Chapter 377: Sister, haven't you gone a bit too far?~> (Seeking subscriptions and monthly tickets)

With Li Juli driving, the car smoothly pulled into the Jiudian where they were staying in downtown Dubai.

This was a high-rise Jiudian located in the heart of the city; as the car came to a steady stop in the drop-off zone, a uniformed Jiudian doorman immediately stepped forward, politely helping to open the car door and beginning to retrieve luggage from the trunk.

After getting out of the car, Lin Xiuyuan took the identification documents of Park Hyomin and Liu Zhimin directly into his hands and walked over to the front desk to handle the check-in procedures.

Dalongzai and Li Juli stood by the luggage, whispering about something, while Park Hyomin took off her sunglasses and looked around the luxuriously decorated, high-ceilinged Jiudian lobby, her gaze somewhat unfocused.

As for Liu Zhimin, she stayed to one side very quietly, scrolling through her phone and occasionally looking up at Lin Xiuyuan's back in front of her.

The check-in process went very smoothly; a few minutes later, Lin Xiuyuan got the room cards and walked back, handing one of them to Liu Zhimin.

Seeing this situation, Liu Zhimin raised her eyes to look at Lin Xiuyuan; there was a sentence she really wanted to ask, but after glancing at the others nearby, she swallowed it back down.

Then, she naturally took a small step forward, adjusted the strap of the bag on her shoulder, and spoke in a relaxed and appropriate tone, "Well, Xiuyuan, seniors, I'm going up to rest first. Having flown for so long, I'm truly a bit tired."

Lin Xiuyuan looked at her and nodded, "Go ahead, get some good rest, see you tomorrow."

"Senior Hyomin, Senior Juli, Senior Zhiyan, then I'll head up first." Liu Zhimin politely nodded to the three of them individually, a perfectly appropriate junior-style smile on her face.

"Mm, get some good rest."

"See you tomorrow, Zhimin-i."

"Bye-bye!"

The three of them also responded one after another, though their tones were all different.

There was polite detachment, gentle courtesy, and a light, cheerful tone with a hint of a smile.

Nodding once more, Liu Zhimin dragged her suitcase and turned toward the Elevator area.

Her slender silhouette cast a faint shadow on the polished marble floor, her footsteps neither hurried nor slow.

As the Elevator doors closed completely, that figure disappeared behind the metal doors.

Almost at the same instant, Dalongzai's smiling gaze, as if sensing something, landed accurately and unerringly on Lin Xiuyuan's face.

She didn't speak, not a single word, and there was even a smile hanging on the corners of her mouth.

But that look seemed to hold a thousand words, like a small hook with soft barbs, gently snagging Lin Xiuyuan.

However, Lin Xiuyuan, meeting her gaze, did not change his expression.

He neither guiltily shifted his eyes, nor rushed to explain anything, nor did he show that kind of awkward smile one has when caught red-handed.

He simply reached out his arm in a very natural way and wrapped it around Dalongzai's shoulders.

Then, with a gentle pull, he tucked her entire person lightly into his embrace.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He lowered his head, his tone carrying a helpless smile, his voice very soft, "Let's go, let's go up and rest. Tossing from Florence to Barcelona today, and then flying over from Barcelona, it's really exhausting."

As he spoke, Lin Xiuyuan walked toward the Elevator entrance while half-hugging the delicate body in his arms.

His posture was so natural that even Dalongzai, who had wanted to give him a piece of her mind, couldn't help but lean in toward him.

Li Juli, who was behind them, saw this scene and a gentle smile curved the corners of her mouth; she didn't make a sound, just quietly followed along.

Her steps were composed, her gaze soft, as if she were already long accustomed to the scene before her.

Only Park Hyomin, clutching her room card, stood where she was, watching the backs of those three, her feet as if nailed to the smooth marble floor.

She didn't understand.

Very, very much did not understand.

Watching Dalongzai in that state of being held, not forgetting to tilt her head slightly to whisper something to Lin Xiuyuan, without the slightest bit of displeasure or questioning, and then looking at Li Juli's calm, smiling back, a massive confusion surged in her heart.

No, they clearly knew what Lin Xiuyuan's situation was.

