1987 My Era

Chapter 608, Zhou Shihe's Collapse, Liu Yue's Madness

The sixteenth day of the first lunar month, in the morning.

Zhou Shihe and Sun Manning returned to school.

Yu Shuheng also rushed back from Tokyo.

Somewhat coincidentally, the two groups of people arrived at the entrance of Lushan Village almost at the same time.

Facing each other across the distance, Zhou Shihe was the first to call out, "Teacher."

Yu Shuheng smiled and asked, "Not at school?"

Zhou Shihe gave a soft "hmm": "I went home."

Yu Shuheng nodded: "We're going to the Netherlands tomorrow, so the three of us will practice for a while this afternoon."

Zhou Shihe responded with a "yes".

As Yu Shuheng entered the alley, Sun Manning, who had been silent, tugged at Zhou Shihe's clothes furtively and asked with a puzzled look, "Hey! Could you two be any more fake when you greet each other? Your smiles are so forced, I can't sense any sincerity from you."

Zhou Shihe asked gently, "What is sincerity?"

“Like me, full of enthusiasm.” Sun Manning grinned mischievously, showing her teeth.

Zhou Shihe laughed along and then walked into the alley.

Sun Manning caught up with him and asked, "I don't understand, how could you two have such a big conflict? Is it really just because of differences in musical ideas?"

Zhou Shihe remained silent and continued walking.

Sun Manning persisted: "Could it be that the saying goes, opposites attract, likes repel? You're both too beautiful, so you can't stand each other?"

Zhou Shihe's cherry-like lips twitched slightly, but then she calmed down.

Upon reaching the end of Lushan Village, Sun Manning excitedly shouted in the middle of the alley, "Li Heng, come out and greet the guests! I'm back, and I've brought you some delicious food!"

Unexpectedly, Mai Sui came out of building number 26. "Li Heng is not home."

Sun Manning casually asked, "Where did he go?"

Mai Sui said, "He went to Xuhui this morning."

"Xuhui? He abandoned you to see Xiao Han?" Sun Manning asked cheekily.

Unfazed by any attempts to sow discord, Mai Sui bypassed her and spoke directly to Zhou Shihe: "Shihe, have you had lunch yet?"

Zhou Shihe shook her head: "Not yet."

Mai Sui said, "I haven't either. Come inside and put down your luggage, let's go to Lao Li's Restaurant for dinner."

Zhou Shihe agreed.

Sun Manning kept asking, "Maisui, you've been pampered by men for so long, are you treating us today?"

Mai Sui laughed and pinched her arm. "The professors from Lushan Village are all back. Keep your voice down, or I'll kick you out."

"Oh dear! I'm so scared! You don't want me, Li Heng doesn't want me, but there's Shihe. I'll live with Shihe." Sun Manning said this, but her voice automatically lowered a lot.

Before leaving, Mai Sui thoughtfully invited Teacher Yu to have lunch together, but the latter politely declined, saying that he was a little tired from catching the plane and needed to take a half-hour nap first.

Li Heng did indeed go to find Xiao Han. They had originally planned to pick Xiao Han up from the train station on the twelfth day of the first lunar month, but his older sister Xiao Qing had something come up and they were delayed. In the end, they simply stayed home and celebrated the Lantern Festival before going out.

Xiao Han was initially very worried about Zhou Shihe and Yu Shuheng, but after learning that Mai Sui had come out, she immediately calmed down. In her opinion, Mai Sui was not aggressive and would not pose a fatal threat to her. Having such a woman by Honey's side could effectively keep Zhou Shihe and Yu Shuheng at bay.

Of course, Xiao Han's tacit acceptance of Mai Sui's existence is also due to another important reason: she doesn't want to treat all the beautiful women around him as imaginary enemies, otherwise she would be isolated in the future.

After much thought, and filtering through all of Mr. Li's female confidantes, Xiao Han realized that Mai Sui was the one she could accept the most.

As for how she knew that Mai Sui was in Lushan Village?
In short, it's simple!
Isn't Zhang Zhiyong running a noodle shop near the entrance of Fudan University?

The simple-minded man was genuinely afraid of Xiao Han. He was tricked by this smiling tiger and unwittingly fell into the trap, revealing the wheat ears.

Li Heng ate lunch at Professor Wen Yan's house. Because his older sister Xiao Qing was there, because Professor Wen Yan had a lot of mess to deal with, and because he had arranged to practice the piece with Teacher Yu in the afternoon, Li Heng did not stay in Xuhui for long.

