1987 My Era

Chapter 578, King vs. King, Head-to-Head

The same "Dad" and "Mom" left Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e completely bewildered, to the point that they didn't know how to say it anymore.

The elderly couple were momentarily speechless, unsure of what to do.

What happened to the story that Zhong Lan's father suddenly passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage?
Didn't they agree that the Chen family wouldn't be coming back for the New Year?

We agreed that the Chen family would come back at the beginning of the year to visit Grandma Chun's grave and hang offerings.
Why did things suddenly change?

They came back at this critical juncture?

Tian Run'e wished she could tear her own mouth apart, for her own meddling, for her own soft heart, for her own decision to let Teacher Yu stay for the New Year.

Yu Shuheng watched this scene calmly from the side.

From the moment I entered the courtyard, Chen Zijin had been sending me messages, asserting her dominance, and demonstrating against me.

Yu Shuheng realized that Chen Zijin, who was all smiles, probably already understood her feelings for Li Heng, otherwise she wouldn't have shown such strong vigilance upon meeting him.

She was secretly wondering: How did Chen Zijing find out that her relationship with Li Heng was unusual?

Did Xiao Han tell Chen Zijing?
Did the wheat stalk tell the other party?
Or did Chen Zijin figure it out herself from the newspaper information?
Or did the Chen family find out about the situation through connections and then tell Chen Zijin?
She wondered, since Chen Zijing knew about her relationship with Li Heng, did Song Yu know about it too?
Seeing Chen Zijing greet him with a smile, Li Jianguo was the first to react and quickly replied, "Zijing is back. I'm fine. You must be tired after traveling all day. Please sit down."

As soon as her husband spoke, Tian Run'e, who was behind him, also came to her senses. She quickly put down the kitchen knife in her hand, took the gift, and took Chen Zijin's hand, saying:

"This morning I was lighting the fire, and the flames were roaring and sizzling in the stove. I even told Jianguo that something good was going to happen at home. Turns out, Zijing is back. Come on, turn around so I can have a good look at you. I haven't seen you for more than ten days. Have you lost weight?"

There was nothing Tian Run'e could do. Even though she knew that both girls had close relationships with her son, she could only comfort Chen Zijin first. After all, she was the first daughter-in-law to catch her eye. Now that she had made a mistake, she had to make amends and not disappoint Zijin.

Chen Zijing twirled around with a smile and asked obediently, "Mom, have I gained weight?"

"No, just like before, neither fat nor thin, the best figure." Hearing "Mom" again, Tian Run'e felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't dare to look at Teacher Yu's expression, but she couldn't deny it.

After all, Tian Run'e had personally promised Chen Zijin that the couple would live with Zijin in their old age.

Don't underestimate the simple words "retirement"; they represent so much more. The elderly couple made this promise after weighing the pros and cons.

According to Tian Run'e's thinking: she could ignore the Chen family and Zhong Lan, but she was extremely fond of Zi Jin, treated her separately, and truly regarded her as her daughter-in-law.

Putting everything else aside, Guang Zijin's profound love for Manzai in adversity, her unwavering devotion, and her undying loyalty deeply moved her as a mother.

It is said that only by experiencing hardship and torment can one truly understand the preciousness of a relationship. After going through the trials of the Chen family, Tian Run'e came to appreciate Chen Zijin.

Tian Run'e's usual enthusiasm and doting made Chen Zijin's mood instantly better. To be honest, when she entered the room and saw Yu Shuheng earlier, her calm demeanor was just an act; she was actually very sad inside.

She had no family support, and even though she was the most beautiful woman in Renmin University, she couldn't compare to Song Yu and Xiao Han. The belief that kept her going all the way was that Li Heng would never abandon her.

When she saw Xiao Han and Yu Shuheng barging into her established territory, she felt far more panicked than she had imagined.

Fortunately, the elderly couple's attitude towards her did not change, which helped her regain her confidence.

Li Jianguo poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Chen Zijin: "Here, it's cold today, have a cup of tea to warm up."

"Okay, thank you, Dad." Chen Zijing took the tea and held it in her hands.

Every conversation, every "Mom" and "Dad," was a devastating blow to Yu Shuheng sitting beside her.

But Teacher Yu's composure was already highly refined, and he maintained a calm expression throughout.

After greeting the elderly couple, Chen Zijin turned her attention to Yu Shuheng.

If Chen Zijin had previously held Yu Shuheng in high regard for her status as a university professor, now her gaze has become one of mere scanning.

That's right, her gaze scanned Teacher Yu like an infrared beam, looking her up and down, leaving no inch unchecked.

