1987 My Era

Chapter 557, Making a Big Fortune, Me and the King's Tumbler (Please Subscribe!)
After reflecting on his actions, Li Heng made a plan for himself.

The plan includes daily reading, writing, exercise, and time scheduling.

Now that his career is on track and he has 900 million yuan in cash in the bank, he can slow down a bit, stop rushing, and stop being so anxious.

For example, there is a strict rule that everyone must rest before 2 a.m., regardless of their writing condition that day.

There are several more women in this life than in the previous one. Even if you claim to be the best in the world in bed, you still need to take care of your health beforehand, right?
Because there's an extra wheat ear in this life, this woman with overflowing inner charm is a major variable, and he needs to prepare for her.

Don't end up wandering among a sea of ​​flowers only to fall on a single ear of wheat; you'd be devastated!

It wasn't that he was being overly pessimistic, nor that he lacked confidence; rather, it was because there was this living example, "Li Ran," that he could use as a mirror to understand himself.

After finishing his schedule, he leisurely drank half a cup of hot tea. Then, as usual, he spent an hour reading books and documents to get a feel for the time and get into the right mindset. After that, he took out his pen, unscrewed the cap, and started writing in his notebook.

Continuing from last night's post: At thirteen, I screamed, and it exploded. The world was gone in an instant.

By morning, my eyes, which had been somewhat better, were swollen shut again. Zhuoma, blushing, whispered something in her mother's ear…

The third chapter of "Dust Settles Down" mainly describes the relationship that occurred with Sangji Zhuoma, and the family going out to greet the local officials.

To be honest, the third chapter was a little erotic, and he was wondering: Is it really okay for Miss Zhou Shihe to read it?

Then I realized that since they had read the uncut version of "White Deer Plain" sentence by sentence, this was nothing.
Tonight, he continued in the same vein as last night, bursting with inspiration, his pen moving swiftly and skillfully, writing over 4000 words on the white paper in one go.

"Beep beep! Beep beep...!"

At one point, when the alarm clock on his desk rang, Li Heng decisively stopped writing.

Even though I had a strong urge to write, I stopped.

Damn it, the plan was just made, don't ruin it on the first day, that would be ridiculous.

He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then closed the pen, screwed on the ink bottle, closed the window, and left the study.

It was already late at night, around 2 a.m.

He instinctively ran to the next bedroom, but no miracle occurred. The room was neat and tidy, the bedding was in perfect order, and a chilling atmosphere ran from his heels to his spine.

So cool!
After standing blankly at the door for a long time, Li Heng finally went to the washroom with a feeling of emptiness.

Brush your teeth, wash your face, wash your feet, and go to sleep.

The next day, when he opened his eyes again, it was already past 8 a.m., and he found a note on the coffee table.

Wheat ears of writing.

The note had only seven words: "Breakfast is kept warm in the steamer."

Hey, why leave a note? If you're so capable, just ignore me. You're driving me crazy, so I'll go next door and carry you back.

Li Heng patted the note in his palm, happily went downstairs, and then ate breakfast while hurrying to the playground.

There were few people on the road, but the playground was a completely different story, bustling with noise and a sea of ​​people.

He spotted Mai Sui by the stage at a glance. She was wearing a bright red coat and light makeup, exuding a charming and shy aura. It made one think of the line "There is a beauty in the south, whose beauty is as lovely as peach blossoms and plums." She was truly eye-catching.

The sports meet was in full swing, with the men's and women's 100m, 200m, and 400m finals, as well as the 100m hurdles final, and the field was packed with people. There were not only freshmen, but also sophomores, juniors, and even seniors.

He was a little unaccustomed to the lively atmosphere.

In later generations, student sports meets would never be this grand. It was only in these days, without cell phones, computers, and a lot of entertainment, that school sports meets became an excellent place for men and women to relax and watch.

Near the basketball court, he ran into Zhou Shihe and Wei Xiaozhu. The two women were sitting on the steps, with newspapers and books underneath them.

Wei Xiaozhu was somewhat surprised: "Li Heng, what brings you here, you busy man?"

Li Heng walked over and said in a serious tone, "Is it because I'm too handsome that I can't come? Are you afraid of stealing the spotlight from the freshmen?"

Wei Xiaozhu smiled, took a book out of her bag and placed it next to him, gesturing for him to sit down.

