Chapter 260

Night.

After Lin Xiuyuan had dinner with Jessica at the villa, the two returned to the apartment together.

Only this time, they didn't stay to rest as usual.

As soon as they returned to the '13 apartment, Jessica walked straight to the bedroom, taking off the nightgown she was wearing without any hesitation, and putting back on her own familiar set of clothes.

Her fingertips lingered on the zipper for a moment, closing with a "click," and then she subconsciously turned around, her gaze slowly falling toward the bedroom.

The dim yellow light illuminated the room, the large bed lay quietly there, the soft bedding was stacked neatly, and the pillows were like silent witnesses.

A faint, fresh scent still lingered in the air, but it was unclear whether it was the smell of detergent or some kind of indescribable memory.

Jessica stared at the bed, her expression slightly stagnant, her lips pursed tightly.

It was a complex gaze, carrying both the ease of liberation and the shame that was hard to speak of.

Then her eyebrows arched slightly, and she exhaled, as if finally wanting to make a temporary farewell to the traces forced to be left behind during these days.

When she turned and walked out of the bedroom, the scene in the living room came into view.

Lin Xiuyuan was leaning lazily on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, holding his phone, his head tilted and pressed against his ear.

His voice was unhurried, carrying a bit of patience and spontaneity, explaining to Sulli on the other end of the phone the arrangement of not resting in the apartment tonight.

That peaceful and composed appearance was as if nothing had ever happened.

But Jessica, as soon as she thought of having been forced to be imprisoned here, felt an inexplicable sense of blockage surging up in her chest.

"Clang!"

So she walked up quickly, lifted her foot, and kicked his leg without hesitation.

Lin Xiuyuan frowned slightly, letting out a short "Hm?".

However, the phone still hadn't moved from his ear, and even his expression hadn't changed much, as if he had been suddenly swiped by a kitten, neither painful nor itchy.

He just suppressed his breath with patience, and until he finished the call with Sulli, he put the phone on the coffee table, turned his head, and arched his eyebrows at Jessica.

"What are you doing? Where did I offend you again."

When saying this, Lin Xiuyuan's tone was mixed with helplessness.

Jessica crossed her arms, her almond eyes wide, her tone filled with fire, "You tell me, every time I think of how you tied me up back then, I go crazy, can't you speak properly? If you had spoken to me properly back then, it's not like I wouldn't have listened."

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned, then couldn't help but chuckle lowly, raising his hand to rub his forehead, his expression full of the powerlessness of "there's nothing I can do about you."

"So Jessica, are you settling scores with me? Why don't you think carefully, if you had really listened back then, you wouldn't have walked into the villa at that time. Besides..."

He paused deliberately, a flash of teasing in his eyes, "Is kidnapping or something, could it also be considered a kind of... interest, right?"

As soon as the words fell, Jessica couldn't help but roll her eyes, snorted coldly, as if she had suddenly thought of something, and turned to walk toward the bedroom.

Not long after, when she appeared again, she was holding a rope in her hand.

The rope hung naturally in her slender hands, swaying gently with her footsteps, the sound of friction barely audible, but it made the air suddenly tense up a bit.

Jessica, holding the rope, narrowed her eyes, the corners of her lips curling into a cunning smile, but her tone carried a bit of coldness.

"Lin Xiuyuan, this rope has tied me up, logically speaking... it should be mine, right? And, this is something you brought from Zheng Xiuyan's house, right? Hmph, I've noted this account."

Lin Xiuyuan, hearing this, was stunned, then completely dumbfounded, seemingly instantly associating some scenes, and couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.

"No, are you two planning to become enemies, even dragging such things together."

Jessica couldn't be bothered to respond, just hugging the rope, her expression carrying a bit more pride like declaring ownership, and a little excitement before doing something bad.

Then she walked straight to the time gate, raised her hand and patted the door panel lightly, then looked back and shouted, "Let's go, back."

Lin Xiuyuan got up and followed, his tone indifferent, yet carrying a bit of curiosity, "Back to the villa? Or your apartment? I can go directly."

Jessica, who was asked, paused, a flash of hesitation in her eyes, thought carefully about the situation, and then shook her head.

