Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 255, Section 253: Gathering Clouds in Jiangnan (2)

Alcohol caused her to lose most of her coordination abilities.

Those thin stockings were, at this moment, nothing less than a complicated shackle to her.

"Wait, we don't need this one."

"I'll do it myself."

It wasn't until Zhou Mingyuan had haphazardly dressed her in her pajamas that Shen Yunrong seemed to finally realize something and come to her senses.

She looked up, her eyes and brows flushed.

Stockings.

This 25D, which is not only lightweight but also aesthetically pleasing, is truly something I'd entrust to him for help.
What's the point of following the rules anymore?
Wouldn't that be considered deliberate seduction?
But she herself really couldn't do it.

"You, you turn around."

Shen Yunrong pulled the thin blanket beside her to cover her long legs and the edge of her stockings, trying to handle everything herself.

But she soon discovered that taking off her stockings or simply putting on her pajama bottoms was a challenge for her.

If you just put on pants...
It's so hot and stuffy, it's unbearable.

I started struggling with the waistband of the stockings, my fingers feeling incredibly clumsy because they were too weak.

"Hello~"

Upon hearing Shen Yunrong's voice, Zhou Mingyuan turned his head again.

"Um, it's stuck and I can't get it off!"

At that moment, she looked 70% helpless.

The remaining three points are tempting.

Zhou Mingyuan walked to the sofa, squatted down again, and his gaze fell on the rounded ankle.

"Don't move, I'll help you."

The man reached out his hand, his movements unusually gentle.

For Zhou Mingyuan, keeping this thing exactly as it is is a novel thing.

When faced with stockings, which are primarily associated with sex appeal, probably 99% of men would want to destroy them.

Tearing it apart is the only way to go.

Therefore, his manual skills were a bit clumsy.

Carefully pinch the toes and slowly move upwards along the curve of her instep.

"hiss"

Zhou Mingyuan could even sense her stress response.

She remained outwardly calm, but her toes twitched as if she'd been electrocuted, clearly uncomfortable.

"Relax."

The palm rubs across the arch of the foot, the instep, and then the toes.

The fabric felt warm and smooth to the touch, and the thin stockings made it even more enjoyable than direct skin-to-skin contact.

For a clear-headed person, this is not a difficult problem.

Starting from the heel, the skin fades, blending and intersecting with the black and white, revealing more and more of the ankle skin.

"."

Shen Yunrong kept her starry eyes closed the whole time, her brows slightly furrowed, letting him do as he pleased.

His breathing started to become a little uneven.

The movement continued, fingers carefully probing the edge of the blanket, climbing up along the smooth curve of her calf.

The space under the blanket was dim and warm, filled with her warm body heat and rich fragrance, almost making one dizzy.

His palm was pressed against the edge of Shen Yunrong's calf, his senses were fully engaged, and every cell in his body was experiencing the amazing smoothness of her skin.

Where the sea meets the sky, a single layer of stockings offers two distinct tactile experiences.

His movements were extremely slow, like a slow-motion scene in a movie.

Each upward movement felt like exploring an unknown territory.

When the last bit of stocking material left their toes, the two breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had completed some kind of ritual.

Zhou Mingyuan now held an empty pair of stockings, a small section of which hung down like flowing water.

He rolled the two stockings together, instinctively wanting to put them in his pocket, but then seemed to remember something, stopped, and ultimately just placed them on the long skirt next to the sofa.

I do not know how long it has been.

After what felt like an eternity, the rustling behind us finally stopped, and Shen Yunrong's voice came through.

"Okay, okay."

Zhou Mingyuan then turned around.

She had already put on her pajama bottoms, but the buttons were crooked, and the top button was even fastened in the wrong place. The neckline was askew, revealing a small section of her delicate collarbone.

Her hair became even more disheveled, and her eyes were filled with an indescribable expression.

Are you feeling better now?

Zhou Mingyuan cleared his throat and asked in a serious tone.

"Well, much better."

Shen Yunrong nodded.

After this frantic changing process, which felt like she wanted to disappear into the ground, she seemed to have regained a little bit of control over her body.

She watched as Zhou Mingyuan busied himself, tidying up her clothes, refilling her cup with warm water, and bringing it to her lips for her to drink a few sips.

A warm current surged and spread wildly in my heart.

Whether it's embarrassment, shame, gratitude for the gentlemanly behavior, or regret for one's own lapse in composure...
I can't quite describe what I'm feeling.

Only that one question keeps recurring in my mind.

Even in that extremely ambiguous situation, he maintained an astonishing level of restraint and respect.

Even though he was no longer a teacher, and the boy was no longer a model student, he still...
Nothing happened.

What exactly did he do wrong?

The complete reversal of identities, the complex charm woven from ambiguity and restraint, becomes incredibly clear and deadly under the repeated catalysis of alcohol.

Is it
Is it my own problem?

"Zhou Mingyuan."

Shen Yunrong suddenly spoke softly, her voice slightly nasal.

"Ok?"

Zhou Mingyuan stopped what he was doing and looked over.

"fine."

Shen Yunrong took a deep breath, but still couldn't bring herself to ask the question.

"I was just saying it casually."

"That's it."

Zhou Mingyuan smiled, stretched, and naturally and seamlessly transitioned to the next topic.

"Oh, by the way, I just saw that book on your bedside table."

"Book?"

The drunken kitten reacted a beat slower.

"Eros and Civilization"

"oh oh."

I've read that book too.

Zhou Mingyuan spoke casually, as if he were just chatting.

"It seems you read quite a lot."

As a former counselor, Shen Yunrong lowered her eyes, clearly showing no interest in discussing literature, history, and philosophy with her students.