After lunch, he took the two Xiao sisters to stroll around the newly bought villa, and then rushed to Fudan University right on time.

Once Li Heng left, Xiao Qing relaxed and wandered around the mansion again. "It's really big, how many square meters is it again?"

Xiao Han said, "More than 1600."

Xiao Qing stretched out her arms and spun around twice on the grass, saying, "You're so good to me, Li Heng is so generous, so willing to give!"

Xiao Han smiled sweetly: "Sister, why don't you go upstairs and pick a bedroom? I'll decorate the interior according to your style."

“I’ve already spotted it. It’s in the room opposite your master bedroom, see it? The one by the window, where you can see the magnolias outside.” Xiao Qing pointed.

Following her sister's finger, Xiao Han said crisply, "You have good taste, you picked the best second bedroom."

Xiao Qing said, "I'm going to stay here for more than a month, and I'll decorate the room myself."

Xiao Han asked, "You have that much money?"

Xiao Qing retorted, "I've been working for several years and have some savings. Do you think you can pay for it for me?"

Xiao Han magically pulled a bankbook out of her pocket and drawled, "Of course I have one."

Xiao Qing stared at the passbook and asked, "How much money is in there?"

Xiao Han said, "5."

Xiao Qing asked, "The pocket money Li Heng gave you?"

Xiao Han revealed a shallow dimple. "Of course, he's my only man."

At that moment, envy was evident in Xiao Qing's eyes.

From a young age, she knew her younger sister was lucky. Not only did she possess exquisite features and beauty that transcended the town, but she also endured a six-year unrequited love for a boy, ultimately reaping immense happiness in return.

The only downside is that Li Heng is a bit of a womanizer.

But from another perspective, if a man had Li Heng's qualities, or even half of them, he would probably find it very difficult to be faithful in a relationship.

Even if Li Heng's love for his younger sister remains unchanged, there are still many outstanding women out there, and those women will be drawn to him like moths to a flame.

Li Heng can refuse thousands of offers for his younger sister, but what if one slips through the net?
What if you encounter someone who can defeat your younger sister in every way?

What if he happens to meet a woman who can touch Li Heng's heart?

Okay, in reality, there's no such thing as "what if".

Song Yu was the one who slipped through the net, Mai Sui counted as half, Chen Zijin counted as half, and Teacher Yu counted as one.

As for Zhou Shihe, Xiao Qing didn't dare to think about it. If she also slipped through the net, would her younger sister's position still be secure? It would be really hard to say.

In particular, when walking the red carpet in Singapore, Li Heng was holding Zhou Shihe's left hand and Yu Shuheng's right hand, which made many people speculate, but they did not want to ask the parties involved for confirmation.

However, she still chose to believe in Li Heng, betting that he was the kind of person who cherished old friendships.

Once her thoughts returned, Xiao Qing asked, "Is it because I'm here that Li Heng feels uncomfortable being intimate with you, so he went back to school?"

Xiao Han reached out and took her sister's hand, cleared her throat and said, "No, that's not true. He's going to the Netherlands tomorrow, and he's practicing his piece with his partner today."

Xiao Qing understood. "I see. No wonder you didn't go to Fudan University this afternoon."

Xiao Han admitted, "Performing abroad is a big deal, and I don't want to be distracted by it."

What kind of spirit is this?

How can I get distracted?

The two sisters knew perfectly well that if they went to Fudan University, they would inevitably run into Li Heng's other female confidantes, which would embarrass him.

....
Building No. 27.

Around 2:30 p.m., Li Heng, who had rushed back from Xuhui, hurriedly headed to the music room with his ocarina and erhu.

Unexpectedly, Yu Shuheng and Zhou Shihe were already waiting inside. One of the women was sitting quietly in front of the piano, and the other was standing by the window, both holding sheet music and reviewing their pieces. They did not exchange any words.

In fact, they were already quite familiar with the sheet music; they could recite it backwards even with their eyes closed. The reason they still held the sheet music was to create a barrier between them.

"Sorry I'm a little late." Li Heng ran to the door in one breath, breaking the certain balance inside.

Zhou Shihe looked at him.

Yu Shuheng also turned her head and said gently, "Let's rest for a bit. There's no rush today; we should have enough time."

