1987 My Era

Chapter 607, Society's Death, Dry Wood Meets a Raging Flame

From the shower to the bedroom bed, the two redefined what it means to be passionately in love.

Mai Sui's alluring nature was unleashed at this moment like never before, making Li Heng restless and his heart pounding.

Just as the two were passionately kissing, and just as they were about to be honest with each other, Mai Sui suddenly messed up.

She pulled away from his lips, pleading weakly, "No, please don't do this."

Li Heng remained silent, his eyes filled with surging lust and desire, staring at her without moving.

Mai Sui reached out her right hand and stroked his face, saying embarrassedly, "I know this is unfair to you, but I made a promise to Song Yu."

What are you promising?
She once promised her best friend, Song Yu: she would remain chaste as long as Song Yu did not befriend him.

This is her guilt towards Song Yu.

It was also her way of respecting Song Yu and giving back to Song Yu.

In return, Song Yu did not make things difficult for her, nor did she blame her for falling in love with her best friend's man.

Upon hearing the name "Song Yu," Li Heng was stunned for a long time before rolling off Mai Sui, lying flat on the bed, and staring blankly at the ceiling.

Mai Sui gently pulled her pajamas back together, which had been pulled open, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry."

Her voice was very soft, almost imperceptible.

But the bedroom was too quiet. Li Heng could hear everything clearly, but there was no sound.

Time and air inside the room seemed to freeze, stand still, and remain silent for a long time, falling into a deathly stillness.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Heng sighed and turned to gaze at her.

After a long while, he reached out and helped her tie the belt of her pajamas.

As she felt uneasy, Li Heng leaned in and kissed her forehead, then slowly said, "Don't say sorry, it's my fault. I fell in love with both Song Yu and you. It's all my fault for being too greedy."

Mai Sui gazed at him tenderly, her eyes suddenly glistening with tears.

Li Heng couldn't bear to see his woman like this, so he held her in his arms and comforted her, "Don't think too much tonight, let's go to sleep."

"Okay." Mai Sui found a comfortable position in his arms and obediently closed her eyes.

Their love was initially ordinary; now it is surging and intense, their deep affection irrepressible. But what about the future? Li Heng has never made any solemn promises, but Mai Sui has already planned out her entire life.

As long as he is alive, no matter where he goes, Mai Sui will stay by his side, love him, and take good care of him.

That night, the two of them suddenly fell from the heights of desire to a state of calm and tranquility. There was no abruptness, no torment, no discomfort, only warmth.

The wheat stalk was content with this, falling asleep with its head resting on the man's chest, feeling especially happy.

...

The next day, Zhou Shihe and her family left.

Also with her was the shameless Sun Manning. Before leaving, this girl shouted: "I'm going to explore the world! Single people can have their day too! I've had enough of you two lovebirds showing off your love!"

Li Heng grimaced, clearly annoyed, and kicked the idiot, scaring him so much his face turned green and he ran away in a flash.

In the days that followed, Li Heng spent his time reading and writing. After his foot healed, he made sure to go for a morning run and take a walk after meals.

Wheat ears, like a virtuous wife, always stayed by his side.

While he played basketball, she sat on the steps watching, occasionally helping to retrieve the basketball.

She ran alongside him when he went for a morning run.

She would accompany him in his study while he wrote, bringing him tea and water. When he was tired, she would give him massages and keep him company by talking to him.

The two got along very well, blending friendship, family affection, and love together, which was very comforting.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's the fourteenth day of the lunar calendar, which is the day before the Lantern Festival.

Today is a sunny day, perfect for outings, walks, and taking photos.

As evening fell, Li Heng and Mai Sui were strolling through the empty campus when they were captivated by the beautiful sunset over the small bridges and flowing water in Xiyuan Garden.

Mai Sui looked up and gazed into the distance: "The sunset on the horizon is so beautiful, Li Heng, let's go to the bridge and take a group photo."

Without waiting for his reply, she grabbed his wrist with one hand, holding her newly bought camera in the other, and ran towards the stream and bridge. As they ran, she would occasionally glance back and smile, melting his heart like a spring breeze.

Li Heng couldn't help but shout into the wind, "Wheat ears, you are so beautiful!"

The wheat stalk in front smiled charmingly, "Really? Say it again."

Li Heng shouted, "Maisui, be my woman."

Upon hearing this, Mai Sui stopped in her tracks, then turned around and whispered in his ear, "How about in a few years? I'll be yours sooner or later."

