1987 My Era

Chapter 592, Time Just for the Two of Us

The first thing Zhao's mother asked her daughter after waking up was, "Where's your brother?"

Zhao Wanling looked somewhat sad: "I couldn't find her. She ran away with Li Ran."

Upon hearing this, Zhao's mother nearly fainted again.

The noodle shop was in complete chaos, with everyone offering their opinions and advice to Zhao's mother.

When the ambulance arrived, the Zhao family, concerned for Zhao's mother's health, had no choice but to accompany her to the hospital.

Watching the ambulance and the Zhao family drive away, Li Heng turned and patted Zhang Zhiyong on the shoulder, saying earnestly, "Old Yong, in the future, try not to use knives or guns in front of Sister Chunhua. She lacks a sense of security right now."

Liu Chunhua miscarried her first child during pregnancy due to domestic violence from her husband. Now she is five months pregnant again and is very sensitive about this.

Zhang Zhiyong scratched the back of his head with his right hand and said in a simple and honest manner, "I know, I'll go get you some beef noodles."

Li Heng nodded and sat down again.

Zhou Shihe sat down as well.

There were no other diners in the restaurant at that time, just the two of them.

Zhou Shihe previously had a so-so impression of Zhang Zhiyong, or even a bad one, because he was dim-witted, always spoke in a rude manner, and was always swearing.

In the early years of high school, Song Yu, Mai Sui, Chen Lijun, Sun Manning, and others disliked the simple-minded person for the same reason, but their opinions gradually changed after spending more time together.

However, the way Zhang Zhiyong stood beside Li Heng with two kitchen knives in his hand, disregarding everything, made Zhou Shihe look at him with new eyes. When her gaze fell on the simpleton again, she suddenly found him much more pleasing to the eye.

Two bowls of beef noodles were served, and Zhang Zhiyong stammered as he asked Zhou Shihe, "Is there...is there anything else you need?"

Zhou Shihe tried her best to appear approachable and said gently, "No need for now, thank you."

"Okay, okay, remember to call me if you need anything." Because Zhou Shihe was there, Zhang Zhiyong didn't sit at the same table with the two of them, but went to the kitchen to check on Sister Chunhua.

After the man left, Li Heng remarked, "In my memory, this guy was fearless, but he was afraid of beauties like you."

Zhou Shihe lowered her head and took two small bites of beef noodles, then suddenly asked, "What kind of beauty am I to you?"

Li Heng felt a chill run down his spine, sensing that she was testing him, and immediately became alert and knew he wouldn't fall for it.

He smacked his lips and said, "To borrow the words of President Sun of Fudan University, you are the most beautiful woman in Shanghai and the surrounding area."

Zhou Shihe looked up at him but didn't say anything.

Receiving her look, Li Heng complained, "Hey, let's get along well, don't try to trap me."

Zhou Shihe smiled knowingly and continued to eat quietly.

For a moment, the table fell silent as the two ate their breakfasts.

Halfway through our meal, two people walked in through the door. One of them turned out to be Le Yao.

Li Heng was surprised.

Le Yao was even more surprised and came over to greet them: "Li Heng, Shi He, Happy New Year!"

Le Yao and Zhou Shihe weren't familiar with each other, but what's that saying again? Even if you don't care about the monk, you should still care about the Buddha. Out of respect for Li Heng, she also warmly wished Zhou Shihe a Happy New Year.

Zhou Shihe politely replied, "Happy New Year."

Li Heng extended an invitation: "Le Yao, please sit down with me."

Le Yao sat down gracefully. Her companion, presumably her father, didn't sit down next to her but instead sat near the door.

His intuition told him that something was wrong, so Li Heng asked, "What are you doing here on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year?"

Le Yao teased, "That's what I should be asking you. How come you two are here on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year? A famous writer and a Fudan University graduate, are you on a date? This is big news that will be all over the country."

Zhou Shihe looked at him quietly without saying a word.

Li Heng recounted his trip to Singapore to attend the performance, and then asked curiously, "What about you?"

Le Yao glanced at the two of them, then, holding her chopsticks, said, "My dad and I went to the dorm to pack our luggage. I'm leaving the country tomorrow."

Li Heng asked in surprise, "Going abroad? Studying abroad?"

“Yes,” Le Yao said.

Li Heng asked, "Are you allowed into the girls' dormitory?"

