1987 My Era

Chapter 640, Late at Night

Anyone who frequently eats snails knows that sucking out snails requires skill.

Li Heng likes to pinch one snail in his left hand and put another in his mouth with his right hand to suck hard. When the snail meat comes out, he gently flicks it with the tip of his tongue, and then the snail meat rolls into his mouth.

Mai Sui squinted at the ceiling for a while, and then, unable to resist the urge, she looked down at him again, feeling hot all over and weak and numb.

Just as the atmosphere in the living room was getting lively and enthusiastic, a shout suddenly rang out from below:

"Old Heng! Old Heng! Open the door! Open the door!"

The shouts were mixed with urgent knocking on the door, clearly indicating that the person who came was very anxious.

Mai Sui reacted most quickly, instantly snapping out of her reverie and softly saying, "It sounds like Zhang Zhiyong."

"Hmm." Li Heng was quite annoyed; he was in a good mood when he was interrupted.

Damn it, I feel like dying.

Mai Sui said, "Go and open the door quickly. Zhang Zhiyong is in such a hurry, something must have happened."

As she spoke, Mai Sui got up from him, then shyly turned her back to him, and pulled her clothes back down one by one, straightening them.

Li Heng whispered affectionately in her ear, "It really feels amazing, I could eat this forever."

Hearing this, and recalling his actions just now, Mai Sui felt a burning sensation behind her ears and dared not look at him.

Li Heng ran to the washroom, turned on the tap, and quickly splashed several handfuls of cold water on his face to cool himself down. Then he took off his shirt and draped it around his waist to block the terrifying dragon whip before rushing downstairs.

Since it was around 10 p.m., this corner at the end of the alley was very quiet. Zhang Zhiyong's ghostly howl immediately startled the neighbors, who all came up to the attic to check the situation.

This includes Teacher Yu.

This includes Zhou Shihe, her mother, and her aunt from the neighboring building number 27.

With a creak, Li Heng opened the courtyard gate and asked with concern, "Old Yong, what happened?"

"Sister Chunhua has a stomachache, my wife has a stomachache, and she's bleeding," Zhang Zhiyong said, his voice trembling with tears.

Li Heng immediately raised his voice and asked, "Did you call an ambulance?"

Zhang Zhiyong shook his head violently; judging from his expression, he was probably terrified.

Li Heng immediately pushed aside the idiot and shouted towards the attic of building number 25: "Teacher, please call an ambulance for me. Lao Yong's wife has a stomachache and is bleeding."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shuheng rushed back to the living room to make a phone call, then grabbed her bag and ran to Chunhua Noodle Shop with Li Heng, Zhang Zhiyong, and Mai Sui.

Zeng Yun drove over in his Mercedes, but the ambulance hadn't arrived yet.

Yu Shuheng immediately said to Zeng Yun, "There's bleeding. This situation can't be delayed. We need to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Let's get in the car right away."

After being fussed over by everyone, Liu Chunhua was helped into the back seat of the Mercedes, while Yu Shuheng sat in the passenger seat, and the dim-witted man sat in the back to keep his wife company.

On the way, the Mercedes encountered an ambulance. With Yu Shuheng's help, Liu Chunhua was quickly transferred to the ambulance.

Li Heng, Mai Sui, and Zhang Zhiyong's mother arrived at the hospital later.

At this time, Que Xinyan and Zeng Yun were waiting in the hospital corridor, but Teacher Yu was nowhere to be seen.

Li Heng walked over and asked, "Where is Teacher Yu?"

Zeng Yun lowered his voice and said, "Miss Yu made a phone call; the pregnant woman's condition is not optimistic."

Li Heng asked worriedly, "What did the doctor say?"

Zeng Yun said, "The baby is likely to be born prematurely, and the pregnant woman is also facing the risk of severe bleeding. She has been inside for some time now, and we still don't know the situation inside."

Upon hearing about the premature birth and possible massive bleeding, Li Heng was a little dazed, his mind completely blank. He then sat down next to the man with a heart condition and patted him on the shoulder.

The simpleton asked in a low voice, "Uncle Heng, do you have a cigarette?"

Li Heng shook his head. "I don't smoke, so why would I be carrying cigarettes?"
But he still got up and got a pack of cigarettes from the doctor on duty at the hospital.

The two hid in a corner of the corridor, opened the window, lit a cigarette, and started smoking.

A simpleton with a heavy heart, a cheerful person who doesn't talk much.

