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

Chapter 221 Li Zhi, I Like You (Five Chapters Combined, Bonus Chapter)
Shen Yuan knew he was doomed today; he couldn't shake the image from his mind.

Li Zhi's outfit...and those legs...

No!

How could she... how could she dress like that?!
Thick black pantyhose tightly hugged her slender and shapely legs, gleaming with a soft and alluring matte finish under the warm light.

These are definitely not socks that you just picked up on a whim!

The texture and the combination—a beige sweater, a plaid skirt, and those dark tights outlining…

This...this is a complete foul!

Does Li Bao even realize how... how beautiful this looks?!

Shen Yuan felt as if his mind had been plunged into boiling water; after a moment of blankness, he was overwhelmed by a tsunami of astonishment and ecstasy.

This was completely beyond Shen Yuan's imagination!
He thought Li Bao might wear casual clothes from home, at most... at most a little cute.

I never expected her to be so meticulous, or rather, so daring!
The overwhelming visual impact and the thoughts it contained exploded in his heart like a powerful bomb, leaving him disoriented and only the word "surprise" flashing wildly in his mind.

At this moment, Li Zhi's face was also extremely red.

Seeing Shen Yuan's exaggerated expression, as if he wanted to turn his head 180 degrees to "study" the wall, Li Zhi's shyness reached its peak.

"You idiot!" the girl muttered under her breath, gripping the down jacket so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

However, at the height of this shame and indignation, Shen Yuan's embarrassed appearance, his face as red as a boiled shrimp, and his body language—which stiffened instantly and then quickly looked away but couldn't hide his intense reaction—struck a corner of Li Zhi's heart like an electric current.

A thought suddenly popped into my head.

He seemed to be more than just frightened; he was shocked and...surprised?
This realization caused a tiny, almost imperceptible, sense of pride to quietly emerge amidst the extreme embarrassment.

Almost as if in a fit of pique, the taut string in Li Zhi's heart suddenly loosened.

"Never mind... I'm already wearing them anyway."

Li Zhi took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and with a resolute determination, stopped trying to cover anything up with the bulky down jacket. Instead, she grabbed the two lapels of the down jacket and pulled them apart forcefully. Then, she let her arms sink and let the thick, long down jacket slip off her shoulders.

In an instant, the outline of her body under the warm sweater, especially her long, straight legs completely outlined by thick black stockings, was exposed to the warm air of the room without any cover, and was also exposed to Shen Yuan's... peripheral vision without reservation.

Li Zhi casually tossed the down jacket onto the chair.

After making this gesture, Li Zhi immediately turned slightly to the side, raising his chin slightly, as if looking at Sangeng and Naonao.

However, the lines of her profile were taut, and the blush on the tips of her ears looked as bright and fiery as if it were burning in the dim light.

She didn't speak, but her deliberately maintained cold profile and violently heaving chest betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

Shen Yuan felt like he was suffocating.

The suddenly clear view in Yu Guangli's peripheral vision was more lethal than the fleeting glimpse he had just seen.

The girl's figure, now free of concealment, revealed a pure and alluring charm beneath her sweater and short skirt.

Without the bulkiness of the down jacket, the lines of her legs appeared even more graceful and slender. The tight black stockings, under the light, resembled a layer of mysterious and soft armor, yet clearly showcased all her beautiful curves.

After a moment, he finally realized that he had been standing there like a fool for far too long and had to do something to break the deadly silence.

"that……"

Shen Yuan's voice was a little hoarse. He finally turned his stiff neck back to a normal angle with great care, like a rusty robot, but he only dared to look at the floor next to Li Zhi's feet.

"...Ahem, are you thirsty? Would you like something to drink?"

Li Zhi seemed relieved; having a topic to talk about helped divert attention.

She finally dared to turn her head, her gaze sweeping over Shen Yuan's still embarrassed face, with a hint of barely perceptible smugness and familiar disdain.

"You idiot, only now you think to ask? Were you out of your mind?"

"No, it's not lost!"

Shen Yuan denied it reflexively, but the heat that had just subsided seemed to be returning.

"Would you like some water? Or something else?"

