Chapter 304: Substitute Literature

After trading a few barbs with Park Jiyeon, Goo Hara, under Lin Xiuyuan's unquestionable gaze, very helplessly shared a small bowl of beef rice with Sulli.

Once they finished the last bite, they were finally let off by Lin Xiuyuan and granted permission to leave.

However, as the group stood up to say their goodbyes, while they claimed they wouldn't disturb Lin Xiuyuan and Quan Baolan's date, they actually intended to go browse a nearby large shopping mall.

They wanted to buy some ladies' items and, incidentally, help digest their meal.

As their chattering voices faded at the entrance of the yakitori shop, the slightly crowded counter instantly returned to its previous quiet.

Turning back, Lin Xiuyuan looked at Quan Baolan, who still seemed somewhat constrained, and smiled. "What's wrong? Were you scared by Jiyeon?"

Quan Baolan shook her head without speaking, simply staring straight at Lin Xiuyuan with those clear, large eyes, her gaze filled with scrutiny.

After several seconds, she spoke again, her tone more certain than before.

"Xiuyuan, if I only felt like I was being deceived by you before, after seeing the tone and atmosphere of your chat with Jiyeon and Enjing just now, I really discovered there's a seventy or eighty percent chance that the previous situation was just you fooling me."

"What feeling? What tone?" Lin Xiuyuan feigned ignorance, picked up a skewer of grilled shiitake mushrooms, and asked back with a calm demeanor, "Isn't it normal for me to chat with Jiyeon? Friends joking around."

"No, it's not normal." Quan Baolan shook her head, saying very firmly, "Jiyeon might act spoiled with us, but she almost never uses words like 'jealous' with a boy, nor does she reveal such near-instinctive intimacy and possessiveness."

As she spoke, Quan Baolan recalled everything since she first met Park Jiyeon: although this maknae was lively and cheerful, she always maintained the distance and sense of propriety an idol should have in front of the opposite sex.

Thus, with a complex emotion in her tone that even she hadn't noticed, Quan Baolan continued softly, "But with you, Jiyeon seems even closer than she is with us unnis who are with her day and night. Xiuyuan, how long have you known her?"

This final question was a new, intense curiosity rising in Quan Baolan's heart.

"How long have I known her?" Lin Xiuyuan murmured, as if calculating it himself.

He looked down at the food mostly finished before him and finally gave an answer that was precise but short enough to surprise Quan Baolan: "About half a year, I suppose. If I calculate carefully, it hasn't even been half a year yet."

Upon hearing this, Quan Baolan truly looked at Lin Xiuyuan deeply and without avoidance.

Her gaze seemed to want to pierce through his exterior and reach his heart.

This gaze lasted for a long, long time, until Lin Xiuyuan felt a bit creeped out and chuckled, at which point Quan Baolan slowly withdrew her gaze, lowered her head, sighed inaudibly, and uttered a sentiment tinged with philosophy and melancholy.

"Xiuyuan, why do you think there has to be a distinction between men and women in this world? Perhaps it's just to prove one concept."

"What is it?" Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback by her jumping train of thought.

"That is————"

Quan Baolan raised her head, her eyes somewhat unfocused, as if speaking to Lin Xiuyuan and also to herself.

"No matter how intimate and long-lasting a friendship or relationship is established between girls, as long as they encounter that 'right' person of the opposite sex, even if they've only known each other for a short time, or perhaps it's just a chance meeting, that attraction and connection between the opposite sexes can directly override and shake the very fortresses built before."

"It's too unfair, too despairing."

This argument, carrying obvious personal emotion and observation, plus a bit of idealism, made Lin Xiuyuan raise an eyebrow.

He quickly waved his hands to show he couldn't handle it. "Stop, stop, stop, Baolan-i, you've raised the topic too high, it's too idealistic, too philosophical, I can't keep up. Shall we change to a more grounded topic?"

Distracted by his joking, Quan Baolan also snapped out of that inexplicable melancholy, couldn't help but be amused, and teased him following his lead.

"Then, Xiuyuan, doesn't what you just said mean you're indirectly admitting that there really is a special relationship between you and Jiyeon?"

Just as Lin Xiuyuan opened his mouth, intending to use his usual linguistic art to brush it off.

The phone placed on the counter suddenly lit up, and the message notification sound rang crisply.

This interruption made Lin Xiuyuan swallow the words that had reached his lips and look down at the screen.

And that familiar nickname and avatar made an expression of both helplessness and amusement appear on his face.

So he picked up the phone, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and opened the message.

The next second, Quan Baolan, who was glancing over subconsciously out of curiosity, wanting to sneak a peek.

In the blink of an eye, she saw Lin Xiuyuan suddenly extend his arm, almost shoving the phone screen directly in front of her eyes, making it impossible for her not to see.

On the screen, under the avatar and nickname belonging to Park Jiyeon—which she was also incredibly familiar with—a question just sent was clearly displayed.

The content was simple, crude, and filled with Park Jiyeon-style "tiger-wolf" words.

