Chapter 40 Is it okay to be with the college student's older brother...?

It may take a long time, or it may not.

Jin Zhao stared straight at him, as if he had temporarily lost the ability to think.

She heard Luo Heng suddenly let out a seemingly malicious "Hey—", and Si Tian also saw her, walking over from a distance and calling out in surprise, "Zhao Zhao—". But these sounds seemed to have never reached her ears, still far away from her. Before they could get close, Meng Yanxi pulled her out and closed the door of the private room behind her.

The corridor was quiet, the lighting was soft, and the heavy doors of the private rooms blocked out the noise and prying eyes inside, while amplifying the sound of heartbeats.

Meng Yanxi led her by the hand and strode down the dimly lit corridor.

She passively followed him, not knowing where he was going, and afraid that she wouldn't make it in time.

"Meng Yanxi, I have something to tell you." She blurted out, her anxiety rising within her.

"I know."

The man's voice was low and steady, but his steps were quick.

This is an old villa clubhouse. The corridor is not long, and at the end is a double door made of walnut wood inlaid with copper.

Meng Yanxi pushed open the door, and outside was an enclosed terrace with marble floors and balcony railings.

The November wind carried a chill, and the plane trees outside the terrace had already turned a golden yellow, a sign of autumn's passing. The red roses and bougainvillea planted on the terrace, however, remained vibrant and well-maintained. A light gray outdoor sofa set, with matching cushions, sat in the center, next to a brass floor lamp.

Meng Yanxi seemed very familiar with this place. She raised her hand and pressed a button on the wall, and the floor lamp suddenly turned on, its orange-red light illuminating the space with a warm glow.

"What do you want to say to me? Sit down and say it."

His eyes were very dark, and they appeared especially deep when he looked down at her.

Jin Zhao suddenly found himself unable to sit down or speak.

She rushed over with boundless courage, imagining all sorts of chaotic scenes, just like the commotion in the private room earlier. Her arrival would either add to the chaos or have no effect whatsoever. But she seemed to have forgotten the most important point: Meng Yanxi was never chaotic; from his youth, he had always been in complete control of everything.

He found her such a quiet and romantic place in an instant, which made her very nervous. She had been feeling hot all over and her mind was a little muddled, but the night breeze seemed to calm her down a bit, and she started to swallow back the words she had been about to blurt out.

Once seated, he was even less able to speak.

She stared at the high-quality sofa, her mind already conjuring up an image of herself sitting on it, discussing donations with Meng Yanxi in a businesslike manner.

Meng Yanxi seemed to notice her embarrassment, although he probably didn't know that the donation rhetoric in her head wasn't even meant to persuade him to donate to the school, but rather to her; otherwise, it would have been even more awkward.

He didn't say anything, but walked straight to the balcony, leaned against the railing and looked at her, one long leg slightly bent, in a relaxed and casual posture.

Behind him, the Yunsheng Building stands across the river, its exterior light show dazzling and ever-changing.

The two stared at each other from a distance, neither of them saying a word.

After a long while, Jin Zhao finally took a step towards him, stopped in front of him, and looked up at him.

She's always been a mild-mannered and tactful person; even adding him on WeChat required her to use a thank-you note as an excuse. On the way here, she had prepared a long speech, intending to start with their brief encounter in high school, and then recount the stories she'd heard from Teacher Feng that afternoon…

But when that moment actually arrived, as she looked so close to Meng Yanxi's deep eyes, all the drafts in her mind suddenly vanished, and her mouth seemed to have its own consciousness.

"You said last time that if I wanted to find a partner, I could contact you. Does that still stand?"

She asked softly, her hands hanging at her sides, unconsciously clenching.

Meng Yanxi's brow twitched, and her eyes darkened further.

The wind rustled the leaves and flowers on the balcony, and the cool fragrance of roses blooming in the night wafted through the air.

"Who are you looking for?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Jin Zhao pressed the tip of his tongue against a single word.

The gaze falling upon him was scorching, as if it carried a burning heat. Jin Zhao blushed before she could say anything, and quickly looked away.

She stared at the river behind him, then suddenly blushed and said, "Our school is very strict about teachers' ethics and conduct. Every time we have a meeting, we talk about prohibiting teachers from dating college students."

The man raised an eyebrow: "You want to date a college student?"

No, of course not.

Jin Zhao looked up at him, and to increase credibility, she made a very unpretentious self-evaluation: "Although my professional title is relatively low and I am only a lecturer, I am far ahead of others in terms of professional ethics and conduct."

"A lone rider leaving all others in the dust."

For some reason, those four words tickled his funny bone. Meng Yanxi suddenly tilted his head and chuckled softly.

Jin Zhao: "Yes. My main problem is..."

Jin Zhao looked up into his eyes and remained silent for a moment.

The man in front of her also seemed to become exceptionally patient, leaning against the balcony railing, gazing down at her with quiet, dark eyes.

"What?" he asked in a low voice.

Jin Zhao's long, curly eyelashes trembled slightly, like butterfly wings suddenly fluttering.

She finally spoke up: "I wonder if it's okay to date a college student's older brother?"

"Whoosh—"

A gust of wind suddenly blew from the river, making the leaves of the plane trees downstairs rustle.

A breeze carrying the scent of water blew against Meng Yanxi's feverish body, making him feel no chill, but rather as if it were the height of summer. He only felt the unbridled intensity of the heat.

His long fingers, tucked into his pocket, twitched slightly. He lowered his eyes and stared straight at her.

Suddenly, he turned his head and smiled, facing the endless, vast river.

Looking back, the darkness in his eyes seemed to dissipate.

