Chapter 343: The Unparalleled

Inside the VIP lounge.

When Lin Xiuyuan walked to their location in a slight hurry and had just sat down in the empty seat next to Dalongzai, before he even had a chance to catch his breath, he was glared at by her with a look that was both reproachful and amused.

At this moment, Park Hyomin, who was sitting diagonally opposite, also looked Lin Xiuyuan up and down, keenly noticing that his overall mental state seemed slightly more drowsy than when they had last met.

So, she couldn't help but ask with a bit of teasing and concern, "Xiuyuan, did you go stealing things last night? Why do you look like you just woke up, with no energy at all?"

However, when Park Hyomin said these words, she was purely joking, thinking that he might have stayed up late playing games or was busy with other things.

"That's exactly it!!"

But Dalongzai next to him immediately laughed and added insult to injury, picking up her phone and shaking it, "Calls wouldn't go through, and messages weren't returned, leaving Juli unni and me worrying in the group chat, thinking you had stood us up."

Li Juli, who guessed that Lin Xiuyuan had likely gone back to the year 2013 to have a good time last night, couldn't bring herself to expose him, so she had to lower her head and cover her mouth to giggle.

Only Lin Xiuyuan, upon being spoken to by the three of them, felt a trace of embarrassment appear on his face, and he gave a sheepish laugh.

Because Park Hyomin had guessed correctly; he really hadn't been awake for long, or one could say he had been dragged out of a deep sleep by Sulli's phone call.

And strictly speaking, he really had gone to "steal a person" last night.

In 2013, he had a fierce sparring session with Lin Xiaolu, whom he hadn't practiced with for a long time, from technique to stamina, from the issue of who was on top to the intense back-and-forth of the battle.

They tossed and turned until the early hours before calling it a day and falling asleep in each other's arms.

If it weren't for Sulli's persistent morning phone calls, he probably would have missed his flight and ended up staging a "standing them up" scenario.

So, facing the teasing of the three beauties in front of him, he could only rub his nose and find the most ordinary yet most truthful excuse, "Ahem, sorry, I overslept; the alarm didn't seem to go off."

Although this explanation was weak, at least it sounded plausible enough.

"And you didn't even turn your phone on; that's not a good habit. What if there was an emergency?" Park Hyomin, unaware of the truth, followed up on Dalongzai's words and muttered, with a bit of concern and slight reproach typical of close friends.

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan looked helplessly at Dalongzai, one of the culprits, hoping she could help say a few words to smooth things over.

As it turned out, Dalongzai was laughing happily, in a mood of watching the fun without fearing it was too big, and had absolutely no intention of helping him out.

Instead, she blinked, wearing an expression that said, "You deserve it."

Fortunately, just as Lin Xiuyuan was struggling to cope, the airline's dedicated flight attendant walked over at the right time and politely informed them that they could board first.

Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan felt as if he had been granted an amnesty; he immediately stood up and followed Dalongzai and the others toward the boarding gate.

On the way to the jet bridge, Park Hyomin still couldn't help her curiosity and glanced at the empty-handed Lin Xiuyuan again, "Xiuyuan, are you really not bringing any luggage? We aren't going for just a day or two."

As someone who flies everywhere year-round, Park Hyomin truly couldn't understand how someone could go on an overseas trip without even a suitcase or a backpack.

Even if he didn't bring skincare products or the like, he should at least have a change of clothes.

However, Lin Xiuyuan had already prepared his excuse. Hearing this question, he explained without changing his expression, "I got up late this morning and was in too much of a rush leaving the house, so I didn't have time to pack. It's fine, I'll just buy a few things to wear when I get there; it saves the trouble of checking bags."

His tone was relaxed, and he didn't feel this was a problem at all; it was nothing more than the time it takes to open The Gate.

Li Juli, who was walking on the side, heard this and naturally followed up, "Didn't Xiujing help you pack in advance?

I remember she's quite meticulous; she even prepared snacks and drinks for you before."

"She went to the company last night to handle some things and then went straight back to her own Apartment; she didn't stay overnight at the Villa." Lin Xiuyuan answered truthfully; this was the truth.

"Oh, I see." Li Juli nodded, then said in a tone of slight regret and reproach, "Then why didn't you tell me earlier? I could have gone over to help you pack, so you wouldn't have ended up bringing nothing."

But this conversation, drifting into the ears of Park Hyomin—who was experiencing the intimate interactions of Lin Xiuyuan and the others that went beyond normal friends for the first time—was like a bolt from the blue.

Her entire brain crashed instantly; for a moment, she couldn't react and was completely stunned.

Because Li Juli's tone, and the implications regarding Krystal in her words, completely exceeded her understanding of normal relationships between male friends.

It wasn't until the three of them finished checking their tickets one by one and walked into the enclosed jet bridge connecting the terminal to the plane that Park Hyomin suddenly woke up from her massive shock.