Park Jiyeon: 【Oppa, do you want to sleep with Baolan unni???】

This line of text, as if carrying the lightning still roaming the sky outside, instantly struck Quan Baolan, who was sitting inside the room.

Such a direct, such a lewd, such... shameless statement made her small head go "buzz," and her cheeks, like a thermometer thrown into boiling water, instantly turned red to the point of exploding.

Ashamed beyond words, she almost instinctively cursed under her breath, her voice trembling with shame and anger.

"Ah!!! Park Jiyeon!!! I—I really am going to beat her up!!!"

Watching Quan Baolan's reaction, as if she wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground, Lin Xiuyuan laughed unkindly.

He then withdrew his phone, his fingertips tapping rapidly on the screen to reply.

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Nonsense, go do your shopping. To compensate for the mental damage caused by your gibberish, you'll be paying for the dinner Baolan and I are having in a bit.】

Not long after the message was sent, Park Jiyeon's reply came, a string of speechless ellipses.

Park Jiyeon: 【————】

To this, Lin Xiuyuan continued typing, killing the heart.

Lin Xiuyuan: 【Don't forget, your supplementary card is still with me. (Little bear smiling. jpg)】

This time, Park Jiyeon's reply carried a thick "cuckold" atmosphere.

Park Jiyeon: 【Oppa, does this mean I'm paying for you to treat my love rival to dinner???】

Looking at Park Jiyeon's increasingly unhinged reply, mixed with jealousy and jokes, Lin Xiuyuan smiled and ignored this rowdy Little Dragon Cub.

He flipped the phone screen over and placed it face down on the table, out of sight, out of mind.

Then he quickly turned back to soothe Quan Baolan, who was completely lost in self-doubt and so embarrassed she was almost curling into a ball because of Park Jiyeon's earth-shattering question.

He was truly afraid that this "legal loli" with a rich inner life would get stuck in some strange dead end, and then it would be even harder to get closer.

After all, did he have any thoughts about Quan Baolan?

That was, of course—yes!

So petite and lovely, yet with such a contrasting sexy figure, and a personality with the unique simplicity and seriousness of a homebody—she was simply a "legal loli" perfectly grown on a specific aesthetic point; who could refuse that?

In Lin Xiuyuan's heart, the only one who could rival her in the "petite and sexy" category was perhaps only Sunny from Girls' Generation, who also possessed an amazing figure and was nicknamed "Little Sun."

As for Kim Taeyeon————

Lin Xiuyuan, who had already eaten and wiped clean, compared silently in his heart. Well, even the figure without a stitch of clothing————forget it, better not mention it for now.

A few minutes later, after Quan Baolan mechanically stuffed a few mouthfuls of food into her mouth, her spirit seemed to return just a little bit.

But the atmosphere where she could talk freely with Lin Xiuyuan, even with a bit of sharpness, had vanished.

At this moment, she seemed to have turned into a kitten that had been frightened and was curled up tightly in a corner, not daring to move easily, only daring to peek at Lin Xiuyuan from the corner of her eye.

Once their eyes met, she would immediately look away in a panic.

This appearance made Lin Xiuyuan inwardly groan with a headache.

He truly didn't expect that Park Jiyeon's overly fierce message would have such a huge impact on someone with Quan Baolan's personality, seemingly freezing the progress bar of their relationship.

Afterward, the two chatted sporadically in this slightly awkward and stagnant atmosphere until this dinner, which had had so many twists and turns, finally ended.

And after finishing the meal, Lin Xiuyuan also quickly stood up to pay the bill and truly, without any politeness, took out the supplementary card Park Jiyeon had given him to settle the account.

This action was transmitted synchronously across space to Park Jiyeon, who was in the mall.

According to the "on-site report" issued by Sulli after returning to the hotel later, Park Jiyeon, who had just finished shopping and was preparing to head home, jumped up and down at the mall entrance without any idol baggage the moment she received the bank consumption text notification.

She was just short of screaming.

That scene amused all three people who knew the inside story: Xian Enjing, Goo Hara, and Sulli.

After a while, the rain eased slightly.

It was still Lin Xiuyuan who held the umbrella to send Quan Baolan back to the dormitory.

But this time, someone had learned their lesson, deliberately holding the umbrella very low, even not hesitating to bend down slightly to accommodate Quan Baolan's height.

Therefore, when Lin Xiuyuan safely delivered Quan Baolan to the door of the dormitory rented by their team.

Except for the shoes and pant legs that were inevitably dampened by the rainwater splashing from the ground, there was no repeat of the awkward scene of being soaked from head to toe like on the way there.

Standing under the warm corridor light at the dormitory entrance, Quan Baolan very politely, and with a hint of eagerness to escape, quickly thanked and said goodbye to Lin Xiuyuan.

Then she turned around almost immediately, opened the door with her key, and like a frightened little rabbit————

"Whoosh," she darted inside and quickly closed the door.

Looking at the tightly closed door, Lin Xiuyuan at the entrance smiled helplessly and shook his head.

His gaze then involuntarily lifted, moving to a window on the second floor of this small building that was lit with warm yellow light.

He saw a tall and slender figure standing behind the window, looking down at him from above.

