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

Chapter 272 Li Zhi: I'm a Little Dead
The noisy classroom quieted down with the ringing of the bell, and the good results achieved in the mock exam swept away the fatigue of the day.

After escaping the place where A-Jie and his friends were making a scene, Shen Yuan and Li Zhi walked side by side on the deserted street.

The evening air carried a hint of coolness, dispelling the heat from the classroom and the lingering playfulness on Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan turned his head to look at Li Zhi beside him. The dim streetlights cast soft shadows on her face, and the blush on her cheeks had not yet completely faded.

He knew that she must have remembered the promise to "help one more time".

The silent yet powerful bet weighed heavily on the two of them, both ambiguous and intensely passionate.

"Ahem," Shen Yuan cleared his throat, breaking the silence and trying to make his tone sound natural, "So... how did the exam go?"

He laughed at himself after asking the question; they had both seen the scores, so the question was completely unnecessary.

Li Zhi gave a soft "hmm," her head slightly lowered, her gaze fixed on the elongated shadow cast at her feet.

"You did well on the test."

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi's lowered profile and couldn't help but move closer.

The streetlights cast shifting shadows, sometimes lengthening, sometimes shortening them.

“That’s right,” he said, with a hint of pride mixed with a seriousness about his goal, “I said I would catch up with you.”

Li Zhi didn't look up, but his pace slowed down slightly.

A cool night breeze swept by, ruffling the stray hairs at her temples and seemingly wiping away the last trace of blush from her face.

The two walked slowly home hand in hand, their fingers intertwined.

I opened the door, and the house was quiet.

The living room lights were on, and it seemed that the parents had already returned to their rooms.

Li Zhi changed her shoes, walked straight back to her bedroom, and gently closed the door.

The tranquility in the room was completely different from the tacit and intense silence on the road just now, giving her a space where she could relax and breathe a little, but also allowing her thoughts to churn more.

The warmth of Shen Yuan's hand seemed to linger on her fingertips, while her cheeks unconsciously began to feel slightly hot.

The pretty girl sat on the bed, lost in thought.

The exam is over. The results are out, and he scored 673 points.
A clear thought surfaced on the surface of her consciousness like a bubble, carrying a hint of confusion and annoyance that she herself had not anticipated.

He didn't even mention that matter.

That scene immediately flashed into my mind.

She leaned close to his ear, her voice low and deliberately teasing, "...I'll help you one more time."

She herself blushed and felt her heart race when she thought about it afterwards.

That was almost the most "motivating" promise she could think of at the time.

His reaction at that moment... his eyes lit up incredibly, burning like they'd been injected with adrenaline.

Clearly, the temptation of this "help" was incredibly powerful for Shen Yuan.

Later, the tension in the exam hall, the commotion of the results announcement, A-Jie and the others teasing Shen Yuan by calling him "Aruba," and... the gentle yet ambiguous silence on the way home.

Li Zhi had always thought that Shen Yuan would bring it up on his own initiative.

When it was just the two of them, their fingers intertwined, when she lowered her head and her ears burned as she remembered that promise...

Isn't he the one who's best at taking advantage of opportunities?

Li Zhi unconsciously gripped the bed sheet beneath him.

Are you too tired?

Or... do you feel it's not the right time yet?
As soon as this thought popped into Li Zhi's head, he immediately felt a strange and inexplicable awkwardness and suffocation.

She puffed out her cheeks slightly and subconsciously snorted, as if she were sulking with herself.

The next second, Li Zhi suddenly pounced into the bed sheet.

The girl, wrapped in a blanket, curled up in a ball, pacing back and forth, and muffled sobs emanated from the bed.

The darkness magnified the images in my mind.

Shen Yuan's hot breath, the words "help me one more time" whispered close to his ear, and the flame that instantly ignited in his eyes.
Li Zhi rubbed back and forth in bed.

"Woo——"

Why even think about such things?!

The tightly wrapped blanket was suddenly pulled off, and Li Zhi sat up abruptly, his legs unconsciously bending into a duck-like sitting position.

The light illuminated the girl's shimmering eyes, reflecting her slightly disheveled hair.

She bit her lip, her fingertips brushing against her burning cheeks.

"It's all that guy's fault! It never used to be like this."