She widened those beautiful eyes, her gaze scanning back and forth between Lin Xiuyuan and Li Juli like a searchlight, her voice slightly raised due to surprise.

"No, wait a second, Unni, what is your relationship? What did that just mean—'not together'? What did 'go over to help you' mean? Why does it sound so strange to me? I didn't understand a single word."

At this moment, she felt as if she had accidentally stumbled upon some incredible secret.

Dalongzai, walking in front, heard this and not only didn't help explain, but like a little dragon who feared the world wouldn't be chaotic enough, she deliberately slowed her pace.

Then she grabbed Lin Xiuyuan's arm, pulled him closer to her, and then reached out with her other hand to affectionately hook Li Juli's arm.

Finally, she turned her head back to look at the bewildered and shocked Park Hyomin, a bright smile with a hint of successful mischief on her face, and said in a teasing tone, "It's exactly what you're thinking, Unni~ what else could it be?"

After saying that, she held onto Lin Xiuyuan and Li Juli, and the three of them, like conjoined twins, continued to walk toward the cabin entrance, happy and laughing.

Their steps were light, as if they were performing a sweet "Burning Winter" scene.

Only Park Hyomin was left standing alone in the middle of the jet bridge, looking at the three backs linked together, completely dumbfounded.

Her brain's CPU was overloaded, left messy in the wind.

The amount of information was too much; she was completely unable to process it for the moment.

Zhiyan, Juli Unni, and Lin Xiuyuan—what is this between the three of them!!!!

A few minutes later, everyone found their seats.

Because they had booked business class and it wasn't peak season, there weren't many passengers in the cabin.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at the double seat corresponding to his ticket, then looked at the three beauties with different styles behind him, and turned his head to ask Dalongzai, "Um, who is sitting with me?"

When Dalongzai heard this, she thought he was thinking about something messy, so she smiled and raised her hand to pat his arm lightly, reproachfully, "Don't think about anything messy. The double seat behind is for Hyomin Unni and Juli Unni. Xiuyuan~ keep your little schemes in check; this isn't just anyone."

She was naturally referring to Lin Xiuyuan's "married woman" fetish that had been slandered into existence by Krystal; basically, all the members knew about it, so Dalongzai couldn't help but quickly remind him.

Don't mess around, don't be too greedy.

Then, without further ado, she pulled Lin Xiuyuan and sat down in the double seat.

Li Juli, watching this scene, also laughed, then waved at Park Hyomin, who was still in a daze, and the two of them sat in the double seat in the row behind.

Whether by coincidence or not, their business class seats were located in the front of the cabin, sharing the same space as the first-class area, separated only by a simple curtain.

At this time, there were very few passengers in the front cabin; besides the four of them, there was only a Western female passenger sitting in the corner diagonally behind, wearing headphones and reading a magazine, which was almost negligible.

The cabin lights were dimmed to a soft glow, and the roar of the engines had turned into a low background sound; the environment was private and quiet.

In this environment, if someone really wanted to do something or have a private, intimate exchange, as long as the volume was controlled properly, it would indeed be difficult for others to notice.

(Xiuyuan + Zhiyan in 5EF, Juli + Hyomin in 6EF)

Just as Lin Xiuyuan, Dalongzai, and the others successfully boarded and the plane began to taxi on the runway in preparation for takeoff, in another direction in Seoul, Lin YoonA finally sat in the passenger seat of Kim Taeyeon's car.

The car was driving steadily toward Incheon Airport, preparing to catch another flight to Switzerland.

"Unnie, how many days of leave did you ask the company for?"

After getting in the car, Lin YoonA asked naturally while fastening her seatbelt, not forgetting to share her own situation at the same time.

"I asked oppa for over a week; counting the travel time, I can play for about ten days or so, enough to have a good rest."

"About the same, me too."

Watching Kim Taeyeon ahead nod and skillfully steer the wheel into the flow of traffic, she added, "It just so happens that the recent tour, promotions, and GG are all finished. The next period is a rest phase, and the company hasn't arranged any urgent schedules."

"That's great~ Finally, I can have a good rest and don't have to get up early every day to go to the beauty salon for makeup." Hearing this, Lin YoonA relaxed her body, lay back in the comfortable seat, and let out a long, satisfied sigh, as if to exhale all the fatigue accumulated during this time.

Seeing her look so devoid of image, Kim Taeyeon couldn't help but laugh.

But soon she remembered something and asked, "By the way, YoonA, did you see the message in the group chat just now?

Zhiyan and Juli seem to be looking for Xiuyuan very urgently."

"Saw it, saw it, hahaha."

Hearing this, Lin YoonA immediately sat up a bit straighter, a smile appearing on her face, "I bet that guy Xiuyuan must have gone over there and then overslept, right? Otherwise, it's impossible that his phone wouldn't go through."

