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

On a clear morning after the snow stopped, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled patterns of light on the bedroom floor.

Jiang Yun was held in Lu Mingze's arms, the scent of cedar mixed with sunshine lingering around her nose.

She gently turned her wrist, and the ginkgo leaf pendant reflected a gentle light in the morning glow, evoking sweet memories of Christmas Eve.

"Awake?" Lu Mingze's hoarse voice came from above her head, carrying the languor of someone who had just woken up. He lowered his head and placed a kiss on the top of her head, his chin brushing against her soft hair.

Jiang Yun turned around, reached out and stroked Lu Mingze's slightly stubbled chin, and said with a smile, "Mr. Lu, it's time to shave."

Lu Mingze took her hand, kissed it lightly, and asked with a sly look in his eyes, "Teacher Jiang, do you need any help?"

Then, the hum of an electric shaver filled the bathroom. Jiang Yun tiptoed, carefully shaving Lu Mingze's stubble, her warm breath gently brushing against his neck. Lu Mingze held her waist with both hands, watching her intently, occasionally winking playfully, which made Jiang Yun gently scold, "Don't move, be careful not to scratch yourself."

After shaving, the two prepared breakfast in the kitchen. Jiang Yun, wearing a bear apron, tiptoed to reach the coffee cup on the top shelf of the cupboard. Lu Mingze wrapped his arms around her from behind, easily took the cup, and stole a kiss on her cheek. The aroma of fried eggs filled the kitchen as the two chatted casually about their plans for the day.

"Let's go check out the rose garden this afternoon. I wonder if the snow has damaged the flower branches," Jiang Yun said to Lu Mingze as she plated the fried eggs.

Lu Mingze nodded and reached out to wipe the flour that had accidentally gotten on her cheek. "Okay, and while you're at it, hang the music box on the swing. You've been wanting to keep it."

In the afternoon, the two walked through the snow to the rose garden. The roses in the garden were sleeping peacefully under the white snow.

"If spring comes and the roses are in full bloom, this place will be even more beautiful." Jiang Yun closed her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze on her face.

Lu Mingze walked up to her, squatted down, and took her hand, which was adorned with a ginkgo leaf pendant. "When the flowers bloom, let's have a party right here, just for us, okay?"

Jiang Yun opened her eyes, her gaze sparkling with anticipation. "Great! I'm going to invite all my friends over and make them all envious of our Rose Secret Realm."

Returning home in the evening, Jiang Yun went into her study and began designing invitations for the Rose Garden party. Wearing gold-rimmed glasses, her eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows beneath her eyes as she lowered her gaze. In her right hand, she held a colored pencil, lightly outlining the roses on the drawing paper. Lu Mingze, meanwhile, was in the living room arranging the remaining Christmas lights, planning to redecorate the house. He would occasionally peek in, watching Jiang Yun's focused drawing, a smile unconsciously playing on his lips.

"Lu Mingze, what do you think of this color scheme?" Jiang Yun waved to him, holding up the sketch.

Lu Mingze walked over, hugged her from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Hmm... adding some gold here, like the sunlight in your hair, would definitely look even better."

Jiang Yun chuckled and patted his arm lightly, "You're always being cheeky." But she still followed his advice and started revising. The twilight outside the window deepened, and the orange sunset shone through the glass, casting a soft halo over her face.

It was late at night, and Jiang Yun leaned on Lu Mingze's shoulder, watching the Christmas special program being replayed on TV.

Lu Mingze's fingers unconsciously traced circles on her back, the cold light of the television screen dancing on his sharply defined features. Jiang Yun suddenly noticed that his gaze kept glancing at the skiing advertisement flashing in the corner of the television screen.

“Lu Mingze,” Jiang Yun looked up at him, lightly tapping his chin with her fingertip, “Do you want to go skiing?”

Lu Mingze was taken aback, the tips of his ears turning slightly red, "How could you..."

“Whenever you want to do something but are too embarrassed to say it, you secretly look at that thing.” Jiang Yun sat up straight, her eyes filled with laughter. “Like last time when you wanted to adopt that stray cat, but you pretended to casually show me a video of a cat.”

Lu Mingze smiled helplessly and pulled her back into his arms. "Nothing can be hidden from Teacher Jiang. Actually, I've always wanted to learn to ski, but..." His voice trailed off, "I always felt like I wouldn't be good at it."

Jiang Yun turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and looked intently into his eyes. "Lu Mingze, have you forgotten? When you first started doing woodworking, you couldn't even hold a saw properly, but now you can make such beautiful signs and swings, can't you?" Her thumb gently stroked the skin on the back of his neck. "If you want to learn to ski, I'll teach you."

Lu Mingze was taken aback. "You know how to ski?"

