Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 238, Section 236: Origins
Is Shen Yunrong going to take control on the spot?

As Zhou Mingyuan's personal assistant, He Min had already sent the message to his phone before she even arrived at the restaurant where they were supposed to have dinner.

Sister Yun invited me to have Sichuan food together!

Boss, would you like to come?

Meanwhile, Zhou Mingyuan had just finished his last evening class and joined his roommates in the surging student crowd.

Never mind, I've made plans to go out with Junjun tonight.

He was replying to messages on his phone while riding his electric bike toward the dormitory building of the School of Management.

The phone vibrated.

I'm coming down right away!

"Sorry for the long wait~"

Less than three minutes later, a figure skipped and hopped out of the dormitory building with cheerful steps, waving to greet Zhou Mingyuan.

It was Zhong Yujun, beaming with smiles.

Today, Bai Yueguang is wearing a cream-colored long down jacket, cinched tightly at the waist, outlining her smooth figure.

A black wool scarf hung loosely around her neck, her hair still styled in a high ponytail, the ends of which were slightly disheveled by the evening breeze, yet still making her stand out.

She was wearing a pair of black ankle boots, the heels clicking loudly on the floor tiles.

In between sending messages, Zhou Mingyuan also took a few minutes to put on makeup.

The eyeliner was just right, the eyelashes fluttered slightly, and the lip color was a warm-toned rose-red, which adorned her fair skin.

In short, she has the face of your first love at first glance.

"You know what~"

She sat on the back of Zhou Mingyuan's electric scooter with practiced ease, her arms naturally wrapping around the man's waist.

Taking advantage of her height and long legs, Zhong Yujun can blow air onto the back of a man's neck simply by tilting her chin up.

She pouted and blew, squinting her eyes in the back seat as she spoke with a smile.

I really enjoyed today's date.

"Really?"

"Sure!"

"I can hardly remember the last time I took a proper bath."

As the car started, Zhong Yujun's voice, carried by the wind, had a hint of coquettishness.

"The girls in my dorm are all very reserved. They have no concept of going to the bathhouse together. It's hard for me to find a partner."

For people who grew up in the North, especially on the black soil known for its generosity and enthusiasm, "bathing" has long transcended the simple act of cleaning and has become a unique regional culture and life ritual.

Winters are long and bitterly cold, but beneath the vast snowfields lie abundant geothermal resources. Since ancient times, people have known how to use natural hot springs to dispel the cold and soothe their bodies and minds.

Over the years, this bathing routine has become increasingly refined and sophisticated, eventually evolving into a deeply ingrained lifestyle habit.

In the south, bathing is perhaps more often called "taking a shower," which is intended to quickly wash away sweat and grease.

But in the North, especially in the Northeast, taking a bath is a solemn activity, a complete relaxation of body and mind.

Whether or not the bathhouse attendant thoroughly "scrubs" you to remove all the accumulated dirt is the only standard to judge whether the bath was thorough and enjoyable.

Zhong Yujun is a typical product of this culture.

Since the start of the school year, as summer has quietly passed and the temperature has gradually dropped, the instinctive longing for a warm hot spring and a thorough scrubbing has been irrepressibly stirring in her heart, growing stronger day by day.

Zhou Mingyuan's suggestion was exactly what she wanted to hear and immediately received a warm response.

After all, the two were classmates and fellow townsmen, and they naturally shared an unspoken understanding in terms of lifestyle habits and preferences.

The electric scooter nimbly weaved through the streets, eventually stopping in front of a rather impressive high-end bathhouse.

"Ouch~"

She spotted the club's sign at a glance, raised an eyebrow, and curled her lips into a smile.

"Why does it feel so high-end?"

She spoke half-jokingly, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Don't overthink it, the package tickets are very cheap."

Zhou Mingyuan went to greet her, reached out to press down the hood of her down jacket that had been blown open by the wind, pushed open the door, and said softly.

The lobby was warm and inviting, the wooden floors gleamed softly, and the air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood.

Compared to the biting cold wind outside, this place is like a completely different world.

"Wow, this decoration is much more impressive than the bathhouse at home."

Zhong Yujun took off her scarf and accepted the name tag from the waiter.

Although this club looks very high-end, it ultimately boils down to the word "bathing".

She pointed to a prominent sign in the middle of the hall and nodded towards Zhou Mingyuan.

"I'm going to change my clothes. Shall we meet at the hot spring area later?"

"Okay."

The man smiled and nodded.

