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

Chapter 240 Li Zhi: I'm not ready yet

Shen Yuan's burning gaze was fixed on the person beneath him, taking in her slight trembling and her almost broken sobs.

The instinct that had been driven by impulse and a strong sense of possessiveness softened silently in her panicked eyes.

The boy's hot breath brushed against Li Zhi's flushed cheeks, carrying a low, almost seductive tone that clearly struck her fragile nerves.

“Li Zhi…”

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed heavily. He slightly adjusted the position of his arm that was supporting Li Zhi's ear, supporting part of her body weight so that she could catch her breath a little.

But those deep eyes never strayed an inch, remaining firmly fixed on her eyes, the light within them flickering brightly.

He slowly lowered his body, his warm lips almost brushing against Li Zhi's sensitive earlobe. His voice was even lower, carrying an undeniable persistence, clearly reaching her ears.

"Zhizhi..."

"I'll just... give you a kiss?"

The phrase "Just one kiss" was like a magical fuse, igniting an even hotter atmosphere between the two who were almost frozen in place.

Shen Yuan's voice was filled with a yearning for confirmation, as if that light kiss was the only guarantee he wanted and could make at that moment.

His warm breath brushed against the downy hairs on Li Zhi's ear like a feather, sending a slight shiver down his spine.

The boy's demeanor carried a cautious yet domineering air.

He was clearly very close, their breaths mingling, yet he forcefully suppressed the urge to go any further.

With this request, as light as a feather yet as heavy as a thousand pounds, she hovered silently at the edge of the boundary she had drawn in her panic, stubbornly waiting for permission, or a fuse to reignite the war.

Li Zhi raised her eyes and met Shen Yuan's gaze directly.

His strong, muscular body, positioned just above her, exuded a burning heat and pressure, yet his request for a kiss revealed a hint of caution.

The beautiful girl's long eyelashes fluttered violently, her gaze flickering and wandering for a moment before finally settling on his taut lips.

The heartbeat in my chest was deafening, as if it was about to burst out at any moment.

All the previous shame and struggle seemed to be submerged by an invisible tide in his almost earnest whisper.

Li Zhi swallowed hard, and the last bit of stubbornness he had mustered vanished like a burst bubble.

"Then, then I can only... give you a kiss..." the girl said, closing her eyes.

The voice was light and airy, carrying a heavy moisture, and the last syllable was drowned out by the boy's heavy, scorching breath.

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and he loosened his grip on the slender wrist.

Warm palms moved upwards along Li Zhi's taut forearm, eventually interlocking their fingers and weaving them into her slightly cool space, pressing the back of her hand, still damp with sweat, into the folds of the blanket.

The gesture was surprisingly gentle, causing Li Zhi to open his eyes a crack, only to be met with the lips that were pressed down by his.

The aggression was unannounced, more like a demand after becoming familiar with someone.

The boy's breath, cool and refreshing, completely covered her slightly parted lips, which were trembling with nervousness.

A soft sob escaped from Li Zhi's nose, but it was swallowed up.

The fingertips that had just been released instinctively curled up, only to be quickly gripped even tighter by Shen Yuan.

The low hum of the air conditioner suddenly blurred, the sound collapsing into the sound of their lips meeting and the increasingly intense heartbeats where their knuckles touched.

Just then, a cat's meow suddenly rang out, and Li Zhicai abruptly pulled his leg back, his teeth unconsciously striking Shen Yuan's lower lip.

The boy let out a muffled groan, deepening the kiss as if as punishment.

Their fingers, tightly clasped, never let go.

Just then, Shen Yuan's hand, which was tightly gripping hers, remained motionless. His other hand, with an air of intimacy and probing, directly covered the edge of the hem of her cashmere sweater, which had rolled up slightly due to her struggle.

That warmth instantly soothed the small patch of delicate skin exposed at her waist.

The calloused fingertips felt scalding hot, startling Li Zhi so much that he trembled violently beneath him, his waist and abdomen instantly tensing like a bowstring.

The girl's muffled sobs suddenly changed into short, muffled groans of genuine alarm.

