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

Chapter 278: Zhan Xinyue
The light flowed quietly, clearly illuminating the texture of the stiff cardboard on the table.

Li Zhi's gaze followed Shen Yuan's gesture and landed precisely on the spot he had just pointed to—the thumbprint that Shen Yuan himself had pressed.

The shape of that mark was somewhat unusual.

It didn't land squarely in the center of the reserved spot, but rather... cleverly tilted to one side.

The girl's pupils dilated slightly.

It wasn't a misalignment from a pressing mistake; it was more like... more like a carefully crafted reservation, a half-outline waiting for the other half to fill in.

Shen Yuan's half fingerprint, like a patient gap, a gentle invitation, silently points to the smooth, blank paper beside him.

In that instant, the myriad thoughts surging in my heart seemed to be gently gathered up by a hand.

Anticipation, curiosity, and a little bit of deliberately hidden unease... all faded away, leaving only something soft and hot, like a clear spring with ripples spreading silently as a pebble is thrown in.

She stared at the irregular edge of the fingerprint for a few seconds, and then, a moist smile, like a flower bud awakened by the spring breeze, gradually spread from the depths of her clear eyes and quietly climbed to the slightly upturned corners of her eyes.

"idiot..."

She muttered softly, her voice unusually gentle, as if she were exposing the clumsiness and cuteness of his little trick.

There was no "gift receipt" sign anywhere.

That bad dog...

This is clearly... meant for her to complete this gift with him.

The goal is to add another heart-shaped mark, uniquely belonging to the two of them, to this card that bears the imprint of their daughter.

Without hesitation, and without needing any further guidance from Shen Yuan.

Li Zhi raised her right hand, her slender, fair thumb reaching towards the clear, transparent ink pad.

Her fingertips gently touched the cool, transparent membrane, bearing her unique mark, and aimed at the empty space Shen Yuan had reserved.

It wasn't a random overlap, but rather a precise pressing of her fingertip into the half-waiting space outlined by the arc of Shen Yuan's fingerprint.

The warm, delicate skin pressed against the cool paper surface, as if touching another, even hotter source through a thin card.

The edges of her fingerprints perfectly matched his eccentric contours.

The two tilted marks gently merged at this moment.

Under the light, the outline of a full and rounded heart instantly appears clearly on the card.

It was formed by two different fingerprints, their edges gently joined together, making it impossible to distinguish their origins from their ends.

Shen Yuan's "half" and her "half".

Like the intertwined red ropes wrapped around their wrists, like the silent heartbeats and warm light in their eyes at this moment.

Shen Yuan looked quietly at the rubbing that the two of them and the cats had made together, and the smile in his eyes was full of cherishing.

He picked up the unique card.

Nao Nao's clumsy cuteness, San Geng's seemingly aloofness, and the complete heart-shaped outline formed by his and Li Zhi's fingertips.

“Here,” Shen Yuan gently pushed the card in front of Li Zhi, his voice low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension and overflowing anticipation, his gaze fixed intently on her.

"Li Bao, a birthday present."

He paused, a forced, relaxed smile appearing on his lips.

"How was it? Are you satisfied? I told you I'd move you to tears... Do you feel like crying now?"

He tilted his head slightly and leaned closer, trying to catch evidence of her "tears of emotion" in her eyes.

Li Zhi's gaze fell on the card, and her fingertips gently brushed over the two small cat paw prints, her smile rippling like water.

But when her fingertip finally rested on that heart-shaped, intertwined fingerprint, that softness seemed to freeze for a moment.

Then, the girl looked up at Shen Yuan, who was standing close to her with a face that seemed to say, "Praise me!" and "Be moved!"

The soft light gently outlined her profile, her clear eyes reflecting his expectation, while a blush quickly spread around her eyes.

The air was thick with moisture, as if it were about to condense into beads and roll down at any moment.

She sniffed hard, her throat bobbing slightly, as if she was trying her best to suppress some surging emotions.

She cleared her throat, trying to regain control of her nearly out-of-control emotions and make her voice sound calm and even.

"Humph."

The girl tried her best to maintain her usual spoiled tone, but the slightly hoarse ending revealed a hint of tension that was not easily detected.

"That's it? You didn't cry at all, okay?"

Her eyes, which she tried to open wide, were strained to appear righteous, but the corners of her eyes were becoming increasingly red. Her nose was slightly red and her chin was stubbornly refusing to admit defeat.

