Chapter 342: Unnie, you can't cut off the path of future generations!!!

In the living room of his own apartment.

Dalongzai asked Park Hyomin with some curiosity, "Unnie, how come I haven't heard you say you like Tuscany before? I've never seen you talk about it."

And in Dalongzai's geographical knowledge base, his impression of this Tuscany in Italy couldn't be called profound; one could practically say he didn't know it at all.

After all, this place is nowhere near as world-renowned as Rome or Venice; it seemed like he had vaguely heard of it in some movie or picture book.

But what it was actually like, he had no concept at all. Reading novels, choose Tiantian Novel, ttkw. tw, super worry-free.

It wasn't until everyone had an urgent discussion last night that Lin Xiuyuan casually picked a destination from a travel recommendation that sounded artistic, very suitable for taking photos, but relatively niche.

Just as Dalongzai was recalling the situation from last night, Park Hyomin's voice on the other end of the phone sounded again, carrying a hint of excitement.

"Tuscany is a large region in central Italy, it's Florence, that city with many Renaissance artworks, didn't I tell you guys before? I've long wanted to take a trip to the countryside of Tuscany. I saw it in videos online; there are rolling hills, ancient manors, and stretches of vineyards and olive groves. The scenery is as beautiful as a postcard."

The more Park Hyomin talked, the more she felt this choice was good, and she even started to look forward to it a bit, "And there are few people, it's quiet, you won't be disturbed, it's very suitable for relaxing and taking photos."

So she confirmed again, "Zhiyan, then when are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow. I'm looking at flight tickets right now. Right now, I'm just confirming your situation. Unnie, just get your passport ready."

"Alright, then I'll wait for your news." After Park Hyomin hung up the phone, she looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes still lingering with a yearning for Tuscany and a faint trace of excitement.

Then she got up and walked to the laptop nearby, opened the computer, and started typing "Toscana" into the search engine.

""

She was going to make a travel plan.

When Dalongzai finished dealing with Park Hyomin, Lin Xiuyuan finally finished checking the itinerary with Jessica in Shanghai, although most of the time seemed to be occupied by other things.

He returned to the villa in Seoul through the Anywhere Door.

In the villa, Krystal was sitting in the living room drinking coffee while using a tablet to communicate with the team manager about the upcoming vacation schedule, her tone efficient.

Xueli and Goo Hara were sitting to the side, whispering about something.

Seeing Lin Xiuyuan return, Krystal raised her eyes and glanced at him, the corners of her mouth curling slightly, but she didn't say much, only signaling toward Xueli and Goo Hara nearby with her eyes.

Lin Xiuyuan understood tacitly, waved at the two of them, and quietly sent Goo Hara back to her new home in Tokyo in 2013.

Then he looked at Xueli and said softly, "Zhenli, are you going back to the apartment or staying here a while longer?"

"I'll go back to the apartment. Xiujing is busy, so I won't disturb her," Xueli replied.

More importantly, that apartment from 2013 felt more like a little home shared with Lin Xiuyuan to her, so she had an inexplicable sense of belonging.

"Okay." Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then mouthed "See you tomorrow" to Krystal, and took Xueli back to that familiar apartment in Seoul in 2013.

The apartment here was all as it had been, and in this afternoon hour, it was permeated with a tranquil atmosphere.

And as soon as she stepped into the living room, Xueli habitually walked quickly to the coffee table and picked up the two mobile phones placed side-by-side to check them.

One was hers, one was Lin Xiuyuan's.

"Oppa~" Soon, Xueli, who had raised her head, handed Lin Xiuyuan's phone over, her tone carrying a hint of reporting, "Xiuyan Unnie is looking for you. She started calling several times this morning, and there are quite a few Kakao messages. Take a look."

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan was walking toward the refrigerator in the kitchen area, taking out two bottles of mineral water from inside.

Then he twisted one open, handed it to Xueli who had followed him, and only then took his own phone.

Looking at the missed calls on the screen, he unlocked the phone and clicked on Kakao, looking at the messages from Lin Xiaolu, Xian Enjing, Park Zhiyan, and others, in addition to Zheng Xiuyan's messages.

Afterward, he tilted his head back and drank a few mouthfuls of water to moisten his throat, then slid his finger to call Zheng Xiuyan back.

He held the phone to his ear, continuing to drink water in small sips while waiting for it to connect.

