Chapter 293: The Eve of the Storm Named [Hela]~(10,000 words, please subscribe and vote for monthly tickets)

Time back to a few minutes ago, Quan Baolan, who had stepped out of the car, stomped her feet on the ground, then turned her head with some confusion to ask Li Juli, who had suddenly suggested coming to this restaurant to eat, "Juli, how did you think of suddenly running over here to eat? We usually go back to the dormitory."

Li Juli, being asked, gathered her long hair blown by the wind, and explained with that habitual, lazy, and charming smile on her face, "Didn't I accidentally discover this restaurant a few days ago? I felt the taste and environment were quite good, so I thought about bringing you to try it too."

"I see." Quan Baolan nodded, asked nothing more, and walked side-by-side with the other into this stylishly decorated Italian restaurant.

Seeing the two walk over, the waiter standing at the entrance to greet guests also stepped forward enthusiastically to welcome them, while Li Juli skillfully used Japanese to indicate they needed a booth.

After receiving an affirmative reply, the waiter led them toward the interior of the restaurant.

However, just as the two were following the waiter toward the booth, Quan Baolan, who always liked to look around and observe the environment, had her gaze inadvertently sweep over a booth not far away.

Then her gaze instantly froze, and immediately her already round eyes widened in surprise.

Isn't that————Sulli and Goo Hara?

And————that boy.

Long time no see.

Naturally, Li Juli also noticed the situation over there.

However, her gaze first landed on the two familiar Idol members, Sulli and Goo Hara, and then, as if attracted by a magnet, it subconsciously fell on the young boy sitting at the same table as them.

Today, Lin Xiuyuan was dressed very simply and refreshingly, in a pure white cotton T-shirt, paired with a pair of well-fitting light blue jeans, and a pair of clean sneakers on his feet.

The whole person looked clean and sharp.

Although he looked to be in his early twenties, with the youthful vigor of a young man on his face, he lacked the lingering greenness of an ordinary college student; instead, his whole body exuded a sunny and free-spirited, leisurely posture.

He was leaning very relaxedly against the back of the booth, tilting his head to say something to Sulli beside him, with a faint smile on his lips.

Occasionally he would also talk to Goo Hara opposite him, and the atmosphere looked quite harmonious and natural.

First impression of this boy, is he handsome?

That is definitely handsome.

After all, he is in his ultimate version after consuming human essence; whether it is the texture of his skin, the contours of his features, or that healthy vitality radiating from the inside out, he has a sunny boyish feel.

Second impression, curious?

That is also absolutely curious.

A young, handsome guy who looks so young, sitting alone in a restaurant with a nice atmosphere with two well-known Idol members for lunch—this combination itself is enough to make people imagine things.

And if one observes carefully, Sulli is not sitting with Goo Hara, but is sitting right next to that boy.

Most importantly, the so-called 50-centimeter social safety distance seems to not exist between them at all.

Their arms are almost touching, and under the table, Sulli's fair, straight long legs, completely exposed because she is wearing denim hot pants, also seem to be leaning toward the boy's jeans legs, whether intentionally or not.

This level of closeness, if one says there isn't some intimate relationship beyond ordinary friends, is really hard to convince anyone—anyway, Li Juli doesn't believe it.

And when Li Juli and Quan Baolan looked over there with scrutinizing eyes, as if they had a telepathic connection, Lin Xiuyuan also happened to look over.

His gaze lingered on Li Juli's face for a moment, with a trace of imperceptible surprise and a smile.

Then he turned to Quan Baolan beside her, a brilliant smile instantly blooming on his face, and he waved at Quan Baolan very naturally, greeting, "Hi, Baolan~ long time no see. I didn't expect to run into you here."

Lin Xiuyuan's tone was familiar and intimate, as if he had met an old friend.

Except for the lack of the Peninsula's classic honorifics.

So, hearing this, Li Juli also turned her head to look at her teammate beside her with some surprise.

Only to see that after the initial surprise, Quan Baolan also quickly put on a polite and courteous smile, nodding gently toward Lin Xiuyuan, "Mm, long time no see, Xiuyuan-i."

Compared to Lin Xiuyuan's free and unrestrained manner, she used a more formal form of address.