"Okay, sure." Li Heng walked in, closed the music room door behind him, and then plopped down on the sofa to compose himself.

He had only been sitting for a short while when he sensed something was off in the room, so he tried to make conversation: "Teacher, have you bought your plane ticket yet?"

“I bought it. My flight is at 8 a.m. tomorrow,” Yu Shuheng said.

“Then we need to get going early,” Li Heng said.

Yu Shuheng said, "We need to set off before dawn."

After a brief exchange of a few minutes, Li Heng also sat down in his designated spot, in the chair to the left of the piano.

Seeing this, Yu Shuheng returned to her seat and said, "Let's practice 'The Original Scenery of My Hometown' first."

She was an elder and also their actual university teacher, so Li Heng and Zhou Shihe had no objections when she spoke.

They had rehearsed "The Original Scenery of My Hometown" countless times before, and with all three members possessing above-average musical talent, there was no question of "rustiness" when the emotions were properly prepared.

The first round of joint practice is both the starting point and the peak.

After eight or nine repetitions, the three of them had a good grasp of the piece and tacitly switched to "The Street Where the Wind Dwells." Needless to say, this piece had just been successfully performed in Singapore 10 days prior, and it was an instant hit from the start, with no unnecessary movements.

While playing "The Street Where the Wind Dwells," Yu Shuheng kept a close eye on Li Heng and Zhou Shihe's interaction and their micro-expressions.

As someone who understands music, Yu Shuheng was well aware of the power of this piece. Even someone as calm as Zhou Shihe couldn't help but feel emotional fluctuations every time she played it.

Each fluctuation represents a step forward in Zhou Shihe's tolerance towards someone.

This is an extremely dangerous sign.

If possible, Yu Shuheng would not want to perform "The Street Where the Wind Dwells" at all; she would be happy with any other song, but she was just worried about this one.

In fact, in her opinion, if Li Heng and Zhou Shihe really do break through the first emotional barrier in the future, then this song "The Street Where the Wind Dwells" will definitely play a significant role, and can definitely be considered their love song and their "matchmaker".

Unsurprisingly, when the music reached its most intense moment, Li Heng couldn't help but look at Zhou Shihe. It was as if she had eyes in her forehead; she sensed his every move.

However, Zhou Shihe did not interact with him this time. She suppressed a certain inner calling with great willpower and kept her head down to play the piano without ever looking up.

After finishing the song, Yu Shuheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

However, the situation didn't allow her to relax for long. When she was practicing "The Street Where the Wind Dwells" for the fifth time, Zhou Shihe suddenly stopped.

You heard me right, literally, it was interrupted!!!
At this moment, Zhou Shihe's hands had already left the black and white keys. Her slender figure sat upright in front of the grand piano, her eyes lowered. After a long while, she spoke apologetically: "Let's stop practicing here. I'm a little dizzy and tired. I want to eat something and sleep for a while."

Yu Shuheng looked at Zhou Shihe, then at Li Heng. She knew better than anyone that Zhou Shihe wasn't physically exhausted, but rather suffering from severe mental exhaustion.

As for why there's this mental exhaustion, and for whom? Is there even a need to ask?

Everyone here is smart enough to guess something.

Yu Shuheng gave Zhou Shihe a meaningful look again, glanced at her watch, and then said while packing up her violin, "Today's rehearsal went very well. It's almost lunchtime now, Shihe, eat something and get some rest. Li Heng, come with me for a moment."

After saying that, Teacher Yu carried her violin and left the practice room, quickly went down the stairs, and left Building No. 27.

After Teacher Yu left, Li Heng put down his erhu and went up to Zhou Shihe to ask her with concern, "What do you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you."

She hasn't fully recovered from the world of the music yet; his voice is, in a way, like a deadly poison.

Fortunately, Zhou Shihe had good willpower. She looked down quietly at the sheet music, her cute little mouth tightly pouting, ignoring him.

With only the two of them left in the music room, the air gradually became heavy, and the atmosphere became somewhat subtle. Unconsciously, Li Heng took another step closer, staring intently at the wisps of hair by her ear, especially wanting to reach out and tuck them behind her ear, just like last time.

But he didn't.

A voice in my head struggled to tell me: You can't do this.

Zhou Shihe seemed to understand his thoughts. Her heart pounded a few times. After calming down, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear with her right hand and took a half-step back without making a sound.

Stay away from him.