"Beep————beep————"

After a long period of busy signals, the call was finally answered slowly.

However, the first thing that reached Lin Xiuyuan's ears was not Zheng Xiuyan's voice, but a chaotic background sound.

Enthusiastic cheers, music with a strong rhythm, and faint screams and clamor were intertwined, appearing very lively.

Clearly, the person on the other end of the phone was not in a quiet company or waiting room at this moment, but at some event schedule, very likely at a commercial performance, fan meeting, or the scene of a public event.

After a few seconds, Zheng Xiuyan's voice came through the noise, her tone slightly higher than usual, as if she needed to raise her volume to let the person on this side of the phone hear clearly.

"Xiuyuan?? You finally called back. Are you done with your business??"

Lin Xiuyuan walked to the sofa and sat down, smiling as he replied, "Just finished. I'm back at the apartment now, and I'll be here all night. And listening to your background noise, you don't seem to have time right now? Why don't you focus on work first, and we can talk later when the event is over?"

Zheng Xiuyan on the other end of the phone was currently in the atrium of a large shopping mall.

The temporarily erected stage was surrounded by enthusiastic fans, and flashlights were flashing non-stop.

Standing in the relatively rear temporary tent area, she was surrounded by busy staff and other artists waiting to go on stage; the environment was indeed noisy and chaotic.

Then she glanced at the dark crowd and flashing light boards outside, and looked at the figures squeezing around her, also feeling it wasn't a good time to talk.

So she readily agreed to Lin Xiuyuan's suggestion, "Fine."

But she didn't forget to urge him, her tone carrying a hint of unquestionable checking-up, "Then I'll call you when I'm done later. Don't go running around; I really have something to find you for."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan laughed, and promised quite readily, "Got it, not running. I came over just to work. You focus on your work first, stay safe."

"Mm~"

After hanging up the phone with Zheng Xiuyan, Lin Xiuyuan's fingers danced quickly on the phone screen, clicking open the Kakao chat box with "Lin Xiaolu".

He edited a very short message and clicked send.

The content was only three words: 【See you tonight.】

No extra explanation, but they understood each other implicitly.

So the person on the other side quickly replied with a cute "OK" emoji, clearly also understanding his meaning.

After arranging the exercise for the evening, Lin Xiuyuan finally relaxed, his body sinking into the soft sofa.

He clicked on the private group 【Jieyou Small Garden】, started chatting with Park Zhiyan and the others who were on standby, joking around, and enjoying this moment of relaxation.

On the other side, Xueli had also already contacted Zheng Xiujing through INS and was finalizing the dinner arrangements for tonight.

So when Xueli saw Lin Xiuyuan finish his call, she looked at him and asked, "Oppa, Xiujing said she wants to treat us to dinner tonight."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan raised his head from the phone screen and nodded, "Sure, she dares to see me now?"

"But let her change it up; don't let it be Ginseng Chicken Soup, Army Stew, or Korean BBQ again. It's really getting a bit tiresome to eat. Tell her to activate her gourmet radar and find some good restaurants or creative dishes, anything works."

Xueli laughed as soon as she heard this, sticking out her tongue, "Oppa, I wouldn't dare say that to her. Why don't you do it yourself?"

As she spoke, she naturally handed her phone to Lin Xiuyuan, the screen currently resting on the chat interface with Zheng Xiujing.

Lin Xiuyuan didn't fuss; he took the phone, pressed the voice button, and repeated what he had just said in that matter-of-fact tone.

As the voice message was sent, the other side replied with a voice message almost instantly.

Tapping to play it, Zheng Xiujing's crisp and slightly annoyed voice immediately came from the phone, consisting of only four words: 【Take it or leave it.】

This simple and blunt reply made both Lin Xiuyuan and Xueli burst into laughter.

Lin Xiuyuan laughed while handing the phone back to Xueli, then stood up from the sofa and stretched his body, "Alright, Zhenli, I'm going into the room to nap for a while. Call me when it's time to go out later."

Xueli took the phone and, seeing the genuine trace of fatigue between Lin Xiuyuan's brows, asked with subconscious concern, "Oppa~ you wouldn't happen to have been drained dry by Jessica unnie again, would you?"

Once the words were out, she felt it was a bit too blunt and her face flushed slightly.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had already reached the bedroom door, paused abruptly, turned his head, and looked at Xueli with a speechless expression.

