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

Chapter 228 The dog was killed!

"So...brother, is the strawberry sweeter, or am I sweeter?"

Li Zhi's voice was soft and gentle, yet it was like a thunderclap carrying honey, striking Shen Yuan's ears precisely and hitting the very center of his wildly beating heart.

Shen Yuan's breath seemed to be instantly sucked away by those words.

In his perception, the world instantly shrank until only the face in front of him, with its cunning yet expectant smile, remained.

Those clear eyes, reflecting the light from the classroom's overhead lamp, shone brightly as they intently awaited his answer.

All I could hear was the frantic pounding of my own heart in my chest.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The sounds grew louder and louder, making his eardrums ring and almost drowning out all the other sounds around him.

He felt as if his cheeks were burning with hot coals, the heat spreading from his ears all the way down to his neck.

The sweet taste from that half-strawberry hadn't completely faded when it was suddenly overwhelmed by another overwhelming sweetness.

The girl's charming smile, intertwined with the lingering sound of "brother," created an irresistible allure.

Shen Yuan felt as if something was tightly choking his throat, making it dry and tight, and for a moment he couldn't make a sound.

Sweeter than strawberries?

This is absolutely a killer question!
No matter how sweet the strawberries are, how can they be sweeter than the mischievous yet incredibly alluring smile of the person in front of you?

Is it sweeter than her deliberately coquettish demeanor at this moment?
Is it sweeter than the heart-fluttering feeling when her pigtails cascade down her shoulders?

Shen Yuan felt as if a whole jar of boiling honey had been stuffed into his head, sticky and scalding hot, and all his thinking ability was completely evaporated by this sudden, violent, and sweet choice.

In this brief silence that Shen Yuan found incredibly long—

Holy crap!!!

Like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, Ah Jie suddenly sprang up from his seat, his water glass crashing onto the table with a loud bang, splashing water everywhere, but he was completely unaware.

Ah Jie clutched his chest with one hand and pointed at Shen Yuan and Li Zhi with the other, his expression twisted as if he had witnessed the apocalypse superimposed with an alien invasion.

Finally, A-Jie let out a mournful cry.

"Woo——"

"Ah!!! That's unfair!! That's so unfair, Sister Li! Why, why are you torturing single people like this?!"

Yang Ze choked on a mouthful of water, coughing violently until tears streamed down his face. Even while coughing, he didn't forget to join the chorus of condemnation.

"Damn...cough...cough cough...this...this dog food...cough...the feeding is too much! Shen Yuan! You deserve to die!"

Chen Mingyu dropped the pen in his hand with a "thud," his eyes behind his glasses widened, and his mouth was slightly open, as if his worldview had been violently shaken.

He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei were so excited that they gripped each other's arms tightly and stomped their feet wildly on the spot.

"Aaaaaah—! Zhizhi!!! Oh my god!!"

He Zhiyu's voice was trembling uncontrollably.

"Help! Help! I... I'm going to die from this!!"

Zhuo Peipei covered her face, excitedly babbling incoherently, "Are strawberries sweeter than me?! Ahhh! Zhizhi, how can you be so good at this?!"

"It's so sweet, sweeter than any other sweet romance novel I've ever read!"

The students at the back of Class 15, and even those in nearby seats, were completely captivated by this explosive interaction and the ensuing collective screams.

Ah-Jie seemed to have suffered a devastating blow. He clutched his chest and leaned back dramatically. If it weren't for the desk blocking his way, he would have almost collapsed to the ground, letting out incoherent wails.

"Woof woof—! They're killing a dog!!! Sister Li, you've changed! You weren't like this before! Shen Yuan—! You scoundrel—!"

What started as a localized disturbance in the back row of Class 15 escalated into a cacophony of wailing and howling after Li Zhi's delayed but explosive question, "Brother, is strawberry sweeter, or am I sweeter?"

The mournful cries of "kill the dog" were like a boiling ocean.

The air was thick with the scent of lemons—envy, jealousy, and hatred—as well as the restless souls of single people ravaged by this violent operation.

Meanwhile, at the eye of the storm—Shen Yuan—was still in a state of mental lapse.

The boy's cheeks burned. Facing the boy's burning gaze, he felt his fragile heart being repeatedly crushed by the resentment of the whole class and the expectations of Li Zhi.