Noticing her defensive behavior, Li Heng remained silent for a moment before saying, "Teacher Yu probably needs to see me. I'll go over there first. I'll call Mai Sui in later. Just tell her what you want to eat."

Zhou Shihe, who had been sitting like a statue, finally reacted this time, letting out a weak "hmm".

She never looked up or saw him.

Seeing this, Li Heng wisely didn't linger any longer, turned around and left the music room, going down the stairs.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Zhou Shihe's tense nerves immediately relaxed, and then her body slumped limply onto the piano like a deflated balloon.

She used to cherish the piano and would never lean her body on it like this.

But today, she was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and couldn't care less about anything else. All she wanted was a place to release her inner turmoil.

Why did you barge in?
Aren't those three women enough to satisfy you?

For the first time, she didn't dare to run away anymore and clearly recognized the shadow in her heart.

But she wanted to wipe it away, to drive him away.

....
After leaving the small building at No. 27, Li Heng went straight home.

As soon as he entered, he said to Mai Sui, who was tidying up the sofa, "Mai Sui, Comrade Shi He is not feeling well. Go and take care of her. I have to go see Teacher Yu."

Mai Sui stopped what she was doing, straightened up, and asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Li Heng shook his head: "She's probably hungry, and has low blood sugar."

Whether it's low blood sugar or not, it's mealtime anyway, so he thought it would be good to grab a bite.

Mai Sui said, "Okay, I'll be right there. You go ahead and get busy."

Li Heng nodded, put the ocarina and erhu on the sofa, and turned to go to the small building at No. 25 across the street.

...

At this very moment, Yu Shuheng is making coffee on the second floor.

He puts three sugar cubes in one cup.

She drinks a cup, maintaining the original flavor.

Seeing him emerge from the stairwell, Yu Shuheng's lips curled into a half-smile as she said, "I thought he would strike while the iron was hot and wouldn't come over so quickly."

What should we strike while the iron is hot?
Of course, I should seize this perfect opportunity to launch a romantic offensive against Zhou Shihe!
As the old saying goes, once this opportunity is gone, it's gone forever; this is a rare chance to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Yu Shuheng was still worried that the young man might not be able to resist temptation and would do something reckless.

So, before she left, she deliberately left him a message, telling him to come find her. The purpose was self-evident.

Li Heng rolled his eyes and sat down opposite her: "Hey, you're supposed to be my teacher, have some decency, don't try to set me up."

"Teacher? How can you kiss and hug a teacher like that?" Yu Shuheng's eyes were eerie and full of pressure, as if she wanted to tear him apart alive.

Their eyes met, and after two minutes, Li Heng gave in. He blinked his troubled eyes and said, "Tell me, why did you call me here?"

Yu Shuheng gestured with her chin toward the coffee, "Have coffee with me."

Li Heng was dizzy, but still politely picked up his coffee and took a few sips.

Yu Shuheng asked, "How does it taste?"

Li Heng honestly replied, "Same as always, it tastes great."

Yu Shuheng smiled smugly, picked up her coffee cup with her right hand, and began to drink elegantly.

For a moment, the two seemed to forget the time and their conversation, peacefully enjoying their coffee in the silence.

After slowly finishing half a glass, Yu Shuheng put down the glass, parted her red lips slightly, and broke the silence, saying, "You have two things to do when you go to the Netherlands this time. One is to give an exclusive interview to Time magazine, and the other is to perform."

Li Heng asked, "Oh, when is the interview scheduled?"

Yu Shuheng said, "The day after tomorrow morning."

Li Heng asked, "Are you and Shihe doing the interview together?"

Yu Shuheng said, "Together. But you're the main character, so you'll have the most questions. Shihe and I are just supporting characters."

Li Heng put down his coffee cup and asked the question he was most concerned about: "What kind of questions will Time magazine arrange? Has the teacher seen them? Otherwise, I won't accept the interview."

Western media generally view China with prejudice and are adept at double standards and setting traps. If he were to give an interview in such a blatant manner, he would simply ignore it.

So what if you're the famous Time magazine? If you don't do what I want, who cares about you?

Yu Shuheng was clearly well-prepared. She immediately took out a stack of documents from her bag and handed them to him, saying, "These were sent to me by the other party. I have carefully checked all the issues and consulted with professional lawyers and relevant people. I have already crossed out a few sensitive topics in advance."

As for these questions, take a close look at them yourself. Answer them if you want to, and skip them if you don't. Your teacher will take responsibility for anything that happens.

