1987 My Era

Chapter 605, The Days We Were Together
Li Heng said slowly and deliberately, "I can't leave right now, but I'll come to see you in a while."

His reply was like heavenly music, and Huang Zhaoyi immediately became lively, as if a ray of sunshine was shining into her heart, warming her heart.

In an instant, all her worries and anxieties vanished, and she sat up straight, saying, "Okay, I'll wait for you."

Li Heng asked with concern, "You've been taking medicine for so long, how are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?"

Huang Zhaoyi replied: "My life is more regular now, and I feel much better than before."

Li Heng was immediately relieved: "That's good. Put work aside for now, and delegate some responsibilities to your subordinates. Your main task now is to take care of your health. When the opportunity arises, we can work together to try again."

Why not give it a try?
Of course, I want children.

However, he didn't mention a specific date, and she didn't ask.

Because he had already mentioned his plans before, she had a clear idea in her mind: with so many women, he couldn't possibly give all the opportunities to her.

Huang Zhaoyi was a reasonable person, and her first principle was not to cause him any trouble.

Li Heng then asked, "Has your family been pressuring you lately?"

Huang Zhaoyi said, "It's alright."

It's alright, there are some, but not too many.

This is within the acceptable range for both of them.

The Huang family is, after all, a large family, and Da Qingyi is the most beautiful woman in both the Huang and Liu families. It would be unreasonable for the Huang family parents to ignore the matter, but it is reasonable for them to ask questions without pressuring the issue too much.

Of course, the main reason is that Huang Zhaoyi is not at home much these days, so her parents can't really worry about her.

After discussing their relationship, the two talked about work for a while. Li Heng reiterated his advice to her to rest more and take care of her health.

During the conversation, Huang Zhaoyi said, "By the way, I had a dream the night before last."

Li Heng asked curiously, "What kind of dream?"

Huang Zhaoyi said, "I dreamed that Uncle Li and Aunt Tian suddenly came to find me."

Li Heng asked, "What do you want?"

Huang Zhaoyi remained silent, unsure of what to say.
In her dream, when Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e came to find her, she was already heavily pregnant and was kissing Li Heng on the sofa when the old couple caught them in the act.

Li Heng guessed: "Did they catch you in the act?"

Huang Zhaoyi blushed and acquiesced.

Li Heng asked, "Have you seen my parents recently?"

Huang Zhaoyi said, "No, but I'm going to Beijing for a performance tomorrow. Lanlan contacted me and asked me to have dinner near the Drum Tower."

Li Heng pondered, "Then you should go. But be a little wary of my second sister; she's smarter than a monkey."

Huang Zhaoyi had this feeling long ago.

After chatting for a while, Li Heng mentioned Li Ran at the end of the conversation.

He recounted the details of the feud between Li Ran and the Zhao family, and then instructed, "Li Ran got off the train in Jinhua. If you have any connections in that area, please help me find out. If not, don't force it. That guy is incredibly resilient, even more so than a cockroach."

Huang Zhaoyi kept his words in mind, "I have some connections on my end, I'll ask them later."

"Okay, that's all for now. Oh dear, I've been on the phone with you for too long today. The grocery store owner must be making a killing." Li Heng joked at the end.

Huang Zhaoyi smiled, feeling incredibly satisfied. This was the longest phone call they had ever had since they met.

In the past, he would only say a few simple words, such as asking where she was or that he was coming over. In short, it would only take two or three minutes, sometimes even just ten seconds.

Today, Huang Zhaoyi glanced at her watch and realized there were 19 minutes left.

The call duration reached double digits for the first time ever.

This seems to prove that she is getting closer and closer to this man's heart, even if she is still on the edge, it is a good trend.

She was very content.

Li Heng put the receiver back, took out 19 yuan and placed it on the counter, then turned and left the grocery store.

The grocery store owner hasn't come back yet. He's probably chatting dirty jokes with the female owner next door and lost track of time. Oh my god! Damn it, no man is immune to lust.

Pure girls who aren't lustful are a rare species, precious protected animals!
Somewhat surprisingly, Chunhua Noodle Shop has already closed down.

Li Heng looked up at the second floor from outside, and finally decided not to disturb the young couple.

Who knows, maybe that idiot is actually kissing Liu Chunhua so passionately?

What if I yell out loud and someone bites off their tongue? They'd be mute then!

