Chapter 581 - 239: Li Zhi: I’m Not Ready Yet
Chapter 581: Chapter 239: Li Zhi: I’m Not Ready Yet
Shen Yuan looked up to see the beautiful girl—his girl—her eyes wide with anger, her face flushing as red as the morning clouds.
The pain in his leg didn’t make him flinch. On the contrary, seeing Li Zhi all flustered and full of life like this, a wave of warmth and amusement washed over his heart.
"Heh heh..."
The young man rubbed the sore spot, his features relaxing until they settled into an incredibly radiant, slightly goofy smile.
Far from being annoyed, he scooted a little closer to Li Zhi, his burning gaze locked on her crimson cheeks and her eyes, which were a mixture of shy and cross.
Shen Yuan’s eyes crinkled in a smile, the corners of his eyes and brows brimming with a satisfaction so deep it was almost tangible, her reflection shining clearly within them.
Seeing his shameless grin, the indignant embarrassment in Li Zhi’s heart strangely gave way to the urge to smile.
"Hmph!"
In the end, the beautiful girl’s eyes widened. She huffed at Shen Yuan, then spun around abruptly, turning her back to him completely.
’I’m not talking to you anymore!’
Shen Yuan’s gaze fell upon the slender nape of her neck, the fluffy, slightly messy end of her ponytail splayed across the pillow, before finally settling on the little hickey on her skin.
The amusement from getting kicked was instantly swept away by an even deeper, warmer current of tenderness.
The young man carefully scooted closer, inch by inch, toward her pouting form.
The soft indentation in the mattress spread silently, finally vanishing in the inches that separated them.
Shen Yuan didn’t rashly reach out to pull her into an embrace. He chose a gentler approach.
He settled down, lying on his side and propping his head up with his arm. He positioned himself at a subtle distance from Li Zhi’s back—close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her, but not so close as to cross a line.
Just like that, he rested his head quietly on his hand, his deep gaze settling on the curve of Li Zhi’s cheek.
In his line of sight was the small, rounded contour of her shoulders, curved in a way he found adorable as she lay slightly curled up.
And there was the nape of her neck, peeking out from the collar of her loose cashmere sweater. Her skin, as delicate as porcelain, glowed like warm jade in the soft light.
And the small, faint pink hickey he’d left there was like a rose petal on freshly fallen snow—the most striking, yet most intimate, mark in the tranquil scene.
Her body rose and fell with the gentle rhythm of her breathing, exuding a sense of weariness that came from finally letting her guard down.
San Geng seemed to sense the peaceful atmosphere. It ambled over from where Shen Yuan had just been, its small, warm body snuggling up against Li Zhi’s ankle. It curled up gently next to Naonao, the fluffy tip of its tail brushing the edge of her sock.
Naonao lay quietly beside them, like a little, fluffy guardian.
Shen Yuan didn’t do anything. He didn’t say a word.
He just watched.
His gaze slowly traced a path from the ends of her hair to the line of her shoulders, sweeping over her unguarded neck, then down to the slender, fluid curve of her waist beneath the thin fabric...
Every detail sent deeper ripples across the lake of tenderness that filled his heart.
The primal, physical possessiveness he’d felt earlier was now enveloped by a feeling of patient devotion.
Looking at the hickey on her neck, Shen Yuan’s fingers, propping up his head, unconsciously brushed against his own cheek.
Time seemed to slip by quietly as he watched her with intense concentration.
He knew she wasn’t asleep.
Her posture, with her back turned to him, held a silent permission. It told him she felt safe with him this close.
He understood, and he was willing to wait.
For her to turn around and meet his gaze once more.
He remained immersed in his quiet vigil, until—
"Shen Yuan..."
Li Zhi’s voice suddenly broke the silence. It was very, very soft, and she didn’t turn around.
Shen Yuan’s breath caught. He answered, almost holding his breath, his own voice just as quiet. "Hm?"
She remained with her back to him, curling up just a little more as her cheek unconsciously nuzzled the edge of the pillowcase.
Her low voice carried a nearly imperceptible tremor, but her words came through clearly:
"Just... just give me a little more time..."
The sentence seemed to exhaust all her courage. As soon as she said it, Li Zhi pressed her lips firmly together, and only the tips of her ears, visible to him, quietly flushed red once more.
San Geng, dozing against Li Zhi’s ankle, seemed to stir at the subtle shift in emotion. Its little ears twitched, and it repositioned its head on its furry paws, letting out a few contented purrs.
But her quiet request sent massive waves surging through the lake in Shen Yuan’s heart.
It wasn’t disappointment. It was an even more overwhelming surge of adoration.
The girl’s meaning was perfectly clear.
The young man answered her with great solemnity, his voice gentle yet filled with an undeniable conviction.
"No."
He paused, feeling the emotion threatening to burst from his chest, and articulated what he truly wanted to say.
"It means I need to be even better to you."
The air froze.
With her back still to him, Li Zhi’s body visibly stiffened for a moment, as if she’d forgotten how to breathe.
The side of her face hidden by the pillow suddenly grew scorching hot.
But Shen Yuan didn’t look away. He continued to watch her gently, his gaze fixed on the skin he could see—the skin that bore his mark, and now, reflected his entire promise.
For several seconds of silence, the only sound was the thrumming of their own heartbeats in their ears.
Then, Li Zhi began to move, just slightly.
Her shoulders curled inward almost imperceptibly, as if she were summoning her courage.