Chapter 454 - 215: A Good Sign

Chapter 454: Chapter 215: A Good Sign

The girl’s voice was light, carrying a hint of someone looking to settle a score.

But those light words gave Shen Yuan’s heart a gentle squeeze, leaving it feeling both achy and tender.

He turned to face Li Zhi squarely.

Under the dim, yellow light, the hint of accusation and hurt in the girl’s eyes seemed magnified, reflected in his own gaze which was overflowing with tenderness for her.

He suddenly lifted his left hand. With an almost instinctive tenderness and remorse, his palm came to rest gently on the crown of Li Zhi’s head.

His warm fingertips brushed through her soft hair. He’d touched its silky texture so casually before, in the classroom and the hallway, but now, weighed down by her words, the sensation felt exceptionally precious.

"Li Bao..." Shen Yuan’s voice grew deep and slightly hoarse. He gently ruffled her hair.

"I’m sorry."

The warm pads of his fingers grazed her temple, tracing the line of her hair. The warmth spread like a gentle stream, easing the slight chill of the night wind.

Li Zhi froze for a second, taken aback by his sudden, intimate gesture and straightforward apology.

The weight on her head and the gentle caress made her body stiffen instinctively. In that instant, her grievance crumbled, replaced by a fresh wave of shyness that crept up to the tips of her ears.

The girl quickly lowered her gaze. Her thick lashes trembled, hiding the unexpected glint of tears that had welled in her eyes.

The next second, as if fighting against this sudden softening of her heart, Li Zhi jerked her head to the side, dodging the hand resting on it.

The movement was deliberately exaggerated. As she turned, loose strands of hair brushed against Shen Yuan’s fingertips, which were still hovering in the air, sweeping over them like a tiny brush.

"...Dumbass!"

The girl’s profile was tense, her chin slightly raised. She deliberately refused to look at Shen Yuan, her gaze stubbornly fixed on the twinkling colored lights in a nearby shop window.

"Who needs your apology!"

The girl’s voice wasn’t loud, and though she did her best to maintain a disdainful tone, the last syllable trembled almost imperceptibly.

"So childish!"

After she spoke, Li Zhi seemed to feel her retort lacked punch, so she shot Shen Yuan another fierce glare.

Except, the embarrassment in her glare far outweighed any real displeasure, giving her the air of someone protesting her innocence far too loudly.

Just as Li Zhi was about to say something more forceful, Shen Yuan suddenly opened his arms without warning and moved to pull her into a hug.

The gesture had a tender yet insistent quality, as if he intended to physically transmit all of his apology and affection to her.

Li Zhi’s first instinct was to yield to the sudden warmth. Her body even leaned forward an imperceptible fraction.

But in the instant before Shen Yuan’s arms could close around her, the girl’s senses snapped back.

’It wasn’t that she was rejecting the hug itself, but—’

"Hey! Wait... wait!"

Li Zhi frantically raised her hands, pressing them squarely against the backpack slung over Shen Yuan’s chest.

The girl leaned back slightly, her brow furrowed, her voice a mix of exasperation and genuine concern.

"The backpack! You dumbass! What if it crushes my Peace Fruit? I’ll smack you!!"

The box holding the specially-meaningful Peace Fruit could not be damaged.

She might not have fully processed how much she cared about the sense of ceremony Shen Yuan had personally bestowed upon this gift, but instinct took over, protecting it and providing the most righteous-sounding reason for her rejection.

Shen Yuan froze, taken aback by her sudden defensive move. His arms hovered awkwardly, unsure whether to move forward or back down.

He watched her nervous expression, her resemblance to a little kitten guarding its food, and the heavy, tender remorse in his heart was instantly washed away by a mix of amusement and exasperation.

He looked down at the girl, so close to him now. The blush from their earlier exchange hadn’t fully faded from her cheeks.

The way her cheeks were now slightly puffed out as she protected the apple, combined with her beautiful eyes that still held a glimmer of accusation... it was just... illegally cute.

Shen Yuan couldn’t hold back a low chuckle, his chest vibrating gently.

He slowly lowered his arms, yielding to her protest.

But he remained close, his tall frame shielding her from the cold wind.

"Okay, okay, okay... I won’t crush the Peace Fruit. Goodness."

Shen Yuan took her hand again, his voice carrying a smile that was equal parts exasperation and affection.

The two started walking again, continuing towards home. The chill of the winter night seemed to be dispelled by the heat from the boy’s palm, leaving only the warmth of their intertwined fingers.

After a few steps, Shen Yuan felt a slight weight on his arm.

Li Zhi had linked her arm through his.

Her movement was fluid, as if she was just finding a more comfortable position, yet it was also like some kind of silent declaration.

The girl’s arm rested naturally against his. She clutched the surprisingly heavy box with the Peace Fruit to her chest, which brought her whole body closer to his side.

Shen Yuan froze for a moment. It felt as if a small, fluffy, warm animal had wrapped itself around his arm. Warmth and a strange tingle spread up his arm in an instant.

Li Zhi didn’t seem to notice his surprised gaze.

Her face was tilted slightly upward, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

This moment of tranquility felt as if it had been preserved in honey, so sweet it made you want to stop time right then and there.

Suddenly, the cold white light of the elevator spilled into view, and a feeling of weightlessness gently tugged at their senses.

The floor numbers ticked upward.

Li Zhi kept her arm linked with his, but the line of her shoulders and neck was visibly tense, and the rhythm of her breathing had subtly changed.

*DING—*

The motion-sensor light flashed on the instant the elevator doors opened. The abrupt explosion of light was like an invisible pair of scissors, precisely snipping their intertwined limbs apart.