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

Chapter 211 The Heart of the Lake as Witness
Because of Yan Jin's phone call, Jiang Xun had no choice but to give up his plan to meet Tang Yufei. Tang Yufei appeared to be a free-spirited and passionate woman who seemed indifferent to everything, but she was clearly very special to Jiang Xun. Therefore, Jiang Xun did not dare to be too impulsive, lest things get complicated.

Of course, the most important thing is that Yan Jin rarely calls him first. She usually talks about work-related matters directly via WeChat, and when she calls, it's usually not a trivial matter.

When Jiang Xun saw Yan Jin, she was standing by the car with her back to Jiang Xun. Her tailored pearl white cashmere suit made her figure appear even more upright and aloof, and the sunlight gilded a layer of light gold on the top of her black hair.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around, her eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses calm and unwavering, and tossed the car keys precisely to Jiang Xun.

"Drive." The voice was as concise as ever, devoid of any emotion.

Jiang Xun easily caught the key, feeling the familiar cool metallic touch.

He raised an eyebrow, a playful smile habitually playing at the corners of his lips: "Professor Yan, which laboratory are you visiting today? Or which academic summit are you attending?"

He naturally opened the passenger door, but his gaze paused slightly the moment she sat in the car and her skirt brushed against her smooth calves.

The car was filled with her cool, refreshing fragrance, like plum blossoms after a snowfall, mixed with the clean scent of laboratory disinfectant.

Yan Jin fastened her seatbelt, her gaze fixed on the tree-lined road bathed in the golden light of the morning sun. She didn't look at him, but simply uttered four words: "Tang Group."

The air seemed to freeze suddenly.

Jiang Xun paused for a moment.

"The Tang Group?" he repeated, his tone somewhat strange. "Go find Tang Yuzhe?"

He and Tang Yuzhe had some acquaintance because they had drunk together at a bar once before, but they didn't have much communication afterward. Mainly, there seemed to be a subtle feeling that they were rivals in love.

"Hmm." Yan Jin still didn't look at him, only responded softly, as if this was just an ordinary destination.

She adjusted her posture, her gaze falling on the ginkgo trees rushing past the window, their golden leaves fluttering in the sunlight.

The street scene outside the window rushed past, shutting out the city's hustle and bustle.

Jiang Xun stopped asking Yan Jin questions, and Yan Jin showed no intention of explaining. The two drove in silence toward the Tang Group.

The car eventually drove into the impressive underground parking lot of the Tang Group headquarters.

The cold concrete space was filled with the smell of engine oil and dust, which clashed with Yan Jin's crisp and clean aura.

The elevator ascended smoothly, the numbers constantly changing, and the only sound in the small space was the soft breathing of the two people.

Jiang Xun could clearly smell the cool pine scent in her hair and feel an even stronger sense of aloofness emanating from her than usual—a tension that came with the impending entry into battle.

With a "ding," the elevator went straight to the top floor.

The heavy, antique-style bronze door slid open silently, revealing the extremely luxurious top-floor CEO office.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the skyline of Beijing stretches out in rows, as if the entire city is beneath your feet.

Tang Yuzhe stood with his back to them in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, slowly stirring the coffee in his bone china cup with a small silver spoon.

The sunlight outlined his tall and robust figure, exuding the sense of control characteristic of a successful businessman.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around with his usual impeccable business smile on his face. His gaze first fell on Yan Jin, and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes. But when he saw Jiang Xun behind Yan Jin, his expression froze instantly.

……

On its return journey, the Audi A6 drove away from the cold, imposing building of the Tang Group, a symbol of wealth and power, and merged into the sparse traffic of the early winter afternoon.

The car was deathly silent, a stark contrast to the tense silence that had preceded them. The air seemed to have been completely sucked out, leaving only an oppressive sense of emptiness.

Yan Jin lowered the car window, and a biting cold wind rushed in instantly, whipping up the stray hairs on her cheeks and swirling a few withered sycamore leaves against the window, making a soft rustling sound.

She turned her head to the side, staring blankly at the rapidly receding gray street scene outside the window, her tightly pursed lips revealing a hint of weariness and a sense of relief mixed with bewilderment.

Just as the suffocating silence was about to engulf the two of them, a vast and tranquil body of water unexpectedly came into view outside the car window—Yanqi Lake.

A thin layer of cold mist shrouded the lake in winter, blurring the outlines of distant mountains. Near the shore, the not-yet-fully-frozen lake water shimmered with tiny silvery lights in the breeze. A few overwintering waterbirds wandered alone in the shallows, making the vastness of the world even more apparent.

"Stop the car." Yan Jin suddenly spoke, her voice soft but carrying an undeniable determination.

She didn't even wait for Jiang Xun to come to a complete stop before reaching out and pressing down on his hand, which was about to shift gears.

Her fingertips were icy cold and trembling slightly. The momentary touch of their skin sent a shiver through Jiang Xun's heart.

Jiang Xun did as instructed and slowly parked the car next to a secluded viewing platform by the lake.

This place has clearly been abandoned for a long time; the wooden railings are mottled and peeling, covered with a thin layer of grayish-white frost.

Yan Jin pushed open the car door, and the cold air, carrying the dampness of the lake, rushed towards her.

She paid no heed to the crunching sound of her expensive sheepskin boots crushing the thin frost as she walked straight toward the end of the viewing platform that stretched out over the lake.

