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

Chapter 216 Good Omen

The girl's voice was light and airy, with a hint of settling scores later.

But Shen Yuan's heart was gently pinched by this light-hearted remark, feeling both sour and tender.

He turned halfway around to face Li Zhi.

In the dim light, the hint of accusation and slight grievance in the girl's eyes was magnified infinitely by his tenderness at that moment.

He suddenly raised his left hand, with an almost instinctive sense of pity and apology, and gently placed his palm on Li Zhi's head.

Warm fingertips ran through her soft hair, and that smooth touch that had once felt so natural in the classroom and in the hallway became all the more precious now because it carried the weight of those words.

"Li Bao..." Shen Yuan's voice lowered, slightly hoarse, and he gently rubbed the top of her head.

"sorry."

His fingertips, warm to the touch, brushed across her forehead along her hair, the warmth like a gentle stream soothing the slight chill of the night breeze.

Li Zhi was slightly taken aback by his sudden intimate gesture and straightforward apology.

The weight and caress from above made her body stiffen for a moment, instantly dissolving her accusation and replacing it with shyness that crept back to her ears.

The girl quickly lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes trembling, covering the unexpected tears welling up in her eyes.

The next second, as if to resist this sudden wave of tenderness, Li Zhi abruptly turned her head away, dodging Shen Yuan's hand that was on her head.

The movements were deliberately exaggerated, and the loose strands of hair brushed against Shen Yuan's fingertips, which were still suspended in the air, like a small brush.

"...idiot!"

The girl's profile was tense, her chin slightly raised, deliberately avoiding looking at Shen Yuan, her gaze stubbornly fixed on the flashing colored lights in the shop windows along the roadside.

"Who cares about your apology!"

The girl's voice wasn't loud, and there was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor at the end, but she tried her best to maintain a tone of disdain.

"childish!"

After saying that, Li Zhi seemed to feel that his rebuttal was not strong enough, so he glared at Shen Yuan again.

However, the embarrassment and annoyance in his eyes far outweighed his genuine dissatisfaction, instead giving off a "protesting too much" vibe.

Just as Li Zhi was about to say something even more assertive, Shen Yuan suddenly opened his arms without warning and hugged her tightly.

That posture carried an irresistible, gentle aggression, as if it wanted to genuinely convey the apology and heartache he had just felt.

Li Zhi subconsciously wanted to succumb to the sudden warmth, and her body even leaned forward slightly.

But just as Shen Yuan was about to close his arm, the girl's rationality suddenly returned.

It wasn't the resistance to his embrace itself, but rather—

"Hey! Wait...wait!"

Li Zhi hurriedly raised his hand and accurately pressed it on the schoolbag in front of Shen Yuan.

The girl leaned back slightly, frowned, and spoke with a mix of exasperation and genuine worry.

"Backpack! You idiot! What if you poke my apple? I'll hit you!!"

That apple box, which carries special significance, cannot be lost.

She herself may not have fully figured out how much she cares about this sense of ritual that Shen Yuan personally bestowed upon her, but her instincts have already taken the lead in protecting it, making it the most justifiable reason to refuse at this moment.

Shen Yuan was taken aback by her sudden protective action, his arms hanging there, unsure whether to move forward or backward.

Looking at Li Zhi's nervous expression, like a kitten guarding its food, the heavy feeling of tender apology he had just felt was instantly diluted by a mix of exasperation and amusement.

He looked down at the girl who was so close to him; the blush on her face hadn't completely faded from what he'd just done.

The way her cheeks puffed out slightly as she protected the apple, coupled with her beautiful eyes that still held a hint of reproach, was simply...irresistibly cute.

Shen Yuan couldn't help but chuckle softly, his chest trembling slightly.

He slowly lowered his arm, yielding to her protest.

But the boy's body was still very close to her, and his tall figure blocked the cold wind blowing from the side.

"Okay, okay... It really doesn't hurt the apple."

Shen Yuan took her hand again, his tone filled with a helpless yet doting smile.

The two resumed their steps, continuing their journey home. The chill of the winter night seemed to be dispelled by the warmth of the boy's palms, leaving only the warmth of their intertwined fingertips.

