Chapter 290: Have you figured it out?

On the side of a road on the outskirts of Incheon Airport, an elegantly lined Maserati slowly pulled over.

Then, the driver's side window rolled down, revealing Zheng Xiujing's exquisite face, which held a hint of complex emotion amidst its coldness.

Tilting her head slightly, her gaze crossed the guardrail, looking toward the brightly lit airport inside.

The roar of engines could be faintly heard. This book is first published on Tiantiankan Novels -> 𝒕𝒕𝒌. 𝒕𝒘, providing you with an error-free and non-disordered reading experience.

On the runway, planes were like giant steel birds, taking off and landing in sequence, disappearing into the night sky or emerging from the clouds.

Then she recalled that not long ago, she, Xueqiu, and Lin Xiuyuan were originally supposed to return to the Apartment together.

As it turned out, a sudden whim of Lin Xiuyuan's changed the direction of the three people's itinerary.

That guy's "do it as you think of it" attitude, completely free of hesitation, made the current Zheng Xiujing feel, even now, as if he had merely decided to go to the next block for a cup of coffee, rather than flying to another country on a whim.

All because he had just said one thing nonchalantly to Xueli, who was driving.

"To the airport."

Then Xueli had only been slightly surprised before turning the steering wheel at the next intersection without hesitation, heading straight for Incheon Airport.

Even the time to return to the Apartment to pack some simple luggage was skipped by Lin Xiuyuan with the excuse, "No need, it's nothing more than going over to plant a flag."

Plant a flag!

Now, as Zheng Xiujing savored this term, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl into an indescribable arc.

In that guy's words, this kind of cross-border action with a clear purpose was described so easily and casually, as if it were just a quest node in a game.

But thinking about that guy's magical Anywhere Door, it seemed he wasn't wrong about anything.

And in the case of the "Anywhere Door," Lin Xiuyuan could actually have gone alone, and then Zheng Xiujing and Xueli could have come and gone as they pleased.

But Xueli, in order to provide cover for Lin Xiuyuan on the ground, or perhaps because as Goo Hara's close friend and bestie, she wanted to stand by his side and watch it all happen, to assist him.

So in the end, she chose to go along without looking back.

However, facing what was about to happen, how could Zheng Xiujing not want to follow and witness it all herself?

You must know, at this moment, her mind was already uncontrollably imagining that scene.

Thinking about Goo Hara's reaction, guessing how Lin Xiuyuan intended to "handle" Goo Hara.

Yet unfortunately, although the drama she starred in was nearing its end, the promotional period had not yet fully concluded, and there were still several important interviews and fan meetings to follow.

As the female lead, she couldn't be like Xueli, the Screenwriter, who possessed relative freedom and could leave whenever she wanted.

Thus, she could only watch helplessly as Xueli and Lin Xiuyuan waved goodbye to her at the airport entrance, watching their figures quickly disappear into the bustling crowd.

That feeling of being left behind, mixed with curiosity about the unknown developments and a hint of indescribable loss, made her feel somewhat unsettled.

Recalling these things, Zheng Xiujing took another deep look in the direction of the airport.

There, another plane was beginning its takeoff run, charging into the clouds with an unstoppable momentum.

Having finished watching this scene, she withdrew her gaze, restarted the car, and accompanied by the low growl of the Maserati, merged back into the traffic returning to downtown Seoul.

On the highway.

The lights on both sides flew backward like shooting stars.

Zheng Xiujing gripped the steering wheel, but the inexplicable restlessness in her heart did not subside.

So, after hesitating for a moment, she used the car's Bluetooth system to dial a number.

The phone rang for a long time on the other end, and just as she thought no one would answer and it was about to hang up automatically, it was hurriedly picked up.

Afterward, Zheng Xiuyan's voice, carrying a hint of fatigue and haste, came through the speakers, "Hello, Xiujing? What's wrong? I just finished an interview here."

Hearing Zheng Xiuyan's voice, Zheng Xiujing pursed her lips and didn't beat around the bush, directly dropping a bomb, "Unnie, Xiuyuan went to Tokyo with Xueqiu."

Saying this, she was a bit worried that Zheng Xiuyan wouldn't take it to heart, so she deliberately emphasized her tone, teasing with a sense of wanting to see the chaos, "You should have guessed it, he's aiming for Hela Unnie. I'm thinking, Unnie, aren't you going to be 'cut in line' again?"

These words were undoubtedly meant to provoke Zheng Xiuyan.

But they were also exactly Zheng Xiujing's attitude.

Because she felt that in terms of attitude and initiative toward Lin Xiuyuan, this sister of hers was truly too indecisive.

Or rather, too "pretentious."

Clearly caring in her heart, yet always a beat slow; as far as she knew, on Jessica's side...

When Zheng Xiujing learned the general situation from Xueli, she really couldn't stand it anymore.

