Chapter 364: Today's Person is the Married Woman

Inside the Tara Dormitory in the year '13.

When Quan Baolan, who had been watching the drama with great interest, suddenly realized she was about to be dragged into the center of this interrogation storm.

Her whole body almost immediately sat up straight from the edge of the sofa like a startled rabbit, and she shouted subconsciously.

"No, this, this has nothing to do with me. Juli, don't you dare drag me into this!"

However, just as her voice fell, Li Juli's gaze swept over lightly, the corners of her mouth curling into an arc of knowing.

"What's the matter, Unnie? I haven't even finished speaking, let alone named you specifically. Why are you in such a hurry to distance yourself? Doesn't this count as a bit of a confession?"

"I————"

Quan Baolan, who hadn't expected this, was momentarily choked into silence by Li Juli's logically rigorous counterattack.

The defense that had just surged to her throat was stuck there, and her cheeks flushed bright red.

The feeling of frustration inside—wanting to scold someone but being unable to find the right words due to her personality—instantly reached its peak.

Especially under the dual gaze of Li Juli looking at her and Park Hyomin also casting a look from the side, Quan Baolan felt even more helpless and aggrieved.

She felt like a small animal that had stumbled into a hunter's encirclement, shivering and with nowhere to run.

In this moment of isolation and shame, the image of Lin Xiuyuan uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

Suddenly, she had a strong desire for this guy who had brought her so much trouble to appear here right now and help her talk back to these two bad women who were bullying her.

And when Park Hyomin saw the flames of war successfully transferred, she immediately felt a sense of relief as if she had escaped death, and even her eyes brightened a little.

So she immediately seized the opportunity, joined the siege with great interest, and followed up by kicking someone while they were down.

"Yeah, yeah, Baolan Unnie, tell us, what exactly is going on between you and Xiuyuan? Are there any little secrets we don't know about?"

As a result, just as her voice fell.

Li Juli, who had been staring at Quan Baolan the moment before, turned her head abruptly the next second, her eyes instantly becoming sharp, locking onto Park Hyomin again.

"Hey! Park Hyomin, get this straight. You are the one being interrogated now. Get the point, don't try to change the subject."

"Huh?"

Park Hyomin, who had been a bit excited just before, had the smile on her face freeze instantly, her mouth hanging open.

Her expression changed from gloating to astonishment and panic.

No way, this wind direction turned way too fast.

Quan Baolan, who had just been the target of the fire, felt a sense of relief after seeing this scene.

At the same time, she deeply understood the truth that watching drama has risks, and one must be cautious when spectating.

So since staying to watch the drama might lead to trouble, it was better to simply stay away from the battlefield.

So, very tactfully, taking advantage of the gap between Li Juli and Park Hyomin's infighting, she quickly picked up her phone and the small blanket placed to the side, and like an agile little cat, moved at high speed toward the direction of her room.

At the same time, she didn't forget to throw back a sentence, "You guys chat slowly, I'm tired after a day, I'm going back to my room to rest, good night!"

Before the words were finished, she had already flashed to the entrance of the hallway, and then "whoosh" disappeared behind the room door.

She even closed the door tightly on her way, as if afraid that the flames of war would spread inside.

As Park Hyomin watched the scene of Quan Baolan escaping with longing eyes, when she turned her head back and met Li Juli's "nuclear-friendly" gaze focused on her again, she immediately felt her scalp go numb.

She gave two dry laughs, trying to muddle through again, "Heh, hehe, Unnie, look, it's getting late, why don't we rest first? We can talk about whatever it is tomorrow."

Who knew Li Juli wouldn't buy this at all, leaning her body slightly forward, "You also know it's getting late?"

Her voice was soft, yet carried invisible pressure, "Then you still called a man to our girls' Dormitory to drink in the middle of the night, Park Hyomin, oh Park Hyomin, give me an honest account, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"I————I————" Park Hyomin was truly unable to speak her grievances now, unable to defend herself.

She couldn't really tell the truth, could she?

Because they caught each other's eyes in the car, got carried away for a moment, and borrowed the alcohol to bring him up.

Then, while drinking, they almost crossed the line, and in the end, they were caught by a teammate who returned suddenly————

She couldn't say such things even if it killed her.

Helplessly, Park Hyomin could only bite the bullet and begin a long and arduous journey of sophistry.

She pulled Li Juli to sit back down on the sofa.

One sentence was "it's just a normal friend helping out," and the next was "it really was just drinking a little to show gratitude."

