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

Chapter 237 Can I kiss you now?

The moment Li Zhiqing announced "total score 665", Shen Yuan's pupils dilated suddenly, his blood seemed to rush to his head, and his fingers clenched tightly under the table with extreme excitement, his knuckles turning white.

His Adam's apple bobbed violently twice, as if he were swallowing an enormous, indigestible surprise.

The next second, he was suddenly thrown up from his seat as if he had been launched by a spring!

The chair and the table collided violently, making a screeching sound that instantly startled the whole class, which had been buzzing with excitement because of the report cards.

"Holy crap! 665! I got 665!"

The profanity that slipped out was mixed with his ecstatic, cracking voice, and for a moment, everyone in the classroom turned their attention to Shen Yuan.

The classroom fell into absolute silence for a moment.

Immediately following, like a chain reaction, various subtle gasps and uncontrollable low moans arose from all directions.

"Hiss... How much?! 665?!"

"What the hell?! Really fake?!"

"Shen Yuan? He got 665? My god..."

The gazes directed at Shen Yuan instantly turned intense and shocked.

In the city-wide joint exam at the end of the first semester of my senior year, I scored 665 points!
If this performance holds up, it will definitely be a record that will be enough to get into a top university.

Several students who usually rank at the top of their class subconsciously pushed up their glasses and frowned slightly as they looked in the direction where the report cards were posted, seemingly silently confirming the accuracy of this explosive news.

The previously noisy discussions were eerily subsided because of this score, leaving only occasional gasps of amazement and confirmation.

Amidst the subconscious stares and whispers of the crowd, only A-Jie beside Yang Ze seemed out of place.

He was holding a thermos, the shock on his face not yet completely gone.

However, when the number "665" hit his ears like a hammer blow, he visibly stiffened.

A-Jie turned his head blankly, no longer looking at the center of the noise, but lowered his head, his gaze fixed on the photo of his report card that he had just taken on his phone.

Next to that familiar name in the middle to lower ranks was a score so glaring it made him gasp for breath, a score far, far below his most optimistic estimate.

Yang Ze felt the stiffness of the person next to him. He turned his head and saw that A-Jie had taken a deep breath, his chest heaving.

His slightly overweight body shrunk in the chair, his neck arched slightly, like a wilted quail.

He gripped the thermos tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if it were the only straw he could grasp when he was drowning.

His Adam's apple bobbed a few times with difficulty, but he couldn't make a sound. Only his shoulders slumped down, leaving behind a sad silhouette that had been instantly drained of strength by immense loss.

The pale winter afternoon sun shone on him, silently amplifying his loneliness and frustration, which seemed so out of place amidst the surrounding hustle and bustle.

Yang Ze patted A-Jie on the shoulder: "I said, how about we stop writing 'Silent Reading'? We'll have plenty of time for creative work later. For now, let's focus on our studies and catch up on our learning?"

Just when Yang Ze thought his words of comfort had touched his brother's heart—A-Jie suddenly raised his head.

His eyes were indeed a little red, but the expression on his face at this moment was not the frustration or emotion that Yang Ze had expected. Instead, it was a strange look that was a mixture of anxiety and grievance.

“Ze, I know you mean well, but…”

Ah Jie handed the thermos to Yang Ze, pointing to a suspicious dark brown water stain on the edge of the lid, his voice filled with genuine grief and indignation.

"I got so excited my hand slipped! My expensive Starbucks Americano that I bought this morning! It spilled! It ran down the lid and onto the inside of my cup! My heart is bleeding! It hurts a hundred times more than seeing that lousy score!!"

Yang Ze's hand, which was patting A-Jie's shoulder, froze instantly.

The expression on his face, which had just been one of sincere concern, began to crumble at a visible speed.

His lips seemed to be trying to maintain an understanding smile, but then, amidst A-Jie's heartbroken roar about coffee, they twitched slightly, with extreme subtlety and difficulty.

Yang Ze silently withdrew his hand from A-Jie's shoulder, and then quickly restrained A-Jie.

"Smash him!!"

"Hey! Bro! Let me put the coffee away!" Ah Jie quickly put the coffee away, then was happily carried to the back door of the classroom.

Shortly after, Ah Jie's screams rang out.

But Shen Yuan had completely lost interest in this matter.