Taking on the responsibility means providing a safety net.

Her meaning was very clear: answer whatever you want, and the teacher will protect you as the last line of defense.

Li Heng felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this, and took the document to examine it carefully.

This process was rather long, lasting roughly 10 minutes. Yu Shuheng calmly and leisurely observed his micro-expression changes, and finally asked, "How are you feeling?"

Li Heng said, "It's alright, thank you, teacher."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shuheng got up and moved to sit next to him, saying, "To be on the safe side, let's verify the questions and possible answers, and check our statements."

Li Heng knew she was doing it for his own good, so the two of them got together to discuss it, analyzing and pondering each issue one by one. Previously, he thought Teacher Yu had a good temperament, an air of scholarly elegance, and was cultured, talented, and incredibly impressive.

But after this conversation, Li Heng realized that this woman was far more impressive than he had imagined. Her perspective and breadth of thinking about problems were far beyond what he, a country boy, could compare to.

Even after a lifetime, he still lacked her keen international perspective and comprehensive understanding.

After a 40-minute conversation, Li Heng felt nothing but admiration for her in this regard.

He thought to himself: I used to think that I could do great things and become a superior person because I was reborn.

But now he realizes that his shortcomings are very obvious, and he lacks real depth.

After discussing the last issue, Yu Shuheng suddenly asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Li Heng closed the document, sighed, and said, "Teachers are honest after all, and students are still students."

Yu Shuheng said softly, "What? You accept me as your teacher now?"

Li Heng placed the documents on the coffee table, his words sincere: "I'm convinced."

Yu Shuheng smiled gracefully, reached out her hands, and wrapped them around his neck with great interest. They looked at each other for a long time, and finally kissed him for three seconds with utmost seriousness.

Then she let go of him and said, "Little brother, graduate soon. I don't want to be your teacher anymore."

Li Heng didn't say anything, but simply rested his head on her lap and closed his eyes.

Seeing him like this, Yu Shuheng not only did not resist, but instead smiled and looked down at him.

She realized: he was responding to her with this intimate gesture.

That is a gain.

In the past, he would have at most said "Stop messing around" or rolled his eyes; but now, he considers his own needs.

Perhaps this is what happiness is for a woman: feeling a man gradually accept her in his heart, and she feels a great sense of accomplishment.

After more than ten minutes passed quietly, Yu Shuheng remembered something and asked, "I heard from your Aunt Shen Xin that you called her 'Mom'?"

Li Heng wanted to explain, but the words that came out of his mouth were very blunt: "He shouted."

Yu Shuheng's lips curled into a smile: "From the bottom of your heart?"

Li Heng pondered for a moment, then replied, "Half and half."

Gazing at the man, Yu Shuheng's right hand unknowingly covered his face, thinking: Half is enough for now, enough to keep her feeling fresh, enough to keep her comfortable for a long time.

Half an hour later, Li Heng sat up. "I'm a little hungry. Shall we go eat together?"

Yu Shuheng glanced at her watch: "We're leaving the country tomorrow, so I need to go see Sister Siya tonight. I need to give her some things to her parents, and also..."

She stopped there.

Li Heng pressed further: "What else?"

Yu Shuheng tapped her knees a few times with her fingers and said in a muffled voice, "Siya has already made the worst-case scenario plan and asked me to tell her parents to find a sunny and auspicious place for them, just in case."

Li Heng frowned: "A cemetery?"

Yu Shuheng nodded.

Li Heng asked, "Is there really no hope?"

Yu Shuheng said, "I don't know either."

Li Heng asked, "What did the doctors and experts in Tokyo say?"

Yu Shuheng told him, "The answer is still the same: I don't know."

Li Heng was speechless.

After a while, he asked, "It's getting dark, do you want me to come with you?"

Yu Shuheng was tempted, but declined: "Liu Bei and Zeng Yun can come with me, you can go about your business."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng didn't insist. He stood up, and the two went downstairs together.

Teacher Yu has passed away.

Li Heng stood in the middle of the alley for a while, then walked into the small building at No. 27.

As soon as she entered, she bumped into Ye Ning, who was coming out from inside. The girl patted her chest and complained in pain, "Li, you rich man, can't you watch where you're going? What are you daydreaming about? You bumped into me and you've ruined my breasts! You have to pay me back for them!"

Li Heng: "..."