The exaggerated wails and jeers of the surrounding classmates buzzed loudly, yet seemed to be blurred and distant through a layer of water.

Li Zhi was now the only person Shen Yuan could focus on.

A strong impulse compelled him to take a deep breath, as if to draw courage to answer.

All the shyness and embarrassment seemed to be washed away by this breath, leaving only a burning sincerity in my heart.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed firmly on Li Zhi's eyes, his voice clearer than ever before, carrying a reckless openness:
"Li Bao, of course you're sweeter!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it was unusually firm.

After saying this, the boy immediately deflated like a punctured balloon, and his hard-won composure was instantly tinged with embarrassment.

This resolute answer clearly pleased Li Zhi.

The beautiful girl couldn't help but curl her lips up high, her smugness almost overflowing, making her exude a lively and charming allure.

Just as Shen Yuan thought the alarm was off—

Li Zhi persisted, gently moving a little closer.

The girl lowered her voice even further, her eyes filled with a teasing smile, and pressed on:
"Oh?" She deliberately drew out the tone, raising the last syllable like a small hook.

"Then...brother, just how sweet am I?"

boom--!
Shen Yuan felt as if fireworks were exploding before his eyes! His brain, which had just begun to calm down, was boiling over again!
How sweet is it?
How can I even describe this!

Yes...yes...

It’s over.

The last clear thought in Shen Yuan's mind was a lament: Li Bao is a bad woman now.

But I think I like it even more now.

Seeing Shen Yuan instantly fall into a daze again, Li Zhi finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Her shoulders trembled slightly with laughter, and her eyes sparkled with an incredibly bright sense of pride.

The pretty girl stretched out a finger and affectionately poked Shen Yuan's burning cheek.

"Fool!"

Stunned by her prodding, Shen Yuan seemed to have been reset, jolting back to his senses, and uttered a meaningless syllable: "Uh..."

Li Zhi withdrew his hand, his fingertips still bearing traces of the burning heat from his cheek. The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by a gentle expression tinged with a hint of smugness.

Okay, okay, I'm just teasing you~

The pretty girl spoke in a relaxed tone, like she was soothing a large, ruffled dog, but a serious look began to emerge in her eyes.

She straightened up slightly, picked up the past exam paper set spread out on the table, and gently patted the cover, making two soft "tap tap" sounds.

Those clear eyes refocused on Shen Yuan's face. Although there was still a lingering smile in their eyes, their expression had become serious.

"It's time to read, brother."

She paused, then lowered her voice: "Don't forget... our promise."

After Li Zhi finished speaking, the mischievous smile in his eyes did not completely disappear; instead, it took on a hint of victorious cunning.

She stopped looking at Shen Yuan's face, which was flushed red as if it were about to bleed, and his dazed eyes. She gracefully withdrew her hand from his cheek, and then—

The beautiful girl sat back down properly in her seat.

She casually tidied one of her pigtails, which was swaying slightly with her movements, so that the small pearl hair clip could be seen clearly.

Then, as if ignoring the still-lingering wailing and howling around her, her fair fingers naturally flipped open the practice book of past exam papers spread out on the table.

Her straight back, with its earnest curve, instantly restrained all her charm and playfulness.

That nonchalant composure and the sudden return to a studious aura were completely different from the charming girl who had asked "How sweet am I?" just seconds before, yet the transition was so smooth and effortless.

And at the same time——

"Woo-wooo—Shen Yuan, you treacherous dog, prepare to die!!!"

Like a beast freed from its restraints, Ah Jie let out a fierce and indignant roar, and suddenly leaped out of his seat.

Together with Yang Ze, who was equally indignant, and Chen Mingyu, who was joining in the fun with a tragic expression, they formed a pincer movement.

Almost at the same moment Li Zhi sat down, three pairs—no, more than several pairs—like iron clamps, grabbed Shen Yuan's shoulders and arms, and even tried to lift his legs.

A-Jie grabbed Shen Yuan from behind and strangled him, dragging him away while hurling accusations as if he were attacking a class enemy.

"Come out! You have to come out and explain yourself! You heinous bastard! Get out of here! You won't live until you give us an explanation!!!"