Hearing this, Kim Taeyeon also nodded with a smile, "Then YoonA, where do you guess he went last night?"

Although the question was subtle, the meaning was very clear.

"I guess?"

The questioned Lin YoonA tapped her chin with her finger, striking a thoughtful pose.

A few seconds later, her eyes curved into crescents, and she pointed at herself with her index finger, "He looked for me?"

"I think so too," Kim Taeyeon expressed agreement.

"Then it seems that silly girl Lin Xiaolu isn't that stupid after all; she still knows how to seize the opportunity."

At this, Lin YoonA raised her eyebrows slightly, her smile deepening, her tone carrying a sense of approval and satisfaction.

Kim Taeyeon glanced at her and continued to relay the recent situation of Lin Xiaolu that she had heard from Xueli.

"I heard from Xueli that YoonA's popularity over there is currently at its peak. The drama is a hit, every stop of the tour is sold out, and coupled with that increasingly beautiful and moving appearance, it's simply making other actresses and idols of the same period breathless."

As Kim Taeyeon said these words, a sense of reflected glory and happiness rose in Lin YoonA's heart.

Although these dazzling achievements were not obtained by her own hands at this very moment, she had participated in and even guided Lin Xiaolu's growth and choices throughout the process, so that sense of accomplishment was real.

And most importantly, wasn't the past self also a part of herself? Lin Xiaolu's brilliance was, in a sense, a glorious proof of another possibility in her life.

Thinking of this, Lin YoonA nodded with satisfaction again, her tone sounding matter-of-fact, "If, backed by our advanced information and experience, plus the support provided by Xiuyuan, she still couldn't achieve this, then she would truly be hopeless. After all, she is also me, unnie~ I'm not that stupid."

"Mm, Xiuyan is the same; she is developing very well." Kim Taeyeon followed up by mentioning Zheng Xiuyan's name, expressing affirmation.

At this moment, Lin YoonA seemed to suddenly notice that Kim Taeyeon had missed a name, so she looked at the figure driving beside her and asked, "Then what about you, unnie? When do you plan to make some progress too?"

"Me?" Kim Taeyeon was focused on the road conditions and her attention wasn't entirely on the conversation, so she asked back subconsciously, "What does this have to do with me?" She thought Lin YoonA was asking about her own (the 2025 Kim Taeyeon's) plans.

Lin YoonA hurriedly explained: "I'm talking about 'you' in '13. Little Jin Ruanruan~"

Understanding who Lin YoonA was referring to, Kim Taeyeon shook her head gently, her gaze still on the road ahead, "You mean Jin Ruanruan? I don't know exactly what she thinks; I haven't talked to her in depth about this. But she should know the whole situation; after all, none of us kept it from her. So I don't plan to urge her on this point; let her decide for herself. Whenever she feels it's appropriate, she will naturally take that step."

Perhaps Kim Taeyeon in '13 was too busy missing her family, so she appeared very tolerant toward her past self, giving her full autonomy.

"That's true."

Regarding this, Lin YoonA expressed great understanding, "Unnie, your personality has always been more assertive, but my personality is sometimes a bit Buddhist, so I still have to push her and add some fire, otherwise she might really keep waiting for Xiuyuan to take the initiative."

Time passed quietly in the relaxed and pleasant chat between the two, and the car had unknowingly driven into the VIP departure area of Incheon Airport.

Ground staff had long been waiting there to assist them with parking and luggage.

Lin YoonA and Kim Taeyeon got out of the car and, under the guidance of the flight attendant, walked calmly into the exclusive VIP channel to begin their boarding process for Switzerland.

Almost the same scene was happening with Krystal and Jessica.

It was just that their departure locations were different: Krystal was departing from Seoul, while Jessica was setting off from her Apartment in Shanghai.

Both were traveling alone, appearing chic and crisp.

After a long time, at the stratosphere ten thousand meters high, a Boeing 777 passenger plane was flying steadily toward Rome, Italy.

The cabin was dimly lit, and most passengers had lowered their seats, covered themselves with blankets, and entered dreamland or were enjoying audio-visual entertainment.

In her business class seat, Lin Xiuyuan was wearing noise-canceling headphones, focused on watching a science fiction movie playing on the small screen in front of him.

The comfortable seat and blanket made him feel very relaxed.

But just at this moment, a warm and soft little hand suddenly reached over from the side without a sound.

It covered his thigh near a sensitive area with precision, even giving it a light, probing squeeze.

"Fu—"

Startled by this sudden attack, Lin Xiuyuan felt a shiver run through his body, and half a curse word almost slipped out.

Then he turned his head abruptly to look at his neighbor, who had already lowered the partition between the seats.

