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

Chapter 251 Shen Yuan Has No Girlfriend—Losing His Mind

Li Zhi ate his lunch without tasting it, then retreated to his bedroom and locked the door.

The click of the door lock seemed to completely shut her out of the lingering awkwardness in the living room.

She threw herself into her soft bed and buried her burning cheeks in the pillow.

"Oh my god! What did I just say?!"

Li Zhi was so annoyed that his toes curled up, and his whole body burned with shame.

The scene of me sitting on the living room sofa before lunch kept replaying in my mind.

My mother's knowing look, and my own stumbling, increasingly convoluted explanations:

"N-nothing..."

"We were just... chatting on the sofa..."

"Yes! They fell asleep while chatting..."

"We really did just sleep together all night! Nothing happened!"

"Waaaaah—I'm so embarrassed!"

She let out muffled moans from under the covers, her body curling up like a caterpillar.

She kicked the blanket twice in frustration with her slender, white legs, as if that would kick away the embarrassment that made her want to crawl into a hole.

She suddenly rolled over and covered her face with her hands.

The image of her mother's last meaningful and exceptionally tolerant smile still seemed to linger before her eyes, a smile that made her feel even more ashamed than if she had been directly exposed.

"...Waaah, Mom must have known everything all along! That idiot Shen Yuan...and his mom too!"

She felt the small patch of skin on her neck burning again, and fragments of memories from last night flooded back uncontrollably, making her so ashamed that she rubbed her face hard into the pillow.

I tossed and turned restlessly in bed, like a frustrated little animal wrapping itself in the blankets and then pulling them off again.

She reached out and groped around the bedside table for a while before finding her phone.

She grabbed it, and the light from the unlocked screen illuminated her still flushed face. Her fingertip hovered over Shen Yuan's chat box for a long time.

Li Zhi: "My parents found out..."

The girl's finger hovered on the screen for three seconds before she quickly added another sentence.

Li Zhi: "About us spending the night together last night. (Facepalm emoji)"

The phone suddenly vibrated in Shen Yuan's palm.

He was watching videos with an apple in his mouth when he caught a glimpse of the message, his Adam's apple suddenly choked, and he coughed so hard that he choked on the apple and it went into his trachea.

Shen Yuan: "???"

Shen Yuan: (Message has been retracted)
Shen Yuan: "Wait, how did Aunt Xu find out?? (Scary panda.jpg)"

Li Zhi: "I don't know!!"

Shen Yuan: "..."

Li Zhi watched as the "typing..." message at the top of the chat window flashed for a full minute, but in the end, only one line of text appeared.

Shen Yuan: "How about I come and apologize now? (Puppy kneels down.jpg)"

When Li Zhi saw Shen Yuan's message, he was both annoyed and amused.

She recalled her mother's meaningful smile and Lao Li's sullen expression, and filled with shame and indignation, her fingers flew across the screen.

Li Zhi: "Pah.jpg"

Li Zhi: "Come here now, and my dad will let you experience what the iron fist of fatherly love is like."

Upon seeing the message, Shen Yuan on the other end of the phone shrank back instantly, as if he had already felt Lao Li's intimidation.

He hesitated for a moment with his fingertips hovering over the screen, but finally carefully typed out a line of text and sent it.

Shen Yuan: "So... are you coming over to do your homework this afternoon? (Kitten peeking out.jpg)"

When Li Zhi saw this message, he rolled his eyes.

This guy really dares to ask!
She then quickly typed a rhetorical question into her phone.

Li Zhi: "Do you think that's possible? My dad's furious right now, and you still dare to ask me to come over? (rolls eyes.gif)"

Upon receiving the reply, Shen Yuan knew there was absolutely no chance for him that afternoon. He was too exhausted to even struggle anymore, so he lay back on the bed and started to give up.

However, the phone rang again shortly afterward.

That was a message notification that Shen Yuan had set up for Li Zhi.

I immediately picked up my phone and saw the message on the screen.

Li Zhi: "My schoolbag is still with you. I'm coming to get it. Please come out and open the door."

Upon seeing the message, Shen Yuan instantly jumped out of bed, grabbed Li Zhi's schoolbag from the study, and rushed to the front door.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Li Zhigang walking out of the house.

Their eyes met, Li Zhi glared at him slightly, while Shen Yuan gave him a bright smile.