After taking a few steps, Shen Yuan felt a slight weight on his arm.

Li Zhi took his arm.

Her movements were fluid, as if she were simply finding a more comfortable position, or perhaps a silent declaration.

The girl's arm naturally rested against him, holding the rather heavy box of peace apples in her arms, causing her to lean even closer to his side.

Shen Yuan was slightly taken aback, feeling as if his arm was wrapped around some furry, warm little animal, and the warmth and a strange tingling sensation spread instantly along his arm.

Li Zhi seemed oblivious to his surprised gaze.

The girl slightly raised her face, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

This moment of peace is like being preserved in honey, so sweet that you wish you could freeze time in this moment.

Suddenly, the cold white light of the elevator flooded my eyes, and a feeling of weightlessness gently stirred my senses.

The numbers at the top jump up one by one.

Li Zhi still held onto him, but her shoulders and neck were noticeably tense, and her breathing rhythm subtly changed.

"Ding--"

The motion sensor light suddenly illuminated the moment the door opened, and the burst of light acted like an invisible hand, precisely cutting apart the intertwined limbs.

Shen Yuan clearly felt his arm loosen, and when he looked down, he met Li Zhi's eyes.

The light from the hallway spilled onto her face, revealing the faint blush still visible on her earlobes.

Those eyes, still tinged with a smile, were now misty and bathed in light, like a disturbed pool of water, shimmering with tiny specks of light.

The two stepped out of the elevator. Shen Yuan took the apple out of his backpack and returned the backpack he was carrying to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi placed his schoolbag and apple on the cabinet by the door.

Just when Shen Yuan thought that the tenderness of the night was over, the girl in front of him suddenly turned around.

The next second, Shen Yuan naturally spread his arms.

The girl's slender body crashed into Shen Yuan's arms almost simultaneously.

But soon, Li Zhi felt a clear obstacle.

That damn backpack was now pressing hard between their bodies.

Before Shen Yuan could even properly savor the feeling of being embraced, he saw the girl in his arms frown first.

Li Zhi snuggled against him slightly, a hint of disdain in her eyes.

"You idiot Shen Yuan!" The girl's voice, muffled against his chest, was both coquettish and annoyed. "My schoolbag! It's digging into my skin! It's so uncomfortable!"

Her subtle movements precisely conveyed her discomfort; the backpack stuck between his chest and her soft body truly ruined what should have been a perfect, tender atmosphere.

Shen Yuan felt the same way almost instantly and immediately felt annoyed.

"Then I'll take it off now."

Before Shen Yuan finished speaking, he immediately freed one hand to pull at the strap of his backpack on his shoulder.

"I'll pick it right now! Wait a minute..."

"do not want!"

Shen Yuan's hand, which was taking off the strap of his schoolbag, suddenly froze in mid-air.

The girl's voice rang out from her arms, tinged with obvious cunning.

"I don't want you to take it. It's your fault for not putting it down. Humph! Just hold it like that!"

Shen Yuan felt an overwhelming surge of sweetness and suffocation rush to the top of his head!
"you……"

This is really...

Pick them, Li Bao will definitely run away.

But if she didn't take it off, the backpack stood between them like a stubborn shield, making her uncomfortable, and at the same time, it was also a declaration that he hadn't held her enough!

Moreover, Li Zhi tightened his embrace even more, as if he wanted to carry out this subtle punishment to the very end.

Shen Yuan felt the incredibly obstructive schoolbag lodged between them, a sweet, stifling sensation almost bursting through him.

He instinctively tightened his arms around her, trying to flatten the culprit that was hurting him.

Or at least let yourself hold her tighter, feel her presence a little more.

However, this stalemate did not last long.

Li Zhi nuzzled his head against his chest, took a deep breath as if drawing in the last bit of reassurance, and then released his hand without warning.

"Hey, you idiot."

She tilted her head slightly and said, "I'm going home."

Before Shen Yuan could react, the girl's fingertips had already flicked his canvas backpack, making a soft "thud" sound.

She wrinkled her small nose, pouted, and said with genuine disdain, "It's so uncomfortable! It's awful!"

Shen Yuan: "..."