He saw Dalongzai lying on her side facing him, a bright smile of successful mischief hanging on her face, her beautiful big eyes sparkling with cunning and joy.

Clearly, that little hand that had just committed the act came from her.

"Zhiyan, you almost scared me to death."

Seeing this situation, Lin Xiuyuan stroked his chest, let out a long, stifled breath, and said in a low voice, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Dalongzai, however, didn't care at all; instead, she leaned closer, resting against the partition, looking at him with a dazed and seductive gaze, her voice carrying a spoiled complaint.

"What? I can't even touch you? Why does it feel like we've grown distant?"

"I didn't—" Lin Xiuyuan laughed helplessly and took off one of his headphones, "It's just that you suddenly did that while I was watching a movie. Besides, didn't you just say you were a bit sleepy and wanted to go to sleep?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Dalongzai's figure moved.

She braced her hands on the partition, and like a nimble little cat, she directly vaulted over the partition that hadn't been raised, landing in Lin Xiuyuan's seat in a hurdle-like motion.

Fortunately, the business class seats were wide, so they could barely manage to squeeze together.

The Dalongzai who had come over to Lin Xiuyuan's side reached out her arms without a word, hugged his waist tightly, pressed her cheek against his chest, and rubbed against it forcefully.

Then, in a soft, charming voice with a nasal tone, she said, "I've changed my mind, I want to sleep while hugging you, is that okay?"

Faced with this sudden embrace of warmth and softness, the familiar scent and the coquettish tone made Lin Xiuyuan's heart soften.

He didn't think there was any big problem with this; the seat was wide anyway, and sleeping while hugging was quite comfortable.

So he adjusted his posture, unfolded the small blanket covering him, wrapped the Dalongzai who was hanging on him like a koala inside it as well, and patted her back, "Sure, then let's sleep while hugging, but don't move around."

"Move around? What do you want to move, Xiuyuan?"

"Stop it, you little pervert."

However, what neither of them knew was that the Dalongzai's bold hurdle move just now had been seen clearly by Park Hyomin, who was sitting directly behind them.

Park Hyomin, who had been adjusting her seat angle and preparing to close her eyes to rest, had truly watched with her own eyes as that figure by the aisle in the front row suddenly flipped over the partition in an extremely ungraceful yet exceptionally agile posture and disappeared from her line of sight.

She could even vaguely see the arc that slender lower leg traced in the air.

After being stunned for two seconds, Park Hyomin snapped back to reality, her face filled with shock and disbelief.

Then she immediately reached out and urgently patted Li Juli, who was next to her and had already reclined her seat and put on an eye mask to rest.

"Unnie! Unnie! Wake up!" Park Hyomin lowered her voice, her tone filled with astonishment.

"Hm? What is it, Xiaomin?" Li Juli pulled down her eye mask and looked at her in confusion.

Park Hyomin leaned close to her ear and whispered rapidly, "Zhiyan, Zhiyan just flipped over to the side, she flipped over to Xiuyuan's side, I saw it with my own eyes!"

As she spoke, she pointed her finger toward the front row.

"Hm? Really?" Li Juli was also somewhat surprised and propped herself up slightly.

"It's absolutely true, I was watching." Park Hyomin nodded forcefully, then a look of worry and a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face, "Unnie, do you think they wouldn't be that impatient, right? This is on a plane."

At this moment, Park Hyomin was genuinely worried that the Dalongzai and the other person would engage in some deep interaction.

Hearing this, Li Juli, who had originally wanted to subconsciously say "it wouldn't go that far."

But as the words reached her lips, she suddenly thought of the fact that the person was Lin Xiuyuan, and that the Dalongzai hadn't seen him for a while, plus her reckless personality, so she swallowed the words back down.

She changed to a more cautious answer, "This, it's hard to say."

After saying that, she seemed to feel that this answer might make Park Hyomin even more worried, so she quickly added, "But if it were me, on such a boring night of a long-haul flight, if the person I liked was right next to me, I would also want to throw myself into that warm and reliable embrace to sleep. This is very normal, don't worry."

L

"Ah? Unnie~"

Park Hyomin's heart had lifted after hearing the first half, and it only eased slightly after hearing the second half, but she still anxiously retorted in a low voice.

"I'm not worried about them sleeping while hugging, I'm worried about, worried about other things that are more... that."

As she spoke, she used her hand to make a vague gesture that all adults would understand.

And because she was emotionally agitated, the volume of her last few words was accidentally a bit too loud, scaring her into quickly covering her mouth and looking around guiltily.

Fortunately, the cabin was quiet, with only the hum of the engines.

Now Li Juli completely understood what she meant, "Oh~ so that's what you're worried about, Xiaomin."

Watching Park Hyomin nod forcefully, Li Juli suppressed a laugh and analyzed, "It shouldn't go that far, right? Although business class seats are spacious, the space is limited after all, so it's not very convenient to unfold."