Shen Yuan handed over the schoolbag, and Li Zhi reached out to take it. When their fingertips accidentally touched, their eyes met, and a familiar flutter filled the air.

Shen Yuan lowered his head, his intentions were all too clear.

Li Zhi glanced at the empty corridor, and after confirming that no one was there, she tiptoed and quickly kissed Shen Yuan on the lips.

Shen Yuan's smile deepened, and Li Zhi hurriedly lowered his head, his cheeks flushed, clutched his schoolbag tightly, and turned to run away.

The unspoken understanding and shy atmosphere of the first day of the Lunar New Year had not yet completely dissipated when the festive spirit of the Spring Festival pushed the days forward.

Starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, it's time to visit relatives and friends.

Li Zhi followed her parents, Xu Chan and Lao Li, to visit all her relatives.

Sitting in the living room filled with sweets and snacks, listening to her elders chat about everyday life and ask about her studies, she wore a polite smile, but her mind kept drifting away.

My phone vibrated gently in my pocket; I knew who it was without even looking.

While the adults were engrossed in their conversation, she would slip into the bathroom or balcony and quickly open Shen Yuan's messages.

A simple "What are you doing?" or a helpless emoji would make her smile involuntarily.

When replying, her fingertips fly across the keyboard while she listens intently to what's happening outside. Her replies are often brief and contain a hint of restrained coquetry.

"Still drinking tea at my aunt's house, so boring."

"I was just asked about my grades... and they even asked me to help my younger siblings with their studies..."

"Mom's calling me, turn around and talk to her!"

Shen Yuan was also busy, being taken by his father and mother, Zhang Yuyan, to visit various relatives and friends.

He navigated the equally lively, or even noisier, male elder circle with ease.

During breaks in the chat, he would always find a chance to slip away, just to peek at the pinned chat box to see if any new messages had popped up.

Seeing the message from Li Zhi, which conveyed a hint of grievance and dependence, the smile in his eyes deepened.

Occasionally, when it's just the two of them, Zhang Yuyan would nudge him with her elbow while smiling.

"Sending a message to Zhizhi? Okay, I know you two are lovey-dovey, just bear with it for a few days."

Shen Yuan usually just raises an eyebrow and smiles without commenting, but his expression says it all.

The fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

Shen Yuan accompanied his parents to Yang Yishui's home to offer New Year's greetings.

My older cousin's hometown is actually quite close to Shen Yuan's hometown.

If you're driving, it won't take more than 10 minutes.

Shen Yuan and his younger cousin Zhao Yueyang sat in Yang Yishui's courtyard, chatting casually.

A moment later, Yang Yishui came out with a handful of melon seeds.

She had just cracked open a sunflower seed when she saw Shen Yuanzheng looking at her and smiling.

"Tsk," Shen Yuan gestured with his chin toward the sunflower seeds in her hand, "Sis, I can tell, you really like eating sunflower seeds."

The older cousin paused, glanced at Shen Yuan for two seconds, and then rolled her eyes at him without any politeness.

"Yeah, so what? You think you can control everything, from heaven and earth to people eating sunflower seeds?"

As she spoke, she gestured with her other hand: "I think you've been itching for a beating since you haven't seen your girlfriend for days, huh? How about I loosen up your muscles for you?"

My older cousin snorted irritably and sat down to the side, munching on sunflower seeds.

Shen Yuan touched his nose, looked at her and chuckled to himself, as if she had really guessed his thoughts.

At this moment, Zhao Yueyang, who was standing to the side, suddenly chuckled.

He crept up to Shen Yuan, nudged him with his elbow, and then leaned close to Shen Yuan's ear.

My little cousin, in what he thought was a very quiet voice, gossiped, "Bro, I have a secret to tell you..."

Shen Yuan turned his head to the side, waiting with great interest.

Zhao Yueyang shrugged mysteriously: "It's my cousin, you know she went on a blind date these past few days?!"

Blind date? !
Shen Yuan suddenly turned his head, his gaze instantly locking onto Yang Yishui, who was sitting next to him, just tossing a sunflower seed into her mouth and about to "crunch" it.

His expression was a mixture of disbelief and sudden, overwhelming curiosity.

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Really?"

The sudden gaze and that key word made the older cousin abruptly stop the sunflower seeds she was about to put in her mouth.

She froze, as if stunned. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise, then suddenly glared at Zhao Yueyang, who had leaked the information, as if they had been set ablaze.