Li Heng silently stayed by his side as he smoked.

After smoking five cigarettes in a row, the dimwit, whose lips were cracked from the smoking, finally cried out, "Damn you, God! If Sister Chunhua can't be saved, I'll kill you!"

Li Heng comforted her, "Everything will be alright, Lao Yong. Don't say discouraging things in a place like a hospital. Chunhua is clearly a lucky person; she'll definitely pull through. As her husband, you need to cheer up now."

Yu Shuheng called back and told the two of them, "The best obstetrician in Shanghai will be here soon. He has saved many women with severe bleeding since he started practicing medicine, and he is very experienced."

Less than 10 minutes later, the sound of a helicopter could be heard outside the hospital. Then, a doctor in his 50s, accompanied by several doctors and nurses, strode towards the delivery room.

Yu Shuheng stood aside without greeting the newcomers, in order to save time.

The hospital director rushed over from his bed at home. He first chatted privately with Teacher Yu for a while, then politely shook hands with Li Heng, and finally said to Que Xinyan and Zhang Ma: "Please rest assured, we have invited the best obstetricians in Shanghai and gathered the best resources in our hospital. We will do our best to ensure the safety of mother and child."

At that moment, the simple-minded man was speechless, tears welling up in his eyes, he kept bowing and saying thank you.

The time was tough, but the doors to the obstetrics ward finally opened.

The doctor who came out first was the one that Teacher Yu had called over the phone. He took off his mask and said to everyone, "I have successfully completed my mission. Mother and daughter are safe."

These eight simple words instantly brought the simpleton and Zhang Ma to life, and they hugged each other and cried with excitement.

Behind those eight short words lies Liu Chunhua's brush with death. Had it not been for the doctor's superb skills and rich experience, she would have died from massive bleeding long ago.

According to the doctor, if he had arrived three minutes later, he wouldn't have been able to save the pregnant woman.

Having her life saved in 3 minutes, Yu Shuheng secretly gave the doctor a large red envelope.

But the doctor didn't take the medicine. He smiled and said to Yu Shuheng, "Teacher Yu, please don't make me feel bad. I'm going to rest for a while."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shuheng had no choice but to take back the red envelope and, with a smile, escorted the doctor to the door.

After looking after the child and his wife, the simple-minded man suddenly appeared in front of Yu Shuheng and, to everyone's astonishment, knelt down with a thud. "Thank you so much, Teacher Yu, for your great kindness. I have no way to repay you. If there is anything you need me for in the future, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do my best to help you."

Yu Shuheng was both amused and exasperated. She hurriedly tried to help the mentally challenged man, but couldn't budge him. She could only look to Li Heng for help.

Li Heng squatted down and whispered in the ear of the man with no brains, "A man's knees are worth gold, get up quickly. Besides, this is your future sister-in-law, no need to be so polite."

Li Heng's voice wasn't loud to begin with, but the private ward was so quiet that almost everyone in the room could hear it.

Yu Shuheng heard this, smiled gracefully, and felt that everything she had done tonight was well worth it.

Although she was from a family of her status, she never expected anything in return for such a small favor; it was purely out of a sense of generosity. But Li Heng's address of "sister-in-law" made her feel exceptionally good.

Mai Sui heard it too, but she didn't react much, as if she had long been used to it.

Mai Sui was indeed used to it and had long been mentally prepared. She had even said to Shi He before: "Li Heng's career is inseparable from Teacher Yu."

In short, Mai Sui had a clear understanding of Li Heng's feelings for her all along. Li Heng could do without anyone else, but he couldn't do without Song Yu and Teacher Yu.

Song Yu was his favorite.

Teacher Yu is his guarantee in his career.

One filled his emotional needs, and the other made up for his shortcomings in his background.

Of course, this is based on the premise that Mai Sui does not know Huang Zhaoyi, does not know that Li Heng and Zhou Shihe have an ambiguous relationship, and does not know that Wang Ye has brought the new future to a new level. Otherwise, she would not be so certain.

Song Yu is indeed irreplaceable.

However, according to Teacher Yu, Zhou Shihe's family is completely comparable. Although Huang Zhaoyi's family is slightly less well-off, the difference isn't too great.

Zhang Zhiyong had long suspected the relationship between Li Heng and Yu Shuheng, but he had never received confirmation from Li Heng. The word "sister-in-law" still made him lose his mind.