But as she spoke, she seemed to remember something else, and with a complex expression on her face, she muttered in a low voice, "Oh, but it's really hard to say. That guy Xiuyuan has been liking to just lie there without moving lately, letting others provide the service————"

Faced with Li Juli's series of remarks ranging from analysis to revelations, Park Hyomin's brain crashed completely again, and her scalp went numb.

No, this is too much information, it's a bit beyond the limit.

She felt that on this trip, her perception was being crazily refreshed by Lin Xiuyuan.

"No, Unnie~ what are you talking about!!" Park Hyomin was both shy and anxious, her face flushed red, and she couldn't help but lightly punch Li Juli.

"Hahaha, just kidding, just kidding."

Seeing that Park Hyomin really couldn't handle it anymore, Li Juli quickly laughed to soothe her and held her hand, squeezing it.

"Don't worry, that girl Zhiyan still has a sense of propriety; she won't mess around on the plane. At most, it's just kissing and hugging, being lovey-dovey. Don't worry, go get some rest."

Li Juli, who had vouched for the Dalongzai, although she herself was a bit uncertain, simply put on her eye mask, choosing not to see it so she wouldn't be bothered.

As for Park Hyomin, after hearing this, she leaned back into her seat, half-believing and half-doubting, only her gaze couldn't help but drift toward the two closely adjacent seat backs in the front row, her heartbeat inexplicably accelerating.

Time on the plane seemed to have become exceptionally long and filled with wild fantasies.

And just as the two people behind were having a tense discussion because of the Dalongzai's recent actions.

In front, at Lin Xiuyuan's seat, the development of the plot seemed to be a little deeper than Li Juli had expected.

The Dalongzai, who was wrapped in a blanket and held in Lin Xiuyuan's arms, was indeed very well-behaved at first, like a kitten that had found a warm nest, rubbing comfortably against his chest, her breathing gradually becoming even.

But not long after, she opened her eyes and, with the cover of the blanket and the reflection of the screen's faint light, quietly watched the side profile of Lin Xiuyuan as he watched the movie intently.

An emotion mixed with love, possessiveness, and a little bit of mischievous prank psychology welled up.

And so, she began her step-by-step mischievous action.

At first, it was just like an unintentional adjustment of posture, making their bodies press closer together.

Then her little hand began to wander restlessly under the blanket, and finally, slowly, it slid downward with a provocative intent.

At this step, Lin Xiuyuan's body stiffened slightly, his attention was immediately pulled away from the movie, and he looked down at the person in his arms with some surprise.

The Dalongzai met his gaze, her eyes hazy and filled with a hint of allure.

Then she took one of Lin Xiuyuan's hands and guided it to be placed on the back of her head, pressing it down lightly.

At the same time, her body began to slide downward even more restlessly, her movements agile and secretive, completely covered by the large blanket.

At this moment, Lin Xiuyuan finally understood her intention, his breathing stalled, and his eyes were filled with shock and a flame ignited by this bold move.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was stopped by a look from the Dalongzai.

【Be good, watch the movie.】

She said silently with her mouth, a seductive and domineering smile on her face.

Then her figure completely disappeared under the blanket.

Lin Xiuyuan remained leaning against the back of the seat, tilting his head back, subconsciously biting his lower lip, struggling to control his breathing and any sound he might make.

One hand was still pressed against the blanket, feeling the outline and movements of the small head beneath it.

His other hand gripped the seat armrest tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white.

The movie on the small screen in front of him was still playing, with brilliant special effects and intense fighting, but he had absolutely no heart to pay attention to the plot.

His entire being and all his senses were occupied at this moment by the secret, warm, slippery, and at times gentle yet intense tactile sensations beneath the blanket.

The roar of the engines seemed to have become the perfect cover sound at this moment.

In this sealed cabin ten thousand meters in the air, beneath that soft blanket, Dalongzai used her unique method and ultimate spirit of service to give her beloved man an unparalleled, thrilling, and soul-stirring high-altitude pleasure.

And all of this was perfectly concealed by that seemingly ordinary gray blanket.

Only Lin Xiuyuan's slightly heaving chest, his occasionally bobbing Adam's apple, and his gradually deepening, scorching breath silently told of the ultimate secret pleasure taking place.

In the seat behind, Park Hyomin, who was completely unaware of this, finally relaxed after her initial unease, listening to the front which seemed to have been very quiet all along, and drifted off into a hazy sleep.

Yet in her dreams, there seemed to be some vague and ambiguous images flashing by————

The long transoceanic flight finally ended.

When the plane's tires slammed heavily onto the runway at Rome Fiumicino Airport, a slight commotion and sighs of relief broke out in the cabin.

Park Hyomin rubbed her somewhat sore neck and unbuckled her seatbelt; the long flight made her feel a bit exhausted, but there was more anticipation for the journey about to begin.

