Chapter 482 - 221: I Like You, How Is Saying It Once Enough?
Chapter 482: Chapter 221: I Like You, How Is Saying It Once Enough?
The two of them sat side-by-side in the middle of the soft bed, their legs stretched out naturally.
Li Zhi’s long legs were crossed, resting diagonally on the sheets. Her thick, soft black tights hugged the smooth lines of her legs, showing a delicate, gentle matte finish under the warm light.
Shen Yuan’s legs, on the other hand, were shifted slightly to the side, resting casually on the bed.
San Geng lay quietly beside Li Zhi’s other leg. Its pure white fur was a stark contrast to the black of her tights, and its tail rested on her ankle.
A little farther away, Naonao’s gaze was fixed on the gala showing on the screen, its eyes filled with curiosity.
It was the thrill of first love, and also the easy familiarity of childhood friends, making them both cherish this moment.
But soon, the peaceful scene was broken.
"Moron, you’re squishing my head! How am I supposed to eat my ice cream?!"
"Give it to me. I’ll show you how."
"Get lost! Don’t even think about eating my ice cream!"
Li Zhi reached out and pushed Shen Yuan’s head away.
"Alright, alright, I won’t eat it!"
Shen Yuan moved his head away and said in a mock-disgusted tone, "It’s not like the fridge is empty. I can grab some whenever I want."
Just then, Li Zhi suddenly lifted her small face. Her bright eyes held an undeniable look as she let out a forceful "Hmph!" at Shen Yuan.
"You’re not allowed to eat any! It’s all mine!"
Shen Yuan looked at her serious yet adorably bossy expression and couldn’t help but want to laugh.
He deliberately leaned forward, moving closer to Li Zhi’s pretty face, and asked in a drawn-out tone, "Oh? And why is that?"
The blush that had just faded from Li Zhi’s face started to return under his gaze, but she just tilted her chin up even higher.
Her eyes burned as she stared at Shen Yuan, announcing clearly and loudly, "What do you mean, ’why’?! Anyway, everything you buy is mine! It’s all mine!"
Shen Yuan looked at her imperious "it all belongs to me" expression, and a low chuckle escaped his throat.
His shoulders trembled slightly with laughter, and the warmth filling his chest felt like it was about to overflow.
He reached out and gently tapped the tip of her pert nose. The gesture was full of familiar intimacy and indulgence. His voice, low and soft, mingled with the faint noise from the gala.
"Alright, it’s all yours."
He turned to the side, his intense gaze enveloping her.
The tips of his ears quietly turned a faint red, but his voice was perfectly clear, carrying an undeniable seriousness:
"The ice cream is yours, the fridge is yours..."
His fingertips slid down, very naturally covering the back of her hand, and their fingers intertwined.
"I’m yours too, Li Bao."
Shen Yuan’s fingertips were still tangled with hers, his warm breath brushing against the tip of her nose.
Li Zhi could clearly feel the tips of her ears burning up, and her heart was pounding erratically in her chest.
She abruptly turned her head away to escape his searing gaze.
That phrase, "I’m yours too," was like molten lava pouring into her ears, so hot that it made her breath catch for a moment.
"...Moron!"
Li Zhi yanked her hand back from his grip. The muscles in her tights-clad calves tensed, and she kicked her heels against the soft mattress as if trying to stomp the blush creeping up her face into the plush fabric.
She curled her knees up, pulling herself into a ball and deliberately increasing the distance between them, a distance that felt like it was melting away from his body heat.
She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the smile that was uncontrollably forming, but in the end, she only managed to choke out a question that sounded fierce but lacked any real confidence.
"Saying something so cheesy... Aren’t you grossed out by yourself?!"
The clear tail end of her words hung in the warm air, carrying a slight tremor she couldn’t suppress.
Her reaction amused him and softened his heart. A few low chuckles rumbled in his throat.
He looked at Li Zhi, his eyes full of indulgence.
"Grossed out?"
Shen Yuan deliberately drew out his words, leaning closer to her again. His warm breath practically grazed her slightly reddened earlobe.
His shoulders shook slightly as he held back a laugh. Meeting Li Zhi’s furious, embarrassed glare, he spoke slowly.
"Li Bao, you think that’s cheesy? I have something even cheesier. And I bet you won’t be able to refuse it. Wanna hear?"
Li Zhi whipped her head back to look at him, her bright eyes flashing with embarrassed anger, the temperature of her cheeks soaring.
She gripped the half-empty ice cream cup so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her other hand was loosely clenched into a fist, as if ready to strike at any moment.
"You... You wouldn’t dare!"
The tips of her ears were so red they looked like they might bleed, but her voice rose even higher, carrying a threat that was all bark and no bite.
"If you dare say it, believe me, I’ll punch you right now! Moron!"
This fierce-on-the-outside, timid-on-the-inside warning had no intimidating effect whatsoever. Instead, it was like a silent invitation, igniting the mischievous glint in Shen Yuan’s eyes.
"Oh?"
Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow. Far from backing down, he followed up on her empty threat by suddenly leaning even closer.
The young man’s warm body had an undeniable presence, instantly invading the pitiful bit of personal space in front of Li Zhi.
"Then I’ll just have to say it."
Shen Yuan didn’t give Li Zhi any time to react. The words he’d hinted at before tumbled out.
"I love you."
After speaking, Shen Yuan watched her quietly, his soft breaths brushing against her temple.
It was as if someone had hit the mute button in the room.
One second, two seconds...
When Li Zhi finally regained a sliver of her senses after those few short words, the blush on her cheeks and ears exploded, spreading like a fiery sunset from her neck down to her collarbones, hidden beneath her sweater.
She quickly lowered her head. Her fingertips unconsciously tightened around the rim of the nearly empty ice cream cup, her little finger slightly curled, trembling with a mixture of immense shyness and sweetness.