Chapter 330 - 184: You Just Want to Touch My Feet, Don’t You?
Seeing this, Shen Yuan felt a stir in his heart. He didn’t want her to just uncomfortably curl up in her chair and endure it.
He stood up, tiptoed over, and placed his hands on the grips of the chair’s backrest.
Sensing the movement behind her, Li Zhi opened her eyes.
"Hm?" The young woman lifted her head and looked at Shen Yuan in confusion.
Shen Yuan said softly, "Let’s go over to the bed. You can put your legs up. You won’t be comfortable resting like this."
"Okay." Li Zhi nodded gently.
Seeing her agree, Shen Yuan slowly pushed the chair, inching it toward the bed until the seat was flush against the edge of the mattress.
Li Zhi compliantly lifted her legs onto the soft bed, her body sinking even further into a relaxed state.
With her ankles resting on the cotton sheets, the tension in her body finally dissipated.
Seeing Li Zhi in this state, Shen Yuan said softly, "If you’re really that tired, you should go home and get some sleep."
Li Zhi shook her head. "I want to stay a little longer. Think of it as me keeping them company."
Her gaze fell upon the cages in the study, her expression holding a gentleness that none of her classmates in Class 15 had ever seen.
Shen Yuan didn’t press the issue. His gaze flickered for a moment between Li Zhi’s tired profile and the cats resting quietly in their cages, and then he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her.
’Her long legs are right beside me. Wasn’t it just like this last time?’
"This is a lot like last time," Shen Yuan couldn’t help but remark.
Li Zhi turned to look at Shen Yuan and shook her head gently. "Well, we’re still missing a comforter."
Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi’s long legs resting on the bed. When he heard her mention the comforter, an idea struck him.
Almost without a second thought, he instinctively stood up.
"Hang on."
Shen Yuan walked straight to the bedroom wardrobe.
He opened the doors and, without much searching, pulled out the same light-colored comforter Li Zhi had used last time.
Shen Yuan shook the thin comforter open, walked back to the bed, and carefully draped the soft blanket over Li Zhi, covering her from her shoulders to her ankles.
The young woman’s gaze flickered for a moment between Shen Yuan’s gentle, focused face and the comforter on her legs. A barely perceptible smile graced her lips.
This sudden, thoughtful gesture seemed to chase away much of her fatigue.
She didn’t say thank you, but simply sank deeper into the back of the chair, gently nuzzling her cheek against the soft fabric.
"Thank you."
Shen Yuan shook his head. "You’re welcome."
With that said, Shen Yuan’s gaze lingered on the kittens for a moment before returning to Li Zhi’s face.
She was leaning quietly against the back of the chair, her eyes half-closed, her long lashes trembling faintly in the dim light.
Her face was relaxed after her exhaustion, her brow smooth. Her lips were a little pale, but it couldn’t conceal her youthful beauty.
In her weariness, the soft lines of her features took on an added gentleness and purity, like a painting of a young woman who, though tired, could not conceal her vibrant spirit.
Gradually, Shen Yuan’s gaze slid down her form, which was enveloped by the comforter.
Beneath it, her slender silhouette was faintly visible. The soft lines of her body were indistinctly defined under the thin blanket, like a tranquil shadow in the moonlight—hazy and serene.
His gaze traveled all the way down, finally settling on her feet at the end of the comforter. The delicate tips of her toes were vaguely visible through the gaps in the fabric, their subtle curve conveying a helpless sort of fragility.
Shen Yuan’s gaze lingered for a moment before he looked back up at Li Zhi.
Her face was still resting peacefully against the back of the chair, her half-closed eyes looking like they were about to drift completely shut.
Looking at her exhausted state, then glancing again at her feet at the end of the comforter, the thought that had been circling in the back of his mind finally surfaced.
’First of all, I’m not a pervert.’
Shen Yuan told himself.
’Second, I just want to help Li Zhi relax. If she says no, I’ll stop immediately!’
Shen Yuan cleared his throat, which felt a little tight. He kept his voice extremely quiet, a trace of imperceptible hesitation in it:
"Li Bao..."
Shen Yuan paused, carefully observing her reaction, as if afraid that a slightly louder voice would disturb the weary tranquility.
"You look so exhausted... How about... I give you a foot massage? I hear it can help you relax a bit."
As the words left his mouth, Shen Yuan’s fingers unconsciously fiddled with the seam of his pants. His heart was pounding in his chest as he awaited her response.
In an instant, the only sounds left in the room were the faint rustling of the kittens in their cages and the drumming of his own heart.
Li Zhi’s long eyelashes fluttered.
The young woman slowly opened her eyes, her gaze, hazy with exhaustion, falling upon Shen Yuan.
Her clear eyes held none of their usual disdain, nor any hint of refusal. Instead, they were like a pool of tranquil water, reflecting the faint light of the room.
Li Zhi’s gaze lingered on Shen Yuan’s nervous face for a moment, as if she were trying to decipher the meaning behind his words. Her lips were pursed, and she didn’t speak immediately.
Just as Shen Yuan felt he could no longer stand the silent pressure and was about to give up, the corners of Li Zhi’s mouth suddenly curled upward into a small arc.
A knowing, mischievous smile bloomed in her eyes, which, though weary, were still bright.
Li Zhi neither refused nor accepted his offer of a massage. Instead, in a voice that was at once girlishly charming and exceedingly direct, she spoke, enunciating each word with care.
"Shen Yuan,"
Shen Yuan’s heart leaped into his throat. He answered instinctively, "Yes?"
Li Zhi tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping down to her feet, which were covered by the comforter. When she looked up at him again, the smile in her eyes had deepened.