Oh no! No, you mustn't!
Having missed his target, Li Heng turned around and entered the school gate dejectedly.

He had originally planned to stroll around the campus and enjoy the peaceful life, but when he thought of Miss Zhou alone at home, he had to suppress all his thoughts and head to Lushan Village.

"Clap clap clap!"

He stood at the entrance of the courtyard of building number 27 and knocked on the door.

Not long after, the lights on the first floor came on, and a frail figure walked out.

She walked lightly and slowly, taking almost half a minute to cross the yard and open the gate.

They looked at each other through the door, and she said, "There's a phone call for you."

Li Heng asked, "Who? Wheat ears?"

Zhou Shihe stepped aside to let him in: "Wang Ye."

Li Heng was surprised and stepped inside to ask, "Why would she call you?"

Zhou Shihe said, "She is in Shanghai, but she didn't say anything else."

Li Heng thought about it and guessed that Wang was also concerned about Li Ran.

After closing the courtyard gate and returning to the second floor, Li Heng made a phone call to the Shanghai branch of New Future Training School.

As soon as the call connected, Wang didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "Mr. Li, is tonight convenient? I'd like to come over to see you."

Look at what you're saying, it really makes people's minds wander.

However, Li Heng did not hesitate at all, "Okay, drive slowly and be careful on the road."

The call ended after just two sentences.

Zhou Shihe poured him a cup of hot tea, sat down on the separate sofa next to him, and said, "I'm not going home tomorrow?"

"Really?" Li Heng's voice involuntarily rose a few decibels.

As for why?
His burning gaze had already given everything away.

Unable to bear his overflowing emotions, Zhou Shihe subtly shifted her gaze, avoiding eye contact, and quietly said, "My mother will be coming tomorrow afternoon, and Sui Sui will be here around 10 p.m. tonight."

She dropped two bombshells in quick succession, instantly extinguishing someone's hopes for her.

Li Heng smacked his lips, and the thought that the wheat would arrive early immediately filled his disappointed heart. He happily finished his cup of tea.

Zhou Shihe noticed all the subtle changes in his expression. While she was secretly happy for her best friend, she also felt a strange, indescribable emotion.

If she could, she wished she had never taken this trip to Singapore.

She was not used to the fact that the truth had been revealed, which left her confused and at a loss.

But she also understood that when things developed to a certain point, the current situation was inevitable, if not today, then tomorrow.

Because this man had no intention of hiding his true feelings; his intentions towards her were as clear as day, and they both knew it perfectly well.

After he finished drinking the water, Zhou Shihe got up and poured him another glass. Before leaving, she took the manuscript of Chapter 27 from the bedroom and placed it in front of him, asking softly, "Is Chapter 28 finished?"

Li Heng took the water and jokingly asked, "In your eyes, is writing books all I'm good for?"

Zhou Shihe lowered her eyebrows, sat there quietly, looking down at the tea in her cup, without making a sound.

He looked at her, she looked at the tea, and the atmosphere became somewhat strange. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

After a brief standoff, Li Heng sighed inwardly, put down his teacup, got up, took his manuscript, and left.

Zhou Shihe remained silent at first, until his figure was almost disappearing at the entrance of the stairwell, at which point she subtly glanced at his back.

A moment later, she slowly turned the cup in her hand and took two small sips.

Ten minutes later, Li Heng returned after taking a shower, carrying the manuscript of Chapter 28.

"Here you go!" He handed over the manuscript.

"Ah."

Zhou Shihe nodded, took the manuscript, and then added a thank you.

Once the manuscript was in hand, the man became completely irrelevant; Zhou Shihe ignored him and quickly immersed herself in the world of the book.

Li Heng stared at her from the opposite sofa for a while, until a restless thought arose in his blood, then he looked away, stood up, and went to the attic to get some fresh air.

This woman is so beautiful! Like Song Yu, she's the type that's most likely to win his heart.

If he stayed in the living room, he was afraid he would gradually lose control again and get slapped.

Today is the seventh day of the first lunar month. The night wind is quite strong and a bit cold. As it blows, his surging desires gradually cool down.

Although Zhou Shihe was reading, she was constantly observing him.

From childhood, she had unparalleled confidence in her charm. In the current situation, spending too much time alone with him would most easily stir up his emotions, so she had no choice but to do so.