But being able to call out the name so familiarly, it was clearly not just a one-time meeting.

So Li Juli blinked her eyes a few more times.

Then Quan Baolan and Li Juli also took the opportunity to nod to Sulli and Goo Hara, greeting the two.

Sulli and Goo Hara also hurriedly returned the greeting politely.

Seeing this, Goo Hara, as the relative outsider present but wanting to maintain politeness, asked politely, "Unnies, are you here to eat too? What a coincidence, do you want to sit down and eat together?"

The meaning of saying this was naturally out of courtesy.

But Li Juli and Quan Baolan were not fools without emotional intelligence; everyone was a sophisticated person. Looking at the subtle and intimate atmosphere between the three, they immediately smiled and politely declined.

"No need, no need, thank you Hela. We are just eating something casual, so we won't disturb your gathering of friends. You guys eat slowly."

Just kidding, she didn't want to get involved in this kind of "threesome" scene that looked complicated, lest it be awkward.

Thus, after a few more simple pleasantries like "What a coincidence" and "Enjoy your meal," Li Juli and Quan Baolan were led by the waiter to another empty booth not far from Lin Xiuyuan's.

The two were separated by only two or three meters; although there was a decorative low partition, there was not much obstruction to the view.

As soon as they sat down, before Li Juli even had time to look at the menu, she leaned close to Quan Baolan and asked in a low voice, full of curiosity, "Baolan-ah, do you know that————Xiuyuan-i?"

When saying this, Li Juli deliberately kept her voice very low, fearing it would be heard by the people not far away.

Quan Baolan also subconsciously turned her head to look in the direction of Lin Xiuyuan and the others. Fortunately, the sofa back and the low partition blocked their lower bodies, so she breathed a sigh of relief and replied in a similarly low voice.

"Mm, I know him. Didn't I go back to Seoul a few months ago to handle some things? At that time, it was to sell an idle apartment, and the buyer was this boy."

"Oh oh oh!! Now that you mention it, I remember!"

Having received the answer, Li Juli nodded in sudden realization, also remembering that Quan Baolan had indeed mentioned returning to the country to handle property.

But then a new question arose, her eyes becoming more inquisitive, "But looking at the way you greeted each other just now, you seem quite familiar? It doesn't look as simple as just meeting once to handle paperwork."

Asked this, Quan Baolan hesitated for a moment, seemingly weighing how to explain, and finally added to the situation.

"At that time————later we added contact information. Occasionally when playing online games at night, if we ran into each other, we would team up to run maps, do daily quests, and so on."

This time when Quan Baolan answered, her tone carried a bit of embarrassment.

After all, as an Idol, playing games with a male in private is somewhat——————

So upon hearing this, Li Juli seemed to have instantly discovered some earth-shattering gossip, her eyes lighting up, a suggestive smile appearing on her face, and she exclaimed in a whisper, "Oh ho, so you are internet friends?? No way, Baolan, is this what they call the legendary internet romance?!!"

"Ya! Li Juli! Don't talk nonsense!!"

Quan Baolan was flustered by these words and hurriedly denied it.

In her anxiety to clear her name, she even sold out her own youngest member directly: "What nonsense are you spouting~ This boy is the one Zhiyan has her eye on, it has nothing to do with me."

"Oh my~ Zhiyan, there's a story involving Zhiyan in this too?"

Upon hearing that their youngest member was actually involved in this, Li Juli's eyes instantly became even more piercing, her curiosity hitting the ceiling.

"Hurry up, Baolan, explain clearly, how did this get tied to Zhiyan again? Who exactly is this Lin Xiuyuan? What is going on??"

As she spoke, Li Juli grabbed Quan Baolan's arm, her lowered voice filled with urgency and interrogation.

This time, Quan Baolan pursed her lips, seemingly hesitating over whether she should reveal more; after all, this concerned Park Jiyeon's situation.

But Li Juli could not endure the agony of a half-told story; she grabbed her arm and kept shaking it gently to urge her, continuing to press, "Tell me! What is going on! Baolan~"

Then, because her emotions were a bit stirred, she failed to control her volume for a moment, and her voice became slightly louder.

Just then, at the booth next door, a cute little head quietly poked out from the edge of the partition, filled with a bit of curiosity.