"Zhao! Yue! Yang!!!" The older cousin's voice suddenly rose to a shrill tone, filled with embarrassment and anger at having her secret exposed.

She jumped up, not even bothering to eat her melon seeds, and clenched her fists as she walked towards her little cousin, looking as if she wanted to sew the little traitor's mouth shut right away.

"What are you yelling about, you little traitor?! I'll tear your mouth apart!!!"

"Help, bro!" Zhao Yueyang yelled when he saw his older cousin really rushing over, and he quickly hid behind Shen Yuan.

The younger cousin gripped Shen Yuan's clothes tightly with both hands, crying out, "Brother, save me! My sister's going to kill me to cover it up!"

Yang Yishui rushed to Shen Yuan in a few steps, glaring at Zhao Yueyang who was hiding behind him, and reached out to grab him after getting past Shen Yuan.

"You come out here! I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget today!"

"Hey! Calm down! Calm down!" Shen Yuan quickly moved to the side, using his body to block Yang Yishui solidly. He spread his arms like a wall between the two of them, suppressing a smile on his face, but seriously advising her.

"It's the Lunar New Year, let's keep the peace and harmony in the world! Zhao Yueyang, you too, hurry up and apologize to your sister!"

"I'm sorry, sis! I was wrong!"

Zhao Yueyang hid behind and admitted his mistake without hesitation, his voice filled with a desire to survive.

Yang Yishui stood with her hands on her hips, her chest heaving, glaring angrily at Shen Yuan and the little traitor behind him.

"An apology is all it takes? He has no sense of propriety; he's spreading such embarrassing things around. Don't I have any dignity?!"

She grew angrier as she spoke, and the memory of that disastrous blind date brought a surge of anger and resentment.

"Do you know what that thing is? That guy!"

Seeing that his chance had come, Shen Yuan quickly seized the opportunity and pretended to be all ears and listen attentively.

"What's wrong? What did this guy do to make our sister so angry? Come on, sister, sit down and talk. Here, have your sunflower seeds back, calm down!"

As he tried to persuade her, he grabbed a handful of melon seeds from a small dish and placed them back into her hand in a conciliatory manner.

Yang Yishui's anger subsided a little from his interruption and slightly exaggerated words of comfort. She plopped back down on the small stool and started munching on sunflower seeds again.

"That man!"

She spat out the sunflower seed shells and rolled her eyes dramatically: "We didn't even exchange three sentences when we met! He was glued to his crappy phone the whole time! Like he had autism!"

"Those who know him think he's here for a blind date, but those who don't think he's here to find a Wi-Fi signal in our village! He practically shoved his head into the screen. So I'm not a blind date, but a Wi-Fi hotspot?!"

Hearing this vividly descriptive comment, Shen Yuan's lips twitched uncontrollably. He barely managed to suppress a laugh, instead putting on a sympathetic expression.

"Wow! That's so mean! You've been looking down at your phone the whole time?"

"Absolutely!"

Yang Yishui became more and more excited as she spoke: "When I talk to him, he just says 'um,' 'oh,' and 'okay'! Just like Siri! Oh no, Siri is smarter than him!"

"If I weren't so polite, I would have thrown the tea in his face! Someone like him is going on a blind date? He might as well spend the rest of his life glued to his phone!"

She was so angry that she bit into another sunflower seed.

Shen Yuan's face was almost frozen from trying to suppress his laughter, but he still had to agree: "This is really outrageous, there's no manners at all."

"What's even more outrageous is the person who introduced us!"

Yang Yishui seemed to have found an outlet for her anger, and she unleashed her full power.

"They raved about him to me! 'Young and promising,' 'steady and reliable,' 'introverted yet dependable,' and that's it? Is that what you call introverted? He'd practically become withdrawn!"

"That guy is a full five years older than me! Five years! What kind of eyesight does she have? Didn't she even ask his age before introducing me to someone?!"

"How dare you say you watched her grow up! I think she grew up blind! What's even more infuriating is!"

She slapped her thigh suddenly, and Zhao Yueyang gasped sharply, quickly rubbing his leg.

"Damn it, he even told me that someone like me who works in social media should find an honest man like that! What the hell is he implying?!"

"Pfft..."

Shen Yuan finally couldn't help but turn his head and chuckle, then quickly straightened his face under Yang Yishui's piercing gaze and coughed twice to cover it up.

"Cough cough... This matchmaker is definitely out of his mind, what a piece of idiot!"