The noise in the classroom receded like the tide, and the gazes that had been directed at them gradually turned back to their report cards. Only the sound of turning over papers and hushed conversations remained in the classroom.

Shen Yuan's violent heartbeat gradually calmed down. When he sat down again, he knocked over the pencil case on the table, and several pens rolled to Li Zhi's side.

Li Zhi lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently pressing the rolling highlighter. When she looked up again, she met Shen Yuan's burning gaze—a gaze that seemed to have hooks, landing directly on her lips.

The air suddenly became thick and sticky.

Li Zhi's throat moved slightly, then he suddenly raised his hand and lightly poked Li Zhi's chest with his fingertips, his voice extremely low, like a feather brushing against his eardrum: "665, I understand."

She spoke very quickly, but her voice trembled slightly at the end.

Upon hearing Li Zhi's words, he leaned forward slightly.

But before Shen Yuan could speak, the beautiful girl delivered a warning that was both embarrassed and exceptionally clear, her small earlobes turning bright red.

"Shen Yuan! You dare to try anything funny here?!"

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and a wicked smile, full of arrogance, spread across his face. He let out a low, knowing laugh.

The boy leaned forward slightly again, his warm breath almost brushing against her burning earlobe.

Shen Yuan responded in a whisper that only the two of them could hear, each word filled with an overwhelming sense of expectation and teasing: "Understood, Li Bao."

The boy's eyes shone like burning stars, and his voice, though light, carried a weight that struck her heart.

"Winter break is coming up next!"

"Hmph! Thran!"

Li Zhi felt that his breath was incredibly hot, and the subtext behind his words "winter vacation" was so direct that it made her heart tremble.

The beautiful girl abruptly turned her face away, her cheeks burning.

Embarrassed and annoyed, she turned around and glared at Shen Yuan again.

"Humph!"

Li Zhiming clearly wanted to appear fierce, but her eyes were both coquettish and reproachful, and the shimmering light in her watery eyes revealed her unconcealable shyness, even causing her small nose to wrinkle slightly.

Almost as if fleeing in panic, Li Zhi suddenly lowered her head, her gaze fixed on Shen Yuan's phone.

"Hmph! I'm ignoring you now, I'm going to check my grades."

The pretty girl slid lightly across the phone screen and found her score almost instantly.

Shen Yuan was also very curious about Li Bao's grades, so he naturally peeked over.

The boy's body naturally rubbed against the girl's, his arm touching hers, his chin almost resting on her shoulder, his warm breath deliberately brushing against her sensitive neck.

"Let me see how many points my girlfriend got on the test?" The boy's sweet, sticky voice carried a hint of coquetry, deep and alluring.

"My son Li Bao must have done exceptionally well on the exam; I need to take a good look at him!"

Li Zhi felt ticklish from his rubbing, and her ears turned even redder, but she forced herself to remain calm and ignore his shameless behavior.

The girl's finger zoomed in on her line in the screenshot of the report card.

Shen Yuanzheng waited smugly to see the results, his gaze falling on Li Zhi's phone screen.

boom!
It felt like being struck on the head by an invisible hammer!
Chinese 130, Math 145, English 145, Science 281. Total score 701.

The smile on Shen Yuan's face froze instantly, like an ice sculpture in winter suddenly exposed to the scorching sun!
His smugness as he rubbed against Li Zhi's shoulder vanished completely, and he was utterly stunned.

He stiffly twisted his neck and looked at the beautiful girl beside him with an incredulous gaze.

Li Zhi simply turned her head to the side, raised an eyebrow at him, parted her pink lips slightly, and spoke with a tone of utter confusion, as if asking him if the weather was nice.

"Oh dear, it seems someone's dream of getting a marriage certificate might not be going to come true~"

The shock on Shen Yuan's face gradually faded, finally settling into a smile that mixed helplessness and defiance.

The boy raised his hand, habitually touched the back of his neck, and made a "tsk" sound with a complicated meaning.

"701..."

The boy read the score aloud in a low voice, as if he were chewing on a hard fruit pit.

He looked into Li Zhi's bright eyes, which held a mischievous smile, took a deep breath, then raised his chin and broke into an extremely serious smile.

"Look, Li Bao, here's your score..."

