Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 237, Section 235: Refusing to Follow the Rules
On a December morning, the chill in the air in Jiangcheng deepened.

A cold wind blew in from the South Lake, carrying a damp chill that tinged the breath of passersby with a layer of white mist.

The sycamore trees at school have long been bare, leaving only tall branches that appear as lonely silhouettes under the streetlights.

He Min got up very early as always and was the first to drive to Nanhu Software Park.

Good morning, Sister Xiaomin~

Good morning, Assistant He!

"morning."

That's one of the advantages of having companies located close together.

Mingli Company and Jieyou Media are located in two different areas of the software park, just a few minutes apart by walking or driving.

She first went to Mingli Company to handle some routine matters, and two hours later, she put her coat back on and headed towards Jieyou Media.

Only after sitting down in my own private office area, with the sofa comfortably supporting my waist, did the fatigue begin to creep in.

Last night's routine meeting dragged on for a long time.

Jieyou Media not only expands rapidly, but also collaborates quickly.

Problems keep popping up, especially yesterday when the boss asked to hire a stage manager.

"Event control. What does event control do?"

He Min sighed softly.

This seemingly insignificant position is actually the central nervous system of the live streaming room.

Backend data fluctuations, emerging trends in the comment section, and the streamer's rhythm.
They should all be reminded immediately.

Unfortunately, this was a tedious and meticulous job. She pulled out a thick stack of resumes from the table, flipped through them, and found that there was no one in the company who could temporarily fill in.

What made her most unsure was that her boss was giving instructions too quickly.

The budget wasn't even mentioned.

It seems we need to hire someone from outside to manage this event, but how much should we pay them?
He Min rubbed her temples; it really was a difficult problem.

After thinking for a few seconds, she simply took out her phone and decided to ask for help from her private network of contacts.

After all, his position as the former president of the student union at Nanhu University was not just a title.

Many of the staff at Jieyou Media and Mingli Company were her juniors whom she personally recruited.

As the saying goes, "Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders."

If there's a good job opportunity, it's perfectly reasonable to refer someone internally.

So, He Min quickly opened her WeChat Moments.

While editing the copy, I also took a picture of the whiteboard in the break room of Jieyou Media.

The page was covered with timelines and annotations.

"Urgently hiring! Temporary event manager, excellent pay, preferably able to start immediately. Please recommend someone if you know anyone suitable."

After sending it out, she opened the recruitment software again and edited and entered the same content.

We should do both!

However, less than ten minutes later, a new message popped up on my phone.

Xiaomin, can I give this a try?

He Min was stunned for a moment. The screen lit up in front of her, casting a sudden beam of light on the edge of her face.

Sister Yun?

Shen Yunrong's contact name suddenly popped up, making her heart tighten slightly.

Did I send this to the wrong person?
She scrolled back to the WeChat Moments post she had just made about urgently hiring a stage manager and found that the other person had indeed posted it to the right person.

Because Shen Yunrong liked the comment below.

Sister Yun, what kind of joke are you playing on me?

In her memory, Shen Yunrong always had her hair neatly styled, wore a sharp suit, walked with a steady gait, and spoke softly.

When Sister Yun was working at the Youth League Committee of Nanhu University, we often coordinated our work. She was always considerate of the students and had an extremely gentle temperament.

It wasn't until that "pig butchering scam" case that her dignity was completely shattered.

Colleagues whispered among themselves, rumors flooded the corridor like a tide, and outsiders pointed and whispered.

For someone who considered dignity as armor, that incident was almost devastating.

According to Zhou Mingyuan, the counselor seemed to have gone on a trip to relax for a long time, so long that he had never seen her again.

It seems Shen Yunrong has returned to Jiangcheng.

Why doesn't she go to school?

There has been less and less communication with the school lately. Is this media advisor going to continue working?
It can't all be maintained by the boss alone.
He Min rested her chin on her hand, her fingers slightly stiff.

She didn't think for long before quickly returning the call.

"Sister Yun!"

"Yes, yes, they are indeed hiring."

"what?"

"You really want to come?"

"It's hard to explain the details over the phone, why don't we meet and talk about it?"

"Let's go to that Sichuan restaurant at the intersection of Nanhu Road, 8 pm, see you there."

