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

Chapter 197 Let Me Hug You

17 o'clock exactly.

When the shrill bell of the final exam in the afternoon finally shattered the stagnant atmosphere in the examination room, it was truly deafening.

For many, that sound was less a clarion call for liberation and more like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

After the proctors collected the exam papers, the tired students opened the classroom door from the inside.

Shen Yuan was practically pushed out by the crowd. His face was covered with an obvious layer of ashen weariness, as if he had been up for several nights without closing his eyes.

My steps were many times heavier than when I arrived in the morning, and my shoulders slumped slightly. The ease and comfort I had felt that morning, when I considered myself a "competition-caliber player," was completely gone.

My mind is a bit numb, still buzzing with unresolved math problems and geometric figures.

He didn't even have the energy to imagine what Li Zhi might ask him about his exam results; all he could think about was exhaustion.

A kind of exhaustion after being ravaged by a high-intensity mental storm.

He subconsciously looked up at the faces of the students pouring out of the various examination rooms.

The tense yet spirited atmosphere that permeated the classroom that morning was now shattered.

The air in the corridor seemed to freeze, filled with a suffocating sense of despondency.

Most people had the same expression as him—tired, dejected, and even a little numb.

Many people walked with their eyes glazed over, their lips unconsciously pursed or slightly parted, as if they hadn't yet recovered from the complex calculations and proofs.

"Depend on……"

"It's over..."

"Is this even a question for a human to answer?"

"I have absolutely no idea what the third question in the last two questions is asking..."

Whispers and meaningless complaints rose and fell among the crowd, not loud, but they gathered into a clear torrent of decadence.

Someone rubbed their forehead vigorously, as if trying to rub the tormenting question out of their brain.

Someone made a limp kneeling motion against the wall, which elicited several equally weak laughs.

Many others dragged their feet, quietly merging into the crowd, staring blankly ahead, as if their souls had been ripped out, their energy and desire to discuss the answers completely gone.

Several faces appeared even paler under the stark white fluorescent lights, and you could even see the marks on their lower lips where they had bitten themselves hard.

The entire examination hall seemed to have been drained of its vitality by this brutal math exam, leaving only a dejected and lifeless silence after being crushed by the difficulty.

Shen Yuan let out a long breath, feeling that even the air he exhaled was bitter.

He silently merged into the crowd, moving with heavy steps toward the temporary classroom in the experimental building.

The air, which should have been clear and crisp on an autumn afternoon, felt heavy, as if it were filled with lead.

Shen Yuan returned to the classroom and saw A-Jie sitting in his seat, asking Chen Mingyu math questions with a big smile.

"Ai Muyu, how was your math test?"

"Oh my, Lao Yuan's here! How did the exam go?"

Shen Yuan looked at A-Jie's smug expression, then his gaze fell on Chen Mingyu and Yang Ze.

At this moment, Yang Ze nodded slightly.

The next second, Chen Mingyu immediately pounced on A-Jie and locked him up.

"Damn it! Showing off, huh!"

Ah Jie was quickly lifted up and carried by several people to the back door of the experimental classroom.

Soon, Ah Jie's screams rang out.

"what!"

[New location unlocked: Back door of the lab.]

Shen Yuan looked at the whining Ah Jie and spat.

"Damn it, I'll send your entire school to Aruba sooner or later!"

"After the college entrance exam, I'll take you on a tour of Aruba from the school!"

Hearing Yang Ze and Shen Yuan's words, A-Jie's body trembled, and she couldn't help but complain about her two friends' perversion.

Just then, the back door of the classroom creaked open.

Li Zhi immediately spotted Shen Yuan and A Jie playing around.

Seeing this, the girl's worried expression relaxed slightly, a curious smile curving her lips, and she said in a clear voice:
"Looks like you did well on the exam! I could hear you guys making a ruckus outside earlier."

Shen Yuan's smile froze instantly, his expression stiffening as if he had been stabbed in the spine by a sharp weapon.

Almost instinctively, he suppressed all his relaxed demeanor, leaving only a hint of helpless silence flickering in his eyes.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He simply lowered his shoulders even further to avoid her gaze.

Li Zhi noticed Shen Yuan's silent avoidance and instantly understood the reason behind it.

Judging from this look, he clearly didn't do well on the exam.