"This is outrageous! Brothers, drag Shen Yuan out and execute him!!"

"Hurry up! We can't let that beast Shen Yuan stay next to Sister Li any longer!"

Shen Yuan was still immersed in the extreme sweetness brought by Li Zhi's "brother" and the fatal blow of "bad woman," his mind was a mess, and he didn't have time to react.

He felt his body lighten, and his feet were about to leave the ground. He could only futilely utter a few incomprehensible sounds.

"what?"

"Huh?! Wait...wait! Let me explain!!"

Like a lamb being dragged away by a pack of indignant hounds, I was forcibly pulled from my seat without any resistance, heading straight for the "execution ground" leading to the corridor from the classroom door.

The classroom door was kicked open amidst Shen Yuan's "uh-uh-ah-ah" sounds and A-Jie and the others' "dragon-like roars" of accusations.

The clamorous waves surged towards the door as Shen Yuan was dragged away.

The door slowly closed behind him, and the cold air in the corridor, carrying the crowd's "condemnations," completely engulfed Shen Yuan, who was still struggling in a daze.

Inside the door, Li Zhi lowered his head, his long eyelashes casting focused shadows on the exercise book, and the faint smile at the corner of his mouth deepened slightly.

Just as Shen Yuan was being dragged out of the classroom, He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei, who sat at the front desk, could no longer contain their burning gossip. They turned around abruptly, their eyes shining as they focused on Li Zhi.

"Zhizhi—!"

He Zhiyu lowered her voice excitedly, but could not hide her fervor at all.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! You...you...confess! What just happened?! And that 'brother'!!!"

"You two... what earth-shattering thing happened between you two during the New Year's holiday?! Is this really the Zhizhi I know?!"

Zhuo Peipei nodded like a chick pecking at rice, her eyes full of curiosity: "Yes, yes, yes! Zhizhi, what you did today was so...so sweet! Shen Yuan was completely dumbfounded!"

Li Zhizheng paused slightly as he flipped through the exercise book.

She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping across two faces that seemed to scream "Give me the gossip!" beneath her thick eyelashes.

The lingering slyness on the girl's lips deepened subtly.

She gave a soft "humph," with a hint of self-righteous arrogance and a touch of smugness.

Looking at the two people in front of him, Li Zhi suddenly smiled.

The girl leaned forward slightly, beckoning to the eager He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei with her finger, signaling them to come closer, her eyes sparkling with the desire to share a secret.

He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei immediately held their breath and brought their heads even closer together.

Li Zhi's lips curled into a pleased yet slightly boastful smile, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of hair that fell beside her cheek.

"Shen Yuan...during the New Year's Eve..."

The beautiful girl deliberately dragged out the last syllable, enjoying the sudden widening of their eyes, before finally uttering the most crucial information with satisfaction.

He confessed his feelings to me.

The two little sugar figures widened their eyes instantly.

“Ah? Ah?!!”

He Zhiyu pressed him urgently in a low voice, "How did you tell it? Tell me quickly!"

Seeing their excited expressions, Li Zhi's smile deepened.

Her fingertips gently caressed the pearl hair clip Shen Yuan had given her, a sly glint in her eyes: "It's a secret."

After saying that, Li Zhi made a shushing gesture, and smiled, "Alright, alright, I'm going to read now."

Although their request to delve deeper into the gossip was decisively rejected, He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei showed no annoyance whatsoever. Instead, they grinned, their smiles even brighter than before!
The two exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other.

They turned back, satisfied.

Although they were temporarily prevented from asking further questions, the two still couldn't help whispering to each other through the small gap between them after sitting down, their low, excited laughter completely undisguised.

Inside the classroom, all was peaceful, but outside, Shen Yuan was completely cornered.

"You beast, you beast! Shen Yuan! Tell me! How did you bewitch Sister Li?! Huh?!"

Ah Jie beat his chest and stamped his feet, pointing at Shen Yuan's nose and saying in anguish, "Brother?! She actually called you brother?! Shen Yuan! What kind of bewitching potion did you give Sister Li?!"

"How could our dear Young Master Li have become like this! Pigtails are one thing, but feeding him strawberries?! And asking him how sweet she is?! Huh?!"

