1987 My Era

Chapter 649, Difficult Times

After a hurried journey, the Mercedes finally returned to Fudan University in the drizzle.

Li Heng retrieved an umbrella from the car and walked along the alleyway on the bluestone slabs, his mind still preoccupied with Song Yu's matter.

The closer he got to the end of the alley, the stranger the events of the day seemed to him. He wondered to himself: Could this be a trap set by Song Yu for him?
"Li Heng, Li Heng!"

Just as he turned the corner, he was jolted out of his thoughts. Looking up, he saw Wei Xiaozhu and Bai Wanying calling him.

The two women were at the entrance of the courtyard of building number 27 when they saw him appear and came over to greet him.

It was obvious that they had been lying in wait for a long time.

"I knew you'd be rushing back from the airport around this time," Bai Wanying said confidently as her first words upon meeting.

It may seem like an ordinary sentence, but it carries a meaning that only those in the know can understand.

Li Heng was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "You knew I went to the airport?"

“Of course, to pick up Song Yu.” Bai Wanying’s tone was teasing.

Li Heng suddenly looked up at Building 26, then asked, "Has Song Yu arrived yet?"

Since Bai Wanying knows about Song Yu, there is only one possibility: Song Yu has already arrived.

Wei Xiaozhu interjected, "At your house."

Li Hengxin's heart immediately warmed, and he asked another question: "When did you arrive?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "I didn't check the exact time, but it should have been at least an hour and a half."

Bai Wanying nodded in agreement.

Upon hearing this, his heart had already flown to Song Yu, and he hurriedly bypassed the two women to leave.

Unexpectedly, Bai Wanying's words once again pinned him to the spot.

Bai Wanying said, "Shihe is receiving Song Yu on your behalf."

Li Heng was taken aback, stopped in his tracks, and turned to look at the two women.

The two women stared at him intently.

After a while, Li Heng sighed and asked, "Comrade Wanying, when did you guess?"

These words came out of nowhere, but the two women understood their meaning.

He asked Bai Wanying: When did you guess about my affair with Miss Zhou?

Bai Wanying smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because of my disability that I'm more patient than most people, and I'm more observant and sensitive to the people and things around me."

Seeing that he didn't speak, Bai Wanying comforted him, "Besides Xiaozhu and me, no one else should have found out about your relationship with Shihe."

Li Heng did not deny it, and said with emotion, "Comrade Bai, if you can get your health back in the future, you will definitely be a great woman."

Bai Wanying said, "Thank you for the compliment. How do you plan to deal with the current situation?"

Li Heng looked up at his house again and asked, "Shihe hasn't come down yet?"

The two women shook their heads. "No."

Li Heng asked, "Is there anyone else in my room?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "Just Shihe and Song Yu."

This was what the two girls were most worried about. In the past, given Shihe's personality, she wouldn't have been so stubborn for so long.

Now, Shihe has even neglected her mother, aunt, and uncle at home, and is receiving Song Yu in building number 26. Clearly, something is amiss here.

It's quite obvious that Zhou Shihe is at odds with Song Yu.

This is why Bai Wanying and Wei Xiaozhu waited specifically for his return.

Li Heng had thought of the same things the two women had thought of.

The thought that Song Yu and Zhou Shihe had been alone at home for more than an hour made Li Heng's liver and gallbladder tremble, and then he frowned deeply.

Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case. Given Song Yu's easygoing nature, it's highly unlikely that she would have a falling out with Miss Zhou as soon as they met.
unless…

Unless something triggered Song Yu's nerves.
So much so that Song Yu abandoned her past reserve and arrogance and started arguing with Miss Zhou.

He couldn't think of any other possibility. The two women, who were meeting for the first time, had been under the same roof for over an hour. They couldn't possibly be chatting and laughing together, could they? They were most likely at odds!
Damn it, where exactly did things go wrong?
Actually, he guessed correctly; he hit the nail on the head!
Given Song Yu's personality, it's indeed difficult for her to argue with a stranger upon first meeting.

But people are all two-sided, and most of the time they only show one side; but if their sore spot is provoked, their unknown other side will suddenly emerge.

Song Yu today is such an exception.

Before she left the capital, she had carefully weighed the pros and cons and had anticipated and prepared for various situations.

But man proposes, God disposes. All her predictions and contingency plans became worthless in the face of the enemy's overwhelming strength.

