Chapter 350: 【The

Following that remark from Lin YoonA, which carried a hint of teasing and was compounded by what one might call a kick while one is down.

At the time, she quickly paid a small price for her momentary slip of the tongue.

That was being pinned onto the sofa by Lin Xiuyuan in a hungry-tiger pounce, as he prepared to give her a proper lesson.

However, Lin YoonA was, after all, not a synonym for fragility.

Her year-round commitment to fitness, combined with frequent high-difficulty yoga practice, as well as the core strength, physical flexibility, and control she had honed through the yoga ball she played with to such masterful effect.

Allowed this former Bambi to undergo a super evolution, to the point that after being briefly subdued, she quickly found the rhythm for a counterattack.

Thereby beginning to seize the initiative, using certain yoga poses that tested balance and endurance, combined with waist and hip movements born from the core explosive power trained on the yoga ball—

That is to say, movements that possessed both aesthetic appeal and lethality—

The slow sway and the millstone.

Directly causing Lin Xiuyuan, who had attempted to teach someone a lesson, to instantly understand what it meant to have the guest usurp the host's role and to feel that one's strength was not equal to one's desires.

So, in the end, this contest concluded with Lin Xiuyuan being spent, and Lin YoonA achieving an overwhelming victory, looking radiant and spirited.

And this entire situation stood in stark contrast to Kim Taeyeon, who was currently exhausted into a deep slumber in a guest room at the Lausanne Hotel, almost completely unaware of the outside world.

So much so that the next morning.

When sunlight spilled through the gaps in the curtains into the lake-view suite in Lausanne, and Kim Taeyeon woke up groggily, habitually turning over to grab the quilt to tuck it in and linger in bed for a while, she unexpectedly touched another soft body.

That comfortable tactile sensation made her rub her eyes and look closely, only to discover that the person lying beside her was actually Lin YoonA, leaving her feeling a bit dazed.

After a long moment, she asked foolishly, "Yoon'er? When did you get back? How come I didn't know at all—"

Lin YoonA, who had also been woken up by Kim Taeyeon's movements, had scenes of the intense battle from last night, her and Lin Xiuyuan's relocation to this place, and certain even more intoxicating and unbridled moments that followed, flash through her mind the instant she heard the question.

Just recalling those scenes for a moment made her complexion look a bit off.

But she quickly covered up this little episode and looked back at Kim Taeyeon beside her with a playful gaze.

"Unnie, didn't you always say you were a light sleeper and woke up easily? But you slept really soundly last night. To that degree of deep sleep, you probably wouldn't even know if someone carried you off and sold you."

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Kim Taeyeon was stunned for a moment, then smiled a bit embarrassedly, "That was the case before, I didn't sleep well when I was under a lot of pressure. But ever since I've been with Xiuyuan, especially after going back over there, my sleep state has really improved a lot, and I've even started to have some more complete dreams."

As she spoke, she propped herself up on her elbows to sit up.

However, the cool sensation on her body made her instinctively look down, and she was stunned again.

Because the buttons of her pajamas had been undone for the most part at some point, with only the top two at the collar barely hanging on, leaving a large expanse of fair skin and her northern and southern hemispheres exposed to the morning light and the cool air.

"Hmm???"

Kim Taeyeon blinked in confusion at this outrageous situation, trying hard to recall her state before falling asleep—

She didn't seem to have been that bold and restless, right?

Could it be because she was too tired last night?

Seeing this scene, Lin YoonA couldn't help but recall a certain greedy fellow from last night who, while pinning her down, hadn't let his other hand stay idle, exploring Kim Taeyeon's body.

And even mischievously unbuttoning her pajamas.

Even though Lin YoonA considered herself well-experienced, her cheeks couldn't help but heat up slightly at this moment, and she quickly coughed lightly to change the subject.

She took the opportunity to turn over and check the time on the nightstand, "It's getting late, it's almost ten. Get up, Unnie, didn't we agree to go out and explore Lausanne today?"

"Oh, right." Kim Taeyeon nodded, and while subconsciously fastening her pajama buttons, she asked casually, "What about Xiuyuan? Didn't he say yesterday he'd accompany us today?"

Regarding this, Lin YoonA had already gotten up and headed toward the bathroom, her voice coming from inside, muffled by the sound of water.

"Didn't he already accompany us last night? I told him to go find Xiujing and the others today; we can't leave the initiator of this travel plan isolated, we're the ones who cut in line."

Kim Taeyeon just smiled after hearing this, didn't ask further, and then got up.