"It was Shen Yuan who corrupted me! Shen Yuan, you scoundrel!"

Meanwhile, in the room separated from Li Zhi by a wall, Shen Yuan was sitting in his study looking at the computer in front of him.

He was using video editing software to import a video he had taken with his phone in the classroom a few days earlier to estimate his score.

The table contains A-Jie's optimistic score estimate, Yang Ze and Chen Mingyu's conservative confidence, He Zhiyu and Zhuo Peipei, and of course, Shen Yuan himself.

When Shen Yuan saw him in the video boasting that his total score would be close to 670, he couldn't help but smile.

Next, he retrieved the report card photo sent by Zhou Shaojie from the folder and inserted the image into the video.

The photos clearly show each person's actual mock exam scores.

Comparing the moments of Li Zhi's shyness and avoidance in the video with the numbers on the report card, Shen Yuan felt a sense of accomplishment. He moved the mouse in his hand, editing these scenes frame by frame.

The technique was rough, but Shen Yuan didn't intend for it to be very beautiful anyway.

The report card is released after the estimated score is determined. It's very simple.

Finally, add some fun music and you're done.

After finishing, Shen Yuan exported the video, planning to show it to everyone tomorrow.

The moment he finished saving the file, he suddenly curled the corners of his mouth, opened Li Zhi's chat window, and dragged the video into the dialog box.

Type a line of text and send.

Shen Yuan: "Teacher Li, please review my homework."

After pressing the send button, he stared at the screen and chuckled softly.

Shen Yuan was still very curious about Li Zhi's reaction.

Li Zhi lay on the bed in the bedroom, her cheeks still warm from the lingering heat.

Just as the girl's thoughts were in a chaotic mess, her phone screen suddenly lit up.

It was the video that Shen Yuan sent.

She hesitated for a moment, but still tapped to start playing.

The camera shakily captured the lively "score estimation meeting" that took place in the classroom a few days ago.

Ah Jie's exaggerated expressions, Yang Ze's pretentious attempt to push up his glasses, He Zhiyu and the others laughing as they estimated scores for the camera...

Then there's Shen Yuan. In the video, his voice carries a hint of mischievous smugness as he prompts everyone to announce their estimated scores on their phones.

When the camera panned to her, she saw that her shy expression at that moment was clearly captured.

As soon as she finished speaking, the video switched to her score on the report card.

Shen Yuan even thoughtfully zoomed in on the score.

705.

Then came Shen Yuan's estimated score and his report card.

673 points.

Listening to the overly cheerful and somewhat silly marketing, Li Zhi burst out laughing.

However, when the progress bar finished and the phone screen went completely dark, clearly reflecting her somewhat dazed face, the smile suddenly froze on her face.

Li Zhi could no longer laugh.

What does this guy mean by sending this video?
He didn't just want to share the videos he made with me, did he?
Li Zhi looked at the message Shen Yuan had sent in the chat box.

The beautiful girl gently bit her lower lip.

This carefully crafted ending, this "homework assignment" sent at such a sensitive moment—just as the results were announced and the bet was about to be decided—was delivered.

This guy... is he deliberately reminding her of that agreement?!

This realization was like a fine needle piercing the previously relaxed atmosphere.

Her pupils contracted instantly, her breathing became slightly labored, and the relaxed mood she had been feeling because of the music vanished, replaced by a sudden surge of shyness and panic, her cheeks instantly burning hot.

Why couldn't he just ask directly?

Why do we have to remind her of her promise in such a roundabout way?!

Shen Yuan... he doesn't think I'm trying to renege on this, does he?
This guy... he's really getting worse and worse!
Li Zhi's heart was pounding like crazy. She threw her phone aside in a huff, but couldn't help glancing at it again. A sense of panic, as if her thoughts had been exposed, welled up inside her. She collapsed onto the bed and buried her face in the pillow.

Shen Yuan stared at his phone for a long time, but no new messages popped up in the chat box.

"Can't you see? Went to take a shower?"

With that in mind, Shen Yuan opened the chat window and then made a video call.

My phone suddenly vibrated beside my pillow, and Shen Yuan's video call request popped up on the screen like a thunderclap.

Li Zhi was so startled that he almost dropped his phone.

