Since we are all reborn, let’s arrest the senior!

The steam in the bathroom gradually dissipated, and warm yellow light shone through the crack in the door onto the floor, outlining a gentle halo. Lu Mingze casually slipped on a loose linen pajama set, his hair still dripping wet. He bent down to pick up Jiang Yun's loose hair tie from the floor, twirling the soft yarn between his fingers, his gaze unconsciously falling on the figure curled up like a kitten on the bed.

Jiang Yun, wrapped in a fluffy bath towel, her cheeks flushed a peachy red from the steam of the hot water, was tilting her head and fiddling with the teddy bear on the bedside table. She gently pinched the bear's belly, and Lu Mingze's familiar voice came from the plush body: "Little Jiang Yun, remember to eat on time." The last syllable of his voice carried a hint of amusement, making her ears turn even redder.

"Still playing this?" Lu Mingze chuckled as he climbed onto the bed, water droplets sliding down his neck and into the collar of his pajamas. He reached out and snatched the teddy bear, but then pulled Jiang Yun into his arms, burying his nose in her damp, citrus-scented hair. "Didn't you like the voice message I just recorded?"

Jiang Yun looked up and met his smiling eyes, tiny water droplets still clinging to her eyelashes: "The teddy bear is clearly cuter." She deliberately reached for the teddy bear, her body inadvertently pressing against his chest, the soft bath towel brushing against his burning skin.

Lu Mingze's Adam's apple bobbed. He grabbed her mischievous hand and pressed it to his side, while using his other hand to lift a strand of her wet hair. "Looks like someone needs 'punishment'." Before he finished speaking, he suddenly rolled over and pinned her beneath him. When their noses touched, Jiang Yun could clearly see her blushing reflection in his pupils.

A light rain had begun to fall outside the window, its patter mingling with the hum of the air conditioner, weaving a gentle veil in the quiet room. Lu Mingze's fingers traced the curves of her waist; two buttons of her pajamas had been undone, revealing a glimpse of her collarbone. "Tell me, did you miss me or Little Bear?" His breath brushed against her ear, carrying the scent of cedar and rose.

Jiang Yun reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the stray hairs on the back of his neck. "I want both." She suddenly blinked and smiled mischievously. "But right now I want more..." Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly rolled over and pinned him down, her fingertips tracing his reddened earlobe. "To have a midnight snack."

Lu Mingze was taken aback for a moment, then amused by her reaction. He pulled her back into his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head: "Little glutton, what do you want to eat?" His fingers tapped her back lightly, like playing a silent melody.

"Egg pancake, with double the pork floss, and..." Jiang Yun counted on her fingers, then suddenly looked up as if remembering something, "You said you learned a new recipe before?"

A smug glint flashed in Lu Mingze's eyes as he turned and pulled a crumpled notebook from the bedside table drawer. The yellowed pages were covered in dense handwriting, with several sticky notes attached: "Tomato and beef brisket should be stewed for a full 40 minutes," "Remember to use rosemary when pan-frying steak." Jiang Yun flipped through the pages and found photos tucked inside—him frantically trying to cook alone in the kitchen, burnt cookies, and a bowl of dough that just wouldn't rise.

“These are all…” Her voice suddenly softened.

“They were all failures.” Lu Mingze scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. “I was hoping you would come back and show off your skills, but…” His voice gradually lowered. “But now,” he suddenly leaned closer, his nose brushing against her cheek, “my personal taste tester is back.”

Jiang Yun held the notebook, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. She remembered the fried egg he showed in the video, and the clumsy sketches on the sticky notes. She realized that every bit of longing was hidden in these trivial daily moments. She reached out and gently poked his chest: "Then tomorrow for breakfast, I want heart-shaped fried eggs."

"Yes, Miss Jiang." Lu Mingze smiled and tackled her, showering her cheeks with a series of light kisses. The rain outside the window grew heavier, the sound of raindrops hitting the glass mingling with their soft laughter, spreading through the night.

She didn't know how much time had passed when Jiang Yun curled up in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat. Moonlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting pearly luster on the rose petals by the bedside. She suddenly remembered the video call she had during her business trip; the longing she felt across the screen had now transformed into real warmth.

"Mingze," she called softly.

"Ok?"

"Will we really water our secret garden together from now on?" She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

Lu Mingze lowered his head and kissed her forehead, pulling her closer. "Of course. We'll plant sunflowers together, repot the succulents together," his voice trailed off, becoming seductively husky, "and in the garden..."

Jiang Yun blushed and covered his mouth: "You rascal."

He smiled, took her fingertip in his mouth, and gently bit it: "I'll only be a rascal with you."