At Jing'an Temple, as she looked down at the inscription "May I win the heart of one person," she fell into deep silence.

From these six words, she sensed the ambition and domineering nature of Zhou Shihe, her rival in love whom she had never met.

He has won the heart of one man!

What a boastful tone! So arrogant! And so confident!

Even with her excellent qualities, Song Yu never considered monopolizing Li Heng.

Because she knew it was unrealistic. Putting aside Li Heng's other female confidantes, she had always felt guilty towards Zijing and couldn't bring herself to drive away her best friend Maisui.

As for Xiao Han…

When she learned that Li Heng had come to Shanghai to pursue Xiao Han, she subtly realized that Xiao Han had her own strengths and was not so easy to drive away.

If Li Heng hadn't repeatedly visited her hometown near Dongting Lake, if he hadn't constantly made his presence felt in front of the Song family, and if he hadn't publicly professed his love for her at Peking University, leaving her with no way out and pushing her to the brink, Song Yu would never have rashly gotten involved in his chaotic love affairs.

At least for a considerable period of time, before graduation, she would not inquire about his personal relationships.

But alas, there are no "what ifs" in this world.

Especially with her grandparents and aunts taking turns bombarding her with messages, brainwashing her by praising Li Heng, his talents, and how well he and she were a perfect match... Hearing these relatives nagging on and on, Song Yu knew that she could never truly exist independently in this world as an individual.

She is, after all, a mortal being, and has to accept reality and consider certain things.

Does she love Li Heng?
like!
She not only loved him deeply, but she also fell in love with Li Heng at first sight.

However, due to Chen Zijin's presence, she had always kept this love hidden.

Before coming to Shanghai, unexpectedly, Chen Zijin met with her alone. The two women talked all night in a courtyard house in Xila Hutong.

That very night, after gaining Zijing's understanding, Song Yu finally let go of some of her reservations and prepared to use her emotions to tame the runaway Li Heng.

Indeed, in Song Yu and Chen Zijin's eyes, Li Heng's romantic luck has been booming in recent years, and he is almost like a wild horse that has broken free of its reins, which makes them worried.

Even so, Song Yu never intended to monopolize Li Heng.

Now, a woman has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, revealing the wolfish ambition of the old man to monopolize Li Heng. What should she do if Zhou Shihe succeeds?
How should the Song family face their hometown elders in Dongting Lake?
Grandparents are very concerned about their reputation. How could they tell their hometown people that their most beloved granddaughter had been used and abandoned by Li Heng?

How should she fulfill the promise she made to Zijing that night?

In truth, Xiao Han is also fierce and cunning, and deserves our attention. However, in Song Yu's eyes, Xiao Han is not yet capable of monopolizing Li Heng.

But Zhou Shihe was different. At Jing'an Temple, when she looked at the six words on the red ribbon, a strong sense of crisis suddenly arose in her heart.

At the moment when the two women in Lushan Village locked eyes, not only was Zhou Shihe secretly amazed by Song Yu's beauty, but Song Yu was equally astonished by her rival's looks and charm. In that instant, a sense of crisis suddenly welled up within her.

In that instant, she knew: Zhou Shihe was the woman Li Heng could not resist, the kind of woman who could most attract and touch the softest part of Li Heng's heart.

In that instant, she understood a cruel reality: the infinitely charming Zhou Shihe was like a deep swamp, and once Li Heng got involved, it would be difficult for him to escape from it.

In the past, the reason why Song Yu was detached in relationships was not only because of her easygoing nature, but also because her rivals were not compelling enough. They did not create a sense of urgency for her, nor did they force her to develop a sense of crisis.

Upon meeting Zhou Shihe, Song Yu immediately felt an unprecedented level of pressure from this rival in love.

She understood one thing clearly at the time: if she was overshadowed by Zhou Shihe on their first meeting, she would never be able to hold her head high again and would never be able to turn things around with Zhou Shihe.

Therefore, Song Yu, who is usually friendly, did not stop her best friend Chen Xiaoyu from handing her a knife, nor did she stop Manning from speaking recklessly. Instead, she took the knife from her two best friends, gripped the handle, hesitated for a moment, and then plunged it into Zhou Shihe's "heart" without hesitation.

It is said that when masters clash, life and death are decided in a moment. At this moment, Song Yu dared not and could not be soft-hearted.

