96: Chapter 96 The Time Capsule of f(x)

The morning light at Auckland Airport seemed to carry the scent of the ocean, spilling through the cabin windows onto the excited faces of the five f(x) members.

Victoria Song walked at the front, pushing her suitcase, her long hair cascading down. Wearing a denim jacket paired with denim hot pants, she still looked as capable and charming as she did in front of the camera.

Behind her followed the skipping Choi Sulli and Luna. The two of them would occasionally lean into the camera to make funny faces, only to be patted on the back by Amber.

"Seol-ri, the camera is rolling, tone down the cuteness!"

Choi Sulli stuck out her tongue and naturally took Krystal's arm.

Krystal Jung looked cool and expressionless, glancing at her briefly, though the corners of her mouth secretly quirked up.

Liu Zijun followed at the end of the group, listening to the report from the advance assistant arranged by Jiang Hongshao.

"BOSS, the guesthouse has been simply upgraded according to your requirements; it's a small courtyard."

The assistant, Kim Ji-yeon, was a woman in her late twenties. She was very efficient, holding the itinerary and speaking rapidly.

Liu Zijun's gaze passed over the noisy crowd and landed on Choi Sulli's profile. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he quietly gave a few instructions.

The assistant was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, nodding repeatedly. "Understood! I'll get right on it."

The bus traveled along the coastal highway, with the sea visible in the distance.

Liu Zijun looked at the shimmering light on the distant horizon and then back at Choi Sulli, who was stealing glances at him from time to time, and smiled knowingly.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the Little Iceberg's expression and sighed inwardly.

I should be more careful myself.

Forty minutes later, the convoy arrived at the seaside guesthouse in Paihia.

The cream-colored wooden building was surrounded by lush green vines.

As soon as the five girls entered, they were drawn to the large floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside was the azure bay. Victoria Song was the first to rush into a bedroom: "I want the room facing the sea!"

Luna followed closely behind: "Wait for me, Sister Victoria, let's stay together!"

Amber Liu studied the barbecue grill in the courtyard with great interest. Krystal Jung had already opened her suitcase and begun neatly arranging her clothes, while Choi Sulli leaned over the second-floor railing and shouted, "Everyone, come look! There's a swing here!"

The interval of unpacking was filled with laughter and joy.

The five girls changed into simpler clothes.

Choi Sulli wore a dress that showed off her long legs with a denim jacket over it; she looked absolutely fresh and adorable.

Meanwhile, Krystal Jung wore wine-red trousers and a coat, looking much more mature.

If it were before, Liu Zijun would have definitely joked and teased her for dressing like an old lady even though she was still a minor.

But this time he didn't, just silently watching from off-camera.

"Alright, alright. Once you're changed and ready, we'll eat and then head out!"

Victoria Song clapped her hands and gathered the group to depart.

She really was a capable leader and a warm older sister.

During the meal, they talked about their wish lists and time capsules, agreeing to each buy items they found meaningful.

Victoria Song and the others slipped away quietly, leaving only the two maknaes behind.

Han Jaeran went with them, while Liu Zijun stayed behind.

Krystal Jung looked at Liu Zijun behind the camera and bit her lip slightly. Taking advantage of Choi Sulli's inattention, she clenched her fists and suddenly ran off.

Choi Sulli called out "Soo-jung-ah, Soo-jung-ah" alone, her disappointed face suddenly brightening up.

Ignoring the camera, she shouted directly, "Oppa! It's just the two of us now. Let's go too."

The accompanying staff and cameramen were thrown into a panic.

The assistant quickly stepped forward to explain the situation to them and asked for their help to edit it out.

These staff members had received special instructions before departing; even the raw footage would receive special attention from certain people.

Liu Zijun patted Choi Sulli's head and said, "Jin-ri, we're filming right now, you still need to be careful!"

Choi Sulli, however, pulled his hand and acted coquettishly, "No! I want to go around with you, Oppa."

After reluctantly accompanying her for a while, Liu Zijun stepped out of the shot.

After walking a bit longer, Sulli was drawn to a small shop filled with local handicrafts. The resin ornaments in the glass cabinet had a warm luster. She picked up a small Kauri wood carving.

"This is so beautiful. I'm going to put it in the time capsule. It will surely still be this pretty when we open it in ten years."

The owner was a Maori elder who said in English with a smile, "Kauri is a gift from the gods; it can last for a thousand years."

But Choi Sulli couldn't understand.

Liu Zijun whispered, "I told you to study English and Chinese seriously. Now you see?"

Choi Sulli immediately pouted and said, "Oppa! I'm so busy every day, and now I'm preparing for the comeback. I've been studying very hard in my remaining time, okay?"

Liu Zijun felt a bit of a headache whenever she acted spoiled, which made Choi Sulli burst into a loud, honking laugh.

Choi Sulli was indeed very cute on camera, but if she were alone without him, she might be very flustered and timid.

Isn't this version of her the real Choi Sulli?

She wandered around while the camera followed; Liu Zijun deliberately kept his distance.

Just then, she ran into Amber Liu.

Choi Sulli's sense of panic lessened slightly. Then she saw a foreign couple walking by wearing flower crowns.

Her eyes were instantly drawn to them, an envious expression appearing on her face.

Liu Zijun smiled slightly; she really was just a young girl after all.

He gave a slight nod to Kim Ji-yeon, who then spoke to the guide he had specifically hired. The guide then arranged for someone to go and buy them.

This is the power of money!

When the person arranged by the guide returned with five flower crowns, they were stopped by Liu Zijun.

He saw that Amber Liu had bought some flowers from somewhere and was quietly weaving a flower crown by herself, hiding it for fear that Choi Sulli would see.

Jin-ri! You see? Your members love you just as much!

Although Amber Liu's flower crown was a bit crude, it was certainly made with sincerity.

It wasn't until the five of them gathered that Liu Zijun gave them the flower crowns, making them incredibly happy.

The girls all carefully tucked away the items they wanted to bury in the time capsule.

Choi Sulli acted even more coquettishly with Liu Zijun, quietly taking out a pair of little penguins.

"Oppa! I want to bury these two little penguins in the time capsule too. We'll come and dig them up together then, okay?"

Liu Zijun looked at her and agreed with a chuckle.

That evening, naturally because of Liu Zijun, the quality of the meals was significantly improved, which made the production crew feel very positively toward him.

New Zealand is indeed a very beautiful place.

The five girls all whispered that if they weren't filming a show but just here to play, they would definitely be even happier.

Liu Zijun found it a bit amusing to hear.