"I see you've put a bookmark in the book, so you probably haven't finished reading it yet, right?"

On the contrary, Zhou Mingyuan rested his chin on his hand and continued speaking with great interest.

"I've always agreed with the core ideas in this book."

"Really? I haven't finished reading it yet. What's the core argument?"

Shen Yunrong yawned and pressed for an answer.

"This book says that eroticism and civilization are closely linked." "The core idea that Marcuse wanted to express is to release and explore the instincts that people have suppressed for a long time due to work and production through eroticism, emotions, and some irrational things."

In the spacious living room, Zhou Mingyuan spoke slowly and deliberately, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

Do you think this makes sense?

The sudden question left Shen Yunrong stunned.

"."

Her starry eyes sparkled, and her cherry lips were clenched tightly.

Shen Yunrong eventually gave a response.

"Although I haven't finished reading it, the beginning of the book discusses Freud's theory of sexual repression, and I think his theory is somewhat extreme."

Is it extreme?

Zhou Mingyuan countered with a question.

"If it is suppressed for too long and does not go where it should go, then according to the law of conservation of energy, it will not disappear, but will definitely find another way."

“At this point, the life energy that has nowhere to go may be released in a distorted way, such as through mental illness.”

"He said that sexual repression can lead to mental illness. Isn't that extreme?"

Shen Yunrong crossed her arms and raised her voice in response.

"."

Zhou Mingyuan didn't speak, but instead looked her over with a meaningful gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Shen Yunrong blushed immediately.

"Forget it, stop, stop, I'm not going to discuss these weird questions with you."

She shrank back to the edge of the sofa, looking like she didn't want to continue.

"I just feel a little sorry for you."

Zhou Mingyuan smiled and didn't bring up the previous topic again, but simply moved his body closer to her.

Why are you feeling sorry for me?

"Such a beautiful face, such a perfect figure, yet no one has appreciated it all this time, leaving you to suppress yourself."

What are you talking about?

Shen Yunrong looked up at the other person and suddenly realized that her judgment was wrong again.

How could he be a gentleman?
He was clearly revealing his true intentions, waiting for the right opportunity!
"I haven't suppressed myself. I'm doing great now. I'm free, I'm enjoying myself, and I'm happy every day."

"You can only fool yourself with that."

Zhou Mingyuan grinned.

"That's right, I did try to persuade you when we were drinking together last time."

"All the data you are inputted later in life that makes you conform to humanistic, social, and moral standards is an alienated, false version of yourself."

"Only by relying on your own wildness, instinct, and free will can you define your true self."

"That's what I'm doing!"

Shen Yunrong's pupils dilated slightly, and she raised her voice.

"you have not."

Zhou Mingyuan shook his head: "You're just putting on a show."

"Respect your own needs, as they are also a part of yourself."

"Should we re-examine ourselves?"

"Those fleeting crazy ideas, those explosive hidden desires, those shameful yet tempting thoughts, those that flit through every unintentional moment."

"The only thing that stays with us forever is our experience. We must not let ourselves regret it when we get old, or feel remorse for having been too repressed."

"."

Shen Yunrong remained silent, only her lips tightened slightly.

Zhou Mingyuan spoke her mind.

The man took two steps forward, proceeding cautiously, and reached out to gently encircle Shen Yunrong's soft waist.

"All right."

"Should we continue lying?"

"I took you home, boiled water, helped you change into your pajamas, and even talked about all the books on your bedside table."

"Do you dare say you're not looking forward to what's to come?"

"."

Shen Yunrong's heart was in turmoil.

She lowered her head to hide her burning cheeks, her voice barely audible.

"I was drunk."

"Don't tell me that bullshit."

Zhou Mingyuan chuckled softly and quietly approached again.

"Can a drunk person remember Freud saying that they are sexually repressed?"

"you you!"

Shen Yunrong simply had nothing to say.

"Besides, Teacher Shen."

Has anyone ever told you that your drunken state is drastically different from your usual self?

Zhou Mingyuan stared intently at her beautiful face, his breath drawing closer once more.

"Don't call me teacher!"

Shen Yunrong dared not look.

She turned her watery eyes away, trying to use her last identity to protect herself.

Little did she know that this demeanor, in the other person's eyes, seemed more like a feigned reluctance.

"They have absolutely no respect for their teachers."

She was stunned for a moment as soon as she finished speaking.

Teacher-student, colleague, superior-subordinate—each identity harbors a certain stimulating yet dangerous tension.

"Isn't that enough to show respect for teachers?"

Zhou Mingyuan twisted his hands together, loosened the shirt button at the neck of his neck by a hair, and gently curled the corners of his mouth.

“If it were someone else, I wouldn’t have put in so much effort and thought.”

"Let alone trying to explain any theories to her or help her convince herself."

"."

Shen Yunrong narrowed her eyes.

"You really want to sleep with me that badly?"

The other person took off their costume, and she opened the window without any restraint.

"You might as well take this question and ask yourself it carefully."

That's enough groundwork laid.

The atmosphere, the emotions, and even the other party's every move propelled the battle-hardened Zhou Mingyuan forward.

"Well"

"Wait a moment!"

repel.

They were repelled time and time again.

Her lowered eyes were pulled back to their original position, her defensive posture on her chest was repeatedly unlocked, and even the stray hairs on her forehead were carefully tucked behind her ears by the man.

"Rongrong, is it okay?"

"."

They didn't get a response from the other party.

Zhou Mingyuan pressed his entire body against Shen Yunrong's shoulder, tucked his chin slightly, and used his arms to hold her waist before kissing her directly.

It dealt her a heavy blow.

(End of this chapter)