"Need not."

Li Zhi snorted softly, glanced around the room, and finally chose to sit in her familiar chair, then began to call for her kitten.

As Shen Yuan listened to Li Zhi calling for the cat, his heart gradually calmed down.

"calm down!"

Shen Yuan looked up at Li Zhi.

Well, the visual impact is quite significant.

"Want to see something? A movie? Or a New Year's Eve gala?"

"Whatever, I'm not here to keep you company, I'm here to keep Sangeng and Naonao company."

"Say it," Li Zhi said, picking up Nao Nao and placing her on her lap. "Isn't that right, Nao Nao? Mommy isn't here to spend New Year's Eve with your idiot dad."

Hearing that familiar tone, Shen Yuan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

He couldn't help but complain, "The way you're saying it makes it sound like we're divorced and I get custody of the children."

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, he saw Li Zhi flick her leg, and the cotton slippers she was wearing flew up and landed in the girl's hand. Then Shen Yuan saw the slippers fly towards him.

"Hey!"

Shen Yuan instinctively gasped and hurriedly turned to the side, his slipper brushing against his arm before landing softly on the floor behind him with a "thud".

The scorching atmosphere, almost frozen by the sight before him, was instantly punctured by this sudden "hidden weapon" and Shen Yuan's clumsy dodge.

"Pfft-"

Almost as soon as the slippers hit the ground, a very short, clearly suppressed laugh escaped from Li Zhi's throat.

The girl's tense profile suddenly relaxed, and the corners of her mouth quickly turned up into an irrepressible smile.

Although she immediately tried to suppress it, the bright smile mixed with embarrassment and annoyance in her eyes could not be hidden.

As Shen Yuan watched Li Zhina quickly shift from embarrassment and indignation to suppressing laughter, and finally turn her head away from his adorable appearance, the huge shock in his heart miraculously eased.

The burning dizziness that shot straight to the head was replaced by a more real, slightly silly, warm feeling.

Although my earlier statement, "You get custody of the child if we get divorced," was reckless, it was surprisingly effective.

He grinned, no longer looking as embarrassed as before.

Shen Yuan bent down to pick up the troublesome slipper and placed it back at the foot of the bed, not far from her feet.

Forcing himself to look away from her feet encased in pantyhose, Shen Yuan deliberately avoided looking at her. Instead, he walked over and sat down next to the projector remote, fiddling with it. The light and shadow on the screen flickered on his deliberately focused face.

"How about checking out a New Year's Eve party? Or... find a cat movie for them to watch? Let them play by themselves?"

He turned his head and finally turned his gaze back to the girl nestled in the chair. His eyes were much more open and gentle, with a familiar fawning quality. He pointed to the changing scene on the screen and cautiously probed the direction of the conversation.

Li Zhi unconsciously tightened her grip on Nao Nao's fingers, and the little guy meowed uncomfortably. Only then did she come to her senses and subconsciously loosen her grip.

She didn't respond to Shen Yuan immediately. Instead, she lowered her head and gently rubbed her chin against Nao Nao's fluffy head. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, concealing the emotions in her eyes, but her tense shoulder lines had completely relaxed.

"what ever."

The light and shadow on the wall flowed like flowing honey, giving the two people and the cat in the room, who had just experienced a period of "chaos," a new layer of soft and peaceful warmth.

Shen Yuan buried himself in his work and eventually found an animated film that automatically entertained a cat.

Soft background music began to play, and suddenly moving red spheres appeared on the wall.

Sure enough, Nao Nao, who had been lazily nestled on Li Zhi's lap, suddenly raised his little head.

The next second, the little guy sprang out of Li Zhi's warm embrace without hesitation, landed lightly, pushed off the ground with his hind legs, and pounced on the wall with flowing light and shadow like an arrow!
Almost at the same time, Sangeng, who was lying on the bed, also started to move.

Two furry figures leaped nimbly in the light and shadow on the wall, their tiny paw pads landing on the white wall with a soft, dense "patter" sound, like a series of cheerful drumbeats.

Three was even faster, like a smooth and agile white lightning bolt.