His words, "idiot," seemed to strike a nerve with Yang Yishui, calming her down a bit, though her face still showed resentment.

"Absolutely! The thought of wasting my vacation on such a weirdo makes me furious!"

"Besides, if I actually found my older brother, why would I need to go on blind dates? She probably thinks I'm having someone pick me up... Waaah!"

Shen Yuan quickly covered Yang Yishui's mouth: "Sister, you can't say that!"

Shen Yuan casually grabbed a small handful of fresh melon seeds from a small dish next to him and stuffed them into Yang Yishui's other empty hand without saying a word.

"Alright, alright, sis, why bother getting angry at something like this? It's not worth it, really not worth it!"

He leaned forward slightly, his face bearing his usual teasing yet serious expression, and lowered his voice.

"Look, this only proves that our sister is too good for you, too outstanding! Most men can't easily be good enough for her, right? The matchmaker picked up some ugly duckling and dared to come up to you, such a beautiful cabbage. Isn't he just humiliating himself!"

He glanced at Zhao Yueyang, who was still huddled behind him, winking and making faces at Yang Yishui, and added fuel to the fire.

"Look, even Yang is angry for you, isn't he? Our young lady should at least meet an outstanding young man who matches your age!"

As Yang Yishui listened to Shen Yuan's flattery, the corner of her mouth twitched, as if she was trying her best to suppress the urge to laugh.

She glared at Shen Yuan with annoyance, but the taut lines of her face had clearly relaxed a lot.

She looked down and held the newly acquired sunflower seeds in her palm, while her other hand didn't stop, cracking open another one with a "crunch," as if she were chewing up her anger towards that weird blind date as well.

"Hmph!" She snorted softly, the anger in her voice much lessened, more like the lingering feeling of being coaxed.

"Stop talking nonsense, you idiot."

Seeing this, Shen Yuan knew the alarm was basically over. He grinned, relaxed his shoulders, and looked relaxed and comfortable.

"It's the truth, all the truth. Calm down, sister, have some more sunflower seeds, cheer up! It's the New Year."

Just as the atmosphere was relaxing, Yang Yishui suddenly stopped eating sunflower seeds.

Her beautiful eyes, filled with scrutiny, slowly turned back to Shen Yuan's face. She paused in front of him, a melon seed twirling between her fingers, a playful smile curving her lips.

"Wait a minute." The older cousin's voice suddenly lowered, carrying a knowing and mischievous tone.

"You little brat, don't try to change the subject and cheer me up. I have a serious question for you—"

She deliberately dragged out her tone, staring at Shen Yuan's suddenly frozen smile.

"Tell me the truth."

Yang Yishui leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharp, and asked clearly, word by word, "Did Li Zhi sleep at your house on New Year's Eve?"

"cough!"

His Adam's apple bobbed suddenly, and he let out a distinct, short, dry cough.

The air seemed to freeze in an instant.

Zhao Yueyang, standing nearby, sensed the awkward atmosphere. He shrank back, his eyes darting nervously between his cousin and his older cousin.

Huh?! Is this something I can actually hear?!
Will I be silenced if I hear this?
Although that's what my little cousin was thinking, he really didn't want to leave!
Big melon!
As for Shen Yuan, he felt a sudden rush of heat to his ears.

He instinctively tried to avoid Yang Yishui's all-seeing gaze, his eyes darting across the flowerpots in the corner of the yard. His mouth was slightly open, but after a long pause, he could only utter a single, indistinct syllable:

"……Uh?"

That guilty look of feigning ignorance and trying to get away with it practically screamed the answer.

Yang Yishui watched Shen Yuan's textbook-perfect reaction with satisfaction and chuckled with pleasure.

She snapped open the sunflower seed she had been twirling between her fingers for ages with a "crunch," her face beaming with pride.

"Alright, look at you, you coward."

She made a sarcastic remark, then stopped looking at Shen Yuan's burning red ears and turned her attention back to the melon seeds in her hand.

Looking at his older cousin's knowing expression, Shen Yuan took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled as if resigned to his fate.

He touched the tip of his nose, his gaze drifting helplessly to the sky, his face burning hot, and finally he chose to cough twice.

Look up at the sky, silence is golden.

If we keep talking about this topic, the social problems won't just be limited to New Year's Eve.

On the evening of the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the noise gradually subsided.

Li Zhi followed her parents home and breathed a sigh of relief.

