1987 My Era

Chapter 579, Embracing Beauties on Both Sides

After receiving instructions from her mother-in-law, Tian Run'e went to the backyard to catch geese and slaughter them.

The goose was too big, and Li Jianguo was worried that his wife wouldn't be able to handle it alone, so he went along as usual.

As soon as they reached the backyard, Tian Run'e began to worry: "Jianguo, what should we do?"

The two women appeared to be having a friendly conversation, but in reality, they were exchanging fire.

She could understand Zijing's anger, and she could also understand why Teacher Yu was forced to retaliate.

Fortunately, both women were well-mannered and did not openly break off relations; they simply used verbal sparring to deal with each other.

But she is very worried that if this continues for a long time, open confrontation will be inevitable.

Li Jianguo was equally worried. He lit a cigarette, puffed on it without saying a word, and then stepped into the chicken coop and caught a large goose.

Tian Run'e was anxious, "Say something!"

Li Jianguo thought for a moment and said, "In the current situation, favoring one side will hurt the other's feelings. We can only play both sides and try our best to take care of Zijing and Teacher Yu's feelings. As for the rest, let's leave it to fate."

Tian Run'e sighed, "That's the only way. Do you think I should tell Manzai to go into hiding?"

Li Jianguo shook his head: "Hiding isn't the solution. Don't forget, there are still Xiao Han, Song Yu, and that girl named Mai Sui outside. If we hide now, what will we do later?"

Tian Run'e's heart tightened upon hearing this; the encounter between Zijing and Teacher Yu was already so terrifying.

She couldn't imagine what it would be like if five girls gathered together.

She felt incredibly frustrated and slapped the goose's head hard to vent her anger, saying, "Since we can't hide, then I'll send the eldest son to the Xiao family to call your son back. I want to see what kind of ability he has to dare to offend so many good girls at the same time."

After killing the goose, Tian Run'e secretly slipped out the back door and ran to her eldest daughter's house.

Li Jianguo was boiling water and plucking goose feathers, smoking one cigarette after another, clearly very worried about what would happen next.

He understood that this was not the most critical moment yet; the real danger would come when his son entered the house.

....
After the elderly couple left, only Grandma, Teacher Yu, and Chen Zijin remained in the main room.

Although Grandma wasn't very educated, she was surprisingly good at keeping the situation under control. With just a few words from her, the two women had no choice but to temporarily put aside their prejudices and start chatting.

Chen Zijin was very interested in Li Heng's life at Fudan University, and mainly asked about that aspect.

Yu Shuheng preferred to explore Li Heng's childhood, chatting happily with his grandmother while subtly inquiring about Li Heng and Chen Zijin's love story.

Throughout the process, the two women interacted and chatted equally well.

However, as someone who had been through it all, Grandma could clearly sense that Teacher Yu hadn't gone all out; she was only on the defensive and hadn't launched any attacks.

They chatted for about an hour, and then the two women went upstairs.

When Chen Zijing saw that Li Heng's house was deserted and that Li Heng's clothes were on the shelf at the foot of Teacher Yu's bed, her eyes gradually dimmed, and her spirit seemed to have been drained away, leaving her confused.

Despite her meticulous planning and her best efforts to protect the relationship, in the end, she couldn't overcome the advantage of proximity and the harsh reality of being separated from her lover.

At that moment, Chen Zijin suddenly felt powerless.

Without family support, and with a strained relationship between her future mother-in-law and her own mother, what's the point of being daring and hardworking? Even if she fights to the death, who will benefit in the end?
Cheap Xiao Han?

Or would it be cheaper for Song Yu?

Or another woman?

Looking at the man's coat at the foot of the bed, Chen Zijing's eyes stung.

Yu Shuheng came from a prominent family, and the ability to read people's expressions was an essential skill for her. She secretly observed Chen Zijin's changing expressions from the side.

Logically speaking, Ms. Yu should be happy to see her rival in love defeated and to have gained the upper hand.

For some reason, Teacher Yu did not feel that way; instead, she was filled with a feeling of empathy.

She thought of Song Yu and Zhou Shihe, her two least confident potential rivals in love. Perhaps one day, she would be defeated and experience the terrible mood that Chen Zijin was feeling right now.

After thinking for a moment, Yu Shuheng broke the deadlock by saying to Chen Zijin, "Li Heng's room is next door."

She was stating a pointless question, because both women knew that Li Heng's room was next door.

However, Chen Zijin understood that her rival was hinting at something to her.

After a long standoff, Chen Zijin took her luggage and went into Li Heng's room.

Oh, her luggage was delivered by Chen Zitong.

When Chen Zitong learned that Yu Shuheng was at the Li family's house, she secretly sent her sister's clothes over and said to her sister in front of her grandmother and Yu Shuheng:

"Sis, what's wrong with you? You're always so forgetful, and I have to bring you your clothes."

My aunt said, "You'll definitely be sleeping with your brother-in-law like before, okay? I've brought you your clothes; remember to give me a tip later. Hmph."

After saying that, Chen Zitong took the initiative to call out to Grandma Li, "Grandma."