With a nimble leap, she jumped more than 1 meter into the air, her small body soaring high and drawing a beautiful arc in the sky.

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi's eyes were involuntarily drawn to the pair of energetic little furballs, moving left and right with the cat's movements.

The subtle tension that had been dispelled in the room seemed to be further dissipated by the cat's energy, leaving only a warm and peaceful atmosphere and soft background music from the projector.

Li Zhi relaxed slightly, leaned back in her chair, and watched Nao Nao chase a small dot of light from the left wall to the right.

In that moment of relaxation, Li Zhi felt a familiar gaze fall on her legs once again.

The girl's lips curled up in a barely perceptible, tiny arc, carrying a hint of understanding and mischief.

She didn't turn around immediately, and even maintained the posture of watching the cat. However, the hand that was originally resting naturally and relaxed on the armrest of the chair fell to her thigh, and her fingertips lightly traced the matte surface of the thick pantyhose.

She turned her head, her clear eyes precisely catching Shen Yuan, who had just hurriedly averted his gaze from her legs.

The girl's lips parted slightly, her voice like a feather brushing against the eardrum, yet it went straight to the heart of the matter:

"Shen Yuan——"

Shen Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he stiffly turned his neck toward her.

Li Zhi tilted her chin towards her legs, her beautiful eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the projection, and clearly showing Shen Yuan's current embarrassment. Her tone was a mixture of inquiry and a hint of smug cunning.

"Is it really that...beautiful?"

Shen Yuan felt like a bomb had been dropped into his head!
All attempts to maintain composure and calm were shattered!

He instinctively wanted to deny it, to change the subject, to say that he was looking at the cat.

but……

Those clear, bright eyes were looking at him, with an understanding that said, "I've seen right through you," and a hint of playful mockery that couldn't be hidden, like, "Try denying it if you dare."

In a flash, the turbulent waves churning within me overwhelmed all reason and stubbornness.

An answer, almost without conscious thought, rolled uncontrollably from Shen Yuan's throat: "Beautiful."

Just as Shen Yuan finished speaking, Li Zhi raised his chin.

"Humph--"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like it had a hook.

There was no real anger in that "humph," but rather a strong sense of disgust and...smugness.
The girl's cheeks were also flushed with a sunset-like rosy blush, gleaming under the lamplight. After a brief silence, a perfectly precise and devastating blow came crashing down.

"Serlan!"

Her voice was clear and crisp, with perfect pronunciation, carrying the mix of a beautiful young girl's disdain and coquettishness.

"no……"

Shen Yuan opened his mouth.

Forget it, I'll just accept my fate.

Normal outfit, normal aesthetics.

Li Bao is dressed like this, how can he say it doesn't look good?

He's probably courting death.

Thinking of this, Shen Yuan no longer tried to look away, nor did he try to hide his thoughts that she had seen through. He even smiled slightly.

Shen Yuan stopped standing there awkwardly and instead took a step forward, walked straight to the chair where Li Zhi was sitting, and then sat down on his bed.

He leaned down slightly, his gaze meeting hers as she widened her eyes slightly as he approached, and then he grabbed her hand that was resting on the armrest.

Li Zhi's body tensed up for a moment.

She tried to pull her hand away, but his warm fingers gently held it, preventing her from succeeding. A mixture of embarrassment and sudden nervousness made her voice slightly unsteady:
"You...idiot! What are you doing?!"

Shen Yuan looked at her blushing face and said, "Nothing. I just think... you look especially good in this outfit today."

This was the second time tonight that he had been so direct and certain, no longer avoiding the question, and even making a pronouncement.

Li Zhi's ears burned as he was struck by the man's sudden openness and blunt words.

The smugness in her heart was instantly dispelled, replaced by shame that almost overwhelmed her.

To cover up her immense shame, she could only resort to her habitual counterattack mode, raising her voice slightly and trying to drown out her wavering with a somewhat aggressive and coquettish tone.

"Glib talker! You idiot Shen Yuan! Seran! Didn't I look good in my clothes before?! Do I have to dress like this to look good?!"

Shen Yuan shook his head: "It looked good before, but it's different today."