"Let's go back to the villa first, I installed a door lock monitor at the entrance of my apartment, if we really want to go over like this, we have to replace all those things before we can go directly."

Lin Xiuyuan, hearing this, didn't ask further, just nodded lightly, "Fine."

So the next second, he reached out and covered the handle of the time gate.

With a "click," the door was pushed open naturally, and he took Jessica and stepped in, returning to the '25 villa again.

The night was deep, the street lamps outside the car window swept past one after another, and the light and shadow cut across Jessica's side face like fragments.

Her expression was sometimes clear and bright, sometimes swallowed by shadows, coldness and sharpness appearing alternately between her brows and eyes.

At this time, she held the steering wheel steadily with one hand, and operated her phone decisively with the other.

The light of the screen shone on her manicured fingertips, cold and decisive.

The call she dialed connected quickly, and then Jessica's tone was short and direct, "Hello, Master, I sent you my address, how long will it take to arrive?... Good, good, good, then please hurry."

After hanging up, she casually placed her phone on the center console, her posture decisive, without any hesitation.

And Lin Xiuyuan in the passenger seat turned his head quietly, watching Jessica's series of decisive actions, and couldn't help but laugh secretly in his heart.

This woman really has full execution power, doing things without any dragging.

Recalling just now at the villa, she almost immediately asked to rush back to the apartment as soon as she arrived, to clean up the "hidden dangers" completely, her tone decisive, without any room for negotiation.

Lin Xiuyuan originally thought about staying a while longer, but finally just shrugged, took some testing tools, and followed her into the car.

The car drove steadily into the underground garage of the apartment, so quiet that only the sound of tires rubbing against the ground could be heard.

When they walked side by side to the apartment door, the locksmith had been waiting for a long time.

And Jessica, as soon as she arrived, opened the door and let the other party start working.

The sound of metal friction soon rang out, and the old monitor door lock was dismantled neatly.

The process of changing the new lock was decisive, but Jessica never relaxed her vigilance.

She crossed her arms, leaned against the wall, her eyes coldly staring at the whole process, like a vigilant cat, until confirming that the last set of passwords was entered successfully, and the locksmith left.

Only then did she nod slightly, look at Lin Xiuyuan who had been accompanying her, and say lightly, "Now no one can come in easily."

Her tone carried a bit of certainty that she was finally at ease.

And after handling this, Lin Xiuyuan didn't continue to be idle.

Carrying the small tools he brought before, he patrolled inside and outside the apartment.

First checking the electrical wiring in the living room, then walking to the bedroom to carefully scan every corner, not even letting go of the balcony.

His movements were skillful and cautious, like a dutiful bodyguard.

Ten minutes later, he clapped his hands and returned to the living room with a bit of ease.

Jessica had already changed her posture, sitting cross-legged on the soft carpet, with a laptop on her knees, her slender fingers tapping on the keyboard, the screen light reflecting her focused expression.

This situation made Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but curl his lips, his tone half-jokingly, "I just checked for you, there's no problem with this house, it's very safe. Then you go ahead, I'll go first."

Jessica, hearing the sound, paused, her fingers hovering in mid-air, then slowly looked up.

She turned her face, her eyebrows arched slightly, her eyes flashing with a faint sharpness, "Leaving already? Didn't you tell Sulli you weren't going back tonight?"

Lin Xiuyuan spread his hands as a matter of course, "I'm going back to the villa tonight."

As soon as the words fell, he keenly captured the dangerous atmosphere in Jessica's eyes.

Like a flame suddenly leaping up, the next second it seemed it could burn him to pieces.

Then his mind inevitably flashed back to the scene last night.

He had clearly just "eaten and wiped clean" the person, and today he wanted to turn around and leave, this situation would make anyone's heart burn with fire.

So Lin Xiuyuan, understanding the situation, smiled sheepishly, raised his hand to touch his nose, and tried hard to change the topic, "That... I'm just going back to take a shower, and then come over. You don't have my clothes here, you can't expect me to make do with this outfit to rest, right?"

Hearing this, the anger in Jessica's eyes finally eased a bit, the corners of her lips curled into an ambiguous arc, and she snorted lightly, considering it a temporary acceptance of this reason.