Because Song Yu's intuition told her that if she softened her heart this time, she would never have a chance to rise again. With Zhou Shihe's personal and family background, she would be trampled under Zhou Shihe's feet for the rest of her life and would never have the chance to turn things around.

This wasn't just her imagination, nor was it baseless speculation.

Imagine if she were to collapse, and Zhou Shihe were to spend every day with Li Heng, who was also her musical soulmate. As time went on, there was a real possibility that she could monopolize Li Heng's affections.

The moment Song Yu met Zhou Shihe, she felt completely relieved and understood why Xiao Han had gone to such lengths to bring her to Shanghai.

This opponent is simply too strong; Xiao Han might not be able to handle him.

Therefore, even knowing he was being used as a pawn by Xiao Han, he had no choice but to take this step, to deliver a crushing blow to Zhou Shihe and shatter her illusion of monopolizing Li Heng.

Li Heng turned his gaze away from building number 26 and asked, "Shihe has been staying at my house for so long, didn't her mother go to call her back?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "My aunt came out of her house several times to look around. I could see the doubt in her heart, but she didn't call Shihe back."

This aunt refers to Zhou's mother.

Li Heng said dejectedly, "Auntie is so good at calming people down."

Wei Xiaozhu smiled and said, "You should think about how to resolve the current situation. It's lunchtime now, and everyone has been waiting for you and Shihe to come down."

Just as the three were talking, the door of building number 25 opened, and Yu Shuheng walked out leisurely.

Hearing the door open, Li Heng, Wei Xiaozhu, and Bai Wanying looked in the direction of the sound.

"teacher."

"teacher."

Wei Xiaozhu and Bai Wanying greeted each other politely.

Yu Shuheng smiled and nodded at the two women, saying, "I've resigned. I'm no longer a teacher. You can call me by my name, or Shuheng."

Upon hearing the word "resign," Li Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he asked urgently, "Isn't teaching your greatest passion? Why did you resign without even saying goodbye?"

Under the watchful eyes of the three, Yu Shuheng walked unhurriedly into Building 27, and then a lazy voice drifted over: "Teaching is a hobby, that's true, but I've found an even greater hobby now."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xiaozhu and Bai Wanying exchanged glances, then turned to Li Heng together. The expressions on their faces were truly fascinating.

Nobody's a fool. Yu Shuheng's words clearly had a hidden meaning, and her resignation was obviously aimed at Li Heng.

Moreover, after resigning, Teacher Yu seemed to have broken free from some kind of constraint, becoming much bolder than before.

After watching Teacher Yu go inside and chat with Zhou's mother, Bai Wanying, in her wheelchair, clapped her hands and said to Li Heng with a look of both envy and sympathy, "They are all the pride of heaven. To be favored by even one of them is already a blessing from their ancestors. But you, Mr. Li, have five."

These five naturally refer to Xiao Han, Song Yu, Mai Sui, Zhou Shihe, and Yu Shuheng.

They are indeed all exceptionally beautiful women.

Wei Xiaozhu looked at Li Heng with bright, sparkling eyes, and agreed with Wanying's words.

Li Heng's eyelids twitched, but he pretended not to hear and said to Wei Xiaozhu, "Could you do me a favor?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "You go ahead."

Li Heng said, "Could you please call Shihe down separately for me?"

Wei Xiaozhu thought for a moment and shook her head: "I can't do it, and I shouldn't do it."

Li Heng asked, "Why?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "Shihe, Suisui, Wanying and Qingqing are my best friends in college. If I trick her into coming here like this, she might hate me in the future."

Li Heng corrected: "It wasn't a lie, it was to tell her to come down."

Wei Xiaozhu shook her head again: "It's essentially the same. Don't try to mislead me. You should think of something else."

Li Heng turned to look at the door of building number 27. Inside, there were figures moving about, including Zhou's mother, Teacher Yu, Aunt Shihe, and her uncle.

Dai Qing and Chen Xiaoyu were also there, whispering to each other, seemingly having a very pleasant conversation.

He asked, "Why don't I see Manning and Ye Ning?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "They went outside to look for you. Don't worry, you made an appointment with them, and they will come back on time."

Well, with those idiots Sun Manning and Ye Ning not around, he immediately gave up on the idea.

He did consider asking Chen Xiaoyu to cover for him, but when the girl met his gaze, she looked away, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied with him.

Li Heng knew why Chen Xiaoyu was dissatisfied with him, but now was not the time to dwell on such matters.