Xueli felt a bit guilty under his gaze and hurriedly squeezed out what she considered her cutest, most innocent, and radiant smile, attempting to charm her way out of it.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at her like that, truly caught between laughter and tears, and in the end, could only helplessly drop a "Nonsense!"

Then he turned and entered the bedroom, closed the door, and went to catch up on sleep.

Leaving Xueli sitting on the living room sofa in silence for a long while, she then pouted in frustration, picked up her phone again, and began chatting in a soft voice with Zheng Xiujing about the various interesting things and gossip that had happened over these past few days.

Lin Xiuyuan's sleep in the room was quite sound.

Perhaps it was because he had been maneuvering between several beautiful bodies over the past few days, which had indeed exhausted his spirit.

Or perhaps it was because the familiar atmosphere in this bedroom made him exceptionally relaxed.

So when he was awakened by the knocking on the door, the sky outside the window had long since shifted from a bright afternoon to the quiet arrival of night.

As the lights began to twinkle, Seoul's nightlife was about to begin.

"Oppa, wake up, time to get up!" Xueli's voice came from outside the door.

The awakened Lin Xiuyuan responded groggily, "Up, I'm up—"

Immediately following, Xueli's voice came with a hint of urgency, "Oppa, hurry up, Xiujing just messaged that she's almost at the restaurant. If we don't leave now, we'll be way too late."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan finally woke up completely.

He stretched a big yawn, and after his bones let out a slight crackling sound, he threw off the quilt, got up, and walked over to open the bedroom door.

Xueli outside the door had already changed into her outdoor clothes and applied light makeup, looking fresh and lovely.

When she saw Lin Xiuyuan with his hair sticking up and his sleepy-eyed look, she hurriedly pushed him toward the bathroom, "Oppa~ go wash your face and perk up, I'll go make you a cup of coffee to refresh yourself!"

A few minutes later, Lin Xiuyuan, having thoroughly washed away his sleepiness with cold water, walked out while wiping his face with a towel.

He had also changed his loungewear into a comfortable cotton hoodie and casual pants, with a thin jacket draped casually over the outside.

Xueli had already prepared a cup of coffee at the perfect temperature, specially adjusted to his taste.

The ratio of milk to sugar was just right; it wasn't too bitter and had a very distinct character.

"Let's go." Lin Xiuyuan took the milk coffee and took a sip; the warm, mellow liquid went down his throat, and his spirits were instantly lifted.

After leaving the Apartment, the two went downstairs and got into the car.

Once Xueli set the navigation for the restaurant address, the car finally slowly merged into the night traffic of Seoul.

"Zhenli, what are we actually eating later? Where did you guys finally decide on?"

In the driver's seat, Lin Xiuyuan took another sip of coffee and asked curiously.

"It's an Italian restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, specializing in Pizza and handmade pasta." Xueli said while looking at the traffic outside, "Xiujing said their signature pizza and pasta, as well as the steak and some 'White Cut Pig Trotter' are all quite delicious and highly rated."

"Italian food, huh—that's fine." Lin Xiuyuan nodded, indicating he could accept it, "It's better than having Ginseng Chicken Soup or Korean BBQ again; at least pizza and pasta count as a change of pace."

Under the clear guidance of the navigation, the car soon arrived at this restaurant located in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo District.

The streets were lined with various exquisite cafes, restaurants, and small shops, creating a leisurely and artistic atmosphere.

Lin Xiuyuan, holding the steering wheel, found a Parking Space on the side of the road and parked the car neatly.

Before getting out of the car, Xueli skillfully put on a baseball cap and a mask, performing a simple disguise.

The two walked one after the other for a short few dozen meters and arrived at the entrance of the low-key but stylish Italian restaurant.

Because Zheng Xiujing had already booked a private room, Lin Xiuyuan and Xueli gave the reservation name to the waiter at the door and were immediately politely guided by a server, passing through the slightly noisy lobby area to the entrance of a relatively quiet private room inside.

The server knocked on the door lightly and then opened it for the two.

The private room behind the door was not large, but it was decorated in a warm and elegant manner.

Under the warm yellow light, Zheng Xiujing was already sitting in her seat, wearing an off-white knit sweater, her long hair draped softly over her shoulders, her makeup light, and she was looking down at her phone.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, she looked up, and seeing the two who had entered, a trace of complaint immediately appeared in her beautiful eyes.

