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

Looking at his younger siblings' innocent smiles, and then at Lin Ye's tired yet determined eyes, Chen Mingyu suddenly felt a frozen corner in his heart begin to melt. He took out his phone: "I'll have my secretary send over some professional medical equipment. Also, I'd like to personally sponsor this project."

Lin Ye looked at him in surprise, but Chen Mingyu turned his face away and said, "Don't misunderstand, I just think this project is really meaningful." Jiang Zimei walked over and said with a smile, "Welcome to join us, Mr. Chen."

As dawn broke, the Labrador finally woke up. The children cheered and named it "Little Sun." Lin Ye watched the lively scene and quietly retreated to the side. Jiang Zimei followed him out and handed him a steaming hot bun: "Go and eat something; you haven't slept all night."

Lin Ye took the bun, took a bite, and suddenly froze: "This tastes just like my mom's." Jiang Zimei smiled and said, "It was made by Lu Mingze. He's the best at making breakfast." She looked into the yard, where Lu Mingze was leading the children to hang new lanterns in the shelter. The warm yellow light shone on everyone's faces. "This place is like a big family. You can be a member anytime you want."

As the early spring sunlight slanted into the orphanage, Jiang Zimei was squatting in front of the rescue shed, preparing goat milk powder for the newborn kittens. Little Grey, now a majestic greyhound, sat at her feet, its tail gently brushing against her trouser leg. In the distance, the bell of a tricycle rang out, and Akai's booming voice pierced the thin mist: "Fresh chicken breast has arrived!"

Lin Ye nimbly jumped out of the car, carrying two large bags of pet food on his shoulder. The silver whistle around his neck had been replaced with a wooden one, supposedly hand-carved by Duo Duo from peach wood. "Be careful not to strain your back," Chen Mingyu's voice came from behind. This once impeccably dressed young man was now wearing a faded denim jacket and carrying several boxes of pet food. Since joining the project, he had made time to help out every week.

Jiang Zimei smiled as she accepted the can of food Chen Mingyu offered. "We're planning to hold the pet adoption event Mrs. Chen mentioned last time next weekend." Chen Mingyu's eyes softened when he mentioned his mother. Since witnessing the healing power of animals for children at the orphanage, Mrs. Chen not only stopped opposing the project but also became its biggest sponsor.

Just then, Lele rushed over, carrying an orange, her kitten paws still smeared with paint. "Sister! We painted a rainbow on the shelter!" The child's face beamed with pride, followed by a group of children holding paintbrushes. Lu Mingze poked his head out of the house, his apron covered in flour: "Come wash your hands, these are freshly baked carrot cookies!"

Life at the orphanage was gradually settling into a routine, but the peaceful days were not without their ripples. One evening, a black sedan pulled up outside the orphanage, and a well-dressed middle-aged man got out. He took off his sunglasses, his gaze lingering on Lin Ye for a moment: "Lin Ye, your father's estate has been settled."

The air froze. Lin Ye gripped the hem of his clothes, his voice trembling: "Didn't I already give up my inheritance?" The man pulled out documents from his briefcase: "This is the insurance your father bought before he died, and you are the beneficiary. And this." He handed over an old tin box, "Found in the car he crashed."

Lin Ye opened the box with trembling hands. Inside was a badly worn pocket watch, with a yellowed photograph tucked inside the dial—his father holding him as a child, with the old orphanage building behind them. Tears blurred his vision. He remembered how his father always said that when they had saved enough money, he would take him back to the orphanage to do volunteer work.

Jiang Zimei gently grasped his hand, feeling its coolness. Chen Mingyu silently stood beside him; this former adversary now had eyes full of understanding. "Let's look at the documents first," Jiang Zimei said softly. "No matter what, we're here for you."

The documents show that the father's insurance payout was sufficient to sustain the shelter's operation for many years. Even more surprisingly, Chen Mingyu's father, Director Chen, personally signed documents to donate a piece of idle land under his name to the orphanage for the expansion of the shelter.

“My dad said this is what he owes you.” Chen Mingyu looked at the document, his voice low. “That car accident back then was actually caused by his poor decision-making.” Lin Ye looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with anger and confusion. “He wanted to make amends,” Chen Mingyu continued, “but he knew you wouldn’t accept his apology, so he did it this way.”

As night fell, Lin Ye sat alone on the roof of the shelter. Jiang Zimei climbed up the ladder carrying a thermos containing yam porridge cooked by Lu Mingze. "Want to talk?" she asked, sitting down beside him. Lin Ye gazed at the starry sky: "It turns out I've been blaming the wrong person all along."