Shen Yuan drawled, tapping the total score on Li Zhi's phone screen with his finger: "It's quite frightening. But..."

The boy paused slightly, his gaze returning to its burning intensity and unwavering resolve, the curve of his lips conveying an undeniable confidence.

"It's still early! It's only the first semester's final exams."

Shen Yuan raised his voice a few decibels, as if he were declaring war on Li Zhi, or as if he were cheering himself on.

"Just wait! One day, I'll definitely surpass you!"

Li Zhi looked at the idiot beside him whose eyes shone brightly and whose tone was full of indomitable fighting spirit.

The beautiful girl's eyes curved slightly at the corners, and the ripples that had arisen from his earnest fighting spirit quickly dissipated.

Instead of immediately mocking or belittling her as usual, she unusually softened her tone.

Li Zhi turned slightly to the side, her clear eyes looking directly into Shen Yuan's eyes.

Her porcelain-white cheeks were illuminated by the faint light from the window, and Shen Yuan's face was clearly reflected in her eyes.

"Okay."

The girl's voice was soft, yet as clear and crisp as a spring stream crashing against pebbles, carrying an undeniable certainty that clearly reached Shen Yuan's ears.

"I'm waiting to see...when you'll finally surpass me."

After saying that, Li Zhi leaned close to Shen Yuan's ear, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the back of his hand, her warm breath carrying a faint sweetness, deliberately swirling around his sensitive earlobe.

"Boyfriend~ Don't keep me...waiting too long~"

Shen Yuan's breath hitched suddenly.

The deliberately slowed tone of voice was like a tiny electric current drilling into his eardrums, both tingling and numb, traveling down his spine and invigorating his yang energy.

The girl's eyes clearly reflected her own image, and a captivating smile played on her lips.

Shen Yuan felt that the girl's words were like a carefully woven net, which almost instantly transformed his surging fighting spirit into another, even more intense and unbearable emotion.

broken!

Shen Yuan's heart pounded like a drum, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

This girl...

Alarm bells were ringing in Shen Yuan's mind.

Li Bao seems to be...

She's gone further and further down the path of being a bad woman!

That familiar heat, easily stirred up by her words, began to stir again in my lower abdomen.

Shen Yuan almost immediately recalled the unspeakable life-or-death struggle he had with the bathroom early that morning.

Yaoshou!

The boy outwardly feigned composure, but inwardly he was wailing with despair.

He watched as Li Zhi turned away quickly with a triumphant smile, leaving him with only a slender and hateful back of her head.

How are we supposed to learn like this?! How are we supposed to take the exams like this?!

……

Li Zhi pretended to sit up straight and turned his attention back to the exercise book.

However, the fingertips holding the pen curled slightly at the edge of the page, but not a single symbol was written.

The beautiful girl lowered her eyes, her long, thick eyelashes trembling slightly, her gaze cautiously sneaking towards Shen Yuan beside her.

The beautiful girl could clearly see the boy's body lines, which were forced into tension, and that his hands, resting on his knees, were unconsciously clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.

It allows for a clearer capture of the tense curve of his neck as his Adam's apple moves.

Shen Yuan hunched his back slightly in an extremely awkward yet seemingly natural posture, as if struggling against an invisible weight. His handsome brows furrowed into a suppressed knot, and his breathing was several degrees heavier than usual.

That embarrassed yet restrained look was completely caught in Li Zhi's deliberately concealed peripheral vision.

An indescribable sense of pride, like tiny bubbles, burst open in the young girl's heart.

Ha, you stinking idiot!
Serves you right for being so cocky! Serves you right for always thinking about those trivial things! Serves you right for getting a 665 and becoming so arrogant!
Now look what happened! Have you tasted the consequences of flirting and running away? Feeling frustrated? Feeling bad?
Li Zhiqiang suppressed the corners of his mouth, not letting the upward curve of his joy reveal itself in the slightest, but his slightly narrowed eyes were filled with a sly little triumph amidst the shimmering water.

……

Time slipped by quietly, and the winter sun slanted into the classroom.

In the classroom, the students of Class 15, or rather the entire senior class, were already quite impatient.

As the get out of class bell rang.

Old Zhou cleared his throat: "Alright, everyone! Winter break officially starts this afternoon. Pack your things and get ready to leave school. Remember to review during the break, and return to school on time on the eighth day of the first lunar month!"

