I'm in Senior Year, and the System Says I'm Going on a Blind Date with My Childhood Sweetheart

Li Zhi didn't say a word, only glaring at him with her clear, bright eyes. Her meaning was self-evident: 'You have three seconds.'

At that moment, from her spot at the teacher's desk, the class monitor, Xu Ziqiong, saw the scene unfold below and was momentarily at a loss for words.

At first glance, it looked like Shen Yuan was covering Li Zhi's mouth to keep her from talking.

But from another perspective, 'This is study hall. You're supposed to be studying quietly!'

Just as Xu Ziqiong was about to intervene, she saw that Shen Yuan had already let go of his hand.

Seeing this, Xu Ziqiong gave a slight nod.

'Honestly,' she thought, 'Shen Yuan is probably the only person in class who would dare to treat Li Zhi like that.'

Back at his seat, Shen Yuan laughed awkwardly and scratched his head, at a complete loss for words.

Li Zhi glared at him for a moment longer before finally averting her scrutinizing gaze.

The young woman raised a hand to smooth down a few stray hairs, then went back to her test paper.

Seeing her return to her work, Shen Yuan let out a long sigh of relief and, with his heart still pounding, went back to his own homework.

The clock hands crept silently onward. The first two periods of evening study hall slipped away to the sound of rustling pens and the occasional turning of a page.

When the bell for the third period rang, the air in the classroom seemed to settle, growing even quieter. A deeper sense of Concentration descended upon the students. The only thing changing was the deep darkness of the night outside.

Shortly after the bell, a few blurry splashes bloomed silently on the windowpanes.

Soon, these splashes linked together, forming fine threads of water.

It had started to rain.

At first, the raindrops were sparse, almost unnoticeable unless you looked closely. Only the meandering trails of water on the windowpanes proved their existence.

But soon, the rain grew heavier. The pitter-patter became more distinct as it tapped against the glass and the leaves outside, creating a delicate layer of white noise in the quiet classroom.

The sudden downpour was like a pebble tossed onto a calm lake, sending ripples of different reactions through the students of Class 15.

The students at the desks by the windows were the first to notice the change.

Some looked up, their gazes unfocused as they stared out at the hazy, damp night, illuminated by the glow of the lights. They frowned slightly, perhaps worried about getting soaked on the way home without an umbrella.

Others paused for only a moment, watching the raindrops gather and streak down the glass before lowering their heads again to continue wrestling with their mountain of homework, as if the damp world outside had nothing to do with them.

Because of the exams, Yang Ze and Zhou Shaojie had moved their desks to the very back of the classroom.

Seeing the rain outside, Yang Ze turned to Zhou Shaojie. "Brought an umbrella?"

Zhou Shaojie shook his head. "Nope. Why?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to let you know that I did."

"You mother—"

Zhuo Peipei closed the window, her mood improving as she watched the rain fall outside.

'I brought an umbrella,' she thought.

On the other side of the classroom, Shen Yuan had already finished his homework and was now working through extra practice problems.

The sound of the rain pierced through his barrier of Concentration. He subconsciously lifted his gaze, turning to look at the streams of water distorting and sliding down the windowpanes on the other side of the room.

Then, almost instinctively, his gaze shifted to Li Zhi beside him.

She was still completely absorbed in her test paper, seemingly oblivious to the storm raging outside.

Shen Yuan watched her focused profile, tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, and asked in a low voice, "Hey, Li Zhi, did you bring an umbrella?"

The tip of Li Zhi's pen paused for a moment. Without looking up, her hand reached instinctively into her desk drawer and felt around.

"Don't you know I always keep an umbrella in here?"

The words had barely left her mouth when her hand froze.

"Huh?"

Stunned, she reflexively rummaged around in her desk again.

"Where's my umbrella?"

There was a hint of disbelief in her voice. She even bent down to look around her desk.

The conclusion was obvious: she didn't have her umbrella.

The corner of Shen Yuan's mouth twitched. "You must've forgotten it at home after you took it back last time."

Li Zhi blinked. This was a little awkward.

The pitter-patter of rain against the glass seemed to amplify the silence in the classroom.

Li Zhi glanced at Shen Yuan. After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally leaned slightly toward him and asked in a low voice, "Did you bring an umbrella?"

Shen Yuan, who had been observing her predicament with a knowing smirk, immediately nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah, I did. My mom made me bring one before I left."

Li Zhi nodded. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, she heard Shen Yuan continue.

"But I only brought one."

Hearing this, Li Zhi froze for a moment and looked up at Shen Yuan.

Her fingertips curled unconsciously at the edge of her test paper. Against the patter of the rain, the slight lilt at the end of her sentence sounded exceptionally crisp. "Fine. One is one."

As she spoke, a mischievous glint flashed in her almond-shaped eyes. "Then I'll have to trouble you to walk home in the rain."

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow. Far from being annoyed, his face immediately broke into that familiar, slightly punchable expression Li Zhi knew so well.

As if he had been waiting for this exact moment, he leaned toward Li Zhi, deliberately lowering his voice to a breathy whisper only the two of them could hear. "Ayy—Li Bao, how heartless!"

He drew out his words, his eyes gleaming mischievously as he watched her. "But there's a little flaw in your plan..."

Shen Yuan paused for dramatic effect, unable to keep the corners of his lips from turning up. "The umbrella is in my hand. So, guess... who really holds the power here?"

After he spoke, Shen Yuan's smug grin widened. He drummed his fingers lightly on the desk, as if he had already secured his victory.

The sound of the rain outside seemed to provide the perfect background music for his little prank.

Li Zhi watched his gloating expression, her beautiful almond eyes narrowing slightly as a flicker of cunning flashed within them.