“What’s different?” Li Zhi asked Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan looked at her face, which was made even more vivid by shyness, and gently stroked the back of her hand that he was holding with his fingertips, feeling the warmth of the touch on her skin.

He leaned closer, his gaze fixed on her slightly widened eyes, in which his shadow was clearly reflected, and in the lamplight, there was a breathtaking beauty that he could hardly look away from.

He didn't answer directly, but instead slowly sent his burning gaze down her forehead, long eyelashes, and slightly reddened ears, across her soft off-white sweater, and finally settled on her long legs, perfectly encased in thick black stockings, with breathtakingly smooth lines.

This time, Shen Yuan's gaze no longer darted away, and he no longer looked as embarrassed as a thief caught red-handed.

A confident and open gaze, tinged with appreciation.

Shen Yuan raised his eyes to meet Li Zhi's gaze, which was filled with even more shame and indignation because of his undisguised stare, but deep in the girl's eyes, there was clearly a hint of expectation.

She hesitated for a long time before choosing those black pantyhose under her skirt!

Although she felt so ashamed when she put it on that she almost evaporated on the spot, at this moment, being looked at so intently by him, and feeling the strong attraction clearly conveyed in his gaze, a huge sense of satisfaction mixed with trepidation quietly grew under the guise of shame and indignation.

A woman should look good to those who please her.

If Shen Yuan weren't like this, why would she wear this?
Of course, there's another point: Li Zhi himself actually had a premonition.

This feeling reached its peak the moment Shen Yuan opened the door.

A familiar sweet scent wafted through the warmth, a faint peach fragrance that gently seeped into Shen Yuan's nostrils.

The fragrance he had caught in the classroom, in the hallway, and even when he ruffled her hair in his palm, now seemed exceptionally clear and alluring in this private and expectant atmosphere, making his heart itch and his breath hotter.

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he leaned forward slightly, raising his head to gaze intently at her.

Looking at the faint expectation in Li Zhi's eyes.

Suddenly, Shen Yuan had a feeling.

The moment this feeling arose, Shen Yuan's heart inevitably began to race.

“Li Zhi…”

Once a name is uttered, there is no turning back from the weighty words that follow.

The confession he had rehearsed repeatedly in his heart, the one he had tried to utter at the New Year's Eve, was now already on the bowstring, stuck in his throat.

My heart pounded so hard it hurt my chest, like a startled bird flapping its wings frantically, even drowning out the faint sound of the cat pouncing on the wall in the room.

He felt the palm of his hand holding hers instantly become hot and sticky, a thin layer of sweat seeping between his fingers, almost slipping away.

That long-held conviction, when it was finally about to be spoken, was like a sandcastle being tossed about by the tense waves.

He subconsciously increased the pressure between his fingers, as if he were grasping a piece of driftwood.

The sudden increase in force, and Shen Yuan's current appearance, were like a silent thunderclap, shattering the secret shyness, joy, and anticipation in Li Zhi's heart!
The smug feeling she had previously had towards his embarrassment vanished instantly, replaced by a strong tension that resonated with him, gripping her tightly!

What was surging in Shen Yuan's eyes at this moment far exceeded any simple praise she had expected to hear!
too suddenly.

Everything was beyond Li Zhi's expectations.

The girl felt her heartbeat suddenly amplify, coinciding with Shen Yuan's drumbeats, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Almost instinctively, the hand that Shen Yuan had been holding tightly in his palm was no longer a passive recipient.

Feeling the heat and dampness of his palm, and the clear trembling transmitted through it, Li Zhi's five fingers suddenly tightened and gripped each other!

Her slender, white fingertips exerted force instantly, gripping his sweaty hand just as tightly.

She wasn't even aware of how much force she was using; she was just instinctively trying to grab onto something.

It was as if only through these tightly clasped hands could they draw a sliver of oxygen from the impending storm.

Eyes facing each other.

The warmth emanating from the radiator, combined with the sweet taste of the peaches, was so intense it was almost suffocating.

Shen Yuan took a deep breath, the sound clearly audible in the silence, as if trying to calm the raging eagle in his chest.

His gaze was intense, no longer wavering.