Li Zhi raised an eyebrow, his voice softening unconsciously, a departure from his usual sternness: "Relax, this math test was difficult, and everyone in the classroom had a long face. It's perfectly normal not to do well. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Just as Shen Yuan thought the beautiful girl had changed her personality, Li Zhi paused, the gentleness in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a sharpness that was almost stern, and her voice, though not loud, clearly pierced the air.

"But if you really fail the exam, you'll be in big trouble."

Okay, nothing has changed.

That was just an illusion.

Shen Yuan's face fell, and he changed the subject with a helpless expression: "Let's go, let's eat, let's go eat first. Don't let a temporary setback in math delay the next exam."

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, A-Jie wrapped his arms around Shen Yuan's neck.

"That's more like it! It's just a math failure, nothing to be afraid of. Come on, Yuan, let me share my math answers with you!"

Shen Yuan's face darkened, and he looked at A-Jie with a gloomy gaze.

"Believe it or not, I'll slap you in front of the whole school next time."

Ah Jie's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately chickened out.

"Just kidding, just kidding. How could I possibly affect my good friend's exam mindset by discussing math answers?"

Dinner was eaten in the cafeteria.

It's impossible for high school students not to check the answers after taking an exam.

While Shen Yuan and his group were getting their food, they overheard many high school seniors comparing answers.

Ah Jie listened intently for a while, and a slightly contemptuous smile gradually appeared on his lips.

Especially when he heard a bespectacled guy next to him confidently recount the solution steps for the second major question, he couldn't help but chuckle softly and shake his head.

Ah Jie nudged Shen Yuan beside him with his elbow, lowering his voice but unable to conceal the contempt of a math whiz for the masses.

"Your thinking is quite unique; you even got this question wrong, even though you could have solved it yourself."

Shen Yuan couldn't help but want to strangle A-Jie again.

What the hell do you mean, "Even you could do that"?

Shen Yuan turned his head and looked at A-Jie with a hostile expression.

Upon seeing Shen Yuan's appearance, A-Jie was immediately taken aback.

"Seriously, Yuan? You didn't even solve the second problem?"

"If you don't shut your mouth, I'll hang you at the cafeteria entrance."

"Oh? Ais Aimu?" Ajie showed a shy expression. "Yuan, go easy on me."

Shen Yuan really couldn't hold back any longer.

But it just so happens that it was time for Shen Yuan to get his food.

He strode to the cafeteria window and shouted rapidly to the cafeteria lady, "Braised pork ribs, spicy diced chicken, and stir-fried greens and shredded potatoes!"

As soon as the tray was handed out, Shen Yuan swiftly grabbed the meal card that A-Jie was holding and swiped it through the machine with a "beep".

The movement was so fast that A-Jie didn't even have time to react. He only heard Shen Yuan say without turning his head:
"Thank you, foster father!"

Ah Jie stared at the meal card that had been thrown back at him, clutching his chest in feigned pain: "You beast! You only order the expensive stuff?!"

Shen Yuan laughed heartily, carrying a mountain of plates, and blended into the crowd. His back view was full of the satisfaction of getting revenge.

After dinner, the lingering smell of food and the noisy clatter of answers in the cafeteria were left behind.

The group walked back to the temporary classroom in the experimental building, chatting and laughing.

The evening breeze carried a coolness, dispelling the heavy feeling in Shen Yuan's heart that had been crushed by mathematics.

Mathematics is over; the focus now is on the combined science subjects.

Pushing open the classroom door, the fluorescent lights shone white, illuminating the desks and scattered books.

The air still seemed to retain the lingering effects of the afternoon's "disaster."

But it's clear that Class 15 has now moved to the next stage.

I have a combined science exam tomorrow morning.

The desk was piled high with physics, chemistry, and biology textbooks, notes, and error notebooks.

A new, silent pressure began to permeate the air—a more urgent sense of urgency brought about by the repression following the math exam.

Chen Mingyu and Yang Ze walked directly to their respective seats in tacit agreement, making a screeching sound as they pulled out their chairs.

Chen Mingyu took a deep breath and suddenly flipped open a physics textbook, "53". The heavy pages rustled, as if sounding the battle cry.

Yang Ze silently pulled out his chemistry error notebook from his bag, his brow furrowed as he flipped through it, his pen unconsciously tapping the corner of the table. Shen Yuan quietly walked to his seat and similarly took out his physics materials.

As for Zhou Shaojie, his attitude towards the science subjects was to leave them to their own devices.

Of course, this doesn't mean that A-Jie doesn't study.

