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

Chapter 176 Leads to the Discovery of the Neighborhood
The door closed gently behind him, blocking Shen Yuan's view.

Li Zhi leaned against the cold door and let out a long sigh.

Hearing the sound, Xu Chan, who was preparing dinner in the kitchen, poked her head out.

"Zhizhi, you're back."

"Okay! I'll go back to my room first."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Zhifei quickly returned to his room.

Li Zhi didn't even dare to tell her parents that she had gone to take a shower.

She just got back from Shen Yuan's house and said she was going to take a shower. Isn't that just asking for a misunderstanding?

Li Zhifei quickly returned to his bedroom and closed the door, his heart pounding nervously in his chest.

The sensation of sweat-soaked clothing clinging to the skin became increasingly clear.

Li Zhi practically fled to the window and pulled the curtains shut.

Then, with trembling fingertips, the girl unzipped her school uniform.

Beads of sweat slid down her neck, soaking into the cotton fabric. At that moment, all she wanted was to wash away the sticky, damp feeling of embarrassment and excitement.

As her fingertips hooked the hem of her inner garment, Li Zhi's gaze inadvertently swept over her reflection in the mirror.

Her flushed face was tinged with sweat, and her lips were slightly parted from her rapid breathing.

Suddenly, Shen Yuan's words, "You're so beautiful," echoed in my mind.

Li Zhi suddenly turned around, as if to shake off this embarrassing association, and quickly walked towards the adjacent restroom.

Pushing open the door, Li Zhi took off his clothes and casually tossed them into the laundry basket.

Li Zhi stepped into the bathroom.

Warm water poured down from the showerhead, like dense raindrops falling on her skin.

The warm water temperature perfectly relieved my tense nerves, and the rising steam spread out, blurring the smooth tile surface and the blurry reflection in the mirror.

Li Zhi closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting the water wash over her sweat-dampened black hair, winding down her neck and collarbone.

The sticky sweat and the slight redness caused by the warming skin gradually faded away with the gushing water.

Her body, which had been tense all the way, finally softened under the caress of the water, with fine water droplets dancing on her shoulders and arms.

Eventually, the water flowed into a thin stream, gliding over her shapely waist and long legs, which still retained a youthful innocence, before disappearing into the shower room floor.

The water enveloped the girl's tense body, gradually relaxing her from her previous tension.

……

Shen Yuan watched Li Zhi return to his home before slowly closing the door.

The room fell silent instantly; the previous liveliness and commotion seemed like an illusion.

Shen Yuan turned back to his room, pushed open the door, and his gaze involuntarily fell on the bed.

The bed, which had been neatly made, now looked messy.

The blanket was pulled up at one corner and piled up on one side in a crumpled mess, a trace left by Li Zhi when he hurriedly crawled out.

The once neatly arranged pillow was now deeply dented from their pillow fight.

The sheets were also covered in wrinkles, outlining the traces of the girl who had been there not long ago.

The air still seemed to be filled with her familiar, faint fragrance, mixed with the clean scent unique to young girls, which had been evaporated by their body heat.

This scent lingered on the bedding, which still held her body heat.

Shen Yuan's gaze slid from the lifted corner of the blanket over the sunken pillow, finally settling on the deep creases of the bed sheet.

The chaotic scene was like a silent picture, clearly replaying everything that had just happened between the two of them.

The silence in the room was amplified to an extreme, leaving only the sound of his own breathing. The chaotic scene stirred up the emotions in his heart once again.

Shen Yuan's fingers unconsciously curled up, as if he could still feel the force of her arms around her body through the blanket.

Looking at the mess on the bed, my heart started racing uncontrollably once again.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, sinking into the soft mattress, Shen Yuan's fingertips brushed against the crumpled blankets.

A trace of the girl's body heat still lingered in the blanket.

At that moment, Shen Yuan suddenly woke up. He abruptly withdrew his hand, his gaze frantically shifting away from the bed, a burning sense of shame welling up inside him.

"Damn it, Shen Yuan, are you a pervert?!"

Shen Yuan scratched his head in frustration, a sense of shame spreading through his chest like vines.

He let out a heavy sigh, then leaned back and sank into the soft mattress.

The moment he lay down, his body pressed against the crumpled sheets, and those familiar folds seemed to remind him of their earlier playful antics.