Li Heng glanced down and said, "These are your textbooks for your major courses, right? How can I sit here?"

He had already sat down completely halfway through his sentence.

Wei Xiaozhu asked, "Just got up?"

Li Heng said, "That's right, I slept in late. When I woke up, I found no one at home, so I came over."

Seeing that his gaze remained fixed on Mai Sui, Wei Xiaozhu sincerely said, "Maisui is getting more and more beautiful every day. You are so lucky."

Li Heng glanced around, then pretended to be frightened and said, "Can we keep a low profile?"

Wei Xiaozhu laughed: "It's okay, with Shihe here, no one dares to get too close, they can't hear us."

Li Heng looked at Zhou Shihe, who met his gaze silently for a moment before turning her attention elsewhere.

Wei Xiaozhu sensed something was wrong, but since the parties involved were all there, she didn't say much. Instead, she changed the subject and asked, "After the New Year, are you going to Lianyungang to pay respects to your grandparents' ancestors?"

Li Heng replied, "I don't know, it depends on my parents. If they go, I'll have to go with them."

Just then, he noticed Liu An and asked curiously, "Didn't you say all your teeth were knocked out? Are these dentures?"

“Yes, my mother told me that Liu An spent a lot of money on dentures he got in Hong Kong,” Wei Xiaozhu told him.

Li Heng said, "Medical care in Hong Kong is much more expensive than in the mainland."

Just as the two were chatting happily like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, Zhou Shihe's roommates came over, called her away, and said they wanted to discuss something with her.

As soon as King Zhou left, Wei Xiaozhu asked with concern, "You and Shihe didn't exchange a single word just now. Were you having a fight?"

Li Heng shook his head: "No, it's nothing."

"Why is that? Shihe is usually very kind to people," Wei Xiaozhu asked, puzzled.

Li Heng thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they're not used to me being like this yet."

Wei Xiaozhu was even more confused.

Li Heng said, "She asked me a question yesterday, and after that, things changed. We've basically stopped communicating."

Wei Xiaozhu asked curiously, "What's the problem?"

Li Heng said, "She asked me: Do you want both Xiao Han and Mai Sui?"

Wei Xiaozhu stared into his eyes: "What was your answer?"

Li Heng said, "Guess?"

After a moment of contemplation, Wei Xiaozhu said, "Actually, there's no need to guess, is there? Shihe has already given me the answer. You must have answered: I want both."

Li Heng is right.

Upon hearing the word "right," Wei Xiaozhu looked stunned and fell silent. After staring at him blankly for a while, she also looked away.

Seeing this, Li Heng sighed: "Are you also going to stop talking to me for a while?"

Wei Xiaozhu shook her head. "Do you know how I feel right now?"

Li Heng said, "My worldview has been completely shattered."

Wei Xiaozhu gave an awkward laugh, "Now I understand why Shihe treated you like that."

Before this question, our impression of you was like that of a celestial being—handsome, talented, and a perfect person.

Li Heng said, "How can there be a perfect person in the world?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "At least before, all of us in dormitory 107 thought you were."

Li Heng continued, "Now that you've descended to the mortal realm, right?"

Wei Xiaozhu nodded, somewhat sighing: "Yes! Although I've known for a long time that you have ambiguous relationships with Xiao Han and Mai Sui, and that you're moving back and forth between them."

But when you admit it yourself, it takes on a completely different meaning; you're finally becoming more down-to-earth.

Li Heng listened without saying a word.

After a while, he got up and returned to Lushan Village.

Watching him leave, Wei Xiaozhu stared at the books he had sat on for a while before putting them into her bag.

Around 10 o'clock, Zhou Shihe returned and asked Wei Xiaozhu, "Has he left?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "Yes, she said she's going back to write."

Before her friend could reply, she continued, "I talked to him about Xiao Han and Mai Sui, and then the atmosphere became a bit strange, so he made an excuse to leave."

Zhou Shihe turned her head to look at her, seemingly lost in thought.

Wei Xiaozhu asked jokingly, "How long do you plan to ignore him?"

Zhou Shihe shook her head slightly and said gently, "I didn't deliberately ignore him. If he tries to chat with me, I'll reply as usual."

Wei Xiaozhu joked, "It's just that I'm a bit less enthusiastic."

