Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 92, 90. Twenty Minutes in the Park
The Dutch-style garden, located opposite the student apartments in the North Campus of Nanhu University, covers an area of ​​nearly 8 square meters. Its predecessor was called Guanshan Park.

"call"

The setting sun is just right.

The light stretched the shadows of everything. In the evening of October in Jiangcheng, a gentle breeze was blowing and the temperature was not high.

The sky was blue and vast, and a thin layer of twilight hung over the boundary between heaven and earth.

Suddenly, the twilight rose up and transformed into colorful clouds, which were even thicker than before, and it was unknown where the water vapor had gathered from.

As the setting sun hid behind the clouds, they turned pink.

Zhong Yujun was wearing newly bought black Converse shoes, which were low-tops, with a small section of pink-edged white socks peeking out.

She playfully stepped on the long shadows of the trees in the park.

The trees are here, but their shadows extend all the way to the ground where other plants are growing.

"Flying is so stuffy, and the car wasn't well-ventilated either. Fresh air feels so good~~~"

Zhong Yujun spread her arms and stretched out a long yawn, her chest heaving, as if she had suddenly become refreshed.

Today, she only lightly touched up her eyebrows, and her lipstick was a natural nude color, making her look youthful and invincible at first glance.

"I feel like all my worries have disappeared."

"Me too."

A huge artificial lake is located in the center of the Dutch-style park.

The two strolled along the lakeside, enjoying the fresh air and the scent of damp earth and nature.

The western side of the lake is planted with tulips and hyacinths, as well as primroses, marigolds, pansies, ranunculus and other flowers from the European continent, making it a beautiful sight.

"Tell me! What troubles you at such a young age?"

Zhong Yujun stood against the light in the scenery, a slight smile curving her lips.

"Then you go first, and I'll go first."

Zhou Mingyuan spread his hands.

"me."

The girl took a few more steps forward, then suddenly remembered calling her senior "master" and burst out laughing.

"Actually, it's not so much a worry, just a little nervous."

"You know what? I've been chosen to be the host of the freshman welcome party in a while."

"She really is with Senior Du!"

She gently grabbed Zhou Mingyuan's clothes and swayed them back and forth.

"What if I say something wrong on stage, mispronounce my lines, or embarrass myself?"

"That's strange. I was so anxious before, but now that I think about it, it all seems like it's nothing important."

Even if it's awkward, you can just laugh it off.

Zhong Yujun stopped in her tracks, took another deep breath, squinted her eyes, and felt refreshed.

Zhou Mingyuan chimed in, "Because walking with me makes me feel better."

"Hmph! Trying to glorify yourself again, do you think I don't know?"

Zhong Yujun's shoulders trembled as she laughed, amused by the man's shamelessness.

"This is the 20-minute park rule!"

The legendary "20-minute park rule" is indeed based on some evidence.

Spending just a short time in the park often feels like a healing experience for both body and mind, and worries suddenly seem to fade away.

In his previous life, Zhou Luren lived in the capital city, where he worked from dawn till dusk and often experienced moments of immense pressure.

During each break, he would try his best to adjust himself.

He discovered that the more anxious he felt, the more he needed to go out and see the mountains and the sea.

Even a glance at the sun-drenched green trees outside the window can dispel the gloom.

It wasn't until later, when he started dating a girl in a related industry, that he received a proper explanation and understood the underlying theoretical basis. It turns out it's true!

The STR theory suggests that nature can evoke positive emotions and help people recover from stress.

Enjoying the scenery is actually a form of deep relaxation supported by neuroscience.

Even just spending 10 minutes in nature can significantly reduce feelings of tension, anxiety, anger, and hostility, and lower levels of cortisol, the hormone that governs stress.

Positive emotions such as joy, excitement, and happiness rise slowly, like the sea level.

"Do you know why the 20-minute park rule is so effective?"

Zhou Mingyuan was instantly exposed, but he still smiled and tilted his head, looking at Zhong Yujun with his eyes crinkling, and asked.

"why?"

"Because of the scenery, we have the opportunity to rediscover what it means to 'live in the moment'."

The man crouched down and peered closer at the ant nest that was constantly moving on the grass.

"City life is not easy. Many people are pushed around by time every day, rushing to catch the subway, attending meetings, checking phone notifications, and crossing off items on their to-do lists."

"It feels like I have to do something every minute, otherwise it's a waste of time."

"But we can stop in the park."

"Stop?"

Zhong Yujun watched the man's retreating figure and repeated the last three words.

"Yeah, you'll go crazy if you're too tense."

Zhou Mingyuan tilted his head back, his head above the dense foliage of the forest, with sunlight struggling to pierce through a small gap.

"We always need a little space to allow ourselves to daydream, to allow ourselves to be nothing."

"The park is the closest place."

"Feel the wind and sunshine, watch the shadows of the trees sway, listen to the birds chirping and the cicadas singing. All your senses are brought back to the present moment and connected with all things."

"Have you ever felt that time seems to pass more slowly when you're standing in a park?"

Zhong Yujun glanced at the time, then turned her face away, hesitatingly saying, "Uh..."

"It seems... a little?"

"This is not your imagination."

Zhou Mingyuan continued.

“Some studies have shown that time seems to pass more slowly in nature compared to urban environments. This change in time perception makes it easy for us to shift our attention from short-term pressures to long-term goals and reassess our life priorities.”

"Just like in movies and TV shows, people suddenly decide to give up on a relationship on the beach, or have a life-changing idea while sitting quietly in the woods."

"So you were thinking, 'It's okay, it doesn't matter if I make a mistake at the welcome party.'"

"You know so much."

Zhong Yujun also imitated the man's actions, getting close to examine the flowers, plants and trees in front of her.

Many people have revealed on social media that the time when they can understand things best is not when they cry in the middle of the night, nor when they confide in someone, but when they are looking at the scenery.

Standing on a mountaintop, walking in the wilderness, or sitting by the sea in a daze, those long-standing problems unconsciously become lighter, farther away, and even no longer important.

Perhaps the joy of a fleeting sunset, the experience of lying on the vast earth and feeling the breath of all things, is itself a profound experience.

In the silence and emptiness, a new life begins.

"If that's the case, then we should visit the park more often, right?"

"Yes."

"Then when I want to go out, I'll ask you to come with me."

"Okay."

Zhou Mingyuan nodded.

Perhaps the atmosphere was too nice, because he didn't realize that the smile on his lips was warm and comforting in the girl's eyes, just like everything in front of her that had been warmed by the sun.

(End of this chapter)