They clearly had just watched with their own eyes as he made plans for tomorrow with another young, beautiful, and popular female idol.

They clearly saw him walk off holding someone like that without even a proper explanation.

How could they still be like this?

How could they still be so calm, so natural about being held?

Could it really be that they have been trained to such an exaggerated degree?

As soon as this thought popped up, even Park Hyomin was startled by it herself.

So, she subconsciously bit her lower lip, her gaze flickering, standing on the spot like a statue that had been hit with a pause button.

Until the Elevator door over there opened.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had walked in while holding Dalongzai, turned slightly and gestured with his chin toward Park Hyomin, who was still standing in the lobby, calling out, "Hyomin, aren't you coming in?"

"Oh, coming." Park Hyomin snapped out of it and walked quickly into the Elevator.

The Elevator doors slowly closed, the stainless steel walls reflecting the figures of the four people; the light was soft, and no one spoke again.

Watching the floor numbers tick up one by one, the tangled mess in Park Hyomin's heart only wound tighter.

Just like that, carrying this question that had never been answered, Park Hyomin spent her first night in Dubai tossing and turning.

Lying on the soft bed in the Jiudian, she stared at the ceiling, listening to the even, long breaths of Li Juli in the next bed, her mind replaying the scene from the Jiudian lobby that afternoon.

It was the hand Lin Xiuyuan used to hold Zhiyan.

It was the uncharacteristically submissive posture of the usually explosive Zhiyan when by his side.

It was Juli's calm smile.

And it was the look in Liu Zhimin's eyes when she looked back at the Elevator entrance, affectionate and spirited.

As well as Lin Xiuyuan's nonchalant attitude throughout all of these situations.

Outside the window was the brilliant night view of Dubai, the beams of light from the Burj Khalifa in the distance cutting through the night sky.

And Park Hyomin tossed and turned until she had pressed countless wrinkles into the fluffy Jiudian pillow, until the sky began to turn white, only then did she drift off to sleep in a daze.

She didn't sleep well all night.

The next day.

Sunlight poured in through the large floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the Jiudian restaurant, shining on the smooth white marble floor and creating a soft halo.

There weren't many people in the restaurant, and the mellow aroma of freshly ground coffee and the wheaty scent of toasted bread drifted through the air.

Liu Zhimin carried a tray with an Americano, a small portion of vegetable salad, and two croissants as she walked toward the booth.

At the booth, Lin Xiuyuan, wearing a simple dark gray cotton T-shirt, was looking down at his phone; on the table sat a half-finished juice and a half-eaten meal plate.

Liu Zhimin walked over and sat down opposite him.

"Morning, Xiuyuan."

"It's not early anymore, it's almost 12 o'clock."

Hearing the movement, Lin Xiuyuan looked up and put down his phone.

Liu Zhimin, having set down the tray, arranged the coffee and salad while looking at him, "That's still fine, it's not noon or afternoon yet."

After saying this, thinking of the situation last night, she gave the man opposite her a deep look, "Xiuyuan, your relationship with those seniors from Tara really seems very close, even more familiar than I imagined."

"It's alright," Lin Xiuyuan used a fork to pick up a piece of fruit, "friends."

That word again.

Liu Zhimin couldn't help but roll her eyes at him; she really wanted to ask, what kind of friends sleep together?

Lin Xiuyuan seemed to guess her thoughts, so he added, "Don't overthink it. It wasn't that I didn't want to book a room last night, it's just that there were only two rooms left, so the three of them had to squeeze in."

"Oh, is that so."

Liu Zhimin pursed her lips, choosing to believe this explanation.

But then, her voice still carrying a hint of coquettishness, she continued, "Setting that aside, if you want to brush me off with the previous question, at least find a more reliable excuse. If you were the same age, saying you're friends, I could at least give you some trust. But look at your age, and then look at them; no matter how you calculate it, it's impossible for you to be just friends."

After speaking, Liu Zhimin used her slender fingers to pinch a small silver spoon, gently stirring her coffee.

Her gaze never left Lin Xiuyuan's face.

She thought to herself about the tone and atmosphere when they were talking last night. Although she was young, she wasn't a rookie who had just debuted. She could still tell if the vibe was off or not.