Meanwhile, on the Mediterranean coast in Biarritz, the sun was shining brightly.

Jessica and Krystal were sitting by the spacious floor-to-ceiling window of their hotel suite, with exquisite Breakfast and coffee set out on the small round table in front of them.

Gazing at the coastline that was blue to the point of being unreal and the sparkling sea surface outside the window, they enjoyed the leisurely morning time, chatting about some light topics.

After chatting for a while about daily life and travel experiences, Jessica suddenly put down her coffee cup, looked at Krystal, who was eating a croissant in small bites opposite her, and asked as if casually.

"Xiujing, that guy Xiuyuan—how did he suddenly run over here last night? And so late, too."

"Hmm?" Krystal paused with the croissant in her hand upon hearing this, and looked up at Jessica in surprise.

"Wow, Jessica, how did you know? He came over very late last night, didn't he? Weren't you already asleep?"

It was already the middle of the night at that time; this woman who favored her beauty sleep should have been asleep long ago.

Asleep my foot, how could I sleep when you were calling out so loudly.

Jessica muttered silently in her heart.

Recalling certain movements and sounds she heard last night, she gave Krystal a signature eye-roll in frustration and said directly, "I heard some sounds. Looks like someone was exhausted last night? Still hasn't gotten up?"

Upon hearing this, a smile immediately appeared on Krystal's face, and she continued eating her croissant as she replied, "He doesn't get exhausted, Jessica, we're nowhere near that point yet."

Having once tried a certain endurance limit test with Lin Xiuyuan on a day off when they had nothing to do, she knew this man's strength and recovery ability better than anyone.

So when Jessica heard this bold remark from her younger sister, she sent another eye-roll her way; although she had long been aware of certain behaviors of these two, she was still speechless.

She picked up her coffee and took a sip, deciding to change to a more serious topic.

"By the way, Xiujing, there's something I want to hear your thoughts on."

"What is it?"

Jessica straightened up slightly, "Do you think I should try to cooperate with S. M. for my upcoming performances, especially if I consider doing a solo concert or a special stage?"

"Hmm?" Krystal, who had just picked up a fresh strawberry, had her expression change immediately, and she looked at the opposite side keenly, "Cooperation? What exactly do you mean? Is it a copyright issue? Are you thinking of performing Girls' Generation songs during your show?"

Jessica didn't deny this, so she nodded gently, "Yes, this is an idea and suggestion that Zhongzai oppa mentioned when we were chatting a while ago. Later, because of Xiuyuan, I also talked about it privately with Taeyeon and Yoon'er. I feel that at this point in time, perhaps it's worth a try; after all, those were all works we worked hard on together."

Watching the slightly intense expression on the other side, Krystal also put down the strawberry and began to think seriously.

She knew that this question had special significance for Jessica, for the whole Girls' Generation, and even for the fans.

After a moment, she spoke slowly: "If it were the S. M. of the past, given the way you left and some of the subsequent circumstances, it would probably be very difficult, and might even trigger unnecessary controversy and trouble. But the S. M. of now—"

She thought about the situation with S. M's current management and the changes in the overall atmosphere over the past two years. "You really do have a bit of a chance now. You could find someone to tentatively ask around first, see what their attitude and conditions are like. We can talk about the follow-up once we know their stance."

"That's what I was thinking, too." Jessica seemed to heave a sigh of relief.

Her gaze drifted past the floor-to-ceiling window toward the distant, azure horizon where the sea met the sky. A hint of longing and deep memories welled up in her eyes as she sighed softly, "It's been ten years. Some things should be let go, or perhaps faced in a different way."

As it turned out, this rare sentimental moment of hers lasted less than two seconds before being interrupted by Krystal's merciless teasing from the side.

"Tsk, what a load of crap. If you want to sell nostalgia, just sell it. Why give me this sappy talk? Wouldn't it be enough to just say there's a market and money to be made?"

After saying this, Krystal even mimicked Lin Xiuyuan's "Little Bear Hands" gesture, wearing a teasing expression.

"Hey! Zheng Xiujing!" Jessica was suddenly embarrassed and annoyed at having her thoughts so bluntly exposed by her younger sister.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she glared at her in annoyance.

"I'm not wrong, I'm just speaking the truth."

Krystal shrugged again, but her tone immediately turned more serious. "However, even if it is selling nostalgia, I think it's quite good. As long as it's sincere, the work is good, and the stage performance is earnest, then it's serving the fans and providing the emotional value they want to see. Just don't sell that nostalgia too cheaply or perfunctorily, don't be like—"

At this point, she pursed her lips, revealing a trace of helplessness and self-deprecation. "Just don't be like me."

