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

Chapter 215 The So-Called Sense of Ritual

He Zhiyu practically skipped home, threw her schoolbag on the sofa, and pounced on the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

He Zhiyu: "Peipei!! Something's happened! Something really bad!! Zhizhi took Shen Yuan's hand openly!!

Zhuo Peipei: "?"

Zhuo Peipei: "Huh?"

He Zhiyu: "After school, when you guys left, and Zhizhi and Shen Yuan were about to go back, Zhizhi took Shen Yuan's hand on her own initiative! And Zhizhi's smile was super sweet!!"

Zhuo Peipei: "Aaaaaah!!!! What did I miss?!"

Meanwhile, the class group chat exploded with messages.

[Senior 3 (15) Class]

Sun Xiansheng: "@Urgent notification to all members! Li Zhi took Shen Yuan's hand! Repeat! He took her hand!"

Sun Xiansheng: "[Image] (Li Zhi looks up at Shen Yuan)"

Yang Ze: "?? What did I miss?"

Ji Ningning: "Li Zhi's ears are so red!! Is this really the tormented priest I know?!"

Chen Mingyu: "Stop talking! They walked from the classroom to the cafeteria this afternoon, and Shen Yuan was grinning like an idiot!"

Ah Jie: "I can testify that Shen Yuan, that old dog, even said something about 'leading each other from childhood to adulthood'."

He Zhiyu burst into laughter upon seeing the next series of "?".

The young author quickly switched to the conversation with Zhuo Peipei.

He Zhiyu: "Peipei, I have a feeling that when the two of them go into the classroom tomorrow, they'll definitely be surrounded by onlookers!"

Zhuo Peipei: "(Rubbing hands together like a fly) I'm all ready to sit in the front row and eat candy! Do you think Zhizhi will be so embarrassed that she'll kick Shen Yuan out of the classroom?"

He Zhiyu: "I bet five cents that Zhizhi will pretend nothing happened, but Shen Yuan will definitely be hunted down!"

The winter night outside the window was quiet, and the light from the phone screen reflected He Zhiyu's wide grin.

Tomorrow will definitely be a day that goes down in the history of our class.

……

As the motion-sensor lights came on at the sound of footsteps, two figures stepped out from behind their respective doors almost simultaneously.

Shen Yuan, with his schoolbag slung over one shoulder, looked up and saw Li Zhizheng adjusting his school uniform collar.

The girl looked up at the sound, and the moment their eyes met, the burning memories of last night surged back.

Li Zhi's ears suddenly turned red, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around her backpack strap, but she forced a glare at him and said, "What are you looking at!"

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed as his gaze swept over her lower lip, where she had bitten her teeth, and he suddenly strode forward.

Li Zhi's breath hitched, and he quickly warned in a low voice, "Old Li is in the living room. If you don't want to die, you'd better behave yourself."

Shen Yuan immediately became obedient.

He was absolutely certain that if he did something, Old Li would appear in front of him the next second without Li Zhi even having to summon him.

It's just a strange story about the old father's rules.

Just as the elevator doors were slowly closing, Li Zhi suddenly reached out and grabbed Shen Yuan's fingertips, which were hovering beside him.

The girl's palms, still slightly cool from the morning air, forcefully squeezed between his fingers.

"Are you that afraid of Lao Li?"

Li Zhi tilted her head to look at him. The morning light cast dappled golden shadows on her eyelashes through the elevator glass, and a sly smile appeared on her lips.

"Where did you find the courage to go last night?"

Caught off guard by this direct attack, Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed as he was about to retort when the girl suddenly leaned close, her peach-scented breath brushing against his ear.

"rest assured--"

She shook her clasped hands, a triumphant glint in her eyes: "Now he won't pry open the elevator doors to grab you."

The numbers on the elevator display screen began to change. Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi's taut but unyielding fingertips and suddenly chuckled.

He deliberately rubbed her reddened knuckles with his fingertips: "Are you trying to embolden me? Tell me if we can do something more now?"

"Idiot!" Li Zhi abruptly turned his face away, but a coral blush rose on the back of his neck.

The hand that was clasped with his pinched his thumb in retaliation, but his body leaned against his shoulder in a more honest way.

Under the dim sky, the outline of the school gate began to appear in sight.

Shen Yuan unconsciously tightened his grip on Li Zhi's hand, holding it even more firmly.