After the plane had completely pulled into the bay and the flight attendant signaled that they could disembark, Park Hyomin, who had stood up, subconsciously looked at the seats in front where Dalongzai and Lin Xiuyuan were sitting.

However, the scene that met her eyes made her slightly stunned.

She saw Dalongzai affectionately holding Lin Xiuyuan's arm, her entire state being completely different from that of a traveler weary after a long-haul flight.

Her cheeks were rosy, and her complexion was shockingly good, as if she hadn't just endured a dozen hours of economy class flight, but had just finished a top-tier SPA.

Her eyes were staring at Lin Xiuyuan with burning intensity, and the way her gaze shifted carried an indescribable charm and satisfaction, as if it could pull out silk.

Although her features hadn't changed much from usual, that healthy glow of being fully nourished from the inside out, along with that sense of abundant vitality, made Dalongzai look exceptionally dazzling among the slightly weary crowd.

It also made Park Hyomin's heart skip a beat, a flash of shock crossing her mind.

No way, did they really do it? Did they really do that?

Carrying this feeling, she followed the flow of people out of the jet bridge, and while pausing briefly in the arrival hall, Park Hyomin finally couldn't help but lean over to Dalongzai's side and ask.

"Zhiyan, did you sleep that comfortably on the plane? How come you don't look tired at all from the long-haul flight? It's like you drank some kind of ultimate tonic soup."

After saying this, she reached out and gently poked Dalongzai's rosy cheeks.

Dalongzai, being asked, was not shy at all; instead, she hugged Lin Xiuyuan's arm even tighter, tilted her face up, and spoke with an undisguised sweetness in her tone.

"Maybe it's because I was resting while holding Xiuyuan, it felt very safe and comfortable. So I slept very well, and now I'm full of energy."

At this moment, Li Juli, who had already walked to the side, heard their conversation. She glanced at Park Zhiyan's glowing appearance, then glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, who was trying to maintain his composure but had a hint of indulgence in his eyes, and couldn't help but feel a surge of playfulness.

She teased with an ambiguous tone, "Zhiyan, are you sure you're just full of energy? Isn't your body also feeling full?"

"Ah~ Unnie, what are you saying!" Dalongzai was made even redder in the cheeks by Li Juli's explicit teasing.

Although she didn't mind it too much, she still hummed coquettishly and made a gesture to hit Li Juli, who laughed and dodged away.

As for Lin Xiuyuan, the center of the topic who had just experienced a certain hand-and-mouth consecutive bombing-style deep service during the flight, he only felt a thick wave of fatigue wash over him at this moment.

So, taking advantage of the group's playful banter, he let out a big yawn, his eyes even welling up with a bit of physiological moisture.

Then he brought the topic back to business, "Um, are we transferring directly to Florence now, or staying in Rome for one night? How is the follow-up itinerary arranged?"

The itinerary was arranged by Dalongzai and the others like Krystal; he had run back to the 2013 side last night and wasn't very clear about it, so he had to ask.

Li Juli looked at her watch and the flight information, and replied, "Xiuyuan, we are transferring directly to Florence in a while. But there are still more than two hours before takeoff, so time is still quite ample. Let's go get the checked luggage first, then find a place in the airport to eat something; the airplane food is really not very good."

This proposal was unanimously agreed upon.

After all, after a long-haul flight, a decent meal could indeed soothe the stomach and the mood.

So, the group first went to the baggage carousel to retrieve the large checked suitcases, then pushed the luggage carts to find an Italian restaurant that looked good in the airport arrival area.

They ordered a few simple set meals and quickly finished their dinner.

At this moment, it was evening in Rome, and the sunset outside the window gilded the ancient airport architecture with a layer of gold.

After finishing the light meal, it was almost time to go through the boarding procedures for the next leg of the journey.

The group dragged their luggage again and boarded the short-haul flight to Florence.

This flight was only a short hour.

So by nine o'clock in the evening, the plane had already landed steadily at Peretola Airport in Florence.

The air of the Southern European night carried a slight chill and a unique freshness, which refreshed the group as they just got off the plane.

On the way to the Jiudian, Lin Xiuyuan looked at the night streetscape of Florence outside the window, but he was calculating rapidly in his heart.

Originally, his plan was to fly to Zurich, Switzerland, immediately after arriving in Florence and getting settled tonight, to meet up with Lin Chongji and Kim Taeyeon there and confirm the coordinates.

However, he had just checked the transportation, and at this time, there were no more direct flights from Florence to Zurich; the earliest one wouldn't be until tomorrow morning.

The situation with Krystal and Jessica was similar; nighttime transportation from Paris to Florence was not convenient.

So he had to give up on tonight and get a good rest first.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuyuan felt a bit tired.