Her heart pounded wildly, her fingertips hovering over the conspicuous red reject button, hesitating and struggling, but that inexplicable pull ultimately made her press the green answer button as if possessed.

The camera shakes twice before freezing.

The girl in the picture has slightly disheveled hair, rosy ear tips, and a blush on her cheeks like snow dyed by the sunset.

Looking at Li Zhifei's flushed cheeks on the screen, Shen Yuan couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Teacher Li, why is your face so red?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi immediately turned her head away in embarrassment and annoyance, the blush on her ears deepening. She whispered, "Shut up! Who...who's blushing..."

But Shen Yuan's smile made her even more uneasy, and she added in a fit of exasperation.

"Bad guy!"

After turning her head away for a few seconds, Li Zhi turned back unwillingly, poking at the screen with her finger, her voice filled with shame and indignation as she accused, "Shen Yuan, you big pervert! What do you mean by sending me the video of your grades?"

She suddenly lowered her voice and bit her lip: "You're deliberately reminding me of Sese's matter!"

"Using the pretense of checking homework to release this video... is basically a reminder that I have to fulfill that... that 'sad' promise!"

In a moment of desperation, the vague and ambiguous word "瑟瑟" (sè sè) slipped out of his mouth.

Shen Yuan in the video was clearly stunned.

He blinked in confusion, his brows furrowing slightly involuntarily.

"what?"

The sound came from the phone.

Hearing the slightly bewildered tone, and seeing Shen Yuan's sudden blank expression and slightly open mouth, Li Zhi instantly realized that he had misunderstood.

He didn't even connect it to that bet!
She's just overinterpreting everything!
What's worse, and what makes her even more ashamed, is that she actually shouted out that incredibly embarrassing thought in front of Shen Yuan using the word "sèsè" (meaning "tremble with shame").
Doesn't this completely expose all the lewd thoughts in my head?

Blood rushed to her ears with a "boom," and a sense of shame, along with rising heat, swept through her entire body, even turning her neck pink.

With a sharp "snap," without any hesitation, Li Zhi forcefully cut off the video call.

Immediately afterwards, she slammed her phone into the fluffy, soft down comforter next to her, as if throwing away a hot potato, making a dull thud.

She collapsed onto the bed like an ostrich, her burning face pressed against the cool, silky blankets.

The girl's slender fingers gripped the edge of the pillow tightly, almost tearing it apart, as if she wanted to burrow into the depths of the earth immediately.

"I'm going to die... Waaah..."

The muffled sobs from under the covers were indistinct and filled with devastating embarrassment, her ankles kicking the sheets beneath her unconsciously in agitated state.

"How could I say such a thing... How can I ever face him again..."

Her mind was firmly gripped by imagining the social death of the future.

On the other side, Shen Yuan stared at the notification on his phone screen that the call had suddenly ended, and Li Zhi's last words, "Sè Sè," which exploded like thunder, followed by the collapse and hanging up. He was in a state of brief stagnation.

He kept holding his phone, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes still showing the innocence and confusion he had felt when he was reprimanded.

"Should I remind her about Sese?"

Shen Yuan murmured and repeated Li Zhi's accusation, which was filled with immense shame and indignation.

A reminder... trembling...

After two seconds of deathly silence, Shen Yuan took a deep breath, his eyes widened suddenly, and it was as if a lightning bolt cleaved through the fog in the depths of his pupils!

Wait! Serena! Help me one more time!
The romantic scenes during winter break… the bet and promise before the mock exam… that phrase, “I’ll help you one more time”… Li Zhi was now erupting with shame and indignation like a volcano…

Shen Yuan's hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

His lips, which had been somewhat dazed with confusion, twitched uncontrollably to the side.

Immediately afterwards, that blankness, like thin ice being broken, quickly melted away and disintegrated, turning into a mischievous smile.

"puff……"

A breath that could no longer be held back escaped from Shen Yuan's lips.

His smile spread like a lit firework, quickly reaching his entire face, causing the corners of his mouth to involuntarily turn up high.

That's it!

So that's what this girl was thinking about the whole time!
She imagined a whole bunch of things, thinking that she was using the video to subtly suggest that she fulfill the bet of "helping" him!

He hadn't even considered that possibility!

omg...