Who exactly is preventing me from taking off my schoolbag?
After complaining, Li Zhi leaned back slightly, completely breaking free from the uncomfortable embrace, taking only half a step back.

In a flash, Shen Yuan made his move!

As if he had anticipated her movements, he seized that brief moment of opening and, with a hand that seemed to have practiced it a thousand times, suddenly pulled on her shoulder strap.

The cumbersome canvas backpack was tossed neatly onto the open ground next to it with a slight "rustling" sound and a soft click of the metal zipper buckle hitting the ground!
Li Zhi only felt a black shadow flash before his eyes. Before he could fully react, the half-step distance he had just created was instantly wiped out!
Shen Yuan's free hand had already wrapped tightly around her waist like an iron hoop, and his other arm tightened suddenly, exerting force!

The girl's gasp was still stuck in her throat when she was pulled back into his arms without any resistance!
This time, there were no more obstacles.

The boy's strong yet warm body contours enveloped her completely.

It was a warm, slightly harsh warmth that instantly dispelled the discomfort of being poked by the backpack.

Li Zhi bumped into his arms, and the boy's unique clean scent hit her face, making her mind go blank for a moment.

A low chuckle, clearly smug and mischievous, came from above her head, making her eardrums buzz.

Shen Yuan slightly bent his back, his chin brushing against the top of her head, his voice, full of laughter, whispering in her ear:

"Look, the schoolbag is gone..."

He tightened his arms, pressing her even closer to him, as if trying to carve this intimacy into her very bones.

"Feeling better now?"

Shen Yuan's voice carried the smugness of triumph.

Li Zhi was completely stunned by the sudden, domineering hug and the blunt question!

Receiving his full body temperature and heartbeat without any warning was a hundred times more impactful than the hug through the backpack just now!
She could clearly feel a blazing heat rising from her cheeks, ears, and even her neck. The heat made her weak all over, and even her fingertips trembled slightly.

She was always the one who took the initiative to hug Shen Yuan, and this was the first time Li Zhi had ever been pulled into Shen Yuan's arms so domineeringly.

The girl's nerves, filled with shame and indignation, finally stretched to their limit once again!

"Shen Yuan!!" Li Zhi practically spat out his name through clenched teeth, his voice trembling slightly.

"You...you...!!"

She tried to struggle in his arms with her hands and feet, but she was powerless because of shame and the strange sensation from the physical contact.

However, Shen Yuan only hugged her tighter, his low laughter rumbling in his chest: "Didn't you complain about the discomfort? Well, this has solved the problem for you, hasn't it? Feeling much better now?"

His hushed "Feeling better now?" was even more infuriating than directly piercing her heart!
Li Zhi was so embarrassed that she wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it on the spot!
"Idiot!! Let...let go!"

"Don't let it go."

Shen Yuan looked at the girl in his arms and tightened his embrace.

Li Zhi glared at Shen Yuan, but ultimately buried her face in Shen Yuan's neck.

Just then, a panicked sound crept into his ears like a mosquito buzzing.

"Idiot! What if Old Li opens the door and sees us?"

This statement precisely hit Shen Yuan's "Achilles' heel".

His body stiffened abruptly, as if the oppressive aura emanating from Lao Li had penetrated through the heavy security door and enveloped him.

The girl's slight trembling in his arms and her hot breath against his ear constantly reminded him of the danger he was in.

But soon, that tightrope walking tension gave him another feeling.

"Then tell me, is it possible that Uncle Li wouldn't notice?"

Li Zhi gently patted Shen Yuan: "You idiot, do you think my dad goes to bed this early? He's definitely in the living room right now!"

As he spoke, Li Zhi glanced furtively through the peephole and said to Shen Yuan in a muffled voice.

"Why don't you take a look and see if the cat's eye lets in any light?"

Shen Yuan blinked and glanced slightly toward the peephole of Li Zhi's front door.

Very good, it doesn't let in any light.

Shen Yuan instantly snapped back to reality as if he had been doused with ice water, his Adam's apple bobbing unconsciously.

"It seems to be opaque."

The two of them were stunned for a moment.

The next second, a distance suddenly appeared between the two.

The girl quickly straightened her disheveled clothes and hair, her eyelashes trembling violently.

"We're going back!"