Then she dragged in a few sentences about "Zhiyan and Sohee being there too, so how can this be considered being alone," trying to use various reasons that sounded reasonable but were full of loopholes to deal with Li Juli's sharp, cutting questions.

Two beautiful women in the quiet Dormitory Living Room in the dead of night, one pressing step by step, the other retreating step by step.

It wasn't until the second half of the night that the lights in the Living Room finally went out.

The next day, '25, Southern France, Bordeaux.

As the sunlight spilled onto the soft carpet through the wide floor-to-ceiling windows of the Jiudian suite, Lin Xiuyuan, who had woken up from a hangover, rubbed his throbbing temples and walked out of the bedroom with unsteady steps.

In the Living Room, Jessica and Krystal were already dressed and sitting at the dining table enjoying a sumptuous European-style Breakfast.

"You're awake."

Hearing the movement, Jessica didn't even lift her head, elegantly poking at the Fried Egg on her plate with a fork, "I thought you were going to sleep until noon and make us drive while you continued to dream in the back."

Lin Xiuyuan, who was teased, yawned, sat down, and took a glass of warm water silently pushed over by Krystal, taking a big gulp, only then feeling more comfortable.

Only then did he vaguely explain, "I did drink a little too much last night."

However, what surprised him a little was that the Jung sisters, who were known as the "Sleep Gods" and could sleep until the sun was high in Seoul, were able to maintain a fairly regular schedule during their travels.

"Let's set off after breakfast." Jessica put down her fork, picked up a napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth, and then looked at Lin Xiuyuan, "Let's get to Nice earlier today. Although we aren't in a rush, the pastoral scenery along the way is just like that after seeing too much. It's better to arrive at the destination early, have a good rest, and have a good time there tomorrow."

"Sure, I have no opinion." Lin Xiuyuan took a bite of toast covered in butter and jam, "Anyway, it's only a few hundred kilometers, the three of us can take turns driving and get there quickly. If we're tired or sleepy, we can sleep in the back of the camper, it's more comfortable than sitting in a sedan."

After confirming the situation, the three of them ate breakfast quietly for a while, occasionally chatting about what they had seen along the way.

When they were almost done eating, Krystal, who had been looking down at her phone silently, looked up, "By the way, Xiuyuan, YoonA Unnie and the others sent a message saying they are planning to return to Seoul today, did you know?"

"Yeah, they mentioned it to me before." Lin Xiuyuan nodded and finished the last of the Milk, "They never found a property they were particularly satisfied with in Lausanne, so they just treated it as a trip to relax. Anyway, there are plenty of opportunities, no need to rush at this moment."

Hearing Lin Xiuyuan say this, Jessica, who was applying lipstick on the side, also interjected, "What about Zhiyan and the others? Is it the same situation?"

"Hmm, just about." Lin Xiuyuan put down his cup. "The scenery in Siena is nice, but it's too far inland. It's not at all the concept of a sunny beachside vacation home we initially imagined; it's not very suitable as a base."

"So—"

Having heard this, Jessica tapped the rim of her water glass with her knuckles, producing a crisp sound, and summarized, "Now, all that's left is this Blue Coast route of ours; let's see if there's a chance to find an ideal place to settle down."

Faced with this statement from Jessica, Lin Xiuyuan was quite open-minded. "Didn't we discuss this before? If it really doesn't work out, we can just treat it as a relaxing road trip through South France; it doesn't have to be finalized this time. My thought from beginning to end has been safety first. If I really want to go out to sea, surf, or sunbathe, the worst case is I'll just work a bit harder and fly over a few more times."

Krystal agreed with this very much and said softly, "Mm, Xiuyuan is right, safety first. We can look for a house slowly; the right timing and location are more important."

"Then it's settled."

Lin Xiuyuan, having finished the last bite of his bread, clapped his hands, stood up, and stretched his somewhat stiff neck. "Let's go! Destination: Nice!"

Afterward, the three of them quickly packed their few belongings, checked out, and got back into that white Class C motorhome.

Because the itinerary had already been communicated in the morning, the three of them really headed straight for the destination this time.

Aside from necessary refueling and brief seat swaps, they drove almost non-stop.

The wheels sped along the highways of Southern France, and the scenery outside the window gradually changed from the vineyards of Bordeaux to hills and olive groves with more of a Mediterranean flair.

Finally, the faint blue coastline came into view.

During this period, because of Lin Xiuyuan's presence, Jessica and the other person did not have to use the cramped bathroom in the motorhome even when they needed to use the restroom.

Instead, they had Lin Xiuyuan open the door to return to the Seoul Apartment, where they rested for a bit before coming back.