Her shoulders instinctively shrank back, trying to avoid the overly direct touch, and the fingers held tightly in his palm tightened sharply, the knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

The hand resting on her waist brought a strange stimulation far exceeding the previous kiss, and a feeling of unease and shyness instantly dispelled the momentary confusion and infatuation.

"Well!"

The lips that were being kissed struggled and overflowed with broken resistance, while Li Zhi's free wrists, pressed against his chest, rose and fell in vain.

Her wrist trembled slightly, and finally rested weakly on his firm arm, as if pushing away or seeking support, but in the end she couldn't muster enough strength to push away his burning palm.

The palm covering her slender waist seemed to be drawn by some silent force, carrying an undeniable intimacy and probing, and quietly moved upwards.

Long, slender fingers brushed against the slightly concave waistline beneath the delicate skin, then gently stroked the slightly arched and taut lines of the back caused by the previous entanglement.

The soft cashmere fabric was pushed and creased into winding wrinkles under the palm, and the warm fingertips with thin calluses finally pressed completely against the girl's warm shoulder blades and the more sensitive skin on her back.

The newly covered area made Li Zhi let out an even softer sob.

"Well……"

A short, almost broken sob was silenced by Shen Yuan.

The girl's heart skipped a beat. The panic that had subsided from their playful fight was poured back in like ice water, instantly washing away the sweet warmth on her lips.

The body, which had relaxed slightly from the kiss, suddenly tensed up! Like a fully drawn bowstring, every muscle tightened in resistance to that unfamiliar exploration.

Especially when Shen Yuan's palms were completely pressed against the smooth, sensitive skin between her taut shoulder blades.

A tremendous sense of shame mixed with a kind of panic at having one's deeper privacy exposed pierced through all of Li Zhi's forced composure!

She could clearly feel her slender spine arching upwards in a delicate yet fragile arc under Shen Yuan's palm, as if instinctively trying to escape the deeper, hotter caresses and explorations.

Her toes curled up helplessly inside her socks, her finger bones throbbing painfully between Shen Yuan's tightly clenched fingers.

Shen Yuan's aura enveloped her like an impenetrable net.

Before their lips parted, his grip tightened slightly due to her trembling reaction, carrying an indescribable sense of fascination.

But the depth his wandering hand reached and the unfamiliar stimulation it brought had completely exceeded the limits that Li Zhi could accept at this moment.

His warm breath brushed against her cheek; what should have been an intimate and ambiguous moment felt like a dangerously scorching spark.

The body pressing down on her side was incredibly powerful, like a steel shackle that wouldn't allow her to break free even a little.

The image of the "source of waste" with its smug grin flashed through Li Zhi's mind, overlapping with the image of the boy in front of him, who was engrossed in his own thoughts, breathing heavily, and pressing closer with each step.

A sense of fear of being lost in the unknown gripped her heart like cold vines, tightening ever tighter.

A suffocating feeling crept up on her silently, gripping her throat.

Her subtle trembling failed to alert Shen Yuan; instead, it seemed like a provocative signal.

The hand that roamed behind her, the calloused part of its fingertips scraping against her delicate skin, tried to ease the tension.

However, this meager reassurance seemed insufficient in the current situation.

When Shen Yuan's fingertips accidentally brushed against a particularly sensitive indentation on Li Zhi's spine, she jerked violently as if she had been branded with a hot iron!
This wasn't a rejection of the kiss, but rather a profound fear and resistance erupting from deep within the body to that unimaginable exploration of intimacy.

"Shen Yuan..."

The name that escaped from between his lips carried an overwhelming sense of moisture and an unprecedented bewilderment and panic.

She was adrift in a chaotic sea of ​​consciousness, barely able to hear her own voice.

However, in the next instant, that deep-seated fear finally broke through all barriers, shattering the thick, sticky atmosphere of the room with a faint sob and a clear tremor.

"I...I'm a little scared..."

Li Zhina's voice, tinged with a slight sob, pierced Shen Yuan's reason like an ice pick!
The boy's body stiffened abruptly, and the burning flame in his eyes was extinguished in an instant by shock and immense panic.