Then she closed the laptop and got up from the carpet, her long hair swaying gently on her shoulders.

When her gaze fell on him, it carried a bit of provocation and stubbornness, "Fine, then I'll go over and see too. I didn't have time to visit your villa during the day, now is just the time to make up for it."

Her tone was like a joke, but her eyes were very sharp.

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned, then shrugged, didn't say much, and took her to a door casually.

With a "click," the door turned lightly.

The scene inside and outside the door completed the conversion in an instant, as if changing to another world.

The moment they stepped over the threshold, the two were already in the villa in Gangnam District.

The villa living room was still spacious and bright, the marble floor reflecting a soft luster, like a lake kissed by moonlight.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night sky was cold, the moonlight poured down, setting off the scenery of the courtyard like a dream.

Jessica, watching this magical scene, even though she was mentally prepared, couldn't help but open her lips lightly, a flash of astonishment in her eyes.

"Daebak... no wonder Xiujing and the others' emotions can become more and more stable. After experiencing this situation many times, no matter how big the waves are in reality, emotions won't be able to make big ripples."

"It's not that exaggerated." Lin Xiuyuan smiled, his tone a bit indifferent, obviously long used to this.

Jessica shook her head, her almond eyes arching slightly, her steps following him all the way onto the soft carpet, half-complaining and half-teasing.

"Still not exaggerated? If it were before, I wouldn't believe you could appear in front of me as if nothing happened after rolling in the sheets with that divorced woman Jiyeon. In the afternoon, your face was either thick-skinned to an outrageous degree, or you felt this wasn't a problem at all. You tell me, which one are you?"

This paragraph made Lin Xiuyuan pause, and after looking back at Jessica.

The corners of his lips curled up slightly, but he didn't explain anything, just smiled without saying a word, and continued to lead the way.

Soon, he led the other party to the master suite on the third floor.

As they stepped into it, Jessica couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

The layout of the entire suite was almost luxurious, without extra door partitions, and the space was opened up at a glance.

The high ceiling hung with an exquisite crystal chandelier, the light gentle.

The night scene leaked through the half-covered curtains, the indoor light and moonlight intertwined, the atmosphere soft and ambiguous.

What made her stop even more was that entire floor-to-ceiling walk-in closet.

Jessica walked over slowly, her gaze sweeping across the neatly arranged shirts and casual wear, her expression gradually becoming subtle.

Soon, she found some familiar dresses and sunglasses in the corner, the style fresh, carrying a clear youthful aura.

After touching the fabric lightly, her fingers paused, and she narrowed her eyes.

Her gaze followed and lingered on those details one by one, then she turned around and looked at Lin Xiuyuan, who was walking out from inside with a set of pajamas.

"These clothes... are Xiujing's, right?" Jessica's tone carried certainty, her eyes carrying scrutiny.

Then she smiled brightly, raised her hand to point to the sunglasses and accessories on the side, her tone a bit depressed, "These were also picked by her? Are those sunglasses and accessories next to them the ones 'snatched' from me by her?"

Lin Xiuyuan was slightly stunned, but soon nodded, not denying it.

Jessica, who got the answer she wanted, snorted lightly, turned her head away, the corners of her mouth curling into a faint arc, but a flash of complex meaning in her eyes.

"No wonder Xiujing is so good to you, no wonder you protect her so much. Two master bedrooms can be occupied by her without a sound, this is not an ordinary relationship."

Listening to the somewhat strange answer in her ears, Lin Xiuyuan arched his sword eyebrows, a smile on his lips, his gaze flashing with teasing, "You wouldn't even Krystal..."

"Shut up, go take a shower."

Jessica immediately interrupted his "tiger-wolf words" that were about to blurt out, and then pushed him toward the bathroom without saying a word.

As the sound of "splashing" water rang out, Jessica was left alone in the bedroom to look around, her footsteps slowly pacing.

Her gaze went from the desk to the windowsill, then to the bedside, and finally landed in a corner of the room.

There, a pair of red high heels were placed quietly.