Shen Yuan nodded repeatedly, quickly grabbed his schoolbag, turned around, and ran to his front door.

At the same time, Li Zhiye quickly opened the door, grabbed his schoolbag and a peace apple, and slipped inside.

"Bam—"

The door slammed shut behind her, shutting out the arrogant and smug boy who was now frantically trying to open it.

Li Zhi's back was pressed against the cold door panel, her heart was still pounding wildly in her chest, and her rapid breathing made her cheeks burn, even the tips of her ears felt like they were on fire.

Li Zhi turned to look at the peephole and then noticed a cover on it...

This……

Maybe I'm wrong?

However, Li Zhi still breathed a slight sigh of relief.

It's better if Lao Li finds out when I'm wrong!
If Lao Li really finds out, Li Zhi doesn't know what to do.

I wonder if Lao Li will beat up Shen Yuan in a fit of anger.

"Zhizhi?"

Just as Li Zhi was lost in thought, he heard Old Li's voice in his ear.

Hearing the front door slam shut, there was no doubt that it was Li Zhi.

But with no movement for so long, Lao Li couldn't help but wonder what had happened.

Li Zhi looked up and saw that Old Li's gaze was fixed on him.

Old Li looked at his daughter, who was standing stiffly at the door, and frowned in confusion.

Li Zhi's face was flushed, as if she had just done strenuous exercise or been exposed to a cold wind.

Those usually bright and clear eyes were now filled with obvious panic, especially after they saw me, their panic intensified.

more importantly……

Old Li's gaze shifted downwards and landed on the thing his daughter was tightly clutching in her arms.

It was a very exquisitely packaged gift box.

It's impossible for Lao Li not to remember that today is Christmas Eve. It's also impossible for Lao Li not to remember that Li Zhi has rarely brought back these "peace apples" from school in recent years.

Even if she did bring it, she wouldn't hold it in her hands or hug it.

"What are you standing at the doorway for, lost in thought? Why is your face so red?"

"N-nothing! It's just the wind outside!"

Li Zhi's voice was a little unsteady, and she instinctively hugged the box in her arms even tighter.

She didn't even dare to look her father in the eye; her movements were noticeably stiff and she was in a panic, eager to escape, wanting only to quickly hide back in her room.

"I... I'm going back to my room now!"

Li Zhi practically fled across the living room, feeling her father's gaze fixed on her back as if it were a physical presence, making every step she took an agonizing experience.

Only when she rushed into her room and slammed the door shut did she lean against the door, exhausted, and let out a long breath.

The blush on her cheeks lingered for a long time, and her fingertips trembled slightly from lying and nervousness.

In the living room, Old Li paused for a moment.

My gaze lingered on the tightly closed door for a moment before slowly moving down to the entryway.

Seeing my daughter's flushed face, clutching the gift box, and avoiding eye contact, and then remembering that it was Christmas Eve...

A knowing smile slowly crept onto Lao Li's lips, a smile tinged with a touch of melancholy and a hint of indescribable complexity.

This silly girl, her forced composure is exactly the same as her mother's reaction back then.

Old Li gently shook his head, a smile spreading across his eyes, tinged with a hint of helplessness, yet also with the forgiving grace of someone who's been through it all.

Oh well, as a father, he knows exactly what the young man is thinking.

He didn't look at his daughter's closed door again, but simply lowered his head and smiled silently and more deeply.

"What's wrong? Why are you laughing so happily?" Xu Chan looked at Lao Li with a puzzled expression.

Old Li looked at his wife, his gaze falling on the vase in the living room.

"I think we'll need to buy a new vase soon."

Xu Chan blinked and looked at the vase.

There was a bouquet of flowers in the vase, which Lao Li had just bought today.

It was given to her.

Xu Chan smiled and shook her head: "You're quite generous."

"What can I do?"

Seeing Lao Li's helpless expression, Xu Chan laughed out loud.

……

Just as Yang Ze had predicted, Christmas Day unfolded exactly as he had envisioned.

Old Zhou arranged a day of exams.

From morning till night, there was no rest.

Confessing your love on Christmas Day? That's simply not a thing for high school seniors!
By the time the exam was over, Shen Yuan and Li Zhi were already a little numb.