She blinked her large eyes toward them, seemingly attracted by the commotion on their side.

It was Xueli, who was sitting on the outermost side~

So, the moment Li Juli saw Xueli poke her head out, she was like someone who had been pressed on a mute button, hurriedly closing that little mouth that had been chattering non-stop.

Her face quickly returned to an elegant and calm smile, and she nodded apologetically toward Xueli.

Xueli returned a sweet smile, then retracted her head.

After this little interlude, Quan Baolan also realized that if she didn't explain clearly, it wouldn't be good to attract more attention.

She had no choice but to speak up quickly, intending to explain the situation all at once to avoid any further accidents.

Anyway, looking back, it wasn't a big deal, and that situation with Park Jiyeon was just her own guess.

So she leaned close to Li Juli and, in an extremely low voice, gave a brief, blow-by-blow account of how she had bumped into Lin Xiuyuan and Park Jiyeon walking out of the Elevator at the Apartment building a few months ago, the subsequent process of the house sale, and the situation where they occasionally kept in touch because of games.

Of course, she also said that the situation between Park Jiyeon and Lin Xiuyuan was her own guess and not necessarily true.

But after Li Juli finished listening to this story, which wasn't complicated but contained quite a lot of information.

She immediately rested her chin on her hand, with her index finger and thumb against her jaw and the bridge of her nose, striking a classic "7" shaped thinking pose, pretending to be a detective as she analyzed in a low voice.

"Hmm, so according to what you said, at the very beginning, Zhiyan had her eye on this boy, and the two seemed to have a good relationship, but looking at the current situation now————"

She gestured with her eyes toward the direction of Lin Xiuyuan's booth, "This boy is so familiar with Xueli and Goo Hara, and his behavior is quite intimate. Baolan, do you think he could be the type who~ hmm——————has one foot in two boats, or maybe even more?"

Upon hearing this, Quan Baolan immediately shook her head, "How would I know? I haven't really chatted with him about personal matters. Basically, when we play games, we talk about equipment, events, dungeons, and the like. I don't know about his private life, and it's not convenient to ask."

Knowing that Quan Baolan's personality was always quite introverted and that she didn't get involved in such gossip, Li Juli did not continue to press her this time.

Based on her understanding of Quan Baolan, the fact that the other party could say this much was already the limit.

So afterwards, Li Juli just quietly and calmly looked back at the booth over there again; although the light of curiosity in her eyes was still flickering, it was no longer to the point of having to get to the bottom of it or gossip everywhere.

At the very least, in her view, knowing this much inside information was already quite enough.

It was even less likely that she would be prepared to grab Park Jiyeon to interrogate her on this aspect after returning to the Dormitory.

However, if this were replaced by some people whose hearts for gossip were burning fiercely, such as Park Hyomin or that Sunny from Girls' Generation.

Then Park Jiyeon would definitely not be able to escape a round of "torture and interrogation"!

Thinking of this, Li Juli elegantly picked up the menu, deciding to put this little interlude aside for the time being and enjoy the food in front of her first.

As for those complicated interpersonal relationships, let them stay at the level of an interesting coincidence for now.

Afterwards.

The two groups of "acquaintances" in the restaurant were each immersed in their own small circles, not disturbing each other.

Li Juli and Quan Baolan, on this side, were enjoying the food while chatting in low voices about some interesting events and difficulties encountered during the team's recent rehearsals, occasionally mentioning a few words about the seasoning of the dishes in front of them.

As for Lin Xiuyuan's side, he was discussing the "plan for tomorrow's outing" with Xueli and Goo Hara.

Regarding this, Goo Hara was analyzing the inconveniences that the typhoon weather might bring very seriously, and proposed various alternative plans for indoor activities.

For example, going to see an exhibition, visiting a museum, or finding an interesting cafe to sit in.

As the main "deceiver," Xueli was very well-behaved on the side, echoing her, occasionally sneaking a glance at Lin Xiuyuan, smiling at how he would round off this "trap" he had set for Goo Hara.

Time passed quickly in the small talk, and soon, the few of them had finished their lunch one after another.

When the waiter cleared away the empty plates, Goo Hara looked at Xueli with great interest and suggested, "Since I have nothing to do this afternoon, why don't we go shopping nearby later? I know there are a few very good boutiques and select shops around here."