“Li Bao…”

All the impulse to push further crumbled at the girl's words, which were filled with fear and pleading.

He then realized what he had done.

The air, which had felt scorching hot just moments before, now seemed to be disturbed.

As if doused with a bucket of cold water, the surging, yearning magma within the boy's body suddenly cooled and solidified.

Shen Yuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the burning heat that was almost overwhelming his reason.

He almost immediately released most of his strength, and the heavy pressure on Li Zhi suddenly dissipated.

The muscles in his arm, which was bracing against Li Zhi's side, tensed up suddenly. Instead of violently pushing himself up to escape, he slowly released the tension.

The five fingers that had been tightly gripping her wrist eventually slowly withdrew from her skin.

Shen Yuan looked at the girl beneath him.

Li Zhi was like a frightened little animal, curled up in the folds squeezed out by his body.

Her black hair was scattered on the pillow, her cheeks had lost some color, her eyes were slightly red, and her eyes, still moist, were staring at him in panic.

The girl's slender body trembled slightly uncontrollably, her lips were pressed tightly together, and even her breathing became cautious.

Shen Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed violently. His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, a bitter and astringent feeling washing over him, and regret overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

Shen Yuan pulled his arm back, supporting his heavy body as he slowly retreated, trying to widen the distance that almost completely enveloped Li Zhi.

The movement carried an indescribable urgency as the body shifted backward on the mattress, returning to its original position.

During this process, his back gently rubbed against the soft headboard cushion, making a slight rustling sound like clothes rubbing against fabric.

The faint sound, amidst the low hum of the air conditioner and the lingering echo of their rapid heartbeats, no longer seemed abrupt or alarming.

He looked into Li Zhi's frightened eyes and remembered her small sob and the sound of fear she had made just a moment before.

“Li Bao…I…”

Shen Yuan's voice was so hoarse that he opened his mouth but couldn't find the right words.

All the infatuation and determination on the boy's face vanished, leaving only helplessness and heartache.

He carefully observed the subtle changes in Li Zhi's expression.

"me……"

Shen Yuan repeated it with difficulty, finally letting out a heavy breath filled with self-reproach.

He knew he had gone too far.

It far exceeded the bottom line that she could accept at this moment.

The sound of the air conditioner in the room was clearly audible again, but it could no longer bring any warmth. All that remained was a suffocating silence and the deep regret that Shen Yuan could not shake off.

He looked at Li Zhi, his breathing shallow, awaiting her judgment, or... her escape.

Li Zhi curled up in the folds created by his body, her fingertips sinking deep into the blanket beneath her, as if trying to draw some support from it.

After I said "I'm scared," the air seemed to freeze.

She could feel Shen Yuan's sudden panic and heavy breathing; the dull thud of him hitting the headboard felt like a blow to her taut nerves.

He stepped back, and the oppressive feeling disappeared, but the panic and helplessness still lingered around her.

The undisguised regret and helplessness in Shen Yuan's eyes pierced her heart like needles.

She wanted him not to make that face, but her mind was in turmoil, overwhelmed by a strange emotion.

The danger of that posture and the resulting feeling of being controlled were completely beyond what she could process at that moment.

The sweet aftertaste of their first kiss still lingered in her heart, but this overly forceful approach instinctively filled her with panic.

Silence spread silently.

A few seconds felt like an eternity.

Li Zhi finally moved. She didn't look up at him immediately, but slowly lowered her head, staring intently at the edge of the blanket that she had clenched into a mess.

The messy wrinkles that had been pulled out magnified before her eyes.

“Shen Yuan…” Her voice was very soft, with a slight tremor, like a taut string.

Shen Yuan's heart leaped into his throat, and he stared intently at the lowered head.

"I……"

Li Zhi's throat seemed to be blocked by something. She swallowed hard before continuing to speak, her voice so soft it almost seemed to dissipate in the air conditioning breeze.

"...I'm not...ready for this yet..."

He spoke slowly, each word as if he had exhausted all his strength.

She didn't say "prepare what," but they both knew perfectly well.

That kind of forceful suppression and complete physical intimacy went far beyond a kiss; it was an unknown territory that she couldn't face at that moment.

