Rebirth of Love: Jiang Ciyou's Counterattack Legend

The morning light shone through the thin curtains onto Jiang Ciyou's face, awakening her consciousness for the new day. As usual, she reached out to touch Lu Jingchen's position beside her, but it was slightly cold, and the familiar warmth was gone. Her heart tightened, and she woke up completely from her half-sleep and half-wakefulness in an instant. She sat up suddenly, her eyes searching the room anxiously.

"Jingchen?" She called softly, her voice lazily from just waking up and a hint of barely perceptible panic.

There was no response. The room was so quiet that only the occasional chirping of birds could be heard from outside the window. Jiang Ciyou's heart sank, and an inexplicable uneasiness surged into her heart. She hurriedly threw off the quilt, and walked out of the bedroom in her slippers. The friction of her slippers against the ground made a "tapping" sound that echoed in the empty corridor.

"Lu Jingchen!" She raised her voice, and there was obvious anxiety in her voice.

Still no one answered. Jiang Ciyou's steps became more and more hurried. She searched every room, the living room, the study, the kitchen, but there was no sign of Lu Jingchen. All kinds of bad thoughts began to emerge in her mind uncontrollably, and her hands began to tremble unconsciously.

It wasn't until she walked to the bathroom door and heard the sound of running water that her tense heartstrings relaxed a little. She pushed the bathroom door open lightly, and saw Lu Jingchen standing in front of the mirror with his back to her, holding a razor in his hand, mechanically shaving the stubble on his chin.

Jiang Ciyou was about to speak when she caught a glimpse of Lu Jingchen's profile in the mirror. At that moment, her throat seemed to be choked by something. Lu Jingchen's temples had turned white at some point, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were deeper and denser than she remembered. His once straight back seemed to be slightly hunched. The traces of time were so obvious on him that Jiang Ciyou felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

"Jingchen..." she called softly, her voice choked with sobs.

Lu Jingchen turned his head slightly and saw her, forcing a slightly tired smile on his face: "Awake? Why don't you sleep a little longer."

Jiang Ciyou walked forward, hugged him from behind, put her face against his back, and murmured: "I didn't see you when I woke up, and I thought..." She didn't say the rest, but just hugged him tighter.

Lu Jingchen put down the razor, held her hand, and patted it gently: “Silly girl, where can I go.”

The two stood quietly for a while, feeling each other's warmth. Then, Jiang Ciyou let go of her hand and looked up at herself in the mirror. She subconsciously raised her hand to touch her face, her fingertips touched the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and then slowly moved to her temples, where there were also a few white hairs. A trace of loneliness flashed in her eyes. The youthful, beautiful and high-spirited self was finally fading away in the long river of time.

"Jingchen, I'm old." She said softly, her voice revealing helplessness and sadness about the passing of time.

Lu Jingchen turned around and held her face in his hands, his eyes gentle and firm. His fingertips gently brushed the corners of her eyes, as if he was touching a rare treasure: "The fine lines at the corners of your eyes are evidence of your smiles; the white hair at your temples is the medal of time. In my eyes, you will always be the stubborn and fragile girl in the bar."

Jiang Ciyou listened to his words, tears welled up in her eyes. She recalled that night many years ago, under the dim lights of the bar, she was full of scars, but she pretended to be strong, and met this man who changed her life. At that time, she thought her world had collapsed and there would be no possibility of happiness, but Lu Jingchen was like a beam of light, shining into her dark life.

"Do you remember when we first got together?" Lu Jingchen said softly, with memories in his eyes. "You were always energetic and enthusiastic in everything you did. Even when faced with great difficulties, you never gave up easily."

Jiang Ciyou burst into laughter and punched him lightly: "How dare you say that? You were so shameless back then, and you only knew how to make me happy all day long."

The two smiled at each other, and those beautiful memories came flooding back to their minds. They remembered going on vacation to the beach together, chasing and playing on the beach, letting the waves hit their feet; they remembered the time in the high-end restaurant when Lu Jingchen clumsily cut steak for her and almost knocked over the plate, and they laughed so hard; they remembered the countless nights when they slept in each other's arms, sharing their thoughts and dreams with each other.

However, as they get older, the pressure of life follows them. The company's business becomes more and more complicated, and they need to worry about their children's growth and education. All kinds of trivial things make them gradually tired. The passion and romance they once had seem to be worn out in the busy day-to-day life. They start to quarrel over trivial matters and refuse to give in to each other.

Just like a few days ago, they had a big fight over which school their child should apply to. Jiang Ciyou thought that children's interests and hobbies should be respected and they should be allowed to choose their favorite majors; while Lu Jingchen valued the school's reputation and employment prospects more and was worried that his child would suffer in the future. That was the most fierce fight they had had in many years. They said some hurtful words to each other and then fell into a cold war.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became a little solemn, and both of them fell into the memory of the quarrel. Jiang Ciyou lowered his head and said softly: "Jingchen, I'm sorry, I was too impulsive last time."

Lu Jingchen sighed and hugged her in his arms: "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have been so stubborn and didn't consider your feelings. We are both too tired and overwhelmed by life, so this happened."