Li Heng was captivated by her charm and couldn't help but kiss her, then kiss her again, and again...

Mai Sui was very cooperative, her red lips slightly parted, and she returned his kiss several times.

At one point, the two looked at each other and smiled, then happily ran towards the small bridge and flowing water to take pictures.

The two had already scouted the location today; apart from a few teachers, there was practically no one else on the vast campus. This secluded corner was even more so, allowing them to be more relaxed than usual.

They took individual photos, used the simple mode to take group photos, and took photos with different backgrounds, having a great time together.

During this time, just as he was taking intimate photos of her from behind with his arms around her waist, two people suddenly turned into the side alley: Wei Quan and Wei Xiaozhu.

Seeing the sweet couple, the aunt and niece were stunned and instinctively stopped in their tracks.

Li Heng and Mai Sui reacted quickly, immediately releasing their embrace the moment the aunt and niece appeared.

Looking at each other from afar, Mai Sui, being shy, was somewhat flustered. After all, she wasn't Li Heng's official girlfriend. Even though everyone at Fudan University, from teachers to students, knew about their ambiguous relationship, she still felt a little flustered when a teacher from the school caught them like this.

Even though the teacher was an acquaintance, Mai Sui hesitated in place and did not greet Wei Xiaozhu immediately as she usually would.

Wei Xiaozhu seemed to have guessed her friend's embarrassment, and smiled as she took the initiative to walk over and said, "Maisui, Li Heng, it really is you two! I was right by the window when you walked past the path in front of the Red Building, and I thought I was seeing things."

Wei Xiaozhu took the initiative to offer a way out.

Li Heng, thick-skinned as ever, rolled his eyes and said, "How far is the Red Pavilion from the path? Can't you even see it clearly? Or have you forgotten what Mai Sui and I look like?"

Wei Xiaozhu smiled and explained, "How could that be? I only saw your backs as you left, otherwise I would have called out to you."

After this interruption, Mai Sui's tense body relaxed a lot.

Wei Xiaozhu teased, "Sui Sui, you've become even more beautiful since you came home for the New Year. No wonder Li Heng was taking pictures of you kissing your earlobe earlier; you're absolutely mesmerizing."

A blush crept onto Mai Sui's face as she softly said, "Your aunt is here."

Wei Xiaozhu understood her meaning, and immediately stopped making jokes with her friend after her aunt approached.

Li Heng called out, "Teacher."

Wheat Ear called out in response.

Wei Quan smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. He sincerely praised, "The photos you took just now were very beautiful. They reminded me of my university days. Youth is truly wonderful. You two are a perfect match."

Upon hearing the words "perfect match," Mai Sui felt a mix of joy and trepidation, glancing furtively at Li Heng's profile.

Wei Quan asked the two of them, "Have you had dinner yet?"

Li Heng replied, "I've already eaten. I came out for a walk after I finished eating."

Upon hearing this, Wei Quan glanced at his niece and then said, "Then you two chat. I'm a bit full tonight, so I'll walk around for a bit longer."

Without waiting for her niece's reply, she walked straight past the three of them and left the place.

After her aunt left, Wei Xiaozhu asked playfully, "Should I leave too? So I won't disturb you?"

Wheat wouldn't let her leave, and grabbed her hand. "The camera's point-and-shoot mode isn't very good. Take some pictures for us."

Wei Xiaozhu readily agreed, "Okay, give me the camera."

Wei Xiaozhu comes from a well-off family and had her own personal camera during high school. Needless to say, her photography skills are quite professional. From framing the shot to directing the two people to managing their expressions, she is quite skilled. After all that effort, the success rate and satisfaction of the photos are quite high.

As the sun set and the sky gradually darkened, the light became poor. The three of them packed up their cameras and sat on the grass chatting.

Wei Xiaozhu asked Mai Sui, "When did you arrive?"

The wheat ear said, "The eighth day."

After a moment's thought, Wei Xiaozhu guessed the truth: "You came here specifically to keep him company?"

Wheat ears (default).

Wei Xiaozhu smiled at Li Heng and said, "Li Heng, you are blessed to have such a beautiful woman by your side and such a devoted heart."

Li Heng asked with a smile, "Why did you come here? Didn't you spend the Lantern Festival in your hometown?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "My aunt called and asked me to come over. She said she was lonely and wanted me to come and keep her company, so I couldn't refuse."

Mai Sui asked, "Your aunt can also spend the Lantern Festival in Lianyungang before coming out, right?"