He knew he was in danger, so he took a deep breath and walked straight toward building number 26.

Before leaving, he asked Wei Xiaozhu again, "Are you really going to stand by and watch someone die?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "It's not that we don't want to help, it's that we can't."

Li Heng: "..."

He strode past the two women and entered the courtyard of building number 26, then went inside.

Watching his retreating figure, Bai Wanying said, "Why do I feel a sense of desolation and loneliness, like the wind howling and the Yi River running cold?"

Wei Xiaozhu smiled, then her smile turned to worry, "If the two women inside are really facing off, who do you think Li Heng will side with?"

Bai Wanying said, "It's not good to help anyone."

Wei Xiaozhu said, "There always has to be a choice; it's impossible to please everyone."

Bai Wanying asked, "If it were you, whose side would you take?"

Wei Xiaozhu thought for a moment and said, "Emotionally, choose Song Yu; rationally, choose Shi He."

Bai Wanying asked, "What's the reason?"

Wei Xiaozhu shook her head: "They are all the best in the world. No matter which one you choose, it will be a mistake. How can I give a reason?"

Then she asked, "Wanying, what about you? If it were you, whose side would you take?"

Bai Wanying said, "I'll help Song Yu."

Wei Xiaozhu asked in surprise, "Aren't you afraid that Shihe will leave and go far away?"

Bai Wanying said, "This possibility is both high and low. The likelihood depends on how deep Shihe's feelings for Li Heng are. If her feelings are deep, then Shihe will not only not run away, but will also bounce back."

Wei Xiaozhu was stunned for a moment, and finally sighed, "She's neglecting her family and has been confronting Song Yu upstairs for so long. How could Shihe's feelings for Li Heng be shallow?"

Bai Wanying remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Are you really not going to help Li Heng?"

Wei Xiaozhu said, "If I help her, Shihe might hate me, but Song Yu won't be grateful to me."

Despite saying that, Wei Xiaozhu walked forward and said, "I'll wait downstairs. I hope the three of them won't cause too much trouble."

Bai Wanying looked up at the second floor of building number 26, then at Wei Xiaozhu's back, but did not respond.

....
the other side.

As Li Heng walked through the gate, he had never felt time pass so slowly. He hesitated for a long time at the top of the stairs before finally stepping up with both feet.

Immediately, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the room, quickly reaching the second floor.

Upon hearing the sound and sensing that someone was coming, Song Yu and Zhou Shihe, who were on the sofa on the second floor, seemed to have a telepathic connection and both sensed that Li Heng might have returned. They both turned their heads to look over.

Damn it!
"Why is this staircase so short? How did I end up here already?" Li Heng thought to himself before finally reaching the second floor.

As soon as he regained his footing, he felt two tangible gazes emanating from afar and landing on him.

Well, to be precise, it landed on his face and stared at him.

After a two-second silence, Li Heng slowly raised his head and forced himself to look over.

In an instant, the three of them faced each other.

Six pairs of eyes converged, lingering and intertwining.

At this moment, Song Yu sat there with a faint smile on her face, her natural elegance making her look like a painting.

At this moment, Zhou Shihe felt neither joy nor sorrow; her whole being was naturally harmonious, simple and pure, like beautiful jade and crystal.

The two goddesses were different in appearance and charming, but they had one thing in common: they tacitly kept silent and stared at him intently, wanting to see what he would choose.
No matter what, they set aside their reserve and pride, vying and scheming against each other, all for this man, the man who stole their hearts.

If the man chooses his rival, if the man doesn't care about them that much, then all their persistence is meaningless.

At this moment, Li Heng realized that his feelings had been completely exposed, and the two women had already come clean and were now in open confrontation.

Time stands still.

The air freezes.

The atmosphere is subtle.

The world seemed to have become a sculpture at this moment, as if it had lost its life. Under the gaze of the two women, Li Heng's Adam's apple bobbed and then bobbed again, and he had great difficulty breathing.

For a moment, he wished he could embrace Song Yu and Zhou Shihe at the same time, just like he had done in Chengnan Park last time, embracing Song Yu and Mai Sui with both arms.

But the thought was quickly extinguished. His intuition told him that the situation was completely different now. If he dared to do this, dared to try to smooth things over, he would definitely end up pleasing neither side and losing everything.

After thinking it over, he took another deep breath and moved.

P.S.: I'm going to sleep now, I'll revise this when I wake up.
(End of this chapter)