Chapter 381 - 199: I Will Take Good Care of Li Zhi
Chapter 381: Chapter 199: I Will Take Good Care of Li Zhi
Li Zhi smirked. "So you don’t want to do homework with me?"
Shen Yuan shot up from the bed, an absurdly exaggerated, resolute expression plastered on his face. He even puffed out his chest and thumped it.
"How could I possibly be unwilling?! I absolutely love doing homework! Homework is pure joy! I wish I could just whip out a few test packets on the way there, on the high-speed train, and knock out three or five of them!"
Li Zhi burst out laughing at his "heroically self-righteous" act.
She propped her chin on her hand, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "The train ride is only half an hour. If you can do three to five test packets, I’ll be seriously impressed."
Shen Yuan chuckled. "Hey, I was just using a bit of hyperbole."
Li Zhi rolled her eyes at him, then stood up.
"Alright, I should get going. It’s still early, so remember to do a worksheet or two."
Shen Yuan nodded. "I’ll walk you out."
"Okay."
Watching the beautiful girl’s figure disappear behind his front door, Shen Yuan gently closed it.
Shen Yuan closed the door and turned around, only to meet the gazes of Zhang Yuyan and Old Shen from the living room.
"Looks like Li Zhi’s parents must have agreed."
Zhang Yuyan looked at Shen Yuan’s smiling face and let out a light snort.
"Hmph." She finally responded, which was as good as a nod, her voice drawing out the sound. "Fine, you can go."
Before Shen Yuan’s smugness could even surface, Zhang Yuyan’s gaze turned exceptionally sharp.
"But—"
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable weight, each word landing like a small hammer. "Shen Yuan, you listen to me and you listen good."
Her gaze locked onto her son, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "When you’re out, you need to know your boundaries! You are absolutely not to do anything out of line!"
She spoke the last few words slowly and clearly, the warning in her eyes unmistakable.
Shen Yuan felt his scalp tingle, and he immediately nodded vigorously. "Got it, got it! Absolutely! Don’t worry, Mom!"
The moment he finished speaking, his phone chimed.
He took out his phone and saw that Old Shen had transferred 1000 yuan to him.
"Since you’re going on a trip, have fun. It’s fine if your accommodations are so-so, but make sure the girl has a nice place to stay."
"I know, I know."
Shen Yuan happily scurried back to his room.
After tidying up a bit, Shen Yuan took a worksheet out of his backpack.
"Time for homework, time for homework."
「 」
The morning light was faint, carrying the crisp, cool air unique to early autumn.
When the agreed-upon departure time arrived, Shen Yuan left home with a medium-sized backpack slung over his shoulders.
He had just pulled the door closed when he looked up, and his feet froze on the spot.
A few steps away, under the porch, Li Zhi was already waiting.
Today, she was dressed in a pair of soft, loose, black wide-leg sweatpants. On top, she wore a simple base-layer shirt under a short, khaki-colored utility jacket.
The cut was sharp and stylish. The design of the turned-down collar allowed a glimpse of the layers beneath, and the zipper was left casually unzipped and open.
Li Zhi also had a backpack slung over her shoulder, slightly smaller than Shen Yuan’s.
It was, in fact, her school bag.
Her long, smooth hair was tied up in a high ponytail, the end of which swayed lightly as she turned her head at the sound of Shen Yuan’s door opening.
Shen Yuan’s gaze lingered on her outfit, which was cool, refreshing, and did wonders for making her legs look long.
’Old Shen’s comment from last night about making sure "the girl has a nice place to stay" really made sense,’ he thought.
’After all, even her casual travel clothes seemed to come with their own high-end filter.’
Shen Yuan himself, on the other hand, was dressed much more casually.
He wore a baggy gray hoodie over a short-sleeved shirt, with matching sweatpants and a pair of white sneakers.
Simple as that.
"Morning."
The moment the word left his mouth, he saw a familiar figure step out from Li Zhi’s front door.
It was Old Li.
"Morning, Shen Yuan."
A friendly smile spread across Old Li’s face, and Shen Yuan’s own smile froze on his.
"Morn... morning, Uncle Li."
There wasn’t an ounce of confidence in his greeting.
Shen Yuan instinctively snapped his head toward Li Zhi, his eyes screaming a desperate, blindsided plea for help.
Li Zhi felt his gaze, but just shrugged nonchalantly and explained, "My dad was worried we’d dawdle and be late, so he got up early specifically to drive us to the train station himself."
The beautiful girl’s tone was as casual as if she were just commenting on the weather.
Shen Yuan sucked in a sharp breath, instantly understanding Old Li’s intentions.
’Damn it, adults are so scheming! There’s nothing going on between me and Li Zhi, we’re just friends!’
But even though Shen Yuan was thinking this, he forced a bright smile onto his face.
"You’re going to so much trouble, Uncle Li. You see my dad? He wouldn’t have bothered."
As he spoke, he even threw Old Shen under the bus.
The friendly smile on Old Li’s face seemed to widen a fraction. He waved his hand. "It’s no problem, no trouble at all. It also saves you the hassle of getting a taxi."
After speaking, Old Li’s gaze rested on Shen Yuan for two seconds. The look seemed to have physical weight, making Shen Yuan’s back inexplicably tighten.
Old Li turned to Li Zhi, his tone still gentle. "Zhizhi, let’s go."
The three of them quickly arrived at the underground garage.
Once in the car, it pulled smoothly out of the residential complex.
Old Li watched the road ahead with Concentration, occasionally glancing at the back seat through the rearview mirror.
Shen Yuan sat bolt upright, his back ramrod straight, his eyes fixed obediently forward, not daring to glance around.
Li Zhi, beside him, was more relaxed. Her head was tilted slightly toward the window, watching the familiar street scenes fly by, a faint smile perpetually gracing her lips.
The rest of the drive was silent.
A silence like a thin veil enveloped the car, with only the low hum of the engine and the sound of the wind outside as a backdrop.