Wei Xiaozhu lowered her voice slightly: "My aunt and my grandma had a big fight, and she stormed off before dawn on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year."

Mai Sui was surprised, never expecting that the usually amiable Teacher Wei Quan would have such a temper. "Why?"

Wei Xiaozhu thought for a moment and said, "They're pressuring her to get married. My grandma found her a boyfriend, and he's very satisfied with her, but my aunt is still stuck in her past relationship and has no interest in marriage. She says she wants to be childless, so..."

The rest was left unsaid, but everyone understood.

Mai Sui and Wei Xiaozhu hadn't seen each other for a while, and it seemed like they had endless things to talk about tonight. Before they knew it, it was past 9 o'clock.

Li Heng raised his left wrist to glance at his watch and said to the two women, "It's getting a bit chilly. How about we go back to Lushan Village and continue?"

Mai Sui looked at Wei Xiaozhu with anticipation.

Wei Xiaozhu had some concerns, and asked, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Will my presence affect your loving relationship?"

Li Heng stretched and said leisurely, "Come on, Xiaozhu, you're not an outsider. Don't you know how close Mai Sui and I are? Even if the King of Heaven himself came, it wouldn't affect us."

Wei Xiaozhu smiled broadly and whispered in Mai Sui's ear, "After all the hardships, the moon shines through. I'm so happy for you."

Mai Sui remained shy and did not respond, but her gaze towards Li Heng's back was somewhat infatuated.

Wei Xiaozhu took in her best friend's expression, thought for a moment, then raised her camera and took a close-up photo of Li Heng walking ahead.

After taking the photos, she said, "Today is the 14th, and the moon is quite round. It's quite artistic for him to walk under the moonlight."

Mai Sui said, "Help me wash it out."

Wei Xiaozhu readily agreed.

The three of them took a detour to the Red Mansion to say hello to Wei Quan, and then headed straight for Lushan Village.

As they walked, they encountered Zhang Bing and Bai Wanying, the former pushing the latter in a stroller.

There was nowhere to hide when they met head-on. The optimistic and open-minded Bai Wanying spoke first: "What a lucky day it is today? We've managed to catch all the best parts of Fudan University as soon as we step out the door?"

Li Heng flashed a bright, sunny smile, revealing his clean, white teeth, and asked, "Old Zhang, it's this late, why aren't you guys in Wujiaochang? What are you doing at the school?"

Zhang Bing, who was not good with words, scratched the back of his head with his right hand and said, "Wanying suddenly wanted to come to the school for a walk, and since there are rental apartments here, she came over."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng, Mai Sui, and Wei Xiaozhu all simultaneously had a thought: Zhang Bing really dotes on Bai Wanying.

Mai Sui went over and exchanged a few pleasantries with Bai Wanying, then extended an invitation: "Xiaozhu is coming back to Lushan Village with us, would you like to come along?"

Bai Wanying was somewhat tempted and asked Li Heng, "Great writer, is it convenient for you?"

Li Heng smiled and nodded: "Look at the question you asked, it's too formal. It's not like we've never been before. Let's go!"

They set off without hesitation, turning from three to five, and soon returned to Lushan Village.

They say three women make a drama, and the ancients were right. Sure enough, when the three women got together, they couldn't stop laughing; their laughter was more lively than a market day.

Seeing that they were talking about women's issues, Li Heng, who couldn't join the conversation, asked Zhang Bing, "Did you arrive on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year?"

Zhang Bing replied, "I arrived around 10 a.m. on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year."

Li Heng asked, "How's business lately?"

Zhang Bing said, "The days before the tenth were pretty bleak, but these last two days have been alright."

Li Heng glanced at Bai Wanying and asked curiously, "Have you two been living together?"

Zhang Bing understood what he meant, shook his head, and stammered, "I wouldn't dare, for fear of ruining Wanying's reputation."

Upon hearing the word "reputation," Li Heng couldn't help but look at Mai Sui, feeling deeply sorry for her, and his mood inexplicably became somewhat low.

Zhang Bing said, "I visited Lao Li in the hospital yesterday and found that he had lost a lot of weight."

Li Heng turned his head: "Thin? Old Li hasn't recovered yet?"

Zhang Bing said, "It wasn't because of his health, but because Le Yao went abroad and completely lost contact with him. His mother said that Lao Li cried in bed for a long time."

At this moment, the three women, fearing that the two would feel left out, ended their conversation and sat down together.

