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

"You... you idiot! Look!"

She gasped for breath, her voice trembling slightly without her even realizing it. With her other hand, she jabbed a finger at the prominent profile picture on the screen.

"My dad! He liked it! See?!"

Caught off guard, Shen Yuan was jostled as the phone screen was shoved right in his face. He stared blankly for a second before his eyes focused on the screen.

The confusion in his eyes vanished, instantly replaced by surprise.

"Whoa?!"

A short gasp of surprise escaped the boy's throat. His eyes instantly lit up, a flicker of delighted pride flashing within them.

Shen Yuan lowered his head, his gaze intensely fixed on the 'like' on her screen. When he looked up at Li Zhi, a brilliant smile had already spread across his face.

"Oho!"

Shen Yuan lowered his voice even more, his laughter-laced words tickling her ear as his warm breath caressed the shell of her ear, which was already burning hot.

"Is this my father-in-law's... oh, whoops. Is this... Uncle Li's official seal of approval?"

"Official, my ass!"

Li Zhi's retort was immediate, but her voice was like a choked kitten's squeak—a trembling bluff that lacked all its usual sharpness.

Shen Yuan's name for Old Li was like a spark hitting hot oil, instantly setting the blush on her cheeks ablaze until they were scorching hot.

The beauty subconsciously tried to cool her face with her fingertips, but it was a futile gesture against her scorching skin.

At the same moment, she realized Shen Yuan's arm, warm as a furnace, was still pressed against the sleeve of her down jacket.

Right now, that constant stream of heat felt like an accomplice to her torture!

As if she'd been burned, Li Zhi jerked her shoulder away, putting some distance between them.

Li Zhi's sudden movement was so large it startled He Zhiyu, who was sitting beside them.

The little author looked at Li Zhi, her face full of curiosity.

"Zhizhi? What's wrong?"

Li Zhi shook her head quickly. "It's nothing!"

Hearing Li Zhi's denial, Shen Yuan couldn't help but let out a laugh.

But that one laugh was enough to make the beauty's already frayed nerves snap.

"Laugh, laugh, laugh! What's so funny?!"

"So what if my dad liked it? It doesn't mean anything!"

"His approval doesn't mean squat! M-My opinion is the one that matters!"

After she spoke, Li Zhi felt as if her cheeks were about to burn right through her skin. Her mind was buzzing, and the phrase 'official seal of approval' was on endless repeat, throwing her into a panic.

Finally, as if giving up the fight, the beauty buried her head back inside the high collar of her down jacket.

She left only the back of her head facing Shen Yuan, revealing beet-red ears and a messy tangle of hair, as if she could shut out the entire world just by hiding.

The air around them seemed to grow thick with a peculiar tension. Even in her peripheral vision, Li Zhi could clearly see He Zhiyu's shocked expression.

Li Zhi felt her entire body flush with heat as if all her blood had rushed to her face. She could almost hear her own heart pounding in her chest like a drum—a deafening THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.

'I'm so embarrassed! I could just die!'

'That idiot... going on about an official seal of approval...'

'And Dad, too...'

'Why did you have to like that post?'

'Your own daughter is in a relationship, and you're encouraging it!'

Li Zhi buried her head even deeper, like an ostrich. A few stray hairs from her temple brushed against her scorching ears, making them tickle.

The beauty, however, remained curled up like a cooked shrimp, having completely given up on studying.

'Stupid Shen Yuan!'

'Stupid Old Li!'

These two silent accusations rolled through her mind, yet she couldn't suppress the shy, sweet smile that was secretly tugging at the corners of her lips.

In the row behind them, Ah Jie watched Shen Yuan with a pang of jealousy.

Ah Jie turned to Yang Ze, pointed at Shen Yuan, and mouthed a few words.

He didn't make a sound, but Yang Ze seemed to get the message.

"WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF..."

Yang Ze nodded, patted Ah Jie on the shoulder, and shot him a look that said, 'I feel you, bro.'

The final bell finally shattered the silence of the science building, signaling the end of the day's classes.

The rustle of students packing their books and bundling up in their jackets instantly dispelled the room's quiet.

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi moved with their usual familiarity, but today, there seemed to be something extra in the air between them.

Li Zhi kept her head down, the faint blush still lingering on her cheeks.

They naturally took each other's hands, said goodbye to Ah Jie and the others, and left the classroom.

Night had fallen, heavy and wintry. The dim yellow streetlights diffused into hazy halos in the cold, damp air.

The cold wind cut at their faces like tiny knives, and the students around them walked briskly with their necks turtled into their collars.

Yet, the chill didn't seem to affect Shen Yuan in the slightest.

Nestled in Shen Yuan's embrace, Li Zhi couldn't feel the cold at all. The guy was ridiculously warm.

Li Zhi looked up into Shen Yuan's smiling eyes.

"Hey, someone's in a good mood."

Shen Yuan looked down at the beauty's bashful face, chuckled, and tightened his arm around her.

"Of course I'm happy! Your dad gave us his 'like'—isn't that basically him approving of me? Hiss—"

Before the words were even out of his mouth, Li Zhi's hand had expertly slipped inside his down jacket to give him a pinch.

"My dad is my dad! His 'like' doesn't mean anything!"

Li Zhi glared at Shen Yuan "fiercely." "I'm the one in charge here!"

"Yes, yes, of course!"

Shen Yuan hugged Li Zhi tighter. "My darling Li Bao is the one in charge!"

Before she could answer, he looked down at her. "So, where do I rank?"

Li Zhi blinked, pretending to think it over.

A moment later, the beauty announced her conclusion.

Zhang Yuyan, Ms. Xu Chan > Li Zhi > Old Li, Old Shen > San Geng, Naonao > Shen Yuan

Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan earnestly. "You rank after the cats."

Shen Yuan's smile froze on his face. He turned to the beauty and said seriously, "I believe this ranking is flawed. I wish to lodge a protest."

"Protest? Protest denied, *boyfriend*."

As she spoke, she lightly poked Shen Yuan's chest with a cool fingertip.

"You're already disobeying me. What's going to happen later on?"

Her playfully scolding question was crystal clear in the biting wind.

Shen Yuan looked at the 'I call the shots' expression on the girl's face, so close to his own, and a grin broke out.

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you!"

"Hee hee—"

While her giggles were still echoing in his ear, the beauty suddenly leaned in and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.

"That's your reward."

A tingling sensation shot through him. Shen Yuan stared at Li Zhi in astonishment.

"Li Bao, you're getting awfully bold!"

Li Zhi tilted her chin up at Shen Yuan, her voice brimming with smug satisfaction. "Got a problem with that? If you do, I can stop."

With that, the beauty let out a soft huff.

Watching her act like this, Shen Yuan grew secretly anxious.

'Dammit, why haven't the scores come out yet!'