Li Zhi felt the force on his hand and a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Hey, you idiot, are you planning to challenge the authority of the Political Education Department?"

It's not a new thing for the Political Education Department to hunt down young couples at the gate.

Shen Yuan instinctively tried to let go, but Li Zhi grabbed his hand instead.

The girl tilted her head back, the morning breeze ruffling the stray hairs at her temples, a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Now you're scared? Weren't you quite brave in the hallway last night?"

As she spoke, she deliberately shook their clasped hands.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi's slightly bright eyes, then suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear, "How about we take a gamble and see if the teachers in the Political Education Office can see us in the dark?"

As they spoke, Shen Yuan's thumb rubbed intimately against the base of her thumb.

Li Zhi immediately raised his chin: "Afraid of you?!"

Although the girl said that, her body language betrayed her by shrinking closer to Shen Yuan.

This subconscious action made Shen Yuan chuckle.

"You're just making it easier for the teacher to notice you like this! You look like you've done something wrong."

"Who's feeling guilty?"

Li Zhi gently punched Shen Yuan's arm: "Let me tell you, I'm doing this to protect you! Do you think the teachers in the Political Education Office would rather make things difficult for someone like me who's in the top three in the whole school, or make things difficult for you?"

Shen Yuan chuckled: "I don't think it will be difficult for you."

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, the two arrived at the school gate.

In the dim morning light, the flow of people at the school gate surged slowly like a fine stream.

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi adjusted their pace in tacit agreement and blended into the groups of students.

Li Zhi lowered her head slightly, and wisps of hair fell across her forehead, just enough to cover her reddened ear tips.

Shen Yuan stared ahead nonchalantly, only a hint of tension showing through his tense lips.

Their hands were hidden under their overlapping sleeves, their fingertips intertwined like entwined vines.

The shadow cast by the school gate swept across their clasped fingers, blending this secret intimacy into the hazy light and shadow.

The teacher from the Political Education Office, wrapped in a coat, stood at the door, exhaling white breath. As her gaze swept across the crowd, she was conveniently blocked by several boys who were playing around.

The two quickened their pace in unison, passed through the school gate, and joined the surging crowd heading towards the teaching building.

The dim light and the crowded streets provided effective cover until they reached the bottom of the teaching building, at which point Shen Yuan and Li Zhi realized that the attention they had been trying to suppress was quietly increasing.

Gazes would often drift over their figures walking side by side, eventually settling on their two tightly clasped hands.

Whispers could be faintly heard.

Li Zhi's jawline tightened slightly involuntarily. His initial teasing thoughts about Shen Yuan quickly crumbled under the increasingly intense gazes.

She could even feel a faint burning sensation at the back of her neck.

But she didn't let go; instead, she subtly increased the pressure of her fingertips slightly, pinching Shen Yuan's tiger's mouth.

Shen Yuan sensed this unspoken warning, and the corners of his mouth curved up. He returned the grip with an even tighter one, as if conveying a tacit understanding to hold on.

After climbing the stairs, just as I reached the back door of Class 15, the feeling of being collectively locked in reached its peak.

The classroom door was open, but the entire classroom was unusually quiet, even quieter than usual before morning self-study.

It was as if everyone held their breath, waiting for something, before they even appeared.

The group of students who usually arrive late for school were surprisingly early, including A-Jie.

The moment the two appeared at the door, everyone's eyes were instantly focused on them, like spotlights.

Shen Yuan almost instantly noticed the suffocating collective gaze.

He could clearly see the excitement and mischief on A-Jie's face, while Yang Ze and Chen Mingyu's eyes were wide open, filled with curiosity and undisguised gossip.

He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei went even further, exchanging a knowing glance before grabbing each other's arms and standing there excitedly.

"Ahhh, I knew it!"

The most crucial point is that almost all gazes were precisely fixed on Shen Yuan and Li Zhi's still clasped hands.

hum-

Li Zhi felt the string of composure in his mind snap suddenly under this overwhelming gaze!
The brief moment of courage I felt in the hallway last night vanished instantly, replaced by panic.

She could clearly feel the temperature on her cheeks and ears exceed the critical point in a fraction of a second, and scalding blood rushed to her head instantly.

Her fair cheeks instantly turned red.

The girl's fingertips instinctively curled up, trying to pull away.