This damn association annoyed him even more, so he closed his eyes, trying to shake off these distracting thoughts.

The next second, Shen Yuan took out his phone and sent a message to Li Zhi, asking her to call him when she had dinner.

After successfully sending the message, Shen Yuan casually tossed his phone onto the bed, then closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep.

Soon, Shen Yuan's breathing gradually calmed down.

In his deep sleep, he unconsciously turned over, his arms naturally wrapping around the fluffy blanket.

She nestled herself close to the covers in a snuggling position.

The hands of the clock on the wall silently slid past 4:30 in the afternoon.

In Li Zhijia's living room, Old Li was setting the last dish on the table.

Li Zhi glanced at Shen Yuan's simple message on her phone screen, and her heart felt like it had been gently squeezed.

She bit her lower lip, her finger hovering over Shen Yuan's name for a moment before finally pressing the dial button.

Shen Yuan was pulled from the edge of his deep dream by a persistent and persistent vibration of his cell phone.

In his hazy state of consciousness, Shen Yuan accurately located the phone's position.

After answering the phone, Shen Yuan, his voice heavy with sleep, mumbled a syllable: "Hello?"

"Shen Yuan,"

Li Zhi's voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding a bit lower than usual.

With a hint of barely perceptible tension and a deliberate attempt to maintain her composure, the beautiful girl continued, "Dinner is ready, come and eat."

After saying that, Li Zhi quickly hung up the phone.

The room returned to silence, leaving Shen Yuan lying in the still warm and fragrant blankets.

The silence after the call ended allowed Shen Yuan's mind to fully clear.

Almost simultaneously, he was horrified to find himself tightly embracing the blanket, as if he were holding something precious, deeply engulfed in it.

Shen Yuan jerked his hands back as if he had been electrocuted, and then quickly stood up.

After scratching his head, Shen Yuan went to the bathroom to wash his face, and then took his schoolbag to Li Zhi's house.

Not long after knocking on Li Zhi's door, the door opened.

Standing behind the door was Li Zhi.

The moment Shen Yuan saw Li Zhi, he noticed that Li Zhi had changed his clothes.

The girl was wearing a soft, light-colored cotton loungewear set. The neckline was slightly open, revealing her fair and delicate neck, and the cuffs and hem had a lazy and comfortable drape.

A refreshing scent, subtly infused with the fragrance of shower gel, silently enveloped her.

Almost simultaneously, the scene of Li Zhi playing around with him on his bed, and the way she left shyly with sweat on her face, rushed back into his mind like a tidal wave.

All of this made Shen Yuan's throat tighten, and he even forgot to greet her for a moment, just staring at her as she changed into her home clothes.

Li Zhi keenly noticed Shen Yuan's unusual behavior at that moment.

The beautiful girl instantly understood what he was thinking, and a blush unconsciously rose on her cheeks, her fingertips unconsciously tightening their grip on the door frame.

"Sand dollar!"

Li Zhi's voice was deliberately lowered, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor: "Get rid of all that nonsense in your head, and don't think about anything else!"

After saying that, Li Zhi added, "Come in quickly, you have to go back to school after you finish eating. Close the door."

After saying that, Li Zhi walked into the house.

Shen Yuan followed Li Zhi into the restaurant, where the aroma of food wafted from the tables.

Just like at Shen Yuan's house, when they were at Li Zhi's house, Shen Yuan still sat next to Li Zhi.

Old Li's dishes taste great, and Shen Yuan loves them.

But Shen Yuan liked it even more if Lao Li didn't say anything.

While they were eating, Lao Li suddenly said to Shen Yuan, "Shen Yuan, I heard that your grades have improved a lot recently."

Shen Yuan nodded: "Actually, I owe a lot to Li Zhi. She's helped me a lot. Lately, she's been keeping an eye on me while I do practice problems."

Li Zhizheng's hand, which was about to pick up some food, froze in mid-air.

Under the tablecloth, the girl's knee slammed heavily into Shen Yuan's thigh: "Who's been watching you do your practice problems every day! There are so many seats between us, how am I supposed to watch you!"

Shen Yuan chuckled: "We were deskmates during the last monthly exam."

Li Zhixiu frowned, snorted coldly, and then ignored Shen Yuan, going to eat by herself.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi's appearance, and then looked at Old Li.

