What's your feeling at the beginning? The aloof lawyer is crying!

As winter approaches, most of the trees on campus have lost their lush leaves, leaving only dry branches shivering in the cold wind, as if they are also sad about the upcoming separation. The pressure of the final exam hangs over every student like a haze, and Lin Ruize and Jiang Yan are no exception. However, they found the strength to rely on each other in this tense atmosphere, and still supported each other and worked hard to review for the exam together.

During the break, the relaxed chatter filled with laughter and joy disappeared, replaced by their focused whispers of learning. Jiang Yan's clear and bright eyes were full of seriousness. She carefully sorted out the mathematical formulas for Lin Ruize, pointed at the handwriting on the notebook with her slender fingers, and patiently explained: "Look at this formula, its derivation process is like this, it will be much easier to remember after understanding it." At the same time, she listed the key points of English grammar one by one, marked the key parts with pens of different colors, and her gentle voice flowed into Lin Ruize's ears like a trickle. Lin Ruize listened attentively, nodding from time to time to show his understanding. Then he would help Jiang Yan sort out the context of historical events and vividly describe the background and impact of those major historical moments: "Look at this period, it was because of these complex international relations and domestic conflicts that triggered a series of changes later." In terms of geographical knowledge points, he combined maps to explain in detail the topography and climate characteristics of various regions. In the quiet corners of the library, you can often see them sitting side by side. Surrounded by rows of tall bookshelves, it seemed as if they had created a small study world for them. They studied hard, occasionally looking up at each other. At that moment, their eyes met and conveyed their nervousness about the exam, as well as their comfort in each other's company, as if as long as they were with each other, the difficult road to preparing for the exam would no longer be so daunting.

Finally, the final exams are over, and the campus is instantly enveloped by the joyful atmosphere of the holidays. The students are like birds that have been imprisoned for a long time and have regained their freedom, and they are excitedly discussing their holiday plans. Some said with longing that they would travel to the seaside to feel the warm sunshine and the beach; others were excited to participate in various interest classes to learn painting, music or dance. However, Lin Ruize looked at Jiang Yan in the back seat, and a trace of melancholy rose in his heart. Thinking that they would not see each other again until the New Year, a trace of reluctance flashed in his eyes, and there seemed to be thousands of words hidden in his eyes, but he didn't know where to start.

Jiang Yan seemed to notice his gaze, turned around and smiled at him. That smile was like the warm sun penetrating the clouds in winter, instantly warming Lin Ruize's heart, but also making his face blush involuntarily. He turned his head in a panic, but his heartbeat accelerated involuntarily. His mind kept replaying every bit of his time with Jiang Yan, like a movie, from the first meeting to the mutual help later. Those scenes were like bright stars, flashing in his memory.

When packing his schoolbag and preparing to leave school, Lin Ruize took a deep breath, as if he mustered up great courage, and finally walked in front of Jiang Yan. His hands trembled slightly unconsciously, and he stammered: "Jiang Yan, this holiday... I will miss you." Jiang Yan's cheeks flushed slightly, just like the sunset in the sky, and she responded softly: "Me too, Ruize. But we can call or send messages during the holidays." Lin Ruize nodded vigorously, and the haze in his heart dissipated a little, as if he had received some precious promise.

After returning home, Lin Ruize smelled the aroma of food as soon as he stepped into the house. It turned out that his parents had prepared a sumptuous dinner for him to welcome him back from vacation. Jiang Tingyan was wearing decent home clothes and his hair was neatly combed. He stood in the middle of the living room, his eyes full of concern and expectation for his son. Lin Wanyi walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron with a gentle smile on her face. She gently touched Lin Ruize's head and said, "Son, you must be tired, come and eat." The dining table was filled with various delicious dishes, and the family was talking happily. Lin Ruize shared interesting things at school, such as a humorous speech by a teacher in class, or a funny episode between classmates, but he intentionally or unintentionally skipped the subtle emotional details between him and Jiang Yan.