……

The doubt persisted until nightfall.

Red lanterns hung at the entrance of the Sichuan restaurant, and the steaming aroma mixed with the smell of chili wafted out from under the door.

A cold wind howled outside, and a layer of fog condensed on the glass door. As the door opened and closed, the cold and heat collided and turned into a wisp of smoke.

"Sister Yunyun?!"

He Min pushed open the door and entered. She looked around and her gaze settled on the spot by the window. She couldn't help but open her mouth slightly and widen her eyes.

Sister Yun is like a completely different person!
It's completely different from what I remember.

Shen Yunrong no longer styled her hair in a high bun; her long hair had clearly been carefully styled, with large, curly waves and dark red highlights, falling over her shoulders.

Under the lights, it suddenly has a touch of exoticism, soft and youthful.

She wore a beige turtleneck sweater, the hem of which was naturally tucked into a camel-colored high-waisted skirt, with an apricot-colored coat on top, and a pair of clean brown ankle boots on her feet.

He sat quietly, his back ramrod straight.

He Min was taken aback and almost didn't recognize him.

The once dignified, gentle, and elegant older sister has dressed like this.

She then realized a fact.

No matter what, putting aside her roles as counselor and student, Shen Yunrong is only twenty-eight years old.

She's still very young!
This is a more age-appropriate way to dress.

Shen Yunrong noticed someone approaching and looked up.

Under the lights, she smiled and waved to He Min.

"Xiaomin!"

"Sister Yun~~~ Long time no see!"

He Min walked over quickly, stared at her for a long time, and then put her arm around Shen Yunrong's shoulder.

Wow, Sister Yun, you've changed so much!

"She looks so much prettier and much younger!"

Shen Yunrong does look different.

You could tell from their expression that they became more graceful and genuine.

"It's really different from before."

"Really?"

Shen Yunrong laughed, her eyes shining brightly.

"People always have to learn to move forward; they can't stay the same forever."

The two sat down, and the waiter served them hot tea.

The steam rose between the tabletops, enveloping them in a thin mist.

Outside the window, a cold wind howled and traffic flowed endlessly, but inside it was wonderfully warm.

He Min stirred her tea and couldn't help but get straight to the point.

"Oh, right, Sister Yun."

"When you said you wanted to give it a try, were you serious or joking?"

Do I look like someone who would joke around?

Shen Yunrong gently stroked the rim of the teacup with her fingertips, her eyelashes fluttering, and asked with a smile.

"You didn't know that before, but you don't know it now."

He Min answered honestly.

"Talking about the past is pointless."

Shen Yunrong smiled and looked out the window.

“I used to think that I should live a dignified life, but now I think that being dignified can’t put food on the table, so it’s useless.”

"Then, Sister Yun, you..."

He Min blinked, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

She really wanted to ask, "Are you just going to stay away from school like this?"

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but He Min swallowed them back.

After all, she was once the student council president, so her emotional intelligence is definitely above average.

She quickly realized that Shen Yunrong must have gone through something during this time.

So much so that the self that absolutely had to be respectable was slowly broken down and rebuilt.

Or maybe we should ask in a roundabout way?
He Min handed the apron to Shen Yunrong, and couldn't help but glance at her again before keeping quiet.

The sound of spatulas clattering came from inside the restaurant, while the guests at the next table laughed heartily as steam rose from the pot.

The tea on the table was steaming, and the waiter brought over plates of dishes, the spicy aroma quickly filling the air.

"I never expected that you would get your hair permed, Sister Yun."

"What? Is it weird?"

Shen Yunrong smiled, brushed aside the curls on her shoulder with her fingertips, and flung her hair back, displaying it generously. The strands of hair swayed in the light like a waterfall.

"It's not that it's strange, it's just that this is the first time I've seen you in this look, Sister Yun, and I think it suits you really well, you look beautiful!"

He Min rested her chin on her hand, her eyes filled with amazement.

"It looks better than before."

"Xiaomin really knows how to talk!"

Shen Yunrong smiled, pursing her lips.

She picked up her teacup and gently blew on it.

Amidst the swirling white mist, his gaze seemed somewhat unfocused.

