Rebirth at the Start: This Fate is Too Explosive!

Chapter 27 The Future Reflected in the Cup: "The Promise of Jinling"

The kitchen was filled with the crisp sound of dishes clattering and the rushing sound of water.

Ye Fan put down his teacup and looked towards the kitchen.

Through the half-open glass door, you could see Pei Yi'an standing in front of the sink with his sleeves rolled up, his slender fingers deftly turning the dishes.

Tang Yanning took the washed tableware from the side and put it into the sterilizer.

"Yi'an, Yan Ning, just leave it there, come out and have some tea with us!" Ye Fan raised his voice.

"You guys drink first, it'll be ready soon," Pei Yi'an replied without looking up.

The water flowed over the last glass, refracting a crystalline luster under the light.

Tang Yanning gently placed the dried tableware into the sterilizer, her movements practiced and tender.

The kitchen fell silent the moment the faucet was turned on.

Pei Yi'an shook the water droplets off his hands and took the tissue that Tang Yanning handed him.

The two walked out of the kitchen one after the other. Pei Yi'an's shirt cuffs were still slightly damp, glistening under the light.

Ye Fan lifted the teapot, and the amber-colored tea liquor drew a graceful arc in the air before slowly pouring into the two people's teacups.

The aroma of tea filled the living room amidst the rising steam.

"Here, have a taste. This is this year's new tea." Ye Fan handed the teacups to them, his fingertips lightly pausing on the rim of the cups.

He picked up his celadon teacup, took a small sip, and felt the warm tea linger between his lips and teeth.

"By the way!" Ye Fan put down his teacup, the porcelain clinking against the glass table. "Have you decided which university you plan to apply to?"

Tang Yanning's fingers tightened slightly as she held the teacup, the warmth of the tea seeping through the cup.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking: "I... I don't really have a school I want to go to, but I want to go to other provinces to see what it's like. I just don't know if my mom will agree."

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible smile flashed in Ye Fan's eyes.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip. The moment the tea went down his throat, he already thought to himself, "She will agree. I was even planning to invite her to Jinling."

Ye Fan tapped his fingertips lightly on the teacup, then turned his gaze to Pei Yi'an: "Yi'an, what about you?"

Pei Yi'an placed the teacup back on the table, lowered her eyelashes to conceal the thoughts swirling in her eyes, and said, "I'm still considering it..." Her voice carried a deliberate hesitation.

Deep down, she already knew the answer—wherever Ye Fan chose, that was where she wanted to go. This thought made her ears burn slightly, but she dared not say it aloud.

Of course, Ye Fan was unaware of her inner thoughts.

She looked up at him intently: "Ye Zi, what about you? Have you made a decision?"

Tang Yanning also looked over curiously.

Ye Fan smiled slightly, but his eyes were filled with determination: "Jinling, Nanjing University."

Four simple words, yet they resonated deeply.

Pei Yi'an's eyes lit up instantly, like stars suddenly lit up in the night sky.

She smiled, pursing her lips, revealing two shallow dimples on her cheeks, and whispered, "Then... let's cheer each other on!"

Her fingertips unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes, and her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.

Ye Fan didn't hear what she said at first.

"Then I want to go to Nanjing University too," Tang Yanning immediately chimed in.

Pei Yi'an turned slightly to the side, her hair swaying gently with the movement, her gaze falling on Zhao Mingzhe, who was lounging lazily on the sofa: "Mingzhe, what about you?"

Zhao Mingzhe grinned upon hearing this, sliding down the sofa a few more feet. His crossed legs swung casually. "Then I have to follow Old Ye!"

He raised his hand and scratched the back of his head, his tone smug, "But Nanjing University is out of the question. With my lousy grades, even a dog would shake its head."

"We'll see how my grades are, and then I'll choose one of the other universities in Nanjing."

Tang Yanning's clear voice rang out, like a wind chime tinkling in the summer evening breeze, breaking the brief silence: "Then let's take the exam together in Jinling!"

Her eyes sparkled as she raised her teacup high, the tea shimmering with tiny golden glints as she swirled it. "Come on," she said cheerfully, "let's toast with tea instead of wine."

"Come on, come on!" Zhao Mingzhe responded first, jumping up from the sofa and holding his teacup high, almost spilling the tea.

Ye Fan and Pei Yi'an exchanged a smile.

Pei Yi'an's fingers gently brushed against the rim of Ye Fan's cup, and the porcelain made a clear, resonant sound when they touched.

Four cups met in mid-air, the tea swirling and reflecting four young faces.

Sunlight streamed through the gauze window, casting dappled patterns of light on the tea noodles.

This moment.

Their young faces were reflected in the tea, as was a promise made in Nanjing.

No words are needed; the clinking of glasses speaks volumes.

And so, the group chatted idly, holding their warm teacups.

The topics drifted like willow catkins in spring, gently passing over interesting things in the game, such as recently released movies, newly opened milk tea shops on the street corner, and so on.

However, they tacitly avoided using the word "study." Everyone understood that their tense nerves needed moments to relax and that it was beneficial to unwind.

Time slipped by quietly amidst the fragrant aroma of tea.

Half an hour later.

Ye Fan gently put down his teacup, stood up, and said, "Alright, let's go to the library."

The group of people stood up.

Zhao Mingzhe stretched, almost sliding off the sofa. Startled, he exclaimed, "Damn, a DJ!"

He rubbed his aching shoulders and groaned, "I feel so tired after resting for a while!"

That's certainly true.

When a person's body suddenly endures an excessive amount of exercise, resting may actually cause the person to experience even stronger soreness.

Like a taut string suddenly released, all the fatigue surges up in that instant. (If you don't usually exercise and then suddenly go hiking on the weekend, you'll understand why.)

Ye Fan reached out and pulled Zhao Mingzhe up: "Oh! Young Master Zhao, didn't you pride yourself on being a fitness enthusiast and working out every day?"

"Why—is it—not—working—now?"

Ye Fan emphasized the words "it's not working now," and it was clear he was doing it on purpose.

"Damn it!"

"Who's failing?"

"I'm known as the 'High-Performance Little Hot Hatch,' okay?!"

Zhao Mingzhe instantly bristled, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Ye Fan turned and walked into the room, waving his hand without looking back: "Screw you! You? You'd better save your 'performance' for riding a bicycle!"

The sound of rummaging through documents came from the room.

After a while.

Ye Fan came out with a backpack containing a review book and draft paper.

The sun was still very strong.

The four of them pushed their bicycles out the gate.

Zhao Mingzhe was still rambling on and on to defend himself, while Pei Yi'an and Tang Yanning were secretly laughing behind his back.

The wheels crunched over fallen leaves, making a crisp, soft sound as the group rode their bicycles toward the city library.

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