Fortunately, the man had a decent willpower and was able to control himself. When he was about to lose control, he chose to go to the attic to avoid it, which made her feel inexplicably more at ease.

She could have gone to the bedroom to read the manuscript, but she didn't. She knew that would only be a temporary solution and might even provoke his rebellious streak, causing him to become uncontrollable, which would be counterproductive.

Besides, they still have two and a half years left in university. As neighbors, friends, and musical partners, they'll inevitably run into each other and need to spend time alone together. Avoiding each other isn't a solution; it's better to be open and honest from the start.

About 20 minutes later, Zhou Shihe finished reading the manuscript, silently reading it twice.

Just then, Li Heng, whose hands and feet were ice cold, couldn't stand it anymore and came in. Suddenly, on a whim, he asked her, "Could you play a piano piece?"

Zhou Shihe slowly raised her head and gazed at him.

Li Heng said, "I would like to hear you play 'Rain Imprint'."

Zhou Shihe seemed somewhat hesitant.

Li Heng seemed to understand her concerns, and then wisely kept quiet, turning and walking towards the stairwell.

Zhou Shihe watched him leave quietly, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She knew that he genuinely wanted to hear her play the piano.

But she was afraid that if he played halfway through, he would be unable to help but reveal his true feelings.

The scene in Singapore resonated with her most deeply. It was because of the influence of "The Street Where the Wind Dwells" that she revealed her true feelings to him, exposing the deepest secrets of her heart that she didn't want anyone to know.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly and managed to control herself, preventing her from losing her composure in front of others.

Back in Building 26, Li Heng wandered around aimlessly, exploring every room.

Finally, he sat alone in Maisui's room, staring blankly at the bedside table.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Shihe arrived. She stopped at the door of the second bedroom and quietly watched him.

Suddenly, Li Heng spoke up abruptly: "What are you thinking about?"

Zhou Shihe said gently, "Since you love Mai Sui so much, why don't you marry her?"

Li Heng was stunned for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Maisui is an excellent woman, and marrying her is naturally my greatest blessing. But, alas..."

He sighed and didn't continue.

Zhou Shihe's gaze lingered on his profile for a moment before she asked, "Aren't you going to read or write tonight?"

Li Heng blurted out, "I'm feeling very upset tonight."

Zhou Shihe fell silent for a long time before saying, "Let's go to the music room."

Li Heng was taken aback: "You're not afraid of me anymore?"

Their eyes met, and Zhou Shihe didn't speak, but her eyes seemed to say: I'm afraid, but I don't want you to lose your focus on writing because of me.

Just as the two were looking at each other in bewilderment, Wang Ye arrived, and the knocking sound from downstairs broke the silence.

Zhou Shihe was the first to come to her senses and turned to walk towards the sofa.

Li Heng called out from behind, "Comrade Shihe, come to my study. I'm talking to her on the sofa."

Zhou Shihe stood there, stunned, turned to look at him, and softly said okay.

Li Heng opened the door and invited Wang Ye inside. He poured her a cup of hot tea and asked, "Has Li Ran's departure had a significant impact?"

Wang knew what his boss was talking about. "Li Ran was just the deputy of the Shanghai branch. Her sudden departure did not have a fatal impact. I have already appeased her."

As she spoke, she took out a stack of documents from her bag and handed them to him: "This is the progress report for the six branch schools, including Wuhan. Boss, please take a look."

Since it concerned the company and his own finances, Li Heng didn't stand on ceremony and took the document to browse through it carefully.

Wang Ye sipped her tea casually, her gaze sweeping across the living room. When she noticed a light coming from the study, she wondered to herself: Is there a woman hiding inside?
If there really is a woman? Then who could it be?
Wouldn't it be beautiful?

It's the seventh day of the Lunar New Year now, and most of the boss's female confidantes are in their hometowns, so they shouldn't be out so soon.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that one of them might be following them without a trace.

For some reason, she felt a little envious of this woman, who could freely linger in his space and spend time alone with him.

Maybe I can even warm his bed tonight.

When the topic turned to warming the bed, Wang Ye turned her gaze back to Li Heng. At that moment, her legs involuntarily tightened, and a strange feeling arose in her body.

She had fantasized more than once: if Mr. Li could promise her a child, she could dedicate her entire life to his cause.