Looking at the person in front of him, Shen Yuan's smugness instantly turned into a warm feeling.

Li Zhi's gaze returned to the card on the table, which carried so many heartfelt sentiments.

Her fingertips unconsciously traced the surface again.

Then, she raised her head and looked directly into Shen Yuan's smiling eyes.

This time, her voice carried an undeniable solemnity, even a hint of urgency and cherishing that she herself was unaware of.

"What are you still standing there for?" Li Zhi pointed at the card with his finger, his eyes filled with a commanding determination.

"—Hurry up, find me a picture frame to put it in!"

The word "frame it up" was pronounced clearly and crisply.

This is a treasure she will cherish for a long time and cannot afford to lose.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi's appearance.

"Yes, Teacher Li!"

Then, he bent down and opened the bottom drawer of the desk, taking out a simple photo frame that had been prepared beforehand.

He carefully placed the hard cardboard containing Nao Nao's and San Geng's paw prints and their fingerprints into the photo frame, his movements as focused as if he were handling the most precious collectible.

Cover it with a transparent acrylic sheet and press the buckles on the edges to seal it in, and that unique sentiment is instantly and forever frozen and preserved.

The girl lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the small painting for a long time.

Shen Yuan could see her long eyelashes fluttering rapidly, as if she was trying to calm herself down.

The reddened eyes, even more clearly visible under the light, were like a silent accusation.

Li Zhi slowly raised her eyelids, her clear eyes, filled with moisture, looking directly at Shen Yuan. Her eyes held the tremor of being greatly shocked, as well as a gentle shyness.

The girl's voice, carrying a barely suppressed yet still leaking breathy tremor and a moist quality, rang clearly in the quiet room:

"Shen Yuan."

She paused, sniffed, and gently tapped the perfectly fitting edge with her fingertip.

"...You bad guy..."

The girl could no longer suppress her surging emotions, and her voice suddenly choked with sobs as she accused the soul-crushing act of "cheating" word by word.

"You're being too unfair..."

Li Zhi's gaze shifted from the heart-shaped fingerprint to the soft cat paw print, his throat tightening, his voice trembling as if he had been struck in the heart by a carefully orchestrated attack.

"They actually...they actually dragged Sangeng and Naonao along..."

Before she could finish her sentence, which was still choked with emotion, her body was enveloped by a warm and solid force.

Shen Yuan opened his arms and hugged her tightly.

Li Zhi's body stiffened slightly for a moment, then she leaned softly against him, pressing her cheek against his chest.

The lingering tears and surging heart palpitations instantly found solace.

Shen Yuan gently rubbed his chin against the top of her soft hair, his voice carrying a gentle and precious tone, as if the dust had settled, clearly reaching her ears.

"I love you."

These three simple words were uttered by him at such a moment of perfect understanding, after he had just experienced such a unique and wonderful surprise.

A dazzling display of fireworks exploded in Li Zhi's heart, completely melting away the last trace of feigned composure and affected coquettishness.

at this time--

"Meow!" Nao Nao, unwilling to be ignored, meowed again, this time louder, and even stretched out its little paw to tug at Shen Yuan's trouser leg.

"Hmm—Aww—" Sangeng stretched elegantly on the windowsill, its tail tip curling deftly, as if expressing a noble helplessness at the humans' oblivious cuddling.

Both of them were awakened by the cat-like duet.

Li Zhi shifted slightly, a little embarrassed, trying to pull away from Shen Yuan's embrace.

Her gaze lingered once more on the photo frame on the table, which held so many precious memories, before she looked down at her little fluffy daughter, who was circling around her ankles, trying to get her attention.

"Okay, okay, I know you're all here too..." Her voice had a slight nasal tone after laughing, and a hint of softness that was barely perceptible.

Li Zhi took a deep breath, rubbed his slightly red and hot eyes, and gently patted Shen Yuan's arm, signaling him to let go.

"It's late, we should go home."

The moonlight outside the window was still, and most of the lights in the buildings had been turned off, and the whole city was in the tranquility before falling asleep.

The room's lighting grew even softer, and the air was filled with the lingering emotions of the past.

Just as Li Zhi turned to leave, Shen Yuan's hand reached out once again.

The warm fingers did not hold her as before, but gently encircled her wrist, the fingertips pressing against the inside of her wrist bone where a bright red rope was tied.