After saying that, she lowered her head even further, and the "strawberry" mark he had left on the side of her neck appeared particularly clear and delicate on her fair skin.

The terror I had just experienced made the mark look more like a brand with a burning sensation.

Looking at her completely trapped in her own unease and resistance, Shen Yuan felt as if his heart was being squeezed tighter by an invisible hand, and even his breathing was filled with a sour pain.

His fingers tightened and loosened at his sides, and finally he spoke in a hoarse voice.

"……sorry."

Li Zhi did not respond, but remained curled up, like a fledgling bird that was too frightened and just wanted to hide itself.

The sunlight outside the window seemed to have shifted slightly, casting a faint band of light between the two in their silence.

Shen Yuan's gaze swept over Li Zhi's taut shoulders, and finally fell sadly onto the bed sheet beside him, which Li Zhi had been clutching in a mess.

Meanwhile, Nao Nao, who was lying in the corner of the room, seemed to sense the overly stagnant atmosphere. She meowed softly and jumped gently onto the bed.

Nao Nao cautiously moved closer to Li Zhi's feet, finding the closest and least disturbing spot, and quietly curled up.

Sangeng followed, rubbing his nose against his mother's calf, the warm touch causing a slight itch.

The kitten's body heat was transmitted through the pantyhose, like a small hand warmer.

This tiny movement finally made Li Zhi twitch slightly.

Its soothing efforts didn't stop even at midnight.

The soft pads of flesh stepped over Li Zhi's taut waist and gently slid down onto her curled-up abdomen.

"Woo..."

The warmth of his body and the slight pressure falling on her at midnight brought a strange sense of comfort.

Then, Sangeng took a step, steadily stepping over her chest, and finally stopped at the heart of her body.

Sangeng seemed to find this place comfortable, so he adjusted his position, nestled his little head against her, and obediently lay down.

That completely relaxed posture, the warm body temperature, and the faint purring from the cat's throat that seemed to dispel unease were clearly transmitted to Li Zhi's heart through the thin cashmere sweater.

Completely enveloped in the cat's weight and warmth, that small, soft area finally relaxed a little.

She tilted her head slightly, revealing a wet eye, and glared at Shen Yuan, who was sitting stiffly not far away, with a look of utter grievance.

"Look... what are you looking at..." Li Zhi sniffed, his voice muffled, with a heavy nasal tone and a hint of reproach.

"Idiot! Even a kitten is a hundred times more considerate than you..."

Her delicate accusations fell in the quiet room, and then she gently pressed half of her face against the man nestled against her.

"They...they all know to take it slow, but you...you just know how to push your luck...and scare people..."

The complaints grew fainter and fainter, eventually swallowed up by the blanket, leaving only the soft, steady snoring of the third watch of the night.

As if sensing the peaceful atmosphere here, Nao Nao tentatively nuzzled her head closer to Li Zhi's knees.

In the quiet room, only the steady purring of the kitten and the mingling of the two people's still-uneven breathing could be heard.

Shen Yuan's gaze lingered on Sangeng, who was nestled against Li Zhixin's chest.

The warm little body pressed against her, and with its steady rise and fall, it miraculously smoothed out the outline of the girl's body that had been trembling violently.

Under the warm yellow light, her soft fur shimmered with a halo, like a tiny protective mirror, silently guarding her peace.

This non-aggressive comfort from the small animal was like a bucket of cold snow water, completely extinguishing the last trace of the fire of instinct that had been stirred up in Shen Yuan's heart.

All that remained was a deep heartache and an overwhelming sense of guilt that almost overwhelmed him.

The stagnant air seemed to still carry the lingering warmth of her panic.

Shen Yuan shifted his gaze from the small, stable body at midnight to Li Zhi.

He took a silent breath, almost holding his breath.

The mattress sagged softly as he carefully moved toward Li Zhi.

The boy eventually stopped about an arm's length away from her.

He didn't rush to touch her, but leaned forward slightly and gently placed his forehead, full of apology, on the soft top of Li Zhi's hair.

The movement was almost weightless, more like a careful sigh, melting into her hair.