But at that moment, Shen Yuan suddenly clenched his fist and then strode towards their seats with her.

At the same time, Shen Yuan scolded A-Jie and the others, "Look at you! Look at yourselves! Haven't you ever seen a childhood sweetheart before? What's wrong with me warming Li Bao's hands because they're cold?"

"what--"

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, A-Jie let out a long, drawn-out hiss, accompanied by an exaggerated head shake and a mischievous wink.

This sound seemed to ignite a fuse, and Yang Ze, Chen Mingyu, and the others immediately followed.

"Excuses! They're all excuses!"

"Exactly! It's not fair or aboveboard at all!"

Boos, clearly mocking, rose and fell in the quiet classroom, interspersed with bursts of laughter that seemed to enjoy the spectacle.

"Get out of here! Go read a book! You're in your final year of high school, what are you doing instead of studying?!"

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, Li Zhi raised his head.

"that is!"

The pretty girl stared at A-Jie: "I'll give you a vocabulary quiz later!"

"Hey hey hey! No, it's not like I'm the only one here!" A-Jie was dumbfounded.

Li Zhi snorted at him: "Who told you to be so bad at English!"

Ah Jie is numb.

He Zhiyu watched the two of them sit down.

Although their hands had already separated due to putting down their schoolbags, the atmosphere, which was many times more sticky than usual, made He Zhiyu extremely uncomfortable.

The young author blushed, his inner gossip burning brightly, and he could no longer contain himself.

She suddenly turned halfway around, gripped the back of the chair with both hands, her eyes shining like searchlights, leaned forward slightly, and asked in a low, breathy voice.

"Hey hey hey! So... so you two! When did you confess your feelings?"

He Zhiyu blinked, her face filled with the desire to "tell me the truth!" It was as if she had "eating melon seeds" written all over her face.

As soon as He Zhiyu finished speaking, everyone around her perked up their ears.

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi looked over almost simultaneously.

Li Zhi's ears, which had just cooled down a little, instantly flushed red again, and she immediately glared at He Zhiyu.

"He Zhiyu! What kind of nonsense are you thinking about all day long?"

Shen Yuanze was taken aback for a moment when he saw He Zhiyu's "eager for knowledge" look, and then a teasing smile appeared on his lips.

Mimicking Li Zhi's usual disdainful tone, she slowly added, "Yeah, is it because you can't find anyone to interview?"

"Pfft—" Zhuo Peipei, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, and her shoulders began to shrug suspiciously.

Hearing Shen Yuan clearly mimicking his words, Li Zhi immediately turned around and glared at him fiercely.

That look seemed to say, "You're still blindly following along!"
Shen Yuan received a warning look from Li Zhi, but instead of restraining himself, he innocently raised an eyebrow at her, looking utterly irritating.

He Zhiyu looked at Shen Yuan and Li Zhi from left and right. Both of them looked a little embarrassed and annoyed.

But Shen Yuan couldn't hide the smile in his eyes, and Li Zhi was clearly just using a fierce expression to cover up his shyness.

Moreover, their answers were so perfectly in sync, avoiding the core issue, that she immediately understood.

"Oh……"

He Zhiyu dragged out her words. Although she seemed intimidated by Li Zhi's fierce tone, the corners of her mouth secretly curled up, and the light in her eyes shone even brighter.

No denial means acceptance!

The author's romantic pairing radar is going off like crazy.

There is definitely something fishy going on between these two!

And it's a huge, incredibly sweet trick!

Inspiration surged into my mind in an instant, and I wrote with divine inspiration!

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi knew perfectly well what He Zhiyu was thinking.

However, they were unable to give He Zhiyu a definite answer to her question.

After all, Shen Yuan had never confessed his feelings.

Their current situation is completely one of tacit agreement.

However, no one spoke up to reveal the nature of their relationship.

As for who spoke first, Li Zhi can be ruled out.

The bell for morning self-study rang at just the right time, like a pardon, finally dispelling the frozen and noisy atmosphere.

But the sweet yet restless gossip in the air, and the lingering blush on their faces after they sat down, indicated that the gossip of the morning was far from over.

Li Zhi forced herself to open the English book, but her fingertips unconsciously gripped the edge of the page.

He Zhiyu's unintentional remark was like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples that were difficult to calm beneath the surface she was trying so hard to keep still.

