Chapter 475 - 220: Li Zhi, I like you
Chapter 475: Chapter 220: Li Zhi, I like you
The scorching atmosphere, which had nearly solidified from the impact of the scene before them, was instantly punctured by the sudden "hidden weapon" and Shen Yuan’s clumsy dodge.
"PFFT—"
Almost at the same time the slipper hit the floor, an extremely short, clearly suppressed laugh escaped from Li Zhi’s throat.
The tight line of her profile suddenly relaxed, and the corners of her mouth flew upward into an amused curve she couldn’t hold back.
Although she immediately tried to force it back down, the sparkling amusement mixed with the vexation blooming in her eyes couldn’t be hidden.
Shen Yuan watched as Li Zhi’s expression quickly shifted from embarrassed anger to suppressed laughter, until she finally turned away, refusing to look at him. Seeing her adorable reaction, the immense shock he’d felt also miraculously subsided.
The searing dizziness that had rushed to his head was replaced by a more genuine, slightly silly warmth.
His nonsensical blurt of "If we divorce, you get the kids," though reckless, had been surprisingly effective.
He grinned, no longer so flustered that his gaze darted around aimlessly.
Shen Yuan bent down, picked up the troublesome slipper, and placed it back near her feet at the end of the bed.
Forcing his gaze away from her feet, which were clad in tights, Shen Yuan deliberately avoided looking at her. Instead, he walked over and sat next to the projector’s remote, lowering his head to fiddle with it. The light from the screen flickered across his face, a mask of deliberate Concentration.
"How about we watch the New Year’s Eve gala? Or... find a cat video for them to watch? Let them entertain themselves?"
He turned his head, finally letting his gaze return to the young woman curled up in the chair. His eyes were much more open and gentle now, holding a familiar eagerness to please. He pointed to the changing image on the screen, cautiously testing the direction of the conversation.
Li Zhi, who was holding Naonao, unconsciously tightened her fingers. The little creature meowed uncomfortably, which brought her back to her senses, and she instinctively relaxed her grip.
She didn’t answer Shen Yuan right away. She just lowered her head and gently rubbed her chin against Naonao’s fluffy head. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, hiding the emotion in her eyes, but the tense line of her shoulders had completely relaxed.
"Up to you."
The light and shadows flowed across the wall like liquid honey, coating the two people and the small cats—who had just gone through a chaotic ordeal—in a soft, peaceful warmth.
Shen Yuan buried his head in the search, eventually finding an animated video designed to entertain cats.
Soft background music began to play, and moving red spheres instantly appeared on the wall.
Sure enough, Naonao, who had just been curled up lazily on Li Zhi’s lap, lifted its little head with a SWISH.
The next second, the little creature shot out of Li Zhi’s warm embrace without hesitation. It landed lightly, kicked off the ground with its hind legs, and pounced toward the wall of flowing light and shadows like an arrow released from a bow.
At almost the exact same time, San Geng, who was lying on the bed, also sprang into action.
Two fluffy figures leaped nimbly under the lights and shadows on the wall. Their tiny paw pads landed on the white wall, making a series of soft, rapid TAPS, like a cheerful drumbeat.
San Geng was as fast as a fluid, agile bolt of white lightning.
With a swift leap, its nimble body jumped over a meter high, soaring through the air in a graceful arc.
Shen Yuan and Li Zhi’s gazes were involuntarily drawn to the pair of energetic little furballs, their eyes following the cats’ movements from side to side.
The delicate atmosphere in the room, which had already started to dissipate, seemed to be further diluted by the cats’ energy, leaving only a room full of warmth, tranquility, and the soft background music from the projector.
Li Zhi relaxed her body slightly, leaning back in her chair and watching Naonao chase a small point of light from the left wall to the right.
In this moment of ease, Li Zhi felt a familiar gaze land on her legs once again.
An almost imperceptible arc, tinged with understanding and mischief, lifted the corners of the young woman’s mouth.
She didn’t turn around immediately, even maintaining her posture of watching the cats. But her hand, which had been resting naturally on the armrest, moved to her own thigh. Her fingertip traced a light line across the matte surface of her thick tights.
She turned her head, her clear, bright eyes precisely catching Shen Yuan just as he hurriedly averted his gaze from the line of her legs.
Her lips parted slightly. Her voice was like a feather tickling an eardrum, yet it struck right at the heart of the matter:
"Shen Yuan—"
Shen Yuan’s heart skipped a beat. His neck turned stiffly toward her.
Li Zhi lifted her chin toward her legs. Her beautiful eyes reflected the flowing light from the projector, and just as clearly, they reflected Shen Yuan’s current predicament. Her tone was a mixture of inquiry and a cunning, slightly triumphant slyness.
"Are they really... that nice to look at?"
It was as if a bomb had gone off in Shen Yuan’s head!
All his attempts to maintain his composure and calm were blown to smithereens!
He subconsciously wanted to deny it, to change the subject, to say he was just watching the cats.
But... those clear, bright eyes were looking right at him, filled with a knowing look that said, ’I saw right through your little scheme long ago,’ along with a hint of playful challenge that dared, ’Go on, try and deny it.’
In a flash, the raging storm in his heart overwhelmed all reason and stubbornness.
An answer that had barely been processed by his brain tumbled uncontrollably from Shen Yuan’s throat: "Beautiful."
The moment the word left Shen Yuan’s lips, Li Zhi, who was right before him, lifted her chin.
"HMPH—"
The sound wasn’t loud, but it seemed to have hooks.
In that "hmph," there was no real anger, but rather one hundred percent disdain and... triumph?