Then the girl turned around and went back to the Chen family's house across the street.

Chen Zitong was not lying. Her sister did indeed often stay at the Li family's house and sleep with her brother-in-law. This was a fact that both families knew about.

Grandma stared at Chen Zitong's departing figure, thinking: This little one might be the only person in the Chen family who truly cares about Zijing.

...

After Chen Zijin took her luggage into the next room, she didn't rush to unpack. Instead, she closed the door and sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

He stared blankly at all the familiar objects in the room.

Chen Zijin was lost in thought, and Yu Shuheng was also lost in thought in her bedroom.

After a long while, Teacher Yu, who had come to her senses, found paper and pen and wrote two notes.
One of the notes was from an old acquaintance: "Let nature take its course."

After writing the two notes, she put down her pen, closed her eyes, crumpled the two notes into balls, twirled them in her palm for a while, and then threw them onto her desk.

After doing all this, Yu Shuheng slowly opened her eyes, glancing at the crumpled paper on the left and then at the crumpled paper on the right, before finally choosing the crumpled paper on the right.

On her first visit to Lushan Village, she chose the paper ball on the left.

At the beginning of the year in Bailu Village, she also chose the paper ball on the left.

This time, she did the opposite and chose the paper ball on the right.

This time, if it weren't for "letting things take their course," she would have to put aside all her kindness and righteousness and wouldn't have shown any mercy to Chen Zijing, who was the first to pick a fight with her.

Just now, although she appeared to be sympathizing with Chen Zijin, she was actually sympathizing with herself.

Just now, she felt a strong sense of crisis.

She felt that Chen Zijin's disappointment might only be temporary, and that they should still fight for what they had left, to defend their last bastion. Because the other side had no way out.

Indeed, after a brief moment of shock, Chen Zijing quickly regained her composure. It wasn't the first time she'd discovered her man had slept with other women; Xiao Han was a prime example. Therefore, her inner strength far exceeded what others imagined.

....
My sister and I hurried along, but since most of the road was uphill, the dirt road was full of potholes and mud, making it very difficult to walk on. We kept slipping on the uphill slopes.

Even so, the anxious Li Heng managed to reach the intersection in just 46 minutes. Li Yan spent more than 50 minutes going down, a few minutes at Xiao's house, and 46 minutes coming back. The round trip took almost 2 hours.

By this time, the goose had become a delicious dish and was served on the table.

The table also featured fresh pheasant meat, pig's blood sausage, boiled fish, dried mushrooms, and winter vegetables.

Finally, based on Teacher Yu's dietary habits, a three-delicacy soup was also prepared.

Seven large dishes filled the table.

When Li Heng rushed home, the Li family's dining table was already surrounded by Li Jianguo and his wife, his grandmother, Zijing, and Teacher Yu.

Since it was getting late, the group decided not to wait for Li Heng and started eating.

Perhaps out of fear of being around Teacher Yu, or perhaps worried about breastfeeding her son at home, Li Yan didn't follow him into the courtyard. Without saying a word, she quietly ran back to her husband's house.

Li Heng noticed his older sister's whereabouts and wanted to call her to finish eating before leaving, but when he thought about the thorny matter in the house, he swallowed the words he was about to say.

Never mind, she's my older sister, not an outsider. It's okay to miss a meal; I can make it up to her later.

Because he couldn't predict what would happen next, he genuinely didn't dare let his older sister be there. Otherwise, within half a month, the news of him having affairs with two women would spread far and wide.

After quickly gathering his thoughts, Li Heng paused for a moment before striding across the threshold.

As soon as he entered, he saw five people at the table.

Hearing a noise at the door, the five people inside turned to look at him as if they had planned it beforehand.

Upon seeing their son appear, Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e were filled with trepidation.

Chen Zijin and Yu Shuheng stared intently at him, wondering who he would speak to first.

Grandma remained calm and composed, her face beaming with a kind smile. She would glance at Zijing one moment and Teacher Yu the next, feeling that both were a good match for her eldest grandson and could both carry on the Li family line.

Li Heng glanced quickly at the people in the room, and without any hesitation, walked straight to Chen Zijing, saying with a look of surprise, "Wife, you're back."

After saying that, he sat down next to Chen Zijin and took Teacher Yu's hand in a very open and generous manner with his left hand.

This!
This is outrageous! I can't bear to look! Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock! Then they both turned their heads away, pretending they hadn't seen anything.

Grandma smiled and put a piece of meat on Chen Zijin's plate, and then put a piece on Teacher Yu's plate as well.

Originally, the public address of "wife" made Chen Zijin overjoyed, but when she saw Li Heng's left hand restlessly gripping Teacher Yu, her feelings became extremely complicated.

But at this moment, Chen Zijin did not choose to break off relations. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, opened her mouth, and ate the dried mushrooms that Li Heng put to her mouth.

Yu Shuheng's gaze shifted downwards, lingering for a couple of seconds on the spot where their hands had touched, before she subtly withdrew her hand. Her mood was neither good nor bad.

