Tomb raiding: A mere 20 is nothing!

It turned out to be the case.

It turns out I wasn't the only one who remembered.

Just thinking about it made Zhang Haike's lips curl up involuntarily, and his eyes softened: "This is a poem translated from Sanskrit."

"It means a paulownia tree, the midnight rain, not knowing the bitterness of parting. Leaf by leaf, sound by sound, dripping on the empty steps until dawn."

"Oh..." Shen Mingchao nodded, "That sounds quite profound."

I just can't understand it.

Shen Mingchao clicked his tongue, thinking that this might be the kind of youthful pain literature that belongs to the centenarian of the Zhang family.

The Zhang family's basic tactic is to use their handsome, imposing face to put on a cool, aloof act.

She stole a glance at Zhang Haike, who was looking down at the teacup in his hand, his slender fingers gently stroking the rim of the cup, his profile appearing exceptionally handsome in the sunlight.

The Zhang family's genes are so good that it's enviable. They're clearly quite old, but they look like they're in their early thirties. Time seems to have been exceptionally kind to them.

It doesn't matter if you don't understand; she has advanced technology.

I searched it on Baidu using my phone and found that the source is Wen Tingyun's "Geng Lou Zi".

The translation is: The sycamore tree outside the window is being drenched in the cold rain of the third watch, oblivious to the sorrow of parting she is experiencing inside. Each raindrop poundes mournfully against the sycamore leaves, dripping onto the deserted stone steps until dawn.

It gives people a feeling of inexplicable sadness and desolation.

She could imagine that the person in front of her had chosen to keep company with the sound of rain during countless sleepless nights, quietly watching the raindrops fall, letting her thoughts flow with the rain, with nowhere to settle.

The pain of parting is unbearable; who is he thinking of?

Is it a long-deceased friend, or a past that can never be returned to?

This question was impossible to ask, just as she couldn't ask about the truth behind her time travel. Some things are destined to remain buried in the heart, becoming eternal secrets.

Shen Mingchao checked his phone; it was already 8:30, almost time to meet Jiang Yuan.

"Excuse me, I have to go now." She stood up and said goodbye to the three of them. "Thank you for your hospitality. Next time, I'll bring you some snowflake pastries that I made."

"Snowflake crisp?" Zhang Haiyan came over upon hearing the sound, seemingly very interested in the name.

"I guess that's one of my specialties," Shen Mingchao explained with a smile. "It's a kind of candy made with marshmallows, cookies, nuts, and dried fruit."

Before she transmigrated into the book, she would often cook a pot of food at home when she had nothing to do, package it up, and serve it as a snack for the whole family. Her family always praised her cooking skills, saying that it tasted even better than what they bought outside.

In her spare time in Yucun, she made it a few times. In particular, after the fat man ate it, he praised it highly and suggested that she make more and sell it at Xilaimian as a side business.

"Oh, right." Shen Mingchao suddenly remembered something and took out three small bags from his bag. "These are the nougat I made before. Try them."

She handed the bags to the three people. The nougat was leftover from something she had made earlier, which she had casually put in her bag for future use.

"Thank you." Zhang Qianjun walked over, took the bag, opened it, tasted one, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "It tastes very good."

"Really?" Shen Mingchao's eyes lit up. "Then you'll definitely like the snowflake crisps I make next time."

"Sounds good." Zhang Haike nodded. "See you next time then."

"Then I'll be going now." Shen Mingchao waved to them and turned to leave.

As she reached the door, she glanced back. Zhang Haike was still standing there, sunlight streaming through the window and falling on him, creating an indescribable feeling.

I hope that one day Zhang Haike will be able to wait for the person he misses, just as she will one day be able to return to her own world.

Shen Mingchao turned around and quickly left.

……

Shen Mingchao saw Jiang Yuan shortly after arriving at the village entrance.

Unexpectedly, the other person had cut her hair short, to shoulder length, looking neat and tidy, which made her face appear even smaller and more delicate. Jiang Yuan awkwardly brushed her hair aside and cautiously asked, "Does it look bad?"

"How could that be! It looks amazing! It suits you perfectly!" Shen Mingchao grabbed her hand. "Tell me quickly, why did you suddenly want to cut your hair?"

Jiang Yuan relaxed: "I recently signed up for a Taekwondo class, and I cut my long hair because it was in the way. I also wanted to change my image."

Shen Mingchao was thinking to himself that what happened last time still left a shadow on Jiang Yuan. That damned battlefield boss, you've done so many bad things.

"Learning Taekwondo is great," Shen Mingchao praised. "It strengthens the body and can also be used for self-defense."

"Mm." Jiang Yuan nodded. "The coach said I'm learning pretty well, but my ligaments are too stiff. It hurts so much when I stretch my legs."

The two looked at each other and smiled, which eased the atmosphere considerably.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Shen Mingchao drove Jiang Yuan to the makeup and styling shop they had arranged to meet online.

This is a shop located in an ancient town, decorated in a classic style, with various Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) hanging at the entrance.

It took two whole hours from changing clothes to putting on makeup.

Shen Mingchao chose a Tang Dynasty-style ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), a bright red ruqun paired with a green qixiong skirt, the colors vibrant and perfectly in line with Tang Dynasty aesthetics. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with numerous gold hairpins and hair ornaments, swaying and sparkling with every step. Exquisite floral decorations graced her forehead, her overall makeup rich, luxurious, and exquisitely beautiful.

Jiang Yuan chose a relatively simple outfit: a moon-white cross-collar top paired with a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Her hair was styled in a gentle, spiral bun, adorned with only a few simple silver hairpins and pearl flowers. The floral decoration on her forehead was plum blossom-shaped. Her makeup was also understated, emphasizing her eyebrows and eyes, giving her a gentle and graceful appearance typical of women from Jiangnan.

Besides the sporadic messages from Wu Xie and the others during the makeup and styling process, two other people added Shen Mingchao on WeChat.

First, there's Hodov.

Although this person helped her find her earring, they weren't exactly close, and they didn't talk much along the way. He didn't mention adding her on WeChat, and she didn't feel comfortable taking the initiative. She never expected him to add her first.

After it was approved, Shen Mingchao silently added a parenthesis after his name, which read: "The doctor who fries dough sticks."

Second is Liu Sang.

This person is both reasonable and unexpected.

After a night of internal struggle, did you finally succumb to Zhang Qiyu's autographed photo?

It happened faster than she expected. She thought this person would hesitate for a long time, after all, according to Shen Mingyue, this person was a sharp-tongued and arrogant person.

However, the autograph was just something she said on a whim, bait she used to lure Liu Sang. Even if she were to actually give it to him, she would have to ask Zhang Qiling's opinion first.

Fortunately, Liu Sang didn't mention it. He only said that he added her on WeChat to learn more about his idol's recent situation and told her not to overthink it.

She: Oh, that's easy. My idol has been either patrolling the mountains, working at the cash register, feeding chickens, or walking cats lately. He's already enjoying a comfortable retirement life ahead of schedule.

Liu Sang typed a question mark, followed by a long message: How can you let your idol do such a worthless thing? Using his abilities for this is a waste!

Oh wow, so she's actually a career-driven stan?

Shen Mingchao disagreed, replying to Liu Sang: "I think these things are quite valuable. Patrolling the mountains can improve physical health, working as a cashier can earn money, feeding chickens and walking cats can be considered leisure activities. Whatever they do, as long as the idol is happy, that's all that matters."

Sorry, she's a hedonist. Life is short, being happy is the most important thing.

Liu Sang muted his microphone again.

Shen Mingchao didn't pay much attention and turned to chat with Jiang Yuan.