Shen Yuan's voice carried a clear sense of regret, each word landing precisely on Li Zhi's tense earlobe.

"I'm sorry... I startled you."

The boy's warm breath brushed against the crown of her hair, carrying a heavy sense of self-reproach, without any further transgression.

Li Zhi's cheek, pressed against the soft fur of the third watch, twitched slightly.

She didn't look up immediately; her stiff shoulder line relaxed slightly under the boy's repentant touch.

That careful, gentle touch, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, silently shattered the last vestiges of the stagnant barrier.

The silence in the room continued, but it was no longer cold and suffocating. The boy's heavy breathing slowly calmed down, with a cautiousness as if he had regained something he had lost.

He sensed the slight easing of tension in the girl's body, and instead of moving any closer, he pressed his forehead against hers more tightly.

This moment of closeness lacked the previous passion and impulsiveness, containing only a heavy sense of apology and an attempt to convey comfort.

The sound of her peaceful snoring continued in the middle of the night, her little head comfortably resting on the soft undulations of Li Zhi's chest.

A moment later, Li Zhi subtly moved his shoulder and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Shen Yuan..."

A soft, slightly awkward call, tinged with a nasal tone, escaped from the girl's lips, which were buried among the soft downy hair at midnight.

Shen Yuan slightly raised his forehead, which was resting on the top of her head, with a hint of inquiry in his voice.

Li Zhi didn't immediately look up at him. Her cheek was still pressed against the cat's warm body, but her slender fingers unconsciously curled up, and her fingertips dug into the crumpled blanket beneath her.

“…take it away…”

Her voice was muffled, carrying a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment and slight awkwardness.

"It's pressing down...it's so heavy..."

After saying this, the beautiful girl's cheeks flushed even more at a visible speed, and even the tips of her small ears turned bright red.

To cover up her sudden embarrassment, she even let out a soft hum, but there was a subtle hint of coquetry in the last syllable.

Shen Yuan was slightly taken aback, then realized what she meant.

He lowered his eyes and glanced at Sangeng, who was lying obediently on Li Zhixin's chest, even snoring contentedly with his eyes half-closed because the position was so comfortable.

A hint of doting smile quietly spread across the boy's eyes, revealing an unyielding sense of apology, and even the corners of his lips couldn't help but curve upwards into a gentle arc.

"Tsk, this little lecherous cat."

He whispered, then carefully reached out and gently placed his fingers on Sangeng's warm, round head.

"Come here, it's midnight, come to Daddy's side..."

He gently inserted his fingers into the warm fur on the back of the cat's neck, using an exceptionally gentle yet undeniable force, carefully lifting the fluffy, warm little body from Li Zhi's heart.

Sangeng seemed reluctant to leave the comfortable cushion, her little paws instinctively reaching out in the air, but in the end, Shen Yuan held her firmly in his arms.

The kitten was restless in Shen Yuan's arms, using all four paws to resist Shen Yuan's face from getting closer.

Hey! You little flirtatious cat!

The boy suddenly whispered a complaint into Sangeng's pink earlobe.

"You sure know how to pick a place to lie down!"

Shen Yuanjian tapped the cat's head, and his breath made the cat's ears twitch.

The kitten in his arms meowed softly, its heterochromatic pupils reflecting the red mark on Shen Yuan's neck where Li Zhi had bitten him.

The boy grabbed the cat's paw and squeezed it, then, as if venting his frustration, rubbed the cat's belly, burying his last childish grumble into the soft fur: "Even your dad didn't succeed..."

The complaint, hidden in the cat's fur, reached the ears of the beautiful girl next to him with crystal clarity.

Li Zhiyuan had just caught her breath after leaving at midnight, and the blush on her face was slowly fading.

At that moment, the words "failed" were like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly reigniting her barely calmed shame and anger!
"Shen Yuan!"

Shen Yuan instinctively shrank his neck.

Li Zhi's legs, which were curled up on the bed, straightened instantly, and she kicked Shen Yuan's leg quickly and accurately.

"hiss--"

Shen Yuan grimaced and hissed in cold air, while Xiao San took the opportunity to quickly escape from his arms.

