Is not being able to do as you please also called rebirth?

Chapter 179 Long Time No See, Class Monitor

The lingering aroma of wild mountain tea seemed to still cling to the lips and teeth, while the refreshing sweetness of Mengding Ganlu tea and the soft touch of a young girl's lips together created an indescribable and enchanting aftertaste.

Jiang Xun sat by the window on the bus bound for Yin County, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the surface of the window, his gaze fixed on the receding silhouettes of the southern Sichuan mountains shrouded in mist.

Li Zhenzhen's final kiss, which almost exhausted all her courage, was clumsy and immature, yet it was filled with an unbridled burning passion, and it was deeply imprinted in his heart.

The "strength" and "fierceness" hidden beneath the beautiful exterior of the mountain girl were fully revealed the moment she chased him to the county town and kissed him at the edge of the tea garden.

Jiang Xun could almost still feel the slight tremor and resolute determination in her fingertips as she tightly gripped his clothes for the last time.

He closed his eyes and gently exhaled.

Three days in the mountains, so pure and untouched by dust, as if far removed from all complexity and entanglement.

Li Zhenzhen's clear eyes, her focus while picking tea, her skillful hands while kneading tea, the blush on her cheeks reflected in the firelight... everything was as beautiful as a fleeting dream of paradise.

For the first time, he felt a pang of reluctance, a reluctance to let such a pure and innocent girl get involved with him, since he had attracted far too many girls.

"Well, let things take their course," Jiang Xun thought to himself.

The bus moved forward at a steady speed. Jiang Xun opened her eyes again, and the complex emotions in her eyes subsided into calm.

He turned on his phone, and on the screen, Yang Kaiyi's QQ avatar sat there quietly.

Last night she sent him a message: "[How much longer until you come back? My mom has been saying for a while that she wants to invite you over for a get-together.]"

The message was concise and the tone was natural, without any sense of distance from not seeing each other for a long time. Jiang Xun could catch the subtle "command" tone and subtext between the lines: I've informed you, you decide what to do.

A knowing smile appeared on his lips.

With a light tap on the screen: [I'm taking the train back to Yin County. Tell Aunt Yun that I'll visit her as soon as I get back.]

The girl replied to his message almost instantly, and the content warmed Jiang Xun's heart—[When are you arriving? I...I'll come pick you up.]

I'll message you when I'm almost there.

Jiang Xun replied that as long as her feelings for him remained unchanged, he would never give up easily.

……

As the long-distance bus pulled into Yinxian Bus Station, dusk was approaching. Familiar streets and air, a familiar mixture of chili oil, car exhaust, and a certain dampness, rushed towards us.

Jiang Xun carried a simple suitcase containing a few changes of clothes, but the most eye-catching item was a glass jar filled with Mengding Ganlu (a type of medicinal dew).

As soon as I stepped out of the station, a tall and beautiful figure came into view.

Yang Kaiyi stood next to a white Audi A4, bathed in the golden glow of the winter sun.

She wore a light camel-colored cashmere coat, with an off-white turtleneck sweater underneath, matching slim-fit trousers and black ankle boots, and a houndstooth cashmere scarf loosely tied around her neck.

Her long hair was styled to be smooth and shiny, casually draped over her shoulders, with a few stray strands blowing in the wind, gently touching her smooth profile.

She had her hands in her coat pockets, turned slightly to the side, and looked into the distance, seemingly admiring the sunset, or perhaps just spacing out.

The bustling crowd around her seemed to be separated from her by an invisible barrier; she stood there quietly, like a meticulously edited urban woman's portrait.

Her temperament is completely different from that of Li Zhenzhen in the mountains—refined, with a scholarly air and a cool sense of urban alienation.

But the moment she saw Jiang Xun, that cold barrier quietly shattered.

Her gaze landed precisely on him, and her previously somewhat distant eyes instantly lit up, like a stone suddenly thrown into a frozen lake, creating ripples.

A very faint, quickly fading pink hue swiftly crept up her fair earlobes and cheeks.

She subconsciously pursed her lips, seemingly trying to suppress the involuntary upward curve of her mouth, but her bright eyes had already betrayed her feelings.

She casually tousled her wind-blown hair with a graceful, deliberate composure as she walked towards him.

"Was the journey smooth?" she asked, her voice as clear and melodious as ever, though with a hint of lightness at the end.

Her gaze quickly swept over him from head to toe, as if to confirm something, before finally settling on the small suitcase in his hand and... that conspicuous glass jar.

"It's alright, it's just a bit troublesome to change trains." Jiang Xun smiled as he placed his suitcase at his feet, meeting her gaze and openly admiring her beautiful appearance after her careful dressing.

After a few months apart, university life seemed to have shed the immature impetuosity of her high school days, adding a touch of composure, but her inherent pride and arrogance remained vivid and captivating.

A faint, sweet fragrance wafted through the air—the scent of Yang Kaiyi's perfume, a delicate floral and fruity fragrance that suited her perfectly.