Zhou Shihe said, "I've never been particularly enthusiastic about him."

Wei Xiaozhu chimed in, "You omitted the first part of the sentence because he's a womanizer, right?"

Zhou Shihe smiled knowingly. She really didn't dare to be too enthusiastic towards him, afraid that he would pester her and she would end up in a dilemma.

Especially after realizing his treacherous ambitions, she, whose mindset hadn't yet shifted, dared not get too close to him for a while.

If one day he suddenly confesses to me, saying: "Shihe, you, Maisui and Xiaohan, I want all three of you."

Zhou Shihe was afraid that she would lose her temper and slap him a few times.

Of course, she knew Li Heng wouldn't be so vulgar, but it was enough to show the impact the words "want them all" had on her, and she hadn't recovered yet.

....
After returning from the playground, Li Heng went back to his study and began reading and writing.

The wheat seedlings delivered lunch to us.

Somewhat unexpectedly, Comrade Zhou Shihe followed along as usual.

He knew why Miss Zhou had come along, and while eating, he mumbled, "Chapter 3 is finished. Put it on the desk."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe, somewhat tempted, looked at the wheat ears.

Mai Sui understood and got up to go to the study.

King Zhou smiled calmly at Li Heng and followed him.

When Zhou Shihe saw that the protagonist in the book had a relationship with Sangji Zhuoma at a very young age, and that it only took a moment for him to let out a scream, she blushed for the first time ever, and her whole body was flushed with a glassy blush, making her extremely beautiful.

After finishing the third chapter, Mai Sui's breathing became somewhat disordered.

The two women then looked at each other in silence for a long time.

Seeing her best friend about to put the manuscript into a drawer, Zhou Shihe said gently, "I'll take another look."

The wheat ears were surprised.

Zhou Shihe said, "Putting aside certain plot points, he wrote so well. It has a story, it has ideas, and his writing style matches my taste perfectly."

Wheat Ear teased playfully, "Which plot points are 'certain plot points'?"

Zhou Shihe took the manuscript, opened the page, and said, "It's similar to the scene where he's on top of you on the sofa."

In short, the wheat ear was utterly defeated and humiliated on the spot.

The atmosphere in the study was somewhat awkward. Zhou Shihe was carefully savoring the third chapter, while Mai Sui looked up at her angrily.

After about ten minutes, Zhou Shihe closed her eyes slightly, and after a long while, she uttered a soft voice: "Half a month? Or a month?"

These words seemed nonsensical, but Mai Sui understood them. Her best friend was asking her how long she could hold out without moving back to Building 26.
Mai Sui said, "Let's talk about it after this semester is over."

Zhou Shihe opened her eyes and smiled lightly: "Very good. But I don't think he can last half a month."

Mai Sui remained silent, but Song Yu's image suddenly appeared in her mind.

...

November ended quietly, and more than half of December has passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Heng could only sigh at how fast time flies; campus life is so simple and straightforward, just going back and forth between two points.

But an invisible busyness permeated the air. Many students in Class 1 of Statistics had carved their mottos on the upper left corner of their desks and decorated them beautifully with colored pens.

For example: The early bird catches the worm.

For example: knowledge changes destiny; keep moving forward, dreams never stop, and so on.

Another surprising piece of news came from Statistics Class 1: Xu Jing and Liu Hanjie from the class have enrolled in the "Future Class" at New Future Tutoring School, which costs 1288 yuan. The two are preparing to go abroad next year.

Many people in the class envied the two of them. In this day and age, being able to study abroad is definitely a symbol of strength, and they believed that Xu Jing and Liu Hanjie were already ahead of the curve.

Only Li Heng remained unmoved, happily thinking to himself, "Another 2576 yuan has entered my pocket. This is all money, all my little money."

New Future's branch school in Shanghai is located in Xuhui District, opposite Shanghai Jiao Tong University. They have been advertising extensively across land, sea, and air for half a month, and the advertising has been incredibly effective; the first day of enrollment was packed with students.

Li Heng went to the branch school to help out for a day, and by the end of the day, he had earned more than 310 million yuan, which was even more impressive than the first day of opening in Beijing.

As expected of Shanghai, the economic center of China, there are so many rich people here.

Moreover, they don't really value the intensive courses and advanced study abroad programs; the vast majority of students directly spend their money on the 1288 yuan Future Class, enjoying a one-stop service and prestige.