At night, Lin Ruize lay on his bed, looking out the window at the night sky, with stars twinkling. The cold moonlight shone through the window on his face, and his thoughts drifted back to school involuntarily. He remembered Jiang Yan's smile, which was as bright as a flower blooming in spring; he remembered her encouragement, and those whispers seemed to still echo in his ears; and the good times they spent together, whether studying together in the library or strolling and chatting on campus. He knew that although there would be a short separation during this holiday, their friendship would not fade, just like the stars in the night sky, even if they were sometimes blocked by clouds, they were always there shining.

Jiang Yan was also missing Lin Ruize at home. She sat at her desk, surrounded by silence and only her own breathing could be heard. She gently flipped through the notes she had made with Lin Ruize. The dense handwriting seemed to be warm, and every page recorded the traces of their joint efforts. Her fingers gently slid across the paper, with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. She was looking forward to the holiday passing quickly, so that they could meet on campus again in the new semester and continue to write their youth stories. It would be a journey full of hope and beauty.

The New Year has finally arrived. It is still dark and the morning light has just penetrated the clouds. Jiang Tingyan and Lin Wanyi got up early. Jiang Tingyan put on a dark gray wool coat. The soft texture of the coat makes him look tall and straight, more mature and stable. He stood in front of the mirror, carefully adjusting his collar, his eyes focused and energetic, as if he was about to welcome an important ceremony. Lin Wanyi wore a long burgundy down jacket, her soft long hair casually draped over her shoulders, and a few strands of hair fluttered gently in the morning breeze, making her look more gentle and moving. She walked gently into the children's room and woke up Lin Yuelin and Lin Ruize, who were still a little sleepy. Lin Yuelin was sleepy, wearing a cute pink pajamas, rubbing her eyes and mumbling: "So early." The soft voice was lazy and not awake. Lin Ruize quickly sat up, with a hint of expectation in his eyes, and he seemed to be looking forward to the joy of the upcoming family reunion. The family drove to Lin Wanyi's parents' home with full of expectations and joy.

Along the way, the scenery outside the car window kept changing. The city streets were a little empty in the quiet of the early morning, and occasionally a few strings of red lanterns swayed in the wind, as if dancing happily in this silence, exuding a strong flavor of the New Year. In the car, Lin Yuelin excitedly hummed a tuneless little song, looking out the window with sparkling eyes, and chattered from time to time about her longing for the New Year: "I want to receive a lot of red envelopes! And wear new clothes!" It looked like a happy little bird, carefree. Lin Ruize sat quietly aside, with a hint of restrained expectation in his eyes. His thoughts occasionally drifted to Jiang Yan. He didn't know what she was doing at the moment, whether she was also welcoming the New Year with her family, and whether she would think of him at some moment.

When they arrived at Lin Wanyi's parents' house, Lin Wanyi's sister Lin Yizhi, brother-in-law Gu Jiang and their lovely daughter had been waiting for a long time. Lin Yizhi stood at the door, wearing a festive red coat, and her exquisite makeup made her look radiant. Her eyebrows were carefully trimmed and slightly raised, her eyes were bright and energetic, her lips were lightly painted with lipstick, and her face was filled with a bright smile. Seeing her brother's family coming, she hurriedly greeted them and said, "You are finally here, I have been waiting for you! Did you have a smooth journey?" Her voice was full of joy and enthusiasm. Her daughter, a little girl with twin ponytails, followed behind, bouncing and skipping. The little girl was wearing a red cotton jacket, like a little Fuwa. She also held a brand new little doll in her hand, with innocence and joy in her eyes, and looked at Lin Ruize and others curiously.

The family greeted each other, and laughter instantly filled the entire yard. Lin Wanyi's parents came out of the house, with kind and happy smiles on their faces. The wrinkles carved by the years on their faces seemed to be smoothed out by the joy of the New Year. Lin Wanyi walked up quickly and hugged her parents tightly, with tears in her eyes, and said in a choked voice: "Mom and Dad, Happy New Year, I miss you so much." Jiang Tingyan greeted his father-in-law and mother-in-law politely, presented them with a carefully prepared New Year gift, and said: "Mom and Dad, this is a little gift for you. I wish you good health and all the best in the new year." The father-in-law took the gift and said with a smile: "It's good that you came, and you brought so many things."