Upon hearing Zhang Bing's words, Bai Wanying bluntly said, "Don't believe Li Guoyi's mother's nonsense. She's just crying crocodile tears and has no good intentions."

Zhang Bing, you must never reveal any news about Le Yao to the Li family in the future. Doing so will only harm Le Yao.

Wei Xiaozhu interjected, "Le Yao won't be returning to China in the next few years."

Bai Wanying placed her hands on the wheelchair: "It's right not to go back. Li Guoyi is a very arrogant person. He cried for Le Yao not because of love, but because Le Yao had escaped his control and finally abandoned him, that's why he cried."

I reckon that from childhood to adulthood, Li Guoyi has always been the one dumping others, and he can't stand being dumped. He deserves it.”

Despite her physical disability, Bai Wanying possesses a chivalrous spirit. If she were in a martial arts novel, she would undoubtedly be a female knight-errant who eliminates evil and upholds justice.

However, her words resonated with several people.

Because they talked so late into the night, Wei Xiaozhu, Bai Wanying, and Zhang Bing all spent the night in Building No. 26.

Sure enough, the next morning, Bai Wanying and Zhang Bing left, saying they were going back to Wujiaochang to take care of the shop's business.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Wei Xiaozhu sighed, "Life is unpredictable. The person you love most in this world is often not the one who is most suitable for you."

Li Heng and Mai Sui looked at each other in bewilderment.

Too lazy to cook for themselves, the three of them ate breakfast at Chunhua Noodle Shop.

Liu Chunhua's belly grew bigger every day, and now her pregnancy was quite obvious. Her husband, being a bit of a simpleton and considerate, only asked her to help make wontons. As for everything else, Zhang Zhiyong took care of it all, including cooking the noodles, wiping the tables and chairs, and washing the dishes.

Li Heng praised the simpleton, saying, "Ever since Sister Chunhua started following you, you've become a completely different person. I hardly recognize you anymore."

"Damn it! We grew up together wearing open-crotch pants, and you dare say you don't know Master Confucius? Be careful, or I'll skin you alive!" Although Zhang Zhiyong continued to swear, his sly smile clearly showed that he was very pleased.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, the simpleton suddenly changed his expression and said, "Old Heng, I have something to tell you."

Li Heng asked, "What is it?"

The simpleton said indignantly, "I've been having the same dream lately, where that son of a bitch is always bullying my mom. He beats her up because of those bastards outside. The more I think about it, the more I can't swallow this anger. I really want to go back to Shaoshi and kill that bastard!"

Li Heng understood that this was not a dream, but a fact from the past, and Lao Yong was using the dream to express his anger and dissatisfaction.

He frowned: "Now you have a wife and children, a warm bed, and they need you the most. Are you going to go back to Shaoshi and turn against your father? That's not a wise choice."

And to put it bluntly, with so many men under your father's command, in this small territory of Shaoshi, you can't win against him if you try to be ruthless."

"I'm not going to play hardball with him. Only an idiot would. A college student should use his intelligence." The dimwit pointed to his own head, his eyes full of malice.

Li Heng was speechless.

He just said that to scare him and advise him to be more careful. He didn't expect that the guy with the nickname "simpleton" would say to use wisdom.
Li Heng was somewhat uneasy: "How do we use wisdom?"

The dimwit licked his lips and chuckled, "I wasn't talking about now. I haven't decided yet, I'll deal with him after graduation."

With more than two years left until graduation, Li Heng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Let me know when the time comes."

Back at school, Wei Xiaozhu turned to Li Heng and said, "Li Heng, how about we make a deal? Can I borrow Mai Sui to play with you for a day?"

Li Heng and Mai Sui exchanged a glance and laughed heartily, "No problem, but you have to bring it back to me before sunset."

Unexpectedly, Wei Xiaozhu smiled and said, "No need to see me off. Come pick her up at Xiyuan Red Mansion this afternoon, and we'll celebrate the Lantern Festival at my aunt's house tonight."

Li Heng asked, "Your aunt...?"

Wei Xiaozhu interrupted him, "Don't worry about it. My aunt is a lively person. You can just come over."

She's only half right; Wei Quan is actually a quiet person.

But Wei Xiaozhu invited him because her aunt had previously spoken highly of Li Heng.

Li Heng thought for a moment and then agreed.

Mai Sui walked over, tiptoed to fix his hair, and said gently, "Xiao Zhu and I are going for a walk and will bring you lunch. Don't overwork yourself while reading, and take care of your eyes."