After consulting with the accounting staff, Li Ran exclaimed with delight, "Boss, based on today's registration numbers, the fees for the next week will not be less than 350 million. You're going to be rich!"

Li Heng seemed a little excited. A branch school in Shanghai brought in nearly 660 million yuan. What about the main school in Beijing?

What will be the situation at the Tianjin and Guangzhou branch campuses?

He was looking forward to his call with Wang Ye that evening.

As the boss, he had one-on-one conversations with all the lecturers at the Shanghai branch, aiming to make his presence known, let everyone know about him, and give him a preliminary impression of these teachers.

Somewhat embarrassingly, two of the female teachers from Fudan University, both from the School of Foreign Languages, were also working there part-time. Upon meeting, he addressed them as "teachers," and they called him "boss," then burst out laughing almost immediately.

Today's enrollment went very well. Li Heng not only gave out red envelopes, but also treated all the staff to a lavish banquet at the hotel.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, he found Li Ran and asked her something: "You're dating someone again now?"

Li Ran retorted, "Did someone with no common sense tell you that?"

Li Heng answered irrelevantly: "I heard that you've already had your 18th boyfriend in just three months in Shanghai? And several guys have even fought over you?"

Li Ran twirled in front of him and asked flirtatiously, "Don't you think I'm charming?"

Li Heng: "..."

Li Ran asked, "Or are you afraid I'll damage New Future's reputation?"

Li Heng waved his hand: "Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to interfere with you. I just wanted to make a deal. Could you reduce the frequency of changing boyfriends? Even the young master of the Zhao family came to me."

Li Ran was bewildered and asked, annoyed, "What does he want from you?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes: "What else can I do? Of course, I hope you can persuade me to change your mind and come back to him."

Li Ran frowned: "I did it on purpose to show him, but he still won't give up. He's more stubborn than a cockroach that can't be killed."

Li Heng asked curiously, "Did you have any relationships with those boys?"

Li Ran spoke frankly: "You know what I am like, I have a great need in that area, but I have been suppressing myself."

I'm afraid to have relationships with male students at university, for fear of making a big fuss and getting trouble from school leaders and students' parents.

Li Heng asked, "So how did you get through it?"

Li Ran held her hands out in the air, saying, "My fingernails are almost gone."

Li Heng's lips twitched, and he suggested, "I think you should see a psychologist; it might help."

Li Ran seemed very resistant: "I won't see it, I'm not sick."

Upon hearing the word "old lady," Li Heng wisely shut up, gave a brief instruction, and headed towards Shanghai Medical University.

Somewhat coincidentally, just as I arrived at the girls' dormitory building, I saw Xiao Han coming down from her room carrying a thermos. Liu Xin and Zhang Haiyan were with her, each carrying a thermos in one hand.

In public, Xiao Han remained the same poised and self-possessed, seemingly arrogant young woman, clearing her throat and asking:
"Mr. Li, what brings you here at this hour?"

Li Heng handed the kettle to Zhang Haiyan and pulled his cunning wife outside, saying, "I missed you. I wanted to have dinner with you."

Xiao Han was skeptical: "Are you sure it's not on the way?"

Li Heng was furious: "Then tell me, what was my purpose in moving the New Future branch school to Xuhui?"

Xiao Han said crisply, "Of course, it's to support a female confidante and earn money for baby formula."

Li Heng stopped in his tracks: "Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me? Be careful, or I'll punish you with family discipline tonight."

Xiao Han tiptoed and whispered in his ear with her crescent-shaped eyes, "What family discipline? You can go back to Mrs. Mai. This beauty is not available lately."

Li Heng pretended not to hear the first half of the sentence, his heart sinking, and asked, "Your period came early?"

Xiao Han nodded with a helpless expression: "Two days in advance. If you had come two days earlier, I would have had to replace the door panels."

Li Heng looked up and let out a mournful cry.

Xiao Han smiled sweetly.

He then asked, "Have you been under too much academic pressure lately? You're usually punctual, why are you two days early this time?"

Xiao Han walked past him and led the way to the restaurant: "It's really stressful. During the day, I have to attend classes and study the medical textbooks ahead of schedule according to the teacher's plan. At night, I also have to counsel Teacher Wen."