Having experienced the benefits of focusing skills, Shen Yuan also experienced their drawbacks.

That is, he can easily enter a state of focus once he concentrates.

The day I finish the exam is more tiring than the day he studies.

On Christmas Day, Shen Yuan went home and fell asleep immediately. When he woke up, it was already past 4 a.m.

He had already woken up while the two kittens were still sleeping.

"what to do……"

He murmured, his voice barely audible in the silent room.

Sleepiness had long since vanished, replaced by an increasingly urgent sense of tension. It was as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, each beat tinged with panic.

Only 6 days left!

He thought he was ready long ago.

But as the days burned by, the confidence that he thought he had everything under control began to evaporate rapidly as the countdown to "New Year's Eve midnight" drew near, revealing the bottomless anxiety beneath.

Christmas is over.

The thought was like a cold pebble thrown into a lake of the heart.

What followed was the sudden increase in the number "6 days," which weighed heavily on his chest.

"Damn it!"

Shen Yuan cursed silently, turned over, and buried his face in the pillow that smelled of familiar laundry detergent.

……

Can't sleep.

Anxiety gnawed at my heart like tiny insects.

Shen Yuan simply sat up, fumbled for the bedside lamp and turned it on. The orange glow immediately dispelled the darkness in the small patch of darkness beside the bed.

The two cats sleeping at the foot of the bed were startled by the light and purred in dissatisfaction, but soon fell back into a deep sleep.

Shen Yuan leaned against the headboard, his gaze vacantly fixed on the shadows in the corner of the room, as if the answer to his urgent problem lay hidden there.

"Classroom?" He moved his lips silently.

No.

My first thought was immediately rejected.

It was already holiday time, and the classroom doors were locked. Could we just force our way in?

"square?"

The next scene popped into my mind.

The massive crowds and dazzling fireworks during the New Year's Eve countdown... this seems to be the standard for romantic dramas.

But he immediately recalled Li Zhi's usual comments on those who deliberately created festive noise.

"So noisy," "Annoying," "Isn't it annoying to be surrounded by people?"

No, there are too many people, and it's too noisy.

Li Bao will most likely look disgusted and might even drag him home early.

This kind of environment is completely unsuitable for creating an atmosphere conducive to confession; it's all about celebrating the arrival of the New Year.

Moreover, confessing one's feelings in public is hardly a romantic thing for most girls.

After thinking it over, it seems there's only one place.

Home?

Is my home or Li Zhi's home?
First, let's rule out Li Zhi's family.

What a joke! To confess his love to Lao Li's precious daughter "in front of" him? That's tantamount to suicide!
The image of his father's stern face and the possible scene of "physics education" lingered in Shen Yuan's mind, and he subconsciously touched the back of his head.

It might even evolve into a dual paternal education by Lao Shen and Lao Li.

My own room?

Shen Yuan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But... at midnight on New Year's Eve, why did he pull Li Zhi into his room alone?
Ringing in the New Year together? That might be a good idea.

But... how exactly should we do it?

Shen Yuan rubbed his temples, which were throbbing slightly.

Just determining the location didn't reduce the trouble at all.

"Set up the venue in advance?"

His gaze unconsciously swept across the walls, the desk, and the windowsill.

Buy some decorative string lights? Stick some little stars on them? Make a heart-shaped candle array? Play some romantic music? Play her favorite songs?
Shen Yuan fell silent.

"Or...would it be simpler and more direct?"

Shen Yuan grabbed a pillow and irritably squeezed it.

As the clock struck midnight and fireworks lit up the sky outside, all he needed to do was gently pull her hand, and amidst the deafening background noise, watching her profile illuminated by the fireworks, he would clearly and solemnly utter those words…

This scene is incredibly beautiful in my imagination.

But the problem is... isn't it a little too easy?

Shen Yuan slammed himself back onto the pillow, letting out a silent wail.

This is too difficult! It's even harder than solving those challenging math problems!
The goal is to naturally and subtly draw her into your room, while simultaneously creating a sufficiently private and cozy atmosphere amidst the noisy New Year's Eve celebrations...

How come he never realized before that preparing for a "confession" was so complicated!
Shen Yuan sighed.