Old Li smiled and shook his head, seemingly unconcerned about his daughter's appearance.

"Let's eat. You still have to go back to school after you finish eating."

"Ok!"

Before 5 p.m., Shen Yuan and Li Zhi finished their dinner. After putting the dishes in the kitchen, Li Zhi said, "I'm going to change my clothes."

Shen Yuan's gaze followed Li Zhi until the girl's figure disappeared from sight before he looked away.

Zhi walked to the wardrobe and opened the door. Her fingertips swept over the row of casual clothes hanging there, and she hesitated for a long time.

Finally, her hand lingered for a moment on several outfits in fresher, softer colors before she picked out a light beige crew neck sweater and a pair of light blue washed jeans.

Holding her clothes, she sat down on the edge of the bed, but her gaze unconsciously drifted to the table.

On the table sat a small jewelry box, the very pearl hair clip jewelry box that Shen Yuan had given her.

Hesitation lasted only a moment. Li Zhi picked up a hair clip, looked in the mirror, and carefully tucked a slightly curled strand of hair behind her ear.

The girl's fair cheeks in the mirror, illuminated by the warm glow of the pearls, seemed to be bathed in a soft, hazy light, adding a touch of quiet elegance to her appearance.

After staring at himself in the mirror for a few seconds, Li Zhi took a deep breath, as if confirming some kind of decision.

The girl quickly changed into the outfit she had chosen, and her fingers unconsciously touched the pearl hair clip fixed in her hair to make sure it was in place.

Li Zhi then picked up his schoolbag and walked out of the room.

Seeing that Shen Yuan was still waiting for her in the living room, Li Zhi said, "Let's go, if we dawdle any longer we could have finished a test paper."

Shen Yuan looked up in response, his gaze instantly fixed on the pearl hair clip in her hair.

The warm luster of the pearls reflected the living room light, making the lines of her cheeks appear softer.

Shen Yuan felt as if his chest was suddenly filled with a warm breeze, and he couldn't help but smile.

How could Li Zhi not notice the boy's burning gaze?

The pretty girl quickly turned her head away, then turned and walked towards her front door.

"I'm going to school."

This statement was clearly not directed at Shen Yuan, but it was also evident that Li Zhi was reminding Shen Yuan.

You can say whatever you want when you get back to school, don't say it here.

Shen Yuan naturally understood what Li Zhi meant, so he quickly stood up and spoke to Li Zhi's parents:

"Uncle Li, Aunt Xu, I'm going to school!"

"Go on, and be careful on the road!"

Not long after Lao Li finished speaking, a soft sound came from the door.

Upon hearing the two children leave, Xu Chan, who had been in the kitchen, quickly went to the sofa.

"Old Li, something's fishy."

Li Shicheng smiled and looked at his wife: "Is there any need to say that? However, it seems that the relationship between the two of them has progressed a little too quickly."

"Do you think they've done anything wrong?"

Li Shicheng shook his head: "No, it was just holding hands."

Hearing Li Shicheng's confident words, Xu Chan became somewhat puzzled.

"Are you so sure?"

Li Shicheng nodded: "Haven't you noticed that these two have been coming back from evening self-study sessions particularly lately?"

"Didn't Li Zhi say that Shen Yuan asked her a question?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Chan looked at Lao Li in astonishment: "You mean...them?!"

"Most of the time, they just strolled around a bit longer on the way back, held hands, and then forgot it was time to go home."

As he spoke, Lao Li said to his wife, "These two children know what they're doing, so don't worry."

Xu Chan pursed her lips: "Fine, whatever you say. When your little darling gets kidnapped, you'll be heartbroken."

Old Li laughed heartily, held his wife's hand, and said, "The children will eventually fly away. With you by my side, I am content."

Xu Chan rolled her eyes at Lao Li.

While the elderly couple were talking about love, Shen Yuan and Li Zhicai had just arrived at the elevator.

As the elevator doors slid open with a "ding," Shen Yuan instinctively stepped aside to let Li Zhi enter first, then followed closely behind into the car.

The moment the elevator doors closed, Shen Yuan's gaze involuntarily lingered on Li Zhi's hair again.

Li Zhi lowered her eyes and stared at the floor buttons, pretending not to see Shen Yuan's gaze.