Lin Xiuyuan took a bite of a croissant, chewed it slowly, and only after swallowing did he look up at her, "You said it yourself, at my age, how could it possibly be that we are just friends, so how could it be the kind of relationship you're thinking of in your heart, right?"

Liu Zhimin's stirring motion paused.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, a flash of surprise at being seen through crossing her eyes, but soon, that surprise turned into a smile.

She didn't deny it, but instead met his gaze openly, her lips curving into a beautiful arc, "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I knew just by looking at your expression." Lin Xiuyuan picked up another piece of fruit, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather.

"Fine, I'll give you credit for being observant." Mimicking him, Liu Zhimin picked up a croissant, tore off a small piece to put in her mouth, chewed a few times, and after swallowing, asked in as casual a tone as possible, "So, do you have any thoughts on our itinerary for today?"

"You don't have any plans?" Lin Xiuyuan asked in return.

"No." Liu Zhimin shook her head.

The main thing was that Liu Zhimin was usually scheduled too full, with every day's wake-up time, makeup time, and car departure time set.

Then what time to arrive at which schedule, what to wear, what to say—

These were all predetermined.

So when she finally had time to rest and take a vacation by herself, she actually preferred that kind of spontaneous feeling.

Just walking around, taking a stroll, or even just finding a place to stay quietly and daydreaming was quite nice.

As someone who had been circling around various female idols, how could Lin Xiuyuan not understand this feeling?

Without saying much, he just nodded, and after his gaze lingered on Liu Zhimin's face for a moment, he said naturally, "Then after you finish eating, go back to your room to rest well, and then change your clothes before we head out."

Liu Zhimin looked down at her outfit for the day.

A black camisole dress with a light, short shrug over it, revealing her delicate collarbones and a small patch of smooth chest.

The dress was tailored to fit, outlining her curves well, and she wore simple thin-strapped sandals on her feet.

She was actually quite satisfied with this outfit herself.

"Hm? Is this outfit of mine—not good-looking?" With a hint of confusion, Liu Zhimin asked earnestly.

"It's not that it doesn't look good," Lin Xiuyuan shook his head, "it's just not very convenient. The place we're going today, dressing like this would be a bit inappropriate."

Liu Zhimin blinked, not pressing for where exactly they were going, just nodding obediently, "Oh, okay."

She didn't ask why, nor did she express any doubt; she simply agreed.

This personality of not digging for the bottom of things and not being a buzzkill was one of the reasons why Lin Xiuyuan was willing to chat with her in detail and felt it was very comfortable to be around her.

After finishing lunch, Liu Zhimin returned to her room to rest.

About an hour later, Lin Xiuyuan's phone screen lit up; it was a message from her.

【I'm changed, waiting for you downstairs?】

【Mm, see you in the lobby.】

A few minutes later, when Lin Xiuyuan walked out of the Elevator, he saw Liu Zhimin standing by the floor-to-ceiling window in the lobby lounge area from afar.

She had indeed changed her clothes.

Her upper body was a cream-white cropped hoodie, the fabric looking soft and comfortable, with the hood hanging loosely.

Because of the short, cropped cut, it naturally revealed the edge of the matching-colored sports bra underneath, as well as a section of her fair, slender, and toned waist.

It was just that the round, cute belly button was covered by her pants, and the pearl she had admired on the plane yesterday, hidden at the cream-colored edge, could no longer be seen.

As for her lower body, it was a pair of classic light blue straight-leg cargo pants, with a loose and sharp cut, the hems slightly bunched at her ankles, and she had changed into a pair of clean white sneakers.

Her long hair was draped over her chest very simply, making her look youthful, vibrant, and full of energy, with an effortless sense of style.

At the same time, Liu Zhimin also saw Lin Xiuyuan, a smile immediately blooming on her face as she waved at him.

Lin Xiuyuan walked over, his gaze sweeping over her once, but he didn't comment, just smiling and nodding, "Let's go."

At the entrance of the Jiudian, he had already rented a car from the concierge in advance—a white SUV with smooth lines, gleaming cleanly under the scorching sun of Dubai.

Pulling open the passenger door, Liu Zhimin hopped into the car lightly and fastened her seatbelt.