Why don't you ask someone else for help?

As figures flashed through his mind, Shen Yuan finally set his sights on Zhuo Peipei.

As the president of the "Romantic Fanfiction Association," Zhuo Peipei has read countless romantic fanfictions and witnessed countless confession scenes within them.

This contestant, with his exceptional theoretical knowledge, is clearly a good person to consult.

but……

Is Zhuo Peipei unreliable?

This is, after all, content from a romance novel; it's completely different from reality!

The female protagonist in the sweet romance novel and Li Zhiye are completely different people.

Even with "The Stealer," Shen Yuan had no confidence that he could use it as a reference.

"I'm going crazy..."

Shen Yuan covered his face.

What the hell was I thinking, using sweet romance novels as inspiration for confessions?

Shen Yuan lay on his back on the bed, his gaze slightly vacant.

A moment later, Shen Yuan picked up his phone and began searching for confession strategies.

All in all, all in all.

Find a suitable time, in a private place, and relax without being nervous.

Shen Yuan tossed his phone aside and stared at the ceiling.

With him and Li Zhi both like this... can they succeed?
Will Li Zhi, that arrogant jerk, refuse?
Shen Yuan thought about all the things in his life, and how this arrogant person in the system had really waited for so long without saying a word.

It feels a bit silly.

If I confess my feelings now, I hope they won't reject me... right?

If she really refuses...

As soon as this thought arose, images uncontrollably appeared in Shen Yuan's mind—

As the fireworks lit up the sky at midnight on New Year's Eve, he mustered up the courage to say those words, but Li Zhi suddenly took a step back.

The blush on the girl's cheeks faded instantly, and her clear eyes, which were first filled with astonishment, quickly froze into ice as she stared coldly at him.

Just as the girl was about to speak...

"Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!"

A sharp, urgent, and utterly unpleasant electronic alarm sound pierced through Shen Yuan's terrible delusion like an icicle piercing the air!
"Tsk!"

Shen Yuan groaned reflexively, his heart pounding wildly in surprise.

He instinctively reached for his phone.

Shen Yuan stared blankly at the phone in his hand.

The two kittens, who were curled up at the foot of the bed and fast asleep, were startled by the sound. Seeing that Shen Yuan didn't turn it off for a long time, they quickly buried their heads back down and changed their position to continue sleeping.

Shen Yuan pressed the close button.

The room suddenly fell silent again.

Shen Yuan held the now-silent alarm clock, breathing slightly heavily, as if he had just escaped a nightmare.

He looked at the now quiet alarm clock, and the heavy, suffocating feeling he had been feeling from rejecting his fantasies dissipated considerably with the jarring ring of the clock.

He blinked, and a thought suddenly struck him.

"Hey... this ringtone came at just the right time."

Looking at his now quiet phone, Shen Yuan's earlier frustration, gripped by negative thoughts, was instantly replaced by a strange sense of relief.

"Great news! This is definitely a good omen!"

He whispered to the air, a small, uncontrollable upward curve to the corners of his mouth, tinged with a self-consoling smugness.

"Doesn't this just prove that my mind is full of nonsense? Even God couldn't stand it anymore and sent an alarm clock to interrupt me!"

Shen Yuan felt that this must be God reminding him not to overthink things, and to just focus on preparing to confess his feelings.

Thinking of this, Shen Yuan's worry about being rejected was completely suppressed, replaced by a lighthearted feeling of "heaven is helping me."

He even reminisced with great interest about the earth-shattering alarm clock that had just struck.

"Tsk, this lousy alarm clock is really quite loud..."

Shen Yuan's mind was still swirling with the idea of ​​"good fortune," and he began planning the specific details of New Year's Eve.

And so, Shen Yuan, clutching the phone that had just performed its "great service," drifted off into his own thoughts, his mind wandering more and more.

He was completely absorbed in his self-satisfied "good omen" and forgot his daily task—calling Li Zhi to wake him up.

When he remembered, it was already 5 minutes later.

"Fuck!!!"

Yuan jolted awake, as if he had been pricked in the buttocks, and sat bolt upright in bed, his pupils dilating instantly.

It's over, it's over, it's over!