He really wanted to yell at this idiot: "When the hell did you get breasts? How come I didn't know?"
He peered into the room and asked, "Why are you alone? Where are the others?"

Ye Ning asked, "Who do you want to ask?"

Li Heng said, "Ask them all."

Ye Ning said, "Mai Sui went to Lao Li's Restaurant, Shi He went to Lao Li's Restaurant, Man Ning is there too, I was just planning to go, are you coming?"

Li Heng took a deep breath. Damn it! He really wanted to crush her with one finger!

There's just too much nonsense! If this were a modern online novel, people would probably call him a "watery b*tch."

Too lazy to talk to her anymore, the two left Lushan Village and headed towards Old Li's Restaurant outside the school.

He suddenly stopped halfway through his journey. "Comrade Ye Ning, you go ahead. I just remembered something I need to take care of."

Ye Ning was puzzled, but didn't ask any further questions. She knew that this handsome man in front of her couldn't be judged by conventional standards, so she left alone.

Five minutes later, Li Heng glanced around, then crossed the road, walked about 250 meters to his left, and then pulled open a Santana in the corner and got in.

He was completely bewildered as soon as he sat in the passenger seat, and the next second he opened the car door, wanting to get out immediately.

Seeing this, the driver quickly reached out and grabbed him, saying with a mournful expression, "Am I that scary? You look like you've seen a ghost, and you still want to run away?"

Li Heng suppressed his annoyance and asked, "Why did you bring your aunt's car?"

That's right, the person who came was Liu Yue.

When he spotted the Santana earlier, he assumed it was Huang Zhaoyi who had come to see him, so after sending Ye Ning away, he waited an extra 5 minutes before coming over.

Who would have thought it was this idiot!

The moment he saw her smiling face, he felt a surge of anger, and for a fleeting moment, he had the urge to slap her and teach her a lesson.

Although he has now accepted the role of the leading lady, he still harbors resentment towards the culprit.

Liu Yue asked, "Did you think it was my aunt, that she came to ask you to sleep with her?"

Li Heng raised his eyebrows and was about to get out of the car again.

However, this time Liu Yue was prepared and started the car and drove forward, making it impossible for him to get out.

After turning left and right, the car stopped in Huang Zhaoyi's new courtyard more than 10 minutes later.

We stopped under the grapevines.

As soon as the car was turned off, under his gaze, Liu Yue made a jaw-dropping move; she…

She was taking off her clothes, first her coat, then her undershirt, and then she half-stood up to pull off her trousers...

Li Heng was stunned, his mind went blank for a moment. When she finished taking off her trousers and was about to take off her leggings, he hurriedly reached out and pressed her hand down, angrily shouting, "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

Liu Yue gritted her teeth: "It was my fault last time. I shouldn't have drugged you. I regretted it afterwards. I shouldn't have ruined my aunt like that. If I could turn back time, I would rather it was me who was tormented that night, not my aunt."

Li Heng said expressionlessly, "Put your clothes on!"

Liu Yue asked, "You've forgiven me?"

Li Heng said angrily, "You think that's possible?"

Liu Yue puffed out her cheeks: "Then take me. Now that things have come to this, I don't know how to apologize to you anymore."
My most valuable asset is my virginity. If you hate me, you can take it. Afterwards, I promise to forget everything and never appear in your and my aunt's world again.

Li Heng asked, "If that's the case, then why did you impersonate your aunt today?"

Liu Yue said, "My aunt went to Hong Kong. After much consideration, I felt I should see you and give you an explanation. So I waited until it was almost dark before coming to wait for you."

Li Heng said irritably, "Is that all you're going to say? You want me to...you think you're beautiful enough? Or do you think I'm heartless? Or am I just looking for a woman?"

Liu Yue pouted: "I won't tell anyone afterwards. You're afraid of being found out, but I'm afraid my family will beat me."

Li Heng looked straight ahead, not wanting to look at her: "I'll say it one last time, put your clothes on."

She stared at his profile for a long time before quickly putting on her clothes.

After she finished dressing, she said, "I gave you a chance, but you didn't take it, so don't blame me. I won't feel guilty towards you anymore. Otherwise, life is too tiring, with only a few decades to live."

Li Heng didn't want to hear about this. "Is there anything else? If not, I'm leaving."

Liu Yue bent down and took a box from the back seat and gave it to him.

Li Heng did not answer.