"You guys are so late, I've been waiting for a long time. If you didn't come soon, I was going to pack up and leave."

"It's all Oppa's fault, he overslept." Xueli shifted this little blame onto Lin Xiuyuan beside her without any psychological pressure, then sat down in the seat next to Zheng Xiujing with a giggle.

As for Lin Xiuyuan, who had been named, he walked in unhurriedly and sat down in the seat opposite Zheng Xiujing.

Facing this accusation, not only did he not defend himself, but he looked calm and even said in a righteous tone, "Do you think I'm as free as you are at all times? I'm busy, and I'm exhausted, okay?"

This "rebellious" answer made Zheng Xiujing, who had just rushed over from the GG filming set, widen her eyes instantly, wearing an expression that said, "You are shameless."

And Xueli, who was beside them, was amused by this divine retort and burst into loud laughter.

After looking at Lin Xiuyuan speechlessly for a few seconds, Zheng Xiujing finally gave up on competing with his thick skin and just gave him a roll of her eyes.

Then she pushed the order she had already placed and a menu toward him, "I'm too lazy to argue with you. I ordered a few of the signature dishes here when I arrived. See if there's anything else you want to eat; add it yourself if you do."

Lin Xiuyuan took it and flipped through it casually, discovering that Zheng Xiujing had basically ordered all the restaurant's signatures, so he nodded, "That's enough, no need to add more. It's a waste if we order too much and can't finish it."

Because Zheng Xiujing had ordered the meal in advance, the waiter began serving the dishes in an orderly fashion shortly after Lin Xiuyuan and Xueli were seated.

Dish after dish of exquisitely plated delicacies were brought to the table.

From the thin-crust pizza covered in ham and arugula that smelled fragrant, to the handmade pasta with different sauces that looked chewy and tempting.

And there was that steak, seared on the outside and tender within, sizzling away, and the refreshing ham and melon salad.

Finally, there was the sliced pig's trotter, served with a special sauce, looking exceptionally tempting.

Soon, the round table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes, enough to make one's mouth water.

"Let's eat, I'm starving." Lin Xiuyuan was the first to pick up his knife and fork, aiming for that steak which looked so full of juices.

Following his lead, the three of them began to enjoy the food, the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant.

Zheng Xiujing and Xueli chatted about their recent lives, while Lin Xiuyuan focused on tasting the food, occasionally chiming in.

As they ate, Zheng Xiujing suddenly seemed to remember something, looked at Lin Xiuyuan, and asked, "By the way, Lin Xiuyuan, when are you free lately?"

"Hmm?" Lin Xiuyuan, who was focused on cutting a piece of the sliced pig's trotter, looked up, somewhat puzzled. "What's wrong? Why ask this suddenly?"

Zheng Xiujing pursed her lips, seemingly organizing her thoughts. "It's about the house. Didn't that woman tell me about buying a house in Shizuoka Prefecture through Hela unnie's phone yesterday? When are you free? Shall we go take a look together?"

It turned out that the highly proactive Krystal, after proposing the idea of Zheng Xiujing "minting coins" at the garden tea party last night, had seized the moment, asked Goo Hara for her phone on the spot, and contacted Zheng Xiujing directly via Kakao to bring it up.

At first, when Zheng Xiujing received the message, she saw Goo Hara's profile picture and name, but the tone and content were completely unlike her, so she was a bit confused, thinking Goo Hara's account had been hacked or she was joking.

Once she realized it was Krystal on the other end, she was a bit annoyed at first and immediately retorted, feeling that the other party was trying to extort her.

But as Krystal laid out a series of seemingly high-sounding and somewhat logical arguments like "membership fees," "bases," and "contributions and investments," Zheng Xiujing was left speechless.

The end result was that she didn't sleep well last night; she actually got up and searched online for hot spring villas in the Shizuoka Prefecture area, as well as some information on detached houses.

Seeing that Lin Xiuyuan was busy dealing with that piece of pig's trotter and didn't answer immediately, Xueli helped explain from the side, "Xiujing, oppa probably won't have much free time during this period."

"Why?" Zheng Xiujing asked, her brows slightly furrowed.

"He has to go to Europe with the other unnies," Xueli said. "It's like a business trip, inspecting new bases. He'll probably be gone for a while."

