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

Chapter 301 The proctor unseals and distributes the answer sheets.

“Ding-ling-ling-ling——!”

The sharp closing bell, like a guillotine slamming shut, instantly severed the frozen time within the examination hall.

The proctor's loud voice followed immediately: "Exam time is up! All candidates, please stop answering immediately! Remain seated and wait for the papers to be collected!"

The moment the words fell, a chorus of pens being put down echoed throughout the examination hall.

Many test takers unconsciously leaned forward, their faces showing a mixture of fatigue, relief, and a hint of regret.

The proctors moved quickly through the aisles, their movements efficient and swift. The exam papers and answer sheets, each carrying so much hope and anxiety, were quickly gathered and neatly stacked on the podium.

The sound of paper rubbing together was particularly clear at this moment, as if drawing a conclusion to the past two and a half hours.

Shen Yuan breathed a silent sigh of relief.

He put down his pen, the marks of holding it for so long still lingering on his fingertips, and glanced at the exam papers that had been taken away.

The paper was covered with his neat handwriting, which he knew so well it was almost etched into his bones.

The Chinese exam is over. Regardless of the result, the first battle has come to a close.

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense all morning, finally slowly returned to normal.

He stretched his stiff neck and wrists, and the image of Li Zhi involuntarily flashed through his mind.

I wonder what she's feeling right now? Is she satisfied with her answer sheet?

The area inside and outside the school gates was already more noisy and bustling than in the morning. The wave of students finishing the first exam of the morning was pouring out.

Just minutes after handing in his paper, Shen Yuan neatly packed up his transparent file folder and walked out of the examination room with the flow of people.

He walked steadily but with a clear goal in mind, weaving through the crowd and heading straight for the pre-arranged meeting point in front of the teaching building.

He had barely stood still when he looked up and saw that slender, familiar figure parting the crowd and walking quickly toward him.

Li Zhiye also came out.

Her fair cheeks were slightly flushed from the end of the exam, her eyes were bright, and her steps were light yet urgent.

When she saw the figure waiting under the tree, the light instantly became even brighter, and the corners of her small mouth couldn't help but turn upwards, a clean and sweet smile as fresh as morning dew spreading across her face.

The joy and sense of belonging were clearly reflected in my eyes, sweeping away the solemnity of the examination room just now.

Shen Yuan's lips curled into a smile as he strode forward to meet him.

The two met smoothly amidst the surging crowd, without any hesitation or pause.

"Teacher Li, how are you feeling?" Shen Yuan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible ease.

Li Zhi's eyes gleamed with his usual smugness: "What else could it be? You know my abilities! But what about you? How did you do on the exam?"

She deliberately dragged out the word "you," her eyes darting around, clearly most concerned about his performance.

"It's alright. The essay..."

He paused deliberately, keeping everyone in suspense, until he saw Li Zhiwei raise an eyebrow and urge him on, then chuckled and continued, "...Quite interesting."

He added in a whisper that only the two of them could hear, "You did well, you shouldn't have disappointed my darling."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi glared at him fiercely with her beautiful eyes, but the smile she couldn't hide in her eyes and the deepening blush on her cheeks betrayed her true feelings.

She kicked Shen Yuan's shoe without any hesitation: "Stop patting yourself on the back! Wait until after the exam! Come on, let's go home and eat to recharge!"

Without another word, the two turned around side by side and merged into the surging crowd.

Shen Yuan's hand habitually circled around Li Zhi's shoulder and back, separating her from the crowded classmates.

The warm sunlight shone down, casting a bright glow on the two young figures.

The college entrance examination has just begun, but they have already made it through the first important morning side by side.

The air was filled with the aroma of lunch and the brief sense of relaxation before the afternoon exam.

The sunlight lengthened their shadows as they walked along the tree-lined path leading to the cafeteria, their steps relaxed yet not frivolous.

After a short rest, the battlefield will restart in the afternoon.

The air was filled with the aroma of lunch and the brief sense of relaxation before the afternoon exam.

My footsteps tread the tree-lined path leading to the cafeteria, relaxed yet not frivolous.

As Shen Yuan entered the familiar cafeteria, his gaze habitually swept over their usual seats, where he saw Yang Ze and Chen Mingyu sitting.

Chen Mingyu was focused on eating when Yang Ze pushed up his glasses and looked up at the sound.

"Yuan, Young Master Li, this seat is empty." Yang Ze nodded to them and pointed to the empty seat next to him.

Shen Yuan pulled out a chair for Li Zhixian to sit down, then glanced around at them: "Just the two of you? Where's Jie?"

Yang Ze pointed with his chopsticks towards the door, his tone tinged with helplessness: "A-Jie's mother took him home."

He took a bite of rice and added, "Peipei and Zhiyu were also picked up by their families today and went home for dinner."