Lin Xiuyuan shook his head upon hearing this, "I won't go, you girls go shopping, and I have something else to do this afternoon; I have an appointment with someone else."

Hearing this, Goo Hara looked at him with some surprise, "Hmm? Xiuyuan, you still have friends you know in Tokyo?"

"

Mainly, she thought Lin Xiuyuan had come specifically to accompany Xueli.

"What are you saying————" Lin Xiuyuan smiled and very naturally raised his finger to point in the direction of the booth next door, giving an example, "Isn't that Baolan over there? And aren't Zhiyan and Enjing over here too?"

Xueli, who was beside him, knew full well that Lin Xiuyuan was going to handle the preparations for the year '25, so she hurriedly helped him cover for him with a tacit understanding, saying to Goo Hara in a tone with a hint of emotion.

"Unnie, you don't know how busy oppa usually is. I am already very, very satisfied and grateful that he could specifically take the time to accompany me to Tokyo this time."

Facing these words from Xueli, Goo Hara couldn't help but curiously tease Lin Xiuyuan after hearing them, "Wow, listening to Zhenli say that, you look even busier than us idols who run schedules?"

This unintentional tease, however, made Lin Xiuyuan give Goo Hara a deep, meaningful look, and then he beamed, revealing a bright and slightly mysterious smile.

"Hmm~ I might not be able to explain it clearly now, but you will know what I am busy with in the future, and you will definitely understand by then."

"I will understand?" Goo Hara pointed at herself, clearly feeling that something was not quite right.

However, Xueli covered her mouth and chuckled, nodding in agreement, "That's right, that's right, Unnie, you will definitely understand in the future."

After ending this conversation, Xueli immediately waved to signal the waiter to pay the bill.

But her action was a step slower, and the bill was snatched by Goo Hara, "Let me do it, consider it a welcome for you coming to Tokyo."

Seeing this, Xueli and Lin Xiuyuan looked at each other, but did not go to compete with her.

After paying the bill, the three of them stood up to leave; coincidentally, Li Juli and Quan Baolan had also just finished paying, so the five of them walked toward the restaurant entrance almost at the same time.

Standing at the restaurant entrance, the afternoon sun was still bright.

Li Juli looked at Goo Hara and Xueli politely, "Then we'll be going first, Hela, Xueli, so where do you plan to go for fun."

"Mm, goodbye unnie, we're planning to go for a walk nearby." Goo Hara and Xueli both nodded with smiles in response.

Regarding this, Li Juli said with some emotion, "That's nice. When the day comes that I can rest properly, I'd like to go for a walk too."

"But for now, I can only go back to the Dormitory to rest; we have rehearsals in the evening."

However, the moment her voice trailed off, Lin Xiuyuan, who was standing to the side, suddenly laughed.

He turned his gaze toward Quan Baolan and Li Juli, and spoke very casually, "Oh? Going back to the Dormitory? That's perfect. Could I hitch a ride? The Jiudian I'm staying at happens to be right next to your Dormitory."

"Huh??"

As soon as Lin Xiuyuan's voice came out, both Quan Baolan and Li Juli were stunned for a moment, looking at each other in unison, their faces full of surprise.

This man—is he always this familiar? He's way too casual.

And how did he know the specific location of their Dormitory??

Seeming to see through their confusion, Lin Xiuyuan immediately explained with a smile, "Enjing picked us up last night, and she happened to drop us off at the Jiudian right next to your Dormitory, so—that's how it is."

So that's it!!!

Facing this perfect explanation, Li Juli and Quan Baolan exchanged a glance, their eyes communicating quickly.

Thinking of the close relationships Lin Xiuyuan seemed to have with Xian Enjing and Park Jiyeon, plus the presence of Goo Hara and Xueli right here—

So after a few seconds of thought, Li Juli finally nodded and agreed, "I see. That's fine then, since it's on the way, let's go together."

"That's great, thank you." Lin Xiuyuan's smile grew wider.

And so, at the restaurant entrance, the five of them split into two groups.

Goo Hara and Xueli waved goodbye to Lin Xiuyuan and the others, while Lin Xiuyuan followed Li Juli and Quan Baolan quite naturally toward the car they had parked not far away.

