Chapter 97: Happy Birthday

"So, Unnie, you've joined the cult too."

"Mm, joined the cult."

A few minutes later, Xueli placed the cake on the bar counter.

She was quickly pulled to his side by Lin Dajun, whose small hands gripped hers tightly, before proceeding to recount how she had been "tricked" into coming over by Lin Xiuyuan tonight.

But her gaze remained fixed on Xueli with tenderness, as if she were seeing the stories of time through her.

Having seen this look from Krystal too many times already, Xueli was finally somewhat immune to it by now; she could understand the feelings of these Unnies and friends of hers—it was nothing more than them missing her too much.

So she didn't struggle, letting Lin Dajun hold her hand, and just smiled as she made a small joke, "Then, Unnie, you'll have to pay membership dues."

"Membership dues?"

Hearing the term again, Lin Dajun couldn't help but look at Lin Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, how much are these membership dues of yours?"

"How much?"

Thinking of this "Bambi" who had wanted to "draw a line" with him at the restaurant yesterday, Lin Xiuyuan smiled, "No rush, stay for a while first, and we'll see when the time comes."

Meanwhile, Lin Xiaolu across from them had been staring at Xueli, seemingly unable to snap out of the news that "this cutie would commit suicide in 2019"; she just couldn't wrap her head around it.

It wasn't until she heard about "paying membership dues" that she glanced at Lin Dajun opposite her, then looked at Zheng Xiuyan, "I'll pay, since I'm here anyway. Unnie, how much did you guys pay?"

"Us?"

Over at the bar, Zheng Xiuyan, who was making drinks for herself and Xueli, snorted at the question, "Didn't you say before that I'd been scammed? That was the membership dues I paid, remember?"

A flash of inspiration struck Lin Xiaolu, and she quickly thought of the situation in Tokyo, so she responded, "Ah,

The time with the eighty million?"

"It's this Tavern," Lin Xiuyuan quickly clarified.

Opposite them, Lin Dajun, being quite sharp, guessed something, "So that Tavern over there is Xiujing's membership dues."

"Bingo, you got it, but no prize."

Lin Xiuyuan didn't deny it; they would find out sooner or later anyway.

Having received her answer, Lin Dajun swept a glance over everyone in the room, and thinking back to the "Membership System" setup, some of her previous confusion suddenly cleared up.

"No wonder when I was eating with Juli Unnie a couple of days ago, you said that even if it didn't make money, the Tavern wouldn't go under. So that's how it is; there's no way we would ever let this Tavern go out of business."

Then she looked at Xueli beside her, "Then, Snowball, how much are your membership dues?"

"I'm planning to buy the apartment next to Oppa's, put it in Oppa's name, and then expand the rooms in that apartment."

After hearing Xueli's words, Lin Dajun's eyes lit up, "Then I can also—"

However, just as she was being generous for once, Lin Xiaolu interrupted her, "Do you have the money here?

What can you do? You're just all talk."

This extreme, sharp-tongued reversal made Xueli burst out laughing, and Lin Xiuyuan and Zheng Xiuyan couldn't help it either, joining in the laughter.

"Wow, daebak, ya— you—"

Lin Xiaolu's words weren't wrong at all, but they dealt a devastating blow to Lin Dajun, even harder to take than the previous "flat-chested" attack.

"I'm just stating facts, right, Unnie?"

Lin Xiaolu felt satisfied now, wearing the most cheerful smile she had shown since entering the Tavern tonight.

Faced with Lin Xiaolu's question, how could Zheng Xiuyan dare to answer? After all, in a sense, both of them were her "good little sisters."

She couldn't favor either one, so she hurriedly looked at Lin Xiuyuan to change the subject.

"These membership dues are actually just a joke Lin Xiuyuan made; you don't need to take them too seriously. Whether you pay or not doesn't matter, being happy is what's most important. This Tavern was opened just to give everyone a place to relax and gather."

"Mm, that is indeed the original intention for opening this Tavern. As a contact point, it gives Xiuyan and Krystal a place to rest when they're traveling back and forth."

Facing Zheng Xiuyan's lead, Lin Xiuyuan picked up the topic, chuckling, "So you don't need to stress about the membership dues. When I run out of money, I'll naturally come asking you for some."

The first half of this statement was quite moving; Lin Dajun and Lin Xiaolu were both deeply touched, not expecting there to be such a place dedicated to them.

But then Lin Xiuyuan shifted his tone, and that last sentence derailed the relaxed atmosphere, making them both giggle and laugh out loud.

Xueli was also having a great time on the side, laughing until she was doubled over.

Only Zheng Xiuyan looked at Lin Xiuyuan with a complex expression.

She looked at the wine glass in her hand, really wanting to smash it against his forehead.

This man, truly, is rotten wood that cannot be carved.

The conversation reached this point, and they had chatted enough.

Seeing the atmosphere was just right, Lin Xiuyuan continued to suggest, "Why don't you play a game? There's still some time before 12 o'clock, no rush."

Hearing this, Lin Xiaolu looked at the two cakes on the bar, a flash of surprise in her eyes, "I really didn't expect,

Lin Xiuyuan, that you would actually remember my birthday."

To this, Lin Xiuyuan replied, "It just suddenly came to mind; I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that it happened to be a day like this, bringing you both together."

"And this timing is just perfect,"

Lin Dajun nodded in agreement, "If it were tomorrow night, I definitely couldn't have come; I have a live stream to do, and I've already made plans with the Unnies."