She glanced at Old Li sitting on the sofa, hesitated for a moment, then walked over and broke the silence: "Dad... I won't go out for the next few days. School starts on the eighth day of the new year, and I want to stay home quietly and study for a few days."

Upon hearing this, Lao Li looked up, his tightly furrowed brows relaxing slightly.

He glanced at his wife instinctively, and Xu Chan nodded gently.

Seeing his wife's actions, Lao Li finally nodded and let out a low "hmm" from his nose, which was considered his tacit approval.

Li Zhi felt relieved, turned around and quickly walked back to his room, gently closing the door behind him.

After closing the bedroom door, Li Zhi immediately unlocked her phone, opened Shen Yuan's chat window, and tapped the screen lightly with her fingertips.

Li Zhi: "I don't need to visit relatives anymore! I can stay home and study from now on~"

Less than five seconds after the message was successfully sent, a message popped up in the dialog box saying "The other party is typing...".

Zhang Yuyan had just changed into her pajamas in the living room when she heard her son's bedroom door suddenly open.

Shen Yuan walked over quickly, clutching his phone, his ears red but his tone serious: "Mom, you and Dad are going to visit relatives for the next few days... Can I stay home?"

Zhang Yuyan raised an eyebrow and glanced at his lit phone screen, a knowing smile spreading across her eyes: "Got it, so Li Zhi isn't going out either? Okay—"

She deliberately dragged out her words, slowly finishing the second half of the sentence amidst Shen Yuan's suddenly tense shoulder line.

"Remember to study hard! Stop daydreaming all day! What you need to do right now is study!"

After saying that, Zhang Yuyan poked Shen Yuan's head: "You need to be more restrained!"

Upon hearing his mother's words, Shen Yuan's mind went completely blank.

By the time he came to his senses, his mother had already returned to her room.

No... what's with all the restraint?!

Shen Yuan stood there, stunned.

Li Zhi is right; the parents actually knew everything all along.

But...where exactly did I expose myself?

However, Shen Yuan didn't think about it for too long.

Compared to his parents knowing about his relationship with Li Zhi, Shen Yuan is now looking forward to spending time alone with Li Zhi tomorrow.

Finally, I don't have to visit relatives anymore.

It's been three days since the second day of the Lunar New Year!
Who knows how he got through those three days!

They say a day apart feels like three autumns, and this has been three years!

Shen Yuan suddenly remembered that he had complained about this matter when he was visiting his older cousin's house for the New Year earlier today. He felt that visiting relatives was too annoying and a waste of his time with Li Zhi. As a result, he was naturally retorted by his older cousin.

"I see you don't have a girlfriend right now, so you can't understand anything I say!"

"What do you mean?"

"He's lost his mind!"

puns, go to hell!

The phone suddenly vibrated in my palm.

Shaking his head, Shen Yuan dismissed the pun about his older cousin and almost immediately looked down to unlock the screen.

The latest message in the pinned chat box was exactly what he had been thinking about.

Li Zhi: "I don't need to visit relatives anymore! I can stay home and study from now on~"

A simple line of text, followed by a victory-spinning kitten emoji.

Looking at the words and the animated expression, Shen Yuan could almost see Li Zhi in the room, secretly pleased with himself.

A surge of eager anticipation and restless excitement instantly dispelled the frustration of being attacked by the pun on "Big Cousin".

His fingers flew across the screen.

Shen Yuan: "Puppy scattering flowers.gif"

Shen Yuan: "Then...do your homework tomorrow?"

Shen Yuan: "Should I come to your study, or should you come to my study? (Evil grin.jpg)"

The moment the message was sent, Shen Yuan's heart inexplicably skipped a few beats.

He stared at the screen, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face, his eyes filled with undisguised anticipation.

The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the sound of his own breathing.

He was waiting, waiting for that answer.

The faint glow of the phone illuminated Li Zhi's fingertips.

The words "doing homework" suddenly appeared in her mind's eye.

A surge of heat rushed straight to the top of his head!

The girl's beautiful almond-shaped eyes widened instantly, the words clearly reflected in her pupils.

That absurd excuse that has kept her going from the first day of the Lunar New Year until now is arguably the culprit behind all the social mishaps!

On that fair face, a sudden flush of color spread up from the base of her ears.

The burning sensation was so intense that it felt as if even the light emanating from the phone screen had become a bit hotter.

"Ugh——!"