It was Li Juli from 2013.

Their gazes met across the rainy night.

There was no special expression on Lin Xiuyuan's face; he just nodded slightly toward Li Juli upstairs, counting as a greeting.

Li Juli behind the window seemed stunned for a moment, then also returned a slight nod as a matter of etiquette.

After receiving the response, Lin Xiuyuan didn't linger.

He turned around, holding the umbrella, and stepped into the curtain of rain, walking toward the hotel where he was staying next door.

Leaving only Li Juli on the second floor, looking at Lin Xiuyuan's gradually receding back through the hazy rain-streaked window, her mind filled with huge question marks.

No, isn't this the "big dish" that Jiyeon has her eye on and is guarding against?

How did he get involved with Baolan in just one night???

And personally sent her home???

What on earth is going on???

On the other side, Lin Xiuyuan, who had returned to the hotel room, still had a smile on his face from being amused by Quan Baolan's embarrassed appearance, as well as a trace of indescribable agitation stirred up by Park Jiyeon's messages.

So he immediately opened the Time Gate, and in a few steps, stepped into the apartment of the Little Dragon Cub, which was decorated in a fashionable way and carried a bit of her personal style.

Only an ambient floor lamp was lit in the living room. The Little Dragon Cub, who had woken up after taking a nap in the afternoon, was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, holding a tablet computer, seemingly browsing something.

Hearing the movement, she looked up in surprise, saw Lin Xiuyuan walking out, an expression of confusion mixed with a bit of surprise appeared on her face, and then she opened her mouth————

But Lin Xiuyuan didn't give her a chance to ask any questions.

He strode to the sofa, and before the Little Dragon Cub could react, he bent down, one hand passing through the back of her knees, the other wrapping around her back.

With a very standard princess carry, he easily lifted the petite body, which seemed more plump and mature compared to 2013, horizontally.

"Ah~ Xiuyuan, what are you doing————"

The Little Dragon Cub, who was carried up, let out a short exclamation, and the tablet computer slipped directly from her hand.

Then she subconsciously wrapped her arms around Lin Xiuyuan's neck, her eyes filled with genuine surprise and a trace of panic from being suddenly attacked.

However, Lin Xiuyuan looked down at the petite body in his arms, which had the same face as the green and jumpy Park Jiyeon of 2013, but a completely different temperament.

He didn't explain much, just carried her straight toward the master bedroom.

"Xiuyuan, what's wrong? Did Jiyeon make you angry? Did that little brat cause trouble again?" The Little Dragon Cub was somewhat flustered by his silent and forceful action, and couldn't help but ask repeatedly, many possibilities flashing through her mind instantly.

However, Lin Xiuyuan still didn't answer.

After walking into the bedroom, he gently closed the door with his heel, and then carefully placed the Little Dragon Cub on the large, soft bed.

The moonlight outside the window spilled in through the gap in the curtains that hadn't been drawn tight, outlining the silhouette of the person on the bed, who was suspicious and uncertain but also contained a trace of secret anticipation.

Immediately after, without waiting for the Little Dragon Cub to ask again, Lin Xiuyuan leaned down and sealed all her unspoken words with his mouth.

"Mmph ah————"

Even the Little Dragon Cub, who had been prepared, couldn't help but widen her eyes a bit during the experience.

But soon, that initial surprise and confusion, under Lin Xiuyuan's somewhat impatient, even slightly accusatory offensive————

Gradually dissipated and melted.

Replaced by an emotion mixed with surprise and joy.

And she began to respond to everything familiarly and enthusiastically.

Her arms wrapped tightly around Lin Xiuyuan's neck, as if wanting to knead him into her own body.

In the dim bedroom, soon only the sound of gradually deepening and heavy breathing remained.

And the rustling sound of clothing friction.

And the Little Dragon Cub's occasional uncontrollable, trembling, subtle cries, which sounded both like enduring pain and like a cat enjoying a caress.

Actually, she had vaguely guessed that Lin Xiuyuan's sudden impulse was very likely related to Park Jiyeon on the 2013 side.

But the Little Dragon Cub didn't mind.

On the contrary, she used a mature and tolerant posture, with a subtle mood of being a "substitute," willingly————

It could even be said that she was passionately and silently undertaking and resolving the war and storm spreading from another time and space.

However, Park Jiyeon, who was in Tokyo in 2013 and walking on the road to the dormitory with Xian Enjing and others, was completely unaware of all this plot and intense battle.

At this moment, she was holding Xian Enjing's arm, gesturing exaggeratedly with her other hand, her little mouth pouting high.

Using her unique, slightly milky tone, she complained endlessly to Xian Enjing, Goo Hara, and Sulli beside her.

Every now and then, she would say "love rival," but more of the resentment was erupted toward that "old woman" in 2025.

Raindrops tapped on the umbrella, making a pitter-patter sound, as if accompanying her complaints full of jealousy.

And far away in 2025, that "old woman" she was scolding was currently experiencing a hearty and thorough war caused by her.

Bearing everything for her, and also enjoying everything she didn't know about. ===== CHAPTER 305 =====