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi nodded without saying anything more.

After all, it's the college entrance exam, so it's perfectly normal for parents to want their children to eat well.

As the four finished eating and were clearing their plates, Chen Mingyu suddenly suggested, "Let's go to the supermarket and buy a bottle of iced tea? Math this afternoon will be too mentally taxing."

Their eyes met, and after leaving the classroom, the four of them naturally headed towards the supermarket.

The campus supermarket was packed with students taking a break between exams, and the cold air from the freezers diffused into white mist in the afternoon.

Li Zhi paused slightly in front of the transparent freezer, her gaze sweeping over the dazzling array of packaging before finally settling on an ice cream cone.

"Want some?" Shen Yuan's voice rang close to my ear.

He had already stood half a step behind her without her noticing, the cuff of his school uniform brushing against her slightly cool arm, his gaze precisely locking onto her wandering eyes.

Li Zhifei nodded quickly, a hint of post-exam excitement in his eyes: "Yes! I want the chocolate flavor..."

Before he could finish speaking, Shen Yuan suddenly straightened his face, his brows furrowing slightly as usual, and his tone abruptly deepened:

"No."

He deliberately placed his arm between Li Zhi and the freezer, and whispered, "There's math class this afternoon. What if you get an upset stomach? You're not allowed to eat."

Li Zhiqing's bright eyes widened instantly.

But the next second, the girl seemed to think of something, and her slender fingertips quietly reached out and carefully grabbed Shen Yuan's school uniform sleeve, tugging at it gently.

Sunlight streamed through the supermarket's glass doors, falling on the girl's fair face.

Her beautiful eyelashes fluttered, her pink lips slightly pouting, and her clear eyes, which always carried a hint of arrogance, were now shimmering with bright, watery light.

Li Zhi moved closer to Shen Yuan, raising her chin slightly at just the right angle, her voice soft and sweet.

"elder brother……"

She drew out her words, tugged at his sleeve with her fingertips, and looked at him pleadingly, her eyes filled with adoration: "Just one, please?"

Li Zhi's voice was extremely soft, yet every word struck Shen Yuan's heart clearly: "Please, brother~ please, please~"

Shen Yuan's feigned serious expression completely crumbled the moment she uttered that soft, sweet "brother."

He looked down at the beautiful girl who was acting coquettishly and whining, and a very soft chuckle escaped his throat.

"it is good."

The response was low and helpless, carrying the feeling of being completely controlled and surrendering.

Yang Ze and Chen Mingyu, who were standing to the side, almost simultaneously showed expressions of extreme disgust and took a half step back in unison.

"Alas----"

The warm sunlight streamed through the supermarket's glass doors, enveloping the figures of four teenagers in a halo of light.

The afternoon breeze, carrying the scent of the trees and the cool air from the freezer, stirred up the fleeting yet incredibly real moments of youth during the break between the college entrance exams.

Back in the classroom in the lab building, the four of them placed their drinks on the corner of the table, and the ease they had just brought back from the cafeteria and supermarket immediately vanished.

Review, and more review.

The afternoon quiet didn't last long. Footsteps approaching from outside the corridor broke the silence, followed by Ah Jie's signature loud voice: "Brothers! I'm back!" He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei's voices also joined in: "We're back too!"

As they were talking, the classroom door was pushed open, and several people, looking refreshed after replenishing their energy at home, quickly returned to their seats.

Ah Jie plopped down, scratching his head: "I can really concentrate here! My mom's watching me eat, it's so stressful!"

He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei exchanged a smile, then tacitly stopped joking and quickly immersed themselves in reviewing the afternoon's exam subjects.

The fan continued to spin tirelessly overhead, bringing a touch of coolness to this tranquil space where only the sounds of turning pages and pens scratching filled the air.

The classroom door was silently pushed open a crack, and then slowly closed again.

The tall figure standing at the door did not immediately disturb the tranquility.

Old Zhou stood quietly by the door, arms crossed, his gaze behind his glasses calmly sweeping across the entire classroom.

His gaze precisely captured the state of each familiar figure.

No one noticed the silent gaze from the doorway.

His gaze silently swept over every young and focused face, watching them either furrow their brows in deep thought or write furiously.

The air was filled with the dry scent of turning pages and the tense spirit of the young people, heavy yet full of power.

Old Zhou's face remained expressionless, like a steadfast rock.

But behind those lenses, a complex emotion was surging within.

It contained the usual scrutiny and rigor before battle, but deeper within it lay a subtle, indescribable turmoil.

It's like watching carefully nurtured wheat seedlings finally sprout heavy ears of grain after the last spring rain.

His gaze eventually passed over the students' backs as they hunched over their desks and landed outside the window.

After standing at the door for an unknown amount of time, Old Zhou finally turned and left.