The engine started, and the car slowly drove out of the Jiudian's drop-off area, merging into the wide streets of Dubai, heading toward the other side of the City Pop.

And just as that white SUV merged into the traffic and gradually drove into the distance.

On a high floor of the Jiudian, in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of a certain guest room.

Park Hyomin stood there quietly.

Wearing a loose, off-white linen loungewear set, she held a half-finished mug in her hand, the water inside long since gone cold.

Her gaze passed through the thick soundproof glass, through the clear sky of Dubai, through the flowing traffic below, and landed steadily on that white car silhouette drifting further and further away.

Until that car completely vanished into the countless similar streams of traffic, no longer distinguishable.

Only then did she turn around and look at the large bed in the room.

Over there, Li Juli was leaning against the headboard, wearing glasses and holding an e-reader, her demeanor relaxed.

The other one, Dalongzai, was lying on the foot of the bed, her two lower legs kicked up in the air, swaying back and forth, busy scrolling through short videos on her phone; from time to time, sped-up, addictive laughter and voiceovers drifted from the device.

The two of them were each doing their own thing, seemingly completely unaware of what had happened by the window.

A sense of frustration—the kind that feels like trying to prop up a wall with mud—mixed with an irritation she didn't even want to examine closely, rushed straight to Park Hyomin's head, so she blurted out to the two of them, her tone carrying irrepressible confusion.

"No, Zhiyan, Juli, what exactly is going on with you two?"

The two on the bed stopped their movements simultaneously, their two pairs of eyes looking toward Park Hyomin, whose mood was clearly off, with some confusion.

Afterward, Park Hyomin's voice rose involuntarily, "That guy Lin Xiuyuan isn't hiding or covering anything up out there, he's on a date with another woman. And you two? You don't care either? You're just letting him be like this? What exactly, what exactly are you thinking?"

Her questioning was like a barrage of cannon fire, every word carrying the complex emotions that had been building up over the past few days.

Dalongzai blinked, tilting her head as she looked at her for a few seconds.

Not rushing to defend herself, she instead said in a very relaxed, even slightly teasing tone, "Juli, I'm not even worried, why are you so worked up?"

She smiled, then continued, "Just pretend we're all just playing around; anyway, none of us are married, and no one has officially made their relationship public, right? So everyone is still free; it's Xiuyuan's freedom to go out and have fun with whoever he wants, and it's my freedom how I choose to interact with him, it doesn't conflict."

Compared to Dalongzai's directness, Li Juli's tone was a bit gentler, but her words were equally candid.

"That's right, Xiaomin. Don't be so sensitive, and don't take it so seriously. You've been in this circle for so many years, you should be very clear about it. Many times, many things are really nothing more than playing a part or enjoying the moment. If you take it too seriously, you won't even know where you lost."

When Li Juli said these words, her voice was very soft, as if she were stating a fact.

"Wait a second—"

At this moment, Dalongzai seemed to have suddenly grasped a key point, her eyes darting around as she looked at Park Hyomin, "Juli, you're so worked up, could it be that you've caught feelings yourself?"

"Zhiyan, don't talk nonsense, Xiaomin is married."

"Oh, oh, sorry Juli, I was wrong, I was wrong." Dalongzai immediately raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, but the cunning smile in her eyes didn't fade; instead, it grew even deeper.

She scooted closer to Li Juli, muttering in a low voice, but at a volume just loud enough for Park Hyomin to hear.

"I forgot, who told Juli to act so unlike a married woman."

This unintentional remark was like an extremely thin, sharp needle, accurately piercing into a certain gap.

It caused Park Hyomin, who had originally wanted to say something else and had even prepared a rebuttal, to have all her words stuck in her throat at that instant.

Standing by the window, she pressed her lips together, her fair fingers gripping the cold mug tightly, and fell into silence.

Finally, she turned her face to the side and looked out the window once more.

There was nothing there but traffic, high-rise buildings, and the skyline, somewhat blurred by the sun's heat, typical of a desert city.

As for that white SUV from before, it had long since driven out of her line of sight.

Looking at this scenery, she seemed to be genuinely pondering something.

And this reaction from Park Hyomin caused Dalongzai and Li Juli to exchange a look of surprise.

No way?

Was it really guessed right?

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