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan finally swallowed his food and picked up his water glass to take a sip. "That's right. It will probably take a while after I get back. As for the matter of buying a house in Shizuoka—"

He looked at Zheng Xiujing and Xueli and suggested, "How about you two, plus Hela, the three of you go take a look first? I trust your taste anyway. Just pick something suitable and take some photos and videos to show me the environment. As long as you think it's good, just settle it. I don't have many requirements."

After all, when it comes to buying a house, sometimes the first impression and the feeling on-site are very important; it doesn't necessarily require him to make the trip himself.

However, after hearing this, Zheng Xiujing lowered her head slightly, unconsciously poking at the food on her plate with her fork, and muttered softly, "Forget it, let's talk about it later."

It was impossible to tell from her tone whether it was disappointment or some other emotion.

Because what she had in mind was not just looking at houses; more than anything, she wanted to find an excuse to be alone with Lin Xiuyuan.

Looking closely, it seemed she hadn't had any time alone with Lin Xiuyuan to this day.

And the process of house-hunting, choosing a location, and discussing it itself carried a subtle implication of building a future, which made Zheng Xiujing feel conflicted; she didn't want to go for the first time alone or with others.

Xueli, who keenly sensed this subtle change in Zheng Xiujing's mood, glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, who was buried in his food, smiled inwardly, and then understandingly picked up the conversation.

"It's okay, oppa. Anyway, the house thing isn't urgent; good houses in Shizuoka won't grow legs and run away. We'll wait for you to come back, and then we can go look together. Right, Xiujing?"

After she finished speaking, she didn't forget to wink at Zheng Xiujing, who guiltily avoided her gaze.

Only Lin Xiuyuan seemed to truly believe they were respecting his "final decision-making power," so he replied, "Alright then, let's wait. After I return from Europe, I'll make time to go look together; it's not urgent anyway."

As soon as his words fell, the corners of Zheng Xiujing's mouth twitched imperceptibly, seemingly a little dissatisfied with this answer, but she didn't say anything else.

Afterwards, the three continued their meal, and the topic shifted to other matters.

After a while, the phone Lin Xiuyuan had placed on the table vibrated, the screen lit up, and the caller ID was clearly Zheng Xiuyan from here.

Seeing this call, he figured the other party's activity must have ended, so Lin Xiuyuan picked up the phone and answered, "Hello, Xiuyan, finished with your work?"

The background noise on the other end of the phone was much quieter, and Zheng Xiuyan's voice came through clearly, "Mm, just got back to the car.

Where are you? Give me an address, I'll come find you now."

Hearing the urgency in her tone to see him, Lin Xiuyuan very straightforwardly gave the name of the restaurant, "I'm here in Yeonnam-dong. Zhenli and Xiujing are here too; it's perfect for you to come over and have something to eat."

"Xiujing and Xueli?" Zheng Xiuyan's tone sounded a bit surprised, but she didn't ask further. "Alright, I'm not far from Yeonnam-dong, see you in a bit."

About ten minutes later, the door to the private room was politely knocked on by a waiter and pushed open.

Having just finished her schedule, Zheng Xiuyan appeared at the door, still wearing exquisite full makeup, and even though she had changed into casual clothes, she was still full of star power.

Her gaze immediately caught the three people in the room, then swept over Xueli and Zheng Xiujing, and finally locked precisely onto Lin Xiuyuan.

This time, she didn't greet Zheng Xiujing and Xueli as she usually did, but walked straight up to Lin Xiuyuan, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

With an expression of holding him accountable on her face, she asked directly, "Lin Xiuyuan! I'm asking you, did you take her to my Apartment?!"

This sudden interrogation, while not harsh in tone, carried obvious tension and dissatisfaction, giving Lin Xiuyuan, who was drinking water, a start.

He hurriedly put down his cup, looked up at Zheng Xiuyan with an innocent face, and skillfully activated his triple-denial combo, "I didn't, Xiuyan, don't talk nonsense. When did I ever take her to your Apartment?"

Of course, he knew who the "her" in Zheng Xiuyan's words referred to.

"I'm talking nonsense?"

Hearing the reply, Zheng Xiuyan let out a cold snort, clearly prepared.

She then took out her phone, swiped her fingers quickly, and flashed the screen in front of Lin Xiuyuan, which displayed the interface of a certain Smart Home App.

"Look at this. My newly installed Smart Air Conditioner sent a notification to my phone that it was turned on and the lights were triggered. The time is exactly this noon. You tell me, did it run into a ghost, or did someone go to my place, turn on the lights, and then turn on the air conditioner?"