He said nothing, silently withdrew his gaze, and his tall, composed figure quietly retreated, as if he had never been there.

Unlike previous years when it rained during major exams, the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) did not take place during this time.

Yang Yishui looked out at the bright sky.

His amber eyes then shifted, landing on the students hunched over their books in the classroom.

The afternoon sunlight gilded the ends of her slightly curled hair, revealing a gentleness different from her usual capable demeanor, unlike that in the classroom.

Her gaze slowly swept over the familiar figures. Just then, Shen Yuan, who had been looking down, seemed to sense something and suddenly raised his head, his gaze passing over the pages of the book to meet her eyes precisely.

Yang Yishui raised an eyebrow slightly, and the corners of her mouth habitually curved into a teasing smile: "Shen Yuan, what are you looking at? Why aren't you reading?"

Shen Yuan met her questioning gaze, a smile spreading across his eyes.

He spoke each word clearly and distinctly: "Look at you!"

He paused, his smile deepening with a hint of youthful mischief, and continued, "You should look at us more often, so you won't miss us later."

"puff--"

"Hahahaha!"

Laughter erupted instantly in the classroom, breaking the tense atmosphere of the review session.

The other students who were originally engrossed in their studies were also amused by this sudden moment of relaxation, and the classroom was filled with good-natured laughter.

Yang Yishui, standing on the podium, narrowed her amber eyes as she watched him act as if he had gotten the better deal but was still being smug.

The teasing smile deepened, and the corners of his lips curved into a knowing smile with a hint of "you just wait."

She didn't scold or stop the brief commotion, but simply drew out her words, her voice ringing out clearly, piercing through the laughter: "Okay."

Her gaze swept over Shen Yuan's radiant smile, then slowly circled the classroom to every young face, a rare hint of tender reluctance appearing deep in her eyes.

She crossed her arms, her red lips parted slightly, and her voice, though not loud, carried a friendly teasing tone:
"Then I'll keep an eye on them while they're still under my nose. That way, I won't be unable to find anyone to deal with you little rascals after graduation."

“But Shen Yuan, you’re different. I can find you anytime I want to beat you up.”

As soon as he finished speaking, an even louder burst of laughter erupted in the classroom.

Before the echoes of laughter had fully dissipated in the classroom, a sound that resounded throughout the campus suddenly rang out from outside the window.

"Ring ring ring—!!!!!"

The exam bell shattered the delicate, pre-exam tranquility in the classroom.

All sounds in the classroom were instantly paused.

At the same moment, all sounds were silenced by the bell that heralded the start of the final battle.

The next second, countless chair legs scraped against the floor, creating a sharp "screech" sound that blended into a chaotic wave of noise.

As if pulled by invisible threads, the students all stood up at once!
The movements were characterized by a consistent sense of determination and urgency.

"Bring everything you need, including your ID card, admission ticket, pen, and answer sheet marker!"

Yang Yishui's voice rang out in the classroom.

"Keep going, it's the last game!"

People flooded into the corridor like a burst dam.

Students from all classes in the entire laboratory building poured out at the same time.

Instantly, the stairwell was filled with figures wearing the same blue and white school uniforms.

The flow of people quickly dispersed in the corridors.

Shen Yuan stood against a small crowd at the entrance of the examination hall.

Inside the classroom, the proctor's stern gaze swept across each candidate about to enter, like a searchlight.

The metal detector gleamed with a cold light beside the door frame.

Shen Yuan slightly raised his chin and took a deep breath.

His gaze swept past the crowd, seemingly piercing through the floorboards, clearly illuminating Li Zhi's figure standing in front of an examination room on another floor.

The last one.

The boy's slender fingers traced across the examination admission ticket.

He stepped forward and handed his admission ticket and ID card to the invigilator.

A silent solemnity was felt at the moment of handover.

The teacher looked down and checked, confirming that the photo, name, and seat number were all correct.

The teacher nodded slightly and raised her hand to signal for security check.

The gleaming metal detector tip pressed against his shoulder, then smoothly slid down his arm, back, waist, and legs.

Without hesitation, the teacher gestured for him to lift his feet, and the detector quickly swept across the soles of his shoes.

"Go in," a deep voice said.

Shen Yuan nodded and walked into the examination room.

He pulled out the cold plastic chair and sat down, gently placing the file bag on the upper right corner of the desk.

He then took out his admission ticket and ID card and placed them side by side in the designated spot on his desk.

The examination room was filled with a tense atmosphere of waiting.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the boy's straight back and well-defined hands.

He took a deep breath, his gaze calmly fixed on the blank tabletop, awaiting the start of the final battle.

Shortly after, the bell rang again.

A crisp electronic notification sound suddenly rang out throughout the examination room!

"The invigilator opens the sealed envelope and distributes the answer sheets."

(End of this chapter)