Shen Yuan stared intently into Li Zhi's eyes, those clear, bright eyes that were now filled with his reflection, brimming with astonishment and anticipation.

In an instant, countless fragments flashed through Shen Yuan's mind, but they ultimately shattered and collapsed into the gaze of the person in front of him.

Just as Li Zhi felt she was about to melt away from the prolonged silence and intensely focused gaze, Shen Yuan spoke.

“Li Zhi…”

The last syllable of the name being called trembled slightly.

Then, the words that had been stuck in his throat, brewing for countless days and nights, and even rehearsed a million times in his dreams, were finally solemnly uttered, with a do-or-die courage, and with all the most sincere feelings of a young man.

"I like you."

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

His burning gaze, his hand gripping her so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and those four simple yet weighty words revealed his entire heart, leaving no room for concealment.

The moment the words were spoken, the room fell into an absolute silence.

Li Zhi's eyes clearly reflected Shen Yuan's tense and serious face.

He held his breath and waited.

The girl forgot to breathe, forgot to move, and could only stare at him blankly, as if trying to etch this moment, along with the words "I like you," deep into her mind. After a brief silence, a tear unexpectedly slid down from the corner of Li Zhi's reddened eye, reflecting the soft light in the room, clearly rolling down her fair cheek.

"Idiot Shen Yuan..."

Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls.

Shen Yuan hurriedly raised his hand to wipe it, but Li Zhi grabbed his sleeve.

The girl sniffed, forcing back a sob.

"I……!"

She nodded, sobbing as she revealed her true feelings: "I like you too."

Shen Yuan's tense body suddenly relaxed, and an unprecedented joy instantly filled his heart like warm spring water.

He reached out almost instinctively, his hand trembling slightly as he reached for Li Zhi.

Li Zhi let out a soft cry, and before the sob with a heavy nasal tone could even finish, he was pulled into his arms.

The moment the girl's soft body crashed into his chest, the scent of peaches and the dampness of her tears rushed in.

Shen Yuan's arms were tightly wrapped around her slender shoulders and back, his chin resting against her slightly trembling temples, truly feeling the weight and reality of this belated embrace.

He could even feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest, mingling with her equally rapid breathing.

"Woo..."

Li Zhi buried his face deep into the soft fabric of his sweater, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

The girl could no longer hold back her tears, letting them flow freely. Her sobbing voice came from Shen Yuan's chest, mixed with incoherent complaints and shame.

"Idiot...Idiot Shen Yuan! Waaah...why, why so suddenly?! I wasn't prepared at all...you made me...make me..."

She clenched her small fists and weakly punched them in front of him, which was less of a protest and more of an outlet for her emotions.

"No way...no way you just blurted that out like that! You scared me to death! You idiot!!"

Tears soaked the front of Shen Yuan's sweater, leaving it scalding hot.

He listened to the girl in his arms's accusations, filled with immense grievance and lingering fear, feeling both heartache and amusement, yet his heart felt as if it were soaked in honey.

"sorry Sorry……"

Shen Yuan's voice was deep and gentle, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor. He tightened his arms around her, as if trying to absorb all her helplessness and tears into his own body, and also trying to soothe her sudden shock with his embrace.

He turned his head to the side, his nose almost touching the top of her head, greedily inhaling her sweet scent, his voice as soft as a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Li Zhi, I really don't want to wait anymore."

Shen Yuan's throat tightened slightly. He looked down at the girl in his arms, his fingers gently tracing the corners of her moist eyes. His voice was low and sincere:
"I've been looking forward to this day ever since the monthly exam results came out."

He paused, his chest heaving slightly, as if he were about to unleash all the pent-up emotions: "I originally planned to say it during the New Year's countdown, wanting to create a perfect sense of ceremony..."

"But, but just now, that was the only sentence that was on my mind."

"Humph!"

Li Zhi pouted, lifted her head slightly from his chest, stared at him with teary eyes, her voice still nasal and hoarse from crying, yet clearly revealing a hint of grievance and reproach.

"Then why didn't you say so sooner?! Why did you have to wait until now! You idiot! Did you think I would disagree?!"