"Exactly! That's going too far!" Yang Ze nodded.

Chen Mingyu's eyes were filled with grief: "Damn it! Give us back the painful sacrifice of Class 15!"

Sun Xiansheng, who was standing to the side, clearly had a different opinion regarding the criticisms of these three people.

Sun Xiansheng grabbed Shen Yuan's hand: "Brother! Brother Yuan! Teach me! I want to be in a relationship too! This is way too sweet! How did you get Sister Li to call you brother?!"

Seeing Sun Xiansheng's "kneeling in submission," and then looking at the expressions on the faces of A-Jie, Yang Ze, and Chen Mingyu around him that said, "You're dead if you don't give a reasonable explanation today," Shen Yuan felt the pressure on his neck ease a little.

He rubbed the spot that was a little sore from being squeezed by A-Jie and took a deep breath of the cool air in the corridor.

A great sense of satisfaction mixed with a little bit of pride.

Shen Yuan composed himself and glanced at the faces in front of him, some angry, some indignant, and some bursting with curiosity.

The corners of his mouth, under everyone's gaze, very slowly... curved upwards into an exceptionally clear arc.

That smile was so radiant, it even carried a smug "I'm coming clean, I'm not pretending anymore" vibe.

“This…” Shen Yuan’s voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear, and the smug smile on his face was even more eye-catching.

"I just... successfully confessed my feelings to Li Zhi on New Year's Eve."

Boom——! ! !
Silence as death.

Immediately afterwards——

"Awoooo ...

Ah Jie clutched his heart and let out a painful howl.

"Fuck——!!"

"What?! A confession?!"

"It worked?!"

But this is not the end.

Ah Jie's wails were like a battle horn, and after a moment, the jealousy in their hearts turned into a burning resentment of being single.

Ah Jie was the first to erupt in grief and indignation, his eyes burning with fierce flames.

"Shoot him!"

"Aruba—!!"

Under A-Jie's tragic and resounding execution slogan, and amidst the shocked gazes of those peeking out from the doors of other classrooms, Shen Yuan was hoisted high into the air and then made intimate contact with the back door of the classroom.

A few minutes later, Shen Yuan sat in his seat humming and groaning.

Li Zhi caught a glimpse of Shen Yuan's grimacing face out of the corner of her eye, quickly lowered her head, but her shoulders couldn't help but shrug slightly, and her two cute pigtails swayed gently as well.

"Pfft..." A soft gasp finally escaped from between her tightly pursed lips.

Thinking back to how he screamed and howled when Ah Jie and the others dragged him away aggressively, and then to his current miserable state as he tried so hard to maintain his composure, he was struck by his current predicament.

Li Zhi felt a surge of almost uncontrollable joy rush to his heart.

Live it!

Hearing the laughter that spilled out, Shen Yuan shook his head helplessly.

But Shen Yuan simply moved closer to Li Zhi and spoke in a tone that was both smug and aggrieved.

"Li Bao! This is all just jealousy from single people!"

Li Zhi managed to suppress the smile on her lips, and secretly pinched Shen Yuan's arm that was close to her with her fingertips.

"Shut up..."

The pretty girl lowered her voice, with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance, and casually pushed the unopened exercise book on the corner of Shen Yuan's desk toward him.

The pretty girl tapped the cover twice with her knuckles, making a muffled "tap tap" sound.

"Behave yourself! Read your book!"

"As ordered!"

He answered quickly, swiftly flipping open the workbook in front of him, grabbing a pen, but his gaze couldn't help but linger on the earnest profile of the girl beside him.

The light from the classroom ceiling lamps cast a soft shadow beneath her thick eyelashes.

The way she focused intently on reviewing past exam questions was strangely similar to the sly, charming girl who had just asked "How sweet am I?"—it became the sweetest solution in Shen Yuan's heart.

Shen Yuan took a deep breath and finally lowered his head. The pen tip fell on the snow-white paper, and the rustling sound started again, blending into the gradually quieting air of the evening self-study session.

Outside the window, the winter night flowed silently, while inside, two figures sat side by side, their silhouettes warm and bright under the lamplight.

With his focus ability activated, Shen Yuan's attention quickly became focused on the test paper in front of him.