The girl lowered her head slightly, and a few strands of hair fell across her forehead, just enough to obscure her gaze as she quietly glanced to her side.

Shen Yuanzheng lazily propped his head up, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, his gaze fixed on the open textbook, as if the little disturbance from just now had never happened.

The light outlined the lines of his profile, which carried a hint of youthful spirit. His usual carefree demeanor now inexplicably stung Li Zhi's heart.

"When are you finally going to tell me, you idiot?"

They had already tacitly agreed that they could hold hands in front of the whole class at school, and the unspoken feelings they had in the hallway last night were also unspoken.

But he held back the most crucial sentence, the ritual that could definitively set the tone for all the ambiguity and intimacy at this moment.

Li Zhi blinked.

Then she suddenly wondered what she should do if Shen Yuan really confessed his feelings.
Li Zhi's fingertips unconsciously traced the edges of the book pages. The cold winter morning light shone through the glass window and fell on his fingertips, reflecting a small, flickering patch of light.

A certain image suddenly flashed into my mind—

The bustling crowds of New Year's Eve faded away like the tide, leaving only the warm golden glow under the countdown clock tower in the square.

Shen Yuan stood amidst the flashing neon lights, her Adam's apple bobbing nervously. Her usually nonchalant eyes were now fixed on something, and the white mist from her breath almost touched her eyelashes.

“Li Zhi, I…” His voice was drowned out by the sudden explosion of fireworks.

As the starlight filled his eyes, the hands gripping her wrists tightened suddenly, pulling her into his arms with a desperate force.

The lingering echo burned against her earlobe: "Could you..."

Li Zhishua instantly banished the image from her mind to some corner.

No, no, I absolutely can't think about it!

What a load of rubbish!

Li Zhi shook his head, forcing himself to calm down.

The girl buried her burning face in her arms, and her English book was pulled over and placed on her head with a clatter.

The thick textbooks piled up like a small fortress on the desk, but couldn't hide the blush that spread from the tips of her ears to the back of her neck.

Shen Yuan caught a glimpse of the girl's actions out of the corner of his eye, his face filled with confusion.

As the bell rang to signal the end of morning self-study, a cheerful sound quickly filled the classroom.

"Yuan, speaking of which, Christmas Eve is almost here, isn't it?" A-Jie's voice rang in Shen Yuan's ear.

Shen Yuan nodded: "What's wrong? Are you not going to do the test paper on Christmas Eve?"

Ah Jie rolled his eyes at Shen Yuan: "You brat, you have absolutely no sense of romance!"

"Giving a peace apple is romantic, right?" Shen Yuan chuckled.

"Tsk," A-Jie looked at Shen Yuan with a face full of disdain, "You don't understand anything. The point is to confess! So many people confess on Christmas Eve."

Are you planning to confess your feelings?

Ah Jie blushed bright red: "Hey, hey, hey! Don't frame me!"

"Look at your potential."

Shen Yuan chuckled, casually flipping open a book on the table, his tone slightly nonchalant and teasing.

"Besides, when are you planning to confess your feelings on Christmas Eve? After class? Or... after evening self-study?"

"We're not in our first or second year of high school, so it just so happens that we're on holiday."

"And while using an apple as a confession prop isn't entirely wrong, it's still a bit..."

Shen Yuan's face showed a conflicted expression.

Ah Jie nodded.

As Shen Yuan finished speaking, his voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to reach the ears of the people nearby.

Li Zhi casually raised his eyelashes, his gaze quickly sweeping over Shen Yuan's profile.

In those clear, bright eyes, reflected in the classroom lights, a hint of doubt and inquiry flashed.

"Not Christmas Eve?"

"Is this guy preparing for New Year's Eve?"

"We can't possibly drag this out until the Lunar New Year, can we?"

The thought lingered silently in her mind for a moment, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples before quickly subsiding.

She quickly looked away, as if that glance had been casual.

While Li Zhi was pondering, Yang Ze chimed in, "Damn, these 'peace apples' are getting more and more expensive. One can cost me a whole month's subscription."

“Exactly, only a fool would think of buying a ‘peace apple’,” A-Jie chimed in. “Just go to Sister Li’s and get one for free.”

"Ok?"

Shen Yuan looked at A-Jie in surprise.

Ah Jie looked at Shen Yuan with a matter-of-fact expression: "What? Sister Li gets at least 10 on Christmas Eve, plus Sister Shui gives one to everyone in the class, so you can get two by yourself."

