Chapter 345: 【Defensive Breach】 Park Hyomin (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)

On the road in front of the airport.

"Right~ right~ right~"

After Lin Xiuyuan said something laughable, Dalongzai immediately switched to a tone like she was coaxing a child, grinning as she chimed in.

"Our Xiuyuan is the most amazing, a strategic support, a blitz hero, is that good enough, hahaha!!!"

As she spoke, she naturally reached out and took Lin Xiuyuan's arm, "Let's go, my big hero, get in the car. But there's a question, do you want to go back to the Jiudian to rest for a bit, or find a place to eat directly? We're fine with either, it's up to you."

Facing this obviously teasing reassurance from Dalongzai, Lin Xiuyuan let out a helpless sigh, feeling his image had completely collapsed.

Then he looked at the sky, patted his stomach, and gave a small complaint, "Ah, is it eating again as soon as we land? For the past two days, I've either been on a plane or on the way to a restaurant. I feel like this trip to Europe is just a tour of airports and train stations for the tongue."

"Then what do you want to do? Is there anything you particularly want to do?" Li Juli asked from the side with a smile.

The amusement in her eyes was so clear she might as well have asked directly if, besides eating and sleeping, he had any energy left to do anything else.

At this moment, Park Hyomin, who had done a little homework on Florence, also spoke up, earnestly analyzing things for Lin Xiuyuan.

"Xiuyuan~ most of the places to visit here in Florence are during the day, mainly various art galleries, museums, churches, and the like. But at this time of day, most indoor attractions are about to close or are already closed. What you can do at night is—"

After recalling her research, she indicated that the choices were limited, "Either go near the Santa Maria del Fiore to see the night view; the church and bell tower under the lights are quite beautiful. Or go for a walk along the Arno River, look at the night view of the Old Bridge, find a restaurant or bar by the river to sit at; the rest really seems to be just finding a place to eat and chat."

Listening to Park Hyomin's well-organized guide, and thinking about how after running around for the past few days, it would be nice to find a place to sit down and relax, the little bit of gloom in Lin Xiuyuan's heart dissipated.

Then he reached back and pulled Dalongzai, who was holding his arm, into his embrace, taking the opportunity to bury his face in the crook of her neck and nuzzle it, only then giving his thoughts in a muffled voice.

"Forget it, forget it, let's go, no more fussing. Let's find a place to sit down quietly, eat something good, have a drink, and by the way, have a good chat about how to arrange our upcoming trip to Tuscany. Then after eating, we'll go back to the Jiudian to rest; I really want to have a good sleep."

Lin Xiuyuan's action, which carried a hint of dependence, made Dalongzai's heart bloom with joy and also made Li Juli, who was beside them, smile, while Park Hyomin gave him a deep look.

"Then let's go to the side of the Arno River~" After laughing, Li Juli made the final decision, "I know a few restaurants by the river with good views; we can enjoy the river scenery and the night view of the Old Bridge while eating and chatting."

"Unnie, isn't that what I just told you?" After Park Hyomin jokingly scolded her, she also expressed her agreement.

So the four of them got into the car they had rented in advance, with Li Juli driving away from the airport, passing through the ancient streets of Florence that were beginning to light up in the evening, and heading toward the quietly flowing Arno River.

Soon, the group arrived at a long-established Florence restaurant located on the banks of the Arno River with an excellent view.

The interior of the restaurant was classically elegant, with soft lighting reflecting off dark wooden furniture and faded murals on the walls, and the air was filled with the warm aroma of olive oil, herbs, and toasted bread.

The waiter led them to a four-person table by the window.

Outside the huge glass window, the Arno River in the night was like a strip of black silk, flowing quietly.

The famous Old Bridge spanned the river, and the lights of the jewelry shops on the bridge and the outlines of the buildings on both banks cast swaying reflections in the river water, forming a quiet and romantic picture.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had taken his seat, did not speak, letting the three people beside him order.

From Florence's famous T-bone steak, handmade wide noodles with wild boar sauce, and grilled vegetable platter, to fresh burrata cheese with tomato and basil.

Of course, in the end, there was also a bottle of locally produced classic Chianti red wine.

After the wine had breathed and the dishes were served one after another, the four of them clinked glasses, took a sip of the mellow wine, and the topic naturally turned to tomorrow's itinerary.

Which was how to officially start their trip to Tuscany.

When this question was mentioned, Dalongzai spoke first, and as someone who always tended toward maximizing efficiency, she stated.

"If you ask me, why not just fly there from Florence? There are many small airports in Tuscany, it's convenient to fly anywhere, and the flight time is less than an hour, fast and easy."

Li Juli, on the side, was cutting the steak on her plate in a leisurely manner and proposed a different view, "I think taking the train is also quite good; the rural scenery of Tuscany must be very beautiful when seen from the train window. If we aren't in a rush, sitting on the train, watching the scenery, and chatting is also a novel experience."

Listening to the two's suggestions, Lin Xiuyuan pondered for a moment, then stated his own thoughts, "I think, how about we drive ourselves?"