I forgot to wake Li Bao up!!!

Seeing that the time displayed on his phone screen had long exceeded the usual call time, a huge sense of panic instantly enveloped him.

"Death, death, death!"

Shen Yuan frantically tapped on the screen.

He pressed the green call button with trembling hands, his heart pounding in his chest, a hundred times more nervous than when he was about to confess his feelings.

The call was connected after just one beep from the receiver.

Clearly, Li Zhi's phone was either next to his pillow or within reach.

Before Shen Yuan could even bring the phone to his ear, Li Zhi's slightly hoarse, yet exceptionally clear and cool voice came through the receiver:
"Hey?"

Upon hearing that sound, Shen Yuan knew it was all over; Li Bao had already gotten up.

"Li Bao! You're already up?"

Shen Yuan's voice was filled with obvious panic and frustration, and he spoke very quickly.

"Um... I think my alarm clock didn't go off?"

"hehe."

Li Zhi coldly said, "Get up now and meet me at the door at the usual time!"

"Roger that!"

The receiver emitted a busy tone. Shen Yuan remained frozen in his phone-answering posture for a few seconds before incredulously removing the phone from his ear.

Not angry?
Did Li Zhi end the call so decisively?

No one mocked him as an "idiot"? No one accused him of dereliction of duty, not even a threat like "you're finished"?
This is not normal!

He clutched the phone, which still seemed to echo with her cool voice, his heart pounding even faster than when he had forgotten to make the call.

Why didn't Li Bao take the opportunity to be sarcastic or sarcastic towards him today?
But no matter what, it's a good thing I didn't get scolded!

Shen Yuan suddenly threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. He quickly got dressed, washed up, put on a thick coat, and prepared to go out.

Before leaving, Shen Yuan looked at Sangeng and Ernao and said, "Bye-bye, little kitty, Daddy and Mommy are going to school!"

Shen Yuan grabbed his schoolbag, slung it over his shoulder, and quickly went to the door.

The door closed gently. Shen Yuan didn't even have time to put on his shoes. Instead, he stood quickly and straight in the stairwell in front of his own house, his eyes fixed on the familiar old Li family door a few steps away.

Phew...that was close, the door was closed.

He was slightly out of breath, slowly calming himself down, and then quickly put on his shoes.

Almost at the moment Shen Yuan bent down to tie his shoelaces, the dark-colored security door opposite was gently pulled open.

Li Zhi appeared at the door, wrapped in a thick white down jacket.

The moment the girl saw Shen Yuan, she handed him her schoolbag.

Shen Yuan quickly tied his shoelaces and then took the schoolbag.

After Shen Yuan took the schoolbag, the girl's slender fingers turned slightly red from the cold as she awkwardly hooked the metal buckle on her snow boots.

Li Zhi lowered her head, intently struggling with the buckle, leaving only the soft "click" of the metal and the rustling of the fabric in the stairwell.

Finally, with a soft "click," the boots were on.

Li Zhi stood up swiftly and decisively, then abruptly raised his head.

The girl looked at Shen Yuan and said coldly, "Tell me! Why didn't you wake me up this morning?!"

The girl took a half-step forward, staring intently at Shen Yuan.

"Uh...I..."

Shen Yuan was caught off guard by her sudden "interrogation" and subconsciously took a small step back.

"Uh, didn't I already say? My alarm clock seems to be malfunctioning; it didn't go off this morning."

"Oh! The alarm clock is malfunctioning?"

Li Zhi let out a very soft, cold snort, his eyes flashing even brighter than before, with an air of knowing, "Keep making things up."

"I think you're just being lazy! You just want to sleep a little longer!"

Shen Yuan blinked and nodded quickly: "I was just too tired yesterday! I fell asleep as soon as I got home yesterday, and then I slept in this morning."

He smiled at the girl in front of him: "Oh dear~ just this once, Li Bao, please forgive me~"

Li Zhi felt uncomfortable all over because of Shen Yuan's sudden act of acting cute.

"Ugh! How disgusting! Get out of here! Go to school now!"

"Hey! Hey!"

Shen Yuan nodded repeatedly, then quickly pressed the elevator button.

