroom through the gaps in the curtains, casting mottled shadows in the room.

Lin Xiuyuan and the bound Jessica stared at each other quietly for a long while; time seemed to have frozen, and only her faint whimpers and the echo of heartbeats remained in the room.

Just as this silence was stretched to the limit, the door to the next room was suddenly pushed open, the door hinge making a slight sound.

Immediately after, Zheng Xiuyan and Xueli walked in quickly with Zheng Xiujing.

Zheng Xiuyan's brows were tightly furrowed, her eyes filled with fatigue and anticipation, yet faintly uneasy.

And Zheng Xiujing's gaze fixed almost instantly on Lin Xiuyuan, as if she wanted to recognize him firmly; her entire line of sight seemed to be nailed in time, unable to move away.

Soon, the three of them stood together with Lin Xiuyuan, forming a subtle triangular relationship; the air was filled with a sense of oppression and tension, as if the entire room had been tightened by the silence.

When Zheng Xiuyan's gaze fell on the bound, teary-eyed Jessica on the bed, she was nearly stunned.

Just because the Jessica before her was indeed quite disheveled, especially that thing in her mouth, which made her immediately turn her head and glare fiercely at Lin Xiuyuan, "Hey, are you crazy?"

"Don't misunderstand, I just couldn't find anything at the moment, so I grabbed this to use; I had no other intentions."

Noticing the other party's gaze, Lin Xiuyuan immediately explained, even though he knew this explanation was somewhat pale and weak.

"Where did it come from?"

The truly helpless Zheng Xiuyan cursed under her breath, then looked again at the version of herself on the bed, a strange illusion in her heart, as if she were the one being tied up.

"Xiujing bought it."

Upon hearing Lin Xiuyuan's answer, Zheng Xiujing froze completely on the spot, her breathing becoming rapid in an instant, with an urge to kill someone for being wrongly accused.

But the next second, Lin Xiuyuan added, "Uh, the Xiujing from '25, that is, Krystal."

(End of chapter)