Li Heng asked, "Counseling? What's wrong with Professor Wenyan?"

A group of people came over, but Xiao Han didn't say anything until the crowd had passed. Then she lowered her voice and said, "Teacher Wen's husband has returned from abroad, along with that student's mistress, who has two children with her."

Li Heng instantly understood: "Professor Wenyan's problem is psychological?"

Xiao Han said worriedly, "Yes, she lost 10 pounds in half a month. She often loses her appetite and sits in the courtyard all day without doing anything, just staring blankly."

Li Heng exclaimed in surprise: "She was already thin, and now she's practically skin and bones?"

Xiao Han sighed, "Well, that's not the worst part. She has a heart condition and almost died once, but thankfully she was rescued in time."

Therefore, Principal Wen specifically asked my senior and me to spend more time with her.

My senior colleague and I discussed taking turns staying overnight at Professor Wen's house. However, I was worried about her safety, so I often asked Haiyan to come with me.

Li Heng sighed, "How could such a perfectly healthy person have to go through such a calamity?"

Xiao Han felt a pang of sympathy: "Who says otherwise?"

After a moment's thought, Li Heng asked, "After we finish eating, should I buy some gifts and go visit her?"

Xiao Han shook her head: "Next time. She doesn't really want to see anyone right now. Even Principal Wen won't let her in. Right now, only my senior sister, Haiyan, and I can show our faces in front of her. She doesn't want too many people to see her looking so haggard."

Women all love beauty, and Li Heng understood. After dinner, as they walked towards Professor Wen Yan's house, Xiao Han took his arm and asked, "Mr. Li, I haven't had time to visit you lately, are you upset with me?"

Li Heng reached out and gently stroked her hair. "It's my fault. I've been busy writing and haven't come to see you sooner."

Xiao Han looked up and asked, "Where is the new book up to?"

Li Heng replied, "We've already written 16 chapters, so it's still a long way from being finished."

Xiao Han revealed a shallow dimple: "No rush. I want to be the first reader after the book is finished."

Li Heng readily agreed.

After dropping off his cunning wife at Professor Wenyan's doorstep, Li Heng peeked inside through the crack in the door.

Indeed, Professor Wenyan, who was usually well-dressed, was sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, her hair disheveled and her face pale, staring blankly at the grass, as if she had just recovered from a serious illness.

Li Heng asked in a low voice, "Will Haiyan be here later?"

"Yes, Mr. Li, don't worry." Xiao Han tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Li Heng reached out and hugged her. "Winter break is coming soon. I'll spend every day with you then."

Xiao Han pouted, showing no mercy: "What if Madam Song comes back? What about Madam Chen? You're with me every day, are you really planning to abandon them? If so, I'll give you a big marriage certificate."

Li Heng chuckled and pretended not to hear.

Xiao Han pushed open the door and went inside.

Li Heng waited outside the door for a while until his cunning wife helped Professor Wenyan into the house before he turned and left.

The weather has changed; the wind has picked up, the rain is heavy, and it's getting colder.

After finally making it to the school gate, Li Heng looked out the car window at the torrential rain with a troubled expression. How was he going to get back?
God is really not being kind to us.

The bus driver seemed to recognize him. Seeing that he didn't get off the bus for a long time and didn't urge him, the man simply took out a pack of cigarettes and asked, "Want one?"

Li Heng shook his head, indicating that he did not smoke.

The bus driver lit a cigarette, took two deep drags, and then said, "I don't have an umbrella either, otherwise I'd give it to you."

At this point, only the two of them were on the bus; the other passengers had already gotten off at the previous stop.

The rain was so heavy that there were hardly any people around the school gate. Li Heng gritted his teeth and finally resolutely plunged into the rain.

They had only run into the school gate, and were only halfway towards Lushan Village, when a bolt of lightning suddenly struck the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.

Li Heng was startled!

It felt like the lightning had just grazed past me.

He looked up at the sky and saw lightning flashing one after another in the distance, which made him feel uneasy. He dared not continue his journey in the rain and quickly took shelter in the pavilion ahead.

为什么会下雨？

Why does it thunder?

Why is there lightning?

Is it that damned God saw me having too much fun and wanted to strike me down again?
Recalling the scene of his inexplicable death by lightning in his previous life, although almost two years had passed, it was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday, and he still felt lingering fear.