It wasn't just because of the long-haul flight, but also because the enthusiastic service of a certain little demon on the plane had consumed quite a bit of his energy.

The car soon arrived at the booked Jiudian.

This was a four-star Jiudian with an elegant style located on the edge of the Old Town of Florence, quiet amidst the noise.

Because there were exactly four people, Dalongzai only booked two rooms when she made the reservation online.

So much so that when checking in and distributing room cards at the Jiudian front desk, a subtle scene occurred.

Li Juli held one of the room cards in her hand, her eyes first drifting toward Lin Xiuyuan with infinite resentment and longing, then immediately transforming into a kind of helplessness and disgust as she glanced at Park Hyomin, who was excitedly examining the Jiudian lobby next to her.

Then she couldn't help but let out a long sigh and wailed with incomparable depression, "Ah, I really can't go on living like this————"

Facing Li Juli's sudden wail, Park Hyomin, who was touring the Jiudian, was completely confused, "Unnie? What's wrong? Is there a problem with the Jiudian?"

Only Dalongzai and Lin Xiuyuan, who knew the truth, understood the subtext of Li Juli.

At this, Dalongzai's shoulders shrugged slightly, and she smiled like a little cat that had stolen some cream.

Lin Xiuyuan rubbed his nose and pretended to look at the hotel brochure, avoiding Li Juli's mournful gaze.

In the end, the room assignments were settled: Li Juli and Park Hyomin in one room, Park Jiyeon and Lin Xiuyuan in another.

This arrangement made Li Juli's mournful gaze almost tangible.

Afterwards, the group each dragged their luggage into their rooms.

As for the room of Lin Xiuyuan and Park Jiyeon, it went without saying; once the door closed, the two, reunited after a short separation, could not help but share some intimacy.

Meanwhile, in the other room, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

Li Juli was practically keeping watch, observing Park Hyomin as she washed up, organized her luggage, applied a face mask, and scrolled through her phone—

Her intention to urge Park Hyomin to go to sleep early could not have been more obvious.

"Hyomin-ah, it's getting late. Aren't you tired after flying for so long? Go to sleep early; we still have to go out and play tomorrow."

This was Li Juli's Nth "concerned" reminder to Park Hyomin.

"I'm fine, Unnie. I'm a bit excited, and it seems like I haven't adjusted to the jet lag yet, so I'm not very sleepy right now," Park Hyomin replied while lying on the bed, scrolling through Instagram on her phone without lifting her head.

Hearing this, Li Juli felt anxious inside, but she still had to maintain a smile on her face. "You still need to sleep even if you're excited, otherwise you won't have any energy tomorrow. How about drinking some hot milk? Or I can give you a head massage to help you sleep."

At this moment, she practically wanted to transform into a master of hypnosis.

Park Hyomin looked at her strangely. "Unnie, why are you so concerned about me sleeping today? Aren't you going to sleep yourself?"

"I—I'm getting ready to sleep too!"

Li Juli hurriedly lay down and covered herself with the quilt, but her eyes remained wide open, staring at the ceiling, calculating how she could get this roommate to enter dreamland quickly.

She even began to consider whether she should secretly put half a tablet of mild estazolam into Park Hyomin's water glass.

Fortunately, Park Hyomin's sleep quality had always been quite good.

Although she was a bit excited about being in a new environment, scrolling through social media and sharing the joy of arriving in Italy with her friends.

But by one or two in the morning, her biological clock and the exhaustion from the long-distance travel finally gained the upper hand; her eyelids began to fight, and the speed at which her fingers swiped across the screen grew slower and slower.

Eventually, the phone slipped from her hand, and her breathing became even and long.

She was asleep.

The next morning, sunlight spilled through the gaps in the curtains onto the carpet of the hotel room.

As Park Hyomin slowly woke up from a deep sleep, she stretched contentedly.

The sufficient sleep after the long-haul flight made her feel that she had recovered quite a bit of energy, and she subconsciously turned over, wanting to say good morning to Li Juli beside her.

However, when her gaze focused on the face of the person on the pillow, her whole body froze instantly, and her sleepiness vanished completely.

"What the!!!"

A short, sharp scream rang out in the room.

Park Hyomin, who had bolted upright from the bed, looked at Park Jiyeon, who was still fast asleep beside her. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and her voice was slightly distorted by shock. "Jiyeon?? Why is it you? Where is Juli Unnie!!!"

At this moment, Park Hyomin was thoroughly frightened, and countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

Did she go to the wrong room? Or did she sleepwalk?

Or did some supernatural event occur?

Beside her, Dalongzai was awakened by her scream, rubbing her eyes in a daze, looking as if she hadn't slept enough.