The style of these shoes made Jessica's eyes freeze instantly, and she was stunned for a moment.

Mainly because she knew Krystal's personality and dressing style too well, the style and color of those shoes could absolutely not belong to her sister.

Doubt flashed in her heart at the first moment, but it was quickly suppressed by her.

If Lin Xiuyuan liked... no, even if he liked, Krystal wouldn't wear such high heels with a flamboyant meaning.

That... ruled out Krystal.

Lin Yun'er? Even more impossible.

Kim Taeyeon? Completely doesn't make sense.

Jessica's thoughts screened rapidly in an instant.

Finally, she lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the pair of red high heels, the corners of her lips curling into a meaningful cold smile, and she whispered to herself, "It seems that this life with Jiyeon is even more exciting than I imagined."

Ten minutes later.

The sound of water in the bathroom finally gradually stopped, and the steaming hot mist drifted out along the door crack, carrying a damp warmth and dispersing in the space.

Lin Xiuyuan walked out wiping his hair messily with a towel, and the moment his footsteps stepped into the bedroom, his gaze fell on Jessica in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Standing quietly barefoot, her slender figure overlapped with the night, as if her entire person had melted into that deep black.

The courtyard lights and the moonlight from the high sky intertwined, pulling her back long and soft, like a quiet painting.

At this time, Jessica hugged herself with both arms, her eyes falling on the wide courtyard and the blurred night in the distance, her tone light and slow, yet carrying a bit of envy and complex emotion.

"Lin Xiuyuan, this villa of yours, even if you have money now, you might not be able to buy it. The location and view here, plus this rare sense of quietness... the combination is too perfect."

After speaking, she looked back at the other party, "How did you buy this villa."

Lin Xiuyuan, who was asked, was slightly stunned, then chuckled, put the towel aside, and walked to her side, "I don't know how to explain it, just consider it a gift from the new space-time, anyway, having a place to live is enough, why think so much."

Jessica turned her head, her gaze lingering on his face, a flash of contemplation in her eyes.

After that, she didn't ask too much, just curled her lips lightly, and then suddenly reached out to take the towel, gently wiping his wet hair.

Her movements were meticulous, yet carried her unique cold attitude.

Not long after, Lin Xiuyuan, feeling it was enough, took the towel away.

He turned around and took Jessica down the stairs, pushed open a door casually, and soon returned to her apartment.

Returning to the apartment living room again, both of them changed their state.

Jessica sat cross-legged on the soft carpet, her body leaning forward slightly, the laptop spread on the coffee table, her fingertips tapping the keyboard lightly. The light of the screen hit her side face, making the coldness and focus between her brows and eyes more distinct.

Lin Xiuyuan was leaning lazily on the sofa, holding his phone horizontally, while scrolling through short videos, while chatting with Liu Zhimin about the meeting during the day.

"Lunch tomorrow..." Liu Zhimin sent a message, asking if he had any dietary restrictions.

Lin Xiuyuan smiled and typed: 【I'm not picky, just don't make it Korean food, anything else is fine... oh, and French food, let's skip French food too, anything else is fine.】

Seeing this sentence, Liu Zhimin laughed heartily, the sound causing several members beside her to lean over.

Several people looked at each other, their eyes full of gossip and helplessness: This Unnie, could it be that she's going to fall into love again? Sure enough, she's a true love-brain.

However, Lin Xiuyuan didn't care, and was about to continue joking, but a new message suddenly popped up on the phone screen.

It was sent by another account added at noon.

The other party first sent a meme, but withdrew it in less than a second.

If Lin Xiuyuan hadn't been staring at the screen, he would have almost missed it.

So seeing this, the corners of his lips curled up, his fingers tapped a few times quickly, and he replied with a gentle greeting.

【Not resting yet? Very happy to meet you today~】

Not long after, a reply came from there.

It was Irene.

While responding, she also carefully and circuitously threw a question she was curious about to Lin Xiuyuan: What was Lin Xiuyuan's profession?

Lin Xiuyuan typed a few words casually: 【Bartender.】

After the message was sent, a short silence shrouded the chat box. Across the screen, he could feel the other party's slight daze.

After a while, Jessica finally finished her work.