The moment the words were spoken, the classroom erupted in cheers. The students cheered, and the noise of packing their books and bags filled the air.

"We're on holiday!!"

Ah Jie's howls almost lifted the ceiling. He haphazardly swept his winter vacation homework into his schoolbag and was the first to rush to the door.

"Finally, it's vacation time!!"

"Wuhu! It's liberated!"

"Ah—! Finally, I can rest!"

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi had already packed up their winter vacation homework and picked up their schoolbags.

Li Zhi stood up, her down jacket zipped up tightly, her scarf casually wrapped around her neck twice, revealing a small portion of her porcelain-white and delicate face.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder and looked at Shen Yuan, who was already waiting to the side with his backpack on.

"Let's go, you idiot," she said, stepping out of the classroom, her ponytail swaying gently behind her head.

Shen Yuan immediately followed, and with an extremely natural movement, took Li Zhi's hand that was hanging by his side.

Her cool hand recoiled slightly, only to be gripped even tighter by Shen Yuan, his warm palm completely enveloping her fingers.

The corridor was bustling with noise as excited students surged toward the stairs and the school gate.

The winter sun brought afternoon warmth, but the temperature remained cold.

"hiss--"

A gust of cold wind made Li Zhi shrink his neck involuntarily, and almost instinctively moved closer to the "human heater" next to him.

Shen Yuan immediately sensed her subtle movement, released her hand, and then naturally changed his posture, directly pulling her half into his arms.

His large hands covered her shoulders through her down jacket, and his warm body heat flowed over her continuously.

Shen Yuan lowered his head and whispered in her ear, a hint of smug satisfaction in his voice: "You're not cold anymore, are you?"

Li Zhi's body tensed up instantly, her earlobes turning a deep, translucent red.

"Hmph! At least you're not completely useless as a boyfriend!"

The two of them walked through the noisy corridors and the gates of the teaching building amidst the eager crowds of people heading home.

The last rays of the setting sun stretched their shadows long, casting them onto the cold concrete ground.

The winter chill outside the door was overwhelming, creating a stark contrast with the remaining warmth of the teaching building.

Shen Yuan tightened his grip on Li Zhi's arm, protecting her more closely by his side, and strode into the crowd heading towards the school gate.

Li Zhiye subconsciously snuggled even closer.

After turning the corner past the school gate, away from the noisiest area, the surroundings became a little quieter.

Li Zhiwen's soft body pressed against his arm, and the familiar peach scent from her hair lingered around his nose with each breath.

Shen Yuan lowered his head, his gaze falling on the girl's ear tips, which were slightly red from the cold wind. Her fair and delicate skin seemed to glow under the dim streetlights.

A mischievous thought suddenly arose in the boy's mind.

He tightened his grip on Li Zhi's shoulder slightly and leaned to the side.

That warm breath almost brushed against Li Zhi's sensitive earlobe, and a deep voice rang out clearly:
“Li Bao…”

Shen Yuan paused, as if gathering the last bit of courage to speak, then his burning gaze went straight into Li Zhi's eyes, which she had turned to look at, as if trying to see into the deepest part of her clear eyes.

"So...can I kiss you now?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating violent ripples in Li Zhi's heart.

Li Zhi's body stiffened abruptly, and her porcelain-white cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed, burning from her cheeks all the way down to her neck.

She suddenly turned her head, her bright eyes filled with utter astonishment and disbelief as she stared intently at Shen Yuan.

"what?!"

The girl's voice rose sharply due to extreme embarrassment, with a slightly shrill ending.

She quickly struggled to pull herself away from Shen Yuan's arms, though the distance was negligible.

Li Zhi was both angry and annoyed to see this idiot in front of her who dared to be so arrogant after only scoring 665 on the exam, whose mind was full of crooked thoughts.

"Selan!!!" The beautiful girl's voice was filled with disgust and embarrassment.

"Shen Yuan! Can't you think of anything else all day?! You're already thinking about this as soon as the holiday starts! Can't you wait even a moment longer?!"

She angrily raised her foot, as if to kick Shen Yuan's shin, but the movement was not powerful; it was more like a venting of anger and humiliation.

After Li Zhi finished speaking, he glared at Shen Yuan fiercely, as if he were looking at a hopeless idiot.