The most shocked were Zhang Ma and Liu Chunhua on the hospital bed, who stared blankly at Yu Shuheng and Li Heng, completely at a loss for words to describe their feelings.

Because Liu Chunhua was in poor health, the group left the ward after a short while.

The dimwit ran around doing errands, even buying late-night snacks for the group.

After finishing their late-night snack, Li Heng said to Teacher Yu and Mai Sui, "Teacher, you take Mai Sui back to school first. I'll stay here with Lao Yong tonight."

Knowing that the two were close, Yu Shuheng didn't say much, stood up and left with Mai Sui.

Before leaving, Mai Sui said, "I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow morning."

Li Heng knew she meant well, so he didn't refuse and nodded.

Beside the Mercedes, Yu Shuheng said to Zeng Yun, "I'll drive. You go to the hospital and make sure he's safe."

Knowing Li Heng's importance to his boss, Zeng Yun handed over the car keys and returned to the hospital.

At this moment, Liu Bei also drove over, but she was very quick-witted and did not rush forward. Instead, she followed the Mercedes-Benz in front of her at a leisurely pace.

After driving for a while towards Fudan University, Yu Shuheng, who was in the driver's seat, suddenly asked, "Maisui, did you know about what happened in the ward just now?"

The incident in the hospital ward refers to Li Heng's comment: "This is your future sister-in-law."

Mai Sui didn't know what Teacher Yu wanted to say to her, so she hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

Yu Shuheng stared straight ahead for a while before saying, "I know your heart is entirely with Li Heng, and so is mine."

Mai Sui remained silent, her hands clasped around her abdomen, trying her best to stay calm.

Yu Shuheng glanced at her and said softly, "Li Heng's love life is very complicated. Do you agree with me on that point?"

"Mmm," Mai Sui finally hummed in response, her voice very soft.

After receiving a response, Yu Shuheng thought for a moment and then said, "As a teacher, I actually really like students like you; as his future woman, you are well-behaved, sensible, virtuous, and gentle, the ideal wife for a man, and a perfect match for him."

Mai Sui blushed, a little embarrassed by what she was being said. She pursed her lower lip and pricked up her ears. She had a feeling that what Teacher Yu was about to say was the key point.

As expected, Yu Shuheng revealed the purpose of the conversation: "I am not familiar with his other female confidantes, so I am not very tolerant of them; but Mai Sui, you are different. I do not feel uncomfortable if you are by his side."

Mai Sui understood: what Teacher Yu meant was that he didn't reject her and could accept her as Li Heng's woman.

On a deeper level, it means that Teacher Yu wants to marry him openly and legitimately, the kind of marriage where they get married together. This is her way of winning him over.

It's also a way of making a promise to oneself.

The wheat ears understood, but were utterly shocked.

As noble, elegant, and intellectual as Teacher Yu is, how could she possibly accept that there are other women in his life?!

Regardless of what was said in the past or what was speculated, Mai Sui, Sun Manning, and others generally believed that the reason why Teacher Yu did not reject the presence of other women around him was that he had not yet officially taken over and did not have a legitimate reason to immediately settle accounts with the women around him.

Secondly, Professor Yu's current status as a university teacher restricts her.

Mai Sui even made the worst-case scenario plan: if Song Yu couldn't withstand Teacher Yu's pressure, if Li Heng was forced to marry Teacher Yu in the future, and if Teacher Yu wanted to get rid of the women around him, in order not to drag Li Heng down, she would quietly go to Song Yu and agree to find a place to live out their lives alone.

Mai Sui didn't understand Xiao Han, and her understanding of Chen Zijing was also superficial, but she knew Song Yu inside and out. She knew better than anyone that Song Yu was the same kind of person as herself—it was difficult for her to fall in love, but once she did, she would never forget it, and her heart could never hold anyone else. If the two of them were to be swept away by power, the two sisters could spend the rest of their lives together.

It was quite late when we got back to Lushan Village.

Mai Sui had just opened the door and entered the house when Zhou Shihe followed right behind.

Mai Sui asked, "Shi He, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Zhou Shihe asked with concern, "Is Zhang Zhiyong's girlfriend alright?"

"There was a massive hemorrhage, but thankfully the rescue was timely, and I'm fine now," Mai Sui said.

Zhou Shihe asked, "What about the baby in her belly?"

Mai Sui said, "I gave birth a month earlier than my due date, but it's hard to say what my condition is right now. I'm under observation at the hospital."