The rain was getting heavier, and after a long ten minutes, only three people had passed by on the path. The problem was that they were all running with umbrellas and didn't even notice the person in the pavilion.

Li Heng was soaked to the bone, but his mind wasn't on the road; instead, he was intently watching the lightning flashing across the sky.

Thunder in winter is not common. There is a folk saying that "thunder in winter means snow," which means that heavy snow is coming.

Just as his thoughts were drifting, another thin figure appeared on the path, holding a large black umbrella that completely covered her head, revealing only her slender waist and long legs.

Judging from her appearance, she is a girl. And a girl with a very beautiful waistline.

The girl approached from afar, then walked away again.

By the time he came to his senses and tried to ask the other person for help or a ride, it was too late; the other person had disappeared around the corner.

Li Heng leaned against a pillar, looking at the still-sparkling lightning with some irritation, feeling utterly helpless against it.

Suddenly, the black umbrella reappeared at the corner ahead, as if it had returned.

The black umbrella moved slowly, its gentle, rhythmic wading through the water suggesting a very patient woman.

The umbrella is coming.

The umbrella stopped in front of the pavilion.

The black umbrella rose, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face.

Who is this but the King of Fudan University?
The pink walls are covered with layers of floral shadows, the curtains are rolled up and the withered lotus leaves are touched by the wind. Zhou Shihe, entangled in the rain, has a unique temperament under the umbrella. She is frail and delicate, charming and beautiful, so beautiful that it makes one's soul tremble.

Li Heng was stunned. He turned to look at her and was surprised to find that the person under the umbrella was her.

I never expected her to come back.

Zhou Shihe stopped in the middle of the path, her bright, expressive eyes gazing at her from afar, exuding a gentle and charming aura.

Their eyes met in mid-air, as if everything was understood without words.

The two hadn't spoken much for a long time. Whenever they met at a dinner party, they would just exchange a few simple greetings, and then she would eat her food and leave on her own.

During this time, he could clearly sense her distance and her lack of acceptance of him.

She disagreed with the phrase "want it all".

They looked at each other, and for a moment neither of them spoke.

After a brief standoff, she finally moved again, entering the pavilion and coming to his side. She stretched out her right hand, offering him the umbrella and gesturing for him to use it.

Li Heng, showing perfect understanding, took the umbrella but made no move to leave.

Zhou Shihe stared into his eyes for a while, then turned to look at the lightning in the low sky, and suddenly smiled knowingly.

In an instant, her expressionless face seemed to bloom with a hundred flowers, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

It was her smile that dispelled the cold atmosphere between them, and the barrier in their hearts seemed to vanish without a trace.

Seeing him staring intently at her, Zhou Shihe couldn't help but pout her delicate lips. She subtly smoothed a stray strand of hair behind her ear with her right hand, not daring to turn around or face him directly.

Even without making eye contact, she could imagine his facial expression; his eyes could melt anyone.

Zhou Shihe quietly took two deep breaths, gradually suppressing all her emotions, and then distracted him by talking, asking quietly, "Back from Xuhui?"

"Ah."

Li Heng hummed in agreement, then looked away and gazed into the distance: "Today is the opening of the New Future branch school. Let's go help out."

Zhou Shihe followed up by asking, "How's the enrollment situation?"

Li Heng replied, "It's fantastic, even better than I imagined."

Zhou Shihe said, "Congratulations!"

Li Heng said, "Thank you."

At this point, the two fell silent.

fell into silence.

After another long while, Li Heng felt the atmosphere between them was becoming suffocating, so he tried to make conversation: "Why are you alone today? Where are the others?"

Zhou Shihe said, "I came back from my aunt's house."

Li Heng asked in surprise, "You only dropped me off at the school gate? Why didn't you go all the way to Lushan Village?"

Zhou Shihe explained, "There were other people on the bus, and it wasn't dark yet, so I left by myself."

Li Heng shook his head: "If I were your aunt, I still wouldn't feel at ease."

Why shouldn't I be at ease? Simply because she's too beautiful.

It's just that the weather is bad now, there aren't many people on the road, and it's not as safe as usual.

Zhou Shihe understood his meaning almost instantly. After a moment of silence, she turned around and finally faced him directly.

She turned around, and he turned around too; their eyes met.