Li Heng said nothing, he just looked at her quietly.

Feeling his loving gaze, Mai Sui had a sudden thought. She quickly kissed his cheek lightly, then turned away shyly.

Wei Xiaozhu, standing to the side, was stunned. But then she remembered the scene of Li Heng and his friend kissing in a secluded corner of the teaching building, and she felt relieved.

After the two women left, Li Heng, having finished his respectful greeting, also hurried home. He had a lot to do today, and he couldn't afford to waste any time.

He was in good spirits in the morning, so he read and wrote, working on Chapter 32 of "Dust Settles Down":
The chieftain of Lasheba is here again.

He saw that the closed fortress had turned into an open and magnificent building, and thought he had gone to the wrong place.

This time, he didn't say he was my uncle anymore. Although, I don't even have a front door here... From 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Li Heng wrote more than 5700 words.

Quite satisfied.

Just as he put down his pen and prepared to rest for a while, he suddenly smelled the aroma of food. He turned his head and saw half a head peeking in through the doorway.

Mai Sui smiled gently at him, "Finished writing?" "Yes, haven't checked it yet."

"Let's eat first, we just brought it back from the Blue Sky Hotel."

"it is good."

After washing his hands, Li Heng sat on the sofa, took the bowl and chopsticks from Mai Sui like a lord, put a piece of beef in his mouth, and asked indistinctly, "Where is Xiaozhu?"

Mai Sui said, "I'm on the phone with Shi He next door."

Li Heng asked, "Did you make a phone call to Zhou Shihe from her house?"

Mai Sui was almost confused by his words, and laughed and said yes.

Li Heng asked, "We're leaving for the Netherlands in a couple of days. When are Shihe and Manning coming over?"

Mai Sui said, "I'll arrive tomorrow morning."

Li Heng nodded in agreement and began to shovel rice into his mouth.

Mai Sui sat beside him watching him eat, occasionally putting a few bites of food on his plate, while also telling him about the interesting things the two women had encountered while shopping that morning.

But as she was talking, her red lips were suddenly sealed, and she involuntarily slumped onto the sofa.

Mai Sui glanced nervously out the window, only relaxing when she saw that the doors and windows of Building 25 were tightly closed. As the man continued to penetrate her, her breathing became rapid, and she passionately wrapped her arms around the back of his head, tilting her neck back to gasp for breath.

In a moment, Li Heng, his eyes red, carried her into the bedroom, laid her flat on the bed, and then rolled over and pressed himself against her.

Mai Sui said fearfully, "The door on the first floor isn't closed, Xiaozhu could..."

She didn't say what came after "will," she didn't have the chance to say it, her little mouth was filled with red ink.

Mai Sui adjusted her posture slightly, and the compass she was holding opened a few more times. She thought he would indulge in pleasure to the end like he had the previous nights, but she didn't expect that after his French kiss, he would let go of her.

She asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Li Heng lay limp on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and said, "You're so alluring. Every time I'm with you, it's both a pleasure and a kind of torment."

Mai Sui felt a little guilty, then turned over and hugged him from the side.

The bedroom fell silent for a moment.

After a long, long time, Mai Sui surprisingly mentioned Song Yu: "What's the current state of things between you and Song Yu?"

Li Heng said, "Last time I wanted to introduce her to my parents, but she refused."

Wheat Ear was taken aback. "What's the reason?"

Li Heng said, "She said the time wasn't up yet."

After a brief exchange of questions and answers, the room fell silent again, each person lost in their own thoughts.

Li Heng wasn't comfortable mentioning another woman in front of one woman, so he changed the subject and asked, "Where are you and your aunt doing business now?"

The reason he asked this question was because he was thinking about Master Zou's fortune-telling and the great changes that had happened to the Mai family in his previous life.

Unfortunately, he still hasn't recalled any useful information about the upheaval in the Mai family. He doesn't know which year it happened, the time and place, or the specific details of the event. Zijing and Songyu have tried their best to block any contact between him and Mai Sui.

To be honest, he used to think Song Yu was a bit too cautious. With her qualities, how many people in the world could compare to her? Why was she worried that he would cheat on her?

But in this life, he understood. After experiencing tenderness and affection with Mai Sui, he fully understood Song Yu and Zi Jin's actions in their previous life.

If he were made of iron, then the alluring charm of the wheat ears and the captivating allure in her eyes would be a magnet, drawing him in with every move, making him unwilling to let go.