Before Shen Yuan could say anything, Li Zhi's voice rang out.

"You stinking idiot, Thran! Is there nothing but garbage in your brain?! Keep strutting around! Keep strutting around and I'll kick you out of bed, you believe me?!"

Shen Yuan looked up and saw his beautiful girl's eyes wide with anger, her face once again as red as the morning sun.

The pain in his leg did not deter him; on the contrary, seeing Li Zhi's energetic and flustered appearance, a warm feeling and a smile welled up in his heart.

"hey-hey……"

The boy rubbed the sore spot, then his brows and eyes relaxed, finally settling into an incredibly bright yet slightly silly smile.

Instead of being annoyed, he moved a little closer to Li Zhi, his gaze fixed intently on her flushed cheeks and her eyes that were both shy and angry.

Shen Yuan smiled, his eyes crinkling with a deep, unyielding smile and satisfaction, clearly reflecting Li Zhi's figure.

Seeing his shameless behavior, Li Zhi's shame and anger strangely turned into a hint of amusement.

"Humph!"

Finally, the beautiful girl widened her eyes, snorted at Shen Yuan, and then suddenly turned around, turning her back to Shen Yuan.

Ignore you!

Shen Yuan looked at the slender nape of her neck, the tips of her loose, slightly messy ponytail scattered on the pillow, and finally her gaze fell on the little strawberry on the side of her neck.

The smile that had just been kicked was instantly dispelled by an even more gentle and warm current.

The boy cautiously and inching his way toward the sulking figure.

The soft indentations on the mattress spread silently, eventually disappearing at the edge where the two were just inches apart.

Shen Yuan did not rashly reach out to hug him; he chose a gentler approach.

He lay down halfway, turning his body to the side, supporting his head with his arm, maintaining a delicate distance between his body and Li Zhi's back—a distance where they could feel each other's body heat but wouldn't cross any boundaries.

He rested his head quietly on his hand, his gaze fixed intently on Li Zhi's profile.

In my field of vision, I could see the outline of the girl's rounded and delicate shoulders, which showed a cute curve due to her slightly curled-up sleeping posture.

It was the back of her neck peeking out from the loose cashmere sweater's collar; her porcelain-like, delicate skin shimmered with a warm, jade-like luster under the soft light.

The small, pale pink "strawberry" he left behind is like a rose petal fallen on the snow, becoming the most striking yet most hidden mark in this tranquil scene.

The girl's body rose and fell slightly with her steady breathing, carrying a sense of weariness after letting her guard down.

Sangeng seemed to sense the peace as well, and strolled over from where Shen Yuan had been. His warm little body nestled against Li Zhi's ankle, and he gently curled up next to Naonao, the tip of his fluffy tail brushing against the edge of her socks.

Nao Nao lay quietly to the side, like a little protective ball of fluff.

Shen Yuan did nothing and said nothing.

He just looked at it like that.

My gaze slowly traced from the tips of her hair to her shoulders, past the unguarded nape of her neck, and down to the slender, flowing outline of her waistline beneath the thin fabric…

Every detail stirred even deeper ripples in the gentle lake of the boy's heart.

The possessiveness that originally stemmed from physiology was now completely enveloped by a mindset called waiting.

Looking at the strawberry on the side of his neck, Shen Yuan unconsciously stroked his cheek with the fingers that were supporting his head.

Time seemed to pass quietly in the boy's intensely focused gaze.

He knew she definitely wasn't asleep.

That posture of turning her back to him contained a silent permission and his absolute sense of security in being close to her at that moment.

He knew, and he was willing to wait.

Until she was willing to turn around and meet his gaze again.

He remained immersed in this tranquil gaze until—

"Shen Yuan..."

Li Zhi's voice suddenly rang out, very softly, breaking the silence, but he did not turn around.

Shen Yuan's breathing faltered slightly, and he almost held his breath in response, his voice equally low: "Hmm?"

She remained with her back to him, her body slightly curled up, her cheek unconsciously rubbing against the edge of the pillowcase.

The low voice, trembling almost imperceptibly, traveled through the air clearly:
"Give me...just a little more time..."