After spending half an hour reading through a series of documents, Li Heng said, "Not bad, you did a great job. But isn't starting school on the twelfth of the first lunar month a bit early? These days, transportation is inconvenient, and some people might still be at home without being able to buy train tickets."

Wang also said, "It's not too early. Compared to the temptation of studying abroad, even if school starts tomorrow, they would try to get here in advance. Otherwise, they wouldn't have signed up for this last year."

That makes sense. Li Heng nodded and returned the documents to her. "Then let's proceed according to plan."

Then he asked, "Did you spend the New Year with Yang Yingwen?"

Wang also said, "Yes, boss."

Li Heng asked with interest, "What dishes did we have for New Year's Eve dinner?"

Wang Ye replied, "Yingwen's hometown dishes weren't particularly elaborate; there were three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup."

Li Heng asked, "How is Ying Wen feeling?"

Wang also asked, "Is the boss worried about her family?"

Li Heng asked in surprise, "You've heard about it?"

Wang also said, "During the Spring Festival, Yingwen and I shared some personal information with each other."

Li Heng asked, "What do you think about Ying Wen not going home for the Chinese New Year?"

Wang also said, "If it were me, I wouldn't go back either. That kind of father doesn't deserve her respect."

Li Heng asked this question seemingly out of boredom, but he was actually trying to figure out her personality and lay the foundation for a better relationship in the future.

After all, New Future is growing in scale every day, and it is currently his most profitable asset. Its future potential should not be underestimated, so he naturally has to pay attention to it.

Li Heng smiled and said, "No wonder you two get along so well."

As they chatted, the topic turned to Li Ran.

Wang Ye stated bluntly, "If Li Ran wants to come back next time, I will refuse in principle."

Li Heng: "..."

He said, "I promised Li Ran that New Future would always be her home."

Wang also expressed his views: "The current management team of New Future is basically composed of highly educated professors from prestigious universities. During the expansion of the six branch campuses, they have demonstrated outstanding abilities and achieved remarkable results. Everyone is working together towards a brighter future."

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. I don't really like someone like Li Ran who is so undisciplined."

Li Heng was surprised, not expecting Wang Ye, who was usually easy to talk to, to react so strongly and with such a firm attitude today.

Li Heng looked at her, his mind racing.

After a long stalemate, Wang conceded and said, "If the boss really doesn't want to go back on his word, then just pretend I didn't say anything."

After saying that, she put down her teacup, straightened her documents, and got up to take her leave.

Li Heng personally escorted her to the alley entrance.

As Wang Ye opened the car door, he turned halfway around and asked, "Mr. Li, who was the woman in the study tonight?"

Li Heng asked, confused, "Why are you asking about this?"

Wang Ye said, "I'm wondering if if I work hard for 5 or 10 years, could I earn the chance to enter the study even once?"

This study is not that kind of study.

Li Heng was stunned, and immediately understood what she meant. He didn't hide anything and said, "It's Zhou Shihe."

"So it was her." Wang Ye felt a little disappointed, knowing that no matter what he did, he could never become Zhou Shihe. He then bent down, got into the car, and drove away.

Li Heng didn't rush home, but strolled leisurely through the alley. He really didn't expect that Wang would have such a big opinion about Li Ran.
However, one can then understand: Wang Ye is meticulous and rigorous in his work, and he cannot tolerate any flaws, which is very similar to the old rag.

Li Ran is naturally free-spirited and dares to hit Zhao An's mother and sister. She's someone who's always looking for a man to quench her thirst. Expecting her to be well-behaved is simply impossible.

As he entered the courtyard, Li Heng remembered his promise to his cunning wife: to plant ginkgo trees.

According to the Gregorian calendar, today is February 12, 1989. It has been more than ten days since the beginning of spring, and there is still a month until Arbor Day. It seems that the matter of planting ginkgo trees can be put on the agenda.

This time, I absolutely have to go to the library to find relevant planting information. I can't let it die halfway there; I won't be able to explain that to Xiao Han.

Enter the house and go up to the second floor.

Li Heng pushed open the door to the study and found it empty. He then stepped back to check the adjacent bedroom; the door was closed, but light was shining through the crack in the door.

Worried, Li Heng called out from behind the door, "Comrade Shihe, are you going to bed so early?"

"Hmm." A soft "hmm" came from inside.

A few seconds later, the light in the second bedroom went out; the girl's actions had subtly told him this.