Jiang Zimei leaned gently on his shoulder: "Your father must love you very much. Just like these stray animals, even though they have been hurt, they are still willing to believe in warmth." She pointed down, where Lele was hugging Xiaotaiyang and telling stories to the new stray cat, Duoduo was grooming Ju Zi, and Chen Mingyu was squatting on the ground helping Akai repair his pet stroller.

Lin Ye gripped his pocket watch tightly: "I want to turn this land into a hospice for stray animals." He turned to look at Jiang Zimei, his eyes resolute, "Just like you said, every life deserves to be treated with kindness."

On the day of the pet adoption, the orphanage was decorated with a particularly warm and welcoming atmosphere. The children folded origami cranes out of colored paper and hung them on the trees, while Jiang Zimei and Lu Mingze baked animal-shaped cookies by hand. Mrs. Chen, unusually wearing flat shoes, was squatting on the ground playing with a cat toy with some of the children.

"Madam, would you like me to introduce myself?" Chen Mingyu smiled as he approached a young girl who had stopped to watch. The "Volunteer" badge on his chest was particularly eye-catching. The girl blushed and nodded, her gaze drawn to a small orange and white kitten in a cage.

Lin Ye weaved through the crowd, patiently answering the adopters' questions. As he turned around, he suddenly froze—a familiar figure stood not far away; it was his former homeroom teacher. "I heard you've done something remarkable," the teacher said, his eyes shining with satisfaction. "Back then, I knew you were just hiding your kindness beneath a rebellious exterior."

At the end of the adoption event, most of the animals found new homes. Jiang Zimei looked at the empty cages, feeling both happy and reluctant. Lu Mingze put his arm around her shoulder: "Don't be sad, new little lives will come soon." He pointed to the corner, where a hedgehog was huddled in a cardboard box, curiously looking around.

Late at night, after everyone had left, Lin Ye, Jiang Zimei, and Lu Mingze sat under the old locust tree in the courtyard. Moonlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. "Thank you," Lin Ye broke the silence, "you've helped me rediscover the meaning of life."

Jiang Zimei raised her glass: "To all the encounters." The three clinked glasses, the crisp sound echoing in the quiet night. In the distance, the peaceful purring of the small animals from the rescue shelter mingled with the breathing of the sleeping children, creating a gentle nocturne.

As the new rescue center broke ground, more and more stories unfolded there. An elderly person who had lost a child regained their smile after adopting a puppy; an autistic child spoke for the first time while caring for a rabbit. Chen Mingyu and Lin Ye's relationship also gradually improved; the two even collaborated on developing a stray animal rescue app to make it easier for more people to participate. That day, while sorting donated supplies, Jiang Zimei found an anonymous letter in a package. The handwriting on the letter was very childlike: "Thank you, brothers and sisters. You've shown me that the feeling of being abandoned isn't forever." It was signed with a small sun drawn with a heart. Jiang Zimei's eyes welled up with tears. She knew it must have been written by one of the rescued children.

Spring turned to summer, and the lawn of the rescue center was covered with dandelions. Duo Duo picked one, blew on it gently, and the white fluff drifted away in the wind. "Will they find new homes?" she asked, tilting her little face up. Lin Ye squatted down and patted her head: "Yes, just like every little life we ​​rescue, they will eventually find their own home."

In the distance, Chen Mingyu was leading volunteers in setting up a new cat tree, Akai and Ajie were adjusting the monitoring equipment, and Lu Mingze was pushing a cart full of vegetables, preparing nutritious meals for the animals. Jiang Zimei watched this busy yet heartwarming scene, her heart filled with emotion.

Suddenly, a melodious whistle rang out. It was Lin Ye playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on his wooden whistle, and the children and small animals gathered around. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed everyone in a golden light, gilding the scene.

As the cicadas began to sing in the summer, the orphanage's rescue center faced a new challenge. A week of torrential rain had plunged the city into flooding, and the orphanage, situated in a low-lying area, was experiencing water seepage in its backyard shelter. Jiang Zimei stood in ankle-deep water, watching the volunteers frantically move animal cages, her brow furrowed. Lin Ye waded over, his hair soaked and plastered to his forehead: "The sandbags in the warehouse aren't enough, I contacted Akai and the others to send some over!"

Just then, Chen Mingyu arrived in a modified off-road truck, cutting through the rain. The truck bed was filled with tarpaulins and a water pump. "My dad's company's rescue team is on their way!" He wiped the rain off his face and turned to direct the volunteers to move the elderly and weak animals to the second floor first. Jiang Zimei noticed the band-aid peeking out from his shirt cuff—it was from a scratch he had sustained a few days ago while helping deliver kittens.