It turned out that ever since the last "Double J meeting," Zheng Xiuyan had been more cautious.

So this time, upon returning to Seoul, she specifically bought a Smart Air Conditioner that could connect to a phone app to monitor its on/off status, and had it installed in her Apartment.

As long as the air conditioner was turned on, or if it sensed that the indoor lights had been turned on, it would trigger a chain reaction, and the app would push a notification to her phone.

Compared to the products from the '25 side, this wasn't exactly high-tech security, but for Zheng Xiuyan, it was enough to monitor whether anyone was "illegally trespassing" in her private space.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at the clear push record on her phone screen; the time indeed matched when he had gone there at noon, so he was momentarily speechless and grinned awkwardly.

But he quickly calmed down and explained earnestly, "Xiuyan, listen to me. I did go to your Apartment this afternoon, but it was just to pick up some things. She really didn't go there; I can swear to that, really."

Lin Xiuyuan raised his hand, trying his best to make his expression look incredibly sincere.

"Really?" Zheng Xiuyan narrowed those beautiful eyes, her gaze sharp, as if she wanted to see through Lin Xiuyuan's eyes into his heart; clearly, she wasn't so easily convinced.

She then took another step forward, almost pressing against Lin Xiuyuan, who was sitting in the chair, her presence imposing.

Lin Xiuyuan felt a bit unnerved by her gaze, but he still bit the bullet and raised three fingers in a vow. "Really! It's the absolute truth! If I took her there, then let me—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Zheng Xiuyan cut in abruptly, her tone fast and sharp, "Let you what? If you're lying, let your J be a segment shorter???"

"Pfft—"

Sulli, who was drinking juice, sprayed it out directly, fortunately turning her head toward the floor just in time.

Zheng Xiujing also choked suddenly and began to cough violently, her face flushed red.

Lin Xiuyuan was even more stunned by this sudden, incomparably vicious curse, his mouth hanging open.

The second half of the oath was stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single word, and the expression on his face was extremely spectacular.

"Unnie!!!" Sulli, who had finally stopped coughing, still had a red face as she hurriedly reached out to pull Zheng Xiuyan's arm, her voice both shy and urgent, "Calm down, don't just say anything."

Unnie, you yourself are full, you've eaten, but you can't cut off the path for those who come after like this!!!

Zheng Xiujing, beside them, also hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth, wanting to speak but feeling a bit ashamed.

And as Sulli spoke, Zheng Xiuyan also realized that this curse was indeed a bit too harsh.

Although she subconsciously felt in her heart that even if it were really a bit shorter, it would probably, perhaps, maybe still be enough.

But for this kind of thing, what woman would complain about it being long? Right?

So a flash of imperceptible, embarrassed crimson first crossed her face, but it was quickly covered up by a more aggressive attitude.

In order to cover up her previous slip of the tongue, and also to continue to maintain the initiative, she straightened her face again and stared intensely at Lin Xiuyuan, "Lin Xiuyuan, you just said she didn't go over, it was just you who went over to get things, right?"

Then she threw out the key question, "Then tell me, what did you go to my Apartment to get? Hmm? You had better be able to round out this lie for me."

Being questioned so directly, a clear look of embarrassment appeared on Lin Xiuyuan's face, his eyes shifted, and he subconsciously glanced at Zheng Xiujing and Sulli, who were waiting to eat melons on the side.

His lips moved, seeming to feel that it was inappropriate to say this in front of them.

But Zheng Xiuyan, whose anger had not yet completely subsided, didn't care about that. Seeing Lin Xiuyuan's hesitant appearance, the suspicion in her heart grew heavier, "What is there that they can't hear? Speak, hurry up, don't think you can fool me."

Seeing Zheng Xiuyan pressing step by step and the atmosphere becoming tense again, Lin Xiuyuan, knowing he couldn't hide today, sighed and simply gave up the struggle.

He answered in that embarrassed voice, "I, I just went over to get a few sets of your clothes, um, and stage outfits."

As his voice fell, the private room instantly fell into a strange silence.

The expression on Zheng Xiuyan's face went from aggressive questioning to momentary blankness, then to extreme shock and embarrassment after understanding the meaning, and finally, it froze completely.

Those beautiful eyes were wide open, her mouth slightly agape, as if she had heard something unbelievable.

She never expected this answer!

