Rebirth at the Start: This Fate is Too Explosive!

Chapter 72: Military Parade Inspection of Battle Robes!

The sound of water in the bathroom gradually subsided.

The misty steam inside the frosted glass door outlined a blurry figure wiping himself with a bath towel.

Ye Fan withdrew his gaze from the dazzling starry sky outside the window, a lingering smile from his banter with his mischievous friend Zhao Mingzhe still on his lips.

He put down his phone, strolled lazily to the bar, and poured two glasses of chilled mineral water.

With a soft "click," the bathroom door was pushed open.

Liu Ruyan walked out wrapped in a large white bathrobe, her body still warm and damp.

Her long, slightly wavy hair, still damp, cascaded over her shoulders, a few strands clinging naturally to her smooth neck. Her unadorned cheeks were flushed with a natural blush from the steam, her eyes clear and languid, as if from a post-shower nap.

"What are you looking at? You seem so engrossed."

She naturally walked towards Ye Fan and took the water glass he offered.

"To see the night view of the capital."

Ye Fan looked with appreciation at the brightly lit city outside the window.

"Whose message was that? You seemed quite happy." Liu Ruyan took a sip of water and tilted her head slightly as she asked.

"One of them is Yunwei. She talked about the preparations for graduation gifts, and the class reunion is all set for the day after tomorrow."

Ye Fan waved his phone:

"The other one is that kid Zhao Mingzhe. He asked me to bring back local specialties. He's itching for a beating and wants to be my son."

She tilted her head slightly, with a scrutinizing yet coquettish air.

Liu Ruyan chuckled, her eyes sparkling: "Your mouth, really..."

She put down her water glass, walked to the entryway cabinet, and picked up an exquisite dark-colored paper bag with gold foil stamping.

"Here you go!" She waved the paper bag in her hand, a mysterious yet playful smile on her face. "See if you like it?"

His voice was damp with moisture, hoarse as velvet.

3 words omitted here

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"...You little rascal..."

She could barely lift her fingertips, her voice hoarse and indistinct, "Carry me on your back tomorrow... to visit the Forbidden City..."

His heartbeat, like a war drum, gradually subsided beneath the covers, while she had already drifted into a deep sleep.

........

The next day.

A ray of morning light slanted through the gauze curtains and onto the bed. Liu Ruyan lazily turned over, and the soreness in her lower back made her hiss softly.

The passionate scenes from last night flashed through her mind, and she bit her lip, burying her face in the pillow.

Ye Fan was already dressed and adjusting his collar in front of the full-length mirror, the morning light outlining his sharp jawline. Catching a glimpse of her subtle movement in the mirror, a satisfied smile unconsciously curved his lips.

He walked to the bedside, his warm hand gently covering her lower back, his voice filled with barely concealed amusement:

"You really can't walk? I'll carry you downstairs."

Liu Ruyan slapped his hand away, but the movement caused her to groan softly as her muscles ached. She struggled to get up, her flushed ears betraying her embarrassment and annoyance.

"Don't be so smug... just help me up."

Ye Fan chuckled softly as he pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Yes, ma'am!"

.........

The hotel's restaurant lobby was filled with the aroma of coffee.

Liu Ruyan pulled her phone out of her Chanel handbag; the screen lit up with a QR code indicating a successful reservation at the Palace Museum.

"Luckily, I booked my tickets a few days in advance. During the summer vacation, it's even harder to get tickets for the Forbidden City than for trains during the Spring Festival travel rush."

She spoke with a hint of smugness as her fingertips traced the densely packed time slots on the screen.

(P.S.: In 2014, the Palace Museum did not yet implement online ticketing, but reservations could be made on the official website, a process similar to the later Green Bubble mini-program!)

The waiter came over with a tray and placed a bowl of grayish-white Old Beijing Douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) and a few slices of golden-brown bread on the table.

The soy milk had a slightly sour taste, with a few tiny bubbles floating on the surface.

Liu Ruyan curiously leaned closer to smell it, then pinched her nose and tilted her head back, clutching her iced Americano tightly in her hand.

"This tastes...it's like swill! Everyone online says it's awful, and it certainly lives up to its reputation."

She frowned and moved to the side with a look of disgust.

"Everyone online says this stuff tastes awful, but I don't believe it."

Ye Fan picked up the bowl with great interest; in his previous life, he had indeed never tried this Beijing-style "specialty".

He took a deep breath—and immediately frowned, choked by the fermenting, sour smell.

Under Liu Ruyan's gloating gaze, he forced himself to take a small sip.

In an instant, an indescribable sour and rotten smell exploded in his mouth, Ye Fan's face scrunched up, and he spat it all out with a "poof", ruining the bread on his plate in the process.

"Ugh—this is no drinkable stuff!"

He grabbed the ice water and gulped it down, gritting his teeth and swearing:

"In this life... no, in the next life, and the life after that, if I ever touch this stuff again, I'll... I'll drink soy milk like water for a whole month!"

If Zhao Mingzhe were here, he would definitely say: "Old Ye, you're ruthless!"

Then.

The two got into the hotel limousine, and the morning breeze blew through the car window, dispelling the last bit of their weariness.

The limousine drove smoothly along Chang'an Avenue, and the vermilion walls of the Forbidden City gradually came into view. The morning sun pierced through the ancient windows, awakening the palace that had been sleeping for six hundred years.

When the car arrived at Donghuamen, the crowd was already like a floodgate opening.

As Liu Ruyan lightly took Ye Fan's arm to get out of the car, her slender ankles were faintly revealed through the slit of her cheongsam, and the pair of nude Jimmy Choo high heels she was wearing made a crisp sound on the bluestone slab.

Today, she specially changed into a moon-white silk cheongsam, which was well-tailored and outlined her graceful figure. Her long hair was loosely tied up, revealing her beautiful neck. The Suzhou embroidery patterns were faintly visible as the light flowed, perfectly showcasing the gentleness and elegance of Eastern women.

There were more people than I expected.

She looked at the sea of ​​people in front of her, her brows furrowed slightly, but her eyes were filled with more anticipation.

"Stay close to me." Ye Fan naturally extended his arm. Liu Ruyan smiled and took his arm tightly. The two of them, like a nimble fish, began to try to weave through the gaps in the crowd of tour groups holding various small flags, heading towards the magnificent palace that carries six hundred years of history.

..........