"This hair clip..."

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice was exceptionally clear in the small space: "It really suits you."

Li Zhi looked up when she heard the sound, and the slight blush that had risen at the base of her ears instantly spread to her cheeks.

The beautiful girl gave a soft hum, then raised her chin, a smug and playful smile playing on her lips: "Of course, I'm naturally beautiful."

The girl's voice was filled with undisguised narcissism, which made Shen Yuan chuckle.

He stared at her proud demeanor, his gaze lingering between the luster of the pearls and her flushed cheeks.

"That also shows that I gave you a good gift, and that it is worthy of you."

"Yes, yes, thank you so much for the gift!"

As the last word faded, the beautiful girl looked at Shen Yuan's undisguised smile, and her pink lips involuntarily pursed, curving into a sweet arc.

The slight embarrassment in her eyes was instantly replaced by a light smile.

Their eyes met briefly before they quickly looked away.

In the cramped elevator car, silent smiles bloomed on the faces of two young people at the same time.

Even after getting off the elevator, the two of them still had that lingering, slightly silly smile on their faces.

The soft light from the lobby fell on them.

Shen Yuan naturally slowed his pace slightly by half a step, and his hand, hanging at his side, naturally moved downwards to gently wrap around Li Zhi's hand.

Li Zhi paused almost imperceptibly.

The hand that enveloped hers carried a familiar sense of strength.

Li Zhi's gaze unconsciously drifted to their clasped hands, but she showed no intention of pulling away.

But the moment he grasped her hand, his fingers curled slightly before he obediently relaxed, letting his hand be completely encircled in her large palm.

No words.

Shen Yuan didn't even turn his head to look at her; his gaze remained calmly fixed on the direction of the exit of the residential area ahead.

At the end of October, it was still not completely dark at five o'clock.

The golden rays of the setting sun shone through the gaps in the greenery of the community onto the two of them, casting long, intertwined shadows behind them.

Tiny pearls adorning the girl's hair shimmered with a soft luster in the warm twilight.

It wasn't until he left the residential area that Li Zhi began to react.

Li Zhi's pace slowed down unconsciously as she glanced at the bustling street corner ahead.

Her hand was still tightly held by Shen Yuan; the boy's knuckles were warm and strong, but she felt a subtle anxiety creeping into her heart.

The evening breeze stirred the pearl hair clip in her hair, its warm luster flashing in the twilight, as if reminding her of something.

Almost simultaneously, Li Zhi's fingers curled slightly in Shen Yuan's palm, her attempt to break free weak yet clear.

"Hey..." Her voice was barely audible, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "It's time to let go."

Shen Yuanzheng was looking straight ahead when he heard this, his fingertips stopped, and his breath hitched.

The boy turned his head and his gaze fell on her reddened ears.

After a brief stalemate.

Li Zhi lowered her eyelashes, not daring to look at him, and only added in a low voice, "If we go any further, there will be more people. Do you want to be posted on the forum?"

Shen Yuan pursed his lips.

He didn't really care about being posted on Tieba.

Shen Yuan is thick-skinned and doesn't care at all.

However, the girl next to him clearly didn't think so.

"Oh..." Shen Yuan responded vaguely, then loosened his grip slightly.

Sure enough, the moment he let go, his hand was immediately empty.

This feeling made him involuntarily curl his fingers, as if the touch of her skin still lingered in his palm.

Li Zhi quickly withdrew his hand and secretly rubbed his warm palm behind his back.

The pretty girl quickened her pace, took a few steps forward, then stopped, turned around, and glared at him. Her tone was angry but couldn't hide her embarrassment: "Hurry up and go! What are you dawdling for?!"

Their eyes met briefly in mid-air before quickly looking away.

"Understood." Shen Yuan immediately followed.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long, and on the bustling street corner, the subtle sense of distance was like an invisible line, gently parting the intimacy that had just passed.

But for Shen Yuan, isn't this actually a good sign?

At least for now, Li Zhi is willing to hold her hand outside the residential area.

Although it's only a dozen meters away from the residential area, Shen Yuan will eventually extend that distance further.

They even held hands with him all the way from the school gate to the classroom.

As Shen Yuan watched the beautiful girl's retreating figure, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

Li Bao, Li Bao, I'm slowly breaking through your bottom line!
(End of this chapter)