Chapter 339 - 186: Drawing on Your Face
The next second, Shen Yuan practically scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply to Li Zhi.
"Thank you, Young Master Li, for sparing my life!"
With that, Shen Yuan fled the study with the frantic haste of a man rushing to freedom.
As she watched Shen Yuan’s panicked escape, a smile bloomed on Li Zhi’s face.
Unlike her previous gentle smile, this time, Li Zhi was truly laughing.
Under her watchful gaze, Shen Yuan dove headfirst onto his soft bed, his body sinking deep into the bedding.
The nerves that had been on edge all afternoon instantly unwound, and he let out a sigh of pure bliss.
"Ahhh..."
It was as if he’d gone boneless, his limbs melting into the comfortable softness.
Even his eyelids felt heavy. All he wanted was to lie there, motionless, like a mindless blob of slime.
She glanced at the heap on the bed—a slime rapidly entering a semi-dormant state. Her expression was neutral as she walked in, her footsteps impossibly light.
She returned to her designated chair, leaning back slightly and quietly watching his prone form.
"Tired?"
"Mmm."
Shen Yuan’s muffled voice rose from the blankets. He shifted on the bed, rolling onto his back.
"I’m going to take a nap after lunch. You?"
Li Zhi leaned against the back of her chair, nonchalantly twirling a lock of her hair. Her eyes swept over Shen Yuan, who was still sprawled out like a slime.
"Me?" She clicked her tongue softly.
"After lunch, I’m going to let San Geng and Naonao out for a bit. They’ve been cooped up for too long. If I don’t, they’ll be too rowdy tonight, and you’ll be exhausted at school tomorrow."
"Sounds good. My afternoon naps are usually only fifteen minutes anyway. I won’t be out for long."
Li Zhi gave a slight nod.
As soon as Li Zhi finished speaking, Shen Yuan suddenly sat up in bed, as if he’d just remembered something.
"Oh, right. Where are you having lunch? Here at my place, or are you going home?"
"I’ll eat here. My mom and dad went to my maternal grandpa’s place. I’ll be having dinner here, too."
Shen Yuan nodded at her words.
Shen Yuan knew that Li Zhi’s maternal grandpa wasn’t in good health.
Shen Yuan had never asked Li Zhi why she didn’t go visit him.
’Since she made that choice, she must have her reasons.’
’If it was for some unpleasant reason, wouldn’t asking just make things awkward?’
’Why go looking for trouble?’
Lunch was simple. Ms. Zhang Yuyan cooked a few dishes, and that was it.
After lunch, Shen Yuan went straight to bed.
An eighteen-year-old boy wasn’t about to listen to advice like "don’t lie down right after a meal."
When he didn’t have school, Shen Yuan’s life was a cycle of eating and sleeping.
Seeing Shen Yuan like this, Li Zhi said nothing. She walked straight into the study and let San Geng and Naonao out.
The moment their cage—their prison—was opened, the two little kittens sprang to life.
But just as they were about to bolt from the cage, a pair of hands gently grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks.
"Hey, no dashing off, you two. Or it’s back in the cage for you!"
Li Zhi gently held the kittens by their scruffs, the pressure from her fingertips perfectly controlled.
The two kittens’ ears twitched.
Just then, the mattress rustled. Shen Yuan, who had been a puddle of slime, had somehow propped himself halfway up.
He rested his head on his arm, watching Li Zhi "scold" the cats. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat.
"Li Bao," he drawled lazily, "that soft, gentle voice you’re using to lecture the cats... could you use it on me next time?"
Li Zhi’s fingers, still holding the cats by their scruffs, froze for a moment. A radiant smile graced her face, but the words that left her mouth were a sharp rebuke.
"Go back to sleep!"
"You got it!"
Shen Yuan promptly flopped back down.
Once Shen Yuan had laid back down, Li Zhi put a finger to her lips, shushing the two kittens. "Don’t be too noisy, alright?"
The kittens glanced at Li Zhi, then began to explore the room.
Li Zhi’s eyes followed the kittens as she tiptoed into the room.
When her gaze landed on Shen Yuan’s face, she was surprised to see he had already fallen asleep!
Li Zhi quietly approached the bed, her eyes resting on Shen Yuan’s face.
His breathing was deep and even. Beneath his closed eyes lay the faint, almost imperceptible shadow of dark circles.
Clearly, it was from being kept up by those two little rascals last night.
Sunlight peeked through a gap in the curtains, falling across the side of his face and illuminating the soft, wispy bangs on his forehead.
With all his tension gone, he looked unexpectedly docile.
Li Zhi stood by the bed, her dark eyes shifting as a plan began to form.
Her earlier calm and faint smile were suddenly replaced by a mischievous twinkle.
A wicked grin tugged uncontrollably at the corners of her mouth.
’Heh,’ she mouthed silently. ’Sleeping so soundly.’
Looking at his completely defenseless sleeping face, the "bad girl" switch in Li Zhi’s mind clicked on.
She leaned down slightly, her gaze sweeping over his face as if she were studying a blank canvas.
She lightened her steps, tiptoeing back to the study.
A moment later, Li Zhi reappeared at Shen Yuan’s bedside.
This time, however, she was holding a familiar gel pen.
Li Zhi held her breath and carefully sat on the edge of the bed.
She tilted her head, studying him for a moment as if planning a masterpiece.
Then, without a hint of hesitation, she leaned down decisively, the cool tip of the pen gently touching his smooth left cheek.