Silence returned to the room, broken only by the sound of rain outside the window. Lu Mingze reached out and turned off the bedside lamp. In the darkness, his fingers ran through her hair, pinning a rose in her lock. Jiang Yun snuggled closer to him, the scent of cedar and rose filling her nostrils, and drifted into a sweet dream.

Lu Mingze, however, was wide awake. By the moonlight, he gazed down at the sleeping girl in his arms. Her eyelashes cast delicate shadows beneath her eyes, and a faint smile played on her lips, like a contented kitten. He gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Goodnight, my girl."

As night deepened, the rain outside the window stopped sometime earlier. Moonlight climbed back onto the windowsill, bathing the two sleeping in each other's arms. The rose on the chest of the teddy bear on the bedside table remained vibrant, as if witnessing this tenderness and sweetness that transcended distance.

Morning light filtered through the gaps in the gauze curtains, casting a thin golden line across the headboard. Lu Mingze woke first, looking down at Jiang Yun, curled up in his arms. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck, her breath gently brushing against his collarbone, her hair still carrying the citrus scent of last night's shampoo. He couldn't resist reaching out to gently brush away the stray hairs from her forehead, his fingertips brushing against her reddened earlobe. Jiang Yun's eyelashes fluttered, and she let out a soft, sleepy moan.

"What time is it..." Her voice was still tinged with sleepiness as she snuggled closer to him, her arms unconsciously wrapping around his waist. Lu Mingze glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table; the number 6:30 glowed softly. "It's still early, want to sleep a little longer?" His hand gently stroked her back, like soothing a lazy kitten. Jiang Yun suddenly looked up, her eyes still sleepy, her hair sticking out in disarray. "I saw a video yesterday; the Yuntai Temple in the suburbs is said to be very efficacious. Shall we go burn incense there?" Her eyes sparkled, her fingers unconsciously clutching the collar of his pajamas. "I heard that the first incense of the morning is the most sincere."

Lu Mingze's heart skipped a beat at her bright, sparkling eyes. He lowered his head and gently kissed the tip of her nose. "You little sleepyhead, you actually got up early?" he said, already sitting up and scooping her out of bed. Jiang Yun, wrapped in the blanket, tumbled into his arms, her warm breath hitting his chest. Lu Mingze's Adam's apple bobbed, and he reached out to pinch her soft cheek. "Go wash up, I'll make breakfast."

As the sound of running water came from the bathroom, Lu Mingze was already busy in the kitchen, wearing the bear apron Jiang Yun had given him. Two heart-shaped molds sat on the cutting board; he carefully poured the egg mixture into them, watching it slowly solidify in the pan. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jiang Yun standing in the kitchen doorway, wearing a fluffy coat, water droplets still dripping from her hair, holding a phone and secretly taking pictures of him.

"Have you taken enough pictures?" He raised an eyebrow, plated the fried egg pancake, and deliberately shook the plate. "If you don't help serve breakfast, you might not get any meat floss." Jiang Yun immediately ran over, tiptoed and quickly pecked him on the cheek, then took the opportunity to snatch the plate: "I'll take pictures, I'll take pictures. It would be a shame not to take pictures of such a handsome chef."

At the dining table, Jiang Yun bit into the crispy pastry, her eyes narrowing into crescents: "It's a hundred times better than the one in the last video!" She reached out and fed Lu Mingze a bite, and as her fingertips brushed against the corner of his mouth, Lu Mingze suddenly bit her finger. The warm touch made Jiang Yun's cheeks burn: "Lu Mingze!"

"The reward." He smiled triumphantly, took her hand, and kissed it again. Morning light streamed through the kitchen window, gilding their shadows, and the air was filled with the aroma of fried eggs and pork floss.

After tidying up the kitchen, Jiang Yun pulled out her old Hanfu from the bottom of her trunk. The light purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) was embroidered with lotus scrolls. She awkwardly tied the sash in front of the mirror when a warm chest suddenly pressed against her back. Lu Mingze took the ribbon from her hand, his fingertips tracing her slender waist. "Clumsy," he said with amusement, his movements exceptionally gentle as he tied the ribbon into a pretty bow.

As Jiang Yun turned around, her wide sleeves brushed against the back of his hand. She reached out to smooth out the wrinkles in his shirt, her fingertips lingering on the silver necklace on his collarbone: "Why don't you wear Hanfu too?" Before Lu Mingze could answer, she had already pulled out a dark blue long robe. "We bought it in Dali last time, but we haven't had a chance to wear it yet."