After taking a thorough bath and having a masseur give him a milk bath and scrub, Zhou Mingyuan changed into a soft bathrobe, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and stepped into the private area of ​​the hot spring.

The vision suddenly opens up.

The nearly two-story-high dome is made of huge glass skylights, allowing you to look up and see an endless sky, with soft light pouring down.

The design of the entire space strives to imitate the wildness of nature, with logs, bamboo and pebbles forming the main theme, making you feel as if you are in an open-air valley amidst the misty water vapor.

In the center of the area stands a square hot spring pool, spacious enough to accommodate several people. The natural stone walls surrounding it are cleverly concealed by lush greenery, creating a private yet open atmosphere.

Similar small cubicles are scattered throughout, and the sound of flowing water is cleverly separated by the central cross-shaped partition, leaving only a hazy background sound.

Honestly, dating in a place like this is incredibly romantic.

Zhou Mingyuan stepped into the pool alone, and the warm water instantly enveloped his entire body.

He squinted and leaned against the pool, lost in thought.

Speaking of which, ever since he kissed Zhong Yujun, their relationship has progressed rapidly.

Intimate gestures are often the key to unlocking a girl's heart.

Although they haven't had a grand confession or officially announced their relationship in front of most people, both Zhong Yuyun and Zhou Mingyuan are gradually getting closer to each other.

We're meeting up for meals more often.

The frequency of chatting has also increased significantly, and each conversation has gained a little something called ambiguity.

Just five or six minutes later, the door to the women's passageway made a soft sound.

A head peeked out from behind the door, looked around, and found that Zhou Mingyuan was already in the pool.

Zhong Yujun smiled, wrapped her bathrobe tightly around herself, and walked over quickly.

She stood by the pool, untied her bathrobe, and the fabric slipped down, revealing the backless swimsuit she was wearing underneath.

The girl first stretched out one foot, gently touched the water with her toes to test the temperature, and then carefully stepped into the pool.

The mist was thick, and the faces of the people around me seemed to begin to blur.

"Whoo~~~"

"It's so comfortable!"

Soaking in hot springs is so refreshing!

Zhong Yujun patted her cheeks, spread her arms, and placed them on the man's shoulders.

"Girls take way too long to take a shower."

Zhou Mingyuan pressed himself against her, his right hand feeling her firm waistline, while his chest felt another layer of firmness.

"This is the fastest I've ever made today! I didn't want to keep you waiting; I usually soak for ages."

Zhong Yujun leaned back against the edge of the pool, her long, slender legs floating on the water, and suddenly sighed.

"Hey, the weather in Jiangcheng is awful. It's so cold, it's really different from home."

Zhou Mingyuan nodded in agreement: "Yes."

"Winter is still more comfortable at home. There's heating everywhere you go. Even though it's cold outside, you can wear more layers, which is more convenient."

"Hahaha~ Look at that tone of yours! What, starting to miss home?"

Zhong Yujun turned her head to the side, half teasing and half probing.

"A little bit."

Zhou Mingyuan responded lightly, his gaze following the dome upwards to the sky.

"Really?" Zhong Yujun paused, slowly pulled off her hair tie, letting her wavy hair fall loose, and then tied it back up, revealing glimpses of her shoulder and neck lines.

She leaned closer and said curiously, "Tsk tsk tsk, I didn't expect you to be so pretentious."

"Being homesick is considered being dramatic?"

"That's not it."

She straightened up, deftly smoothed her hair back with her fingers, and with a gentle flick, made it less likely for the ponytail to get wet.

"The main problem is that you didn't plan to go back for the National Day holiday."

"You don't seem to miss home at all! Let me tell you, last time I went back we gossiped about a lot of things from high school, and some classmates even talked about you."

"You remember it so clearly."

Zhou Mingyuan smiled and looked over.

"nonsense!"

As Zhong Yujun spoke, her eyes flickered: "But I'm still quite curious."

“I seem to call home every two or three days, but I’ve never seen you call.”

"Won't your uncle and aunt have any objections?"

"Me? I always send messages on WeChat."

Zhou Mingyuan hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.

"Okay, maybe it's because you're a boy and your family is more lenient with you."

Zhong Yujun's bright eyes sparkled, and she suddenly laughed: "Speaking of which, I still remember what your uncle and aunt looked like."

"You remember?"

Zhou Mingyuan raised his voice.

"Yup!"

"Your dad attended the first parent-teacher conference in the first year of high school, and he happened to sit at the desk in front of and behind my dad."