Shen Yuan was stunned by this sudden question, his eyes widened abruptly, and his pupils contracted slightly, as if he had been struck by lightning.

He froze on the spot, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, but he couldn't make a sound.

After a moment of stunned surprise, a surge of warmth rushed into his heart.

Shen Yuan suddenly grinned, his eyes and eyebrows curving into a mischievous arc. The solemnity he had shown when he confessed his love was completely washed away, leaving only the wickedness of a triumphant young man.

He deliberately moved closer, his warm breath almost brushing against her wet eyelashes, his voice low and soft.

"So Li Bao was in such a hurry?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Shen Yuan received a solid, not-too-light, but not-too-heavy kick to the calf.

Li Zhi was both embarrassed and annoyed by his teasing, and kicked him angrily with her foot encased in pantyhose.

"Go to hell! You're just teasing me! You're just bullying me!"

"Shen Yuan, you idiot! You big idiot!! Ahhh—!!"

Li Zhi simply buried her face in his chest, nuzzling and pushing against him like a cat with its fur standing on end.

Warm tears continued to fall, soaking into Shen Yuan's soft sweater and creating even deeper water stains.

She could feel the boy's chest vibrating slightly from his silent laughter, which annoyed her even more. She clenched her fist and pounded it on his shoulder, the force less like an outburst and more like a defiant declaration.

"Idiot! Fool! I hate you! I hate you!"

Li Zhi mumbled incoherently, her chin stubbornly pressed against his chest, but her body showed no intention of breaking free, and Shen Yuan held her in his arms even more tightly and firmly.

The only sound in the air was the girl's sobbing, her voice thick with nasal congestion, repeatedly uttering those two words: "...idiot...idiot! idiot!!"

Shen Yuan obediently responded with "Mmm," but the corners of his mouth curved upwards even higher.

He gently rested his chin on the top of her head, tightening his arms around her as if embracing the most precious star in the entire universe, the one that was being unreasonable in his arms.

Feeling the sweet, aggrieved sobs of the person in his arms, Shen Yuan's heart softened completely.

"Li Bao, be good..."

Shen Yuan's deep, gentle voice sounded above her head, filled with almost overflowing doting affection.

He loosened his grip slightly, but still held her firmly in his arms.

He tilted his head slightly and carefully lowered his face, trying to see the expression on her face hidden in the fabric.

Li Zhi raised her head, her face streaked with tears, but the tears had stopped.

Shen Yuan slightly curled his fingers, his warm fingertips gently stroking Li Zhi's damp and slightly hot eyes with an almost cautious touch.

The delicate touch of his fingertips and the cool dampness of his tears made his heart tremble slightly.

"Be good, stop crying."

"Humph……"

A very soft, nasal sound, accompanied by a whimper like that of a small animal, escaped from her throat.

The sound was less of a whimper and more of a sign of coquetry.

Holding Li Zhi in his arms, Shen Yuan asked a rather tempting question: "Want some ice cream?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi's eyes lit up immediately.

The girl nodded repeatedly.

"I'll go get it, wait for me a moment."

As soon as Shen Yuan finished speaking, he realized that Li Zhi had not let go of his arms.

Even more so, the arms that were already tightly wrapped around his waist tightened slightly, and she buried her face even deeper into the warm collar of his down jacket and the warm crook of his neck.

At this moment, the girl seemed like a tired yet content little animal that had finally found shelter.

In the warm, cozy air, Li Zhi let out a soft, muffled groan, tinged with a lingering sob: "...idiot..."

The sound seeped out from between the fabric gaps, the last syllable drawn out. It was no longer the distant reprimand it usually gave, but rather a faint protest, or a declaration of refusal to let go.

"...Let's hug for a little longer."

These almost whispered words were so light that Shen Yuan, who was about to take a step, immediately froze in place.

"Okay." Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he tightened his arms around her, making his previously light embrace even stronger.

He gently rested his chin on the top of her soft hair, smelling the faint peach scent in her hair, and feeling this belated but incredibly reassuring intimacy.

A heavy, warm feeling filled the boy's chest, and he could no longer suppress the smile on his lips.