Shen Yuan: "Huh? Yang Yishui will buy you apples for Christmas Eve?"

"OK!"

When Shen Yuan saw A-Jie nod, he broke down.

Yang Yishui, you scoundrel! You didn't even buy me one!
……

"Shen Yuan! Zhou Shaojie! Come here!"

On Christmas Eve, before the lunch break began, Yang Yishui peeked in from the door of Class 15.

Upon hearing this, A-Jie's eyes lit up immediately. "Let's go, let's get the apples!"

Shen Yuan and Zhou Shaojie exchanged a glance, then got up and followed Yang Yishui outside.

The cold air outside the classroom door made everyone shiver. A-Jie shrank his neck and muttered, "Sister Shui, how many boxes of apples did you buy? Was it really necessary to make such a fuss?"

"Four boxes."

Yang Yishui walked ahead, swinging her car keys: "Two boxes for your class, two boxes for Class 14."

When the three of them reached the door of Class 14, Yang Yishui peeked inside and called two boys out.

"Sister Shui!"

The boys in Class 14 greeted Yang Yishui warmly when they saw her.

They obviously knew what they were going there to do.

The white breath they exhaled quickly dissipated in the winter afternoon as the group strolled to the parking lot.

Yang Yishui pressed the car door key, and the moment the trunk opened, four boxes were filled with exquisite boxes, which were probably all filled with apples.

"Wow! Sister Shui, did you empty the entire fruit stand?"

Yang Yishui rolled her eyes at A-Jie: "I bought you guys XJ's today, with candy fillings. A whole box was quite expensive! Don't give them away! I packed them all myself!"

"What the hell?"

Everyone exclaimed.

"Then I promise I won't give it away! This must be eaten by myself."

"Can't you eat an apple yourself?" a boy from Class 14 asked.

Ah Jie said earnestly, "I can chew it up and feed it to you."

"roll roll roll!"

"Alright, enough talk, hurry up and carry it back to the classroom!"

The four of them each picked up a box of fruit and huffed and puffed as they walked toward the teaching building.

Shen Yuan strode forward to catch up with Yang Yishui: "Sister, is mine ready?"

Yang Yishui glanced at Shen Yuan and said irritably, "It's ready. You can come and get it whenever you want."

"Hehe, come pick it up tonight. Please keep it for me for a while."

Yang Yishui rolled her eyes at Shen Yuan: "You didn't even give me one!"

"Hey, hey, hey, we siblings are getting a bit rusty talking about this!"

"Pooh!"

A-Jie and Shen Yuan each carried a heavy cardboard box, huffing and puffing as they walked back to the classroom.

The heavy weight of the box, mixed with the cool winter air and the unique fresh and sweet aroma of apples, attracted frequent glances from other students on the road.

"Wow, that's really heavy, Sister Shui! How many kilograms did you buy?"

Ah-Jie, clutching the box, grimaced as he adjusted the angle of his arms, trying to find a more comfortable way to hold it.

Yang Yishui walked ahead, tossing out a sentence without turning her head: "That's because you're not good at it. Did you see what Shen Yuan said? Anyway, there's enough for each of you! Stop talking nonsense and hurry up, it's freezing!"

A-Jie walked and rested intermittently. If he hadn't run into Yao Junhao from the Sports Committee along the way, he probably would have collapsed from exhaustion.

Finally back in Class 15, Ah Jie kicked the door open and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Come on in! It's from Sister Shui! The peace apples have arrived!!"

His shout was like a pebble thrown into calm water, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the entire classroom.

The students, who had just been engrossed in reading or quietly discussing problems, all looked up at the two large cardboard boxes.

The somewhat dull pre-lunch study time was instantly broken by an excited and expectant "whoosh".

"Oh ho! Long live Sister Shui!"

"Quick! Mine is already incredibly thirsty!"

"Tsk, can't you be a little more ambitious?"

Not only Class 15, but also Class 14 next door was cheering at this moment.

Shen Yuan glanced at the eager crowd and steadily placed the box on the podium.

The two of them worked together to open the cardboard box, and immediately, a beautifully packaged apple gift box came into view, with the faint fruity aroma becoming even stronger.