Well, having been rebuffed, Li Heng returned to his study.

One should not slack off in reading and writing every day.

Although I have the advantage of being reborn, I still need to accumulate personal cultivation and knowledge over time to truly make them my own.

As usual, I read for an hour, then sit quietly in my chair to prepare myself emotionally, and when I feel I'm ready, I pick up my pen and start writing.

Perhaps because of the thorough preparation he had done beforehand for "Dust Settles," he felt particularly calm, clear-headed, and full of inspiration throughout the night.

The pen nib scratched across the white paper, and in less than 5 hours, it had written 6500 words.

I put down my pen, raised my hand to look at my watch, 3:17
Wow! Goodness, I got so engrossed in writing that I forgot all about it. I promised myself I had to be asleep by 2 a.m., but I ended up going over an hour late.

Li Heng rubbed his aching temples with both hands, then put down his pen and walked out of the study without looking back.

After a quick wash, I lay down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.

....
The next day.

"Li Heng, wake up."

Around 8:30 in the morning, while Li Heng was sound asleep, Zhou Shihe bent down and woke him up.

He opened his eyes halfway, still feeling dizzy, and asked, "Shihe, what's wrong?"

Zhou Shihe said, "Your teacher and Sister Lin are here."

"what?"

Li Heng sat up abruptly, almost kissing her on the lips. "Who did you say? Old Master Ba?"

Zhou Shihe pouted and involuntarily took two steps back, saying, "It's him."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng didn't think twice and instinctively reached for the blankets.

He stopped halfway through lifting the lid and looked at the woman in front of the bed.

After exchanging glances for two seconds, Zhou Shihe calmly turned around and left.

She wasn't unfamiliar with some of these things; when they were dancing intimately together in Singapore, he lost control and kissed her because he had a physical reaction.

She only felt a few heartbeats before leaving the bedroom as if nothing had happened.

Mr. Ba has arrived, and Sister Lin has arrived.

Editor-in-Chief Liao also came along.

Seeing Miss Zhou freely entering and leaving Li Heng's bedroom, the three people in the living room looked at each other for a moment, then pretended not to know anything and chatted amongst themselves.

Zhou Shihe poured a cup of hot tea for the three of them, and then took out some candy, peanuts, melon seeds and some fruit from the drawer under the TV cabinet, put them in 6 plates on the coffee table.

Sister Lin smiled and said, "Shihe, you've worked hard. Sit down and rest for a while."

Zhou Shihe smiled politely but did not sit down. After Li Heng appeared from the bedroom, she left the second floor, took some change, and rode her bicycle to the market.

She went to buy groceries and helped him greet the distinguished guest.

Li Heng ran into the washroom, tidied himself up haphazardly, and then ran out to ask, "Teacher, Sister Lin, what brings you here? I was planning to go to Xuhui to find you after I woke up."

As he spoke, he plopped down next to Editor-in-Chief Liao and called out, "Senior, your wife is pregnant, aren't you busy?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao said, "Su Yun's family has come, so there's no need to worry."

Some of what he said was obvious; it was probably that his senior brother and the Xu family didn't get along, so he decided to avoid seeing them and go into hiding.

Sister Lin said, "We saw in the newspaper that your performance in Singapore was very successful and made us Chinese proud, so your teacher wanted to come here to see it."

Everyone likes to hear nice things, and Li Heng was no exception, laughing heartily the whole time.

Mr. Ba looked at his last disciple and asked, "Were you staying up all night writing last night?"

"No, no. I was just so engrossed in writing that I lost track of time and didn't go to sleep until late at night. I've only slept for more than five hours now." He didn't lie to his respected elders; he told them everything he knew.

After not seeing each other for so long, I thought we'd have a long chat, but Mr. Ba didn't play by the rules. His next sentence was, "Let me see your manuscript."

"Okay, sure." The teacher wanted to see it, so he couldn't object. He quickly got up and went to the study, bringing out all the manuscripts at once.

With the manuscript in hand, Mr. Ba ignored the three men and put on his reading glasses to read "Dust Settles Down" in his own way.

Seeing this, the three of them wisely moved their attention elsewhere, quietly went downstairs, and sat around on the sofa on the first floor to start chatting.

Sister Lin asked curiously, "Junior brother, you and the Zhou family girl...you're not dating, are you?"