But a moment later, Shen Yuan's wicked thoughts resurfaced.

"Hey, how about we sit on the bed for a bit later?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Zhi, who had been burying his face in the crook of his neck and was still whimpering softly, suddenly raised his head!
Under the lamplight, the girl's face was still flushed with embarrassment, and there were even traces of tears from before. But there was no trace of confusion or weakness in her eyes at this moment, only astonishment at Shen Yuan's boldness.

"Shen Yuan, you idiot!!!"

Li Zhi's voice suddenly rose, filled with intense shame and indignation.

She didn't even care about her tear-streaked eyelashes; her long legs, encased in thick black pantyhose, delivered a precise kick to the outside of Shen Yuan's calf!

"You Thran!! You've only been confessing your feelings for a few minutes and you're already thinking about these things?? You're a big Thran! A super big Thran!!!"

The girl's voice was fast and urgent, with a slight tremor and crack, and every "Selan" made Shen Yuan's ears ring.

The girl's cheeks flushed a fiery red, even more so than when he had complimented her legs earlier.

Shen Yuan felt helpless in the face of Li Zhi's accusations.

"No, listen to me."

"You say it!" Li Zhi glared at Shen Yuan, his eyes seeming to say, "I'd like to see what you have to say."

Shen Yuan raised his hand and touched her soft, long hair: "First of all, if we don't sit on the bed, are we supposed to sit on a chair?"

Li Zhi turned around and glanced at the chair that was now far away from him.

"There's only one chair. If I want to hug you, you have to sit on my lap. That's even more wrong."

Li Zhi blinked and imagined herself sitting on Shen Yuan's lap.

This... let's forget about it, it's too early.

"If we have to sit on a chair, we can't exactly sit on the floor, can we?"

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi sincerely: "In conclusion, the only option is to sit on the bed."

Hearing Shen Yuan's twisted logic, Li Zhi was so angry that she kicked him again.

"You always have so many reasons!" she muttered under her breath, glaring fiercely at Shen Yuan. "Go get me some ice cream, I'm craving it."

"Okay! Then wait for me for a moment!"

Shen Yuan couldn't help but grin, a smile that was both silly and incredibly satisfying.

After saying that, Shen Yuan loosened his grip on Li Zhi slightly, and the beautiful girl naturally slipped out of his arms.

"I'll get it now!"

Shen Yuan rushed to the door in a few steps and then walked towards the refrigerator.

Li Zhi watched Shen Yuan leave, then her gaze fell on his bed.

Shen Yuan had clearly made a lot of preparations for today's New Year's Eve.

The duvet cover in front of me is even lined with fleece; you can imagine how comfortable it would be to lie on.

She gently bit her lip; the comforting feeling from being lifted up was still warm, mingling with the warmth of the room.

Looking around, I realized I had just sat in that chair, and sitting back down would seem a bit contrived.

The girl slowly walked closer to the bedside.

The subtle shyness that arose from "sitting on the bed" had not completely disappeared, but soon another feeling took over her heart.

Anyway, it's not like I've never been up there before.

Shen Yuan, that idiot, said he was just going to sit for a bit... so let's sit down!
Li Zhi walked to the bedside and stood still, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.

The girl gathered her skirt, then sat on the bed, and slowly, little by little, shifted her weight into the depths of the mattress.

She could clearly feel the thick, soft mattress slowly sinking down beneath her, and that feeling of being enveloped followed.

Her toes left the ground, and her body landed completely on the large bed that belonged to Shen Yuan.

It's no longer just a tentative step by the bedside, but the central area of ​​the entire bed.

The moment I was firmly seated, a soft, warm sensation spread from beneath me, smoothing out any lingering anxiety.

My legs sank into the soft bedding, and I felt incredibly relaxed.

She unconsciously moved a little further in, allowing her back to relax slightly so she could lean against the soft headboard.

This feeling... is really comfortable.

Li Zhi subconsciously let out a soft breath. The slight emptiness he felt earlier because of the confession and Shen Yuan's departure seemed to be filled by this soft and warm nest.