Li Bao, oh Li Bao...

Your imagination is truly amazing...

Shen Yuan's shoulders began to shrug silently, his laughter growing louder and louder. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer and forcefully covered his mouth with his free hand, afraid that his uncontrollable laughter would leak out.

After all, their rooms were separated by only one wall, so if Shen Yuan laughed too loudly, Li Zhi could hear it.

He simply scooped up Nao Nao from the table and buried his face in Nao Nao's fur.

Only his slightly trembling shoulders revealed his immense and gloating pleasure at that moment.

This brat got herself into a mess; she's so embarrassed she practically exploded on the spot!

But that reaction is just too damn cute!

This misunderstanding... is absolutely brilliant!

Shen Yuan tried to regulate his breathing, Li Zhi's words echoing repeatedly in his mind.

The more he thought about it, the more that immense, slightly wicked joy surged and boiled in his chest.

So that's how she understood the intention behind posting the video.

It turns out she had been keeping that promise in mind all along.

So that's what she was thinking!
Shen Yuan slowly raised his head, his face still flushed with suppressed laughter and unable to completely suppress his smile.

He stared at the phone screen, which had gone black again, and his own eyes, now shining brightly, were reflected on it.

He gently licked his slightly dry lips and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Tsk, Li Zhi, Li Zhi..." Shen Yuan said to the black screen of his phone, his voice filled with an undisguised laughter.

"...You're really getting worse and worse."

He's determined to take the blame, and he's doing it willingly.

He couldn't wait to see how Li Zhi would face this immense sense of social annihilation.

He could almost picture her writhing and groaning in pain on the bed right now.

This realization instantly sent Shen Yuan's mood soaring to an even happier peak.

……

The next morning.

Before the sun had even climbed to the mountaintop, Shen Yuan was already waiting at Li Zhi's doorstep.

He leaned against the wall, a barely suppressed smile playing on his lips, patiently turning the keychain in his hand, producing a soft metallic clinking sound.

"Click." The door lock clicked softly, and a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.

Li Zhi lowered his head and stepped out of the door with slightly stiff movements.

She hadn't even fully stepped out of the porch when she glanced up and caught a glimpse of Shen Yuan waiting leisurely at the door.

Like a precisely triggered conditioned reflex, the images of last night's social death, along with their scalding heat, instantly swept through my brain!
"brush--"

The girl's fair cheeks, starting from her ears, suddenly flushed red at an astonishing speed, like a ripe sunset!
She could even feel the heat instantly spread to her neck.

Li Zhi suddenly lowered his head, trying to cover his face with his long, drooping hair.

Shen Yuan looked at the blushing red cloud that "floated" out from inside the door, its body now radiating shy warmth. The mischievous smile that he had been holding back all night finally burst forth in his eyes.

He chuckled softly, stepped forward, and naturally reached out to expertly pinch the beautiful girl's hot, soft earlobe.

The scalding heat from his fingertips confirmed his suspicions.

"Yo, Teacher Li~" Shen Yuan's voice carried a lazy smile, deliberately dragging out the tone, each word slowly hitting Li Zhi's eardrums, which were filled with shame and indignation.

"Why is your face so red so early in the morning? What sweet dream did you have last night?"

The low, deliberately emphasized "good" sounded like a feather precisely scratching at the tip of Li Zhi's tense heart.

"Ugh——!"

Li Zhi suddenly shrank his neck, and the earlobe that was being pinched felt like it was being electrified, both numb and itchy.

Shame and anger overwhelmed her like a tsunami.

The girl abruptly shook off his hand, gripped her backpack strap tightly, and glared at him fiercely with a flushed face.

Her beautiful eyes were now shimmering with tears, she was so shy she looked like she was about to burst into tears, and her voice carried a hint of feigned fierceness.

"You idiot Shen Yuan! You bad guy!"

After saying those words, Li Zhi seemed to have used up all her courage as she turned and stepped into the elevator. The moment Li Zhi stepped into the elevator car, Shen Yuan followed her in with a long stride, standing right behind her.

With a slight feeling of weightlessness, the smooth metal door behind him slowly closed with a soft "ding," completely isolating the two of them from the outside world.

The elevator began to descend.