Jiang Xun's gaze naturally fell on her lips, full and moist. They lacked the stubbornness of Li Zhenzhen's wildness, but possessed a natural delicacy and an indescribable allure.

"What are you looking at!" Yang Kaiyi felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. Her forced composure was about to crumble. She glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed, and turned her head slightly away, her tone carrying her usual "disdain".

"It's been months, and you're still as...annoying as ever!" Her gaze secretly shifted back, boldly meeting his eyes with a hint of provocation.

"Heh." Jiang Xun chuckled, her mood inexplicably improving. "What, can't I even take a second look at my good friend after so long? Class monitor, you're really meddling."

He took a step forward, instantly closing the distance.

The familiar, unique scent of Yang Kaiyi enveloped her more clearly, mixed with perfume and her own clean body fragrance.

The ambiguous tension between the two, like an invisible electric current, began to crackle between them.

Yang Kaiyi felt a slight, almost imperceptible breath catch in her throat as he was enveloped by his approaching aura, but instead of backing away, she slightly raised her chin.

"Who cares! You have eyes on your body, look wherever you want!" She flicked her hair, but her eyes clearly said, "Can't you get enough of looking at me?"

"Hmm," Jiang Xun nodded seriously, his gaze deepening, filled with blatant admiration and teasing.
"I really can't get enough of her. Our class monitor is getting more and more charismatic; she's definitely the most beautiful girl at Zhejiang University, right?"

This obvious teasing remark made Yang Kaiyi's cheeks burn even hotter. She feigned anger and raised her hand as if to hit him: "Jiang Xun! You're talking nonsense again!"

Before her fist could land, Jiang Xun gently grabbed her wrist.

Cool fingertips touched his warm palm.

The instantaneous skin-to-skin contact caused both of them to pause for a moment.

Yang Kaiyi's wrists had smooth, slightly cool skin, while Jiang Xun's fingers were broad and strong.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Yang Kaiyi's body stiffened slightly, and like a startled deer, he quickly tried to pull his hand back, a hint of panic and more hidden trembling flashing in his eyes.

Jiang Xun didn't restrain her forcefully, but he didn't immediately loosen his grip either. Instead, he lightly and suggestively stroked her smooth wrist bone.

That gentle caress was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that were silent yet turbulent. Yang Kaiyi's breathing became visibly erratic, her cheeks flushed crimson, and even her neck took on a pink hue, like a ripe peach.

She abruptly pulled her hand back, her fingertips curling up and disappearing into her pocket. She glared fiercely at Jiang Xun, her gaze shimmering with a mixture of anger, shyness, and both, making it impossible to tell whether it was more of a simmering anger or a shy shyness, or perhaps a blend of both, making her exceptionally alluring.

"Jiang Xun! You...you scoundrel!" she whispered, her voice trembling and utterly intimidating.

"Get in the car quickly! This is my first time being a driver." She turned around quickly, almost hastily opened the driver's side door, and got in, her movements as fast as if she were running away from something.

Jiang Xun watched her almost fleeing figure and her reddened ear tips, and the smile on his lips deepened, filled with a triumphant pleasure.

He enjoyed these moments—watching her lose control because of his touch.

Even though she had feelings for him, she still used the identity of "good friend" as a cover. That feigned composure and slight arrogance, the panic and shyness when she finally revealed a little bit of her feelings, made him even more eager than if she had confessed directly.

He slowly opened the passenger door, got in, and fastened his seatbelt.

The car's interior was enclosed, and the sweet scent emanating from Yang Kaiyi mingled with the chilly mountain breeze he brought, creating a strange and suggestive atmosphere.

She gripped the steering wheel, staring straight ahead, her profile taut, her small jawline clearly defined yet with a hint of stubbornness.

The Audi smoothly merged into the traffic. The car stereo played soothing music, but it couldn't alleviate the silent undercurrent inside the car.

“By the way,” Jiang Xun said casually, breaking the deliberately maintained silence, as he took the glass jar out of the box next to him.

"I went to southern Sichuan on some business and stopped by a tea plantation. I picked up some of the local good tea, Mengding Ganlu. Would you like to try it? Squad leader, would you like to taste it?"

He handed the glass jar to Yang Kaiyi. Through the clear glass, one could see that the tea leaves were uniform, with a bright green color and visible silvery down, truly of exceptional quality.

Yang Kaiyi's gaze swept over the glass jar. She didn't speak, but you could sense that her attention was immediately drawn to it. She liked things with a sense of cultural refinement.

However, she only glanced at it, did not take it, and asked casually, "Chuannan? Did things go smoothly?" Her tone was as indifferent as possible.

"It went smoothly, thankfully." Jiang Xun put the can back between the two of them. He keenly noticed that when Yang Kaiyi asked the question, his fingers on the steering wheel tightened slightly.

Was she concerned? Or was she testing him? Jiang Xun chuckled inwardly.

The air inside the car fell silent for a few more seconds. Yang Kaiyi seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally speaking, his voice a little lower than before, carrying a hint of sourness and probing that he himself didn't even realize:
"Then... how about bringing back a can of tea as a local specialty?"

