I'm a senior in high school, and the system says I'm going on a blind date with my childho

Chapter 168 Let's take a walk in the neighborhood.

Shen Yuan wasn't just making things up when he said Ms. Zhang Yuyan's birthday was coming soon.

Shen Yuan truly remembers when his mother's birthday is.

October 30th, this Saturday.

So after preparing the gift this week, I can make my mom happy this weekend.

My older cousin is quite fast.

On Tuesday at noon, Shen Yuan, who was organizing his notebook of wrong questions during his lunch break, received a message from his older cousin.

Yang Yishui sent Shen Yuan a series of carefully selected designs for pearl necklaces and pearl hair clips.

Before Shen Yuan could even open the picture, his older cousin sent him another message.

"If you have any hair clips or necklaces that you like, send them to me so I can see if they can make them."

The speed was so fast that the older cousin obviously sent it using voice-to-text.

Upon seeing this message, Shen Yuan immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Oh ho? You can do that?"

A satisfied expression appeared on Shen Yuan's face.

After all, Shen Yuan might not like the styles offered by the pearl merchants.

Since my older cousin has said so, then naturally I should choose one that I think looks good.

Of course, Shen Yuan wasn't someone who didn't know his limits; after all, things wouldn't work if the difficulty was too high.

This is a matter between his sister and Shen Yuan, not between him and Shen Yuan.

One should always have some sense of propriety.

Moreover, Shen Yuan wasn't planning on getting anything fancy; a simple and practical hair clip was the best option.

Shen Yuan wanted to create a versatile hair clip, rather than one that could only be paired with a specific style.

So during the first period of evening self-study on Tuesday, Shen Yuan unusually put aside his exercises and focused on selecting gifts.

I chose it not only for my mother, but also for Li Zhi.

Shen Yuan couldn't wait to find out what Li Zhi's memory was like.

Even so, Shen Yuan patiently chose a necklace for his mother first.

The system's tasks don't have a time limit for completion, but Mom's birthday does have a time limit.

Just as Shen Yuan was choosing a gift, A-Jie curiously peeked over.

When A-Jie saw Shen Yuan playing on his phone on the table, he was immediately puzzled.

"Hey, wait, Lao Yuan, what are you doing? How dare you be so bold?"

Shen Yuan turned to look at A-Jie, his eyes flashing with the look of someone looking at an idiot: "Hey buddy, if I didn't play on my phone like that, would I be doing right by my seat?"

The seats by the window are always the safest in the classroom.

By piling the books aside and placing a pencil case in front of them, a blind spot that blocks the teacher's view is created.

Unless Lao Zhou's heart condition directly turns off the lights, it would be difficult to notice the people scrolling on their phones in the far corner.

Ah Jie gasped, "What you said actually makes a lot of sense. But what exactly are you doing?"

"My mom's birthday is coming up soon, I'm picking out a gift."

“You’ve got nothing to criticize, so go on. I’ll keep watch on Lao Zhou.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan looked at A-Jie in surprise, and then couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.

"Just for saying that, I'll buy you a Coke tomorrow night!"

A-Jie chuckled and declared with unwavering determination, "We, the Cola Party, will definitely win this Holy Grail War!"

Perhaps it was a trigger for a keyword, because when A-Jie uttered those words, Chen Mingyu, who was sitting in the front row, immediately turned his head.

"Shut up, Coke! Iced tea is the real deal!"

Ah Jie was too lazy to argue with Chen Mingyu.

Now the Holy Grail War is down to three factions: Cola, Iced Tea, and AD Calcium Milk.

From an overall perspective, the Coca-Cola camp has the best chance of winning.

After all, Shen Yuan, who jumped from 600 to 650 points, directly raised the average score.

He can be called a fierce general!

In addition, Ah Jie himself has made progress recently, and he is full of confidence in his victory!

Just imagining the scene of them offering Coca-Cola to him made Ah Jie incredibly happy.

Shen Yuan spent an entire class period choosing a gift.

The style I picked for my mom is the kind with a large bead in the center and then smaller beads all around it.

Shen Yuan selected two styles for Li Zhi: one was a long, slender style covered with pearls.

This one looks very similar to the one Shen Yuan remembers seeing.

Another style is adorned with a single pearl.

Both types of hair clips are very simple in design, and Shen Yuan plans to have one of each.

After I sent the style I had chosen to my older cousin, she soon said she would ask her what they thought.

All Shen Yuan could do was wait.

As the bell rang, A-Jie invited Shen Yuan to go to the restroom together, as usual.

