Chapter 505 - 225: My Legs Are Sore

Chapter 505: Chapter 225: My Legs Are Sore

At first, Li Zhi managed to feign nonchalance, but her fingers clutching the book quietly tightened, creasing the edges of the pages.

Shen Yuan’s movements were a bit stiff as he began to massage her. His pressure varied from light to heavy, and the cautious, fumbling nature of his first attempt made the atmosphere even more delicate.

Warmth seeped into her muscles from his clumsy yet earnest massage. A tingling sensation traveled up her nerves, making her toes curl and then relax.

"Ahem... Is this okay?" Shen Yuan’s voice was a bit hoarse. His gaze landed uncomfortably on Li Zhi’s beautifully shaped legs before quickly darting away, the tips of his ears quietly turning red.

He struggled to concentrate on the massage "technique" itself.

"I-It’s fine..." she answered in a low voice, turning her face away. The tips of her ears were burning hot.

Even though there was fabric between them, the presence of his palm was as distinct as a branding iron. Every squeeze and press sent her heartbeat into a flutter.

Li Zhi felt as if an electric current had passed through the spot he touched, a tingling sensation crawling up from her calf.

Her cheeks grew hot, and her flustered gaze darted away from Shen Yuan’s hand. She pretended to be focused on the workbook open on the desk, but her trembling eyelashes and the increasingly audible thump of her heart betrayed her bashfulness.

Attracted by the rustling, San Geng, who had been lounging on the carpet, flicked its tail and leaped onto the desk. It tilted its head, staring at the pair of overlapping human legs.

Its mismatched eyes blinked twice, and just as it was about to reach out and paw at them, Shen Yuan swatted it away.

"Scram!"

San Geng scrambled off the desk in a flash, startling Naonao, who was resting nearby.

Naonao merely lifted its eyes lazily from its cat bed for a momentary glance in their direction, flicked its tail, then buried its head back in the fluff, apparently unfazed by the humans’ clinginess.

Shen Yuan’s movements gradually grew smoother, and his thumb quietly slid to the back of Li Zhi’s taut calf.

It was stiff from long hours of sitting and writing, and now, under the pressure of his knuckles, a secret, satisfying ache spread through the muscle, followed by relief.

Li Zhi bit her lower lip to stifle a soft moan, her ragged breaths brushing against the side of Shen Yuan’s neck.

He heard her. The pressure from his fingers immediately softened, as if he were holding a fragile treasure, his palm warming her slightly cool skin.

"Next time..." Shen Yuan’s voice was incredibly hoarse. His fingertip paused on Li Zhi’s delicate ankle bone, tracing a circle. "If your legs get sore from studying again... just call me."

Li Zhi didn’t answer, merely tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her face flushed. Her toes, however, brushed against his palm with the lightest of touches—part silent consent, part reward.

As Shen Yuan continued the massage, he grew a little dissatisfied.

His hand began to travel upward, following the curve behind her knee.

But before Shen Yuan could reach his destination, a small hand stopped his wrist.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi.

The beautiful girl was biting her lower lip, shaking her head.

"No. Only the calves."

Seeing her earnest expression, Shen Yuan nodded, and his fingers slowly slid back down her tights.

The only sounds left in the study were the soft noises from the massage, the purring from a cat’s throat, and the mingling of their two hot breaths.

After a little while, Li Zhi suddenly placed a hand on Shen Yuan’s arm.

When Shen Yuan looked up, his gaze met the tips of her slightly reddened ears. "What’s wrong? Was I pressing too hard?"

"No..." Li Zhi curled her toes, which had been warmed by his palm. Her voice was a few shades softer than usual.

"I’m hungry."

Shen Yuan froze for a second before it registered. He smiled and gave her calf a gentle squeeze. "We still have the durian pizza. Want me to heat it up in the microwave?"

Li Zhi nodded.

Seeing the beautiful girl’s shy expression, Shen Yuan added, "I’ll heat it up and bring it over. You just sit and wait."

"Mhm." Li Zhi was about to pull her leg back when Shen Yuan’s sudden movement made her hold her breath.

The young man only smoothed out a wrinkle in her tights, but as he stood up, he deliberately grazed her calf with his knuckle. "Reward paused. To be continued."

Li Zhi huffed softly at him.

Shen Yuan turned and left the study, heading into the living room to grab the leftover pizza.

He expertly turned on the oven to preheat.

The memory of Li Zhi’s delicate, warm, and silky calf still lingered on the hand holding the pizza box, making his heart tremble again.

Shen Yuan shook his head, carefully opened the packaging, placed the pizza on a baking sheet, slid it into the oven, and set the timer.

The kitchen was soon filled with the unique and overpowering aroma of durian.

Shen Yuan leaned against the counter to wait, his hands in his pockets. He stared blankly out the window into the thick night, an unconscious, goofy grin spreading across his face.

Meanwhile, back in the study, the moment Shen Yuan closed the door, Li Zhi slipped gracefully from her chair, her feet landing silently on the wood floor.

The beautiful girl peeked her head out of the study. Seeing that the bedroom was empty, she huffed at the door.

"Pervert!"

In the next second, the beautiful girl scooped up San Geng, who tilted its head in confusion. She scratched the kitten’s chin and whispered, "San Geng, tell me, why is your dad such a perv?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Li Zhi suddenly remembered something the boys at school discussed.

Something about a cup.

Li Zhi immediately looked at the kitten, her expression serious as she asked, "San Geng, has your dad hidden anything indecent in his room?"

Li Zhi looked at the kitten; the kitten tilted its head.

Following the direction of San Geng’s head, Li Zhi’s gaze fell on Shen Yuan’s closet. "Over here?"

San Geng: ?

But Li Zhi quickly dismissed the thought.

’Probably not. A closet is too obvious a hiding spot; it’d be found by accident too easily.’

Li Zhi then turned her gaze to Shen Yuan’s nightstand.

’A nightstand would be convenient... but could it even fit in there?’