He was 180cm tall in shoes, and she was 166cm tall. One looked down slightly, and the other looked up slightly. As they gazed at each other, it was as if the world had disappeared.

It was as if the world had shrunk to just the two of them.

As time went by, an indescribable aura arose and grew stronger, lingering between the two.

After a long while, Li Heng suddenly reached out his right hand, wanting to help her tidy up her hair that had been messed up by the wind.

But halfway through his outstretched hand, it seemed as if his right hand had been suddenly broken by an external force, and it fell limply to the ground.

Zhou Shihe didn't move at all, but saw all his movements.

However, she was far from calm on the surface; her cherry-like lips pursed even more tightly, and her fair fingers silently gripped the cuffs of her pants in her pockets.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief the moment he withdrew his hand.

She knew that distancing herself from him recently was the right thing to do. The moment had already proven it all.

She also knew that with her return today, the estrangement she had caused in the past was all for naught, like bubbles, and had no effect whatsoever.

She also knew that estrangement could happen once, but not a second time, otherwise the two would become strangers.

Looking at the man in front of her, she felt like she had met her nemesis and was completely helpless against him.

Zhou Shihe lowered her eyelids slightly and asked calmly, "Why are you so afraid of lightning?"

Li Heng slowly replied, "I often have the same dream where I get struck by lightning and die."

Zhou Shihe parted her red lips slightly, lifted her eyelids to look at him, and asked, "How many times have you dreamed about it?"

Li Heng replied, "I can't count them all. I've had this nightmare every time there's a thunderstorm in the past two years."

Zhou Shihe remained silent.

She suddenly realized why Sui Sui was so worried about him; whenever there was a thunderstorm, she would rush to be with him regardless of the weather.

It turned out to be the case.

After a while, she comforted her, saying, "Dreams are always the opposite of reality."

On the contrary my foot! I've actually been struck by lightning and died before.

My life is at stake; I can't afford to be careless or sloppy.

But he said, "I know. But I was almost struck by lightning before."

Zhou Shihe realized that a bolt of lightning had indeed struck near Fudan University earlier. She checked her watch and estimated the time. "You've been in the pavilion for 20 minutes?"

Li Heng said, "It will only be more, not less."

Her eyes quickly swept over his clothes, and she said, "You're all soaked. We need to go back, or you'll easily get sick."

Li Heng didn't move.

She asked, "Aren't you cold?"

Li Heng replied, "Cold."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe turned halfway around again, facing the path, and said with a charming smile, "Do you still remember playing cards? I never lost."

Her underlying message was: Don't be afraid of death, she has great luck protecting you, and if you're with her, you won't be struck by lightning.

Li Heng asked, "As the old saying goes, it's not the ten thousand that's scary, but the one in ten thousand. What if the dream comes true?"

Zhou Shihe pursed her lips, looked ahead, and said gently, "Then you're not alone."

Upon hearing the words "Then you're not alone," Li Heng glanced sideways, then picked up his umbrella, left the pavilion, and walked down the path.

Zhou Shihe followed closely behind.

An umbrella, two people, he on the left, she on the right, walking in sync, silently heading towards Lushan Village.

Li Heng was already soaked, so he tilted most of the umbrella toward her.

Zhou Shihe glanced at him quickly, thought for a moment, then moved a step to the left and leaned closer to him, their arms almost touching.

Noticing her concern, Li Heng teased, "Aren't you afraid of me standing so close?"

Zhou Shihe smiled without saying a word, taking small, careful steps as she walked.

There was no one on the road, only the sound of raindrops. When they were almost at the entrance of Lushan Village, he suddenly asked, "When you came back from the direction of the school gate earlier, you saw me, didn't you?"

Zhou Shihe answered honestly, "Yes."

Li Heng asked, "Then why not stop?"

Zhou Shihe smiled faintly and did not reply.

Li Heng pressed further, "Then why did you come back? Anyway, I was daydreaming at the time and didn't see your face clearly, so I won't blame you afterwards."

Zhou Shihe spoke up this time.

She said softly, "I don't have many true friends, and even fewer male friends."

Li Heng sighed, "I thought those words had completely scared you and that you had blocked me."

Zhou Shihe looked puzzled.

Li Heng explained, "In my hometown, 'blacklisting' means 'turning a blind eye.' In other words, it means never speaking to each other again."