“Not only can I,” Jiang Yun raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with confidence, “I even participated in skiing competitions in college. But I haven’t skied in a long time, so it’s perfect to pick it up again with you.” She got up from the sofa and stepped barefoot onto the carpet. “We’ll go tomorrow. I know a ski resort that’s less crowded and has good snow quality, perfect for beginners.”

Watching her joyful figure disappear into the distance, Lu Mingze felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Teacher Jiang, how can you be so kind?"

Jiang Yun turned and gave him a light peck on the lips. "Because I'm your personal coach. But—" she deliberately drew out her words, her fingertips tracing his chest, "the coach is very strict. Are you ready for some grueling training, Lu?"

"As long as it's Teacher Jiang who teaches, I will definitely learn diligently," Lu Mingze replied with a smile.

The next morning, Jiang Yun got up early and pulled out her ski suit from the depths of her wardrobe. The fitted design accentuated her curves, and paired with her leather gloves and goggles, she exuded a mature, intellectual, and capable aura. Lu Mingze stood at the door, watching her efficiently pack her ski gear, his gaze unconsciously drawn to her focused expression.

"What are you looking at?" Jiang Yun turned her head, a smile playing on her lips. "Hurry up and change your clothes."

The ski resort was some distance from the city, and along the way, Jiang Yun explained the basics of skiing to Lu Mingze in detail. Her voice was steady and clear, as professional as if she were lecturing a student, "The most important thing in skiing is to maintain balance. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet, knees slightly bent. Remember this posture..."

Upon arriving at the ski resort, Jiang Yun took Lu Mingze to rent ski equipment. She skillfully helped him choose suitable ski boots and skis, and patiently taught him how to put them on. "First, fasten the ski boots, but not too tight, make sure your ankles can move freely." She knelt on the ground and personally adjusted the tightness of Lu Mingze's ski boots. "Remember, comfort is the first step to skiing safety."

After putting on their gear, the two arrived at the beginner slope. Jiang Yun first gave a few simple demonstrations; her movements were fluid and elegant, her figure as light as a butterfly, drawing graceful arcs on the snow.

Lu Mingze stood to the side, engrossed in watching, completely forgetting his nervousness.

“Come on, try to stand up.” Jiang Yun slid to his side and reached out to support his arm. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you.”

Lu Mingze carefully stood up, but his legs were trembling uncontrollably.

He gripped Jiang Yun's hand tightly, saying, "No, I feel like I'm going to fall."

“Relax, take a deep breath.” Jiang Yun’s voice was gentle yet firm. “Lower your center of gravity and imagine yourself as a tree rooted in the snow.” She gently held his wrist, guiding him to adjust his posture. “Yes, that’s it, hold this position.”

With Jiang Yun's patient guidance, Lu Mingze gradually found his balance.

He began to try small, clumsy glides, but with each success, a gleam of joy could be seen in his eyes. "Well done!" Jiang Yun encouraged him with a smile, "Now try turning."

She skied in front of him and demonstrated how to use the inside of the skis to control direction.

Lu Mingze tried to imitate him, but because he used too much force, he fell to one side.

Jiang Yun reacted quickly and rushed over to support him. The two of them tumbled together on the snow. As the snowflakes swirled in the air, Lu Mingze looked at Jiang Yun's wind-blown hair and the undisguised smile in her eyes, and suddenly felt his heart pounding uncontrollably.

"Does it hurt?" Jiang Yun propped herself up and looked at him with concern.

Lu Mingze shook his head. "It doesn't hurt, it's just... a little embarrassing." He turned his face away in embarrassment.

“Who doesn’t fall when learning to ski?” Jiang Yun reached out and wiped the snow off his face. “When I first learned, I fell even harder than you.” Her fingertips, still warm from her body, gently brushed his cheek. “The important thing is that you learn something every time you fall.”

For the next period of time, Jiang Yun stayed by Lu Mingze's side, teaching him step by step. From basic gliding and turning to braking techniques, she patiently explained and demonstrated repeatedly. Whenever Lu Mingze made even a little progress, she would praise him generously; and when he encountered difficulties, she would patiently analyze the problem and encourage him to try again.

As the sun set, Lu Mingze was finally able to ski the beginner slope independently. Although his movements were still not smooth enough, a proud smile spread across his face. Jiang Yun stood at the finish line, opening her arms to him, "That's fantastic! Lu, you're now a qualified beginner skier!"

Lu Mingze slid to her side and hugged her tightly. "Thanks to Teacher Jiang's careful guidance. Tell me, how can I thank you?"

Jiang Yun leaned against him, listening to his strong heartbeat, "Hmm... How about you cook tonight, make my favorite crème brûlée, and some gingerbread you baked?"