A-Jie believes that studying science subjects now is not as cost-effective as studying English.

His combined science scores were very stable, but his English scores were terrible.

Rather than focusing on maintaining a stable science score, it's better to ensure that your English score isn't too low.

My combined science score can't be that bad, but my English score is really terrible.

As for the physics, chemistry, and biology teachers seeing A-Jie secretly copying words during evening self-study...

Forget it, I can’t control it.

In this class, only Lao Zhou and Yang Yishui can scold A Jie.

Zhou Ruolan is so gentle.

As for why Lao Zhou, a math teacher, can scold, it's because Lao Zhou can scold A-Jie for not doing well on his English test.

Li Zhi sat quietly next to Shen Yuan, her science notebook spread out on the table in front of her, covered with dense markings in different colored pens.

The girl kept an eye on Shen Yuan out of the corner of her eye. When she saw him finally lower his head to look at the materials, she slightly shifted her gaze and focused on her own wrong questions, her expression focused and calm.

But the slight pressure on her fingers as she held the pen betrayed her equally tense nerves and her serious preparation for tomorrow's exam.

Although evening self-study had not yet started, the only sounds in the classroom were the turning of pages, the scratching of pens on paper, and the occasional suppressed cough or sigh.

The pale light cast by the fluorescent tubes froze the figures of the students in Class 15 hunched over their desks amidst the mountains of books and exercises piled high on their surfaces.

The shadow cast by mathematics may not have dissipated yet, but the urgency of the combined science exam, like a silent tide, has already drowned out all other noises.

……

The bell signaling the end of evening self-study sounded particularly distant, as if it came from a very far place, barely breaking the dullness in the classroom.

The students seemed to have been freed from some kind of spell, and they began to pack their bags slowly, their movements revealing a lingering weariness.

The sounds of paper rubbing and zippers opening and closing were faint and intermittent.

Shen Yuan closed his physics notebook, rubbed his throbbing temples, where images of several unsolved circuits still seemed to remain.

He silently packed his things; the backpack on his back was lighter than usual, yet it felt heavier.

Li Zhi had already quietly finished tidying up and was standing aside waiting for him.

"Give me your schoolbag." Shen Yuanzhao reached out to Li Zhi for his schoolbag as usual.

Her gaze lingered on Shen Yuan's slightly somber face for a moment before shifting away.

"No need, I'll carry it myself today."

Seeing that Li Zhi turned and left after speaking, Shen Yuan did not insist.

After all, there are only so many books, and it's not like Li Zhi can't carry them all.

The two followed the sparse crowd out of the brightly lit laboratory building.

The main road of the teaching building was deserted, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the daytime.

The evening breeze was refreshing, but it couldn't dispel the heaviness that came from the bottom of my heart.

The two walked side by side, both taking slow steps.

Li Zhi gripped the strap of his schoolbag, his knuckles tightening slightly.

The only sound along the way was the soft rustling of shoes rubbing against the ground.

Shen Yuan lowered his head, looking at the shadow at his feet that was being stretched and shortened, his thoughts still seemingly lingering on that torturous math problem from that afternoon.

Silence hung between them like a thin veil.

The two walked to the street opposite the residential area. When Shen Yuan saw the glaring red light, he subconsciously prepared to reach out and hold Li Zhi's hand.

Just as Shen Yuan was about to hold Li Zhi's hand, his fingertips touched her slightly cool skin, but his wrist was suddenly gripped by a strong hand.

He looked up in surprise, his gaze suddenly meeting Li Zhi's calm eyes.

His gaze was no longer sharp as it usually was; instead, it was like a calm lake, silently enveloping all his unease.

Just then, the glaring red light turned green.

"Let's go," Li Zhi said in a low voice, his fingers tightening so firmly that there was no room for refusal.

She pulled the bewildered Shen Yuan straight onto the zebra crossing, her steps more resolute than when he usually held her hand.

A cool breeze brushed past his ears, and Shen Yuan passively followed her figure.

Looking at Li Zhi's retreating figure, Shen Yuan naturally understood why she did this.

But Shen Yuan didn't say anything, and just enjoyed the feeling of being led by Li Zhi.

Li Zhi led her all the way to the entrance of the residential area.

Shen Yuan glanced at the gatekeeper subconsciously, and then saw the envious look in the eyes of the gatekeeper, Xiao Guo.