As time passed, the lights in the evening study room became pure and quiet. A-Jie stole a glance at Shen Yuan and was surprised to find that Shen Yuan did not show any signs of fatigue.

Even during breaks, Shen Yuan was engrossed in reading.

Not bro...

Ah Jie was puzzled.

Shen Yuan, are you even human?!

The bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class! Li Bao was sitting right next to me!
How can you remain so steady and glued to the exam paper like a rock?!

Is your love life so detached and abstinent?

I was just blown away by your two "brothers" and "strawberry sweeter or me sweeter" arguments, and now you're putting on a show of "being hopelessly addicted to studying"??

A-Jie felt that his worldview had been impacted like never before.

What went wrong with Shen Yuan?
He just started dating and immediately ignored his girlfriend, becoming deeply in love with his exam papers.
The most amazing thing is, Sister Li, why don't you have any objections at all!
Ah Jie looked at Li Zhi, who had stopped writing and was now focused on Shen Yuan.

Seeing the girl's lips still carrying a hint of indulgent smile, A-Jie suddenly felt that the world had gone mad.

The boy stared at the ceiling, silently shouting in anger, "Damn it! He's in a relationship but not clingy at all, even more so than a single dog?!"

In fact, this is just the beginning.

After the holiday, Shen Yuan was like a finely wound-up instrument, officially entering an unprecedented state of combat.

During the precious ten-minute break between classes, the noise and laughter in the corridor became the background noise.

Shen Yuan, however, seemed to have his own soundproof barrier, sitting steadily in his seat with his exercise book open on the corner of the table, his pen almost never stopping.

When Ah Jie returned from the restroom and saw this scene, he exaggeratedly clutched his chest and muttered to Yang Ze beside him in anguish.

"Oh no, this guy has completely gone mad... He won't even leave after class! He's even more persistent than me, a single dog!"

Shen Yuan ignored this, his brows furrowed slightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from focused effort, as he struggled to solve the core steps of a challenging math problem, his worksheets densely covered with formula derivations.

Even after finishing the questions, Shen Yuan grabbed A-Jie and immediately showed him how he had solved them.

"Shen Yuan, you dog! I have no grudge against you!"

However, despite saying that, A-Jie still explained to Shen Yuan how to solve the problem in front of him.

At lunchtime, Ah Jie sat down with his tray and his eyes widened in surprise.

Shen Yuan was seen holding chopsticks in one hand and a notebook of incorrect problems in the other, discussing a physics problem with Li Zhi.

"What an animal! He's in a relationship and still studies like he's on steroids... Is there no justice in this world?!"

During lunch break, other students either rested on their desks or chatted in small groups.

In front of Shen Yuan were the actual exam papers and his notebook of wrong answers laid out.

He was scribbling something quickly on the options with a red pen in one hand, while Li Zhi sat quietly beside him, eating ice cream with a satisfied expression on his face.

As for where the ice cream came from, Shen Yuan naturally went to buy it.

Even though it's the final sprint before the end of the semester, Shen Yuan felt that he didn't mind taking a little extra time to buy his girlfriend a box of ice cream.

As for evening self-study, it completely became Shen Yuan's domain.

When there was no teacher in class, Shen Yuan was as steady as a stone statue. Only the pen in his hand moved quickly across the scratch paper, making a fine and continuous "scratching" sound.

Test papers, exercise books, and past exam papers piled up and changed in front of him, seemingly endless, yet he meticulously tackled them one by one.

The scrap paper was being consumed at an alarming rate, and eraser shavings quietly piled up into small hills next to the pen tip.

He was completely immersed in his own rhythm.

His eyes were fixed on the question, sometimes quickly scanning the question stem, sometimes pausing to think carefully about the key information.

Once the thought process is clear, the pen flows smoothly like a floodgate opening, producing line after line of rigorous solutions.

Li Zhi would sometimes look up, turn her gaze away from her workbook, and silently watch his focused profile for a few seconds.

The boy's fine, wispy hair fell across his forehead, but it couldn't hide the light emanating from his focused concentration on his studies.

The corners of the beautiful girl's lips would involuntarily curve into a barely perceptible arc, and then she would regain her composure and continue to focus on her task.

The scratching sound of the pen tip gliding across the paper formed the main melody of Shen Yuan's little world of learning.