Li Heng vehemently denied it: "No."

Sister Lin was skeptical: "Really not? You really didn't secretly like him?"

Li Heng countered, "Why do you ask that, Senior Sister?"

Xiaolin offered an incredibly compelling reason: "A woman's sixth sense, her intuition."

Li Heng pointed his index finger to the sky and blurted out, "Heaven and earth bear witness, am I that kind of person?"

Sister Lin chuckled, "A year ago, your senior brother said the exact same thing to you."

Li Heng turned his head and stared at Editor-in-Chief Liao. Editor-in-Chief Liao chuckled but didn't refute him.

I'm dizzy. Look at what you're saying. It's so damn embarrassing.

Li Heng sighed, "Senior sister, I can't even handle Teacher Yu."

Upon hearing this, Sister Lin felt it made sense. Teacher Yu was not so easy to deal with, and there were also Xiao Han and Mai Sui to consider. This immediately dispelled some of her doubts.

But Sister Lin remembered the idea her father gave her junior brother: if they couldn't handle Teacher Yu, they should bring in the Zhou family girl to use a strategy of using one tiger to devour another.

Thinking this through, she realized that Li Heng's words just now shouldn't be taken seriously.

Miss Zhou is just too good. Even as a woman, she was tempted by her, let alone her junior brother who she gets to spend so much time with.

However, seeing that her junior brother was not very willing to talk about this, Sister Lin tactfully changed the subject and shifted the focus to the concert in Singapore.

Sister Lin praised him, saying, "Junior brother, you guys are amazing this time! Your photo with overseas political figures and celebrities made it into the newspapers, which had a huge impact. Now, many friends ask me about you when they meet me."

Li Heng didn't take it seriously at first.

But as he thought about it, he slowly realized that it was 1989. It was nothing like later years, when going abroad was a very proud thing, something you would brag about to everyone you met, the kind of thing you could brag about for a lifetime!

What's more, a bunch of prominent figures from overseas actively sought him out for photos, including the founding father of Singapore.

Wouldn't that make you seem more impressive?

No wonder Sister Lin was so enthusiastic towards me; the way she looked at me today was different.

If Sister Lin, who has a high social status, is like this, then wouldn't the general public outside feel even more superior?

Completely clueless, he somehow managed to steal the spotlight again!

After chatting for about 20 minutes, Li Heng suddenly remembered Comrade Da Wang and immediately stood up and said, "Senior sister, senior brother, you two chat first. I'll go meet Shihe. She hasn't come back yet."

Editor-in-Chief Liao glanced at the table and said, "There aren't many people at the school right now. I'll go with you."

Editor-in-Chief Liao wanted to go along, but was stopped by a look from Sister Lin. Then, with a chuckle, she sat back down.

Seeing this, Li Heng rolled his eyes at the two of them, grabbed his bicycle keys, and quickly left.

Perhaps because of the rain, the bluestone slabs were a bit slippery, and Li Heng, who was lost in thought, slipped and fell to the ground.

He fell flat on his face!

Damn it! My posture was wrong, and I twisted my ankle. It's swollen and red at a visible speed.

What a disgrace! He's such a grown-up, yet he still falls off his bicycle and injures himself. It's so embarrassing to even talk about it!
Muttering to himself, he had just righted his bicycle when he turned around and saw Zhou Shihe. The latter was standing on the ground, staring blankly at him.

Looking at each other across the distance, Li Heng gave an embarrassed smile: "I was just spacing out."

Zhou Shihe remained silent, did not respond to his words, and rode her bicycle past him.

She had only ridden for about 10 meters when she stopped again, her delicate back facing him, waiting patiently.

After waiting for a while, seeing that he remained motionless by the alley, Zhou Shihe parked her bicycle, turned around, and slowly walked towards him.

Under his gaze, she approached and asked with concern, "Where are you hurt?"

Li Heng retorted with a laugh, "No, how could a grown man like me get hurt? I just wanted to see if you'd turn back."

Zhou Shihe stared at his eyes quietly for a while, then squatted down and took his left foot, which had been twisted at the wrong angle.

Sure enough, the area in front of my eyes was red and swollen.

Zhou Shihe asked, "Can your legs still move?"

"It hurts, but I should still be able to manage." As he spoke, Li Heng turned around.