"What's wrong with you?" Jessica keenly caught the shift in her sister's mood and asked with concern.

Krystal, sitting opposite her, first sighed, then boredly poked at the fruit on her plate with a fork, and proceeded to pour her heart out slowly.

"The company has been communicating with me via email over the last two days about my previous comeback plan. At first, I thought they wanted to collect new songs to prepare a single, and I was even a little excited. But now it's completely confirmed: it's to make a cover album, pick a few old songs to rearrange and record, and then—well, you know, that kind of operation where they quickly produce, release, and harvest a wave of fans like leeks."

Having said this, Krystal looked up, her face full of resentment and disdain for the shortsightedness and perfunctory behavior of her company.

"It's simply speechless, but the contract is there. And although this project is clearly just a cash grab, the profit-sharing ratio is indeed good for me. The company also knows I can bring in sales, so that's that."

Finally, she speared a strawberry and put it in her mouth, smiling calmly as she chewed the slightly tart fruit. "Anyway, I can already foresee how I'll be scolded by some fans and netizens once the album comes out; it'll be nothing more than 'perfunctory,' 'reheating leftovers,' 'lacking sincerity,' and the like."

0

"When are you recording?" Jessica frowned.

"I'll head into the studio immediately after the trip ends and we go back. Recording plus post-production, it'll be very fast. It's completely a model of shoddy, rapid industrial production." Krystal shook her head helplessly again, feeling a sense of powerlessness regarding this compromise in her music career.

Jessica looked at the slightly dim expression opposite her, and her heart didn't feel right either.

She knew very well that Krystal had her own pursuits and aesthetic for music, which was why she had never proactively mentioned a comeback.

But being in the entertainment industry, especially the Idol industry, one is often not in control of one's own destiny.

Thinking of this, she could only reach out and gently pat the back of Krystal's hand resting on the table, silently offering comfort and support.

Fortunately, the Krystal of today was no longer the Zheng Xiujing of years past who would secretly grieve over company arrangements and bottle up all the pressure inside.

So she quickly adjusted her mood and turned to comfort Jessica instead. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I figured it out a long time ago. After all, if I take this money, I have to bear everything that might get me scolded. Fortunately, this money is indeed a lot, so I can accept it. Anyway, we'll see about the future later; for now, I'll just treat it as a job."

Just as the sisters were chatting about their respective career plans, opportunities, and frustrations, Lin Xiuyuan finally woke up slowly in Krystal's guest room on the other side of the suite.

A good night's sleep left him feeling refreshed. He got up, simply threw on a T-shirt and casual pants, and walked out of the bedroom barefoot.

As he walked out, he caught sight of the Zheng sisters bathed in sunlight by the floor-to-ceiling window.

He raised a smile and naturally greeted the two of them, "Hi, good morning, you two beauties~"

Jessica turned her head at the sound and retorted without ceremony, "It's almost 11 a. m., and you call that morning? Are you a pig, sleeping for so long?"

"Aren't you two just eating breakfast now, too?" Lin Xiuyuan retorted with a grin.

As he spoke, he naturally walked over to their table and, very smoothly, picked up the sandwich on Jessica's plate that looked untouched, taking a big bite.

"Hey!" Jessica immediately kicked his calf in disgust. "Did you brush your teeth? Eating without brushing, how dirty."

With his mouth full of sandwich, Lin Xiuyuan answered vaguely, "According to the habits of many people on the Peninsula, don't you all brush your teeth after breakfast? Where I'm from, we brush before we eat. Jessica, your lifestyle habits have changed quite fast; you're getting more and more particular."

"None of your business!" Jessica kicked him lightly again.

Meanwhile, Krystal laughed from the side and naturally reached out to straighten the wrinkled hem of Lin Xiuyuan's T-shirt, her tone gentle.

"Alright, go wash up after you finish that. When we were out exploring yesterday, we saw two houses that felt pretty good. We'll take you to see them in person once we're ready."

"Mmhmm."

With his mouth stuffed full, Lin Xiuyuan couldn't speak, so he could only nod vigorously to indicate he understood.

Then, while chewing the delicious sandwich, he turned around and sauntered back to the bedroom bathroom to wash up.

About half an hour later, the three of them were all packed and dressed, and they left the hotel suite together.

The sunlight today was just right, and the sea breeze was intoxicating.

And the journey continued.