These words seemed to have exhausted her courage. After saying them, Li Zhi pursed her lips tightly, and only the tips of her ears, which were exposed, were quietly tinged with a thin blush.

Sangeng, who was snuggling against Li Zhi's ankle to sleep, seemed to be disturbed by the subtle emotional fluctuation. His little ears twitched, and he changed the direction of his head on his furry front paws, making a few satisfied "gurgling" sounds in his throat.

The still waters of Shen Yuan's heart were suddenly stirred into even greater waves by her gentle request.

It wasn't disappointment, but an even stronger surge of affection.

The girl's meaning is self-evident.

The boy responded to her with utmost seriousness, his voice soft yet carrying an undeniable firmness.

"wrong."

He paused, feeling the emotions welling up in his chest, and clearly uttered what he truly wanted to say:

"I should be the one to treat you even better."

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Li Zhi's body, which was turned away from him, stiffened visibly for a moment, as if she had even forgotten to breathe.

Her cheeks, hidden under the pillow, suddenly felt burning hot.

Shen Yuan did not look away, but continued to gaze tenderly at her skin exposed to his view, where he left his mark and reflected all his promises at this moment.

In the few seconds of silence, only the buzzing of their heartbeats could be heard in each other's ears.

Then, Li Zhi's body began to make slight movements.

The girl's shoulders twitched almost imperceptibly inward, as if gathering courage.

Then, the curled-up body began to slowly rotate.

She eventually turned around.

Li Zhi's blush hadn't faded, and she still refused to fully lift her head to meet his gaze.

But she no longer turned her back to him.

The girl's slender figure lay on her side, almost face to face with him, her warm body temperature quietly transmitted through the thin clothing.

Her fingertips, with a hint of hesitation, gently and carefully pinched the edge of Shen Yuan's sweater, as if grasping something for support.

"...stinking idiot..."

The muffled sound escaped from her lips, much softer than before, and carried a hint of stubbornness.

The grip on his clothes tightened slightly, silently revealing the conflicting feelings of attachment in the girl's heart.

Shen Yuan's eyes flickered slightly.

Looking at the face so close to his, feeling her gentle demeanor and the way she clutched his clothes, he felt a deep connection to her.

He knew exactly what he needed to do next.

Shen Yuan slowly raised his arm that was at his side.

Under Li Zhi's gaze, a large hand reached out, its fingertips gently resting on the edge of her reclining waist.

The thin cashmere sweater encased her slender, soft waistline, and the girl's warm body temperature emanated through the fabric.

His fingers did not tighten immediately, but gently covered his palm, conveying a firm yet uncompressive warmth.

Then, the arm slowly and naturally wrapped around Li Zhi's body and landed behind her waist.

As if embracing a lost treasure that had been found again, Shen Yuan gently yet firmly tightened his arms around it.

Li Zhi's body stiffened slightly the moment his arms wrapped around her waist.

However, when that familiar feeling of being embraced came clearly, that slight stiffness melted away like spring snow.

Shen Yuan did not forcefully pull her closer, but simply held her gently, offering her support.

This is a posture of waiting, an embrace of promise.

The girl's fingers, which were gripping the hem of his clothes, trembled slightly before loosening their grip a little, as if she had tacitly accepted this closer connection.

Her slightly lowered eyelashes trembled, but her body found a more comfortable angle in the warm embrace, relaxing completely and snuggling into the embrace.

Shen Yuan felt the warmth in his arms, and the heavy weight of guilt that had been pressing on his heart finally lifted, replaced by a profound sense of satisfaction.

His chin rested gently on the top of her head, inhaling the faint sweet scent of her hair.

One arm was firmly wrapped around her waist and back, while the other hand was still supporting his body behind his head, but it also brought her deeper into the range of his lying figure.

Li Zhi curled up in the safe area enclosed by his arms, her cheek pressed against his warm chest through the thin cashmere sweater.

Her previously violent heartbeat had calmed down into a steady and powerful pulse, soothing her tense nerves.

The boy's body temperature and his familiar, clean scent enveloped her like an invisible net, bringing her an unprecedented sense of security and attachment.

