Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 1630 - 890: Nothing Out of the Ordinary

a.m., with the sun just rising, Lux fell over Yu Zhou South Station Square.

A titanium-gray electric scooter parked in front of the square, Jiang Ning pulled out the key and walked toward the entrance.

Before the holiday, Teacher Guo Ran mumbled about inviting him to visit her place to try some specialty dishes.

Today, it finally came to fruition. Dressed in a black trench coat with a single-shoulder bag, Jiang Ning set off lightly.

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, many travelers started their return journey, hurrying along, but Jiang Ning moved leisurely forward.

Suddenly, a voice called from behind: "Jiang Ning!"

Jiang Ning turned his head and saw a girl with such pale skin it almost reflected light. She had bipolar disorder and was accompanied by Lou Keke, who bore the "Ghost Fire Dead Husband" aura.

"Oh, what a coincidence," Jiang Ning noted as he glanced over and saw she was doing well, a sign that his electrotherapy treatment had worked rather effectively.

"Keke, do you know him?" a boy standing next to Lou Keke asked.

There was also another girl present, who was sizing up Jiang Ning as well.

The two were friends and classmates of Lou Keke, locals of Yuzhou, and students at Nan Shi Fuzhong.

The two young people exuded a sense of nobility, sharply different from Zhang Chi’s rustic demeanor.

It puzzled them because, in the past, Lou Keke would never greet acquaintances at school, always pretending not to see them and immersing herself in her own world.

But now...

The boy, in particular, gazed nervously at Jiang Ning.

Lou Keke hesitated as to how to introduce him and said, "We once had a meal together."

The grilled fish on the ice is a memory she recalls vividly to this day.

"Jiang Ning, where are you heading?" Lou Keke was delighted to suddenly see him, having been apart for more than half a month since they last saw each other.

Jiang Ning replied, "Zhongwu City."

Lou Keke nodded slightly, "What a shame, I’m going to Nan City."

While chatting, Jiang Ning headed toward the ticket hall, with Lou Keke by his side as she collected her ticket. However, as they approached the entrance, her classmate nudged her.

Lou Keke showed a hint of apology, "I’m sorry, I have to go that way now."

Jiang Ning followed her gesture, indicating the entrance designated for the business waiting lounge, separate from the second-class seat section.

Jiang Ning remained nonchalant, "Alright, goodbye then."

He turned and left without any hesitation.

Lou Keke was momentarily taken aback. In fact, she had intended to ask if they could exchange contact information, but Jiang Ning had walked away too quickly.

The girl beside her quietly commented, "He’s quite handsome. I thought we might chat a bit more, such a pity..."

The accompanying male classmate couldn’t hide his grin, speaking with a faint tone of superiority: "Can’t be helped, after all, we’re booked in the business class."

He withdrew his gaze, no longer concerning himself with Jiang Ning, as they belonged to entirely different worlds.

...

Zhongwu City.

Jiang Ning exited the station with a small backpack slung over his shoulder, and in the distance, he spotted a graceful figure standing elegantly.

Amidst the crowd, he raised his hand in a wave.

Guo Ran approached with dainty steps, careful and composed.

Jiang Ning grinned as he observed, it was winter, and the thick attire concealed Teacher Guo Ran’s beautifully slender waist, replaced by elegant and straight legs clad in high-waisted jeans. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Jiang Ning, are you tired?" Guo Ran handed over a hot milk tea, her eyes filled with concern, as if looking at a little brother.

Jiang Ning gazed at her face. Over a year of teaching had gradually matured her, replacing her youthful innocence with increased beauty.

How nice, he thought to himself. In his past life, he had never seen this version of Guo Ran.

"Why are you staring? Is there something on my face?" Guo Ran asked, confused.

Jiang Ning shifted his gaze to the roadside greenery. Zhongwu’s snow hadn’t completely melted, and some plum blossoms bloomed among the lingering snow.

Jiang Ning said, "The plum blossoms have bloomed."

"I think..." Guo Ran started instinctively.

Then, realizing something was amiss, she asked, baffled, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Jiang Ning chuckled, "Nothing."

"Alright then, let’s hurry along," Guo Ran urged him forward.

Guo Ran trailed half a step behind, her cheeks slightly flushed: ’You brat, don’t think I don’t understand!’

At 9:30 a.m., it was too early for the restaurant, and the cinema was overcrowded. Guo Ran had thought it over and decided to take Jiang Ning by taxi, weaving through the streets to reach a coffee shop with a distinctly cozy decor.

Once seated, Guo Ran ordered coffee and cake, then pulled out an ink pen and notebook from her bag.

Jiang Ning was a bit surprised, "You’re not planning to tutor me, are you?"

If Chen Siyu were here, he couldn’t imagine how she would describe it.

"Do your grades even need tutoring?" Guo Ran teased with a smile, "I’ve always wanted to try taking you to a coffee shop, where we could chat quietly while I work on my lesson plans. What do you think?"

Jiang Ning stared at Guo Ran. He often spent time like this in the office with her, though this was the first time they’d done so elsewhere.

"Sounds good," Jiang Ning agreed.

The coffee shop played soothing music. Jiang Ning stirred his coffee with a spoon, occasionally taking a sip, as he observed Guo Ran.

"When did you get your ears pierced?" Jiang Ning asked.

Guo Ran lifted her face, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes, "When I turned 18. Having just come of age, I wanted to try something I’d never done before, so I did it."

"But..." Guo Ran continued with an expression that was both troubled and amused, "On the first night after getting my ears pierced, I felt incomplete, like I had let my parents down. I really regretted it."

As they chatted, a group of customers who seemed to be on a blind date sat at the adjacent table, cautiously testing each other’s conditions. Within minutes, they parted ways unhappily.

Despite maintaining a professional demeanor outwardly, Guo Ran often privately vented to Jiang Ning.

"The man’s hair was a bit greasy, and the woman’s makeup was a bit heavy. Both looked about the same, but it was clear they weren’t being sincere," Guo Ran commented.