Zhou Shihe nodded upon hearing this, and after a moment of contemplation, asked, "Is Li Heng with Zhang Zhiyong?"

"Yeah, they're childhood friends, they grew up together and have a very deep bond. He was worried that something unexpected might happen later tonight and that Zhang Zhiyong wouldn't be able to handle it alone, so he stayed there," Mai Sui said.

Zhou Shihe asked, "Did Teacher Yu send Zeng Yun to protect him?"

"It's served," said the wheat stalk.

Zhou Shihe paused for a few seconds, then asked quietly, "Are you still coming to Hangzhou with us tomorrow?"

Mai Sui hesitated for a moment, "Shi He, I plan to go back to Shao City with Teacher Yu tomorrow."

This answer was somewhat unexpected, yet not unexpected. Zhou Shihe said gently, "It's fine. Family is important."

Before her best friend could reply, she added, "Li Heng isn't coming back tonight. This house is so big and it's a bit lonely all by myself. Come over and sleep with me."

The two were very close, and Mai Sui agreed without much thought: "Okay, let me take a shower first."

Zhou Shihe nodded again and sat down on the sofa to wait.

While waiting, she suddenly noticed that the living room curtains were drawn.

After staring at the curtains for a while, Zhou Shihe's gaze naturally fell on the sofa where she was sitting, and a thought involuntarily popped into her mind: were Sui Sui and he doing something intimate on the sofa again?
They had a passionate encounter on the first floor in the early evening, and then something else happened later?
Is he that addicted to that kind of thing?
Or is it that Sui Sui's charm is too great, and he couldn't resist the temptation?

As she pondered, Zhou Shihe's heart pounded several times, but fortunately, she was a very rational person and quickly suppressed the thought.

An hour later, the two women were lying on the master bedroom bed in building number 27.

Seeing that Mai Sui was tossing and turning and couldn't sleep, Zhou Shihe, who was lying flat, suddenly asked, "Something on your mind?"

Mai asked, "Did I disturb you?"

Zhou Shihe acquiesced.

Maisui hugged her and said, "I'm sorry."

After thinking for a long time, Zhou Shihe spoke again: "Is it related to Li Heng? Or is it related to Teacher Yu?"

Mai Sui's eyes widened. "Amazing! How did you know?"

Zhou Shihe said, "When you and Teacher Yu came back, I happened to be in the attic outside. At that time, I felt that your relationship was much closer than before."

Wheat Ear asked, "What else did you notice?"

Zhou Shihe said, "Since you came home, you've looked hesitant. I think it must be because Teacher Yu said something to you on the way back."

The wheat stalk asked, "Try to guess?"

Zhou Shihe thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Was she trying to win you over today?"

Mai Sui listened in silence for a long time, then said admiringly, "Shihe, your logical thinking is amazing. It's a good thing we're best friends. If I were your rival in love, I wouldn't be able to eat or sleep." Now it was Zhou Shihe's turn to be silent.

After waiting a while, Mai Sui asked, "Are you asleep?"

Zhou Shihe said softly, "No."

Mai Sui asked, "Why did you suddenly stop talking?"

Zhou Shihe opened her eyes, looked at the ceiling in the darkness, and said, "Teacher Yu wants to marry him?"

Mai Sui hummed in agreement.

Zhou Shihe then asked, "Besides the three of you, Li Heng has also been involved with other women outside, right?"

Mai Sui's pupils contracted sharply, and she asked softly, "Why do you ask that?"

Zhou Shihe expressed her thoughts: "Xiao Han is indeed exquisite and full of spirit, but her family cannot compare with the Yu family. If Teacher Yu really puts aside his pride to deal with Xiao Han, even if the process is very tortuous and he will have unpleasantness with Li Heng, the result is almost a foregone conclusion."

Unless Li Heng is determined to give up his entire career for Xiao Han.

I don't think Teacher Yu would abandon her innate pride to win you over for the sake of Xiao Han.

I think Ms. Yu must have encountered a very strong rival in love, and she wasn't confident of winning. Because Li Heng dotes on you, she doesn't mind playing the good guy and trying to win your and Li Heng's favor.

These words struck a chord with Mai Sui.

Since returning, Mai Sui has been wondering: Was Teacher Yu targeting Song Yu? Did she know that Mai Sui and Song Yu were close, so she tried to win her over first?
However, these are purely speculations, and Mai Sui herself has no idea.

Actually, Zhou Shihe's words just now were just a test, recalling Sun Manning's two previous verbal slips that were also tests.