Through the rain, a small, thin figure struggled to ride an electric scooter. Xu Nan jumped off, clutching the refrigerated box containing the vaccines tightly to his chest: "The vaccines can't be soaked in water!" His trousers were covered in mud, and his glasses were fogged up. Lu Mingze, holding an umbrella, went to meet him and handed him a towel: "Go change into some dry clothes first. I'll take care of things here."

After the rescue team arrived, everyone worked together to build a sandbag wall. Jiang Zimei, holding the shivering orange tabby cat, suddenly heard a faint cry for help. Following the sound, she found three newborn kittens curled up in a cardboard box in the corner, their umbilical cords still attached. "Quick, get towels and hot water bottles!" she shouted. Lin Ye immediately rushed into the rain and retrieved a first-aid kit from the truck.

Late at night, the rain subsided slightly. Jiang Zimei stood by the makeshift incubator, feeding the kitten goat milk powder with cotton swabs. Lu Mingze brought over a bowl of hot ginger soup: "Have some soup first. You've been watching over her for two hours." He gently wiped the raindrops from her cheeks, his movement as natural as breathing.

Just then, a commotion arose downstairs. Jiang Zimei ran down and saw several uniformed individuals arguing with Chen Mingyu. "According to regulations, stray animals must be handled in a centralized facility!" the lead staff member said. Chen Mingyu stood in front of the rescue shed, refusing to budge: "These animals are the children's companions; we have the legal documentation for their shelter!"

Lin Ye clenched his fists, wanting to step forward, but was stopped by Jiang Zimei. She stepped forward, her voice gentle yet firm: "Sir, these animals are not only living beings, but also healers for children's minds." She pointed to a photo on the wall, in which Duoduo was holding a little gray dog ​​and telling a story to an autistic boy. "You see, they redeem each other."

The staff member looked through the documents, his expression gradually softening. Just then, Lele led a group of children over, each holding a drawing: "Uncle, please don't take them away, we'll take good care of them!" Duoduo held up her drawing, which depicted a rescue center under a rainbow, with all the animals wearing smiling faces.

Ultimately, the staff agreed to postpone the process but requested that the relevant procedures be completed. Chen Ming visibly breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Jiang Zimei then noticed that his suit jacket had been draped over the refrigerated box containing the vaccines at some point.

Three days after the torrential rain, the sun shone again on the orphanage. While organizing the files, Jiang Zimei found a special letter. Written in crooked handwriting, it read: "Sisters, I am Qiuqiu, the kitten you rescued. My current owner feeds me canned food every day and takes me to the park. I miss you all. When I grow up, I want to help other animals too." Next to the letter was a photo of an orange kitten wearing a bow, sitting obediently on a pink cushion.

Jiang Zimei's eyes welled up with tears as she carefully placed the letter into the commemorative album. Just then, Chen Mingyu knocked and entered, carrying a stack of documents: "I contacted the pet medical association, and they're willing to provide free vaccines and regular free clinics." He paused, "Also... my dad wants to meet Lin Ye."

When Lin Ye heard the news, he was weeding the garden at the rescue center. His hand holding the hoe trembled slightly. "I...I don't know what to say." Jiang Zimei handed him a bottle of chilled plum juice. "Don't rush into a decision. Some words, perhaps, carry more weight when they've been settling down for a while."

Over the weekend, Director Chen, accompanied by his assistant, visited the orphanage. He stood in front of the rescue shed, watching Lin Ye skillfully bandage an injured squirrel, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Back then, I thought money could make up for everything," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "Now I understand that some debts need to be repaid with sincerity."

Lin Ye remained silent for a long time before taking out his pocket watch. "My father always said that one should live with a clear conscience." He looked up, his gaze calm. "Since you want to make amends, then speak out more for legislation to protect stray animals." Director Chen nodded solemnly and took out a document from his briefcase. "This is a proposal I drafted with several other entrepreneurs. I hope you can take a look."

Meanwhile, a special graduation ceremony was being held in the orphanage's backyard. Duo Duo was going away for surgery, and before leaving, she gave Xiao Hui the scarf she had knitted. "Take good care of the other children," she said, her eyes reddening. Xiao Hui seemed to understand, gently nuzzling her face with its head.

Jiang Zimei and Lu Mingze stood to the side, watching the children interact with the animals, and smiled at each other. "Do you think we're creating a miracle?" Jiang Zimei asked. Lu Mingze gently put his arm around her shoulder: "They're healing us." He pointed to the distance, where Chen Mingyu was squatting on the ground, patiently teaching a little girl how to feed medicine to a rabbit, completely unlike his usual playboy self.

(End of this chapter)