After checking him over, Zhou Shihe helped him pull down his trousers, stood up and said, "Wait here for a while, I'll get you a cane."

"No need, I can walk back by holding onto the wall," he said politely, though he didn't mean it.

To everyone's surprise, Zhou Shihe simply nodded gently, "Okay."

After saying that, she turned around and left, riding her bicycle like the wind, quickly disappearing from sight.

Li Heng's eyes widened. "I was just being polite, how could you take it so seriously? Oh dear, I made a bad choice in friends, I met the wrong person."

Miss Zhou, you could have easily helped me up.

With a limp and his right hand supporting him against the wall, Li Heng hopped and skipped along the alley.

He was halfway there when Sister Lin and Editor-in-Chief Liao arrived.

Sister Lin, who was ahead, jogged over and said, "Shihe said you twisted your ankle. I didn't believe it. I thought you're always so mature and you exercise every day. How could you twist your ankle? I didn't expect it to be true."

Li Heng was embarrassed and tried to save face by explaining again: "I was thinking about something and didn't notice that there was moss on the stone path. I slipped and fell."

Editor-in-Chief Liao helped him home.

Xiaolin got on his bicycle.

He had barely sat down on the sofa when he got home when Zhou Shihe came over from the neighboring building number 27, carrying some liniment and cotton swabs.

She said gently, "I've called an orthopedic doctor, who will come over later to give you a proper examination. The doctor told me to apply some medicine to stop the pain first."

Li Heng rolled up his trouser leg and subconsciously stretched his left foot out in front of her with difficulty.

Zhou Shihe was stunned.
Sister Lin: "..."

Editor-in-Chief Liao: "..."

They'd seen shameless people before, but never one this shameless. He really knew how to take advantage of a situation, acting like he was flirting with someone.

Zhou Shihe lowered her eyes slightly, gently smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear with her right hand, paused for a moment, and then silently placed the medicine and cotton swabs in front of him before turning and going into the kitchen.

Even when there were outsiders present, they didn't indulge him at all.

As soon as Miss Zhou left, Editor-in-Chief Liao chuckled. The sound wasn't loud, but it was meaningful enough.

Li Heng's expression darkened, and he said irritably, "Stop laughing. I wonder who got kicked out and is hiding here with me?"

With a single sentence, he struck at Editor-in-Chief Liao's Achilles' heel, and the old lecher instantly lost his voice.

Sister Lin found it amusing. "You fellow disciples are just like that saying, 'the pot calling the kettle black.' None of you are any good. I'm worried about you."

As she spoke, Sister Lin took the medicine and cotton swabs, bent down and carefully applied the medicine to Li Heng's wound.

Sister Lin murmured with emotion, "I could tell that if Brother Liao and I weren't here, Miss Zhou might have actually helped you apply the medicine. She went to get the medicine and call a doctor; she really cares about you."

Li Heng stared at the sky, uh, at the ceiling, his mind wandering again, and he didn't hear what his senior sister said at all.

Less than half an hour later, two people came in: a middle-aged male doctor and a young female nurse.

A man and a woman carrying a medical kit and some examination equipment introduced themselves and then helped Li Heng examine his sprained area.

After examining the patient for a while, the male doctor concluded: "It's just a common sprain. The bones are fine. It will heal with a week of rest."

Zhou Shihe had come out of the kitchen at some point, but upon hearing this, she quietly went back into the kitchen from behind the crowd.

If she hadn't been so eye-catching, none of them would have noticed her.

After reapplying the medication, the doctor and nurse left. Li Heng offered to pay the consultation fee, but they refused and invited him to stay for a meal, but they said they were busy and had other patients to attend to at the hospital.

After pushing and shoving to no avail, Li Heng could only watch helplessly as the other person left.

Once everyone left, the living room gradually quieted down and became completely silent.

Ms. Lin said, "I recognize this doctor. His orthopedic skills are among the best in Shanghai."

Editor-in-Chief Liao took a puff of his cigarette and nodded: "I've heard of this person too."

Sister Lin stood up and said, "I'll go help in the kitchen, you guys chat."

Watching Xiaolin enter the kitchen, Editor-in-Chief Liao moved to sit next to him and said, "If I could, I wouldn't dare to mess with a woman from such a wealthy family again."

Li Heng asked, "Are you scared?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao rarely showed signs of exhaustion: "I have unspeakable suffering."