Her arms, which had been wrapped around her, loosened, and one hand unconsciously rested on the bed beside her, her fingertips sinking slightly into the soft down.

The only sounds in the room were the soft, soothing background music from the projector and the occasional noises from Sangeng and Naonao, who were drawn to the light and shadow.

Li Zhi's gaze was fixed on the doorway, but her entire weight was firmly resting on the bed that completely embraced her. The blush on her cheeks spread under the warm light, carrying a languid feeling of having let down her guard.

Now we're just waiting for that idiot to bring the ice cream...

She muttered to herself, but the corners of her lips involuntarily curved upwards into a small arc.

In that instant, Li Zhi thought of all the things that had happened since the start of her senior year of high school.

The thought of that moonlit night, when Shen Yuan first took her hand, even though it was only her wrist, still makes her heart race.

Then he scratched his own toes, forcing himself to call him brother.

Watching a movie together was also the first time the two began to subtly express their feelings for each other.

Then I made him Xi Shi Tofu, and he grabbed my feet and pinched them for a while.

A pillow fight, and a hug through the blankets.

Later on, I seemed to have become somewhat immune to this guy's foot massage, and I even deliberately wore thin socks...

Then there was Shen Yuan's reaction...

Just thinking about this made Li Zhi's cheeks burn.

After that, we explored Hangzhou.

Although brief, it left a deep impression on Li Zhi.

Especially when I was at Faxi Temple.

"What we have between us doesn't need any divine intervention."

The words she had said echoed in her mind, and Li Zhi pursed her lips.

Doesn't the word on the plaque at the entrance of Faxi Temple match what you said?
Don't look outside for help.

Just then, with a soft "click," the door was gently pushed open.

Shen Yuan walked into the room with an ice cream cone in his hand.

"Li Bao, the ice cream is here." He still had the joy of successfully confessing his feelings on his face.

However, what he saw made him freeze in place instantly.

In the center of the bed.

Li Zhi leaned against the headboard, her knees naturally bent, her long legs naturally crossed.

Those slender legs, perfectly encased in thick black pantyhose, were crossed in an elegant yet somewhat unguarded manner.

The soft, matte black fabric obediently outlines the graceful curve of the calves, extending to the inner thighs, and is tapered at the edge of the skirt, revealing a subtle yet strikingly alluring beauty at the intersection of light and shadow.

She seemed to have just found a more comfortable position, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him.

The girl's clear eyes reflected the warm light, pure and captivating, but the visual impact of her sitting posture was a hundred times stronger than she realized.

Does this brat not realize how dangerous she is?

At this moment, Li Zhi seemed to notice the overly intense gaze on him, and her eyes subconsciously followed his gaze back to her crossed legs.

“…idiot!” The girl’s face flushed instantly, a vibrant red spreading from her neck to the tips of her ears.

But this time, Li Zhi did not reject Shen Yuan's gaze.

"What are you looking at! Are you standing at the door like a gatekeeper?!"

Shen Yuan snapped out of his daze at the reprimand, then quickly went to the bedside and handed the ice cream to Li Zhi.

When Li Zhi saw the ice cream being handed to him, his eyes lit up instantly, as if they were filled with stars.

The blush and tear stains on her face were still wet, but the anticipation of her craving instantly brightened her eyes and dispelled her previous shyness.

She naturally reached out her hand, and the moment her fingertips touched the cool packaging, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upwards slightly.

"Thanks."

She took the ice cream, her voice still carrying a hint of the soft, nasal tone she had just uttered from crying.

However, her next action made Shen Yuan's heart skip a beat.

Li Zhi put the ice cream in his other hand and then patted the blanket next to him.

The movements were casual and natural, carrying a sense of self-righteous possessiveness and intimacy.

Li Zhi raised her chin slightly, looking at Shen Yuan who was still standing on the edge of the bed, her eyes clear yet with a hint of cunning.

Her voice, though soft, echoed clearly in the warm and inviting room, just like that of the lady of the house.

"Sit down, boyfriend."

　This is my first time writing a confession, so I'm a little nervous, since my wife and I have never actually confessed our feelings to each other in a proper way.

　　And now there are still 23 chapters to go!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)