It seemed as if all his energy was concentrated on the questions and formulas before him.

Ah Jie glanced sideways several times, and often couldn't help but wail at Yang Ze and Chen Mingyu.
"Damn it! Where did you get the instruction manual for this perpetual motion machine? Is it supposed to be able to fuel up your studies while dating? Are you trying to kill us all?! This is utterly inhuman! This is absolute animalism!"

What could Yang Ze and Chen Mingyu say? They were envious too!
"That's the power of love!"

"The case is solved. Lao Yuan was in the top class for Li Zhi's sake."

Upon hearing this, He Zhiyu, who was standing to the side, immediately looked surprised.

No more, no more.

I can't take any more of these lately.

Ever since Shen Yuan and Li Zhi went public with their relationship, these two have been showering each other with affection.

He Zhiyu felt like he had taken a bit too much.

Shen Yuan was completely unaware of this.

That calendar page circled in bright red—January 21st—was like a shining lighthouse standing at the end of a mountain of books and a sea of ​​questions, illuminating his every minute and second of struggle.

That determination ignited by our shared commitment has transformed into tangible focus, gradually imprinted on every answer sheet filled with answers, propelling us steadfastly toward that finish line.

The bell signaling the end of evening self-study was like a pebble thrown into a lake of deep concentration, suddenly shattering the tranquility of the classroom.

"Change seats! Change seats!"

A clamor arose like a tidal wave, and the sound of tables and chairs being moved echoed like a tide.

The sound of students tidying up their desks and chairs instantly filled the air.

Shen Yuan slowly put down his pen, let out a long sigh, and the highly focused state that seemed to be one with the exam paper suddenly collapsed, as if his spine had been removed.

A strong, belated sense of exhaustion instantly swept over his entire body.

He felt as if he had just been pulled out of deep water, his vision blurred for a moment, and a clear soreness came from the back of his neck and shoulders.

Shen Yuan felt a swelling in his temples, as if all his strength had been temporarily drained. He could even clearly feel the "humming" sensation brought about by the relaxation of the taut string in his mental sea.

"Uh……"

He let out a barely audible groan unconsciously, and subconsciously raised his hand to rub his aching temples.

The gaze that was sharp as a knife just a second ago now seemed somewhat blank and sluggish, watching the students packing up and leaving as if looking through a layer of frosted glass.

Li Zhi, who was standing by the aisle, noticed his sudden dejection and turned to look at him with concern: "What's wrong? Did you get brain damage from doing so much homework?"

However, this overwhelming fatigue came quickly and went away just as fast.

The moment Li Zhi finished speaking, the dizziness and heaviness caused by the excessive draining of energy by Shen Yuan, along with the rhythm of Shen Yuan's breathing, quickly subsided like the receding tide.

My tired and sore shoulders felt much better, my throbbing temples calmed down, and the view in front of me quickly regained its clarity and sharpness.

In just a few breaths, Shen Yuan felt the dryness in his body quickly replenished, and his mind became clear and sharp again.

The intermediate level of energy is taking effect.

The recovery speed after consumption far exceeds normal levels.

Shen Yuan shook his head, dispelling the last trace of sluggishness.

He turned to look at Li Zhi, a smile on his face: "It's nothing, I was just still thinking about how to solve that problem. Let's change seats!"

As Shen Yuan spoke, he deftly began to tidy up the mountain of test papers, exercise books, and draft papers piled on the table, and the heavy sense of sluggishness he had felt earlier vanished without a trace.

Unlike Shen Yuan, who was so relaxed, A-Jie, who had just been complaining about Shen Yuan being a beast, was now slumped over his shoulders, listlessly tidying up the table.

When he caught a glimpse of Shen Yuan's seemingly fully recovered state, he almost choked: "Holy crap?! Is your endurance even human?! You're not the only one who can improve; you're practically a human being growing out of your liver!"

Shen Yuan ignored him, quickly zipped up his jacket with a "whoosh," and then got up and pushed the table next to Li Zhi's table.

"Ta-da! We're back together! Your most handsome boyfriend is back!"

That bright, youthful spirit and the anticipation of being watched by her warm breath rushed into my ears.