"Zhizhi..."

Shen Yuan's voice lowered, becoming even deeper and hoarser than when he said "I love you" before, gently brushing against her sensitive eardrums. Li Zhi stopped in her tracks, her heart skipping a beat as if burned by the voice.

She didn't turn around, but she could clearly feel his warm breath pressed against her back and the slightly dampness in his palm encircling her wrist.

Shen Yuan applied slight pressure with his arm, pulling her a little closer again.

His warm breath brushed against her neck, carrying a hint of coquetry and longing.

“Look,” he lowered his voice even further, like a whisper in the dead of night.

"Nao Nao and San Geng... neither of them want you to leave."

As if to confirm his words, Nao Nao very cooperatively tugged at Li Zhi's trouser leg, tilting its fluffy head back and making small, longing whimpering sounds.

At midnight on the windowsill, the cat, though still maintaining its elegant posture, had locked onto Li Zhi with its exceptionally bright cat eyes in the night, and its tail tip twitched slightly.

Shen Yuan pressed his advantage, his fingers gently yet firmly encircling her wrist, guiding her gaze to the little ones at her feet.

He held the person in his arms even tighter, his breath almost whispering in her earlobe, filled with burning hope and a hint of barely perceptible tension.

"Stay?"

He paused for a moment and gave a reason that sounded perfectly legitimate, yet concealed his own selfish motives.

"...Spend some time with them, okay?"

Only the breathing of the two people remained in the room, along with the intermittent meows and soft hums of Nao Nao and San Geng.

Shen Yuan's warm embrace was like a safe haven, silently conveying his longing and desire to stay.

Li Zhichui unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes with her other hand at her side.

In this small space, all that remained was the rising temperature caused by their close proximity and the irresistible allure of his low, husky voice.

The girl's lips parted slightly, and a very soft sob rolled down her throat. In the end, under the gaze of those three pairs of eyes, she slowly softened.

“Shen Yuan…” Li Zhi’s voice was very soft, as if covered by a thin layer of moisture. When she turned her head to look at him, the warm yellow light of the desk lamp reflected in her eyes.

"Let me go back first, okay?" She gently pressed her fingertips on the back of his hand that was wrapped around her wrist. "It's my birthday today, my parents are waiting for me, it'll be quick..."

The boy's arm around her stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment. He let out a muffled "hmm" in his throat, but his fingertips lingered on the bright red string on her wrist for a moment before slowly letting go.

"Then come back quickly..." Shen Yuan's voice was a little hoarse, his lowered eyelashes covering half of his face, but he still tried to force a compromised smile, "I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."

He stared intently at her, as if trying to imprint her soft, ethereal expression into his heart.

"My kittens and I are waiting for you here."

Li Zhi couldn't help but smile, her fingertips quickly pinching his slightly aggrieved chin: "Idiot... I know, soon."

……

Li Zhi gently turned the key to her own door lock.

"Click."

The door hinges turned with a slight sound, breaking the silence of the hallway.

She took a deep breath, pushed open the door, feeling a sense of relief at finally being back at a safe distance, yet mixed with a certain... guilty conscience.

The living room lights poured out like water.

Li Zhi's steps stopped at the entrance.

In the center of the sofa, Old Li sat upright, his gaze slightly raised from behind his glasses and falling on his daughter by the door.

Beside her, Xu Chan leaned against the sofa armrest, a gentle yet knowing smile on her face, a smile that seemed to penetrate Li Zhi's forced composure.

The air seemed to freeze.

"...Dad, Mom?" Li Zhi's voice was a little weak, even a little dry.

She instinctively gripped the strap of her schoolbag tightly, as if it were the only piece of driftwood she could hold onto, feeling the heat that had just dissipated on her cheeks return with a vengeance.

"I am back."

Old Li raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, scrutinizing his daughter's face.

"I thought you weren't coming back."

His tone was normal, but the implied pressure instantly made Li Zhi shrink back.

Xu Chan gently patted Lao Li's thigh, then stood up and walked over.

"Ignore your dad."

Her mother's voice was as gentle as ever, but it made Li Zhi's heart skip a beat.

She reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing against Li Zhi's slightly cool cheek, with a touch of tenderness mixed with a hint of mischief.

"Did you go to Shen Yuan's to pick up a gift?"

