Chapter 299 - 175: Leading Out of the Neighborhood (Part 2)
In his groggy state, Shen Yuan pinpointed the location of his phone.
After answering the call, Shen Yuan mumbled into the phone, his voice heavy with sleep, "Hello?"
"Shen Yuan,"
Li Zhi’s voice came from the other end, a little lower than usual.
With a hint of barely-there nervousness and a deliberately maintained calm, the beautiful girl continued, "Dinner’s ready. Come over and eat."
With that, Li Zhi swiftly hung up.
The room fell silent again, leaving Shen Yuan lying under the covers that still held her warmth and sweet scent.
The silence after she hung up jolted Shen Yuan wide awake.
Almost at the same moment, he realized with a start that he was hugging the comforter tightly, as if it were something precious.
Shen Yuan snatched his hands back as if he’d been shocked and quickly got out of bed.
After scratching his head, Shen Yuan went to the bathroom to wash his face, then grabbed his schoolbag and headed to Li Zhi’s house.
Not long after he knocked on the door to Li Zhi’s house, it opened.
Standing behind the door was none other than Li Zhi.
The first thing Shen Yuan noticed upon seeing Li Zhi was that she had changed her clothes.
She was wearing a set of soft, light-colored cotton loungewear. Its collar was slightly open, revealing her fair, delicate neck, while the cuffs and hem had a relaxed, comfortable drape.
A clean scent, faintly of body wash, clung to her.
Almost instantly, the memory of Li Zhi teasing him on his bed, and the image of her leaving, flushed and shy, flooded his mind.
It all made his throat tighten. For a moment, he forgot to say hello, just staring at her in her loungewear.
Li Zhi keenly sensed Shen Yuan’s odd reaction.
She instantly knew what was going through his head. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and her fingertips instinctively tightened on the doorframe.
"Idiot!"
Li Zhi’s voice was deliberately hushed, holding a barely perceptible tremor. "Get all that junk out of your head! Don’t you dare have those kinds of thoughts!"
Then, Li Zhi added, "Hurry up and come in. We have to go back to school after dinner. You get the door."
With that, Li Zhi turned and walked into the house.
Shen Yuan followed Li Zhi into the dining room, where the aroma of food filled the air.
Just like when they ate at his place, Shen Yuan sat next to Li Zhi.
Old Li’s cooking was delicious, and Shen Yuan loved it.
However, Shen Yuan would have enjoyed it even more if Old Li kept quiet.
In the middle of the meal, Old Li suddenly spoke to Shen Yuan. "Shen Yuan, I hear your grades have been improving quickly lately."
Shen Yuan nodded. "It’s actually thanks to Li Zhi. She’s helped me out a lot. She’s always on my case about grinding practice problems."
Li Zhi’s hand, which was just about to pick up some food, froze in mid-air.
Under the table, her knee slammed into Shen Yuan’s thigh. "Who’s always on your case?! We’re separated by a ton of seats, so how could I possibly be watching you?!"
Shen Yuan gave a sly grin. "We were deskmates during the last monthly exam."
Li Zhi’s delicate brows knitted together. After a cold snort, she ignored Shen Yuan and went back to eating.
Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi’s reaction, then glanced at Old Li.
Old Li just smiled and shook his head, seemingly unbothered by his daughter’s behavior.
"Just eat. You two have to go back to school when you’re done."
"Mhm!"
By a little before 5:00, Shen Yuan and Li Zhi had finished dinner.
After putting the dishes in the kitchen, Li Zhi tossed out a line: "I’m going to change my clothes."
Shen Yuan’s gaze followed Li Zhi until her back disappeared from view, only then did he look away.
Li Zhi walked to her closet and opened the door. Her fingertips swept over a row of casual clothes as she hesitated for a good while.
In the end, her hand paused over several outfits in lighter, softer colors before picking out a pale, cream-colored crewneck sweater and a pair of light-blue stonewashed jeans.
Holding the clothes, she sat on the edge of her bed, but her gaze unconsciously drifted to her desk.
On the desk sat a small jewelry box—the very one that held the pearl hairpin Shen Yuan had given her.
Her hesitation lasted only a moment. Li Zhi picked up the hairpin and, looking in the mirror, carefully tucked a slightly curled strand of hair behind her ear.
In the mirror, the gentle luster of the pearl seemed to cast a hazy, soft glow on the girl’s fair cheek, lending her a more serene and gentle air than usual.
After staring at the mirror for a few seconds, Li Zhi took a deep breath, as if confirming some kind of decision.
She quickly changed into the outfit she’d chosen, her fingers unconsciously touching the pearl hairpin to make sure it was secure.
Li Zhi then grabbed her schoolbag and walked out of the room.
Seeing that Shen Yuan was still waiting for her in the living room, Li Zhi said, "Let’s go. If we dawdle any longer, we’ll have wasted enough time to finish an entire exam paper."
Shen Yuan looked up at the sound of her voice, his gaze instantly locking onto the pearl hairpin in her hair.
The gentle luster of the pearl caught the living room light, softening the curve of her cheek.
Shen Yuan felt a warmth suddenly fill his chest, and he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning up in a smile.
How could Li Zhi possibly not notice his intense gaze?
She quickly averted her gaze, then turned and headed for the front door.
"I’m going to school now."
This was obviously not directed at Shen Yuan, but it was clear Li Zhi was also giving him a hint.
’If you have something to say, say it when we’re back at school. Don’t say it here.’
Shen Yuan naturally understood what Li Zhi meant, so he quickly stood up and said to her parents:
"Uncle Li, Aunt Xu, I’m heading to school now!"
"Go on, be careful on your way!"