Although he didn't speak to her first, that word "wife" was undoubtedly a devastating blow to her. But at least this man was responsible and honest; he didn't say one thing and do another, nor did he take advantage of her and then abandon her.

For Yu Shuheng, being able to admit his feelings for Li's elders in front of them meant that his trip to Shangwan Village was worthwhile.

Li Heng doted on Chen Zijin, feeding her three bites of dried mushrooms, goose meat, and pig's blood dumplings before turning to talk to Teacher Yu.

While talking to Teacher Yu, I used a new pair of chopsticks to pick up some pheasant meat for her.

He said, "There's a lot of chili in this dish today, so it's probably made by my grandma. My parents would never put in this much chili. Teacher, you should try it; it should taste pretty good."

The phrase "our grandma" made Teacher Yu take a second look at him.

Li Heng judged that everyone hadn't eaten yet because the chopsticks were clean and the white rice was spotless, indicating that it had just been served and hadn't been touched yet.

Yu Shuheng picked up a piece of pheasant meat with her chopsticks, put it in her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and said, "It's delicious."

"Of course, our grandma has been cooking for many years." At this moment, Li Heng's skin was thicker than a city wall.

Seeing her grandson's swagger, the grandmother volunteered to take over the conversation at the table. Both Yu Shuheng and Chen Zijin gave her face. Even though the meal was nerve-wracking and nerve-wracking, the atmosphere on the surface was still acceptable.

After the meal, Yu Shuheng first washed her hands and rinsed her mouth briefly, and then went back upstairs.

Li Heng found an opportunity to come to her room, pushed open the door and called out, "Teacher."

A stark contrast to her composed demeanor at the dinner table, Yu Shuheng said expressionlessly, "You little man, you have a heart full of wolfish ambitions!"

Li Heng's heart skipped a beat. He casually closed the door and said, "I have never hidden anything from you."

Yu Shuheng was stunned, followed by a long silence, her deep, intellectual eyes fixed on him.

Li Heng did not back down, and stood up straight to meet her gaze.

About two minutes later, Yu Shuheng's eyes got a little tired, so she looked away and asked, "Are we going to the Chen family's house across the street?"

"Yes, now that we're back, we should go with Zijing to offer our New Year's sacrifice." This is just a formality; we did it last year, so we naturally have to do it again this year.

It is said that one should show respect to the Buddha even if one does not respect the monk, so he would not go to the Chen family in the capital.

But back in his hometown, under the watchful eyes of so many people, he had to save face for Zijing, otherwise her living in his house and sleeping with him would become the laughing stock of the neighbors.

Yu Shuheng had already guessed it, and after a while she said softly, "Go ahead, don't worry about me."

Li Heng nodded in agreement, hesitated for a moment, then turned around, opened the door, and went out.

Yu Shuheng got up, closed the door, took out a pen, and began to write something at her desk.

On the first floor, Tian Run'e was having a private conversation with Zi Jin when she saw Manzai come downstairs. She immediately stopped talking and looked at him.

Chen Zijin also turned to look at him.

Li Heng walked over, picked her up, and weighed her in his arms. "Hmm, your weight hasn't changed. Honey, let's go home."

Feeling his actions and hearing his words, Chen Zijin's grievances instantly vanished, and she immediately replied with a smile, "Okay."

Upon hearing this, Tian Run'e and Li Jianguo rushed into the room and began preparing for the annual sacrifice according to the usual standards: chicken, fish, meat, and three kinds of food, plus two packets of sugar and two bottles of wine.

Okay, it's exactly the same as the annual sacrifice sent to the Xiao family.

It can be considered a deluxe version of the surrounding area.

After receiving the New Year's offering from the elderly couple, Chen Zijin walked in front and Li Heng walked behind, crossing the road one after the other and entering the Chen family's gate.

Watching the two figures disappear behind the Chen family's gate, Tian Run'e rubbed her temples, worried: "What should we do tonight?"

She was worried about her son. Should he sleep with Zijing tonight, or with Teacher Yu?
But it's impossible for him to sleep alone. He hasn't seen Zijing in a long time. If his son neglects her tonight, the silly girl will probably overthink things again.

Li Jianguo remained silent, took out a cigarette, and started smoking. He felt that his son was completely unlike him, too bold and shameless. As a father, he felt ashamed of his son's words and actions.

Grandma, however, smacked her old teeth and said, "We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Run'e, why are you thinking about all this nonsense? Our grandson is very healthy; he can sleep in a different room."

Li Jianguo was dumbfounded. He looked up at his mother, his eyes filled with unfamiliarity: How could she say such absurd things?

Tian Run'e wasn't much better off. She said in a low voice, "Mom, let's not talk about Zijin for now. We know her inside and out. But Teacher Yu's family is no ordinary family. If we really do this, it's like disrespecting people, and we're afraid we'll break up completely."

Grandma laughed, her missing teeth so conspicuous, and she rambled on like a charlatan: "I'm just giving an example, of course I can't be so crude, but our eldest grandson is very capable, you can wait and see, the turning point will come tonight."

P.S.: This chapter makes up for yesterday's. There will be one more chapter today.

(End of this chapter)