Lu Mingze let her do as she pleased, looking at their reflections in the mirror. Jiang Yun tiptoed to adjust his hair ornament, the jasmine scent wafting into his nose with her movements. He suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, then, to her surprise, lowered his head and kissed her, a tender and lingering kiss tinged with the sweetness of breakfast.

On the drive to Yuntai Temple, Jiang Yun sat by the window, the morning light bathing her profile in a warm golden hue. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she turned her head, her eyes sparkling: "Mingze, shall we draw a fortune stick for marriage?" Her fingers unconsciously tugged at the hem of her skirt. "Even though...even though we're already together, I still want to know..."

Lu Mingze freed one hand to hold hers, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand: "Okay, let's draw the most accurate fortune stick." His voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable firmness, "But more than the fortune stick, I believe in myself." When he turned to look at her, his eyes were filled with a tenderness more intense than the morning light, "Believe that I will hold your hand and walk with you forever."

The temple's red walls appeared and disappeared in the morning mist, and a few ginkgo leaves fell on the stone steps. Jiang Yun walked ahead, carrying incense and candles, her wide skirt sweeping across the bluestone slabs. Lu Mingze followed behind her, his gaze fixed on the jade hairpin swaying in her hair. As she offered incense, Jiang Yun closed her eyes and made a wish, her eyelashes casting trembling shadows beneath her eyes. Watching her devout expression, Lu Mingze, as if possessed, also made a wish—that time would slow down, so that he could reserve all his tenderness for the girl beside him.

Jiang Yun's hands trembled slightly as she drew the fortune stick. The moment it fell to the ground, she practically lunged to pick it up. The old monk interpreting the stick looked at the inscription and smiled kindly, "A very auspicious sign. Your wishes, young friend, will all be fulfilled." Jiang Yun looked up at Lu Mingze and found him smiling at her, his eyes filled with a promise even more certain than the inscription itself.

On the way down the mountain, Jiang Yun suddenly stopped. She took out two red ropes from her bag and carefully tied them to a ginkgo tree by the roadside: "These are marriage ropes I got at the temple. I heard that if you tie them here, lovers can be together forever." After tying her own rope, she tiptoed to reach Lu Mingze's. Lu Mingze obediently bent down, looking at her focused profile, and suddenly reached out and pulled her close to the tree trunk.

"Jiang Yun." He called her softly, his warm breath brushing against her reddened earlobes. "Actually, we don't need red strings or fortune slips," he said, running his fingers through her hair and cupping her face. "As long as you're by my side, I have the whole world."

Jiang Yun stood on tiptoe, her toes trembling slightly, yet she stubbornly deepened the kiss. A ginkgo leaf fell on her shoulder, only to be gently brushed away by Lu Mingze. As they parted, her eyes were wet, like flower petals glistening with morning dew: "Mingze, I used to think that love was about winning and losing, about having the upper hand..." Her voice gradually choked, her fingers gripping his sleeve tightly, "But after meeting you, I realized that loving someone means wanting to lay bare all your vulnerability for them to see."

Lu Mingze's Adam's apple bobbed as he lowered his head to kiss away the tears at the corners of her eyes: "Silly girl, I don't want you to give in." His thumb caressed her flushed cheeks. "I want you to be your most authentic self, to laugh out loud when you're happy, to act coquettishly when you're wronged, and even the way you throw your pillow when you're angry—I love it all."

“But I really am willing to give you everything.” Jiang Yun suddenly grabbed his hand and pressed it to her heart. “All the space here, all the longing, all the future, I only want to leave for you.” She looked up at him, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. “I used to think that I had to give myself a sense of security, but now I know that true peace of mind comes from the way you look at me.”

Lu Mingze's breath hitched, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, so strong it felt like he wanted to meld her into his very bones. His chin rested on the top of her head, and his voice was muffled: "If you say something like that again, believe me, I'll kidnap you right now and lock you up in our secret garden."

Jiang Yun burst into laughter through her tears and lightly punched his chest: "You rascal." Her fingers twirled the stray hairs behind his neck, her voice as soft as a whisper, "But if you really cheat on me, I'll really go with you."

A mountain breeze swept through the treetops, swirling up a carpet of golden leaves. Lu Mingze looked down at the girl in his arms, suddenly feeling that everything else in the world had become mere background. He bent down and picked her up, causing Jiang Yun to gasp and cling to his neck. "Come on, I'll take you to see a place." His steps were light as he traversed the winding mountain path, arriving at a cliff edge with a panoramic view.

The morning sun slowly rose through the sea of ​​clouds, its golden rays spreading across the entire valley.

(End of this chapter)