Le Yao said, "The dormitory supervisor and my aunt are cousins. My aunt told me beforehand."

So that's how the relationship works. Li Heng then asked, "Where are you going to study abroad?"

Le Yao said, "Japan."

Before Li Heng could ask, she added, "A relative of mine owns a company in Japan, so it's more convenient for me to go to Tokyo."

Li Heng nodded in agreement and offered his blessings: "Studying abroad is a good idea. I wish you a bright future and all the best."

He was speaking from the heart. After Li Guoyi's mess, it wouldn't be a good thing for Le Yao to stay at Fudan University. Going abroad to distract herself might lead to a different life.

He guessed it right.

Le Yao's parents were considering this relationship because they were afraid that their daughter would still be devoted to Li Guoyi, so they kept trying to find ways to send her to study abroad.

Of course, Le Yao had to figure things out herself before accepting her parents' arrangement.

Dai Qing privately comforted Le Yao: "Are Li Guoyi's mother and sister trying to please you? Do they hope you will change your mind and marry Li Guoyi after graduation?"

If that's true, I think you need to think it through. The Li family might not truly welcome you; they might just be using you to have a child and continue the family line because you're a good person.

Why do we talk about carrying on the family line?

Because Li Guoyi only has one egg left, the Li family is in a panic!
At the same time, the Li family knew what kind of person Li Guoyi was and were afraid that he would retaliate against Liu An in the future, thus plunging them into an abyss of no return.

Therefore, the Li family wanted to win over Le Yao's heart.

When Le Yao heard her friend's words, she was sad for a long time. Finally, she went to ask her equally close friend Wei Xiaozhu, "Xiaozhu, what do you think I should do? Should I go abroad and hide?"

Wei Xiaozhu retorted, "Have you let go of Li Guoyi?"

“Half,” Le Yao said.

Wei Xiaozhu asked, "What do you mean by half?"

Le Yao lowered her head and said, "I know that Li Guoyi is not a good match for me, but he is my first man, and I can't forget him in a short time."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xiaozhu said, "Perhaps it's right for you to go abroad for a while. When you've completely let go of this relationship, come back. Qingqing and I will be waiting for you in China."

The fact that her two best friends said the same thing completely solidified Le Yao's determination to study abroad and temporarily escape this place of heartbreak.

As Le Yao ate her noodles, she stirred them with her chopsticks and said, "Li Heng, thank you. By the way, can I ask you something?"

Li Heng said, "Go ahead."

Le Yao glanced at Zhou Shihe, hesitated for a moment, but then asked, "Dai Qing likes you a lot. If you didn't have a girlfriend, would you accept her?"

Li Heng put down his chopsticks and thought for a moment, then joked, "Hey, you're asking this too late. With my good looks, how could I not have a girlfriend?"

Le Yao sized him up and then laughed, "He is indeed very handsome and has a great presence. It's a pity that we, his roommates, are not fortunate enough to enjoy your good looks."

Her roommates also included Liu Yanling, who initially had a crush on him.

After eating the noodles, Le Yao left.

Before leaving, she said to the two of them, "I wish you a successful performance in Singapore. If you have the opportunity to perform in Tokyo in the future, I will definitely come to support you."

Li Heng and Zhou Shihe looked at each other and smiled as they watched each other leave.

After everyone had walked away, Li Heng crossed the road and asked Miss Zhou, "How can you be so patient? Aren't you even a little bit curious?"

Zhou Shihe smiled and said, "I have heard about what happened between Le Yao, Li Guoyi and Li Guang."

Li Heng was stunned, then suddenly slapped his forehead and exclaimed in realization, "That's right, with Sun Manning and Ye Ning, those two gossip queens, how could anything that happens in this schoolyard be kept from you?"

Upon entering the school, Zhou Shihe said playfully, "If you're worried about an awkward silence, you can tell me about Li Ran."

Li Heng: "..."

He said, "Then let the atmosphere be awkward. It's tiring for me to make conversation. So many women like me, do you really think I have to please you?"

Unable to tell whether he was telling the truth or not, Zhou Shihe pouted slightly, thought for a moment, and then took out a White Rabbit milk candy from her pocket and handed it to him.

Hand it to him.

Li Heng was taken aback: "How did you get this weird thing? I remember you didn't like snacks."

Zhou Shihe explained, "My aunt gave it to me, saying that this flavor of milk candy is delicious and that I should try it."