Beneath that fierce anger, Shen Yuan caught a glimpse of panic and shyness flashing across her eyes, hidden beneath her thick eyelashes.

Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan and subconsciously hid her burning cheeks under her scarf.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi, who was clearly nervous but pretended to be fierce, and couldn't help but smile.

Although I was scolded, it seems... I wasn't completely rejected?

After all... Li Bao is actually quite trustworthy.

The two of them walked back to their doorstep, nestled together.

As soon as the elevator rang, Shen Yuan instinctively let go of his hand. Although Lao Li had liked Li Zhi's official announcement on WeChat Moments, Shen Yuan was still a little intimidated when he saw his future father-in-law.

He's a coward.

Shen Yuan watched as Li Zhi took out his keys and, almost as if possessed, asked, "Li Bao, um... are you coming over tonight? To do our homework together?"

Li Zhi paused, the key stuck in the lock.

She turned around abruptly, her eyes wide.

"what?"

The girl's voice rose instantly, a mixture of shame, anger, and disbelief: "Thran! What are you thinking! I'm not coming!"

She yanked open the door, as if to sever this idiot's ambitions, and quickly added insult to injury: "Go back and do your test! Stop thinking about these underhanded tricks!"

After saying that, as if afraid that Shen Yuan would pester her again, Li Zhi slammed the door shut with a "bang".

The sound of the door closing was particularly abrupt in the quiet hallway.

Shen Yuan stood there, staring at the tightly closed door.

"That arrogant brat..." the boy muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

Then, Shen Yuan turned and walked towards home, the young man not in a hurry.

After all, it's winter break... there's plenty of time in the future.

Inside the door, Li Zhi's back was pressed tightly against the cold door panel.

Shen Yuan's words, "Can I kiss you now?" echoed in my mind like a demonic chant, endlessly looping and amplifying, each replay bringing a strong pang of heart palpitations.

"You...you idiot Shen Yuan!" she cursed under her breath, her voice soft and trembling, completely lacking its usual sharpness.

The pretty girl stomped her foot hard, as if she wanted to crush that hateful figure.

She rushed into her bedroom and carelessly threw her schoolbag on the floor.

She then collapsed onto the soft bed as if all her strength had left her, burying her burning face deep into the soft pillows.

"Kiss what... Dream on!" A muffled voice came from under the pillow, but the fingers unconsciously tightened around the edge of the pillowcase.

However, when I closed my eyes, it was as if an invisible candle was lit in the darkness.

For some reason, an incredibly clear image suddenly flashed into her mind—not the hasty kiss that night on Shen Yuan's lips, but a completely different scene that made her stop breathing.

That was Shen Yuan's face, its features sharp and defined under the warm yellow light, his eyes burning with a intensity that seemed to engulf him.

No longer with restraint or surprise, but with absolute focus and irresistible force, his breath pressed down heavily, tightly capturing her lips.

It was no longer a light brush against the corner of the mouth; it was a real kiss.

A tingling, almost suffocating sensation instantly spread throughout my body, and even my toes curled up involuntarily.

"Well--!"

Li Zhi suddenly opened his eyes, letting out a short, startled gasp in the silent room. His chest heaved violently, as if he had just experienced an intense, oxygen-deprived struggle.

It was just a fantasy, but the impact was a hundred times stronger than actually kissing someone on the cheek!
She buried her burning cheeks in the pillow again, like an ostrich, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

This is so embarrassing!

How could she have imagined...imagined such a scene?!

In her panic, Li Zhi recalled that night when she lay on top of Shen Yuan, made him close his eyes, and then gently pressed her lips to his...

That clumsy, light kiss became the only "reliance" and "evidence" at that moment, and a strange sense of confidence broke through the waves of shyness.

Li Zhi took a deep breath, as if trying to draw some kind of power.

What are you afraid of!
Anyway... it's not like we haven't kissed before!
The corner of the mouth... that's a kiss too!
We kissed a long time ago! That's all! What's the big deal? And there's nothing to be afraid of!

We've already kissed! What's a little distance between us now?!
Yes! That's right! What wouldn't she, Li Zhi, dare to do!

It's not like you haven't done this before! You dared to kiss me back then, are you going to chicken out now?!
The thought seemed to possess a magical quality, instantly dispelling the panic and helplessness brought on by the imagined scene.