The cramped space was instantly filled with an incredibly vivid and suffocating ambiguity.

Although Li Zhi had her head down, she could clearly feel the warm presence of the boy beside her.

His smiling breath brushed against the fine downy hair on the back of her neck.

The shame surged back like a flood, even more intensely than when it had come from the doorway.

Her cheeks were once again covered by a burning sensation the moment the lid was closed, the heat almost making her skin boil.

Her heart pounded wildly in the silence, pounding against her eardrums, each beat seeming to whip the two words she had blurted out last night, making her wish she could disappear on the spot.

Shen Yuan didn't speak, but this deliberately maintained silence, in Li Zhi's eyes, was full of silent mockery and ridicule, making her feel more ashamed than any direct ridicule.

She could imagine his expression at that moment.

He's definitely enjoying her embarrassment! That scoundrel!
The elevator walls were as smooth as a mirror. Li Zhi stared intently at the blurry reflection in the reflector in front of him, not daring to turn around, much less to see his real appearance.

She even subconsciously held her breath, afraid that any slight movement or sound she made would attract more teasing from this wicked big bad wolf.

Time has never felt so long.

The elevator's downward indicator light seemed to be stuck, with the numbers changing abnormally slowly.

Annoyance and shyness intertwined and churned wildly in the silence.

The beautiful girl wished she could turn back time and take back the accusation she made last night that had caused her social death!

"Sand dollar!"

She cursed inwardly again, unsure whether she was cursing Shen Yuan's malicious intentions or her own pathetic reaction.

Li Zhi gripped the backpack strap tighter and tighter, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The urge to dig a hole and crawl into it reached its peak, and my cheeks and ears felt so hot they felt like they were about to bleed.

This torment is all thanks to that guy behind me!
The elevator finally gave a soft "ding," indicating that we were about to reach the first floor.

As if hearing a pardon, Li Zhiru's body tensed instantly, ready to rush out the moment the door opened.

The elevator doors slid open to both sides, letting in the cool morning air.

She almost immediately took a step forward and rushed out, wanting only to escape this suffocating space and the malicious presence behind her.

Just as Li Zhi had taken a few steps, a deep call sounded behind her.

"Hey, Li Bao."

Li Zhi's steps seemed to be nailed to the spot, and he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

This scoundrel really deserves to be mentioned...

The beautiful girl felt a wave of dizziness, her neck stiffened so much she could barely turn it, and she only dared to catch a glimpse of the figure slowly strolling towards her from the corner of her eye.

Shen Yuan had already walked to her side, tilting his head slightly, and was enjoying the blush on her face, which was both anxious and shy, as well as her nervous little look as if she was waiting for "judgment".

He paused deliberately for two seconds before asking clearly in an extremely casual tone:

"What would you like for breakfast? My treat."

These nine short characters were like a stone thrown into a tense lake.

Li Zhi suddenly turned her head, her beautiful eyes wide with astonishment, filled with a blank stare that read, "That's it?"

Instead of the expected banter and embarrassing bombshells, I was met with an utterly ordinary breakfast question.

The huge psychological gap caused her brain to freeze for a moment. The socially awkward scene from last night and the annoyance of being teased hadn't even had a chance to erupt before being replaced by an even stronger sense of bewilderment and a little bit of... discouragement.

He actually...didn't mention it?
She stared blankly at Shen Yuan's face, which was so close to hers, and for a moment she didn't know how to react.

Looking at her bewildered yet adorable appearance, Shen Yuan's eyes almost overflowed with laughter.

He leaned forward half a step, almost touching her ear, and deliberately lowered his voice, his breath hot as he softly asked, "Hmm? Have you decided what to eat, Teacher Li?"

Seeing Li Zhi's stunned expression, he suddenly moved closer, his warm breath brushing against her smooth forehead.

Shen Yuan lowered his voice, with a hint of teasing: "Haven't decided yet? Then... you can eat me first."

This unexpected and suggestive hint, like a high-voltage switch, instantly pierced through Li Zhi's last line of defense.

Time seemed to freeze for a second.

The next instant, the girl was as if she had been thrown into boiling lava.

With a "whoosh," it felt as if all the blood in my body rushed to the surface of my skin in an instant!
Not just on the cheeks.