Finally, she concluded that she was 166 cm tall, while the other woman was half a head taller than her. She was very dignified and beautiful, and her most distinctive feature was her scholarly temperament and the intellectual beauty of a well-bred lady, which was probably hard for other women to replicate. This made Chen Zijin frown slightly.

However, Chen Zijin quickly regained her composure and asked, "Teacher Yu, did you come from Shanghai?"

Yu Shuheng smiled and said, "Yes."

As soon as the two women started talking, Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e's hearts were in their throats, but they couldn't forcefully stop them. They could only watch and listen carefully, ready to put out any arguments that might break out.

Chen Zijing smiled and said, "You've changed so much! It's been more than half a year since we last met. Teacher Yu has become even more feminine. By the way, Teacher Yu, have you found a boyfriend yet?"

Compared to before, Yu Shuheng has indeed become more charming and feminine.

It's said that being intimately caressed and stroked by someone from time to time can cause a surge in female hormones, making one more beautiful.
Chen Zijin's words were very skillful; at first glance, they sounded like a natural question and a caring greeting.

But anyone with a discerning eye can see that these words are not to be taken lightly; they are clearly pointed and highly offensive.

It's like saying: "Teacher Yu, Li Heng is my man, the man I've slept with for three years. There are countless men in the world, why would you cheat on me with my man? Wouldn't it be better to find a better partner outside?"

Okay, Chen Zijin certainly wouldn't say it so bluntly. But people's hearts are complicated, especially Yu Shuheng, who came later and is already in the wrong, so she can't help but overthink things.

Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e exchanged a glance, both feeling extremely anxious and ready to intervene and break up the fight at any moment.

Tian Run'e looked at Zijing and thought: Zijing is usually very sensible and filial in front of her. But she is also quite eloquent. When she talks to Teacher Yu, she only says nice things that are hard to fault. But upon closer analysis, you can tell that her nice words are full of hidden barbs.

Tian Run'e didn't blame Zijing for this; instead, she felt deep remorse. Any woman, when faced with a fatal threat to her last vestige of survival, would bare her teeth and certainly fight back.

The Li family was Chen Zijin's last sanctuary. She didn't go to Fudan University to assert her dominance, didn't publicly break with Xiao Han, and didn't openly interfere with Li Heng's extramarital affairs. This already gave Li Heng enough face and dignity as a man.

If even the last vestige of one's self-reliant territory is struggling to breathe, then even a clay Buddha has some temper and will surely retaliate against any external provocateurs.

Faced with the current situation, Chen Zijin has nowhere to retreat.

Unless she leaves Li Heng.

But if she left Li Heng, what else could she do? Chen Zijin was suddenly lost, unable to find any meaning or value in continuing to live.

She gave so much to this man, poured everything into this relationship. Other women who leave him still have a way out, they can always go back to their family home.

But Chen Zijin did not. When she was forced into a corner, she made a solemn oath before the ancestral tablet in front of Zhong Lan: she would never leave Li Heng in this life, and no one could separate the two of them unless she died.

Unless she's dead—what a heavy word that is!

All of this was within Xiao Han's chessboard deductions.

Therefore, when Xiao Han learned that Yu Shuheng was likely to stay at the Li family home for the New Year, she decisively took action and used reverse psychology to call Chen Zijin back.

After repeated deductions, Xiao Han felt that even if Chen Zijin found out she had been tricked after returning home, she would have to face Yu Shuheng head-on without any room for retreat.

This is an open and unsolvable scheme.

Xiao Han watched the drama unfold from the sidelines, observing the power struggle: Chen Zijin could either not retaliate, thus losing her eligibility to compete and being forced out of the competition; or she could muster the courage to fight Yu Shuheng, which would at least lead to a complete breakdown in relations, and could potentially result in mutual destruction.

Anyway, with just a simple phone call, Xiao Han didn't lose anything. She wanted to see if her best friend Chen Zijin's fighting spirit was still intact, and she wanted to test just how capable Teacher Yu, who came from a wealthy family, really was, so she could adjust her strategy accordingly in the future.

Well, Chen Zijin was Xiao Han's first move, a trial run.

A trial run, as the name suggests, is to test the enemy's strength and the distribution of their firepower.

From the moment she decided to ally with Chen Zijin, she had already considered Chen Zijin as her first cannon fodder.

Does she feel guilty about what she did to Chen Zijin?
No, not a single trace!

She and Chen Zijing had been locked in a fierce rivalry since junior high, their rivalry intense. In their first and second years of high school, Chen Zijing gained the upper hand and kept her firmly under her control.

Now, as the saying goes, fortunes change, and Xiao Han, who has endured for many years, finally has the opportunity to retaliate. Naturally, she has taken ruthless action against her best friend, who is both an enemy and a friend.

Song Yu was her second move, which she called positional warfare.