“I used to always try to keep myself in check and be more disciplined, in order to give others a stable and reliable impression.”

"Yes, I remember you used to wear a shirt and suit pants almost every day, or a skirt suit, and your hair was always neatly styled."

He Min giggled.

"People say you're the most elegant and dignified counselor in the school." "Dignified, huh?"

Shen Yunrong repeated it, her voice so soft it sounded like she was talking to herself.

She lowered her eyes slightly, and the reflection in the tea was blurry.

"It's boring."

The steam from the hot pot in the middle wafted over, masking the emotions in her eyes.

"By the way, Sister Yun, I heard you haven't been back to school lately, have you?"

He Min thought for a moment, then asked cautiously, taking a roundabout approach, "So what have you been doing all this time?"

"You've given so many media interviews, so you must know about my case."

Shen Yunrong's expression remained unchanged, and her tone was very calm.

"Yes."

He Min nodded.

"I went on a trip."

Shen Yunrong put down her teacup and placed her hands on the table.

She didn't shy away and slowly began to speak.

"At the beginning, it was actually quite a mess."

The sound of the wool roll was soft, carrying a calm, self-analytical quality.

"The case has been solved and the money has been recovered, but the impact of the 'pig butchering scam' series of cases is growing. With such a large amount of money defrauded, various media outlets are promoting it, and many people are paying attention, so rumors have inexplicably spread to the school."

Shen Yunrong shrugged.

“Some people are talking behind my back. Some say I’m loveless and brainless, while others say I brought this on myself.”

"Even when I walk down the campus corridor, I can hear hushed whispers."

"Sister Yun."

He Min instinctively wanted to comfort her, but the other person waved her hand.

"It's okay, it's all over."

Shen Yunrong smiled wryly.

"Actually, I know better than anyone that I've always lived too decently."

"You're so respectable that people think you're someone who never makes mistakes, but once you actually fall down, others will trample on you mercilessly."

The soup in front of her was bubbling and steaming, making her profile glow slightly red.

"Speaking of which, I also want to thank your boss."

"Thank you, boss?"

He Min was stunned.

"Yes, he encouraged me to go out and see the world. The world is big, so I can relax and see how other people live."

So I bought a plane ticket and randomly picked a destination.

"Later, we kept changing our travel plans as we went."

Shen Yunrong chuckled softly, but her gaze drifted towards the window.

"I went to the beach and stayed in a small hotel."

"I'm woken up by the sound of the waves every day, and I don't have to think about anything."

"Later, I went to a very far place and walked alone on deserted streets until one day I realized that life is not just about following the rules and living a routine."

As she spoke, her gaze slowly turned back and landed on He Min's eyes.

"People always have to learn to get along with themselves."

“I used to always think about taking care of other people’s feelings and maintaining a respectable image.”

"But when I let go of everything, I realized for the first time what it means to live my own life."

"Sister Yun, are you really not planning to go back to school?"

He Min felt a pang of sadness and asked in a low voice.

"I won't go back."

Shen Yunrong nodded, then smiled and said, "Don't give me those polite words, I'm tired of hearing them."

"But Sister Ke Yun, you're a university teacher. You have a permanent position and such good benefits."

He Min couldn't hold back any longer.

"With your high level of education and your abilities, it's not really suitable for a recent graduate to work as a temporary stage manager here, as even a fresh graduate could do it."

"Now I don't want to do it anymore."

Shen Yunrong picked up a piece of boiled fish from the pot, shook it clean, and moved slowly and deliberately, as if she were shaking off all her emotions at the same time.

"It took me twenty-eight years to realize that I can be imperfect, make mistakes, be talked about, and be neither dignified nor respectable."

"Damn it, I should have done this a long time ago."

Her eyes flickered in the steam, like a warrior finally shedding his armor, carrying an indescribable sense of relief.

"."

He Min's chopsticks hung in the air, her throat felt like it was blocked by something.

The Shen Yunrong in front of us has changed more than just her appearance.

She was like someone who, after being baptized by fire, finally dared to walk barefoot on the ground.

The restaurant was noisy and bustling, with laughter and clinking glasses from the next table rising in waves.

In this noisy environment, it seemed as if only their voices could be heard between them.

"let me tell you."

"My first stop was the beach."