A few minutes later, the two cars drove out of the restaurant parking lot one after another, heading in different directions.

After a while, inside Li Juli's compact sedan, the atmosphere was slightly quiet.

Lin Xiuyuan, sitting alone in the back, looked at the two beauties in the driver's and passenger's seats and thanked them again with a smile.

"Thank you both so much, you saved me the taxi fare. The starting price for taxis here in Tokyo is terrifyingly expensive; it's almost enough to buy me a decent lunch."

Li Juli, who was driving, glanced at him through the rearview mirror and responded casually, "Indeed, the transportation costs here are quite high. That's why when I'm active here, I just bought a car to drive myself; it's more convenient and cost-effective."

At this moment, Quan Baolan, sitting in the passenger seat, also turned her head back and asked Lin Xiuyuan in a soft voice with polite curiosity, "Xiuyuan-i, are you here in Tokyo specifically for a vacation?"

"Yeah, just here to hang out, relax, and see if there are any new games to bring back."

Lin Xiuyuan's answer remained exactly the same as what he told Park Hyomin last night—concise and perfunctory.

Actually, he didn't want to be like this, but the truth was hard to explain in detail, and telling other lies would require more cover-ups, which was even more tiring, so he just used this reason.

Seeing that Lin Xiuyuan had no intention of chatting further, Quan Baolan, whose personality wasn't particularly extroverted, tactfully stopped asking.

The car interior fell into silence again, even diffusing a faint sense of awkwardness.

Fortunately, the distance wasn't far, and the road conditions were good, with no traffic jams.

Thus, the car soon drove steadily back to the vicinity of the detached house Tara was renting as a Dormitory in Tokyo.

As the car stopped steadily in the open space at the entrance of the Dormitory, Lin Xiuyuan immediately thanked them and opened the door to get out.

He then walked around the car, stood in front of Li Juli and Quan Baolan, nodded slightly again, and thanked them sincerely, "Thanks again to you both for saving me a large taxi fare. I wish you a successful performance, and I'll treat you to a meal next time I have the chance."

Li Juli and Quan Baolan both waved their hands, showing polite smiles.

"It's nothing, just a small favor."

"Yes, don't mention it."

Therefore, Lin Xiuyuan pursed his lips and smiled at them again, said no more, turned around neatly, and walked straight toward the entrance of the familiar Jiudian a few dozen meters away.

And under the gaze of Li Juli and Quan Baolan, he naturally took the Jiudian room card out of his pocket, toyed with it casually at his fingertips, and then walked into the Jiudian lobby without any obstruction.

Only after seeing this scene with her own eyes did Li Juli seem to heave a sigh of relief and whisper to Quan Baolan beside her.

"So he really does live here. I was just wondering if he was making up an excuse just to find out the specific location of our Dormitory—"

When Li Juli voiced her small, entertainment-industry-experience-based guard.

Quan Baolan couldn't help but laugh and teased, "That's not it, Juli. Do you think he's taken a liking to you and that's why he's trying every way to follow us?"

Li Juli immediately shook her head, her tone carrying a bit of self-awareness and detachment, "That wouldn't be it. My look and temperament are at most the same type as Zhiyan or Hela; there are still quite a few 'affordable alternatives.' If he were interested, Zhiyan and Hela should be the first choices."

Speaking of this, a signature, slightly mischievous smile appeared on her face, and she looked at the petite Quan Baolan beside her with a teasing gaze.

"However, Baolan, you're different~"

"Huh? How am I different?" Quan Baolan didn't react for a moment.

"Compared to me, you're a scarce resource~" Li Juli laughed like a fox, "Not to mention the 'legal loli' aspect, but you're also the type with 'great ambitions'—a huge contrast. A hidden big-bust type. Do you really not know how high and special your status is in the hearts of male fans?"

"Yah!!! Li Juli, stop talking nonsense."

Immediately understanding the subtext, Quan Baolan's cheeks instantly flushed with a thin layer of crimson, and she glared at the other person, both shy and annoyed.

For a homebody, this kind of topic was enough to make her feel shy, whether in front of the camera or in private.

But seeing this reaction, Li Juli laughed even more happily.