"N-nothing..." Li Zhi was startled by her mother's touch and instinctively tilted her head slightly, her fingertips digging into the edge of the shoe cabinet in the entryway, her voice barely audible.

"I...I'll go get it later..."

Upon hearing Li Zhi's words, Old Li took a deep breath, his gesture carrying a silent helplessness, and tapped his fingers, which were resting on his knees, almost imperceptibly.

Upon hearing this, Xu Chan smiled and looked at Li Zhi.

"Oh? It looks like that gift... must be amazing!"

Seeing her daughter's face, which was trying to remain calm but was getting redder and redder, the smile in her eyes deepened.

"Hey, Zhizhi."

Xu Chan leaned close to Li Zhi's ear mysteriously: "Would you like to see the birthday present your parents prepared for you?"

Li Zhi was slightly taken aback. The chaotic thoughts that Shen Yuan had taken over her mind were finally pulled back to some warm corners of home.

"Mmm...mmm! Okay!"

She nodded quickly, her voice regaining some clarity.

Xu Chan chuckled softly, walked over, and affectionately put her arm around Li Zhi's shoulder, pulling her a couple of steps into the living room, away from Old Li's position.

Xu Chan turned her head slightly, her red lips close to her daughter's ear, her voice extremely low, as if sharing a tender secret that only a mother and daughter could understand: "Actually, your father and I discussed it..."

Her warm breath brushed against Li Zhi's earlobe: "Where's the gift we gave you..."

Xu Chan paused for a moment, and with her daughter holding her breath and looking at her intently, she continued softly with a smile, "—It means 'Today, you can do whatever you want.'"

After she finished speaking, she gently pressed her finger on Li Zhi's shoulder again, with a teasing tone.

Li Zhi's ears suddenly burned, and the blush that had just faded not only swept across her cheeks but also spread to her neck.

“Mom…” she moved her lips.

Xu Chan chuckled as she watched her daughter's face flush instantly, as if she could see through the shyness churning in the young man's heart.

After Li Zhi looked away shyly, Xu Chan added with a light laugh, "Alright, alright, Mom won't tease you anymore. Go to the study and get the gift; it's on the desk. Go ahead."

After Xu Chan finished speaking, she did not move, but simply raised her chin towards the study with a smile.

Li Zhi walked towards the study under his mother's gentle gaze.

The light shone on the table, where a gift box lay quietly.

A cream-colored letter leaned against the gift box, with the father's strong handwriting on the cover reading "To Li Zhi".

When she saw the gift in front of her, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

The warmth of being silently loved by her parents, along with the emotion brought by Shen Yuan's thoughtful gift, instantly broke down her defenses.

She took a deep breath, picked up the envelope, her fingertips even trembling slightly.

Gently open the envelope and carefully take out the letter inside.

The letter was written in Lao Li's own handwriting, clear and solemn.

"Zhizhi: Zhanxinyue".

"A new chapter in your life has begun. As your father watches you grow from a naive child into an independent and resilient young woman, I feel both gratified and hopeful..."

Looking at the familiar handwriting carrying such profound emotions, Li Zhi clutched the letter, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls.

As she looked further, a smile suddenly appeared on the girl's face.

“Shen Yuan, that boy once filled your father with suspicion, but seeing his sincerity towards you, his protection of you, and his pursuit of dreams alongside you, I realized that my son has excellent judgment…”

"The essence of a relationship lies in mutual understanding and shared journey. Since you have made this choice, your parents trust and support you. We only hope that you will respect each other, encourage each other, and write a testament to your youth that you can be proud of."

"Adulthood is not just about age, but also about knowing how to cherish what you love and shoulder responsibilities."

"From this day forward, you will still be the precious treasure we hold in our hands, and a star that can stand alone."

Happy birthday, my daughter.

……

Xu Chan sat on the sofa, gently patting her daughter's back with her palm.

Seeing her daughter crying in Lao Li's arms, she looked at her husband with a knowing smile.

She had long seen through the old man's little scheme.

From the feigned serious cough when his daughter entered the room, to the handwritten letter he secretly prepared over several days in the study.

He was clearly challenging Shen Yuan!
The father just wanted to see whose gift for his daughter was more thoughtful!

Old Li looked at Xu Chan, cleared his throat, and looked away, only his bright red ears revealing his embarrassment at having his thoughts seen through by his wife.

(End of this chapter)