Time flowed silently in this tranquil embrace.

Perhaps the emotional rollercoaster from intense feelings to shock and then relief was too exhausting.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the boy's chest and the comfort of his embrace that made one succumb.

Enveloped in this unprecedented sense of security, the weariness that had surged from the first kiss and the chaotic emotions gently washed over me like a tide.

Li Zhi's long eyelashes trembled slightly. She had been trying to maintain a shy and clear mind, but it gradually blurred in the steady and regular rhythm of Shen Yuan's heartbeat and the warmth surrounding her.

She nestled against him, her body growing softer and softer, and her small hand, which had been clutching the hem of his clothes, finally loosened its grip, unconsciously resting on his waist.

Shen Yuan could clearly feel the person in his arms gradually becoming long and steady in their breathing.

Where her cheek rested, she breathed evenly and warmly. The subtle movements of gently rubbing against his chest had completely disappeared, leaving only a completely relaxed embrace.

The girl's weight was mostly contained in his arms.

Fell asleep.

Shen Yuan held his breath, not daring to move an inch.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling only on Li Zhi's black hair whorl and the small part of his smooth forehead.

At this moment, that usually quick-witted little face was quietly nestled against his chest, incredibly serene.

In the warm yellow light, her sleeping face seemed to be coated with a soft glow, exuding an unguarded softness.

A hint of satisfaction lingered at the corners of the girl's mouth.

As Shen Yuan gazed at her, the warm feeling of satisfaction in his heart melted away, transforming into something even more tender.

He carefully adjusted his hand that was supporting his head to make the support more stable, so as not to disturb the little princess who had just fallen into a deep sleep.

The other arm that was wrapped around her tightened its grip slightly, firmly protecting her within its territory.

The aftershocks of their first kiss had not yet subsided, but in this moment of sleeping together in each other's arms, they settled into a deeper tenderness.

Shen Yuan dared not move an inch and maintained this posture.

He just watched her fall asleep.

The warmth of the girl's body seeped through the thin cashmere sweater, like a piece of warm jade gently soothing him.

The faint, lingering scent of peach blossoms from her hair lingered around my nose, possessing a calming and soothing magic.

I don't know if it was the unparalleled peace brought by the sound sleep of the person in my arms, or the fatigue that finally came back to haunt me from the sudden relaxation of my tense nerves.

Perhaps it was the overly comfortable temperature and tranquil atmosphere in the room.

The boy, who had been focused solely on protecting others, felt a heavy weariness creeping over him.

He tried his best to stay awake, wanting to see Li Zhi's unguarded sleeping face a little longer.

But my eyelids felt like they were weighed down with lead, and they started to feel heavy involuntarily.

Shen Yuan couldn't help but blink a few more times, trying to dispel the feeling of drowsiness.

The small whorl of hair on Li Zhi's head began to blur before my eyes, spreading out in a soft, warm color under the warm yellow light.

The soft, warm weight in my arms and the even, gentle breathing sounded like the most tender lullaby.

He felt that the posture of his arms around his head had become exceptionally comfortable, and the elbows supporting his head were no longer tense.

The boy unconsciously tightened his arms around Li Zhi's waist, pulling her even closer into his embrace.

This subtle movement did not wake the sleeping man; instead, it made him feel a deeper sense of connection and peace of mind.

With his chin gently resting on the top of her head, Shen Yuan took a deep breath, the air filled with the scent of peaches and the unique fragrance of a young girl.

He stopped trying to hold on.

My vision blurred completely into a warm patch of color.

The sound of Li Zhiqing's soft breathing gradually faded into the distance.

His arms around her loosened slightly for a moment, then instinctively tightened their grip again.

Finally, Shen Yuan's consciousness completely blurred, and his tense muscles completely relaxed.

His breathing gradually slowed and became intertwined with Li Zhi's.

A deep drowsiness, like a warm tide, completely overwhelmed him.

It's only a little past 9 o'clock anyway, I'll just take a nap.

The boy held the beautiful girl tightly in his arms, feeling her softness and her breath.
And so, with his head resting on his arm and holding his girl, they drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

(End of this chapter)