Starting from the delicate earlobe, that thick, magnificent crimson hue, like the sunset, spread out at a speed visible to the naked eye!
It not only quickly covered her slender neck, but also surged downwards and downwards, disappearing directly into the shadow of her slightly open collar, leaving large, hot, and shameful red marks on her delicate, jade-like collarbone.

Against the backdrop of her fair, almost translucent skin, the red was breathtakingly vibrant, as if a gentle touch would draw out beads of blood.

Li Zhi's lips parted silently, her mind completely blanked by the overwhelming embarrassment.

Seeing the girl like this, the mischievous smile in Shen Yuan's eyes finally softened into a barely perceptible tenderness.

He raised his hand, his large palm carrying a reassuring warmth, and gently placed it on Li Zhi's slightly frizzy head, tenderly stroking her soft hair.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore."

The playfulness in the boy's voice faded, replaced by a soothing tone.

Then, his fingers slid down her soft hair and firmly grasped Li Zhi's hand.

That heat felt like it could burn right into your heart.

A firm yet warm power emanated from Shen Yuan's palm, and he gently guided it.

"gone."

Li Zhi let Shen Yuan lead her forward. After taking only a few steps, the heat on her face had not completely dissipated, and her embarrassment and anger finally found an outlet.

She suddenly struggled to free her wrist from Shen Yuan's grip.

Didn't pull away.

The beautiful girl turned to the side, her pretty eyes widening slightly with shame and indignation, and the faint blush on her cheeks seemed to be reignited, making them even more vibrant.

"Shen Yuan!"

The girl's voice carried a clear accusation, like a grieved complaint, which resounded in the cool morning air.

"You bad guy! You big bad guy! You just like to bully me!"

Before she could finish speaking, she seemed to realize that the accusation was baseless, and her earlobes instantly turned bright red.

The girl's eyes flickered, trying to avoid the boy's gaze.

Shen Yuan turned his head, his eyes accurately catching Li Zhi's evasive gaze.

The smile that he couldn't suppress at the corners of his mouth not only didn't diminish, but actually deepened.

Instead of letting go, he gently pulled Li Zhi closer, who was trying to create distance between them.

"Bully you?"

Shen Yuan tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed intently on her flushed cheeks and moist eyes, deliberately softening his tone.

"Who was it that... last night..."

Li Zhi's pupils contracted sharply, as if he had been burned. His courage, which he had just mustered, crumbled instantly, leaving him only with panic.

"...Idiot! Shut up! Eat breakfast! I'm hungry! Right now! Immediately!!"

Shen Yuan could no longer suppress the smile on his lips, and a deep laugh resonated in his chest: "Okay, we'll be able to eat it soon."

He took Li Zhi's hand, quickened his pace, and walked confidently into the steaming breakfast stall on the street corner.

"Wait for me, I'll be right back."

Before Li Zhi could respond, he strode forward.

Is this guy having another episode?
Li Zhi opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words.

The steam rising from the steamed bun shop is just as it always has been.

Shen Yuan put one hand in his pocket and walked forward.

Beside the shop entrance, the owner was lifting the lid of a huge steamer, thick white steam billowing out and obscuring the muscular lines of his arms.

His sharp gaze pierced through the mist, pausing slightly when it landed on Shen Yuan.

The boss's voice was deep and resonant, with a hint of long-lost sharpness.

"I haven't been here for a week."

His five fingers gripped the wooden handle of the steamer tightly, like a beast poised to pounce.

Shen Yuan looked up, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes: "Exam."

His tone suggested he had just experienced an earth-shattering battle.

"How did the exam go?"

"673."

The boss raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, wiped his large, pot-lid-like palms on his apron, and the rising white steam outlined his muscular physique.

"What are we eating today?"

This sentence was like a spark that ignited a fuse, instantly spreading like wildfire!
Shen Yuan's previously relaxed posture suddenly tensed, and a fervent fighting spirit ignited in his deep eyes!
"One glass of vermicelli, one pickled vegetable, one piece of meat, and one piece of dried plum vegetables, plus another glass of vermicelli, one piece of pickled vegetable, and one piece of meat, all packed separately, plus two cups of savory soy milk!"

His voice was clear and resonant, like a sword being drawn from its sheath.