Zhou Shihe remained silent for a moment, until she reached the middle of the alley, when she asked softly, "It seems you were already prepared to never have anything to do with me again."

Li Heng chuckled and said, "I'm easily embarrassed. If someone gives me a hard time, I won't flatter them."

Zhou Shihe gave him a strange look and abruptly stopped.

Li Heng continued walking forward out of habit, but after taking three steps, he turned back and held out the umbrella to shield her from the rain.

He was utterly speechless: "Are you still the Zhou Shihe I know? So mischievous? You just slapped me in the face? Didn't you even give me a moment to process it?"

Zhou Shihe tried to suppress her laughter, but after a few moments, she couldn't hold back and chuckled softly. Then she turned her head to look at the alley wall and followed him blankly.

When he reached the end of the alley, he found that the doors and windows of buildings 25, 26 and 27 were all closed, and no one was home.

However, the lights in Building 24, which had been empty for a while, were turned on.

He wondered if something had happened to Teacher Yu, who had said she would be away for a week but hadn't returned to school after more than 20 days.

Did something happen?
In the past, the Yu family was too special, and they even had bodyguards with them, so he hadn't paid much attention to Teacher Yu's whereabouts. But at this moment, he suddenly wanted to make a call and ask about the situation.

After standing in the middle of the alley for a while, Zhou Shihe suddenly asked him, "How many chapters have you written in 'Dust Settles'?"

Li Heng replied, "Chapter 16."

She had read up to chapter 12 last time, but then something came up. It was almost February, and she needed to practice the piano as much as possible. Also, their relationship was growing colder, so she ended up reading 4 more chapters by chance.

Li Heng understood the implication in her words, "How about we go to my place?"

Zhou Shihe didn't refuse and readily agreed.

After passing Building No. 27, the two went straight to Building No. 26. Li Heng took out his key, opened the gate, and went inside.

As he walked, he asked, "Do you know if Mai Sui will be back tonight?"

Zhou Shihe said, "It's someone's birthday in the dorm today, so they're probably having a get-together."

Li Heng casually asked, "Why didn't you go?"

Zhou Shihe replied, "My aunt's family is having a banquet today. I just gave a gift and went to my aunt's house."

"what?"

Li Heng exclaimed, "So, your parents are also in Shanghai?"

Knowing what he wanted to ask, Zhou Shihe nodded and said, "Yes, but they had something to do and went straight back to Hangzhou."

As Li Heng changed his shoes upon entering, he asked, "Are there new people in the small building next door at number 24?"

Zhou Shihe said, "They came this morning, a couple of professors, with their three daughters."

Li Heng, ever the gossip, asked, "Is he old?"

Zhou Shihe glanced at him and said, "The older child is eleven or twelve years old, and the younger one is probably just starting school."

Li Heng's eyelids twitched, and he said irritably, "What are you thinking? I didn't ask the child, I asked the professor and his wife."

Zhou Shihe said dignifiedly, "They are all around 40 years old, majoring in physics. They just returned to China last year and I heard they are quite famous."

Upon reaching the second floor, Li Heng led her into the study, not waiting a moment longer, and went to the shower room to find a change of clothes.

Damn it, even though he held on for so long, he was actually freezing to death, and his body was trembling.

He turned on the hot shower, humming a little tune, and applied shower gel. He was as happy as a little bird, feeling alive again.

....
study.

Zhou Shihe stared blankly at the manuscript in her palm, lost in thought.

She vaguely felt that God had pulled a string between her and him. Whenever their relationship cooled and went astray, God would gently tug it back into place and put them back on track.

He kissed her in the snow in Northeast China before.

In a courtyard house in Beijing, he dreamt of calling his own name while sharing a room with someone else.

That time, she was taking a shower in the small building at number 26 when he suddenly opened the bathroom door.

This time is no different.

There seemed to be an unspoken understanding between them; he crossed the line, and she took a step back in fear.

But when he stops in his tracks, she will tacitly come back and pull him up, and their relationship will be restored to normal.

Their relationship was like a roly-poly toy, sometimes going left, sometimes right, but always standing firm even when it hit rock bottom.

After pondering for a long time, Zhou Shihe's right hand moved, and she turned to the title page, opened to Chapter 13, and began to read it carefully with great interest.

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(End of this chapter)