The girl's clear voice melted into the warm air.

"."

Zhou Mingyuan was stunned for a moment, not expecting her to have such an experience.

"When I got back, my dad said, 'So it turns out I was in the same class as Uncle Zhou's son.' That's how I found out they knew each other!"

Zhong Yujun mimicked the tone she used back then, her eyes and brows beaming with a smile.

"Uncle Zhou works at the court, and you're studying law. What's this called? It's the family's responsibility to carry on the family tradition, isn't it?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

Zhou Mingyuan waved his hand with a smile: "I'm not going to court anymore."

"But if they knew about this, why are they only telling me now?"

This is truly a little secret that he knew nothing about in both his past and present lives.

Zhou Mingyuan blinked, his arm passing underwater, and put his arm around the girl's waist as he asked.

"You didn't chat with me back then either."

Zhong Yujun rolled her eyes, and following his lead, snuggled into his arms.

Not chatting is just an excuse.

In fact, the two weren't that close at all during high school.

What girl would say these things on her own initiative?
What if someone misunderstands me?
The undisputed school beauty of Liaocheng No. 1 High School, who is the center of attention, would never do something like this.

Seeing that Zhou Mingyuan didn't respond, Bai Yueguang paused, and her eyes softened.

"But actually, I'm quite envious of your family atmosphere."

"My uncle and aunt seem very open-minded, unlike my family who are very strict."

"Well, it's alright."

Zhou Mingyuan's fingers tightened, and his heart fluttered slightly.

One's own family knows one's own affairs.

About three months after his rebirth, if you were to ask Zhou Mingyuan what he was most unsure about, it would probably be his family.

I am even more timid when I am close to my hometown.

These five words almost perfectly encapsulate his state of mind in his two lifetimes.

The reason he didn't follow the majority of his classmates and go back to his hometown for the National Day holiday was because he shared this sentiment.

The closer I get, the more flustered I become.

Some were even afraid that it was all just a mirage.

Fortunately, I am a boy, and fortunately, the Zhou family has a very open-minded family tradition.

Sending WeChat messages to the family group every few days to share daily life, and making a phone call about once a month can satisfy my parents' longing for me.

"Okay, let's not talk about this. You're not going to continue working during winter break, are you?"

Zhong Yujun, oblivious to the boy's absent-mindedness, continued to ask with a smile.

"Shall we buy tickets home together then?"

"Yeah, okay."

Zhou Mingyuan nodded without hesitation.

"Hey! What if we both went home together?"

The girl hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

"what happened?"

"Our parents know each other, do you think we might run into each other?"

Zhong Yujun pursed her lips, imagining the scene of meeting her parents, and couldn't help but wipe the fine sweat from her temples, her cheeks flushing red.

"A car crash?"

Zhou Mingyuan stood there stunned for a few seconds before he realized what the other party meant.

So she meant to pick someone up from the station!

Despite having been reborn for so long, Zhou Lu's way of thinking is still gradually adapting.

Oh yes.

Both Zhong Yujun and I are college students, and our parents will definitely pick us up at the station when we go home.

If they go back together, the two families will meet.

Thinking about this, the man couldn't help but be drawn in as well, his thoughts racing.

In my memory, Zhong Yujun's family was also a well-off middle-class family.

What does her father do again?

He seems to be a mid-level leader in the municipal party committee office; no wonder he knows my dad.
strangeness.

Why has my father never mentioned this to me?

But thinking about it, it makes perfect sense.

In my past life, I was just an ordinary law student during my school years.

He and Zhong Yujun, the beautiful girl from the School of Management, are more like two parallel lines that never intersect.

Even though they lived in the same city, Zhong Yuyun would always go back home with Lu Shiya and others during winter and summer vacations and other short holidays.

It had absolutely nothing to do with him!
After he graduated and went to work in Beijing, the two had even less contact.

"Then let the two families have a meal together."

After regaining his senses, Zhou Mingyuan splashed some water, gently wrapped his arms around Zhong Yujun's supple waist, and teased her.

"How can it be!"

Zhong Yujun chuckled, knowing he was joking, but a sweet feeling inexplicably arose in her heart.

It's so disrespectful for two families to decide to have dinner together on short notice!

There will be plenty of opportunities to have this meal later.

She cleared her throat and said in a serious tone, "Don't your aunt and uncle know what you've been up to?"

"Starting a business, getting sponsorships, making the news, and doing an internship!"

"Why don't you spend the time catching up with your family?"

(End of this chapter)