After the joke, Quan Baolan subconsciously cast her gaze toward the Jiudian entrance where Lin Xiuyuan had disappeared, a trace of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

But that curiosity was very shallow, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Really, it was just a tiny bit of curiosity.

But, it was still curiosity.

As Li Juli and the other turned to go back to the Dormitory.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had entered the Jiudian earlier, didn't delay at all and immediately took the Elevator back to his room.

Then he locked the door, propped it gently with a chair, and after confirming there were no issues, he turned to grab the bathroom doorknob, opened the Time Gate, and slipped inside.

This was the reason he hadn't had the heart to linger and chat with Quan Baolan outside earlier.

He had to race against time to prepare for the "important business."

However, on the way back, Li Juli's beautiful eyes, filled with scrutiny and a hint of suspicion, lingered in his mind.

Although that was the 2013 Li Juli, that subtle attitude still made Lin Xiuyuan, who had stepped into the living room of the Year Villa, feel a bit itchy inside, carrying a bit of the displeasure of being wronged and a certain mischievous interest.

So, barely pausing, he picked up his phone and dialed the Li Juli here.

——

"Where are you?"

Once she answered, he asked straight to the point.

Li Juli's voice on the other end of the line carried a laziness as if she had just woken up, "At home, where else would I be? Just finished yoga and lying down to rest. Why, do you miss me?"

Learning that she was at the Apartment and not running around, Lin Xiuyuan immediately said, "Mm, wait there, I'm coming over now."

Then, without waiting for Li Juli to respond, he hung up the phone, grabbed his car keys, went out the door, drove the vehicle, and headed straight for the Apartment.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Xiuyuan was standing at the entrance of that Apartment.

Not long after he pressed the doorbell, the door was opened from the inside. Li Juli appeared at the entrance wearing a silk bathrobe that outlined her charming curves, looking at the young man before her with a hint of confusion on her face.

However, Lin Xiuyuan didn't give her a chance to ask at all.

As soon as the door opened, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the slender, soft waist of the mature woman before him.

With a slight exertion, he pushed her into the room, while his other hand took the opportunity to pull the door shut.

"Mmph——"

Before Li Juli could fully react, Lin Xiuyuan had already lowered his head to precisely capture her slightly parted red lips, pressing a kiss onto them that carried a hint of dominance and urgency.

Li Juli was a bit dazed at first, but soon, her body's instincts and the long-familiar scent made her quickly sink into this sudden, passionate kiss, her arms unconsciously wrapping around his neck.

After a good while, until both of them were somewhat breathless, Li Juli pushed him away with a little force.

Her eyes swirled with a mix of feigned anger and a hint of amusement as she asked, "What's the matter, acting like a hungry wolf? What did you do last night? Did someone else provoke you, and now you're looking for me to vent your anger~"

Questioned, Lin Xiuyuan looked at the flushed face before him, his fingers gently stroking Li Juli's smooth chin, and he replied with a wicked smirk, "That's not it, I just dreamed that you rolled your eyes at me and doubted me, so I came over intending to properly 'discipline' you."

"When did I?" Li Juli immediately widened her eyes, looking innocent and bewildered, "I didn't even leave the house today, when did I roll my eyes at you or doubt you? Don't wrong an innocent person, no, you can't blame your dreams on me."

However, Lin Xiuyuan just smiled without explaining, thinking to himself: The 2013 you is still you; I truly felt that doubt.

Then, no longer giving Li Juli a chance to continue questioning or quibbling, he took her hand and walked toward the bedroom.

"The mission is urgent, no time to explain," he said, half-truthfully, "Let's finish the real business first."

Thus, Li Juli was amused by his overbearing manner, but she obediently followed him into the bedroom.

As for the so-called "eye-rolling" and "doubt," she temporarily threw them to the back of her mind; anyway, this "discipline"

method — she didn't dislike it.

"...

By the time Lin Xiuyuan walked out of the bathroom feeling refreshed, the time had already reached around two in the afternoon.

While wiping his wet hair with a towel, he looked at Li Juli, who was lying limply on the bed as if all the bones in her body had been removed.

"By the way, Juli~" as if suddenly remembering something, he asked in a casual tone, "Do you know where Goo Hara's grave is?"