Sure enough, as soon as Zheng Xiujing's words fell, Zheng Xiuyan's voice on the other end of the phone immediately rose an octave, carrying the embarrassment of being poked in a sore spot and a hint of exasperation.

"Ya! Zheng Xiujing~ regardless of whether there are other problems with what you said. The biggest situation right now is that I am not in Tokyo; I am in Siam. There is a brand event here, and the group will return directly to Seoul in two days."

Hearing this, Zheng Xiujing was slightly startled and subconsciously retorted, "Didn't you say before that you were going to Tokyo for an event?"

"That was news from when? You don't even look at how many days have passed; the schedule ended long ago and moved on to the next one," Zheng Xiuyan replied irritably, her tone sounding a bit frantic.

Hearing this explanation, Zheng Xiujing looked at the sea of red brake lights ahead, and for some reason, she suddenly started to laugh.

With a bit of schadenfreude and a bit of hidden meaning, she said softly, "Unnie, looking at it this way, could it be that you are even 'later' than me?"

A double entendre, the information density was very high, and it was also very explosive!!!

So much so that as soon as these words were spoken, Zheng Xiuyan, who was walking toward the waiting room backstage at a TV station, suddenly stopped in her tracks and straightened her back.

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her eyes widened, and she growled at the phone, "Zheng Xiujing!! Do you know what you are saying right now?!!"

And on the Seoul highway, Zheng Xiujing, gripping the steering wheel, had nothing but Lin Xiuyuan's unhesitating, free-spirited, and wild posture in her mind.

That near-manic initiative was like a shot of adrenaline, stirring up a certain rebelliousness and directness in her bones.

So, facing Zheng Xiuyan's questioning at this moment, she answered with unusual calmness and clarity, "Mm, I know..."

"You know what you know!!!" Zheng Xiuyan's chest heaved with anger; she felt this younger sister was truly becoming more and more lawless.

In the car, Zheng Xiujing's gaze looked toward the faint outline of the city in the darkness in the distance, her tone carrying a sense of resignation, "I know it's a matter of time anyway. That guy is probably more familiar with 'my' body than I am myself. I shouldn't be wrong about that, Unnie."

And without waiting for Zheng Xiuyan to react, she asked back lightly, with a hint of provocation, "And looking at this situation, I reckon even you, Unnie, are about to be 'familiarized' too, right? Isn't that so, Jessica~"

That final English name carried a cold, truth-revealing quality.

"You..." It left Zheng Xiuyan speechless, a lump stuck in her chest, unable to go up or down.

Then she looked up at the noisy, chaotic backstage area bustling with people, and truly felt the urge to buy a plane ticket back to the Peninsula immediately... to rush in front of Zheng Xiujing and "educate" this outspoken younger sister.

Although... she had to admit that what the other party said was, to a certain extent, close to the truth.

But when it comes to such things, knowing it in one's heart is one thing, but having it said so bluntly, even in a somewhat coarse manner, is quite another.

In short: the words were too crude.

Because what she, Zheng Xiuyan, does has always pursued refinement, decency, and an elegance where everything is under control.

Even if she intends to "fall," she must fall with style, and it must be the kind with a sense of design.

So naturally, she didn't want Zheng Xiujing to complete the bet so early and so easily.

Thinking of this, Zheng Xiuyan took a deep breath and said in a tone carrying warning and the dignity of an older sister, "Zheng Xiujing, you better take it easy and watch your words. Also, Krystal is Krystal, and you are you; don't get your own affairs mixed up."

She tried to remind Zheng Xiujing to maintain her own self and not be overly influenced by the version of herself from another spacetime.

At first, Zheng Xiuyan was the same, but later she figured it out.

However, Zheng Xiujing, who was listening to this answer on the other end of the phone, remained silent for a long while, then softly asked a counter-question.

Her tone carried a trace of imperceptible confusion and inquiry, "Do we have to draw such a clear line?"

As a result, Zheng Xiuyan's next cold and cruel counter-question made her instantly sink into a deeper silence, "Nonsense, have you ever attended your friend's funeral? Have you seen her tombstone?"

"..."

At both ends of the phone, only the faint static of the current and each other's suppressed breathing remained.

It was precisely this sentence that made Zheng Xiujing's fingers gripping the steering wheel tighten slightly.

After all, the word "funeral" was like a piece of ice, instantly suppressing the restless flames in her heart ignited by Lin Xiuyuan's previous wild posture.

And after discovering that Zheng Xiujing had fallen into silence, Zheng Xiuyan also knew her words had taken effect, so she slowed her tone and continued to ask with a near-cruel calmness, "You're much clearer now, right? Can you tell them apart now?"

After another long while, just when Zheng Xiuyan thought the signal had been cut off, Zheng Xiujing's voice slowly sounded, carrying a trace of exhaustion and clarity.

"Mm, I've distinguished them."