Facing both her official rival, Teacher Yu, and her imagined rival, Zhou Shihe, Song Yu possesses sufficient strength to fight back and wage a fierce and unrestrained battle. There is no one-sided advantage between the two sides, and this war can be both intense and protracted.

Xiao Han was really looking forward to the match. She had already bought sunflower seeds and peanuts, and was just waiting to sit on a small stool and watch the show, while also giving a sweet smile and shouting: "Go for it! Let's fight! Fight well! If you win, you'll be rewarded with spending the night with my honey!"

As for what comes next, Xiao Han has a third and a fourth move. She has taken all the women around him into account and devised corresponding schemes.

According to her diary entries: A skilled hunter never shows himself on the front lines and never puts himself in danger.

Facing Chen Zijing, who had a bright smile on her face but was actually full of hostility, Yu Shuheng took a cup of hot tea from Li Jianguo, took a sip slowly, and said, "Really? Many people say I've changed a lot this year. But Zijing, you haven't changed at all. You're as youthful as ever, which is enviable."

At first glance, this sounds like praise for Chen Zijin's skill in preserving her youthful appearance, keeping a woman's youth forever on her face.

However, after a little thought in light of Chen Zijin's words, it becomes clear that these words are not as friendly as they appear on the surface.

What does it mean to have changed a lot?

She only changes a lot after having a man.

This proves that Li Heng has touched her inappropriately quite a few times in the past six months.

But Chen Zijin remains as youthful as ever.

What does this mean?
This shows that you, Chen Zijin, are not favored, and Li Heng has focused all his energy on me, Yu Shuheng, which is why you are like this.

These are all polite words, very elegant and show great personal refinement. Anyone not involved would never understand that the two women are exchanging cryptic remarks and subtly exchanging barbs.

Both women were born into official families, and after years of exposure to such things, they were all too familiar with the art of speaking with a smile that hides a knife.

Upon hearing this, Chen Zijin's gaze towards Yu Shuheng changed, then she smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Yu. I look youthful now, but I'm still young. When I get old, I guess I won't be able to escape the marks left by time."

This is another bloody cut.

The implication is: I am young and beautiful, in the prime of my life, and belong to the best years of a woman's life; while you, Teacher Yu, are already an old woman, what are you arguing with me about?
Moreover, Chen Zijin always referred to him as "Teacher Yu," implying that he was his university professor and that it was inappropriate for a university professor to interfere in the relationship between a couple.
Yu Shuheng smiled gently and said softly, "If you have poetry and books in your heart, time will never defeat a beauty. Zijing is so beautiful, there's no need to worry about these things."

Teacher Yu's words of comfort and praise for Chen Zijin.

In fact, it's a self-deprecating metaphor, a tit-for-tat counterattack.

Teacher Yu considers herself to be cultivated both internally and externally, and even as she gets older, she will still be youthful and authentic, and Li Heng will not find her unworthy.

At the same time, it was also a reminder to Chen Zijin not to be too proud. Women all come from the beautiful years of eighteen or nineteen. If you are as composed and elegant as me when you reach my age, then you are a true beauty.

In one sentence, Teacher Yu not only refuted Chen Zijin, but also demonstrated absolute confidence and style.

On the surface, the two women seemed to be catching up, chatting evenly and evenly, their words evenly matched. After two rounds, they were evenly matched, with no clear winner. But to Tian Run'e, it was a completely different story, and her palms began to sweat.

Just as Tian Run'e was about to interrupt the two women, another person entered from outside the door; it was Li's grandmother.

Grandma had just been visiting the neighbors when she learned that the Chen family had returned. She immediately remembered that Teacher Yu was also there, so she rushed back. She felt her daughter-in-law was too kind-hearted and might not be able to keep her two daughters in check.

Sure enough, as soon as Grandma appeared, both Chen Zijing and Yu Shuheng temporarily lost their attention.

Chen Zijin put down her teacup, stood up affectionately, and called out, "Grandma."

"Hey, it's been a year! Zijing, have you missed me?" Grandma Li smiled and walked slowly into the room with her hands behind her back.

Chen Zijin said in a half-coquettish tone, "Yes."

Grandma Li took Zijing's wrist with a kind and gentle expression, looking her over from left to right, and finally said, "Not bad, still so beautiful. Zijing has always been the most beautiful girl in our village since she was a child."

Then Grandma turned to Teacher Yu and smiled, and said to Tian Run'e, "This year is auspicious, our Li family has two such beautiful daughters. Run'e, go kill a goose, I'll cook for you tonight and show off my skills."

The Li family now has two geese, both given to them by the eldest sister, Li Yan's mother-in-law. Tian Run'e immediately agreed, "Okay."

P.S.: Updated first, revised later.

(End of this chapter)