Walking into the house, the living room has been decorated with a festive atmosphere. There are red Chinese knots hanging on the wall. The bright red color is particularly eye-catching under the light, as if telling about reunion and auspiciousness. There are exquisite window grilles on the windows, with lifelike zodiac patterns and floral patterns that symbolize auspiciousness. Every place shows the joy of the Chinese New Year. The table is filled with a variety of rich New Year goods, melon seeds, peanuts, candies... colorful and exuding an attractive aroma. The children can't wait to run to the snack pile and pick their favorite food. Lin Yuelin and her little niece soon gathered together. Lin Yuelin picked up a piece of chocolate and said to her little niece with a smile: "This is delicious, you try it." The little niece took the chocolate, put it in her mouth, and squinted her eyes. The two shared each other's little secrets and laughed from time to time.

The adults sat together and started chatting. Lin Yizhi excitedly shared the interesting things that happened in the family over the past year. She danced and described her daughter's wonderful performance in school: "My little girl performed a dance at school. Her posture was so beautiful. The parents in the audience kept praising her! For that performance, she took the initiative to practice every day after school. She was so serious." Her eyes were full of pride. Gu Jiang listened with a smile on his face, and added a few words from time to time: "Yes, she also designed some dance moves by herself, and the teacher praised her for her creativity." The family was happy. Lin Wanyi also talked about Lin Ruize's growth and progress in school: "Ruize is a much more sensible child now, and he also bravely helped his classmates at school. He was a little naughty before, but after that incident, he became more responsible." Jiang Tingyan nodded in agreement, and a gratified smile appeared on his face.

Lin Ruize sat aside, listening quietly to the conversation of the adults, his eyes swept across the faces of his relatives one by one. Looking at the smiles on his parents' faces and the happiness of his sister's family, a warm current surged in his heart. In this warm big family, he felt the strong family affection and love, and the worries and fatigue in his daily life seemed to have disappeared. He knew that no matter how the outside world changed, this would always be his warmest harbor and the home of his soul.

As time went by, the kitchen was filled with the tempting aroma of food. Lin Wanyi and Lin Yizhi got up and walked into the kitchen, wanting to help their mother prepare lunch. The kitchen was steaming hot, and three women were busy and orderly shuttling back and forth. The mother wore a blue apron and skillfully cut vegetables. Each cut was precise and neat, and the chopping board made a rhythmic sound. While cutting vegetables, she reminded her daughters about some trivial matters in life: "Wanyi, you should make more soup for the children in winter to nourish their bodies. Also, pay attention to keeping the children warm and don't catch a cold." Her eyes were full of love. Lin Wanyi and Lin Yizhi helped on the side, washing vegetables and rice. They smiled at each other from time to time. That smile showed respect for their mother and the deep friendship between sisters. Lin Wanyi said, "Mom, don't be too tired. We can do these." The mother smiled and replied, "It's rare for you to come back. I'm so happy that this little work is nothing."

In the living room, Jiang Tingyan, Gu Jiang and his father were talking about current news and work. Jiang Tingyan said attentively, "The economic situation has changed a bit this year, and our company is also adjusting its strategy. Market competition is becoming more and more fierce, and we have to keep innovating to keep up with the pace." Gu Jiang nodded in response, "Yes, our company is also facing some challenges, but this is also an opportunity. As long as we grasp it well, we can have new developments." Their voices were low and steady, and occasionally they would laugh heartily because of the resonance of a certain point of view. Lin Ruize and his little niece played simple games on the side. He patiently accompanied the little girl with a gentle smile on his face. He seemed to have lost his youthfulness and gained maturity and responsibility. He played with the little girl with building blocks, carefully helping her build various shapes. The little girl clapped happily. (End of this chapter)