She replied vaguely, "What is it, Unnie? You're so noisy. It was me who slept with you last night—"

"Don't lie to me!" Park Hyomin didn't believe it at all; she wasn't a fool. "Last night, it was clearly Juli Unnie who came into the room with me and slept with me! I remember it clearly! Where is she?"

After saying this, she hurriedly looked around the room again and found that Li Juli's luggage was still there, but the person was simply gone.

Seeing that Park Hyomin was not so easily fooled, Dalongzai finally woke up a bit more and brought out the excuse she had pre-arranged with Li Juli.

"Oh my, Unnie, it's like this. Juli Unnie said you snored while sleeping last night, and the sound was a bit loud, so she really couldn't sleep. That's why she swapped rooms with me in the middle of the night, so I was the one who slept with you for the second half of the night."

"Yah, Park Jiyeon, you're talking nonsense. If you keep spouting rubbish, I'm going to hit you."

This time, Park Hyomin was genuinely a bit angry, her cheeks flushed red. "How could I snore? I sleep very quietly, okay? Stop framing me!"

But soon, a flash of insight crossed her angry mind, and she noticed a very illogical loophole in this excuse.

She grabbed Dalongzai's shoulders abruptly, forcing the other person to look into her eyes, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Wait a minute, Jiyeon, you're saying Juli Unnie swapped rooms with you because I snored, then where did she swap to? The room next door is Xiuyuan's and yours, right?"

When Lin Xiuyuan's name was mentioned, her heart sank, and her voice trembled even more. "She, she went next door? With Xiuyuan???"

This possibility made Park Hyomin feel terrible.

Fortunately, Dalongzai, who had been prepared, immediately shook her head and denied it. "No, no, Unnie, what are you thinking!"

"

She explained, "Xiuyuan had some urgent matters to deal with last night, so he left the hotel overnight. He probably won't be back until tomorrow night. I was resting in the room next door by myself last night, and then Juli Unnie wanted some peace and quiet, so she changed rooms. It's not what you think."

"Urgent matters? He left?" Park Hyomin was even more dumbfounded.

"Just busy with some work matters. I don't know the specifics either; it seems to be related to his other friends in Europe."

Dalongzai spoke vaguely, shifting the blame onto Lin Xiuyuan's mysterious work and friends. "Anyway, he said he would rush back as soon as possible and told us to go explore Florence first, and then we'll go to the Tuscany countryside together when he returns."

This explanation barely made sense, although Park Hyomin always felt something was strange.

But looking at Park Jiyeon's seemingly innocent and slightly sleepy face, she couldn't ask for more for the time being, so she could only say "Oh" with skepticism, but the knot in her heart was temporarily buried.

Meanwhile, Li Juli was currently lying on the large bed in the suite next door, immersed in a sweet dream.

The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, carrying a satisfied and warm smile, as if she were still savoring the intense and lingering reunion of last night in her dream.

Although Lin Xiuyuan had to leave due to the subsequent itinerary, during that limited and precious time, he had indeed taken care of her perfectly, and both her body and mind had been greatly satisfied.

Therefore, her exhaustion at this moment was sweet, and her sleep was peaceful.

As for our hardworking "spinning top" Comrade Lin Xiuyuan?

After feeding Li Juli and coaxing her to sleep last night, he only took a hurried combat shower to wash away the sweat and certain traces from his body.

Then, he changed into clean clothes and left the Jiudian silently.

At that time, the sky was not yet bright, and Florence was still fast asleep; Lin Xiuyuan hailed a taxi and headed straight for the train station in the city center.

There, he purchased a ticket for the earliest international train to Zurich, Switzerland.

Boarding the comfortable international train, he leaned against the window and watched the hills and fields of Tuscany gradually awaken in the morning light, only then unable to help rubbing his somewhat sore lower back and shoulders.

He had basically not rested at all the entire day yesterday, and his physical exertion had been quite significant; now, he had to hurry on without a moment's rest—

Although this trip to Europe had only just begun, Lin Xiuyuan already felt like he was playing the role of a high-speed spinning top.

And this was only the first stop.

According to the plan, he needed to arrive in Zurich during the day today to meet up with Lin Chong'er and Kim Taeyeon and establish the coordinates there.

Then, it was very likely that he would have to depart from Zurich again in the afternoon, taking a night train to Paris, France, to meet up with Krystal

Meet up with Jessica————

Three lines, and this is only the first day—

Watching the scenery rapidly receding outside the window, Lin Xiuyuan sighed silently in his heart, but thinking of those beauties, each with her own unique charm, waiting for him, that bit of fatigue seemed to turn into motivation and anticipation.

"Forget it, a spinning top it is; the path I chose, I have to finish spinning even if I have to crawl."

After making a self-deprecating remark, Lin Xiuyuan adjusted to a more comfortable position, closed his eyes, and decided to seize the time for a short nap before arriving in Switzerland.

After all, the real rushing about has only just begun.

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