When he said the words "drive ourselves," he didn't notice that Park Hyomin, sitting diagonally opposite him, had her eyes light up instantly, and a flash of undisguised excitement and anticipation swept through her eyes.

Lin Xiuyuan, who hadn't noticed Park Hyomin's subtle reaction, continued to explain his reasons.

"This is what I'm thinking: the distance from Florence to the Leaning Tower of Pisa isn't actually far, just a few dozen kilometers. We can sleep until we wake up naturally tomorrow morning, have Breakfast, and then set off; it will only take a little over an hour to drive there."

"Then we can see the Leaning Tower in Pisa, take some photos, and have a leisurely lunch. In the afternoon, we set off from Pisa and drive slowly along the rural roads of Tuscany toward Siena. The scenery on this road is good; we can stop whenever we want, look at the gardens, or if we pass by a beautiful little village, we can go in and walk around. Even if we stop and go along the way, we will definitely be able to reach Siena before evening, just in time to check in and rest."

Speaking to this point, Lin Xiuyuan added a shrug to make the plan sound more spontaneous.

"Then we can rest in Siena for a night, and after that, we can use Siena as a center to radiate out to the surrounding classic small towns of Tuscany. For example, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Pienza. We can drive wherever we want to go, return on the same day, or stay in a different place, it's very flexible."

As Lin Xiuyuan finished explaining his clear and vivid self-driving plan, Park Hyomin spoke almost immediately, her tone carrying obvious approval and a trace of excitement, "I think Xiuyuan's suggestion is excellent!"

At the same time, she looked at Dalongzai and the other, earnestly adding, "We are out traveling to relax, not on a special forces-style trip. Why be in such a hurry to rush? Stopping and going, letting time slow down, and really feeling the sunshine, fields, and air here, isn't that better?"

Looking at Park Hyomin's little expression as if she had found a soulmate, Dalongzai immediately started her "tease the sister" mode, deliberately drawing out her tone and imitating a thoughtful look.

"Hmm, hmm, if this proposal were suggested by you, Unnie, I might still have to consider it and hesitate—"

""

Following a change in tone, she looked at Lin Xiuyuan with a grin, "But since it's what Xiuyuan said, then I can do it."

"Anyway, with Xiuyuan here, whatever he arranges and wherever he goes, I'm fine with it; as long as he is there, it's fine."

Hearing this, even Li Juli, who was beside them, couldn't help but laugh and waved her hand, "I'm OK with it; self-driving does sound pretty good, very free."

This big socialite wasn't actually attached to any specific way of traveling; having fun was the best thing.

Only Park Hyomin was made somewhat resentful by Dalongzai's differential treatment, so she glared at her younger sister and began to complain, "What is this, Zhiyan, how can you target me like this? I don't treat you badly usually, do I?"

Hearing this, Dalongzai immediately seized the opportunity to counterattack, first humming a few times, and then taking the chance to voice her grievances.

"Hmph, hmph, hmph, don't treat me badly? Unnie, you have the nerve to say that? After you got married before, I couldn't find you, you were slow to reply to messages, and it was hard to schedule gatherings; is this what you call not treating me badly?"

But the next second, Dalongzai was hoist with her own petard.

Seeing Park Hyomin also look at her with a smile, her eyes carrying the same mischief, "It sounds as if you could find people every day when you got married before, Zhiyan?"

It was normal for sisters to expose each other's shortcomings.

However, the current situation was subtly different.

Because Park Hyomin was fighting alone, while Dalongzai had a solid backing.

Just as Lin Xiuyuan saw Park Hyomin raise that classic smile of hers that meant she was preparing to unleash a big move, and at the moment he saw her lips part slightly, about to say an even more powerful counterattack, he reacted with almost no hesitation, his body responding before his brain.

He quickly raised both hands, reaching across the table to precisely cover the two ears of Dalongzai, who was beside him.

"Hmm?"

Dalongzai was taken aback by his sudden action, first opening her eyes wide in surprise, then turning her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan, not understanding what he was doing.

Immediately after, she saw Park Hyomin talking opposite her, and instantly understood that he was protecting her, preventing Park Hyomin's attack from reaching her ears.

This blatant partiality and protection warmed her heart, which then transformed into immense happiness and joy, a brilliant smile blooming on her face.

Even after Park Hyomin finished speaking, she deliberately made a "bleh" face at Park Hyomin, sticking out her little tongue, "Heehee, I can't hear you~ Unnie, I can't hear a word you're saying~ I have Xiuyuan now, you can say whatever you want, Unnie, I'm happy, bleh~"

Park Hyomin, who was already a little frantic because of Lin Xiuyuan's protective behavior, finally broke down completely upon seeing Dalongzai's smug, unrepentant appearance.

"Hey! Park Jiyeon!"

Following her shy and angry low shout, she no longer cared about her elegant image, directly reaching across the table between her and Lin Xiuyuan, posturing to pounce on the triumphant Dalongzai, ready to implement physical sanctions.

But this time, Lin Xiuyuan did not step in to protect Dalongzai again, because it was simply unnecessary.