Shen Yuan refused.

"Didn't you already go before evening self-study started? Why are you going again? Do you have a prostate problem?"

Ah Jie panicked: "I drank too much water!"

Shen Yuan chuckled and ignored A-Jie.

After waiting for the entire break time without receiving a reply from his older cousin, Shen Yuan focused on doing his homework.

Yesterday, the teachers, unusually, showed some compassion for these unfortunate kids and didn't assign any homework.

But today is different.

The exam papers are back!

Just as Ah Jie had said.

—The joy of the sports meet is something that is given up in advance from the future.

Shen Yuan received the message from his older cousin just before the end of evening self-study.

Yang Yishui: "Yes, it's 2899. I've already paid you. I accept WeChat and Alipay transfers, and I also accept cash."

Shen Yuan didn't say anything more and transferred the money directly.

For Shen Yuan, who now possesses a "huge sum" of money, a price of less than three thousand is nothing!
After replying with a "Thank you, boss" emoji, the older cousin stopped replying to Shen Yuan.

After resolving this matter, Shen Yuan's mood improved considerably.

Even on the way home from school, Li Zhi felt that Shen Yuan was being a little too happy.

Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan curiously: "What happy event happened today?"

When Shen Yuan heard Li Zhi's question, the smile on his lips became even more dazzling.

Without any thought, the brain blurted out: "I dreamt during evening self-study that Li Bao said he liked me."

Hearing Shen Yuan's words, Li Zhi chuckled: "So you're quite careful in your dreams, afraid of being beaten to death by me, huh?"

Shen Yuan was naturally energized by Li Zhi's words.

"Then I'll dream about marrying you next time, and I'll start thinking about what to name our second child now."

"what?"

Li Zhiwei was slightly taken aback.

What does it mean to have already decided what to name your second child?
So you already knew what to name the first one, didn't you!

"Shen Yuan! Are you looking for a beating?!"

Li Zhi's voice suddenly rose, and she glared angrily at the guy in front of her who had a wicked smile on his face and was obviously teasing her.

Without hesitation, Li Zhi kicked out directly.

But Shen Yuan had anticipated this, and as soon as he finished speaking, he took the initiative to create distance.

Li Zhi took off chasing after him.

The beautiful girl, filled with a murderous aura after being tricked, hurried after Shen Yuan.

The long legs quickly closed the distance between the two. Li Zhi grabbed Shen Yuan's backpack from the back, raised his arm, and slapped Shen Yuan's arm with clear intent.

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound rang out, and Shen Yuan immediately felt a burning sensation on his arm.

"Easy, easy, just kidding!"

"Who told you to have such a ridiculous dream! And... and you dare to talk nonsense! I'll beat you to death!"

"I was wrong, I was wrong, I'm not dreaming anymore."

Shen Yuan chuckled: "Try to have normal dreams from now on."

Hearing Shen Yuan's words, Li Zhi rolled her eyes at him.

The beautiful girl let out a cold snort, then lifted her leg and walked forward.

Soon, Shen Yuan's voice came from behind.

"Hey, wanna grab some late-night snacks?"

These words caused Li Zhi, who was still walking forward, to suddenly stop in his tracks.

The beautiful girl suddenly turned around, still carrying the lingering anger from chasing Shen Yuan and a childish desire for revenge, and said fiercely to Shen Yuan, "Eat! Eat you out of house and home!"

"Eating at late-night food stalls won't bankrupt me," Shen Yuan replied nonchalantly.

Li Zhimei glared, snorted coldly, and suddenly put on a cunning and provocative expression: "Then I'll beat up the boss! Make you pay me back."

Shen Yuan's lips twitched. "No wonder you're a top student, your methods are just too much."

But Shen Yuan quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly retorted, "No, why should I pay you money?"

"You instigated me."

Li Zhi tilted his chin up, looking at Shen Yuan with a smug expression.

For a moment, Shen Yuan was a little confused about the situation.

"So, what shall we eat?"

After thinking it over, Li Zhi finally chose oden.

Since they had chosen to eat Shen Yuan out of house and home, they naturally had to order the expensive stuff. Li Bao shoveled a bunch of meat dishes over and then told Shen Yuan to pay the bill.

Shen Yuan only spent a little over thirty yuan on seven or eight skewers of meat.

Compared to what Shen Yuan earned from completing tasks with her, it was utterly insignificant.

Perhaps because she had managed to get her money back for yesterday's ice cream from Shen Yuan, Li Zhi seemed particularly happy when she returned.