Li Heng asked, "The child already has your surname, so how can you still suffer?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao patted his shoulder solemnly: "When you sleep in the same bed, you feel a great sense of accomplishment. The feeling is different from other women, and it's very exciting. But once you get out of bed, it's all bad."

Li Heng fell into deep thought.

Zhou Shihe's cooking skills are truly exceptional; she can make even the simplest dish taste different. In the words of Master Ba, this is a dish cooked with "heart".

Sure enough, Grandpa Ba, who usually only eats one bowl of rice, ate a bowl and a half for lunch and was still not satisfied at the end.

After the meal, Grandpa Ba pulled Li Heng into his study, where the two chatted alone.

The study door closed, and Mr. Ba said with bright eyes, "Your new book is very well written. The more you read it, the more interesting it becomes. Once you finish writing it, just publish it."

Before he could reply, the old man added, "I will write the preface."

Li Heng asked, "Won't it be published in Harvest magazine?"

Old Master Ba smiled, showing his missing teeth. "Your senior brother won't agree to not publish it. In your absence, People's Literature has climbed back up again. He's counting on your new book to challenge People's Literature and get back on his feet."

Li Heng teased, "I didn't realize you were so competitive, senior."

They chatted for over an hour about the new book, literature, and the current state of the literary scene. At the end, Mr. Ba's mouth was a little dry, so he took a couple of sips of tea and asked, "Have you fallen in love with Zhou Shihe?"

"I lack self-control." He always lied to outsiders, but he couldn't be bothered to lie to his teacher and said with a look of shame.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Ba showed little reaction, as if he had expected it, and earnestly advised:

"This girl is indeed quite good. You two are at the best age now, and it will be almost impossible not to fall for her after spending time together. But with your talent, if you fall in love, then so be it."

But remember one thing: don't let her become your inner demon, don't let her become a burden. We writers must not let our minds be bound.

"Oh, thank you for reminding me, teacher. I understand now." Li Heng quickly said that he would remember what the teacher said.

Mr. Ba asked, "Do you know why I came uninvited today?"

Li Heng smacked his lips: "Isn't it because the teacher misses his apprentice?"

"You sly fox."

Mr. Ba pointed at him in the air and said with a laugh, "I saw the photos of you walking the red carpet in Singapore, holding Zhou Shihe's hand with your left hand and Teacher Yu's hand with your right hand."

Li Heng: "..."

Mr. Ba said, "At first glance, I knew this was your tribulation in the mortal world. I came here to see if it had affected your writing."

Li Heng patted his chest and assured him, "Teacher, please rest assured. Feelings are feelings, and career is career. I know the boundaries."

Mr. Ba had said so much, and the reason he had come all this way was to say this. He patted him on the shoulder with his right hand and said, "Take good care of yourself at home and read more books. I have to meet someone this afternoon, so I'll be leaving now."

Li Heng wanted to get up to see him off, but the old man stopped him and said, "Come to our house for a meal when your foot is healed."

"Yes," Li Heng replied, agreeing.

Mr. Ba and his two companions left, taking with them the manuscript of his new book, saying they would have Sister Lin return it after they finished reading it.

Zhou Shihe returned to Building 27, took a shower and changed her clothes. Her family was already on their way to Shanghai.

Li Heng has difficulty walking, so he didn't go anywhere; he just stayed on the second floor to move around.

The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, pattering noisily against the eaves and green tiles.

Li Heng sat on the swing in the attic, lost in thought.

He missed Song Yu; he suddenly missed her terribly.

For no reason!

If his foot hadn't been injured, he would have immediately set off for Dongting Lake. But the next second, he changed his mind; Mai Sui was coming that evening.

He couldn't possibly abandon this woman who was devoted to him.

Just as his thoughts were in turmoil and he was about to get up to go to the small building across the street at number 25 to make a phone call, Zhou Shihe returned.

When they met at the door, Zhou Shihe, who hadn't even had time to put away her umbrella, said, "I received a call from Wang Ye. She said she forgot to tell you something last night."

P.S.: It's the first day of August! I'm begging for your monthly votes, everyone! Qidian hasn't given us any recommendation slots in a long time, so I need monthly votes to boost our rankings. Please help me out.

Update first, then revise.

(I'll update with 10,000 words first, more during the day.)
(End of this chapter)