Shen Yunrong gently turned the chopsticks, as if stirring up some memories.

"I was in a rush when I bought the ticket, I didn't think much about it and just randomly picked a coastal city."

"After getting off the plane, the wind blew by, salty and damp, as if it had suddenly pulled me out of the air of Jiangcheng."

As Shen Yunrong spoke, the corners of her eyes curved into a smile, as if she had truly seen that sea again.

“I remember the first night, I sat alone on the rocks.”

"The waves crashed in one after another, so cold that my bones were shivering."

"The wind was so strong that it messed up my hair. I didn't care about my appearance at all. At that moment, I suddenly found it quite funny."

"What's so funny?"

He Min pressed for an answer.

“I used to always think that my hair should be neatly styled, my clothes should fit well, and my posture should be upright.”

"But at the beach, the waves are so big and the wind is so turbulent, no one is paying attention to you at all."

“You were in a sorry state, but no one laughed at you. That was the first time I realized that being disheveled wasn’t such a big deal.”

The saltiness of the sea breeze, the roar of the waves, the solitude of the night.
Shen Yunrong spoke these things very slowly, as if every detail was ingrained in her very being.

"Later, I stayed at the beach for several days."

"My skin turns red from the sun during the day, and I can hear the crashing waves at night."

"I bought a very cheap notebook and write a few sentences every day."

"Sometimes when I'm writing, the paper gets blown away by the wind, and I just don't pick it up."

"I suddenly realized that it's okay to be imperfect, even if I can't finish writing it, or even if I lose it."

He Min remained silent throughout.

She had never seen Shen Yunrong like this before, never heard her talk about herself in such a self-deprecating tone.

"and then?"

He Min continued to ask.

"Then I went to the southwest."

A hint of warmth flashed in Shen Yunrong's eyes.

"The ancient city is crowded with tourists and lined with shops. It's especially lively at night, with the bar street sparkling with lights. But do you know what I like the most?"

"what?"

"Early in the morning."

Shen Yunrong grinned, revealing her white teeth.

"In the early morning, the streets of the ancient city were still wet, the smell of last night's alcohol had dissipated, and there were only a few scattered vendors on the stone-paved roads."

"It turns out there are so many things in the world that have nothing to do with me. Others don't care about you, and you don't need to care about others either."

She paused, then her voice softened.

"It was my first time staying in a hostel. I heard someone playing guitar and singing, and I laughed loudly with the people in the bunk above and below me. It was very unladylike."

"The atmosphere was very pure; you could laugh whenever you wanted."

"It turns out that my smile doesn't need to be maintained all the time to be presentable."

He Min didn't reply, and subconsciously rubbed her eyes.

The image of Teacher Shen, who always wore formal attire and walked with a steady pace, came to mind.

It's really hard to connect that person with the relaxed woman she is now.

"Another time, I went to a very remote ancient town."

"It was past nine o'clock at night, the streets were deserted, I was walking alone on the bluestone pavement, the streetlights were dim, and the wind made my shadow tremble."

"I was actually a little scared at the time."

Shen Yunrong continued speaking, tapping the table with her finger.

"But do you know?"

"After the initial fear, I felt a strange sense of relief."

"Because I found that being afraid is useless; I still have to keep moving forward alone."

Even if my heart is trembling and my steps are unsteady, I can only walk to the end.

The noisy sounds couldn't mask the lightness in Shen Yunrong's voice.

"At the end of that street, I saw a small inn. The owner was an old man with gray hair and moved very slowly."

"He said something to me that I still remember to this day."

"What did you say?"

He Min asked curiously.

He said, "Girl, in life, you don't have to take every step steadily. Sometimes, it's good to stumble and fall, at least you'll know how hard the ground is."

Shen Yunrong drew out her voice.

"At that moment, I suddenly realized that I had been living too hard a life."

The chili oil in Sichuan cuisine bubbled and bubbled, filling the air with a fragrant and numbing aroma.

Shen Yunrong's eyes grew brighter and brighter as she spoke, as if she were peeling away layers of something weighing on her heart.

"so."

Shen Yunrong picked up her teacup, gently touched it to hers, and smiled brightly.

"I don't want to be a conformist anymore."

(End of this chapter)