Mai Sui replied, "I called and my mother said she's in the south."

As long as they weren't going north, the two felt much more at ease. This feeling was inexplicable.

Just as the two were having their heart-to-heart talk, footsteps came from the stairwell. Mai Sui immediately sat up, hurriedly straightened her underwear, and then quickly put on her coat, asking, "Is my hair messy?"

Li Heng turned his head to look at her back and said, "It's alright, you can wear it."

Following his advice, Mai Sui, due to time constraints, decisively gave up further grooming, casually combed her hair a few times with a wooden comb, and went to the living room outside.

The timing was perfect; one came out of the bedroom, and the other went upstairs.

Wei Xiaozhu wanted to speak, but after seeing Mai Sui's appearance, she fell silent and stood motionless at the entrance of the stairwell.

Mai Sui asked guiltily, "What's wrong?"

Wei Xiaozhu chuckled upon hearing this, "Did he forget to wipe his mouth after eating? There's chili oil in it, you should go take a shower."

Mai Sui blushed instantly and nervously entered the washroom.

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Mai Sui felt like dying; she wanted to disappear into a hole. She saw many faint hickeys on her collarbone and below her neck, extending downwards along a certain line, sparking all sorts of fantasies…

He should have thought of that, but Xiaozhu arrived too suddenly, and he couldn't see what was in front of him, which led to…

Not daring to think about this absurd thing anymore, Mai Sui took a few deep breaths and went into the shower room.

Hearing the sound of rushing water, Wei Xiaozhu, standing at the entrance of the building, glanced back and forth between the shower room and Mai Sui's bedroom, thinking to herself: Is Li Heng still inside, on Sui Sui's bed?

Using the hickeys on Sui Sui's neck as a reference point, and imagining what had happened in the bedroom earlier, Wei Xiaozhu went downstairs with a flushed face, returning to where she came from.

However, she did not leave Lushan Village; she waited in the small building next door at number 27.

Twenty minutes later, Mai Sui reappeared in front of her friend. The two women looked at each other for a while, then tacitly avoided mentioning what had just happened.

Wei Xiaozhu suddenly asked, "Are you planning to have his children in the future?"

Mai Sui said, "I'll listen to him."

Wei Xiaozhu asked in surprise, "You'll listen to him completely?"

Looking out through the glass, Mai Sui said, "Having a child is a matter for two people; I can't do it alone."

Wei Xiaozhu understood the deeper meaning behind his words: "He loves you so much, he should give you his first child."

In Wei Xiaozhu's view, with Teacher Yu and Xiao Han standing in front of them, if Li Heng cannot openly marry Sui Sui, it would be best to give the first child to Mai Sui, so as to balance the status among the women.

After all, Li Heng is a famous writer with a large and successful family, not some small and insignificant one, so this first child carries great weight.

Mai Sui shook her head: "Let things take their course. Things will work out naturally. I don't want to see him troubled."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xiaozhu remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Maisui, I truly admire you."

Wheat Ear turned to her, "What do you admire about me?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "I admire your courage to love and hate, and I admire your purity. I couldn't do that."

Mai Sui smiled gently and said, "That's because you haven't met someone you're completely devoted to yet."

Wei Xiaozhu kept pondering the four words "devoted to" and fell into deep thought.

The Lantern Festival was spent at Xiyuan. Wei Quan's cooking skills were better than those of the average housewife, and she found several Lianyungang specialties to be fresh and delicious. Li Heng ate two large bowls of rice.

After the meal, Li Heng called the Song family.

"Jingle Bell…"

"Jingle Bell…"

Thank goodness, the call finally connected, and Jiang Yue's voice came from the other end: "Hello, who is this?"

"Auntie, it's me, Li Heng." Li Heng introduced himself.

"Are you in Shanghai?" Clearly, Jiang Yue had read the newspaper article and knew that he was performing in Singapore on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

“Yes, I’m going to the Netherlands in a couple of days,” Li Heng said.

On the surface, this is a pointless statement.

Actually, he was explaining that he was too busy during the Spring Festival to come to Dongting Lake to pay New Year's visits.

Originally, if Mai Sui hadn't arrived earlier, he planned to go to Dongting Lake to find Song Yu.

But Mai Sui came over. They were all his women, and he couldn't just abandon Mai Sui. For now, this was the only option.

He planned in his mind that he would visit the Song family to pay New Year's respects next year, no matter what.