Li Heng asked, "Have you tried it?"

Zhou Shihe said, "I ate one."

Li Heng asked, "How does it taste?"

After saying that, he realized he had asked a pointless question. If it didn't taste good, why would Miss Zhou carry it with her?

Thinking of this, Li Heng made a final plea: "Why didn't you share such a good thing with me sooner?"

Zhou Shihe withdrew her hand, rummaged in her pocket, took out all the candies, and handed them to him again.

Her pure, clear black and white seemed to say: I was going to let you try it last night, but you didn't behave in the study, so I didn't give it to you.

Li Heng understood her deadly gaze, reluctantly accepted the White Rabbit milk candies, and roughly counted them; there were five in total.

A little later he sent her a message: "Here you go! It's a custom in my hometown that when you take something from someone, you have to leave a portion for the host. This is called 'leaving a share of wealth.' It means that wealth will generate more wealth, and it's a wish for the host to have a prosperous future."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe reached out her slender fingers and picked up the White Rabbit milk candy from his palm as a return gift.

Li Heng peeled open a candy, popped it into his mouth, chewed it, and said, "Hmm, the taste is really not good. Do you have any more at home?"

Zhou Shihe said quietly, "Yes."

Li Heng said, "Give me some more later. Of course, I won't eat for free; I'll satisfy your gossipy nature."

Zhou Shihe agreed.

On the way back to Lushan Village, Li Heng gave a brief account of Li Ran's situation.

When Zhou Shihe heard that Li Ran was addicted to sex, she glanced at him several times.

Li Heng felt uncomfortable being stared at. "No, what's with that look?"

Zhou Shihe looked down at her toes, didn't answer, just smiled.

She smiled almost imperceptibly.

Li Heng's eyelids twitched as he said, "Don't think the worst of me. I'm not into sex. Otherwise, how could you have stayed in the same room with me for over a month in the capital unharmed?"

The two spent more than 40 days together in one room before and after the five rehearsals for the Spring Festival Gala, including the actual performance on stage.

Recalling those days, recalling the strange looks he often stole at her, and the scene of him calling her name in her erotic dreams, Zhou Shihe's eyelids involuntarily drooped a little, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, she suddenly suppressed her smile, showing a little inexplicable restraint, and then tried to avoid his gaze, her cheeks suddenly blushing.

She's just shy.

This was a rare sight in the first 20 years of her life.

Lao She once said: There are not many truths in this world; a woman's blush is better than a long confession.

Looking at her shy demeanor, Li Heng was captivated by her indescribable beauty and fell silent for a moment.

Feeling his gaze blatantly fixed on her face, Zhou Shihe opened her cherry-like mouth slightly, then opened it a little more, but ultimately gave up.

The two were having a lively conversation when they were abruptly interrupted by an inexplicable force, and each walked toward Lushan Village in silence.

Walking along the bluestone path to the end of the alley, Zhou Shihe, who was walking in front, stopped first and looked at the woman who appeared at the door of building number 26, Li Ran.

Li Heng was stunned for a moment, then called out to Li Ran, "Hey! What are you still doing here? Aren't you afraid they'll come looking for you?"

Li Ran gracefully walked over: "I'm about to start my great escape, so I've come to say goodbye."

Li Heng: "..."

He asked, "Where to escape to?"

"I don't know. The world is so big, I'll just have to run wherever I can. Sigh." Li Ran sighed, but there was no sign of dejection. He was as spirited as before.

Li Heng looked around and asked, "Where's Zhao An? Wasn't he with you?"

"I went to the bank to withdraw money; I need money to escape," Li Ran said.

Li Heng was stunned: "I thought you would abandon him."

“I’d like to too, but considering how bravely he stood up for me today, I’ll let my compassion get the better of me this once. I have a feeling my happiness won’t last long,” Li Ran said.

Li Heng was astonished: "Why are you saying such discouraging things? This isn't like you at all."

Li Ran gestured with his fingers to indicate his own condition: "Even if the Zhao family doesn't come looking for trouble, if I keep holding back like this and can't find a man to quench my thirst, I'll die from burning lust."

Li Heng: "....."

Zhou Shihe: "..."

Well, this conversation is over.

Li Heng changed the subject and asked, "Tell me, what do you need me to do?"

“I don’t need you to do anything. I’m just here to say goodbye. Every time I just get a foothold at New Future Training School, I have to run away. I feel really sorry for the trust you have placed in me.”