Efficient and private.

Lunch was the same; Lin Xiuyuan returned to the Villa to order a sumptuous takeout meal and then brought it back to the motorhome.

With one person driving, the other two listened to relaxing music while enjoying delicious food, watching the ever-changing scenery outside the window—it was quite comfortable and carefree.

Midway, Lin Xiuyuan even took the time to make a trip to Lausanne.

He chatted for a while with Lin Yun'er and Kim Taeyeon, who had already packed their luggage and were preparing to check out and head to the airport.

Thus, the entire day passed quietly in such efficient and slightly busy rushing about.

Departing from Bordeaux at ten in the morning and taking turns driving, the motorhome carrying the three of them finally drove slowly into the city of Nice by evening, when the setting sun began to dye the sky a brilliant orange-red.

Once they entered the city and felt that distinct, passionate, and leisurely atmosphere of a seaside resort city, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, according to the plan, they first drove the motorhome to the scheduled return point and completed the return procedures.

Next, dragging their carry-on luggage, they checked into a boutique Jiudian they had booked in advance.

This Jiudian was located near the Old Town of Nice, within walking distance to the beach, and the location was very comfortable.

Having driven all day—or rather, having spent all day in a moving metal box—even if their bodies weren't particularly exhausted, the mental fatigue and the craving for stillness still made one feel a bit tired.

Therefore, after a simple dinner full of Mediterranean flair at the Jiudian restaurant, Jessica and Krystal had almost no hesitation; they went straight back to the suite, quickly washed up, and changed into comfortable pajamas.

Then, each occupied a sofa, lazily slumped there, and scrolled through tablets or phones, without the slightest thought of going out again to experience the nightlife of Nice.

Lin Xiuyuan looked at their "out of battery" state and smiled with understanding.

"Alright, then you two get some good rest. I'm going over to Siena to look around; I've disappeared for two days, so I need to show my face."

Jessica didn't even lift her head, just waved her hand to signal she knew.

Krystal, on the other hand, raised her eyes, smiled gently at him, and said softly, "Be safe."

Hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then opened the room door, and in the next second, his entire person flashed into the guest room of that manor Jiudian in Siena, Italy.

Then he took out his phone and contacted Dalongzai and Li Juli.

After receiving a reply, he followed the navigation and soon found them on a rather charming pedestrian street in the city center.

Those three seemed to have just finished shopping; they were carrying some shopping bags and were strolling along while chatting.

Li Juli, putting down her phone, looked at the bars and cafes with dim lights on both sides of the street and suddenly suggested with great interest, "It's rare to come to Tuscany; let's find a stylish bar tonight for a drink and experience the nightlife of Italy. Otherwise, it would be such a pity to just go back to the Jiudian like this."

Upon hearing this, Park Hyomin felt a bit depressed inside.

Because just yesterday, she had made a similar suggestion, but it was unanimously rejected by Dalongzai and Li Juli on the grounds of "safety."

In the end, they could only open a bottle of red wine in the hotel suite and chat while looking at the night view outside the window.

So, when she heard Li Juli suddenly change her attitude tonight, Park Hyomin couldn't help but ask back, "Unnie, didn't you say it wasn't very safe yesterday?"

This time, Li Juli's answer was quite righteous.

She blinked, looked at Park Hyomin, and smiled pointedly. "Hyomin, yesterday was yesterday. Last night, the three of us weak women naturally had to be careful, but tonight is different."

"What's different?" Park Hyomin asked subconsciously.

"Tonight—" Li Juli drew out her tone, her gaze crossing Park Hyomin's shoulder to look in a direction behind her, the smile on her face deepening. "Don't we have a backer now?"

"Who?" Park Hyomin was even more confused.

Noticing Li Juli's gaze, she turned her head subconsciously.

"Uh, it's me."

The moment she turned her head, a familiar and slightly smiling voice sounded less than a meter behind her.

Park Hyomin, who had already guessed who it was, shuddered and turned around slowly.

She saw Lin Xiuyuan standing under the street lamp behind her, his figure elongated by the dim light. A smile was on his face, and his gaze was landing on her face with interest; those deep eyes appeared exceptionally bright in the night.

And at this moment, Lin Xiuyuan, looking at this Park Hyomin before him, also felt it was somewhat funny.

【It seems I've been at odds with this person these past few days, and it's always about drinking; what's going on?】

Thinking of this, a strange, mischievous thought rose quietly in his heart.

【No, yesterday's was student Xiaomin. And today's is the married woman Hyomin.】