Actually, Zhou Shihe was thinking to herself: Is Teacher Yu trying to win over Mai Sui in order to target her?
Because on the plane to the Netherlands, she openly told Teacher Yu that she had fallen in love with Li Heng. Later, at a concert at the Royal Concert Hall in the Netherlands, she directly broke the ice and asked Li Heng about her feelings through the piano.

As a fellow musician, she believed that Teacher Yu was already aware of the complicated and entangled relationship between herself and Li Heng.

Zhou Shihe understood that Xiao Han held a very high place in Li Heng's heart, as evidenced by the fact that Li Heng had taken Xiao Han away hand in hand in front of Shen Xin and Teacher Yu last time.

But this doesn't mean Xiao Han has a chance of winning against Teacher Yu.

Since Li Heng hasn't had a romantic relationship with Teacher Yu yet, once that relationship happens, will Li Heng still be so biased towards Xiao Han?

This is highly questionable.

So, Zhou Shihe wondered if there was another woman she didn't know about? A woman that even Teacher Yu was extremely wary of?
Of course, this was just a casual probe on her part; she didn't expect to get an answer.

But Sui Sui's prolonged silence made Zhou Shihe suspicious. Could it be that Teacher Yu wasn't targeting her entirely?

Could such a woman really exist?
Just as Zhou Shihe was feeling confused and uncertain, she heard Mai Sui's voice: "Shihe, don't overthink it. If there really was a woman like you're talking about, would Li Heng still have chosen to apply to universities in Shanghai?"

Who was Li Heng pursuing when he chose to come to Shanghai?
After two years, the girls knew the truth.

Okay, we've hit a dead end here.

Just like Sui Sui said, if there really is such a woman that even Teacher Yu is wary of, then Li Heng should not have chosen Shanghai or Xiao Han when filling out his college application; instead, he would have gone with that woman.

When Sun Manning made a slip of the tongue last time, Zhou Shihe's train of thought was interrupted at this point, unable to continue and unable to find a logical loop.

After thinking for a while, and still unable to find a flaw, Zhou Shihe gave up and asked, "How did you reply to Teacher Yu?"

Mai Sui said, "I don't know how to reply."

Zhou Shihe glanced at her best friend, but didn't suspect anything. Responding to this kind of thing with silence was very much in line with Sui Sui's personality.

But she knew that Sui Sui was a kind-hearted person, even if she didn't directly reply to Teacher Yu. Teacher Yu's emotional appeal was the right move.

After a while, Zhou Shihe suddenly said, "Sui Sui, tell me about Xiao Han."

Mai Sui asked in surprise, "Xiao Han?"

Zhou Shihe gave a soft "hmm".

Mai Sui asked, "Why are you interested in Xiao Han?"

Zhou Shihe said, "Tonight, Teacher Yu took the initiative to set aside her teacher status to win you over. It seems that she has gained Li Heng's approval and has a certain status in Li Heng's heart."

This also suggests that Teacher Yu probably wants to end this relationship. I'm curious, how will Xiao Han respond?

Mai Sui felt the analysis made sense and asked, "Where to begin? Where would you like to hear from?"

Zhou Shihe thought for a moment and said, "Let's start from when you met in high school."

Mai Sui recalled, "In high school, I wasn't particularly close to Xiao Han. I only knew that she was very beautiful and famous. From the moment I entered No. 1 High School, I kept hearing people talking about her and envying her behind her back."

Zhou Shihe asked, "Is Li Heng in the same class as you?"

The wheat ear said, "Yes."

Zhou Shihe asked, "Didn't Li Heng interact with Xiao Han?"

Mai Sui shook her head: "There was very little interaction. Or rather, during high school, you could hardly see Li Heng and Xiao Han interacting at all; their relationship was more like that of ordinary fellow villagers. However, starting from the second semester of their senior year, their relationship changed."

The wheat ear concealed a past event.

She understood better than anyone that the reason Li Heng and Xiao Han didn't interact openly in their first and second years of high school was because of Chen Zijin's presence.

Mai Sui vaguely remembered hearing that Chen Zijin and Xiao Han were best friends in junior high school, but also rivals in love.

Therefore, it is understandable and justifiable that Chen Zijin was wary of Xiao Han after entering high school.

As for why Li Heng seemed like a completely different person in the second semester of his senior year, Mai Sui thought it was related to Song Yu and Chen Zijin.