The smile that had been hidden at the corner of the beautiful girl's mouth finally blossomed brightly like sunlight piercing through the morning mist.

She didn't speak immediately, but instead rested her chin on one hand and tilted her head to look at him.

Her slender, fair fingers casually touched her cheek.

Those clear eyes curved into two beautiful crescent moons, sparkling with a luster brighter than the classroom's overhead lights, as if they held countless tiny stars.

The girl's gaze seemed to transform into supple threads, gently and slowly wrapping around Shen Yuan.

Then, Li Zhi leaned forward slightly, her voice not loud, but clear enough to reach Shen Yuan, who had just sat down next to her, carrying a hint of sweet allure and a direct question.

"Then... this is the most handsome boyfriend..."

Her voice trailed off slightly, like a feather gently tickling your eardrum: "...While we were sitting apart, did you miss your girlfriend?"

The girl's question was both so natural and so unexpected.

"boom--!"

This seemingly casual remark appeared to press the pause button on the surrounding classroom space.

The surrounding noise and clamor seemed to be instantly removed.

The world has become a giant silent film.

Almost all the students who heard this sentence froze in that moment, their hands moving, their voices uttering, and their facial expressions all frozen in place.

Come again? !
Over the past two weeks, these two have transformed into high-intensity sugar-spreading machines, causing the blood sugar levels of everyone around them to spike.

After a brief pause, a collective roar erupted like a tsunami.

"They're killing dogs!!!"

"Spare me! Please, have some decency!!!"

"That's fucking brutal! School just let out!"

"Shen Yuan!! You scoundrel!! You're going to die!!!"

A tsunami of accusations and cries of anguish instantly drowned out all rational voices.

The area behind the classroom once again transformed into a vast ocean, churning with the remains of single people utterly ravaged by this ultimate attack.

At the eye of the storm, Shen Yuan felt his brain, which had just recovered, buzz again.

Li Zhi had already bombarded Shen Yuan with sweetness bombs a long time ago, so Shen Yuan is now able to maintain a certain level of rationality.

"Waaaaah—Shen Yuan, you scoundrel, die!! Huh?!"

A-Jie's furious battle cry had barely begun when it was abruptly cut off in his throat.

All eyes were instantly focused! Just a second ago, Shen Yuan was in a daze, but the next second he firmly grasped Li Zhi's slender wrist!

"go!"

"ah!"

Li Zhi let out a slightly surprised cry, her body involuntarily leaning forward as he pulled her.

But the corners of the girl's mouth quickly curved into a knowing and slightly smug smile the instant the lips were pulled.

The two rushed out of the door, and Shen Yuan pulled Li Zhi into the corridor where the crowd of students who had just finished evening self-study had not yet dispersed!
"They escaped! They escaped!!!"

"Chase him!!! Catch Shen Gou!"

After a brief silence, the entire rear of Class 15 erupted into chaos! It was more exciting than ever before!
"Brothers! Chase them!!!"

"Brother Yuan! Take me with you! No, I mean! Grab him! Let him teach me the secrets to dating!!"

"I want to learn too! Brother Yuan! Teach me how to date!!"

"Waaaaah! I want to be in a relationship too!"

Although the group of boys shouted loudly, not one of them took more than two steps out of the classroom.

They're all the kind who just stand there and shout.

He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei grabbed each other's arms and jumped around wildly in place: "Holy crap!! They dragged me away?!"

"Ahhhhh! I'm totally shipping them!!!"

"This is like something out of an idol drama!!!"

The members of the "Grinding Club" in Class 15 were dumbfounded once again.

Stop eating! Stop eating! You're really going to get diabetes.

Hearing the accusations coming from the classroom behind them, Shen Yuan took Li Zhi's hand and walked quickly down the corridor of the teaching building.

Li Zhi even had the energy to shout after him, "Hey! Idiot! Slow down! I can't keep up!"

The girl's clear laughter was cut off by the wind, drifting intermittently into his ears, like the most beautiful background sound in this wild night.

Li Zhi was led by him and at first she couldn't keep up with the pace, but soon, the initial surprise in the girl's eyes was replaced by an excitement mixed with novelty and stimulation.

She watched the boy's tall figure move freely through the crowd, and saw the surprised or dissatisfied looks cast at the classmates who were slightly swayed by Shen Yuan's agile movements. She couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth high.