As Li Ran spoke, she took a sealed bag out of her pocket and handed it to him, "My mom is almost sick with longing for your dad. She'll definitely find all sorts of excuses to visit your house during the middle of the year or summer vacation. Please take this to her for me."

Zhou Shihe glanced at Li Heng, then at Li Ran, as if she had overheard some incredible gossip. She then took small, quick steps, unlocked the door, and entered building number 27.

Li Ran took a step closer and asked in a low voice, "You and Zhou Shihe...?"

Li Heng interrupted her, "Don't think nonsense. Do you think someone would be interested in me?"

Li Ran tilted her head and thought for a moment, then nodded sharply: "That's true. If I had her stunning beauty and temperament, I wouldn't even look at you. You're such a jerk, playing around with your best friend, seducing your female teacher, so fickle."

Honestly, a womanizer like you is perfect for my bed; dying on my belly would be the best ending for you.

Li Heng couldn't stand these words, so he pushed her shoulder and told her exactly what had happened at the pink noodle shop.

Finally, he said, "I still suggest you see a psychologist. You might have a mental illness, and seeing a doctor might have a miraculous effect."

Li Ran used to be very resistant to this, but today she didn't argue. She handed him the sealed bag and said, "I'll contact you again once I've found a place to settle down. That's all for now, I'm leaving."

After speaking, Li Ran walked past him and quickly disappeared at the other end of the alley.

Li Heng weighed the sealed bag in his hand, stood there for a while, and then went into his house.

He first put the sealed bag in the bedroom, then quickly washed up, cleaned his hands and mouth before taking his erhu to the next building.

Zhou Shihe was already waiting in the music room. Li Heng went in and automatically closed the door, then sat in his usual spot.

The piece the two performed in Singapore was "The Street Where the Wind Dwells".

They both enjoyed this piece and had played it together countless times. With just a simple exchange of glances, they each got into the zone and began practicing quietly.

Zhou Shihe is beautiful, the kind of beauty that takes your breath away; if you gaze at her for too long, it's as if she can drain your soul.

But her most beautiful form is when she sits gracefully in front of the piano.

Li Heng gazed at her, feeling a sense of peace in his heart, as if he had entered the depths of the universe, surrounded by silence, with only the beautiful piano melody playing.

At a certain moment, Li Heng moved, holding the zither in his left hand and drawing the bow with his right. In an instant, the music room was elevated, and the music became exceptionally beautiful.

Zhou Shihe looked at him and felt that his skills had not become rusty, which reassured her a lot.

The two barely spoke all morning, communicating only through eye contact. The joint practice lasted from 8:30 AM until around 1 PM.

Li Heng was already satisfied with the performance, but Zhou Shihe was determined to perfect it. They played it countless times during that period. However, Zhou Shihe was still striving for perfection.

She wouldn't relax, and he couldn't just give up, so he had no choice but to continue practicing with her from beginning to end.

The moment he put down the erhu, Li Heng felt a sense of relief and sighed, "I've never seen you this strict when you released instrumental albums before. You're risking your life! My little arms and legs can't take this kind of torture."

Zhou Shihe smiled gently: "It's different."

Li Heng casually asked, "How is it different?"

Zhou Shihe said, "When we release instrumental albums, we do it in the recording studio. If it doesn't work the first time, we can do it a second time. There are countless opportunities to correct and try. But when we perform in Singapore, we are performing in public. We can't afford to make any mistakes."

“Okay, you’re right. I just feel like you weren’t this serious when we were on the Spring Festival Gala.” Li Heng said.

Looking at the sheet music, Zhou Shihe said, "Back then, Teacher Yu was the pillar of support, and I was just a handyman."

Li Heng: "..."

The words may be rough, but the meaning is sound. In "The Street Where the Wind Dwells," the piano is the main instrument, followed by the erhu, and Teacher Yu is just doing odd jobs.

In addition, Singapore was a special performance by Maestro Wu Yili, Zhou Shihe's first appearance on the international stage, and her debut performance, so it naturally had a different significance.

This is why she attaches great importance to it.

This is also one of the reasons why she came to Lushan Village on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

After processing the rich information in her words, Li Heng put down his erhu and asked, "Are you hungry? Shall we go eat?" "Okay."

Playing all morning was indeed exhausting, so Zhou Shihe didn't stand on ceremony and stood up with him.