The beautiful girl clenched her fist tightly, as if making some kind of decision to herself.

Her pink lips clenched and then relaxed, finally squeezing out a trembling declaration from between her teeth, as if to embolden herself and to declare war on the idiot who had made her lose her composure.

"Hmph! Afraid of you?! Anyway... we've already kissed!"

After saying this, Li Zhi felt that the burning sensation on her cheeks not only did not subside, but instead rose to a whole new level.

The beautiful girl suddenly rolled over on the bed, burying her face even deeper, leaving only her messy hair and bright red ear tips exposed to the cold air.

"Hmph! I'm staying home these next couple of days anyway. If you're so capable, come and kiss me right under Lao Li's nose!"

My heart was still pounding like a drum, but deep within that indescribable embarrassment, a secret courage, like throwing caution to the wind, was quietly sprouting.

But Li Zhi soon realized that he had made a mistake.

She is on vacation, that's true, but Lao Li and Ms. Xu Chan are not on vacation yet!
Similarly, Mr. Shen and Ms. Zhang Yuyan next door did not take a holiday either.

Then Li Zhi discovered this on the morning of the next day.

Seeing Lao Li and his mother getting ready to leave for work, Li Zhi was momentarily stunned.

Xu Chan looked at Li Zhi and said softly, "Zhizhi, you'll have to eat lunch at home by yourself. Oh, by the way, Shen Yuan will also have to take care of himself for lunch. Do you want to..."

Seeing the teasing look in her mother's eyes, Li Zhi blushed instantly.

"do not want!"

Li Zhi snorted.

At this moment, the beautiful girl realized something.

Today is the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. Old Li and Mom won't get their day off until tomorrow, so...

For the next two days, she and Shen Yuan were the only people on floor 19A during the daytime.

Misstep...

Winter break has started, but there are still two days to go before the real fun and the days when my parents will be feeding me!
Right now, she and that silly guy who's only thinking about "kissing" have to figure out how to make their crucial lunch together.

"Shen Yuan, the idiot..."

Li Zhi muttered something under his breath as he looked at the empty living room. His tone was a mix of annoyance at having his plans ruined and a little bit of helplessness.

The next second, as if by some kind of telepathy, her phone vibrated in her pocket.

The idiot's name suddenly appeared on the screen.

Li Zhi hovered his fingertip above the screen, watching the name flashing incessantly. After a few seconds, he gently swiped to answer the call.

“Hello…” Li Zhi’s voice rang out in the empty living room, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

On the other end of the phone, Shen Yuan's voice came through the receiver, deep and clear, instantly filling the silence around her: "Li Bao? Is she home?"

An opening line that asks a question one already knows the answer to.

"Hmm..." Li Zhi responded, her cheeks inexplicably starting to heat up again.

A brief silence followed, and it was as if they could hear each other's breathing through the electric current.

"What's wrong, you idiot?" Li Zhi tried his best to make his voice sound normal.

"cough…"

Shen Yuan cleared his throat, as if organizing his thoughts, but the last syllable rose slightly, carrying a clear sense of purpose in his probing.

"Well, my parents went to work. What are your plans for today?"

On the other end of the phone, Li Zhi's heartbeat seemed to be hooked by the tone of his voice.

She subconsciously bit the inside of her lower lip, trying to appear calm: "No, I'm just at home, studying."

"Oh, studying..."

Shen Yuan's laughter deepened noticeably. He drew out each word, as if coated in honey, speaking slowly and deliberately, with a strong hint of something more.

"Then...why don't you come over here to do your homework? Hmm...I have the air conditioning on in my room."

Holding the phone, Li Zhi listened to the nonchalant voice on the other end and was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Turn on the air conditioner?"

Li Zhi's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, her beautiful eyes widened slightly, and she repeated those three words to the air in disbelief.

She could even picture Shen Yuan's mischievous grin on the other end of the phone.

Three black lines silently slid down the pretty girl's forehead.

This idiot... couldn't you come up with an even slightly better excuse?

"You idiot... can't you come up with a better excuse?"

On the other end of the phone, Shen Yuan seemed completely unfazed; in fact, he could be heard chuckling softly.

"Oh, so... my cat can do backflips?"