She raised her hand and stretched, the lines of her back looming in the light, the curves soft and moving.

Her voice was low, carrying a bit of breathing tail sound.

"You say~ should we find a place..." she paused, her eyes flashing with a smile, "to park and do something else?"

Lin Xiuyuan, hearing this, tightened his hand holding the steering wheel unconsciously.

That sound could almost hear the "creak" of leather.

However, his gaze still looked at the flashing red light in front, just his Adam's apple rolled slightly, trying to control his emotional temperature, "You... you..."

His voice was low, carrying a bit of hoarseness, as if trying hard to control his emotional temperature, "Xiujing, I prefer places with larger space, it's more fun."

Krystal tilted her head, the corners of her mouth curling into a more playful smile, her eyes flashing with a bit of provocative light.

"Isn't it more exciting outside?" She arched her eyebrows lightly, her tone carrying a bit of deliberate temptation.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't answer immediately, just sighed lightly, his gaze falling briefly on the steering wheel.

As the green light turned on, the car started slowly and merged into the traffic skillfully, the slight roar of the engine echoing in the car.

"Let's eat first." He finally opened his mouth, his tone carrying a bit of restrained gentleness, "Don't seduce people randomly, I'm really about to explode."

Lin Xiuyuan knew that from last night to now, Krystal had almost not eaten anything.

In addition to pictorial and promotional shooting, she also made up some shots, almost busy all night.

So he put aside his desire, and his heart was more worried about her body and stomach, compared to that desire that had already surged to the small head, taking the other party to fill her stomach first was his most important choice.

And as the previous sentence fell, Krystal, who heard this, was also stunned, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

Then couldn't help but "pfft" a light laugh.

Pursing her lips, the smile was full of tenderness and sweetness, as if Lin Xiuyuan's words melted her entire person in an instant.

Light slid through her hair, illuminating fine warm gold, and even that smile seemed to be wrapped in sunlight and softness.

So she put on her high heels again, but that lightness and subtle ambiguity didn't dissipate with it.

Leaning on the seat, Krystal's fingers stroked the hem of the trench coat unconsciously, her voice carrying a bit more playfulness, "By the way, Xiuyuan~ how is Jessica?"

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan immediately carried a concerned tone, and also carried a small evasive tone, "You haven't slept all night, aren't you sleepy? Take a nap."

"Hehehehe, I know even if you don't tell me, Jessica videoed me last night, the tone of showing off was very thick."

"..."

"Just answer me one sentence, was it you who took the initiative, or her."

"..."

Seeing Lin Xiuyuan ignoring her, Krystal's eyes narrowed, and the next second she pretended to pout her small mouth aggrievedly, carrying a bit of coquetry, "Xiuyuan~ you've changed, is it true that men will be like this after having someone outside?"

"Alright, alright, tell, tell, tell."

Seeing that if he didn't speak again, he would really become a scumbag, Lin Xiuyuan also smiled helplessly, "According to Jessica's idea, in a strict sense, I didn't have any relationship with her."

This made Krystal pout, her eyes flashing with suspicious light, "You're bluffing me, my eyes aren't blind, how is this possible."

"Mm, we just had a spring dream." Lin Xiuyuan blinked, he really didn't lie.

"Xiuyuan~ you said this, I really want to stuff silk stockings into your mouth."

"..." Lin Xiuyuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Try it later."

Krystal: "???"

(End of chapter)

The picture slowly moved to the master bedroom.

On the large bed, the wrinkled sheets were pressed crookedly, the lamp on the bedside table was still off, and only the morning light spilled in, covering the two people on the bed.

Lin Xiuyuan and Jessica were closely intertwined, his arm naturally circled her waist, and she curled up in his arms, her scattered long hair draped over his chest, her breathing steady, and the laziness and softness after indulgence remained between her brows and eyes.

The posture of the two was ambiguous and intimate, like a picture scroll full of spring.

In this tranquility, the abrupt ringtone of a mobile phone rang suddenly, breaking the quiet of the bedroom.

Lin Xiuyuan frowned, felt the phone from the bedside, and pressed to answer.