A faint, almost inaudible whimper escaped uncontrollably from her nose.

She abruptly slammed her still-lit phone onto the bed, as if trying to bury some incriminating evidence, or as if her fingertips had been burned by those simple three words.

"Shen Yuan! You...you big idiot!! Seran!!!"

She lowered her voice and angrily spat at the wall behind the bed, as if her voice could penetrate the wall and reach Shen Yuan's ears.

She frantically covered her burning cheek with her free hand, the heat of the skin beneath her fingertips startling even herself.

Her slender white toes curled and stretched helplessly on the bed sheet.

My mind instantly went blank, a flurry of images flashing through my head.

Shen Yuan's lips curled into a mischievous smile, and he chuckled softly as he said, "The report is finished... shouldn't we do something now?"

And that quick, heart-pounding stolen kiss in the hallway just now...

Each one is shrouded in the shadow of the "doing homework" meme!
This guy definitely did it on purpose! Absolutely!
Even though she knew it was a trap, the restless anticipation in her heart crackled like popping candy, a mixture of shame, anger, and sweet excitement churning in her chest.

The blush on her cheeks grew even more vibrant because of her conflicted thoughts, like a ripe peach, almost dripping with juice.

After a high school student's first taste of kissing, he's like a little kid who's just learned to eat ice cream—he takes one lick and then wants a whole tub!
They spend all their time figuring out how to sneak in some sweet treats, and they're always afraid their parents will find out and confiscate their snacks.

They're practically inseparable, yet they still have to use "studying" and "reviewing" as a fig leaf to cover it up.

The parents sipped their tea and watched the play, fully aware of what was going on.

Kids, we'll just laugh and say nothing about your little bit of "knowledge points" and "homework".

But we're all young people, aren't we?

Although Li Zhi felt very shy when she saw Shen Yuan's message, she still replied in the end.

Li Zhi: "Come to your house, I can pet your cat while I rest."

Upon seeing the news about the beautiful girl, Shen Yuan's face broke into a wide smile.

Petting a cat?

That's what they said on New Year's Eve too.

My finger hovered over the screen for a moment before I finally typed a simple yet all-encompassing reply and sent it.

Shen Yuan: "Okay."

After sending the message, Shen Yuan seemed to have been frozen in place, grinning foolishly at his phone screen as he read through their entire conversation again.

His Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously.

"Heh..." Shen Yuan couldn't help but chuckle softly, the laughter in his chest vibrating muffledly.

He closed the chat window with Li Zhi and opened the alarm clock app on his phone.

He turned the alarm clock back on after turning it off these past two days.

Half past five.

After thinking about it, I felt it was too early; Li Zhi definitely wouldn't come that early.

But he still didn't change it back, as if as long as he set the alarm early enough, time could jump to tomorrow even faster, to the moment she appeared at his door with her schoolbag.

Shen Yuan tossed his phone back onto the bedside table and glanced at the several exercise books spread out on the desk.

Doing homework? Reviewing?

Ah, this will be the most distracted day of studying in history.

But... so what?

The important thing is that she's there tomorrow, not that she's in a room just a wall away from me.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the deep night.

The cold winter wind gently blew against the glass, making a soft whistling sound.

I imagine her slender fingers unconsciously fiddling with the pages of her book tomorrow, the slight furrowing of her brow as she writes, and the glint of mischief and girlish shyness that might flash in her eyes when she says "petting the cat."

He even thought that during their rest time, perhaps... she would, as usual, brush against him with her smooth calves, or intentionally or unintentionally bump into him with her long legs, which were tightly encased in pure white pantyhose...

Shen Yuan took a deep breath silently. The cool air rushed into his lungs, suppressing the burning flame in his heart, but it couldn't suppress the expectation flowing through his blood.

Enough is enough!

I won't be able to sleep if I keep thinking about it!
He abruptly pulled the curtains shut.

pat.

The lights were turned off.

The room was instantly filled only with the faint blue light cast by the phone screen in the darkness.

As if he had completed a major ceremony, Shen Yuan deftly threw himself into his warm bed.

The down comforter was fluffy and soft, carrying a faint scent of laundry detergent and its own refreshing aroma.

He buried his face in the pillow, but the image of New Year's Eve lingered in his mind.

These past few days, Shen Yuan has felt like something is missing when he sleeps.

Expectations, like warm waves, crash against the banks of reason, almost drowning one.