Took her clothes? And stage outfits? What is he trying to do? This feels even more complicated for her than bringing that woman over.

And Zheng Xiujing and Sulli, beside them, after their initial daze, sucked in a breath of cold air in unison, then quickly exchanged a glance, both seeing incomparable shock and burning gossip fire in each other's eyes.

The two girls' small hands were tightly clasped together under the table, their fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

A rosy glow also quickly flew onto their faces, their eyes flickering, obviously their minds had already uncontrollably started to wildly imagine some very restricted, very shameful, very perverted dynamic scenes about where those clothes might be used.

This is too explosive, more stimulating than any plot they had imagined!!!

After a long while, Zheng Xiuyan finally managed to recover a trace of consciousness from her petrified state.

Then, with incomparably complex emotions, she glared fiercely at Lin Xiuyuan; that look contained shame, disbelief, and a trace of secret agitation.

Then she took a deep breath and asked the most critical question, "Whose idea? Was it her idea, or your own thought?"

"Cough, cough—"

Lin Xiuyuan, who didn't seem to expect Zheng Xiuyan to pursue the matter to this extent, coughed tactically twice more, his eyes drifting, trying to muddle through.

Having this kind of play and fetish exposed on the spot was truly social death; if the two audience members next door weren't members of his own Church, he wouldn't have opened his mouth.

However, Zheng Xiuyan clearly didn't intend to let him off easily. Seeing Lin Xiuyuan's eyes still flickering, she immediately adopted physical persuasion.

A small, fair, and tender hand slid down very naturally, precisely finding that piece of soft flesh on Lin Xiuyuan's waist, and two slender but powerful fingers had already pinched a small piece of skin, twisting it lightly with a threatening meaning.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: dare not to tell the truth, or dare to prevaricate, and the next second I'll let you taste what is called

"affectionate pain."

Accompanied by the subtle pain coming from his waist and the clear threat, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't help but stiffen all over; he had no doubt that Zheng Xiuyan would really strike hard.

So, between social death and physical pain, he decisively chose the former, "Uh, if I say it was my idea, Xiuyan, how would you feel?"

Hearing this answer, the force of the fingers Zheng Xiuyan was using to pinch the soft flesh on his waist loosened involuntarily by a few degrees.

Then she quickly withdrew her small hand, while simultaneously giving Lin Xiuyuan a charming, coquettish eye-roll.

That look was less like anger and more like an inability to refute after being shamed to the extreme.

Then she turned away, no longer facing Lin Xiuyuan, and even sat down on the empty chair beside her, putting on a calm posture, and threw out a sentence in a tone that sounded very disgusted, but upon closer inspection, had a hint of subtle approval.

"I think your taste is actually quite good, it's just that your ideas are a bit perverted."

With Zheng Xiuyan's final verdict, the tense atmosphere at the dining table finally dissipated completely, replaced by a subtle atmosphere mixed with embarrassment, amusement, and a strong scent of gossip.

Especially Sulli, seeing the crisis resolved, immediately returned to her lively nature, and even added with a laugh while kicking a man when he's down, "Xiuyan Unnie, you're putting it too lightly! Oppa has so many fetishes, and he even likes married women, isn't that even more perverted?"

"Oh?" At this moment, Zheng Xiuyan needed to shift her attention to relieve her own embarrassment.

So, upon hearing this, she immediately turned her head to look at Sulli, her beautiful eyebrows slightly raised, and teased this younger sister a little with a slightly playful tone, "Then you still like him? It seems our Xueqiu's taste is also quite special, huh?"

"I—Unnie!!!" Sulli didn't expect the fire to burn on herself, and being countered by Zheng Xiuyan, she was suddenly speechless.

And Zheng Xiujing, sitting on the other side, had been lost in her own thoughts since she heard the topic just now.

Looking at the farce in front of her, a very practical thought uncontrollably popped into her mind: that is, after going back, she must properly tidy up those special clothes of hers.

Especially the stage outfits, performance costumes, and those more sexy designer private clothes—

Heaven knows if she might need them someday.

After this thrilling little interlude, the four people were finally gathered at the dining table, and the atmosphere quickly became lively again.

As dinner ended and they left the restaurant, Zheng Xiuyan very naturally got into Zheng Xiujing's car, letting her drop her off at home on the way.

However, before preparing to get in the car, Zheng Xiuyan still didn't forget to issue a final warning to Lin Xiuyuan.