Liu Zhimin's light but slightly helpless voice came from the other end, "Hello? Lin Xiuyuan, you wouldn't still be in bed, would you? Didn't we agree to have lunch together at noon yesterday? I was afraid you'd forget, so I called."

Lin Xiuyuan's voice was still a bit confused, his voice low and hoarse, "Mm, I know... I'll get up immediately, I won't be late."

At this time, the person in his arms moved. Jessica moved in his arms like a cat, murmuring, her voice lazy and hoarse, "Who is it..."

Lin Xiuyuan woke up instantly, his heart tightened, and he hurriedly said on the other end of the phone, "See you later."

Then hung up.

Liu Zhimin on the other end of the phone was still standing in place, the female voice that didn't belong to Lin Xiuyuan echoing in her ears, her eyes becoming complex in an instant, her expression strange, as if she had captured something but didn't want to think deeply.

Mainly... it was a bit familiar.

In the bedroom, Jessica turned over, and the spring light leaked out.

The snow-white quilt barely covered half of her body, and the smooth skin and looming curves looked particularly dazzling in the morning light.

She narrowed her eyes and looked at Lin Xiuyuan, pouting, "What's wrong."

"I made a lunch appointment with a friend yesterday, and the other party just called to urge me." Lin Xiuyuan answered truthfully, without deceiving Jessica at all.

Just concealed the identity of the other party.

But Jessica said, "It's a woman, right."

As soon as the words fell, before Lin Xiuyuan could explain, she kicked him with a "slap," carrying a hint of shy coquetry, "Get lost, the spring dream is over."

Lin Xiuyuan was kicked into a stagger, but laughed out loud.

His gaze fell on her pouting buttocks, and he couldn't help but land a loud slap with a "slap."

"Ah..." Jessica screamed, burrowing into the quilt, her eyes shy and annoyed.

Lin Xiuyuan laughed, grabbed the pajamas on the ground, put them on, pushed open the time gate, and returned to the apartment.

The moment the door closed, Jessica's angry shouting chased after him, "Lin Xiuyuan, you wait for me!"

The door closed, and the air still remained with the lingering heat of last night and the spiciness of the morning.

On the other side, after Lin Xiuyuan returned to the villa from Jessica's apartment, he quickly took a shower, washed away the ambiguous scent left on his body last night, and changed into a casual but decent outfit.

Then he picked up the car keys, walked out of the villa unhurriedly, started the car, and drove toward the restaurant agreed upon with Liu Zhimin.

The noon traffic in Seoul was as congested as ever, the traffic winding like a slow-moving long dragon.

Lin Xiuyuan tapped the steering wheel boredly, suddenly turned his head, and saw a flower shop on the side of the road, with fresh bouquets placed at the entrance, bright colors, carrying the breath of the afternoon sun.

His heart moved, and he thought of something, then rolled down the car window and called the shop owner.

"Help me put together a bouquet, no roses."

He thought about it and chose baby's breath, daisies, and added a few tulips for embellishment. Fresh and not vulgar, just right for his current mood.

When he pushed open the door of the restaurant private room holding the bouquet, Liu Zhimin was already waiting inside.

She, who was originally lowering her head and scrolling through her phone, looked up the moment she heard the door sound, and surprise and unexpectedness clearly flashed in her eyes.

Especially when seeing the elegant and fresh flowers in Lin Xiuyuan's hand, she was stunned for a few seconds, then the corners of her mouth slowly lifted, her eyes shining like the midsummer sun.

"Wow... is this for me?" Liu Zhimin asked softly, carrying a disbelieving smile.

"Of course, who else would it be for." Lin Xiuyuan smiled casually and handed the flowers to her.

Liu Zhimin took the flowers, lowered her head and sniffed, genuine joy and the joy of a little girl overflowing in her eyes.

She looked up at Lin Xiuyuan, her voice softening, "Thank you, I really like it."

At that moment, her expression was as if it had been lit up, both surprised and happy, her heartbeat almost overflowing from her chest.

The two sat down and ordered a few Western dishes casually, beef steak, pasta, grilled fish and lobster, and a small dessert.

The restaurant environment was quiet and elegant, the air filled with the aroma of red wine and olive oil, and the atmosphere was just right.

