A pond full of blooming flowers, an ultimate addiction.

After the Yu family's birthday banquet, Chi Ruiche officially entered workaholic mode, working overtime until very late every day, and the things he had planned before officially began to be implemented.

After Jiang Yang sent the photo to Jiang Yi, Jiang Yi forwarded it to Chi Ruiche, pretending to be jealous.

"Brother, aren't you going to explain? You two seem so close." Jiang Yang's camera angle was misleading, making it appear as if Yu Qingcheng was leaning against Chi Ruiche.

Jiang Yi pursed his lips and kept sneering, telling him that he was angry.

"No." Chi Ruiche stopped working halfway through, closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jiang Yi noticed that he looked tired, with faint dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't rested much: "Is work very troublesome?"

"Yes, I'll be quite busy lately and won't be able to go to New Zealand for the time being," Chi Ruiche said apologetically.

"You need to rest well; your eyes are all bloodshot." Jiang Yi knew that he worked very hard managing the Chi Group, and the fatigue in his eyes made her feel sorry for him.

"Little sister, have you been drinking?" Besides the distance and time difference, Chi Ruiche and Jiang Yi usually chose to video chat with Jiang Yi at 3 pm and 8 pm New Zealand time to balance things out.

"Guess?" Jiang Yi didn't want to tell Chi Ruiche these things, afraid that he would worry and that he would think that his feelings for him were not pure.

"You need to eat and sleep well." Chi Ruiche looked at Jiang Yi in the video, hoping to finish this busy period soon so he could go see her.

"Okay." Jiang Yi's face was beaming with a happy smile.

Before that, Jiang Yiru stayed in New Zealand, repeating the routine of going to school and undergoing rehabilitation. Because of a previous hospitalization, doctors told Grandpa Jiang that he had heart problems and should not take long-haul flights, so he stayed at his old house in Xi'an.

New Zealand sheds its snow-covered landscape and is filled with the chirping of cicadas in summer; Xi'an transforms from a sweltering summer into a silver-clad wonderland.

Time flies, day after day. As the year draws to a close, Chi Ruiche becomes even busier, and his plans to go to New Zealand are repeatedly put on hold. But every morning, as soon as Jiang opens her eyes, she receives a good morning message from him. From "Good morning" to "Good morning, little friend" to now "Good morning, my Yi Yi".

Jiang Yihui shares the trivialities of her life, from the simplest things like what to eat and wear that day, to the sports meet and activities organized at school. Sometimes she wonders if it's all too boring.

Chi Ruiche would always send her videos immediately, watching what she was doing. "Yiyi, I really like everything you tell me." If he could, he wanted to be a part of everything she did.

Over the course of six months, Jiang Yi grew her hair out and, to avoid an awkward period, bought several hats. She figured that if the two didn't meet for a long time, she'd have enough time to let it grow long enough for a makeover, which would definitely amaze them.

Time flies by like water, and December 31st arrives as scheduled.

"Xiao Yi, Mom can't be with you this time." For the past six months, Cui Xiuling has been busy handing over the company to Jiang Yang, guiding him through every aspect. Although Jiang Guoqing was very dissatisfied, the shares held by Cui Xiuling and Jiang Yang balanced him, leaving him no choice but to accept it.

“We care more about the traditional Lunar New Year. Besides, didn’t you make an appointment for lunch with your sister-in-law’s parents? Aren’t you leaving yet?” Jiang Yi said with a smile, not forgetting to show off the feast prepared by the housekeeper.

"You should eat well by yourself." Cui Xiuling said apologetically, "Grandpa is here."

"Grandpa, did you miss me?" Jiang Yi called out in a coquettish tone.

As soon as Cui Xiuling got off work, she came to the old house to pick up Grandpa Jiang and go out to eat together. When she saw Grandpa Jiang, she turned the camera around.

"Xiao Yi, did Lili do anything today?" Grandpa Jiang used to spend New Year's Eve with Jiang Yi, and he felt a little uneasy that the little girl wasn't around.

"You don't know her yet, she prepared a cheese fondue for me." Lili is a New Zealand chef whose dishes are more Western in style; Peng Songgu, who cooks Chinese food, is currently on leave due to family matters.

"Should Grandpa arrange for another cook to go over there?" Grandpa Jiang knew, of course, that she was a picky eater, and with Peng Songgu on leave, her choices were even fewer.