"Xiuyuan, you are not allowed to have any more of those messy, crooked ideas, do you hear me?"

Lin Xiuyuan immediately nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, "Heard it, heard it! Guaranteed not to! Xiuyan, be careful on the road, get some rest early!"

"If you really like it, I'll play with you next time."

After whispering this sentence very softly into Lin Xiuyuan's ear, Zheng Xiuyan quickly turned around, returned to the car, and closed the door.

Watching the car drive away, Lin Xiuyuan, still savoring that sentence just now, smiled with great anticipation, then turned to look at Xueli, "Let's go, we should head back too."

"Mm." Xueli nodded and followed Lin Xiuyuan into the car.

There was no conversation along the way, and the car drove steadily back to the Apartment.

After parking the car, the two went upstairs and returned to that quiet little nest.

As soon as they entered the door, Xueli changed into her slippers, but she did not go to wash up or turn on the television as she usually did.

Instead, she turned around, looked at Lin Xiuyuan, who was taking off his coat with his hands behind his back, and suddenly spoke in a light and straightforward tone, "Oppa~ who do you plan to favor tonight?"

She enunciated the two words "favor" particularly clearly, adding a playful lilt to the end, clearly teasing Lin Xiuyuan about his possible schedule for the night.

Not expecting this, Lin Xiuyuan turned his head back and looked at Xueli with a shocked expression, "What do you mean? Zhenli, am I that kind of person? Don't talk nonsense."

Watching his feigned serious look, Xueli sneered without any politeness, "Hehe~"

Then, without saying another word, she turned around and walked toward her bedroom with light steps.

When she reached the door, she didn't forget to say, "Alright, oppa, go do your thing~ I'm going to wash up and rest; I have things to do tomorrow. Goodnight~"

After saying this, she pushed open the bedroom door, her figure disappeared behind it, and she gently closed the door.

Looking at the tightly shut door of Xueli's bedroom, Lin Xiuyuan stood in the Living Room, rubbed his nose, and a sheepish smile appeared on his face.

After he suppressed his smile, his footsteps brought him to the Time Gate, and he gripped the handle to slowly open it.

He flashed over to Lin Xiaolu's Apartment.

The next day, around 10:00 AM.

2025, Seoul Incheon International Airport, inside a certain VIP lounge.

Inside the spacious and bright VIP lounge, the environment was comfortable and quiet.

Dalongzai Park Jiyeon, Li Juli, and Park Hyomin were sitting on the sofa in the rest area by the window, with drinks and snacks placed on the coffee table in front of them, but their attention was clearly not on the food.

Among them, Dalongzai seemed somewhat absent-minded, even a bit restless.

Those bright, lively eyes glanced toward the entrance of the VIP lounge from time to time, with obvious urgency on her face, clearly looking for someone's figure.

Li Juli, sitting next to her, gently touched her arm and asked in a low voice, "Jiyeon, when did Xiuyuan say he would arrive exactly?"

They were taking the 11:00 AM flight to Rome, Italy, and the time was almost up.

Dalongzai glanced at her phone, her brows slightly furrowed, "He sent a message over half an hour ago saying he had left. Coming from the Villa to the airport, he should have arrived by now if there was no traffic. Why haven't I seen him yet?"

At this time, Park Hyomin, who was sitting on the single sofa opposite, also glanced at the watch on her wrist, "Jiyeon, could that guy be standing us up?"

She had worked so hard to arrange this trip; if one of the main characters backed out at the last minute, she would really lose her temper.

Just as Park Hyomin's voice fell, and Dalongzai withdrew her gaze from the entrance in disappointment once again, her eyes suddenly fixed, and then they lit up fiercely.

A brilliant smile instantly bloomed on her face, and she raised her hand and waved vigorously toward the entrance, "Over here!

Xiuyuan! Over here!"

Seeing Dalongzai's reaction, Park Hyomin and Li Juli also immediately looked in the direction of her gaze.

They saw that at the entrance, Lin Xiuyuan's figure had finally appeared.

He was wearing a simple black T-shirt and khaki cargo pants, with a thin bomber jacket over it, walking hurriedly in their direction with an apologetic look on his face.

However, when his figure was fully reflected in Park Hyomin's eyes, she froze for a moment, and then a look of surprise appeared on her face.

Because the Lin Xiuyuan walking over was empty-handed, without any luggage.