Jiang Xun understood immediately; although the squad leader's jealousy was still evident, it was already oozing out.

He turned his head to look closely at her delicate profile. The light cast shadows under her curled eyelashes, highlighting her straight nose and slightly pursed lips.

He deliberately softened his tone, with a hint of a sigh that was barely perceptible: "Yes, I only brought some tea. The scenery over there... is quite special. It's very quiet on the mountain, and it feels different from here."

His words were ambiguous, only mentioning the scenery and never mentioning anyone.

But the word "tranquility" is enough to evoke contemplation.

Yang Kaiyi's fingers tightened their grip on the steering wheel unconsciously, his knuckles turning white.

She didn't ask any further questions, but her slightly relaxed brows furrowed a little again, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip, leaving a small mark.

She glanced at Jiang Xun out of the corner of her eye, then quickly looked away, as if to confirm the truth of his words, or as if to speculate on what was hidden beneath his words.

Only soft music flowed in the car. A silent tension permeated the air, ambiguous and subtle.

Jiang Xun admired the subtle changes in her emotions. The ripples in his heart caused by Li Zhenzhen, which had not yet fully subsided, were replaced at this moment by the charmingly naive and slightly jealous expression that Yang Kaiyi was familiar with.

This kind of challenging, ambiguous game is only truly enjoyable when played with the class monitor.

He smiled, breaking the silence: "Focus on driving, squad leader."

Yang Kaiyi seemed to be startled from his thoughts, gave a soft "hmm," and drove the car towards Jiang Xun's house.

But the traces left by that silent probing just now, like a pebble thrown into a lake, still ripple in circles in my heart.

As they passed through the old street, Jiang Xun laughed and said, "It's been so long since I've had 'Koukouxian' (a type of snack), I'm really craving it. Class monitor, why don't you invite your 'good friend' to relive the 'taste of youth'?"

Yang Kaiyi looked up at him, and the expectation and smile in his eyes were clearly visible, carrying a straightforwardness that made her heart race.

She knew he was referring not only to the taste of the noodles, but also to those carefree days filled with laughter, anger, and even "fights."

"Who wants to relive this..." she muttered softly, quickly avoiding Jiang Xun's gaze and trying to hide her slightly flushed cheeks.

“Go ahead and eat if you want. But let’s make this clear first, I’m not paying this time, we have to split the bill…” She tried to emphasize the boundaries of “good friends” by talking about money.

“Okay, okay, let’s split the bill. You’re the class monitor, so you decide.” Jiang Xun readily agreed and made a “please” gesture.

The lights at Laojiekoukouxian are warmer than I remember, and the store is now cleaner and tidier. However, there are a few more employees now, and the owner's son, Yang Zhongyi, is managing the store.

Now Koukouxian has opened more than a dozen stores in the city, and Jiang Xun is also paying attention to and participating in remote management from time to time, making him one of the rightful owners.

When Yang Zhongyi saw Jiang Xun and Yang Kaiyi walk in side by side, his eyes lit up: "Oh! President Jiang! It's been a while!"

Jiang Xun and Yang Zhongyi exchanged a few pleasantries with smiles, then Jiang Xun said:
"Two bowls of noodles, one large and one small. The large one will be extra spicy and have extra cilantro, and the small one... with meat! No, both with meat!"

After saying that, he smiled and said to Yang Kaiyi, "Am I right, class monitor?"

The exact same lines instantly pulled Yang Kaiyi back to that evening when he had blocked her in the corner of the bus, her face flushed red. She glared at him and sat down in her familiar seat: "Only you remember so clearly!"

The steaming hot noodles were served quickly. The familiar aroma evoked countless memories.

The two ate in silence, exchanging a few words occasionally, the content of which was mundane, nothing more than anecdotes and trivial matters from university life.

But the familiar aroma of chili peppers and mutton soup in the air, and the occasional bumping of knees as chairs were moved under the table, all contributed to the quiet growth of an indescribable feeling, a mixture of intimacy and ambiguity.

After eating for a while, Jiang Xun looked at Yang Kaiyi's cheeks, which were even redder from the chili and heat, and her lips, glistening with a little oil, appeared even fuller and more tempting. His eyes darkened slightly, and he put down his chopsticks.

"Hey," he suddenly leaned closer, his voice low, with a smile and a hint of barely perceptible mischief, "Class monitor, let me ask you a question."

Yang Kaiyi was focused on dealing with a soft, mushy piece of mutton when he heard this and looked up warily: "What?"

Jiang Xun rested his chin on his hand, tilted his head to look at her, his eyes both playful and focused: "There was a problem that wasn't resolved during the 'academic exchange' in Hangzhou last time."

Yang Kaiyi's heart skipped a beat; her intuition told her he wasn't going to say anything good: "What's the problem?"

"May I kiss you?" Jiang Xun chuckled softly, looking at her pink lips stained with oil, and kissed them without hesitation.

(End of this chapter)