Liu Yue said, "It's a watch. I bought it with the first money I earned from working part-time at Stanford University."

Li Heng pushed her hand away, "Your aunt gave me a watch."

Liu Yue asked in surprise, "What brand is it?"

Li Heng glanced at her and said, "Rolex, Daytona series."

"Oh! Such a nice watch? But my aunt is a rich woman, she doesn't lack money. My watch isn't as good as hers, so I won't give it to you." With that, she decisively took back the box and put it back on the back seat.

After doing all this, she sat down again: "Don't be so impatient, and don't rush off. I won't take up too much of your time. After today, we'll see each other as fate dictates. I won't come looking for you again."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng pondered for a while and then fell silent.

Liu Yue asked, "How's my aunt's taste? She practices opera often and has a great figure. She should satisfy your curiosity, right?"

Li Heng said, "If you're going to tell dirty jokes, then there's no need for us to continue."

"Oh! How stingy! I'm the top student at Fudan University, and you won't even give me a second glance?" Liu Yue deliberately puffed out her chest to provoke him.

"Number one, Little Wang? Those busybodies would have switched your positions long ago." Li Heng retorted, not tolerating her bad temper.

Liu Yue asked curiously, "Who's in first place now?"

Li Heng said, "Ears of wheat."

Liu Yue said with a beaming smile, "Oh, so it's her. I heard she's now also one of your admirers. No wonder you favor her."

Li Heng turned his head away.

Liu Yue quickly waved her hand, "Alright, alright, I know you're protective of your own, I won't mention Mai Sui. Let's talk about another Fudan student, Ye Zhanyan. Isn't she also one of your admirers?"

Li Heng asked, "You ran into her?"

Liu Yue said, "Senior Ye is quite famous in American university circles. Not only is she outstanding in ability, but she is also very beautiful. Her public speaking skills are exceptional, and she is very popular among college students and large companies."

Li Heng listened thoughtfully, "She's doing a part-time job outside?"

"To be precise, it was an internship, an internship at Morgan Stanley," Liu Yue said.

Li Heng asked, "How did you get in? Morgan Stanley must be hard to get into."

Liu Yue gave the answer: "The appreciation of a benefactor + one's own talent."

Li Heng asked in surprise, "A distinguished person?"

Liu Yue said, "She met a good mentor."

Li Heng understood. "And you? I heard you're starting a business in the computer field?"

Liu Yue asked, "Who told you? My aunt? Or have you been secretly keeping an eye on me?"

Li Heng's lips twitched: "I'd have to be crazy to care about you. Your aunt is my woman now, why would I bother with you? You're not even as pretty as her."

Liu Yue retorted, "Radishes and cabbages, each has its own merits. Although my aunt is indeed prettier than me, she's definitely not as uninhibited as me in bed. It's hard to say who's more charming in a man's arms."

Pah! You think you can let go?

The leading lady in the Qingyi role was completely uninhibited with him.

However, Huang Zhaoyi had no choice, because she knew where she stood. Not only was her relationship with Li Heng inherently flawed, but her overall conditions were also inferior to Song Yu's. She was also older than Xiao Han, Chen Zijin, and Yu Shuheng, and she didn't have Mai Sui's inner charm. So she could only put aside her pride and use her body to please him.

Of course, Huang Zhaoyi was also willing to please Li Heng. She had truly fallen in love with him, so she didn't mind doing things that seemed unspeakable.

Well, Huang Zhaoyi perfectly illustrated the famous saying with her own experience: People can do earth-shattering foolish things for love.

Li Heng rolled his eyes: "Get to the point, don't beat around the bush."

Liu Yue put away her nonchalant expression, pondered for a long time, and said, "After my aunt got together with you, she became much more cheerful. In the few days since I came back, I have often seen a smile on her face, and she seems to have become younger."

There's still your photo on her bedside table.

From this perspective, I've indirectly helped her, which lessened my guilt.

However, every good thing has its bad side. She is not young anymore and often lives alone, while her grandmother frequently nags about her status and position.

Li Heng, my aunt is 33 years old this year, the prime of a woman's life. Could you give her a child? I can tell she really wants a child; when we go shopping, her eyes are constantly drawn to children's toys and baby clothes.

Li Heng said quietly, "This is between her and me. We have something to discuss between us. Don't interfere."

Liu Yue looked incredulous: "Really?"

Li Heng acquiesced.