She paused, looking at Lin Xiuyuan with a smile, "But you just happened to pick the 29th, and I happen to be free tonight. If you really did this on a whim, then I can only say, it's a miraculous coincidence."

Faced with Lin Dajun's words, Lin Xiuyuan simply spread his hands, "This really wasn't intentional; didn't you see me trying to get you to go home over there?"

"Indeed, it seems fortunate that I chose correctly."

Hearing this, Lin Dajun also recalled the scene earlier where Lin Xiuyuan's attitude had changed.

Then she looked at the people around her, feeling lucky that she had followed that umbrella earlier.

At this moment, Lin Xiaolu was a bit curious, "Live stream?"

Looking at the face that was identical to her own, yet filled with novelty and confusion, Lin Dajun smiled faintly.

"In the coming years, the world develops too fast, and even work models have changed a lot. So I can't explain it clearly in a moment; why don't you go over there with Xiuyuan tomorrow and see for yourself?"

"Mm, seeing is believing, always better than just hearing about it."

On this point, Zheng Xiuyan and Xueli both agreed wholeheartedly.

Consequently, Lin Xiaolu stopped asking, simply tucking away her curiosity.

But sometimes, a sharp tongue is a physical instinct, and she couldn't hold it back even if she wanted to.

For instance, right now, after nodding, Lin Xiaolu unconsciously blurted out, "But will I still be celebrating my birthday with fans in over a dozen years? I just feel like I'd be in a terrible mood, celebrating the fact that I've watched myself grow another year older."

"Yah, Lin YoonA~"

At this, Lin Dajun couldn't hold back, shouting her own name in anger for the first time in her life.

After saying this, Lin Xiaolu realized she had made a slip of the tongue.

So she abruptly hid herself behind Lin Xiuyuan, her small hands clutching Lin Xiuyuan's clothes, "Sorry,

I spoke too fast, I spoke too fast."

Over there, Xueli smiled and pulled Lin Dajun over to comfort her, "Unnie, don't be angry. You really look great now; your features are more defined, and your skin is even fairer than before, isn't it?"

Fortunately, Lin Dajun was only momentarily hot-headed; she deflated after shouting once.

Then she looked at Lin Xiaolu, who was poking her head out from behind Lin Xiuyuan, "You just wait. I'll be tutoring you then, and if you can't finish your homework, I really will give you corporal punishment."

"Then I don't want you to teach me anymore."

Hearing the other party bluntly say she would 'corporally punish' her, Lin Xiaolu wouldn't have it.

"Then do you not want the drama 'The Heirs'? Do you know? This drama set a viewership rating of nearly 30% at the time, and the two leads even won multiple awards at the SBS Acting Awards; not to mention its popularity, it was a massive hit."

These words truly struck Lin Xiaolu's weak spot, but as she looked up at Lin Xiuyuan's back, the corners of her mouth curled up,

and she regained her composure.

"It's fine, Lin Xiuyuan said that actually, you aren't that amazing either, and your acting can only be described as mediocre.

In terms of 'crying scenes,' I might even surpass you. At worst, I'll just go and teach myself."

As these words were spoken, Lin Xiuyuan, who was blocking her, couldn't sit still anymore and turned his head abruptly, "No, Yun—yah, Lin Xiaolu, when have I ever said such things?"

"Yesterday," Lin Xiaolu answered righteously.

"I—."

"Xiuyuan, is that how you see me?" Lin Dajun said with a forced smile, enunciating every word, making a chill run down Lin Xiuyuan's spine.

Lin Xiuyuan, who had been "watching the show" just a second ago, now only felt a cold shiver rushing from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

His brain spun rapidly, trying to come up with a self-consistent explanation.

Damn mouth, hurry up and explain.

Fortunately, at this moment, Zheng Xiuyan, who had seen enough of the show, stepped in to resolve the situation, "Alright, alright, stop bickering. Can't you two really get along peacefully? You're both Lin YoonA."

1

Who would have thought that Xueli, standing to the side, would look at her meaningfully upon hearing this, her mind involuntarily conjuring the scene of Xiuyan Unnie cursing at Jessica inside the computer earlier.

So she silently complained in her heart: Unnie, you don't seem to have much room to talk either.

Fortunately, after this little interlude, everyone played a game of Flying Chess under Xueli's 'suggestion.'

Excluding Lin Xiuyuan, the four of them were just right; with Lin Dajun there, their topics of conversation were much more numerous, so even though they talked until late at night, there was still much left unsaid.

And as the time approached midnight, Lin Xiuyuan walked over to the bar, unwrapped the cake, and lit the candles.

Although this cake didn't hide any more surprises, the surprise given earlier was already big enough.

So, amidst the repeated singing of 'Birthday Card' by everyone, Lin Dajun and Lin Xiaolu welcomed an extremely special birthday in their respective lives inside this small Tavern.

One was the 35-year-old Lin YoonA, mature yet gentle, calm yet not lacking in approachability.

One was the 23-year-old Lin YoonA, pure yet spirited, exquisite yet not ostentatious.

The two stood side by side in front of the candles, clasped their hands to make a wish amidst everyone's singing, and then bowed slightly, gently blowing out their respective candles.

Finally, they stood straight, looked at the version of themselves opposite, smiled slightly, and said a word to their past/future selves.

"Happy birthday."

2025.

Inside the Villa.

A sexy figure wearing an A-line skirt and black stockings stood under the light, her eyes as cold as ice.

"Lin Xiuyuan, you had better not come back."