At that time, Chen Zijin left, and Song Yu rejected Li Heng's confession several times, so it seemed natural that Li Heng and Xiao Han rekindled their relationship.

Zhou Shihe asked, "What's different?"

Mai Sui said, "Li Heng goes to Xiao Han's class frequently, more often in a week than he did in the previous two and a half years."

Zhou Shihe asked, "Does Xiao Han come to your class often?"

“Few, you could even say none.” Wheat Ear shook his head: “At least I’ve hardly encountered any.”

Zhou Shihe pondered for a moment and said, "This is not normal."

The wheat ear countered, "What do you mean?"

Zhou Shihe said gently, "According to what Zhang Zhiyong once inadvertently revealed, Xiao Han and Li Heng were very close during junior high school. I guess Xiao Han probably had feelings for Li Heng back then. But it doesn't make sense that she became distant from Li Heng during high school."

Wheat Ear didn't know how to respond.
Seeing her best friend remain silent, Zhou Shihe sighed softly after a long while, "Sui Sui, you're really good at keeping your mouth shut. If I ever encounter any difficulties in the future, I can trust you with my back."

Mai Sui was stunned for a moment, feeling a little uncomfortable.

For a fleeting moment, she suspected that Shihe had become suspicious of her earlier statement. However, out of consideration for their sisterly relationship, Shihe did not press the matter further.

From that moment on, the two women suddenly fell silent.

This situation continued throughout the rest of the night. Even though Mai Sui couldn't sleep, Zhou Shihe couldn't sleep either, but the two women were lost in their own thoughts and didn't talk to each other anymore.

The next day, Zhou Shihe and her family left.

Sun Manning and Ye Ning also traveled together; the two of them were clamoring to go to West Lake.

Yu Shuheng and Mai Sui went to the hospital early in the morning to visit Liu Chunhua and her daughter, and to deliver breakfast to Li Heng, Que Xinyan, and Zhang's mother.

While eating xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), Li Heng asked Mai Sui, "What time is your flight?"

Maisui said, "10:30."

Li Heng raised his left wrist, glanced at his watch, and said, "Time is running out. You should hurry to the airport and not waste time here."

The wheat hesitantly asked, "Why don't I stay and keep you company?"

Li Heng looked up and asked jokingly, "What? Don't you want to go home? Am I more important than your grandfather?"

The wheat ears blushed.

Li Heng said earnestly, "We are still young and will have many more days to spend together in the future; but Grandpa is getting old and every visit will be one less. Take advantage of this good opportunity to go back and avoid regrets later."

Seeing his serious expression, Mai Sui obediently agreed.

Teacher Yu and Mai Sui only stayed at the hospital for half an hour before leaving to catch their flight.

As soon as the two women left, the simpleton who hadn't dared to breathe loudly patted his chest and said, "My goodness, Teacher Yu's aura is too strong. The old master didn't dare to say a word."

Li Heng smiled and casually asked, "Are you afraid of wheat ears?"

The simpleton stretched his neck and said, "Wheat is so pretty, I'd definitely be scared to be alone with her. But if you're here, I won't be scared. She's a really nice person."

Seeing that Chunhua and her daughter looked better, the simpleton returned to his carefree state. Unlike his lifeless state last night, he was full of energy again and became lively.

To be honest, Li Heng was quite envious of Lao Yong's "broad-minded" ability. No wonder this old guy was almost 60 years old and didn't have many gray hairs.

After breakfast, Li Heng first chatted with Zhang's mother and Liu Chunhua for a while, then went back to Lushan Village to take a shower and catch up on his sleep.

Around noon, he appeared at the home of Editor-in-Chief Liao in Xuhui.

"Oh, what a rare guest! Aren't you supposed to be writing at home? What brings you here today?" Liao Hua opened the door and, seeing Li Heng standing outside with his bags, ran out happily, took the luggage, and teased him.

Li Heng said, "I'll come visit you and Sister Xu whenever I have time..."

But halfway through his sentence, he heard a commotion inside and asked in a low voice, "A guest?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao said, "You are from Sister Suyun's family."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng entered the house and exchanged pleasantries with Xu Suyun and the others, and even had a Chinese meal with them.

Around 2 p.m., Li Heng and Editor-in-Chief Liao left their residence and headed to Mr. Ba's house on Wukang Road.

On the way, Li Heng calculated the date and asked, "Sister Suyun is about to give birth, right? I remember you told me last time that your due date was at the end of May."