After ordering, Lin Xiuyuan just put down his phone, and Liu Zhimin suddenly looked up, "Lin Xiuyuan, the voice I heard on the phone just now... wouldn't it be Senior Park Ji-yeon?"

Lin Xiuyuan's hand paused, he looked up suddenly, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

It wasn't because Little Dragon Cub's name appeared in the other party's mouth, but because he was surprised how Liu Zhimin could suddenly associate it with the other party.

"Why would you think it's her?" He arched his eyebrows, his tone half-true and half-false.

Liu Zhimin pursed her lips, her expression carrying a bit of teasing, "Yesterday noon, at the window of the coffee shop, I happened to see you and Senior Ji-yeon leaving together. Although it was just a side view, I still recognize the other party."

Lin Xiuyuan was stunned, then laughed, shook his head, "No, what are you thinking? How could I possibly have any ambiguous relationship with a great beauty like Tara's Park Ji-yeon."

"Really?" Liu Zhimin tilted her head to look at him, but her eyes still carried appraisal.

A moment later, she smiled lightly, her eyes deepening, "Xiuyuan, you know Senior Krystal, Senior Jessica, and Senior Yun'er often look for you, the relationship doesn't look shallow. Now if there's another Senior Ji-yeon, I think it's quite normal."

Lin Xiuyuan was choked by her for a moment, couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Knowing is knowing, but aren't you thinking too much? I don't have the guts to do that kind of thing with Park Ji-yeon."

As for the facts, he certainly couldn't tell Liu Zhimin, so he just didn't admit it.

So the atmosphere was teased to be light by his words.

The reason why the two could talk about these ambiguous topics so naturally as soon as they met was all because of the teasing and flirting on the internet during this period, although they had only met twice in reality, they were already as familiar as old friends.

Especially that bouquet of flowers made Liu Zhimin's heart completely soften.

So she didn't continue to ask, but leaned back slightly, reaching out to gently brush her long, black, smooth hair behind her back.

The sun shone in obliquely from the window, falling on her slender neck and well-defined shoulders.

She was wearing a light-colored V-neck vest today, setting off her slender waist and proud upper circumference particularly prominently.

Those two looming arcs were almost stretched tight by the fabric, rising and falling slightly with her breathing, the visual impact was extremely strong.

And Lin Xiuyuan's gaze was almost unintentionally firmly attracted to it.

Liu Zhimin noticed his gaze, the corners of her lips slowly curled into a meaningful smile, her voice low and soft but carrying a bit of teasing, "Then Xiuyuan, who do you think... has a better figure, me or Senior Ji-yeon?"

This sentence was like a spark, directly igniting the ambiguous atmosphere.

In Lin Xiuyuan's mind, Jessica's incomparably dazzling "car lights" from last night flashed instantly, making him almost lose his mind.

So he coughed lightly, a cunning smile on his mouth, "Both are good, both are good."

Liu Zhimin, hearing this, rolled her eyes at him with a coquettish and smiling look.

As if dissatisfied with his perfunctory, but also secretly burning in her heart because of his words.

Inside the SM building, the hallway before noon was still quiet.

Irene was holding a few documents, preparing to go to the studio, but saw a familiar figure walking over head-on.

"Senior Taeyeon."

"Irene, going to work?"

The two smiled at each other, greeting simply.

Kim Taeyeon was as polite and gentle as ever, and Irene also nodded slightly, her eyes clear.

"Mm, recording today."

"Me too, just finished, preparing to go back and rest for a while."

The words were light, carrying a bit of daily politeness.

Logically speaking, they should turn and leave after greeting, but when Kim Taeyeon's back gradually opened the distance, Irene's footsteps suddenly stopped.

She turned her head slightly, her gaze following that figure walking further and further away, but an inexplicable emotion surged in her heart.

The few accidental meetings with Lin Xiuyuan flashed in her mind, Lin Xiuyuan's conversation and gaze with Kim Taeyeon, and even that kind of subtle atmosphere.

Thinking of this, Irene bit her lip lightly, slowly took out her phone, and clicked on the chat window from last night.