Li Zhi rolled her eyes at her phone, her cheeks puffed out: "Get lost, Shen Yuan! Your excuse is even worse than turning on the air conditioner!"

There was a brief silence on the phone, followed by a faint static.

Li Zhi thought he had finally calmed down and was about to hang up when Shen Yuan's voice suddenly came through the phone.

"I miss you."

silence.

Absolute silence suddenly enveloped both ends of the phone call.

Li Zhi's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the phone.

The girl held her breath, as if even the slightest gasp would betray her panic.

There was no sound from the other end of the phone, only a strange tension growing within them, silently binding the two young hearts together.

He didn't know how much time had passed—maybe a few seconds, maybe just a fleeting moment—but Li Zhi took a deep breath.

Her tone still carried the usual hint of disdain.

"Oh."

A single word, short and soft, like a falling down feather.

Then, the tone of feigned impatience intensified, as if trying to cover something up.

"That's more like it... Hmph."

These words, like the most precise magic spell, instantly pierced through Shen Yuan's frozen anxiety from waiting.

The next second, a silly grin spread across Shen Yuan's handsome face like a rising tide.

Before Shen Yuan could say anything, Li Zhi's voice reached his ears again.

"Come and get me."

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of chaotic sounds came through the receiver and reached Li Zhi clearly.

"Okay! Hey! Hey! Alright! Okay! You wait! Wait for me! Coming right away!!"

Before the sound had even faded, Li Zhi could clearly hear the stool being suddenly pushed aside in the background, followed by the sound of slippers rapidly hitting the floor.

Upon hearing this commotion, Li Zhi smiled slightly.

The girl was still holding her phone, her fingertips slightly white from the force she was using.

Her cheeks were already flushed, as if the most vibrant rouge had been splashed on them.

Li Zhi's lips tightened unconsciously, then relaxed, and the corners of her lips uncontrollably curved upwards.

Soon, Shen Yuan's voice rang out from outside Li Zhi's house.

"Li Bao!"

Upon hearing this voice, Li Zhi rolled her eyes slightly.

"Idiot... I'll just let you worry to death..."

Li Zhi put down her phone, her heart inexplicably racing a few more beats.

She took a deep breath, trying to appear calm, walked to the door, and turned the lock.

The moment the door was opened even a crack, a biting gust of cold wind rushed in.

Li Zhi instinctively shrank back, half-hiding behind the door. Just as he was about to ask the clumsy guy outside to wait a moment while he went to get his schoolbag, he froze the moment he saw the scene outside the door, and all the words that welled up in his heart got stuck in his throat.

Under the cold white light of the porch, Shen Yuan stood there straight and tall.

She was only wearing a thin, dark-colored sweater!

Li Zhi's pupils contracted sharply, and the feigned composure and prepared "wait a moment" on his face vanished instantly.

"Hey!! You idiot!!" A sharp rebuke, filled with both shock and anger, escaped her lips, revealing her deep concern and exasperation.

Before Shen Yuan could speak, and without giving him any time to react, Li Zhi suddenly flung the door open completely!

She practically lunged forward a small step and grabbed Shen Yuanwei's slightly cool sweater collar tightly!
The force, imbued with an irresistible urgency and brute strength, yanked the warm interior room violently.

"You'll freeze to death! Now get inside!!!"

Shen Yuan stumbled as the force pulled him, and his body was involuntarily drawn into the warm entryway.

The heavy door was slammed shut behind them by Li Zhi, shutting out the cold outside.

The indoor heating enveloped Shen Yuan, who was only wearing a thin sweater. The next second, he met Li Zhi's eyes, which were almost spitting fire.

"Why are you wearing so few clothes!"

Faced with the beautiful girl's question, Shen Yuan chuckled and said, "What? Feeling sorry for her?"

"Don't feel sorry for anything!"

Li Zhi retorted through gritted teeth, her cheeks flushed even more from the intense emotions and previous embarrassment.

Almost instinctively, she raised her hand and jabbed her index finger hard into Shen Yuan's chest, as if trying to stab all her anger into it: "If you dare to come out dressed so scantily again, I'll beat you up! You idiot, you'll freeze to death!"

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi's fierce yet undisguised concern and found her incredibly adorable.