Jiang Yue asked, "Is it also a performance?"

Li Heng replied, "Yes, Auntie, the Netherlands Philharmonic Wind Orchestra invited us to come and participate in a live concert."

Jiang Yue was quite shocked when she heard about the Netherlands Philharmonic Wind Orchestra. She never expected that Li Heng would reach such heights in just over a year.

Those who can be invited by this orchestra are usually internationally renowned musicians, let alone Li Heng, who is Chinese. In today's social environment, one can imagine how difficult it is.

Jiang Yue couldn't help but ask, "Which piece are you playing?"

Li Heng replied: "The Street Where the Wind Dwells, The Original Landscape of My Hometown".

"The Street Where the Wind Dwells" has just been performed in Singapore, so it's incredibly well-rehearsed.

Needless to say, "The Original Scenery of My Hometown" is the trio's signature song, which has been performed on the Spring Festival Gala, and their mastery of it remains perfect to this day.

Because it was these two pieces, Teacher Yu and Zhou Shihe were quite at ease and did not arrange for a long rehearsal.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yue, who makes a living through music, really wanted to go and enjoy the performance, but that was just a thought. After all, Li Heng and his daughter weren't officially together yet, so even if she was tempted, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Jiang Yue suppressed her desire and asked, "Are you looking for Yu Bao?"

Li Heng said, "Yes, Auntie, is Song Yu home?"

Jiang Yue said, "She and her aunt and the others are busy making spring tea in the courtyard outside. Wait a moment, I'll go call her."

"Thank you, Auntie," Li Heng replied quickly.

After hanging up the receiver, Jiang Yue walked straight outside and whispered to her daughter, "Yu Bao, phone call."

Song Yu turned around: "Whose is it?"

Jiang Yue said, "Li Heng."

Upon hearing this, Song Yu immediately put down the tea leaves in her hand, quickly washed her hands under the tap, and hurried into the main room.

Watching her daughter's swift and decisive movements, Jiang Yue felt a pang of unease. A woman's intuition told her that she, as a mother, couldn't stop this marriage.

It wasn't that she looked down on Li Heng.

Li Heng's philandering was something that Jiang Yue, whose traditional values ​​were dominant, found hard to accept at first.

As the saying goes: People have a thousand faces, and their hearts are ever-changing.

Like Zhong Lan, from the moment Li Heng got her daughter into bed, her kind attitude changed. She decided he was a scoundrel and hated him for ruining the Chen family's plan to "take in a son to continue the family line," so she disliked him.

Even though Li Hengcheng is now so successful that most people look up to him, Zhong Lan's "original intention" remains unchanged. If she doesn't like something, she just doesn't like it, and no amount of persuasion will change that.

In layman's terms, he's like a stubborn donkey, stubbornly sticking to his own ideas.

Jiang Yue, though a highly educated intellectual, is deeply influenced by mainstream social thought. She is filial to her parents and in-laws, loves her husband, and unites with relatives and friends. She also carefully nurtures her daughter, giving Song Yu the best love.

Perhaps because of her relatively happy life, she never thought about divorce, let alone being distracted by her relationship. She believed that the original spouse was the best in marriage and remained faithful to her husband until the end.

Therefore, even though she greatly admired Li Heng, she always felt that Li Heng was not the best match for Yu Bao.

Jiang Yue is a woman who is more rational than emotional.

Wei Shiman is a person of two extremes.

Before Li Heng was with Xiao Han, she looked down on him in every way, and she would tease him behind his back to her friends and family. She would gossip about him and talk behind his back all the time.

She was even smug about her adorable daughter ignoring Li Heng.

However, ever since Li Heng and her daughter got together, Wei Shiman changed her attitude. She became very attentive to Li Heng and even set out a series of rules for her daughter, hoping that her daughter's relationship with Li Heng would not be too affected by material things and would always remain pure.

Wei Shiman firmly believes that only by preserving this innocence can her daughter go further with Li Heng and withstand more turbulent times.

Li Heng has not had much contact with Mai Sui's mother and is not making any statements at this time.

Shen Xin, wow! No need to talk about it, she has a very bold and unrestrained personality.

Perhaps it was because she was well-informed, perhaps it was because she had seen too much dirty stuff, or perhaps it was because she had a different perspective, but she did not have the resistance she expected when it came to Li Heng's philandering; in fact, she was quite tolerant of it.

Shen Xin's only requirement was that her daughter must be registered as a daughter-in-law in the Li family's household register, and that Li Heng must marry her openly and legitimately.