Since Lao Li's restaurant wasn't open yet, the two discussed it and then rode their bicycles directly to Wujiaochang.

As Li Heng passed by the small braised food shop, he dragged his feet on the ground and called out to Bai Wanying inside, "Comrade Bai Wanying, Happy New Year! Why are you alone? Where's Lao Zhang?"

Bai Wanying said with a smile, "Li Heng, Shihe, Happy New Year! I'm the only one here today. Zhang Bing's train was last night and he won't arrive until tomorrow morning."

Zhou Shihe asked, "Wanying, have you had lunch?"

Bai Wanying replied, "We've already eaten. My sister brought us lunch. Are you going to eat?"

Li Heng nodded: "That's right, how about we go over for a beer? You don't have much business right now anyway."

Bai Wanying was somewhat tempted, but then felt that the wheelchair was inconvenient, so she declined, saying, "Forget it, you guys go quickly, it's already past one o'clock."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two of them rode their bicycles again toward the Blue Sky Hotel.

The peak dining hours had passed, and there were plenty of seats in the restaurant. Li Heng chose a window seat and ordered three dishes in one go.

Two of my favorite foods, and one of her favorite foods.

He then handed her the menu: "Comrade Shihe, you can order two as well."

Zhou Shihe took the menu and flipped through it. She only ordered one dish, saying that four dishes were enough and she couldn't finish any more.

While waiting for their food, the two chatted casually, mainly about the Chinese New Year.

Zhou Shihe is very interested in rural areas. Whenever he talks about the feng shui customs of Shangwan Village that are not known to outsiders, she will chime in two to three times more often.

Li Heng blinked: "You have zero knowledge of rural life? Have you never been to the countryside?"

Zhou Shihe blinked, mimicking his gesture, "I've been there. The former residence of the great man in Shaoshan is in the countryside."

Li Heng rolled his eyes: "You're trying to take advantage of a loophole."

Zhou Shihe smiled gently, "I discussed it with Sui Sui before the New Year. I'll go to her house to play during the summer vacation."

Li Heng asked, "Going to the rural areas of Shaodong?"

Zhou Shihe said, "I want to experience the mountains and rivers up close."

Li Heng blurted out, "If you want to see mountains and rivers, Shaodong's terrain is relatively flat, not the best choice, and it's far inferior to our Xuefeng Mountains..."

Halfway through his sentence, Li Heng paused, and under her peculiar gaze, shamelessly changed his words, saying, "Mai Sui's hometown has a reservoir and a bamboo forest, which should be novel enough for you."

Zhou Shihe stared thoughtfully into his eyes, but didn't expose his little scheme.

Li Heng turned his head away, avoiding her gaze.

Damn it! He misspoke just now; he really didn't want to take her to his hometown.

Otherwise, if Mai Sui and Miss Zhou both show up in the front town, he will really be unable to clear his name no matter what he does. How will he explain this to the Xiao family?
Well, Comrade Zhou is alright. Our relationship is like scallions mixed with tofu—pure and clean.

But Mai Sui is different. He himself admitted to his parents that Mai Sui is his woman, the kind he can take with him wherever he goes. If he brings her home now, wouldn't that put a lot of pressure on Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e?

Of course, these are not the most important things.

Most importantly, to make up for the concessions made by Teacher Yu during the Spring Festival, Tian Run'e has invited Teacher Yu to come to her home for the summer vacation.

If Mai Sui, Zhou Shihe, and Teacher Yu were to appear together at Old Li's house in Shangwan Village, hmm! Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine. How could he dare?

The dishes were served one after another, and the two tacitly avoided the topic and focused on eating.

After dinner, the two returned to the music room in building number 27 to continue rehearsing.

Around 3:40 pm, Yu Shuheng came over and practiced with the two for about an hour and a half before leaving.

Before leaving, Yu Shuheng called Li Heng aside and circled him before saying meaningfully, "Little boy, I have to go to Tokyo for some business and won't be able to get to Singapore until the morning after tomorrow. During this time, you must remain chaste."

Li Heng automatically ignored the second half of her sentence, "Why are we in such a rush?"

Yu Shuheng said, "I stayed in Shaoshi for too long before the Lunar New Year, and a lot of work has accumulated that needs to be done. In addition to my own business, I also need to meet with Lao Fu and Siya in Tokyo to discuss the next steps for Hengyuan Investment Company."