He took the opportunity to grab the wrist that Li Zhi had poked him with, and unconsciously rubbed his thumb against the inside of her delicate wrist twice, feeling her rapid pulse.

His smile deepened, his tone carrying a touch of youthful arrogance and recklessness: "Hey, you're so fierce~ It's just a few steps, how could I get cold? Look at me, I'm perfectly fine, I ran over here without feeling cold at all, I'm still full of energy..."

As if to prove it, he covered Li Zhi's fingertips with his other large palm, trying to transfer his warmth to him.

Li Zhi's wrist was gripped by him, and her fingertips touched his warm, even somewhat scorching, palm. The scalding "yang energy" was like a small heater, flowing continuously.

She wanted to say a few more harsh words to him, but his straightforward intimacy and his boastful tone made her lose some of her momentum.

Besides... it does seem quite warm...

But the pretty girl still glared at him angrily, trying hard to pull her hand away, but not very hard: "Hmph! No matter how strong you are, you better put on your clothes properly! I'm going to get my schoolbag."

As she spoke, she forcefully broke free from his hand, turned her back to him, and walked towards the room, but her flushed ears and slightly flustered movements betrayed her racing heart.

Shen Yuan stood in the warm and bright entryway, watching Li Zhi's retreating figure, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

"I know, I know……"

He responded softly, his tone light and satisfied. He leaned against the door frame, his gaze following the slender figure. The room was filled with the warm air from the air conditioner in winter and the sweet, pleasant scent emanating from her.

The first morning of winter vacation has only just begun.

Li Zhi quickly packed his schoolbag, changed his clothes, and left the room.

It's really just changing the clothes I wear at home into my everyday clothes.

Watching Li Zhi walk out of the room, Shen Yuan reached for his backpack strap with perfect ease.

"I'll take it myself!" Li Zhi twisted his wrist and hid the schoolbag behind his back, the cuff of his down jacket brushing against his outstretched fingertips.

The force was light, more like a feather brushing against something.

She glared at him like a cat guarding its food, wrinkling her nose: "Wearing so little and still not behaving yourself!"

Shen Yuan chuckled softly, letting her grip the backpack strap tightly as she brushed past him.

Li Zhi turned off the air conditioner in the living room, and then watched as Shen Yuan opened the door.

After walking through the familiar corridor, the two arrived at Shen Yuan's home.

Shen Yuan didn't turn on the air conditioner in the living room, so it was still a bit cold.

However, it's only a few steps from the living room to the bedroom.

As I opened the bedroom door, a warm, pleasant breeze wafted out.

Li Zhi threw his schoolbag onto Shen Yuan's bed, then simply took off his down jacket.

The warmth of the room dispelled the last trace of chill from the corridor, leaving only the low hum of the air conditioner and the suddenly clear, subtly tense silence between the two.

The air was filled with the unique scent of the boy's room, a clean smell mixed with detergent and a hint of bookishness, as well as the familiar warmth emanating from Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan closed the bedroom door, turned around, and saw Li Zhi standing by the bed with his back to him, carefully hanging the down jacket he had taken off on the back of the chair.

She wore a soft, off-white cashmere sweater underneath, which accentuated her slender and graceful figure.

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he took a few steps forward.

He didn't speak, but simply reached out his hand, his large palm, burning hot, and naturally covered Li Zhi's hand.

“Li Bao…”

Shen Yuan's voice was extremely low and hoarse, with a hint of suppressed dryness, and it rang clearly in the space almost touching her back.

His warm breath brushed against the back of her neck, sending a slight shiver down her spine.

Shen Yuan's palm was as hot as a branding iron, and his fingertips dug into Li Zhi's fingers without giving him a chance to refuse.

The warm breath burned her earlobe, and Li Zhi's back tensed instantly, a slight shiver running down her neck.

Snapped!
The girl abruptly pulled her hand back and turned around, her porcelain-white cheeks flushed, but her eyes burned with a warning light.

"Selan!" She kicked Shen Yuan's shin lightly, then grabbed his schoolbag from the bed and unzipped it with a clatter. "You said you were here to do your homework!"

Seeing Shen Yuan still staring blankly at her reddened earlobes, Li Zhi grabbed the science exam paper and slapped it against his chest: "If you keep looking at it, I'll kick you out and freeze you into an icicle!"

(End of this chapter)