Yes, she had distinguished them.

Everything the 25-year-old Krystal had experienced and endured, whether it was extreme pleasure or the pain that might be lurking, was separated from the 13-year-old her by an insurmountable barrier of time and space.

She could know it, she could use it as a reference.

But in the end, she could never truly replace her, let alone have what is called empathy.

On the highway.

The Maserati continued to speed along the road returning to Seoul, but the atmosphere inside the car was completely different from before, with an added sense of stillness and contemplation.

At the same time, on the runway at Incheon Airport, a passenger plane bound for Tokyo was roaring as it broke free from gravity, holding its head high as it charged into the silent night sky above the clouds.

Several hours later, the plane landed steadily on the runway at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

Without any luggage, Lin Xiuyuan and Xueli, who had truly traveled light, walked out of the airport arrival gate quite easily along with the flow of people.

The night air in Tokyo carried a trace of cool dampness.

A low-key Suzuki sedan was already waiting on the side of the road, and when it saw the two come out, it didn't forget to flash its headlights.

Noticing this, Lin Xiuyuan took Xueli and walked over quickly, tilted his head to look at the figure in the driver's seat to confirm it was correct, and only then opened the car door to sit in the back row.

Following their seating, Xian Enjing in the driver's seat had a look of being both annoyed and amused on her face, her gaze sweeping over Lin Xiuyuan and Xueli.

"I just saw Xiujing say in the group chat that you two suddenly rushed over, and I thought she was joking. Xiuyuan, what kind of act is this again? Why did you suddenly run to Tokyo?"

Her tone was full of curiosity; clearly, she had already guessed the goal of this trip from Zheng Xiujing.

And Lin Xiuyuan also knew she wanted to ask about Hela.

So, leaning against the back of the passenger seat, he answered somewhat vaguely, "No special thoughts, let's meet first and then talk."

"Then we're going now?" Xian Enjing glanced at the time in the car; it wasn't early.

Xueli in the back seat also immediately looked at Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes filled with excitement.

However, she saw Lin Xiuyuan shake his head, "No, it's too late now, it's not appropriate to disturb people's rest, and besides..."

Thinking of something, he sighed softly, "Also, I'm not fully prepared for the situation over there yet, let's wait until tomorrow. Tonight, let's find a place to settle down first."

Regarding Lin Xiuyuan's excuse, both Xian Enjing and Xueli were tacitly aware.

It was nothing more than that welcome ceremony~

After nodding knowingly, Xian Enjing stopped asking further questions, skillfully started the car, and drove away from the airport.

On the way, while driving, she chatted with the two about her achievements in Tokyo over the past few days, "By the way, I took advantage of having some free time these past few days to look at quite a few houses. I've screened a few that feel pretty good; there are high-rise apartments in the city center with great views, and also quiet detached houses in the suburbs with private environments and impeccable security."

Saying all this, Xian Enjing turned her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan, who was resting with his eyes closed, "Xiuyuan, how many days are you staying this time? Why don't we go take a look in person after you finish your business? If we decide early, it'll be convenient for us to stay when we come over in the future."

Lin Xiuyuan, who had already dealt with a "base" in the year 25, was not opposed to setting one up in Tokyo as well, because it could indeed save a lot of trouble.

So even though his eyes were still closed, he nodded, "Mm, that's fine. After we get things settled with Hela, we'll go take a look then."

Having received an affirmative answer, Xian Enjing's mood also became much more pleasant, "Good, then it's settled."

Then the car drove all the way and finally stopped in front of a hotel that looked quite high-end.

After parking the car, Xian Enjing explained, "This is a hotel near our group's dormitory in Tokyo. The environment and security are both very good. You two stay here for now since you've come over; it'll be convenient for contact."

"Anything works~"

"Thank you, Unnie, as long as we have a place to stay, the most important thing is safety~"

"This place is fine."

After finishing the conversation, the three of them got out of the car one after another.

And the cool night breeze made people feel refreshed.

However, just as they had finished getting out of the car and were standing steady, preparing to walk into the hotel lobby, an unexpected figure walked out from the direction of a convenience store not far away.

It was Park Hyomin, wearing a dress and carrying a black plastic bag containing snacks and drinks; as soon as she looked up, she saw Xian Enjing and Xueli standing at the hotel entrance.

And that man whom she had been muttering about not long ago.

This situation caused her footsteps to be instantly nailed to the spot, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

Lin Xiuyuan???

How could he be here?

And Xueli too?

Park Hyomin's shocked gaze darted quickly between the three of them, finally settling on the face of Xian Enjing, who was looking at her with a similar trace of bewilderment.

And an absurd thought that made her heart race struck her mind like a bolt of lightning.

Could it be... that after hearing my complaints and determination, Enjing immediately and decisively packed this man up and delivered him to my door???

No, this efficiency is just too rapid!!!

(End of this chapter)