The beautiful girl held the heavy paper cup with satisfaction, the steam escaping from her mouth carrying the rich aroma of meat and bone broth.

The two walked briskly on their way home.

"Hehe, meatballs."

Li Zhi used a bamboo skewer to pick up a plump and juicy beef ball, but instead of eating it himself, he proudly held it out in front of Shen Yuan and waved it.

The streetlights shone on her face, and her curved eyebrows and eyes showed that the beautiful girl was currently immersed in the joy of "successful revenge".

Shen Yuan continued munching on his tofu slices, completely unaffected.

"Eat up! You bought so much, don't let it all go to waste by the time we get to the neighborhood!"

Upon hearing Shen Yuan's words, Li Zhi immediately stopped showing off.

"Hiss—ah...delicious!"

The rich broth and the chewy texture of the meat burst in her mouth, making her sigh with pleasure.

The pretty girl ate in small bites as she walked, her movements a little hurried.

After all, as Shen Yuan said, it would be a bit awkward if they couldn't finish eating before they got home.

Although their parents knew that the two of them would probably grab a late-night snack on their way home.

If I don't see it, it's fine, but if I do see it, I'll occasionally mutter it a couple of times.

To avoid family conflicts, it's best to finish eating.

Even though she was eating in a hurry, when she tasted a particularly delicious meatball, Li Zhi's bright eyes would deliberately glance at Shen Yuan.

The joy that young girls experience with food is actually quite simple.

Just as Shen Yuan had said.

Before even reaching the entrance of the residential area, Li Zhi's pace slowed noticeably, and her previously brisk chewing movements became somewhat sluggish.

She looked down at the half-eaten meatballs still in the paper cup, feeling a heavy, full sensation in her stomach.

"Woo..."

The pretty girl wrinkled her small nose, her voice muffled and tinged with resentment: "I can't eat anymore."

Shen Yuan had already finished his tofu slices. Hearing the sound, he turned around and saw Li Zhi's conflicted little face and the unfinished "spoils" of his drink.

He couldn't help but laugh, a familiar wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Oh, who was it that said they'd eat me out of house and home? Is this all?"

"Hmph! If I can't finish it, I'll feed it to the dog!"

After saying that, Li Zhi angrily shoved the paper cup into Shen Yuan's hand.

Shen Yuan:?
Although the pretty girl looked fierce, when her eyes glanced at the cup of dumplings, especially her favorite fish roe lucky bag, a hint of regret and reluctance flickered in her eyes.

Shen Yuan didn't stand on ceremony; he used a skewer to pick up the lucky bag and put it in his mouth.

Li Zhi watched him chew easily with a satisfied look on his face and secretly swallowed.

Right after swallowing, the feeling of fullness and pressure in my stomach became even more pronounced.

Li Bao couldn't help but raise her hand and gently press her abdomen, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly and her little face scrunching up.

She forced herself to stop watching Shen Yuan eat with such relish, but she could still clearly hear the chewing sounds coming from beside her.

The initial sense of satisfaction from "successful revenge" had long since vanished, leaving only the bitter taste of having eaten too much and having to give up the delicious food.

Seeing the discomfort on the beautiful girl's face beside him, Shen Yuan couldn't help but comfort her, "Hey, how about I eat slowly, and we take a walk in the neighborhood until you've digested a bit before you eat again?"

Upon hearing Shen Yuan's words, Li Zhi took out his phone and checked the time.

9:42.

It's still early.

Getting home before 10 o'clock is fine, even a little later is okay.

Li Zhi stared at the time displayed on the screen, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of the phone case.

The heavy, bloated feeling in her stomach was quite bothersome, making it difficult for her to walk.

Even after you get home, you'll still need to digest it.

Shen Yuan's suggestion echoed in my mind again—take a stroll around the neighborhood, and eat the leftovers after you've digested a bit.

This suggestion is reasonable and will also help relieve the discomfort in my stomach.

only……

How could Li Zhi not know what Shen Yuan was planning?
Yesterday was really exhausting, so the two of them just covered their heads and went home to shower and sleep.

We can't even hold hands anymore.

But now...

“Who…who wants to hang out downstairs with you?” Li Zhi blurted out.

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Shen Yuan, her momentum noticeably weakening, and her gaze drifted somewhat to the cup of meatballs in his hand.

Seeing Li Zhi's reaction, Shen Yuan couldn't help but smile. What a gluttonous girl.

"The shaking was to aid digestion, not for me."

Shen Yuan picked up the cup: "Do you want to waste it?"