Liu Yue observed him for a while, then clapped her hands and said, "It seems my aunt didn't love the wrong person. You are more humane and responsible than I imagined. Since you've considered it, just ignore what I said today."

After saying that, she restarted the car: "You gave me the most beautiful answer, thank you, I'll take you home now."

Li Heng turned his head to look out the window; the new house was pitch black.

Liu Yue: "Would you like to come inside and sit for a while? This is your home too."

Li Heng waved his hand: "We'll talk about it when she comes back."

The two did not speak to each other for the next few minutes.

When they were about 250 meters from the gate of Fudan University, she pulled over and said the last words of their meeting: "Uncle, I'll call you that from now on."

Li Heng did not respond and got out of the car and left.

Watching him leave, Liu Yue glanced back at the watch box on the back seat. A minute later, the Santana also left the area and left Yangpu.

....
Back at the school gate, Li Heng looked around for a moment before finally entering Chunhua Noodle Shop.

Surprisingly, there were three other tables inside where people were having a late-night snack, eating noodles and fried dumplings.

Li Heng sat down and said to Liu Chunhua who came over, "Sister Chunhua, give me a bowl of mixed rice noodles, with extra chili."

Liu Chunhua smiled and agreed, then brought him two cold dishes: shredded kelp and dried tofu.

While waiting for his food, he noticed that the people at the other three tables in the restaurant were secretly watching him, like curious children. However, he was already used to this kind of scene and didn't feel much resistance.

The rice noodles arrived, topped with a fried egg. This was something the dim-witted guy added without permission, based on his own preferences.

Half a minute later, Zhang Zhiyong sat down opposite him.

Li Heng asked, "Business seems to be doing quite well lately."

"Hehe, don't you even know who the old master's wife is? Her cooking is superb, her business is sure to be good." Zhang Zhiyong had a pointed mouth and monkey-like face, with a naturally fierce and comical appearance.

Li Heng suggested, "Sister Chunhua's belly is getting bigger every day, and school is about to start again. You could ask someone for help."

Zhang Zhiyong rubbed his hands together. "Oh my god, I know what's going on. The old man has called the old woman over."

Li Heng looked around, "Where is your mother?"

Zhang Zhiyong said, "Not yet. On the train, we'll arrive in Shanghai at 9 a.m. tomorrow."

Li Heng asked, "She traveled alone? How dare she?"

Zhang Zhiyong said, "There's also my uncle's daughter. She's incredibly stupid when it comes to school. She can only do addition and subtraction within 5 and can't do multiplication and division. She's like an idiot. She repeated four grades in a row in the fifth grade of elementary school. It's really unbelievable! My uncle stopped sending her to school. There's no use keeping her at home, so she came to me to help out."

These words reminded Li Heng of his older sister, who was good at everything, both in appearance and in doing things, but when it came to studying, she was as stubborn as an eggplant, completely unyielding.

He said, "With two of them coming at once, Sister Chunhua can have some time to rest, which is not bad."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and looked up to ask, "Are your mom and dad divorced?"

Zhang Zhiyong gestured with his fingers and swore: "That idiot disagreed at first, so I called him and threatened him that if he didn't divorce my mother, I would tell Qian Yuejin, that butcher, where he lived in Shao City. Who knows what might happen?"

They say the ruthless fear the reckless, and the reckless fear the fearless. That idiot was probably afraid of Qian Yuejin's revenge, so he went through with the divorce proceedings with my mother the very next day.

Li Heng nodded: "It's good to draw a clear line. You have everything you need now, and your future is bright. Settle down and live a good life in Shanghai. If you need any help later, just let me know."

With a sly and shameless grin, he said in a lewd and smug way, "That's right! I have to tell you! The reason I dared to bring Sister Chunhua and my old lady to Shanghai is because I have you, Uncle Heng, backing me up. We can walk around outside with our heads held high and our confidence is off the charts."

After the two brothers chatted and joked for a while, Li Heng finished his rice noodles and, feeling refreshed, said jokingly, "It would be great if you could open a Hunan restaurant, specializing in home-style dishes. Sigh, in such a big city, it's impossible to find authentic Hunan cuisine."

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Zhang Zhiyong's eyes darted around, and he thought to himself: This is a good idea. I can put it into consideration later.

P.S.: I don't have many monthly votes. Could you guys please help me by casting a monthly vote? Thank you so much!

Update first, then revise.

10300 words have been updated.

(End of this chapter)