The previously hidden emotions seemed to have found a breakthrough, and a big smile immediately appeared on the boy's face.

As Li Zhi led Shen Yuan into the residential area, his long legs, which had been moving quickly forward, suddenly slowed down.

When they came to a shady path, Li Zhi suddenly stopped.

The girl paused, turning to face Shen Yuan.

The soft light from the streetlights fell on her delicate features, revealing a subtle hint of hesitation and concern.

"Hey..." Her voice wasn't as crisp as usual; instead, it carried a hint of tentative probing.

"The math exam this afternoon... was really difficult. Everyone who came out of the hallway looked like they'd lost their souls."

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi, nodded slightly, and made a barely audible "hmm" sound from his nose as a response.

Li Zhi pursed her lips, seemingly organizing her thoughts, and after a moment, continued in a gentler tone than usual:
"So... um... what I mean is, it's not a big deal if you don't do well on the test, since everyone else failed anyway."

As soon as she finished speaking, the girl seemed to feel that such comfort was not in her style.

Then, she abruptly changed the subject, her tone suddenly rising, and her eyes sharpening.

"But the past is the past! Tomorrow! You absolutely have to do well on tomorrow's combined science exam! Put some effort into it, you hear me? If you fail that too..."

Li Zhi paused for a moment, then said softly, "Then I really won't go out with you."

A smile suddenly appeared on Shen Yuan's face, and the gloom that had been there seemed to dissipate a little.

He reached out and, as if it were a habit, gently rubbed Li Zhi's head, saying in a low and gentle voice, "I know, I know."

Li Zhi, as if her sore spot had been touched, quickly dodged Shen Yuan's hand, her delicate brows furrowed, and she gave a soft snort, saying, "Stop touching me!"

Shen Yuan's smile deepened. He spread his hands and replied in a half-joking tone, "Li Bao, if you really want to comfort me, why don't you let me hug you? It might be more effective."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, refusing without hesitation, "What hug?! Dream on! Let's go home!"

The girl's voice was clear and crisp, but there was a hint of panic in it. Her cheeks seemed to be flushed with a light red under the dim streetlights.

"Good good."

Shen Yuan smiled and agreed.

The two walked into the elevator in silence, one after the other.

The metal door closed, leaving only the hum of the elevator and the soft breathing of the two people in the cramped space.

Shen Yuan leaned against the wall of the compartment, while Li Zhi stared intently at the ever-rising floor numbers, his fingers unconsciously gripping the strap of his backpack.

The silence continued until a "ding" sounded and the elevator arrived at their floor.

The elevator doors slowly opened, and Li Zhi was the first to step out. Shen Yuan followed behind her.

Li Zhi walked to his front door, took out his key to open it, while Shen Yuan subconsciously continued walking forward, preparing to go back to his own home across the street.

Just as he took two steps and was about to reach his own doorstep.

"Hey." Li Zhi's voice suddenly came from behind, with a hint of hesitation.

Shen Yuan subconsciously stopped and turned back in confusion: "Hmm?"

Just as he turned around, a soft, warm figure suddenly bumped into his arms.

Caught off guard, Shen Yuan swayed before regaining his balance.

Li Zhi practically lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a brief but firm hug.

Her head was slightly lowered, the top of her head resting against his chin, and the faint fragrance of her hair instantly enveloped him.

The hug was as fast as a gust of wind.

Before Shen Yuan could fully recover from the shock and tingling sensation, and before he could even raise his arms to wrap around her, Li Zhi had already taken a half step back, quickly widening the distance between them.

The light from the motion-activated hallway lamp fell on her face, and Shen Yuan could clearly see that her lips were tightly pursed, her eyes were darting around, and her ears were bright red.

The pretty girl practically ordered in a harsh voice, "Hug me now! ...You have to do well on your combined science exam tomorrow! Otherwise, you're doomed!"

The girl's voice carried a hint of barely concealed embarrassment and feigned fierceness.

After saying that, without waiting for Shen Yuan's response, she quickly turned around, clicked open the door lock, slipped inside, and slammed the door shut.

The hallway fell silent instantly, leaving Shen Yuan standing there somewhat bewildered.

After a moment of confusion, a silly smile uncontrollably crept onto the corners of his mouth.

　Task: 1w/1w (Completed)

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　　I was rushing to catch a train today, so I'm a bit late. I'm at my father-in-law's house now. There might not be an extra update tomorrow, but there will definitely be one on Sunday.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)