“No need for that trouble. I sometimes eat at school, which is fine.” Jiang Yi didn’t want to go through all that trouble. “Grandpa, you don’t need to worry about me all the time. I’m a grown-up now, don’t worry about me.”

"Grandpa, Mom, are you ready?" Jiang Yang asked as he entered the room, seeing them gathered around a phone screen.

"Xiao Yi, I specially asked a master chef to make 'red bean dumplings' today. It's a pity you won't get to taste them." Jiang Yang deliberately tempted her, knowing that Jiang Yi loved sweet soup the most.

"I won't listen, it's not tasty." Jiang Yi pretended to be angry and ignored him.

"It's getting late, let's go." Jiang Yang picked up Grandpa Jiang's coat from the sofa and helped him put it on.

"Bye-bye." Jiang Yi waved and hung up the phone. Looking at the empty villa, she still felt a sense of emptiness. Tomorrow is New Zealand New Year's Day, and she had given them all the day off. They prepared dinner in advance and left early. Only she and Youming remained in the large house.

Jiang Yi had little appetite, so she only took a couple of bites before retreating to the home theater on the second floor to watch a movie.

The screen was playing the latest movie, which Abu had specially sent to her to cheer her up. The actors in the movie were all the hottest stars in Xijing's entertainment industry, and the male and female leads were also the best on-screen couple of the year—Xiao Zhe and An Lei.

"Miss, would you like some late-night snacks?" Youming asked respectfully as he went upstairs, noticing that she hadn't eaten dinner.

"Youming, let's watch a movie together." Jiang Yi rubbed her bracelet, not caring about the movie's content, and kept checking her phone. It was almost midnight, and she hadn't received a single reply to the messages she'd sent to Chi Ruiche earlier. She didn't dare call him directly for fear of bothering him, so she just kept waiting, her mood growing increasingly depressed.

"Youming" strode into the room and sat on the sofa next to him. Jiang Yiyi didn't care at all and said angrily, "Youming, bring some wine."

"Yi-yi, you're being naughty."

The familiar voice entered his ears, and his body stiffened. Jiang Yi paused for a moment, then said with a self-deprecating laugh, "After watching so many movies, even your voice has changed."

"all"

A deep, magnetic voice rang in my ears once again.

Jiang Yi looked up in disbelief, her surprise turning into joy. The moment their eyes met, it was as if time stood still.

"Long time no see." Chi Ruiche responded to her with tender eyes, his doting voice like a gentle electric current running through her body.

Chi Ruiche came to her, squatted down and hugged her tightly. Jiang Yi hugged him back; this was not an illusion, but a real warmth.

"I miss you." Jiang's eyes glistened with tears.

Chi Ruiche picked her up in his arms, sat her on the sofa, and let her sit on his lap, holding her tightly in his arms.

“Why are you…?”

Before she could finish speaking, Chi Ruiche covered her lips with his, his warm and passionate breath washing over her. Chi Ruiche gently caressed her lips, and the two of them were immersed in the warmth of their long-awaited reunion.

After Chi Ruiche took a small bite, Jiang Yi's flushed face became even more alluring. He gently traced her contours with his hand. Jiang Yi felt his tenderness and slowly closed her eyes to savor his warmth.

Chi Ruiche stroked the girl he had been thinking about day and night, feeling her body temperature. His voice was not cold, and even the corners of his mouth were smiling. His joy was filled with infinite tenderness: "I missed you too."

Jiang Yi met his tender, watery eyes, and a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. The New Year's bells rang; this was the best gift of the New Year.

"Che-" Jiang Yi couldn't help but hug him again. She cried like a child, every tear a testament to her longing.

"Don't cry, okay?" Jiang Yi's tears startled him, so he could only hold her tighter and tell her that.

After a long while, Jiang Yi came to her senses, stopped crying, calmed herself down, and carefully examined him.

"Don't you recognize your brother?" Chi Ruiche ruffled her hair, his fingers running through the strands.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Jiang Yi finally understood why he hadn't replied to her message; he was sitting on the plane just to surprise her.

"I was afraid that if I told you in advance that I was delayed by other things, you would be disappointed." Chi Ruiche wanted to look at her. He knew how much Jiang Yi was looking forward to it and didn't want her to be disappointed all the time.

To spend New Year's Day with her, Chi Ruiche kept cutting back on his schedule to make time for the holiday. Since the Jiang family hadn't revealed Jiang Yi's country of residence, he used his private jet, ostensibly for work, to stop in Australia to avoid being noticed. He then transferred to a flight to New Zealand, all just to see her.