Chapter 375 - 198: Staying Overnight, Too?
Chapter 375: Chapter 198: Staying Overnight, Too?
His gaze was locked on Li Zhi, as if trying to confirm from her eyes that the subtle promise wasn’t just a joke.
Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan, her tone carrying a light-hearted urgency. "Well, what are you waiting for? I’m starving."
Hearing Li Zhi’s words, an immense joy shot through his body like an electric current.
Shen Yuan didn’t even have time to reply; his body reacted before his mouth could.
He instinctively reached out, firmly grabbed Li Zhi’s wrist, and, with unconcealable excitement, began to pull her quickly toward the shopping center.
Caught off guard as Shen Yuan grabbed her, she felt the searing heat and firm strength of the young man’s palm on her wrist.
She instinctively wanted to pull away, but the sudden tug made her stumble slightly.
A flicker of embarrassed annoyance rose in her heart.
’This guy is getting bolder and bolder!’
But just as Li Zhi was about to struggle again, her gaze swept over Shen Yuan’s face, which was exceptionally bright with joy.
The glow of the neon lights on the commercial street outlined the joyful arch of his brows and the genuine smile playing on his lips, making him seem exceptionally vibrant and alive.
Looking at Shen Yuan like this, Li Zhi’s impulse to struggle unknowingly came to a halt.
The strength she’d been using to pull away quietly vanished.
A trace of resigned, indulgent softness ultimately overcame that subtle feeling of being offended.
She sighed softly to herself.
’Forget it.’
In the end, Li Zhi stopped struggling, letting Shen Yuan continue to hold her hand tightly.
Keeping up with his quickened pace, the two arrived at the clay pot restaurant Shen Yuan had mentioned.
Although the clay pot restaurant Shen Yuan chose didn’t have a large storefront, the inside was quite clean and tidy, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of bone broth.
They each ordered a small clay pot of glass noodles, and the steaming pots were brought out shortly after.
The clay pots were bubbling with fine, hot bubbles, and the aroma was tantalizing.
The broth was clear and savory, with a perfect touch of richness.
The cooking time was perfect; the ingredients were cooked through without being mushy. The overall flavor was mild and pleasant—neither bland nor greasy, making it a very comforting meal.
Shen Yuan eagerly took a bite, and his eyes immediately lit up. "So? I didn’t lie to you, did I?"
He blew on the hot food while flashing a proud smile, clearly happy that he genuinely found it delicious and that his recommendation had been a success.
Li Zhi scooped up a spoonful of broth, blew on it gently to cool it down, and took a sip. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she savored the perfect touch of umami spreading across her tongue.
The swirling steam obscured her expression, but the delight in her sparkling eyes was clear.
Li Zhi nodded lightly. "Mm, the broth really is good."
Shen Yuan chuckled. "Of course it is."
"Then I’ll see how the rest tastes."
As she spoke, Li Zhi used her chopsticks to lift some glass noodles into her spoon, blew on them a few times, and put them in her mouth.
The young woman’s eyes lit up, a clear sign of her approval.
"Not bad at all."
Hearing Li Zhi’s words, Shen Yuan broke into a wide grin.
After they finished dinner, night had completely fallen. The neon lights on the commercial street shone even brighter, overflowing with brilliant color.
The lights from the shops twinkled like stars in the cool air, and the shadows of pedestrians stretched and warped across the ground, alternating between light and dark.
The two weren’t in a hurry, simply walking slowly in the direction of their apartment complex.
Shen Yuan’s steps were light, an unconscious smile on his lips.
Li Zhi, on the other hand, walked silently beside him. With the afterglow of sunset faded, her face appeared soft and serene under the streetlights.
They walked for a block, and when they were just a few dozen meters from the entrance to the complex...
"Hey! You idiot, Shen Yuan!"
Li Zhi’s voice suddenly rang out in the night, tinged with deliberate complaint. "Why haven’t you said anything more about the trip? Weren’t you all excited about it just a minute ago? Now you’ve clammed up?"
The end of her sentence tilted up playfully, as if reminding him of the enthusiastic promise that came with his "I guarantee it’s delicious" claim.
The implication was clear: he owed her a concrete plan for the weekend.
Shen Yuan stopped abruptly and turned to look at Li Zhi.
The young woman’s eyes were exceptionally bright, her gaze filled with obvious anticipation.
"Right, right, right! I almost forgot."
Shen Yuan spoke almost instantly, his voice laced with an urgent and irrepressible excitement as his hand was already diving into his pocket.
"I already have the plan all sorted out! I was just waiting for you to give the word."
Before the words were even out of his mouth, he had already fished out his phone, unlocking the screen with exaggerated speed.
His slightly feverish fingertips swiped across the screen a couple of times to find the dedicated memo he’d created. Then, with a hint of unconcealable pride and nervousness, he practically shoved it under Li Zhi’s nose.
"Here!" Shen Yuan pushed the screen toward Li Zhi, his tone full of the eager enthusiasm of someone showing off a treasure.
"The battle plan is here! For your inspection!"
The boy’s knuckles were a little white from how tightly he gripped the edges of his phone, as if what he was presenting wasn’t a digital document, but his very heart, desperate to share the joy of the next two days with her.
Li Zhi took the phone, her gaze falling on the travel itinerary.
Shen Yuan’s eyes were locked on Li Zhi’s face, anticipating the slightest flicker of emotion.
Li Zhi’s fingertips lightly touched the screen as she carefully scrolled through the travel plan in the memo.
The beginning of the document clearly listed the itinerary.
Morning departure by high-speed rail to Hang City. The first stop would be Zhejiang University. After touring the campus, lunch would be at the Zhejiang University cafeteria. Then, in the afternoon, they’d take the subway to the shore of West Lake, first checking into the hotel to drop off their luggage...