"Deal." Lu Mingze lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "But now, let me give my personal coach a good hug."

The two stood embracing in the snow, with the setting sun behind them.

The distant snow-capped mountains shimmered with golden light in the afterglow, resembling a breathtaking painting.

Jiang Yun closed her eyes, feeling Lu Mingze's body temperature and the warmth in his arms, her heart filled with happiness.

At that moment, she knew that no matter how many challenges lay ahead, as long as the two of them walked hand in hand, there was nothing they couldn't learn or do.

On the way back, Lu Mingze drove while Jiang Yun rested against the passenger seat. Moonlight streamed through the car window, casting a soft glow on her face.

As the car entered the residential area, the streetlights cast warm yellow patches of light on the windshield.

Lu Mingze parked the car and turned to look at the passenger seat. Jiang Yun woke up with her eyelashes fluttering, a few unmelted snowflakes still clinging to the ends of her hair. "We're home." He reached out to unbuckle her seatbelt, his fingertips brushing against the side of her neck, eliciting a lazy hum in return.

In the entryway, Jiang Yun kicked off her snow boots and stretched her body barefoot on the carpet: "I've had enough exercise today, I'm sure I'll be sore all over tomorrow."

As she bent down to untie her scarf, Lu Mingze wrapped his arms around her from behind, his nose brushing against the top of her head: "Coach Jiang's teaching is too strict; the students can't even lift their arms now." He then deliberately made an exaggerated grin.

"Really?" Jiang Yun turned around, raised an eyebrow, and poked his muscular forearm with her fingertip. "Then Lu classmate needs to work on his training. I'll have to teach you how to use the snowplow brake next time."

As she spoke, she walked toward the kitchen, the outline of the elastic band she wore while skiing faintly visible under her white sweater.

Lu Mingze leaned against the doorframe, watching her tiptoe to take the honey jar from the cabinet, her waist tracing a beautiful arc beneath her clothes. "I suddenly realized," he said slowly, "that Teacher Jiang looks especially charming in her ski suit." Seeing her ears turn red, he added, "especially when she's adjusting my ski boots, the way she squats down in front of me so focused."

"Lu Mingze!" Jiang Yun turned around, holding a wooden spoon, her feigned anger barely concealing her amusement. "If you keep being cheeky, I won't make you hot cocoa." She poured milk into a mug, and as the steam rose, she suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, the ski resort has night sessions next week, shall we try it?"

Lu Mingze walked behind her, braced his hands on the table and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder: "Looking at the stars on the ski slope?" His voice, mixed with his breath, sprayed into her ear, "But let's make it clear first, Coach Jiang will hold the student's hand the whole time to prevent me from falling due to nervousness."

Jiang Yun chuckled, turning around and bumping into his warm chest. She looked up at him, her eyelashes casting delicate shadows in the lamplight: "Sure, sure," she said, her fingertips tracing the buttons of his sweater, "but Lu has to grant me one request—"

"What conditions?"

“Come with me for core training every night.” Jiang Yun winked mischievously. “That way, I can unlock more difficult moves next time I ski.” She reached out and pressed her hand against his abs. “Like when we’re side-skiing.” Before she could finish speaking, Lu Mingze lowered his head and cut her off.

In the kitchen, hot cocoa sizzled on the induction cooker, gradually releasing its sweet aroma. After a long while, Lu Mingze released her, his voice hoarse: "Deal. But as a reward, I want to reserve tomorrow's ski instruction video." He pulled out his phone and waved it, "The kind exclusively recorded by Coach Jiang."

Jiang Yun took the phone, unlocked it, and opened the photo album to find the photos taken during the day.

In the video, Lu Mingze is wearing comical goggles and awkwardly spreads his arms to maintain his balance, while she reaches out to help him from off-camera. Both of them have snow on their faces and their smiles are brighter than the sunshine.

“There are no instructional videos,” she said, zooming in on the photo and gently stroking it, “but there is a skiing memoir.”

Lu Mingze rested his chin on the top of her head, looked at himself in the photo, and suddenly laughed out loud: "So I fell down in such a mess."

He paused, his voice softening, "But with you by my side, even wrestling becomes fun."

Outside the window, snow began to fall again. Jiang Yun nestled in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, and suddenly felt that the warmth and tranquility of this moment were more captivating than the thrill of the snow track.

“When the roses bloom in spring,” she said softly, “how about we build a mock ski slope under the flower trellis and continue teaching you to ski?”

Lu Mingze lowered his head and kissed her, his lips and teeth carrying the sweetness of cocoa: "Okay. As long as it's taught by Coach Jiang, I'd be willing to learn for a lifetime."

(End of this chapter)