The exquisite wrapping paper shimmered slightly under the classroom lights, and each apple gift box was tied with a pretty ribbon or a small card, which was enough to show Yang Yishui's care.

Looking at the hungry crowd, Ah Jie said with obvious teasing and emphasis, "Listen up, everyone! Sister Shui said you all have to eat it yourselves! Did you hear me? Eat it yourselves! Chewing it up and feeding it to others counts as giving it away!"

"Pah! That's definitely not what Sister Shui said!"

"Exactly, how could Sister Shui be as rude as you?"

"Give it away my ass! I promise I won't give it away!"

"We'll absolutely destroy them with our own mouths! We'll even eat their cores!"

"What are you thinking! Who would be willing to give it away?"

Amidst laughter and promises, A-Jie and Shen Yuan began to divide the apples.

The two of them carried their boxes and walked down the rows.

The students held apples, deeply moved by Yang Yishui's great kindness and virtue.

"Oh no, I really can't bear to tear it down!"

"It's so beautiful, I don't want to part with it."

Shen Yuan arrived at his seat amidst laughter.

"Take them all."

Li Zhi nodded, then took out three boxes of apples.

After distributing the apples, Shen Yuan and A-Jie returned to their seats.

"Oh no, I can't bear to eat it either." A-Jie weighed the gift box in his hand and expressed the same sentiment.

However, just because some people are reluctant to part with it doesn't mean everyone is.

Those with a sweet tooth have already opened the packaging and started eating.

"Fruit after the meal, got it!"

"Crack!"

A crisp, juicy sound rang out along with praise.

"Mmm! So sweet!"

"Ah~ Sister Shui is so great, I declare that Sister Shui is now Shui Bao."

"Long live Shuibao!"

As Shen Yuan listened to the sounds from the class, his gaze fell on Li Zhi, who was standing to the side.

The girl didn't pay much attention to the apple in front of her, but quickly put it away.

It's clear that Li Zhi isn't really interested in giving apples on Christmas Eve.

However, Shen Yuan felt that Li Bao would be happy to try her luck at winning an apple plush toy.

As Yang Ze once said, where do high school seniors get Christmas Eve?

It's either an exam or a review session.

Aside from some first- and second-year high school students coming to Class 15 to deliver apples to Li Zhi during their lunch break, there wasn't anything particularly interesting.

These apples were also given away by Li Zhi.

Ah-Jie previously mentioned that Lai Chi would send apples, which is exactly what happened.

Reselling "peace apples" is just like giving gifts when visiting relatives during the Lunar New Year.

If your family gives something to my family, they will give it to his family; if his family gives something to my family, they will give it to your family.

The main idea is to reuse it repeatedly; just be careful not to send it back.

The lights of the evening self-study session bathed the classroom in a cold white light, and the rustling of pens scratching across pages and the sound of turning pages intertwined to create a nocturne unique to senior high school students.

The windowpane reflected the dark, inky sky, keeping the chill out and leaving only the faint warmth emanating from the young man's breath.

On this Christmas Eve, only the senior students remain at the school.

The first and second year high school students have already gone on holiday for Christmas Eve.

After the first evening self-study session, A-Jie leaned back in his seat and sighed, "We can only give apples, but some people can give bananas and milk."

"Remember to prepare a diaper cover for your baby. Safety first, and may your baby stay safe and sound."

"Maybe not."

"That's not a peaceful situation."

"what!"

Yang Ze and A-Jie exchanged a glance and laughed.

Shen Yuan's gaze swept over Li Zhi, who was writing a problem with his head down beside him.

The girl's neck curved into a soft arc, her wispy hair swayed gently as she wrote, and her profile shone with a focused, porcelain-white luster under the light.

Shen Yuan's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the edge of his schoolbag in the shadows under the desk.

Inside the schoolbag lay quietly the peace apples that Shen Yuan had prepared.

That was his "exclusive secret" that he retrieved from Yang Yishui after dinner.

He recalled Li Zhi's indifferent expression when she unwrapped the class's collective apples in the afternoon; she truly had little interest in these festive rituals.

They even have a natural aversion to the ritualistic aspects of various marketing campaigns.

The same applies to Shen Yuan.

But this does not mean that the two reject a sense of ritual.

In Shen Yuan's view, the so-called sense of ritual is more about doing something different in ordinary days.

Instead of demanding all sorts of things on each and every day.