He gave a half-smile and asked, "You didn't ask?"

Jin Zhao shook his head.

"I didn't ask. You know, at school, you can't ask about many things."

"It's okay if it doesn't work."

Jin Zhao bit her lip: "I will not resign."

Meng Yanxi nodded: "I know, I can."

Jin Zhao: "?"

He suddenly reached out and pried open her tightly clenched fingers, forcefully interlocking his fingers with hers.

Jin Zhao was shocked by his sudden "next step". He reflexively clenched his palm and touched the man's long, strong fingers. They were dry, warm, and had distinct knuckles.

She looked up at him blankly, her eyes wide open.

Meng Yanxi's eyes held a smile, and his usually aloof peach blossom eyes lost their coldness, becoming tender and gentle. He leaned down slightly to meet her gaze.

"What I mean is, if the college student you're talking about is my sister, I can immediately sever my sibling relationship with Meng Zhuxi."

*

That night, ever since that one sentence, Jin Zhao's mind was completely blank.

At first, there was elation and joy.

She confessed her feelings, albeit somewhat subtly, but it was clear enough. Meng Yanxi obviously understood and responded immediately.

After ten years of unrequited love, the light of day suddenly shines through, and the whole world is filled with an unreal joy.

In the late autumn and early winter season, she felt that flowers were blooming all over the world.

Later, Meng Yanxi led her back to Luo Heng's birthday party. A group of drunkards started to cheer and make a ruckus, the noise getting louder and louder, but she felt like fireworks were exploding.

A wave of scalding heat rushed to my cheeks.

In contrast, Meng Yanxi appeared calm and composed.

He took her hand and turned to ask her if she was in a hurry to go back.

She looked into his eyes, then into his lips, and was uncontrollably captivated by his beauty; her heart pounded wildly.

She shook her head against her conscience.

He seemed to see through her, and immediately changed his question, asking her if she had class the next morning.

She had no choice but to nod obediently.

He gave her a half-smile, said goodbye to Luo Heng, and led her away from the hustle and bustle.

Meng Yanxi hadn't been drinking. He drove her home, and she sat in the passenger seat. Neither of them spoke for a while.

After her initial joy and excitement subsided, she began to feel anxious and uncertain.

It's like suddenly winning the lottery; after the initial excitement, fear sets in, a fear that none of this is real.

Is this really Meng Yanxi's girlfriend? Is it an illusion? Or a dream? How can I prove it to her every single moment?

Only then did she regret that she had been too tactful. She had asked the question tactfully, and he had answered tactfully. Although they seemed to be sure of each other, it didn't feel as certain as a normal couple's confession, which made her feel insecure.

Meng Yanxi suddenly spoke up: "Back to school?"

She was a beat slow to react, and said with a flushed face, "Yeah, back to school."

Looking ahead, Meng Yanxi asked again, "Didn't you look for another place to live?"

Jin Zhao gripped the seatbelt with her fingers and whispered, "No, the school subsidy only covers half."

Meng Yanxi was silent for a moment, then asked, "What about the subsidy?"

Jin Zhao understood what he meant: if they didn't rent a place, wouldn't they save on the subsidy? Dream on.

Jin Zhao said regretfully, "There are no more subsidies. Only teachers who do not live on campus and submit a rental contract are eligible for subsidies."

Meng Yanxi nodded and said nothing more.

Teacher Jin, who had just started dating, was a little emotionally unstable, but after exchanging a few casual words with Meng Yanxi, she was overjoyed again.

Unfortunately, her joy turned to sorrow. When she arrived at school, she suddenly realized something terrible—she had forgotten her bag in the taxi!

I was so eager to see him that I was in such a hurry that after scanning the code, I grabbed my phone and rushed off the bus without realizing that I had left my bag on the bus.

The good news is that she had originally planned to go dancing today, and there wasn't anything important in her bag except for her dance clothes and shoes.

The bad news is, the key is still inside.

Jin Zhao didn't want to seem stupid on the very first day of dating, so she didn't mention it at all. Unfortunately, Meng Yanxi insisted on seeing her upstairs.

Jin Zhao dared not let him discover that he had lost his keys. He forced himself to say, "Really, it's not necessary, it's just a few steps away."

Meng Yanxi raised an eyebrow at her, then suddenly said slowly, "Don't make me fail in my duty on the very first day, okay?"

Because of the word "dereliction of duty," Jin Zhao felt a secret sweetness in his heart and couldn't help but agree on the spot.

Finally, they naturally took Meng Yanxi to the building manager to borrow a spare key.

Jin Zhao pretended not to notice Meng Yanxi's thoughtful gaze and lowered her head to register.

Just as the building manager turned to get the spare key, Zhou Qian came over to return the insecticide.

The school wasn't particularly big, nor was it particularly small. Even though they lived in the same faculty apartment building, Zhou Qian hadn't seen Jin Zhao since that rainy Wednesday night. This unexpected encounter tonight delighted him, and he immediately greeted her with a smile, "Teacher Jin, what a coincidence!"

Jin Zhao remembered who the other person was and replied with a smile, "Hello, Teacher Zhou."

At this moment, the building manager brought over a spare key, which Meng Yanxi took and went to Jin Zhao's side.

"Let's go."

Zhou Qian looked at the tall, long-legged, and handsome man, his surprised smile momentarily fading, and asked, "And this gentleman is...?"

Meng Yanxi: "Teacher Jin's boyfriend."

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Author's Note: Sorry for being late again. I'll continue giving out red envelopes to the first 20 readers. From now on, I'll give out red envelopes to those who are late. *bows*