Jiang Ciyou leaned in his arms, tears soaking her eyes again: "Sometimes I'm really scared, afraid that we will be defeated by these trivial things and forget why we were together in the first place."

Lu Jingchen stroked her hair and said gently, "No, Ciyou. You are the biggest reason in my life. No matter what happens, I will never let go of your hand."

He suddenly knelt on one knee, and like when he was young, he gently held up the back of Jiang Ciyou's hand and gave it a pious kiss: "And I will always be your knight and protect you for the rest of your life."

Jiang Ciyou looked at the man in front of her, her heart full of emotion and love. She knew that although time had changed their appearance, the love that was deep in their bones had never changed. They had experienced ups and downs together, with laughter, tears, quarrels, and reconciliation. This was life, real and full of warmth.

"Jingchen, thank you." She choked up and said, "With you here, I'm not afraid of anything."

Lu Jingchen stood up and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to use this hug to integrate her into his life. They hugged each other like this, in the bathroom, feeling each other's heartbeats, and regaining the deep affection that was temporarily covered up by life.

After a while, Lu Jingchen let go of Jiang Ciyou and said with a smile: "Okay, don't be sad. The weather is nice today, let's go out for a walk, just like before."

Jiang Ciyou nodded, with a gleam in his eyes: "Okay, I'll go change my clothes."

The two returned to their rooms to change their clothes, and walked out of the house hand in hand. The sun was shining outside, and the breeze was blowing, bringing a hint of flower fragrance. They strolled in the garden of the community, looking at the flowers blooming on the roadside and listening to the cheerful singing of birds, feeling particularly happy.

When passing by a small pavilion, there were several old men sitting inside playing chess. Lu Jingchen walked over with great interest, stood aside to watch the game, and occasionally gave some pointers. Jiang Ciyou sat on a bench nearby, smiling at him. The sun shone on Lu Jingchen, outlining his outline. At that moment, Jiang Ciyou seemed to see the high-spirited young man many years ago again.

"Mr. Lu, your chess skills are still as good as they were in the past!" an old man praised with a smile.

Lu Jingchen smiled and waved his hands: "No, no, I'm just playing around for fun."

Jiang Ciyou watched him chatting and laughing with the old people, and her heart was filled with warmth. She knew that although Lu Jingchen was vigorous and resolute in the business world, he had a heart that loved life and was pure and kind deep in his heart. This was one of the reasons why she had loved him so deeply for so many years.

After playing chess, the two continued to walk. As they walked, Jiang Ciyou saw a small stall selling candied vegetables on the side of the road. She pulled Lu Jingchen over excitedly like a child: "Jingchen, I want to eat."

Lu Jingchen looked at the expectation in her eyes, smiled and nodded: "Okay, I'll buy it for you."

He walked to the stall, bought a big one, and handed it to Jiang Ciyou. Jiang Ciyou took it and smiled happily. That smile was like a flower blooming in spring, bright and moving. She tore off a small piece and put it to Lu Jingchen's mouth: "Try it too."

Lu Jingchen opened his mouth and ate it, and the sweet taste spread in his mouth. They ate while strolling on the street, enjoying this rare leisure time. Passers-by saw them and couldn't help but show envy. The happiness and sweetness exuded by this middle-aged couple seemed to have a kind of infectious power, making the air around them warm.

Unconsciously, the sun gradually set, and the sky was dyed orange-red. Lu Jingchen and Jiang Ciyou walked home hand in hand. Along the way, they recalled every detail of the day, and their hearts were full of satisfaction.

When I got home, the children had already returned from school and were doing their homework in the living room. When they saw their parents coming back, the children stood up and greeted them: "Mom and Dad, where have you been?"

Jiang Ciyou smiled and patted the children's heads: "We went out for a walk. We had a great time today."

Lu Jingchen also walked forward, looked at the children and said, "Have you finished your homework? If there is anything you don't understand, remember to ask us."

The children nodded obediently and sat back on the sofa to continue doing their homework. Jiang Ciyou and Lu Jingchen walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner together. The two divided the work, Jiang Ciyou washed and cut the vegetables, and Lu Jingchen cooked. The kitchen was filled with a warm and cozy atmosphere.

During dinner, the family sat around the table, laughing and talking. The children shared interesting stories from school, while Jiang Ciyou and Lu Jingchen listened with a smile, occasionally saying something. At this moment, Jiang Ciyou was filled with emotion. She knew that this was the life she wanted, with her lover by her side and the children by her side. Even though the years passed and her face aged, the happiness never faded.

After dinner, the children went back to their rooms to rest. Jiang Ciyou and Lu Jingchen sat on the balcony, looking at the starry night sky. Lu Jingchen gently held Jiang Ciyou's hand and said, "Ciyou, no matter what happens in the future, we must face it together like we did today, okay?"

Jiang Ciyou turned his head, looked into his eyes, and nodded firmly: "Okay, let's go together."

The two smiled at each other, and their smiles looked particularly gentle under the moonlight. On this day, they overcame the confusion and anxiety brought by the midlife crisis and rediscovered the beauty of life with love and understanding. They knew that the future was still long, and as long as they held hands with each other, nothing could stop them from moving forward, because their love was like the brightest star in the night sky, eternal and shining.