Li Heng asked, "How is Hengyuan Investment progressing?"

Yu Shuheng said, "Things are going well so far, with profits of about 2900 million."

"Huh? Only this much?" Li Heng exclaimed.

It wasn't that he thought the amount was too little, but rather that he was currently experiencing a once-in-a-century bull market in the Japanese stock market, and if he couldn't make money now, he wouldn't get any at the end of the year.

Yu Shuheng said, "US dollars."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng felt much better: "When you get to Tokyo, please give my regards to Lao Fu and Sister Chen."

Yu Shuheng nodded. "When are you leaving?"

Li Heng said, "We'll depart at 8 a.m. tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shuheng took a step closer, reached out and hugged him, then let go and said, "See you the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, see you the day after tomorrow," Li Heng replied.

Teacher Yu is gone, without any sentimental attachments to her children.

She was afraid of becoming too engrossed in a romantic relationship and missing her flight.

Li Heng personally escorted her to the alley entrance and even opened the back door of the car for her.

Upon seeing this, Yu Shuheng was genuinely happy. He smiled warmly at her from inside the car, and then, under her gaze, slowly rolled up the car window.

Li Heng stood by the roadside to see them off, only gradually coming back to his senses when the car disappeared at the end of the road.

"Senior, are you dating Teacher Yu?" Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind him.

Li Heng instinctively turned around and found Huang Ziyue, whom he hadn't seen for a month: "What are you doing here?"

Huang Ziyue put her hands behind her back and said, "Senior, please answer my question first."

Li Heng ignored her and went straight into the alley.

Huang Ziyue followed behind, nagging incessantly: "You can't do this. Yu Shuheng may be pretty, but she's your teacher, and you're her proper student. A teacher-student relationship will ruin your reputation. I'm pretty too; those boys call me the most beautiful freshman. Senior, if you're looking for a lover, you could consider me..."

Li Heng turned his head, asking incredulously, "Lover? You dare to be my lover?"

Huang Ziyue held her head high and said, "What's there to be afraid of? I can't just snatch the real wife right away, that's too difficult. I have to let you experience my goodness and slowly rise to the top. I'm too late."

Li Heng's lips twitched: "Aren't you afraid Principal Sun will put you in solitary confinement?"

“What’s there to be afraid of? I’m not afraid! He doesn’t even have a son, he only has my mother as his daughter. Does he think he can lock me up for the rest of my life?” Huang Ziyue said confidently.

Li Heng was convinced; he saw a bit of Liu Yue in this girl.

Reaching the end of Lushan Village, Li Heng looked up and called out to Zhou Shihe, who was hanging clothes to dry on the attic of No. 27, "Shihe, shall we eat out for dinner? Or cook it ourselves?"

Zhou Shihe glanced down at him, then at the tagalong Huang Ziyue, and instantly understood the implication in his words. So she said calmly, "Since we can't practice the piano tonight, I'll do it."

"Okay, then hurry up and hang up the clothes. I'll wait for you downstairs. Let's go buy groceries," Li Heng said happily.

Huang Ziyue stared intently at Zhou Shihe, her eyes filled with seriousness.

She wasn't afraid of Teacher Yu, and she even dared to compete with Mai Sui for the host position, but she was inexplicably a little intimidated by this pitiful senior, and she lost the fearless and unruly attitude she had just displayed.

It's often said that a person's reputation is like a tree's shadow. She only truly understood the meaning of this saying after meeting Senior Zhou.

A short while later, Zhou Shihe emerged from Building 27. She glanced quietly at Huang Ziyue, then walked past him toward the school gate.

Li Heng immediately followed.

At that moment, Huang Ziyue's feet felt like they weighed a ton, rooted to the spot and unable to move. Only after the two disappeared did she stomp her feet in frustration, hating herself for being useless.

"Next time! You just wait, next time I'll definitely not be such a coward when I face you again." Huang Ziyue angrily slapped her head.

Not content with just one take, they took a second, a third…

She left Lushan Village reluctantly after the eighth take.

Upon returning to my maternal grandfather's house, Principal Sun immediately questioned me: "Didn't I tell you to invite Li Heng over for dinner? Why did you come back alone? Where is Li Heng?"

"Oh, I forgot about that," Huang Ziyue said regretfully.