The moment the words left his mouth—whoosh! The plastic bag, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, tore through the dawn!

Two bags of steamed buns traced graceful arcs through the rising steam and shot precisely at Shen Yuan!
"22!"

The boss's thunderous roar and the loud bang of the steamer lid slamming shut rang out simultaneously!

The rising white steam trembled!

Shen Yuan raised his hand and caught it steadily, the bag spinning once in his palm to dissipate the force.

The boy tapped the payment code with his fingertip, the swift movement leaving a blur in the mist. His Adam's apple bobbed as he made a crisp announcement: "I've turned around."

He carried the piping hot steamed buns and turned to step into the street.

Behind him, deep within the hazy white mist, the boss's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile before disappearing into the rising steam.

When Shen Yuan returned to Li Zhi's side with the aroma of steaming buns, the beautiful girl's lips twitched involuntarily.

Li Zhi rolled her eyes helplessly: "You really never get tired of playing this game."

Shen Yuan stood opposite her, inserted a straw into the soy milk, and handed it to her.

He picked up a steaming hot preserved vegetable bun, took a big bite, squinted his eyes in satisfaction, and then slowly said.

“You don’t understand, Li Bao.”

He swallowed the steamed bun: "This is called... a sense of ritual."

Looking at his satisfied expression, Li Zhi felt helpless, but in the end she just muttered a curse under her breath.

“...idiot.”

The morning sunlight slanted through the windows of classroom 315, and the air was still filled with the lingering aroma of breakfast and a slight murmur of noise.

Throughout the morning self-study session, Shen Yuan held a pen, but his eyes would unconsciously glance at Li Zhi, who was engrossed in doing practice problems beside him.

The girl's focused profile was beautifully sculpted, and the tips of her ears would occasionally twitch slightly as he unintentionally moved closer.

Shen Yuan felt like he was holding a precious treasure he was eager to show off. His fingers rubbed the cold edge of his phone inside the desk, waiting for the bell to ring.

"Jingle Bell--"

As soon as the ringtone ended, Shen Yuan immediately pulled his phone out from under the table and began rapidly tapping on the screen.

"Jay! I've got something good for you guys!"

With a smile, he pushed his phone to the center of his desk; the screen displayed a pre-edited video comparing estimated scores.

Almost reflexively, A-Jie, Yang Ze, Chen Mingyu, and the others all crowded around Shen Yuan's desk, like a flock of ducks that had caught a whiff of gossip.

The video starts playing.

Ah Jie saw himself appear on the screen, proudly announcing to the camera: "Chinese 110! Math as usual, 150! English 90! Science 290!"

His smile froze on his face, and the corners of his mouth began to twitch uncontrollably.

The screen then switched to a photo of the report card.

A-Jie's English score was 78.

The air froze for 0.5 seconds.

"Pfft—" He Zhiyu was the first to burst out laughing.

"Ha!" Yang Ze also let out a short, mocking laugh without any mercy.

"Tsk." Chen Mingyu crossed his arms and let out a succinct expression of disdain.

“Ahhhhhh——!!!”

A-Jie's screams erupted instantly. He pulled at his hair with both hands, as if trying to erase the despairing numbers from his sight, his body twisting into a pretzel in agony.

Although Zhou Shaojie had already suffered yesterday, he still couldn't help but wail when this scene appeared in front of him again.

Seeing Ah Jie's utterly hopeless expression, Shen Yuan couldn't help but add fuel to the fire.

"Hey, Jay, look how entertaining you are! This video is valuable historical material and should be etched into internet history for future generations to admire, serving as a warning to those who come after—dreams can take flight, but be careful when estimating scores!"

He waved his phone meaningfully, a sly smile on his face.

Just then, Ah-Jie, who was banging his head on the table, suddenly raised his head. He had a tuft of messy hair on his head, and his eyes still held the despair of death, but even more so, terror.

"Wait!" A-Jie's voice cracked. "Lao Yuan! You wouldn't... this thing... you're really planning to post online?!"

He pointed at Shen Yuan's phone screen, his fingertips trembling, his face filled with a pleading look that said, "Please, please don't."

The thought of being repeatedly whipped on his corpse sent chills down his spine.

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow, and the sly smile at the corner of his mouth became even more pronounced.