A sense of ritual is indeed necessary in a mundane life, but the so-called sense of ritual does not mean demanding various material supplements.

A sense of ritual is more of a spiritual supplement.

Watching the sunrise and sunset together is a wonderful thing.

Do something you both enjoy, bring home a bouquet of flowers, and write a handwritten letter.

In Shen Yuan's view, his own two children are actually a good example.

Old Shen would take Ms. Zhang Yuyan on trips, but the two of them didn't go on trips all the time, only two or three times a year, both short and long trips.

Ms. Zhang Yuyan would play games with Lao Shen, and it has gotten to the point where she has started to put pressure on him.

But is Lao Shen really under pressure?

He didn't eat any, but he was laughing happily.

Similarly, the same applies to the relationship between Lao Li and Aunt Xu.

Every month, Lao Li would set aside one day to bring a bouquet of flowers on his way home from get off work. They didn't have to be expensive; sometimes it was just a single flower.

Oh no, at least two flowers.

There's another one I want to give to my precious daughter.

Aunt Xu always took good care of the flowers that Lao Li brought, and Shen Yuan had even heard Li Zhi complain about Aunt Xu.

Li Zhi said that her mother always showed affection for Lao Li in front of her, saying "I love you" several times a day, as if she never got tired of saying it.

But what's wrong with saying "I love you" to the one you love?

The purpose of rituals is to make yourself feel like you are living.

Those who bring you a sense of ritual are often the ones who love you.

The bell signaling the end of evening self-study finally pierced the silence of the winter night, announcing the end of this "Christmas Eve without peace."

The lights in the teaching building gradually went out, and the crowd, carrying fatigue and chill, surged toward the school gate.

With two backpacks on his back, Shen Yuan's hand slid down naturally and precisely grasped Li Zhiwei's cool fingertips before the two of them even left the classroom.

Li Zhi let out a habitual soft hum, her fingertips unconsciously curling back, finding a comforting warmth in Shen Yuan's thick palm.

The dim yellow glow of the streetlights spread across a small patch of yellow in the chilly air, making the festive atmosphere on the street particularly clear at this moment.

People who used to rush around during the day seemed to slow down, and the air was filled with the faint melody of Christmas carols, drifting from the small shops that were still open along the way.

Many shops along the street were decorated with festive Christmas decorations.

The shop window is adorned with strings of colorful lights, intertwined with lush artificial pine branches, sparkling glass balls, and red ribbon bows.

A pastry shop has huge snowflakes and reindeer wearing Santa hats stickers on its glass door, and there's even a slightly comical but festive little snowman standing next to it.

Neon lights outlined the snowflakes and Christmas trees, their warm and dreamy glow dancing in the cold night.

The two walked hand in hand, silently making their way home.

Li Zhi's gaze swept over the shop windows that were deliberately made too warm by the lighting and the tinkling wind chimes at the door.

After walking a few steps, Li Zhi's gaze inadvertently fell upon a tricycle parked by the roadside, piled high with brightly colored apples wrapped in glossy paper. The vendor was wrapped in a thick cotton-padded coat and waiting in the cold wind.

And coincidentally, there were students there looking at the "peace apples" one by one.

The girl's brows furrowed slightly.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi and smiled when he saw the undisguised criticism in her beautiful eyes.

"Okay, let's go."

He tightened his grip on her fingers, his thumb gently stroking the back of her slightly cool hand.

Li Zhi turned to Shen Yuan: "Do you think I'm criticizing these guys for falling into the ritualistic trap created by consumerism?"

Shen Yuan nodded: "Otherwise what?"

"You idiot Shen Yuan!" Li Zhi kicked Shen Yuan lightly with his foot in annoyance.

After retracting her long leg, the girl's gaze remained fixed on Shen Yuan's face.

The neon lights shattered into dancing specks in her clear pupils, their brightness tinged with annoyance.

She suddenly took a half step forward, her slender white fingertips poking Shen Yuan's chest through his backpack, speaking slowly and deliberately, her voice both soft and resilient, clearly penetrating his ears amidst the noisy Christmas carols.

"I mean--"

"Some blockheads! The holiday has been right in front of them for ages, and they're still pretending not to see it!"

The force of her fingertips almost pierced his chest through his clothes. The fierce look in his eyes was diluted by the blush spreading to his ears, and finally turned into a soft, sibilant accusation.

"Shen Yuan, you idiot!"