The two figures were briefly frozen in the halo of the hallway motion sensor lights.

The faint hum of the elevator gradually became clearer.

"Ding--"

The elevator doors slid open to the sides, and the two people entered one after the other.

The elevator descended smoothly, leaving only a slight mechanical sound in the narrow space.

Li Zhi turned slightly to the side, her shoulder inadvertently brushing against Shen Yuan's arm.

Shen Yuan felt the warmth emanating from that tiny point of contact, and his hand, which was hanging by his side, naturally slid down and precisely grasped Li Zhi's slightly cool fingertips.

Li Zhi's movements were not stiff at all.

Her fingers even unconsciously curled back, fitting more tightly into that warm, familiar palm.

A tiny movement, as natural and smooth as breathing, is the result of countless hours of practice and refinement of the connected nerves.

She didn't look at him, but her lips curved upwards in a barely perceptible, faint arc, her gaze calmly fixed on the constantly changing numbers in front of her.

Upon arriving on the first floor, the door opened.

The winter chill swept over them, but their hands, clasped tightly together, remained as steady as a rock, even tightening their grip slightly, as they stepped into the gray morning light.

They walked in silence, only the unspoken warmth beneath each other's sleeves conveying their tacit understanding.

As always, I walked through the familiar school gate, up the familiar stairs, and arrived at the open door of Class 15, right under the noses of the teachers from the Political Education Office.

Shen Yuan didn't stop walking. Holding Li Zhi's hand, they went straight into the classroom, just like they had done countless times before, returning to their seats.

The atmosphere in the classroom was completely different from the collective focus during the morning self-study session that day.

The collective gaze of the entire class no longer possessed that intense, intriguing, and impactful focused effect.

Their hand-in-hand entry was more like a drop of water merging into the ocean, evoking at most silent, tacit smiles.

got used to.

Dating is actually quite common in high school.

At most, it might cause a moment of excitement, but it quickly becomes just another ordinary thing.

Moreover, the students in Class 15 had actually been mentally preparing for Shen Yuan and Li Zhi to start dating for quite some time.

These two are childhood sweethearts!

They were always seen together before they started dating, so isn't it normal for them to be dating now?

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi both sensed the change in atmosphere.

The girl pursed her lips, maintaining a calm expression, and focused her gaze on the path leading to their seats, as if concentrating on walking.

But Shen Yuan could clearly feel that Li Zhi tightened his grip on his hand.

And so, hand in hand, the two walked naturally to their seats amidst a tacit, knowing gaze.

The bell signaling the end of morning self-study was like a floodgate opening, instantly easing the stifling atmosphere in the classroom.

The rustling of books, the hum of stretching, and the buzzing of brief chatter gradually rose up.

Ah Jie turned to look at Shen Yuan, his face gleaming with an excited "I've got some big stuff" vibe, and slammed his hand on Shen Yuan's desk piled high with test papers.

"Hey guys! Big news!"

Ah Jie's voice successfully attracted the attention of people around him, including Yang Ze, who had just put down his thermos, and Zhuo Peipei, who was putting away her vocabulary notebook.

Shen Yuan lazily lifted his eyelids: "What? Did you find your name on the New Year's Eve party program for a striptease?"

"Get the hell out of here!" Ah Jie retorted irritably, but his smugness remained undiminished.

"This is insider information, absolutely true! I heard it from my cousin!"

"This year's New Year's Eve party will feature a street dance performance! And it's a really cool and awesome street dance club show! I heard they put a lot of effort into choreographing it!"

"Is it real or fake?" Yang Ze became interested; he usually paid quite a bit of attention to these kinds of events.

"My cousin said it himself!" Ah Jie patted his chest and guaranteed with absolute certainty, "They say the visual effects are top-notch, absolutely going to blow the audience away! You'll just have to wait and see!"

"Compared to street dance, I'm more curious about what song Sister Shui will sing this year."

Shen Yuan grinned: "Ah Jie, do you want to ask him during English class later?"

Ah Jie rolled his eyes at Shen Yuan: "If you can get me to answer a whole class of questions after asking Sister Shui, why don't you ask them? You're the one who's going to explain the test anyway."

"roll!"

"hey-hey!"

(End of this chapter)