"Who?" Li Juli, who was still immersed in the afterglow, heard this abrupt question, sat up supporting her sore body, and furrowed her brows to confirm, "The Hara you're talking about? Is it the one I know? Goo Hara?"

"Mm, Goo Hara." Lin Xiuyuan repeated affirmatively.

Now Li Juli's brows furrowed even deeper, her eyes carrying confusion and a hint of imperceptible heaviness, "Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Lin Xiuyuan walked to the bedside, picked up his T-shirt, and put it on, answering in a calm tone, "Nothing special, just suddenly wanted to go pay my respects."

This very reasonable explanation, however, made the heaviness in Li Juli's eyes deepen; she seemed to recall some unpleasant past events and rumors within the industry, and her expression became somewhat complex.

At the same time, Lin Xiuyuan actually didn't need to ask Li Juli at all; he could just look it up online to know the specific location of Goo Hara's grave.

It was just that after thinking about some of his previous ideas, as well as some of the circumstances regarding Li Juli, he still chose to ask her directly.

A brief silence fell in the bedroom.

After a while, Li Juli's voice slowly sounded, carrying a hint of lowness, "I know, I remember she was buried over at Dosan Park."

"Park?" Lin Xiuyuan's motion of wiping his hair paused, somewhat confused, "What do you mean? Is it far?"

For so long, he hadn't really looked into the arrangements for Goo Hara's funeral, so he was indeed not very clear about these details.

Li Juli on the bed continued to explain, though her voice became somewhat airy, "Not far, it's right in Seoul, and it's a public cemetery there."

When saying the words "public cemetery," her voice unconsciously lowered again, carrying some kind of indescribable emotion.

At the same time, Lin Xiuyuan keenly heard the anomaly in her tone and even caught the key word, "Wait, public cemetery? Isn't it a private burial plot?"

After asking the question, his brows furrowed.

You have to know that here on the Peninsula, compared to private cemeteries with better management and more serene environments, the costs of public cemeteries are much lower.

So generally speaking, families with even a little financial ability would choose private burial plots for their departed loved ones to avoid being disturbed by passing mourners.

And as a former top Idol, how could Goo Hara...

Li Juli nodded, then shook her head, her tone carrying uncertainty and a hint of a sigh, "It is a burial plot, but as for why, I don't know the specific situation either; perhaps it might have something to do with the news her mother stirred up at the time."

Hearing the words "mother" and "news," Lin Xiuyuan's face turned cold instantly.

In his mind, he immediately recalled the videos he had scrolled through previously regarding the ugly, farcical series of events Goo Hara's mother staged to fight for the inheritance after her passing.

That incident was truly sensational at the time and known to everyone.

It even later gave birth to the so-called "Gu Hara Act," aimed at preventing similar situations from happening.

The ugliness and stench of it were appalling.

The last one that could "rival" it was probably the mother of Hong Kong's Anita Mui, who even auctioned off her personal undergarments after she died.

Thinking of this, a surge of uncontrollable anger and disgust welled up in Lin Xiuyuan's heart.

Then, suppressing the anger in his heart, he took a deep breath and continued to ask, "Then—is there any place to stay near that cemetery? Like a Jiudian or something?"

Li Juli, who had been looking at Lin Xiuyuan, shook her head, "That's a burial area, and it's within the park's grounds, so where would there be a Jiudian? It's all mountains, and there's a lake; the environment is very quiet, but there are no commercial facilities."

Li Juli glanced at Lin Xiuyuan and shook her head, "That area is a graveyard, and it's within the park's boundaries, so where would there be a Jiudian? It's all mountains, and there's a lake; the environment is very quiet, but there are no commercial facilities."

This answer left Lin Xiuyuan a bit stumped.

Because his original plan might require a temporary foothold to "operate."

"That's a bit troublesome, isn't it? I don't have to drive there again, do I?" he muttered to himself, then asked, "Is—is it usually crowded over there?"

Li Juli was left somewhat amused and exasperated by his questions, and couldn't help but retort, "No, are you stupid, Xiuyuan? That's a cemetery, not a tourist attraction; how could there be many people? It definitely won't be crowded."