Shen Yuan was touched by her fierce yet shy appearance and chuckled softly.

Instead of being hurt, he took the opportunity to grab her mischievous, slightly cool finger and wrapped it back in his warm palm.

The corners of his mouth curved upwards with undisguised smugness and understanding, his eyes brimming with amusement as he looked at the ruffled kitten before him.

"Oh--"

Shen Yuan deliberately dragged out his words, his tone almost overflowing with sarcasm.

"I thought Young Master Li was vehemently opposed to these kinds of 'holiday marketing' and 'consumerism traps.' Turns out he was just worried about my dense personality not showing up?"

The boy's deep voice, tinged with laughter, clearly reached Li Zhi's ears.

The girl's hidden thoughts weren't that she disliked the holiday marketing, but rather that she cared about the attitude of the idiot next to her.

"Shen! Yuan!" Li Zhi instantly lost his composure.

As if she had been stepped on, she broke free of Shen Yuan's grasp and pinched his arm in a fit of pique, the force carrying a hint of coquettishness that she herself was unaware of.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you!"

I'll beat you to death, you believe me?!

The two figures stretched out and intertwined in the warm yellow light of the street lamps.

Shen Yuan laughed and pretended to dodge, but his hand remained firmly in Li Zhi's grasp.

"Hey, hey, be gentle, be gentle!"

"Are you asking for a gift? Hmm?"

"I don't care! You'll give it to me or not! If you don't, I'll kill you!"

Li Zhi glared at Shen Yuan, her chin held high.

"Give it to me! Give it to me!"

Shen Yuan grabbed Li Zhi's hand: "Wait for me to take it out."

Shen Yuan stopped and unzipped the backpack in front of him, his movements deliberately clumsy.

"Tsk...where did I put it?"

Shen Yuan muttered to himself, his brows furrowed, his fingers groping slowly between the books and papers, as if he were truly lost in the abyss of his schoolbag.

Li Zhi stood beside him, the cold wind brushing against her slightly flushed cheeks.

At first, she was patient, her eyes fixed on Shen Yuan's movements as he rummaged through his bag, hoping for a promise from him.

However, seeing him fumble around aimlessly for a long time without any results, the girl's patience quickly ran out.

Shen Yuan could clearly feel the gaze beside him gradually becoming sharper.

He glanced up slightly and saw Li Zhizheng narrowing his beautiful eyes.

The girl's eyes held a silent threat that seemed to say, "If you keep dawdling, you're dead," and she stared coldly at his face.

"...Uh, found it! Found it!" Shen Yuan's heart skipped a beat when he saw that look, and he instantly decided to give up pretending to be stupid.

His movements suddenly became swift; with a flick of his wrist, he pulled out a gift box from deep within his backpack that was completely different from the ones distributed before.

This box is more exquisite and compact than the one Yang Yishui distributed. The outer shell is a deep royal blue matte cardboard with irregular snowflake patterns embossed on the surface, resembling a cascading galaxy, and it shimmers with a low-key and mysterious light under the streetlights.

A smooth silver ribbon intertwined and wrapped around the box lid, finally tying itself into a perfectly neat bow, the end hanging down naturally and swaying gently with Shen Yuan's movements.

“Look, this is Li Bao’s one-of-a-kind design.”

Li Zhi's gaze fell on the box, and the warning in his eyes vanished instantly.

She reached out and took it. Her fingertips seemed to pause for a moment when they touched the smooth, cool cardboard and the icy ribbon, but she still tried her best to maintain her haughty demeanor.

"Humph!"

Li Zhi picked up the box and weighed it lightly, letting out a satisfied hum.

"You're smart to know what's good for you. Put it away properly!"

Li Zhi then handed the box to Shen Yuan.

Under the cover of night, the girl's ear tips turned bright red once again, completely honest with themselves.

Shen Yuan took the box and had just zipped it up when Li Zhi's hand naturally slipped through his arm and wrapped around his strong arm.

The cool, soft touch carried an undeniable, intimate force as it came into contact with me.

"You idiot Shen Yuan, do you know why I'm reminding you?"

Shen Yuan paused, then looked down at her.

The glow of the streetlight fell on the girl's slightly upturned profile, her eyes showing a hint of grievance.

"Because of last year's 'peace apples,' someone never even thought of giving me one."

(End of this chapter)