Li Zhi pursed her lips: "I don't want to. Wasting money is shameful."

After speaking, Li Zhi put her phone back in her pocket, lowered her head slightly, and her ears revealed a faint pink hue under the streetlights.

The two continued walking towards the residential area.

A short while later, the two entered the residential area one after the other.

Listening to the rustling of the plane tree leaves in the evening breeze in the neighborhood, Li Zhi's voice was so low that it was almost drowned out by the wind.

"...Then...I'll just walk around for a bit."

"Yeah! Let's go!"

Shen Yuan walked through the gate of the residential area first, and then led Li Zhi along the road.

Li Zhi stopped talking and slowed his pace considerably.

The two walked slowly along the path, as if they were truly digesting their food.

Shen Yuan also slowed down, his hand naturally hanging down as he approached Li Zhi, while his other hand held a paper cup.

The boy followed the girl at a distance of about half a wall, neither too close nor too far.

The warm yellow light from the ground lamps stretched and shortened their shadows, which intertwined and swayed under the shade of the trees.

The night breeze carried the scent of autumn, dispelling the lingering aroma of oden and seemingly easing some of the nausea in Li Zhi's stomach.

At this time, the community garden was quiet and peaceful, with only the soft sound of two people's footsteps remaining.

Shen Yuan would occasionally pick up a bamboo skewer to finish a meatball that was about to get cold. Li Zhi's gaze would casually glance over him, and seeing him chewing contentedly, Li Zhi would unconsciously swallow a little, but then immediately look away, pretending to look at the shadows of the trees in the distance.

After a few minutes, Shen Yuan asked, "Is it ready to eat?"

Li Zhi felt the sensation in her stomach and shook her head.

The pretty girl pouted and said unhappily, "I can't eat."

Shen Yuan nodded, said nothing more, and continued walking on the road in the neighborhood.

The time quietly arrived at 9:50.

Li Zhi frowned and looked down at the few lonely meatballs in the paper cup in Shen Yuan's hand.

The heavy feeling in my stomach hadn't lessened at all.

The pretty girl puffed out her cheeks, her voice listless and tinged with self-abandonment: "Never mind... I really can't eat anymore... Shen Yuan, you eat it all."

Hearing Li Zhi's words, Shen Yuan chuckled: "It should have been done a long time ago!"

Without any hesitation, Shen Yuan deftly forked up the meatballs and put them into his mouth one after another.

Compared to Li Zhi, Shen Yuan could eat much more.

He had already digested those few pieces of tofu.

Shen Yuan's cheeks puffed out slightly, and his chewing motion carried a touch of the carefree nature typical of young people.

He even commented, "Hmm... it's a bit cold, but the flavor is still there."

In less than two minutes, the meatballs in the paper cup were completely devoured.

Shen Yuan smacked his lips in satisfaction and casually tossed the empty paper cup into the trash can as he passed by.

A silence suddenly spread, enveloping them in a peace that required no words.

Shen Yuan's gaze fell on Li Zhi's face, and his arm moved subtly toward the hand of the girl next to him.

The hand that had just finished preparing all the dumplings reached out quietly, in the dim light, with an undeniable sense of probing and expectation.

The subtle movement of the arm approaching eventually turned into actual contact.

Shen Yuan's fingertips tentatively brushed against the back of Li Zhi's hand hanging by his side, carrying a hint of the coolness of the autumn night, yet also the warmth seeping from his palm.

The moment he touched that softness, his fingers slid down gently and naturally grasped Li Zhi's hand.

Li Zhi's body seemed to be slightly agitated by this sudden intimate contact, and his arm stiffened almost imperceptibly.

But to Shen Yuan's surprise, that stiffness quickly dissipated.

Li Zhi lowered his eyelids, his gaze still fixed on the blurry tree shadows cut by the streetlights at his feet, as if nothing had happened.

She didn't move.

There was no attempt to pull his hand back as expected, nor any symbolic struggle.

Her hands, slender and slightly warm, with a languid softness left from a full meal, lay quietly in Shen Yuan's palm.

After the initial tension, the girl's fingertips even tentatively curled up and gently pressed against the back of Shen Yuan's hand, like a butterfly alighting its wings.

No language.

Even the sound of the wind seemed to quiet down.

Shen Yuan's slightly uneasy heart was instantly put at ease by the gentle, tacit presence in his palm.

He couldn't help but tighten his fingers slightly, enveloping that soft hand more firmly.

The silence was filled with a tacit warmth, more distinct than any verbal confirmation.

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(End of this chapter)