Having obtained this key information, Lin Xiuyuan felt slightly more at ease and explained with a smile, "I just wasn't clear on the specific situation. You said it was a public cemetery and also a park, so I thought it might be like some places where many people go to take walks or visit."

"That cemetery is just a section carved out within the park; it's not right next to the park's leisure trails or plazas," Li Juli explained further, feeling helpless.

After fully understanding the situation, Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then looked at Li Juli, who was still sitting on the bed, and said, "Alright, you should go take a shower quickly too. Get ready, and keep me company to run some errands in a bit."

"To see Goo Hara?" Li Juli asked as she got out of bed, her smooth feet stepping onto the carpet.

However, Lin Xiuyuan shook his head, "That's not it. Since it's not far, let's not go today. First, we'll go rent a car in a moment."

"Rent a car?" Li Juli stopped in her tracks and looked back at him in confusion, "Rent what kind of car? Is your car broken? I have a car here; you can just take mine to drive."

But Lin Xiuyuan simply waved his hand, not answering the question directly, and urged her instead.

"Go wash up quickly; I'll explain the specific situation to you in detail later."

Seeing this, although Li Juli was full of questions, she did not continue to press him, giving her man plenty of face.

She just gave Lin Xiuyuan a charming roll of her eyes, a look that seemed to say "you have so many things going on," and then walked into the bathroom with legs that still felt a bit weak.

And when the sound of water started in the bathroom, Lin Xiuyuan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window of the Apartment, overlooking the bustling city of Seoul below, which was filled with countless stories.

Thinking of the unbearable news regarding Goo Hara that Li Juli had mentioned earlier, a layer of unresolvable anger and complexity gathered between his brows.

Some regrets, since there is a chance, must always be tried to be made up for.

Some people, since they have been met, must always be helped as much as possible.

Li Juli soon came out after a quick shower, the warm steam adding a touch of rosiness to her already beautiful face.

Then she changed into a set of comfortable yet stylish casual clothes.

A silk off-white shirt paired with high-waisted straight-leg jeans outlined her good figure perfectly.

Finally, she simply applied some bean-paste colored lip glaze to brighten her complexion, picked up her handbag, naturally linked her arm with Lin Xiuyuan's, and looked up with a smile, "Let's go, I'm ready."

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, took her and left the Apartment, and drove straight to a car rental point he had checked on his phone just moments ago.

Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a vehicle rental center that looked quite large in scale.

Li Juli, sitting in the passenger seat, had initially thought they were just coming to rent an ordinary sedan or SUV, but when her gaze passed through the windshield and she saw those massive, uniquely shaped vehicles parked in the most conspicuous spot at the entrance of the rental center—

The smile on her face froze instantly, replaced by complete bewilderment.

She whipped her head around to look at Lin Xiuyuan, who was unbuckling his seatbelt in the driver's seat, pointed at the window, and spoke in a tone filled with disbelief.

"No, Xiuyuan~ why are we renting this kind of vehicle?!"

Because parked outside the window were, shockingly, several fully-equipped — recreational vehicles (RVs) with distinct living spaces.

Having unbuckled his seatbelt, Lin Xiuyuan opened the door and got out with very agile movements.

He then walked around to the passenger side to open the door for Li Juli, who was still stunned, his tone as calm as if he were saying the weather was nice today.

"Not for anything, just renting a car to sleep at the cemetery for the night."

"What?"

Li Juli practically sprang out of the car, stood outside the door, widened those beautiful eyes, and stared fixedly at Lin Xiuyuan, as if trying to find a trace of a joke on his face.

Go to the cemetery — to sleep for the night??

This was simply the most outrageous and bizarre idea she had ever heard.

The immense shock and sense of absurdity made her lose control of her volume for a moment, and she couldn't care about maintaining an elegant image, blurting it out directly with heavy sarcasm and concern.

"Hey~ Lin Xiuyuan!! Are you sick in the head or something!!"

Her voice sounded exceptionally clear in the rental center's parking lot, causing several people who were looking at cars nearby to turn and look over.

And Lin Xiuyuan just smiled and hugged her, "No, I'm serious!!!"

Meanwhile.

In 2013, the sky over Tokyo, which had been clear and sunny, was rapidly being covered by dark clouds.

A typhoon is making landfall~

The storm is approaching~