The sound of high heels tapping on the decaying wooden planks seemed particularly desolate by the empty lake.

Jiang Xun followed silently behind her, watching her back as she stood by the railing. The cold wind lifted the hem of her coat, outlining her slender yet straight waistline. In the vast expanse of lake and mountain scenery, her figure resembled a solitary, proud birch tree about to be broken by the wind and snow, so fragile it was heartbreaking.

He could clearly sense the intense loneliness and deep-seated sorrow emanating from her.

“My mother… because of that man, she suffered from serious physical and mental health problems.” Yan Jin’s voice drifted on the wind, lighter and colder than the mist on the lake, carrying a dull pain that was old but had never healed.

She didn't turn around, her gaze fixed on the depths of the lake, as if a past she didn't want to touch was slumbering there.

"So I really want her to be happier and more relaxed, but I know that what she is most worried about is my personal feelings. Yufei knows my situation, so she introduced her brother to me, but... However, Tang Yuzhe is a good person, and he is willing to help me, but I feel guilty towards him."

“You did nothing wrong.” Jiang Xun took off his cashmere coat and stepped forward to wrap the heavy garment, still warm from his body, around her trembling body.

When his fingertips touched her back through the thin cashmere sweater, he could clearly feel the subtle yet uncontrollable trembling emanating from inside her body.

This action seemed to trigger a switch. Yan Jin's body stiffened abruptly, and then she slowly and with great difficulty turned around.

He didn't speak, but simply reached out his hands and gently yet firmly cupped Yan Jin's cold cheeks.

His fingertips, calloused, gently caressed her smooth, delicate skin, as if confirming the return of a lost treasure. His gaze was as deep as the night sea, clearly reflecting her tearful face, now completely unguarded.

Then, he leaned down and, with an almost reverent reverence, kissed her cool, trembling lips.

“Hmm…” A soft sob escaped from Yan Jin’s throat. It was not resistance, but an instinctive tremor when long-frozen emotions suddenly thawed.

This kiss was completely different from the forceful plundering inside the car on a rainy night; it was tender, exploratory, and filled with a warm current of soothing comfort and infinite reassurance.

Jiang Xun's lips were warm and soft, carrying his unique scent, a blend of sunshine and refreshing aftershave, gently covering her coldness as he carefully sucked and patiently guided her.

Yan Jin's awkward response was endearingly clumsy, carrying a kind of desperate courage.

Her mind went blank; all reason, cold rules, and shadows of the past crumbled before this kiss.

She passively endured it, yet deep within her body, she involuntarily responded to the unfamiliar, surging pleasure.

The hand that had been pressed against Jiang Xun's chest had fallen limply at some point, and she even unconsciously clutched the fabric at his waist, as if it were the only piece of driftwood she had in the midst of a raging storm.

Jiang Xun held her waist tightly with one hand, pressing her closer to him, while his other hand gripped the back of her neck, deepening the kiss.

His kisses were skillful and patient, each touch sending a deeper shiver and subtle response through Yan Jin's body. Her breathing became rapid and erratic, mingling with his hot breath, creating an ambiguous white mist in the cold air.

After a good ten minutes, the two parted their lips. Jiang Xun did not try to do anything else excessive, lest he frighten the goddess of Peking University again.

However, as soon as they separated, Yan Jin took a deep breath, leaned forward slightly, and took the initiative to move closer.

Under Jiang Xun's slightly surprised gaze, she tiptoed and, with a clumsy yet resolute determination, pressed her lips to his.

He awkwardly and tentatively kissed Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun was stunned, his heart like a stone thrown into a lake, rippling with complex emotions.

This woman… she is clumsily trying to break through the ice that has imprisoned her for half her life and get closer to him.

The kiss lasted only two minutes, but it made Yan Jin's beautiful cheeks flush red, and her eyes looked like they were about to burst with tears.

After the two parted again, Jiang Xun did not speak again, but silently curled the corners of her lips, her smile full of tenderness and affection.

He reached out and took her still cold and slightly trembling hand in his. His palm was broad and warm, completely enveloping her cool fingers.

Yan Jin's fingers trembled slightly, but then she turned and intertwined her fingers with his. The warmth transmitted between their fingertips was more powerful than any words. The icy lake wind no longer seemed so biting.

The two stood quietly on the desolate viewing platform, facing the vast Yanqi Lake, their fingers intertwined.

The setting sun cast long, overlapping shadows of them onto the cold wooden planks. Golden ripples spread across the lake, as if bearing witness to this silent pact.

As dusk settles over the distant city, the lights begin to twinkle, like scattered stars.

On this tranquil lakeside, isolated from all the noise and hustle and bustle, only the warmth of palms touching and the heartbeats of two hearts that had finally broken through all obstacles and confirmed each other's love remained.

Yan Jin's tense shoulders finally relaxed completely, and she gently leaned against Jiang Xun's strong arm.

Jiang Xun slightly tightened his arms, pulling her closer into his embrace, his chin gently resting on the top of her head.

Yan Jin did not resist; instead, she obediently relaxed her body, leaning all her weight on him, and let out a barely audible sigh of relief.

At this moment, all pretense, all distance, all cold rules melt away in the twilight over the lake.

Their relationship finally underwent a fundamental and irreversible transformation with Yan Jin's clumsy kiss and his complete reliance on her.

The lake's heart bears witness, and the twilight is proof.

(End of this chapter)