"Yes, soon. I went to the hospital a couple of days ago, and the obstetrician said I'll give birth at the end of May or the beginning of June." Editor-in-Chief Liao seemed to be looking forward to this son, and she was always in high spirits when talking about it.

Li Heng asked, "Just now at home, I noticed you didn't interact much with the Xu family. Has your relationship not improved yet?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao raised his chin: "We're not from the same world. I guess this is how it will be for us for the rest of our lives. For Suyun and the child, let's all turn a blind eye."

Li Heng: "..."

Then, remembering something, he asked, "Are you still in contact with Teacher Zhao Ran from Aba?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao nodded: "Yes, after all, Aran gave birth to a daughter for me, and now the three of us are still in contact."

Unfortunately, Grandpa Ba wasn't home; he said he'd been picked up by an old friend that morning to play chess and have tea. It was Sister Lin who received the two of them.

Sister Lin poured Li Heng a cup of tea and asked, "You have time to come out for a stroll? Did you finish writing your new book?"

"Not yet. I'm currently facing a bit of a bottleneck, so I'm just coming out to get some fresh air and clear my head," Li Heng said.

"Is the problem serious?" Sister Lin asked with concern.

Li Heng replied, "It's hard to say. I plan to go through the manuscript again from beginning to end in the next day or the day after."

As outsiders, Sister Lin and Editor-in-Chief Liao could offer no help with his writing, but could offer some inspiration and insights based on their decades of experience in the field.

The three of them sat around the sofa drinking tea and chatting, and before they knew it, more than two hours had passed.

At 4:30 pm, Sister Lin slapped her forehead and said, "Look at my memory, I forgot the time. I should go buy groceries. You all sit for a while and don't leave. You can leave after dinner."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng and Editor-in-Chief Liao, who were originally planning to slip away, exchanged a smile and gave up the idea.

Editor-in-Chief Liao took out a pack of cigarettes and held it out to him: "Want one?"

Li Heng, indulging in refined tastes, took a stick and put it in his mouth.

Editor-in-Chief Liao lit it for him with a lighter and asked, "By the way, what's the current state of your relationship with Zhou Shihe?"

Li Heng asked, "Why did you ask that?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao said, "Didn't your teacher give you a bad idea? If you can't get rid of Teacher Yu's control, why don't you drag Zhou Shihe down with you? I've been wanting to ask you about this, but I always forget."

Li Heng was speechless: "You're so old, why are you still so gossipy?"

"What do you mean, 'at this age'? My youngest son hasn't even been born yet." Editor-in-Chief Liao glared at him, his beard bristling.

Li Heng chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, my senior brother is still as sharp as ever. But I'm sorry to disappoint you, Miss Zhou and I are now like well water and river water, we don't interfere with each other."

Editor-in-Chief Liao said, "Then you need to work harder to get the well water flowing into the river."

Li Heng rolled his eyes and played around by blowing smoke rings.

Editor-in-Chief Liao asked, "I saw Xuqing a while ago, and I heard that Old Xu is interfering in your relationship with Zhaoyi?"

"Old Xu" refers to Xu Li, Huang Zhaoyi's mother.

Li Heng flicked the ash from his cigarette with his little finger: "What did she say?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao said, "Xuqing told me that Zhaoyi had a big argument with the elderly couple, and the atmosphere was very tense. Now the two sides are in a cold war."

Xuqing told me she wanted to see you, but was afraid you'd be rude, so she asked me to mediate between you. She's waiting for my news now.

Li Heng recalled Zhaoyi's words and pondered, "I don't have time right now. Let's talk about it after I finish writing 'Dust Settles Down'."

“Okay, writing is a big deal. I’ll explain the situation to Xuqing later. She’s a reasonable person and she’ll understand,” Editor-in-Chief Liao said casually.

After dinner, Editor-in-Chief Liao personally escorted him to Fudan University.

As he got off the bus, he invited, "Would you like to come sit at my place for a while?"

Editor-in-Chief Liao waved his hand and said, "Forget it, it's getting late. I have guests at home, and I can't stay out all day."

Li Heng said, "Okay, see you another day. Drive carefully on the road."

After watching the van drive away, Li Heng turned and walked towards the school gate.

Upon entering the school, he didn't go anywhere else but went straight home, took out all the manuscripts of "Dust Settles Down," and began reading them from beginning to end.

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(End of this chapter)