"...Go to sleep! You idiot! Stop thinking about it!"

In the darkness, Shen Yuan muttered a curse to himself, as if scolding a version of himself that was too excited to calm down.

He forced his eyes closed and pulled the blanket over his head, trying to block out those chaotic thoughts.

However, deep within the blankets, the boy's lips, silently curving upwards, always held an unyielding smile.

The throbbing in his heart was like the brightest star in the night sky, stubbornly shining, illuminating all his anticipation for the coming tomorrow that belonged to the two of them.

The winter night was deep and still, and time flowed slowly and steadily in anticipation.

At just over five in the morning, the city streets were still shrouded in the thick darkness of night, and all was quiet.

Shen Yuan's eyelids suddenly opened.

The room was pitch black, but he was unusually clear-headed, without the slightest hint of sleepiness.

In fact... he felt like he had never really slept soundly at all.

biological clock?
No, it's the mindset and excitement that go far beyond the body's natural rhythm that are at play.

He hadn't even heard the alarm clock yet.

He immediately reached for his phone and pressed the unlock button with his fingertips.

The blinding white light instantly illuminated his handsome face, which looked quite energetic.

The time was clearly displayed at the top of the screen: 5:12.

It was a full eighteen minutes earlier than the alarm was set!
Shen Yuan stared at the number for two seconds, and his powerfully beating heart pounded in his chest again.

He threw back the covers and sat up nimbly.

A new day begins.

He was already eagerly preparing to welcome his girl.

However, time passed much more slowly than he anxiously anticipated.

After tossing and turning in bed until almost six o'clock, Shen Yuan finally couldn't suppress the restlessness that was almost setting him on fire.

If he lay down any further, he suspected he could roll a hole through the bed.

"Fine, get up! Do your homework first!"

He cursed himself under his breath for his own pathetic impatience, then rolled over and got out of bed.

I turned on the light and went to the bathroom.

Even splashing cold water on my face couldn't completely suppress the excitement.

After Shen Yuan finished washing up, he went to the cat's food bowl and added breakfast for the two little creatures.

Kuku dashed to the rice bowl at the crack of dawn, showing off.

As for Nao Nao...

The deaf child was lying on the bed, unable to hear the sound of food being served...

Shen Yuande personally carried it to the food bowl.

After petting the cat a couple of times, Shen Yuan forced himself to sit down at his desk.

Looking at the winter break exam paper in front of him, Shen Yuan picked up his pen, hovered the tip above the paper for a moment, and then plunged it down.

The focus effect kicked in quickly, and Shen Yuan's mind immediately fell on the test paper in front of him.

All my attention was focused on these obscure physical symbols and geometric figures, dispelling the image of that sweet, smiling face in my mind...

Ugh, some scenes that shouldn't be revisited right now, just to reinforce some knowledge points.

Time passed silently, frame by frame, as the boy sometimes frowned in deep thought and sometimes wrote with great concentration.

When Shen Yuan drew the last calculation symbol on the draft paper and arrived at the answer, a sense of pure exhilaration from solving the problem briefly suppressed his restlessness.

He let out a long sigh, stretched his stiff neck, and leaned back in his chair, relaxing his body.

at this time--

"Knock, knock, knock." A clear knocking sound suddenly rang out.

Shen Yuan jumped up from his chair almost reflexively.

Before Shen Yuan could say anything, he heard his mother's voice coming from outside the room.

"Shen Yuan! Your dad and I are going out!"

"Okay, Mom! Be careful on the road!"

His voice was deliberately raised an octave, carrying the kind of feigned decisiveness that young people show when facing their parents' instructions.

Ms. Zhang Yuyan was surprised by her son's overly swift response and even saw Shen Yuan deliberately open the door and leave the room.

Her gaze swept precisely towards Shen Yuan.

Their eyes met.

Shen Yuan tried his best to keep his expression natural, even managing a forced smile.

Ms. Zhang Yuyan's lips twitched slightly upwards, and her meaningful gaze lingered briefly on Shen Yuan's face.

"Stay home and watch the house! Study hard! Stop fooling around!"

Those last four words, with their subtle upward inflection, were clearly etched into Shen Yuan's heart.

"...I know!" Shen Yuan answered quickly, his voice a little weak. He quickly turned to avoid his mother's overly sharp gaze and looked towards the living room.

"Humph!"

Zhang Yuyan snorted coldly, then turned and walked towards the gate.