Principal Sun glanced at his watch: "There's still time. Get on your bicycle and go call them again."

Huang Ziyue remained seated.

Principal Sun asked curiously, "Didn't you keep saying you wanted to pursue that guy? What? You've already lost interest after just a few days?"

"He's with Zhou Shihe," Huang Ziyue said dejectedly.

Upon hearing this, Principal Sun burst into laughter, suddenly realizing why his precious granddaughter had forgotten to call Li Heng for dinner.

Seeing her grandfather's gloating expression, Huang Ziyue became even more annoyed. "You're so happy that I've suffered a setback?"

Principal Sun raised his chin, picked up a calligraphy brush with his right hand, and said while writing, "I told you long ago that that kid is not suitable for you, but you insisted on joining in the fun."

You don't have Teacher Yu's aura, nor the Zhou family girl's talent. Even if you move him temporarily, it's not a long-term solution; it will ultimately be a waste of time and energy.

Huang Ziyue retorted indignantly, "According to your logic, wouldn't Xiao Han also be eliminated?"

Principal Sun paused for a moment, observed his own calligraphy for a while, and then said, "Xiao Han is different. She is Li Heng's childhood sweetheart. Whether she gets out or not depends on how ambitious Li Heng is and what Li Heng's life pursuits are."

Huang Ziyue asked, "If senior pursues career success, does that mean he has to marry Teacher Yu?"

Principal Sun nodded and shook his head, speaking ambiguously: "Who can predict the future? Things are constantly changing, it's hard to say."

As he said this, Principal Sun recalled a name the president of Peking University had told him: Song Yu.

Clearly, Li Heng is playing a very sophisticated game.

It's also clear that the effort he put into Song Yu, every step meticulously planned and executed, was deeply meaningful. Teacher Yu probably won't be so easily tamed this wildest horse in the world.

Principal Sun did not consider Zhou Shihe, thinking that with the Zhou family girl's insight, she should have already seen through and understood Li Heng's actions, and should not risk her life.

....
vegetable market.

Zhou Shihe was in front, asking about prices, picking out vegetables, and buying them; Li Heng followed behind silently, carrying things and paying for them.

Seeing this woman, who looked like an ethereal being, moving about in the market, he was a little out of it.

He suddenly remembered what happened in the study last night. Now that things had come to this, even if he continued to deceive himself, he understood that some things were beyond his control.

His mind seemed to short-circuit, and images of him reaching out to brush the hair behind her ear and gently stroking her left cheek kept flashing through his mind. Without realizing it, his gaze was focused on Zhou Shihe's left cheek again. He must have been incredibly audacious last night!

That's some damn evil!

After buying two meat dishes and one vegetable dish, along with side dishes, Zhou Shihe suddenly asked without turning her head, "Is there anything you particularly want to eat?"

Interrupted from his thoughts, Li Heng, still in a daze, subconsciously said, "No need to make anything special for me, I like all the dishes you make."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe, who was picking out vegetables in front, hesitated for a moment, gripping the potato in her hand. Then she put the potato down and continued walking forward with light steps.

Then, the two fell into a long silence.

Although he was telling the truth, and Zhou Shihe knew he was telling the truth, she couldn't help but overthink it, considering his increasingly apparent feelings for her.

At the same time, she felt inexplicably flustered.

After circling the market for a short while, Zhou Shihe stopped in front of a fish stall. After talking with the owner, she bought four mandarin fish, weighing a total of 1.5 jin (approximately 0.75 catties).

Looking at her delicate and charming figure, Li Heng's male intuition told him that the mandarin fish was bought for him.

But he won't ask.

Even if he asked, she wouldn't answer.

Back in Lushan Village, Zhou Shihe stopped in the middle of the alley, glancing at building number 27 and then at building number 26.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she came to the front of building number 26, stood still, and waited.

Li Heng stepped forward, took out his key, and opened the courtyard gate.

They arrived at the kitchen one after the other. Zhou Shihe finally spoke, saying quietly, "There are only four dishes. You don't need to help. Go and do your own thing. I'll call you when the food is ready."

Li Heng squatted down and helped pick the Chinese cabbage roots. "It's okay, I'll help out first. It would take a long time for one person to do it alone."

Zhou Shihe tied on her apron, glanced at the top of his head, and asked, "Did you finish writing Chapter 26 of 'Dust Settles' last night?"

Li Heng said, "It's finished writing, just one last round of polishing."