Huang's mother, also known as Huang Zhaoyi's mother, shares a similar mindset with Shen Xin: she doesn't care whether Li Heng is a philanderer or not, but she does pursue a formal title.

The differences are also particularly obvious:
Shen Xin was willing to set aside her status to bring Li Heng together for her daughter's happiness, showing her genuine affection for him.

However, Huang's mother, mindful of her status, was unable to do so, which may be related to the fact that the leading lady had been slept with by Li Heng early on.

After sitting down on the sofa, Song Yu picked up the red receiver and spoke with an elegant and refined tone: "Li Heng, are you there?"

"exist."

Hearing her voice, Li Heng was delighted: "I've called you several times, and you finally answered today. Do you know how happy I am?"

Song Yu smiled and said, "I was busy visiting relatives and friends during the Spring Festival, and I didn't have a fixed place to go, so I didn't receive your call. But I did follow you. Your performance in Singapore was very successful, and the newspapers were full of positive reports. I'm so proud of you."

Li Heng's voice involuntarily rose several decibels: "Really?"

Song Yu smiled faintly and said yes.

Li Heng said, "Then you can write me a letter."

Song Yu said, "I wrote it, but I was afraid you wouldn't receive it, so I didn't send it."

Li Heng quickly replied, "Then send me the next letter along with it."

Song Yu agreed.

Having not seen each other for a while, Song Yu was a little more lively than usual, and responded to most of his questions.

As they were chatting, Song Yu suddenly asked out of the blue, "Did the wheat ears come out early?"

Li Heng's forehead was sweating.

I feel a little dizzy, what's going on? Mai Sui mentioned Song Yu for the first time ever, and Song Yu also asked about Mai Sui. Could it be that these two women are on the same wavelength?

With the intention of not lying to her, Li Heng braced himself and told her honestly, "She is at Fudan University."

After a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, Song Yu said, "It hasn't been easy for her to be with you, so you should treat her better."

Li Heng's lips moved, unsure how to respond for a moment, before finally managing to stammer, "I know."

Feeling the atmosphere was too heavy, Song Yu took the initiative to lighten the mood, teasingly asking, "Mai Sui's biggest characteristic is that she can easily make men fall for her. If you spend every day with her, do you still want to marry me?"

Without any hesitation, Li Heng blurted out, "Yes!"

Song Yu sat quietly for a while, then gently asked, "I have a question for you. If we get together in the future, would you prefer a daughter or a son for our first child?"

Without thinking, Li Heng replied, "Daughter."

Song Yu pressed, "Why?"

There's no reason why.

Because our first child in our previous life was a daughter.

Li Heng, with something on his mind, replied, "You are the one I love the most. I hope to have a daughter just like you."

Song Yu was stunned, then slowly said, "You know, Grandma took our birth dates to a fortune teller, and the result was that if our first child is a girl, she is likely to die young. Because of this, I've been having nightmares lately, dreaming that our daughter dies young."

Hearing this, Li Heng felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if someone was pricking him with needles, which was extremely uncomfortable.

He asked, speechless, "What if it's a boy?"

Song Yu thought for a moment and said, "Twins would be best."

Li Heng was taken aback: "The fortune teller's exact words?"

Song Yu said, "Yes."

Li Heng pressed his advantage, saying, "Then you'll give me twins, a boy and a girl."

Song Yu's face felt a little warm. She smiled beautifully, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

What she's thinking now is: to go to Lushan Village for the Dragon Boat Festival.

She would not make any emotional commitments to him before going to Lushan Village.

She then greeted the Song and Li families one by one. Before hanging up, Song Yu said, "Please call Mai Sui for me. I want to say a few words to her."

Li Heng said, "She's not here; she's at a classmate's house."

Then, he recounted how he spent the Lantern Festival at Teacher Wei Quan's house that night, and said at the end, "After dinner, I came back alone; she's still there."

Song Yu asked, "Is it far?"

Li Heng said, "It's a bit far."

Song Yu glanced at her watch. "It's raining heavily here, so let's stop here for today."

Her underlying meaning was: It's raining heavily outside, and all the relatives and family members are inside, so it's not very convenient to make a phone call.

Even through the receiver, he could hear the sound of heavy rain hitting the roof tiles. Li Heng understood and said, "Okay, I'll come find you in a while."

Song Yu did not refuse and agreed.

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Ten thousand words have been updated.

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(End of this chapter)