A few simple sentences, but she looked at them for a long time.

The faint light of the phone screen reflected in her eyes, making her expression gradually silent.

On the other side.

Jessica, who was slapped on the butt by Lin Xiuyuan, also finally got up from the bed.

Stepping with light steps into the bathroom, what was reflected in the mirror was a face with clear blood and glowing radiance.

Those eyes were clear, and her skin even carried a youthful luster.

She stared at herself in the mirror, the corners of her lips slowly curling into a smile.

"Heh..." she laughed softly, then a flash of playfulness in her eyes.

So soon, Jessica took her phone, flipped through her contacts, and dialed a number.

"Hello, Jiyeon? Are you free at noon? Let's have a meal together." Her tone was light, carrying a bit of calm mischief.

Little Dragon Cub on the other end of the phone was stunned, but quickly responded, "Sure."

Jessica's smile deepened, and she added, "Let's go play ball in the afternoon, haven't exercised for a long time."

Little Dragon Cub didn't think much, just felt this was a gathering between friends, so she agreed readily. She even followed Jessica's suggestion and casually called her Unnie, "Hello, Unnie Juli, have you eaten..."

Li Juli, who was applying makeup in front of the vanity mirror, had a much dimmer expression than usual.

After receiving Little Dragon Cub's call, she was also stunned, and after hearing a general situation later, she hesitated but nodded and agreed, "Alright, see you later."

She didn't notice that behind this seemingly ordinary invitation, a silent malice was brewing, quietly attacking her.

So after finishing her makeup, she walked out of the apartment, went downstairs, and drove toward the agreed restaurant.

After a while, after parking the car, she walked with unhurried steps along the familiar street to the restaurant Jessica and Little Dragon Cub had agreed upon.

As soon as she stepped into the restaurant, the light instantly shone on her face, the details modified by the morning makeup making her appearance more radiant than usual, and her complexion was particularly clear.

Her hairstyle was smooth and natural, the slightly curled ends swaying gently on her shoulders, setting off her clear eyes and the faint arc of her lips.

However, the moment Li Juli walked toward the dining table, her elegant pace couldn't help but slow down slightly, and her eyes suddenly froze on the two figures not far away.

Looking at their appearance, Li Juli's pupils shrank slightly, and her entire person was stunned in place as if electrocuted.

Just because at this very moment, the complexion and appearance of Jessica and Little Dragon Cub not far away were obviously brighter and more energetic than the last time she met them, exuding a sense of composure and confidence after a baptism.

Especially Little Dragon Cub, who had just met yesterday, that comparison was quite obvious.

But what Li Juli didn't expect even more was that Jessica, who was so proud and full of self-esteem, also had this situation.

Li Juli, who had experienced this kind of situation, naturally wouldn't fail to see the clues.

So she immediately understood in her heart what this meant behind the scenes.

In addition to shock, a long-buried desire in Li Juli's heart was instantly ignited, and the demand for that familiar figure became increasingly urgent.

But before that, she had to endure the "bullying" brought by this lunch at noon today.

So she took a deep breath, adjusted her breathing slightly, as if cheering herself up, and also as if suppressing the waves in her heart, showing a smile and welcoming the two people over there.

After sitting down, the atmosphere at the dining table was subtle and tense.

Jessica was still calm, her words carrying unhurried provocation, while Little Dragon Cub cooperated with occasional laughter and teasing, making the whole table shrouded in a relaxed but dark-containing atmosphere.

Only the "bullied" Li Juli bit her lip and ate, while secretly scolding these two "plastic sisters" in her heart, while secretly calculating how to deal with every sentence.

Not long after, she excused herself to go to the restroom, then got up from her seat and walked quickly toward the restroom.

After entering and locking the door, she immediately took out her phone and dialed Lin Xiuyuan's number.

The moment the phone connected, her voice followed and asked, "Xiuyuan, what are you doing now?"

"Ah? Eating.."

"Where are you eating?"

Li Juli's inquiring voice carried uncontrollable urgency, and also mixed with a hint of hidden expectation.

That was a strong desire to occupy, pointing straight at someone on the other end of the phone.

(End of chapter)