He slowly pulled his phone back and glanced around at the "audience" still gathered around him.

"Hmm...posting it online? That's not entirely out of the question..."

He deliberately dragged out his tone, his gaze sweeping over the people around him.

"Ze-ge, Ai Muyu, He Zhiyu, Peipei, what do you say?"

Shen Yuan's gaze was questioning, but more so it was certain—after all, in the video he had edited together the moments when everyone estimated their scores, whether expectant or confident, and paired them with the actual results, the effect was perfect, but the most classic one was A-Jie.

Yang Ze pushed up his glasses expressionlessly, not even glancing at A-Jie: "Fine, I don't care."

His tone was so flat, as if he were just talking about today's weather.

Chen Mingyu crossed his arms and simply nodded: "Mm."

He Zhiyu was still immersed in A-Jie's performance just now. Upon hearing this, she immediately nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with excitement, as if she was enjoying the drama: "Get rich! Get rich! So—interesting!"

Zhuo Peipei smiled and nodded, indicating that she had no objection.

Finally, Shen Yuan's gaze naturally fell on his deskmate.

Li Zhi kept her head slightly lowered throughout, seemingly still looking at the questions, but her slightly reddened ears betrayed her embarrassment at A-Jie's earlier "admiration".

"Cough," Shen Yuan nudged her lightly with his elbow.

"Teacher Li? What do you think of this video..."

Li Zhi raised her head, glanced at him with her beautiful eyes, then swept her gaze over A-Jie, who wished he could disappear into the ground, and uttered two words lightly: "idiot."

It seemed like she was criticizing Shen Yuan's suggestion, but there was no real opposition in her tone; it was more like her usual evaluation.

After saying that, she buried herself back in the exam paper.

"Look, everyone's okay."

Shen Yuan nodded in satisfaction, and finally fixed his smiling gaze, which carried a hint of "you can't escape," directly on Zhou Shaojie.

His smile widened, his eyes seeming to say: See? The whole world thinks there's no problem.

Looking at Shen Yuan's expression that seemed to say, "Look, everyone else is okay with it, but you're the only one who can't have it?", A-Jie looked around and realized that he was indeed the only one being put on the hot seat.

Yang Ze and his friends didn't care because their estimated scores were generally reliable, and at worst, they reflected their true abilities.

Li Zhi... Li Zhi is a god.

He alone is the only living, breathing protagonist whose estimated score and reality form a tragicomic contrast!

"……No!!!"

Ah Jie let out a long, desperate cry, then suddenly slammed his head back onto the table with a dull thud, like a salted fish that had completely lost its dreams.

"It's over... My internet career... It's going to be nailed to the pillar of shame before it even started..."

His muffled voice came from under his arm, revealing endless vicissitudes.

Li Zhi turned to the side, looked at A-Jie's miserable, lifeless appearance, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

"Alright," Li Zhi's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through A-Jie's wails, "Why are you howling so pitifully?"

Ah Jie raised half his head, revealing a small part of his face that looked utterly lifeless, his eyes filled with confusion and a last glimmer of hope: "...Young Master Li?"

The girl's tone was flat, with a hint of a smile: "He only has four fans in total."

Li Zhi paused, her clear eyes looking at A-Jie, her tone slightly reassuring: "Among these four people, there might be himself and his alternate account? Zhou Shaojie, don't worry. No one will see you acting so stupidly."

A-Jie was stunned, and the despair in his eyes was slowly replaced by a bewildered look that seemed to say, "That makes sense, doesn't it?"

The tension in his shoulders visibly eased a little.

He turned to look at Shen Yuan, the despair and indignation on his face vanishing instantly, replaced by a gloating contempt, which he exaggeratedly dragged out.

"Four fans! Tsk tsk tsk! With so few fans, posting this wouldn't even make a ripple! You worried for nothing!"

Shen Yuanzheng watched with great interest as A-Jie's expression changed from hell to heaven. Hearing Li Zhi's precise strike and A-Jie's finishing blow, the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

4 fans...

That brat, she really knows how to... hit the bullseye!
Shen Yuan just smiled at this, then looked at A-Jie and said, "I'll ask Sister Shui for help."

Ah Jie could no longer laugh.

(End of this chapter)