"Hey, I'm telling you, Li Zhi's parents are coming over for dinner tonight, so you better behave yourself!"

The door slammed shut.

The door slammed shut, but to Shen Yuan it sounded like a thunderclap, freezing him in place.

The nerves that had just relaxed suddenly tightened to the extreme!

Li Zhi's parents...come over...for dinner tonight...

Every word felt like a barbed hook, scraping his nerves.

His mouth was open, his throat was so dry it felt like sandpaper was being rubbed, and he couldn't make a sound.

My brain completely shut down at that moment.

"Sometimes for two," "Reviewing lessons," "Consolidating knowledge points"...

All the wonderful plans and secret expectations for the afternoon were shattered by Mom's seemingly casual yet incredibly powerful words!

A chilling panic shot up his spine and onto his scalp, making his whole body go numb.

what? !

This was the first time I officially ate with her parents as her "boyfriend".

Especially after that explosive New Year's Eve, how would Lao Li look at him?
Will Aunt Xu's meaningful smile reappear?

A chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head. Shen Yuan felt his scalp tingle and his back stiffen.

“...It’s over, it’s all over…” he murmured unconsciously.

He used to be able to maintain his composure when his mother teased him about fashion, but this sudden announcement of the "Parents' Review Bureau" has completely exposed his true colors.

That feeling of helplessness and tension really welled up inside him, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

But Shen Yuan's crisis is not over yet.

Just then, Shen Yuan's phone rang.

Shen Yuan picked up his phone and saw that it was a message from Li Zhi.

That's not the point. The point is...

Ten news items!!
7: 55.

Li Zhi: "I'm up!"

Li Zhi: "Hey! Why are you up so early?"

8: 15.

Li Zhi: "You idiot Shen Yuan! I've already washed up! Where are you?"

8: 20.

Li Zhi: "You big idiot! Where is everyone?! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻"

Li Zhi: "Never mind, I'll eat breakfast first. You wait here, okay? (へ╬)"

8: 32.

Li Zhi: "(⊙_⊙)?"

8: 44.

Li Zhi: "Hey! You're really not up yet? I'm almost finished eating! I'm giving you ten minutes! Immediately! Show yourself!"

Li Zhi: "Husky pointing at people.jpg"

8: 55.

Li Zhi: "...Were you doing your homework and not looking at your phone? (Kitten peeking out.jpg)"

just.

Li Zhi: "Thumbs up.jpg"

A series of messages completely outlined Li Zhi's psychological journey over the past hour.

Shen Yuan could even picture her holding her phone, the screen reflecting the light on her face as her excitement gradually turned into a pout.

"Hiss..." Shen Yuan gasped, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

When his gaze swept over the expression on the last thumbs-up, Shen Yuan pursed his lips.

Some people are alive, but he is dead.

Shen Yuan felt that he might have been gone for a while.

My fingers flew across the screen.

Shen Yuan: "Kowtowing to the big boss.jpg"

Shen Yuan: "Baby, I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong!!!"

Shen Yuan: "I forgot to check my phone while I was doing the test! I'm coming to pick you up now!"

Shen Yuan: "Um... Did Uncle Li go out?"

Li Zhi rolled her eyes as she looked at the cautious, tentative message on her phone screen.

It was as if they wanted to flip that idiot on the other side, along with his thoughts, to the heavens.

Just as she was about to lock her phone, she caught a glimpse of a deep gaze coming from the side.

Li Zhi's movements suddenly stopped.

Old Li was sitting opposite her, silently watching her.

That usually gentle face was expressionless at this moment, but a silent, oppressive atmosphere hung between his brows, like a gloomy day brewing a storm.

The air in the living room seemed to thicken even more. The girl's heart suddenly tightened, and the fingertips gripping her phone turned slightly white.

The embarrassment and annoyance that had just been stirred up by the phone message were instantly replaced by a new sense of tension.

I need to get past my father.

She swallowed hard, forcibly suppressing the panic in her heart. She cleared her throat, her voice breaking the silence of the living room with a hint of tension.

"Dad, um... I... I'm going to Shen Yuan's house... to do some homework..."

The last three words, "do homework," were spoken very softly, almost as if they were mumbled from the throat.

After saying that, Li Zhi quickly lowered her eyelashes, not daring to look at Lao Li again.

What a lame excuse!

Even she herself felt incredibly guilty saying it out loud!
(End of this chapter)