Shen Yuan showed no sign of stopping; his profile was taut as he focused intently on forging his path forward.

He could clearly feel the warmth of Li Zhi's skin on his wrist, and her slightly disordered breathing as she ran, yet it miraculously synchronized with his steps.

This bustling yet brightly lit corridor seemed to have become a rapid passage leading to the unknown, belonging only to the two of them.

The wind, carrying the chill unique to a winter night, suddenly lashed against my face.

Shen Yuan, carrying Li Zhi, rushed out of the teaching building in one breath.

His footsteps came to an abrupt halt at the bottom of the steps.

His chest heaved from the intense running, and his breath condensed into a small cloud of white mist in the cold air.

He subconsciously clenched his fist, but the slender wrist was still pressed against his skin.

"Ah... idiot... running... running so fast..."

Li Zhi was slightly out of breath, her voice carrying a hint of reproachful laughter, clearly she had also run quite a bit.

Shen Yuan finally came to his senses. The recklessness he had shown in trying to break through the encirclement vanished instantly, and a strong sense of reality overwhelmed all his senses.

He was standing on the cold winter night campus, and the person he was holding tightly was his Li Bao.

Almost instinctively, he turned his head sharply.

His gaze fell directly on the girl beside him.

Li Zhiye happened to look up at him.

The lights from the teaching building spilled out from inside the door, casting a warm glow behind her.

What's even clearer is the dim yet bright streetlight not far overhead.

The cool, soft light poured down, like a hazy golden veil, gently enveloping her entire being.

The air was still cool to the touch, and the light from the streetlights cut out clear outlines of light and shadow in the night.

Right at the boundary between light and shadow, Shen Yuanqing clearly saw the expression on Li Zhi's face.

Her cheeks were flushed with a beautiful blush from running, like the finest rouge.

The lingering smile burst forth in her eyes, rising from a cunning and mischievous undertone to bloom at the corners of her eyes and brows.

The beautiful girl's lips curled up wide, unrestrained, frank and bright, more dazzling and captivating than the brightest star in the night sky.

The smile no longer contained any mischievousness, nor was it the smugness or teasing of before.

It is simply unreserved brightness.

The lights seemed to be ignited by the burning light in her eyes. Those clear eyes, which reflected the entire Milky Way, were now completely focused on him, as if he were the only person left in the whole world.

A night breeze blew, and a few strands of hair that slipped out from the edge of her small pearl hair clip playfully swept across her smooth forehead and slightly upturned lips.

But this did not diminish the infectiousness of that smile in the slightest.

Shen Yuan's gaze was fixed intently on Li Zhi's watery eyes. His voice was deep and clear, carrying an almost breathless seriousness as he softly said:
“Li Bao…” He paused for a moment, as if confirming the idea, or perhaps savoring the certainty.

"You're so pretty."

As soon as he finished speaking, even he was slightly taken aback.

This extremely simple statement isn't even a provocative question like "Are strawberries sweeter or am I sweeter?"

It was so straightforward and simple, yet on this dimly lit winter night, it carried the most fervent and unquestionable sincerity in the young man's heart, precisely striking the girl's heart.

The dim light of the streetlights outlined the profile of the boy's focused gaze, illuminating the undisguised tenderness and amazement in his eyes.

The smile on Li Zhi's face seemed to freeze for a moment, and then a hint of cunning appeared in his eyes.

The wrist that Shen Yuan was holding twitched slightly, but the fingertips did not break free. Instead, the wrist was turned over very naturally, and the person took the initiative to gently hold Shen Yuan's fingers.

The girl's voice carried a sweet, cheerful tone, with the ending note deliberately rising slightly, like a little hook: "Oh?"

She tilted her head and deliberately moved closer, a malicious glint clearly flashing in her eyes.

"My brother said I look good now..."

She paused, her beautiful eyes almost overflowing with mischief, and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "So...was I not pretty before? Hmm?"

Just moments ago, Shen Yuan was immersed in this peaceful and beautiful atmosphere, but in an instant, he fell off a cliff!

What do you mean by shooting yourself in the foot?
What does it mean to be instantly buried alive in the pit you dug yourself?

(End of this chapter)