Zhou Shihe urged him on, saying, "Go and revise it. I want to see it tonight."

Li Heng was surprised and looked up to examine her.

Zhou Shihe remained unmoved, letting him look her up and down, then up and down again. She maintained a calm expression throughout, as if he didn't exist.

After a while, Li Heng couldn't help but mutter to himself, "No, am I really that much of an eyesore?"

Zhou Shihe gave a belated smile, but it was not a clear smile, and the smile vanished quickly.

After waiting a while without receiving a reply, Li Heng put down the bunch of Chinese vegetables in his hand, stood up, stretched, and left.

Before leaving, he added, "Hurry up, I'm a little hungry."

"Ah."

Zhou Shihe hummed in agreement.

Upon entering the study, Li Heng honestly felt no inspiration for writing and stared blankly at the manuscript of Chapter 26 for quite a while.

No, he had to stick to his usual approach, he still needed to read books and research materials to prepare himself emotionally. If he were to rush into writing like this, he wouldn't want to write a single word.

Having no other choice, Li Heng started reading, and once he got engrossed, a long time passed. When he finally came to his senses, he was awakened by a sound outside the study door.

Li Heng turned halfway around and asked expectantly, "Is the food ready?"

Zhou Shihe said, "Okay."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat! I'm starving, my stomach is rumbling!" Foodie Li Heng, true to form, jumped up from his stool with a whoosh and said happily.

I went downstairs and came to the dining table.

Zhou Shihe served two bowls of rice and asked, "Is it revised?"

Without a second thought, Li Heng answered honestly, "No."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shihe took back the rice she had handed him, then sat down calmly, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat. First, she ate the stir-fried pork with chili peppers, then the preserved egg and pickled vegetables, then the rice, and finally the winter bamboo shoots and mutton...

Li Heng was dazzled and couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean? Huh? What do you mean by this? You won't give me food until I fix it?"

Zhou Shihe's eyebrows folded together and then relaxed, then closed again almost imperceptibly, her eyes full of mischievous smiles.

However, she was eating with her head down, so no one could see the changes in her expression.

Seeing that she picked up a spicy mandarin fish with her fourth chopsticks, Li Heng couldn't resist. He reached out and snatched the bowl and chopsticks from her, and also picked up the biggest mandarin fish and started to eat it heartily.

Zhou Shihe noticed his little movements out of the corner of her eye, but didn't disturb him, continuing to eat at her own pace.

Seeing that he particularly liked the mandarin fish, Zhou Shihe stopped touching the fish bowl with her chopsticks and started eating bamboo shoots with her rice.

Li Heng noticed something was wrong: "Why are you only eating bamboo shoots and not other vegetables?"

Zhou Shihe said, "I've already eaten three pieces of meat."

Li Heng gestured with his chin towards the preserved egg and Chinese cabbage dish: "This dish is quite delicious too, why don't you eat more?"

Zhou Shihe said, "There are no red Chinese cabbage for sale today, and I don't like the white ones."

Well, this girl has always been quite particular about food, so Li Heng didn't nag any further. After finishing one bowl, he ate another large bowl before stopping.

After dinner, Li Heng looked at the sky outside and said, "It's been a long time since I played basketball. I'm suddenly itching to play. Do you want to go for a walk on the playground?"

Zhou Shihe put down her chopsticks, followed his gaze to the outside, thought for a moment, and agreed.

Li Heng had never bought a basketball, but he had two at home. One was bought for him by Mai Sui, and the other was a gift from a professor at his school.

Well, it wasn't really a gift. Well, it's just that we were playing basketball on the field when the professor had to leave suddenly and asked me to keep his things for him. As it turned out, he kept them for over half a year, and both of them seemed to have forgotten about it.

Upon arriving at the playground, Li Heng happily went to play basketball under the hoop.

Zhou Shihe stood on the steps, her gaze wandering aimlessly around.

Suddenly, a basketball bounced off the rim and hit her right on the head.

Zhou Shihe instinctively ducked down, then clutched her scalp with her right hand in pain.

Li Heng rushed over in a panic, not even bothering to pick up the ball, and leaned over to ask with concern, "Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

Zhou Shihe didn't speak for a moment, and after a long while she finally asked, "Did Xiaozhu used to sit here often?"

P.S.: Updated first, revised later.

Ten thousand words have been updated.

(End of this chapter)