He just very naturally picked up his wine glass and calmly changed seats, sitting down next to Li Juli.

Leaving the battlefield entirely to the two bickering people, he sat together with Li Juli.

Leaning back comfortably against the chair, sipping wine, he happily watched the two great beauties with different styles making a scene together; the scene was pleasing to the eye and full of vitality.

"A feast for the eyes," Lin Xiuyuan said to Li Juli with a low laugh, raising his glass.

Li Juli also smiled and clinked glasses with him, "Let them make a scene; it's rare to be this relaxed usually."

It was not until the waiter walked over with the subsequent main courses and side dishes, wearing a well-trained smile but with an elegant look of inquiry in their eyes, that this war between sisters came to a temporary pause.

As the loser, Park Hyomin was finally let go by Dalongzai, and she sat back in her seat, panting as she tidied up her somewhat messy hair and dress.

With a flush from the exertion still on her face, she glared with extreme frustration at Lin Xiuyuan, who had already returned to his original seat, and Dalongzai, who was snickering beside him.

Receiving this gaze, Lin Xiuyuan immediately put on an innocent and blank expression, spreading his hands.

No, what does this have to do with me? I'm just a bystander eating a melon.

After the interlude, dinner continued.

The four of them enjoyed the delicious Tuscany dishes while tasting the mellow wine, the atmosphere even more relaxed and harmonious than before.

Occasionally, they discussed tomorrow's division of labor seriously, such as who would be the main driver, who would watch the navigation, and who would be responsible for finding music.

The rest of the time was spent chatting and frequently cracking jokes.

During this time, Lin Xiuyuan even acted as a temporary photographer, using his phone to take many group photos of the three beauties against the backdrop of the night view of the Old Bridge outside the window.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the gourmet food, fine wine, beautiful scenery, and laughter, and before they knew it, night had fallen.

Finishing dinner, the four of them returned to the Tuscany, with no second-half activities.

And back at the Tuscany, Lin Xiuyuan would likely not have any "wife-swapping game" tonight.

Because after a simple wash, he embraced Dalongzai's soft, fragrant body and fell into a deep sleep.

The whole night was warm and peaceful.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains that weren't drawn tight, casting bright spots of light on the room's carpet.

Lin Xiuyuan woke up slowly, guided by his biological clock and the gradually intensifying light.

As his consciousness returned, the first thing he felt was the sound of laughter in his ears.

However, just as he was groggily preparing to stay in bed a little longer, a subtle feeling of being watched made his heart skip a beat.

He then half-opened his eyes, his vision gradually focusing—

This look was no small matter; one look—and he was instantly wide awake.

Even with a trace of caught-off-guard shock.

Because by the small round table near the window, on two single sofas, sat two familiar figures.

Park Hyomin and Li Juli had arrived in their room at some point.

And having already risen, the two were clearly washed and dressed.

Park Hyomin was wearing an off-white linen long dress with a light-colored knit cardigan over it, her long hair draped smoothly over her shoulders, her face made up with elegant makeup, and she was sipping a cup of coffee with elegant posture.

Li Juli was in a sharp denim jumpsuit paired with a simple white T-shirt, her hair tied into a high ponytail, looking capable and stylish.

She was holding a croissant spread with jam, eating it with great relish.

And Dalongzai, who should have been lying in his arms, was also standing by the window, looking at him on the bed with a smile.

On the round table, a sumptuous Breakfast tray sent by the Tuscany was laid out, with bread, fruit, yogurt, coffee, and juice.

Being watched, Lin Xiuyuan subconsciously gripped the quilt in front of his chest, wrapping himself tighter, his face full of astonishment and sleepiness that hadn't fully dissipated.

His voice was hoarse from just waking up and filled with disbelief, "No, when did you guys come over? How come there wasn't a sound?"

Li Juli, who was enjoying her croissant, looked up and answered with a smile, "Half an hour ago, I guess. Zhiyan opened The Gate for us to come in. But Xiuyuan, you slept so soundly; we weren't exactly quiet when we came in and started talking, yet it didn't wake you up at all. It seems you really rested well last night~"

Her words made Lin Xiuyuan a little embarrassed, but he also breathed a sigh of relief.

Hearing this, he probably hadn't done anything socially suicidal.

"Xiuyuan, since you're awake, get up and wash up."

At this moment, the standing Dalongzai also spoke gently, pointing to the Breakfast on the table, "The Breakfast was also just delivered not long ago, it's still hot."

And Park Hyomin, who had been silent, swept her gaze from Lin Xiuyuan's slightly embarrassed face to his arm, which was gripping the quilt and full of muscle definition, a hint of amused laughter flashing in her eyes.

This scene before her, this peculiar morning plot, all made a sense of indescribable novelty well up in her heart.

The beginning of this journey was, more than any script she had imagined—

More interesting.

Soon, a washed Lin Xiuyuan also came to the small round table to eat Breakfast, the atmosphere natural and relaxed.

Outside the window in Florence, the sun was just right, signaling the start of a wonderful journey.

And the self-driving adventure in Tuscany belonging to the few of them was also about to officially kick off after Breakfast.