1987 My Era

Chapter 658, Powder Keg Explosion
Building No. 27.

Upon reaching the second floor, Li Heng immediately spotted the red receiver on the coffee table. He picked it up and put it to his ear, only to find that the call had already ended.

Without much hesitation, he immediately dialed the number of the Li family in Gulou, Beijing.

"Jingle Bell…"

"Jingle Bell…"

The phone rang twice before answering, and a middle-aged woman's voice came from the other end: "Hello, who is this?"

“Mom, it’s me,” Li Heng said.

"Manzai, it's your birthday today. Have you made anything delicious?" Tian Run'e asked with concern.

Li Heng smiled and said, "I bought a lot of delicious ingredients, and they're in the kitchen making dinner. Shihe said you called, so she came over."

Tian Run'e asked, "You came over halfway through, who took over the kitchen?"

Don't blame her for thinking that way.

In her mind, the girls around him all seemed to come from very wealthy families and were quite pampered, so very few of them knew how to cook.

Li Heng said, "Shihe is helping with the cooking."

Tian Run'e exclaimed in surprise: "That Zhou girl? Someone with the hands that play the piano, cooking for you?"

Li Heng said, "That's right, her cooking skills are quite good, no worse than my cooking."

In fact, Tian Run'e had heard Mai Sui mention that Zhou Shihe could cook, but she had never actually tasted it.

After thinking for a moment, Tian Run'e lowered her voice and asked, "Manzai, tell me the truth, did you provoke this girl?"

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

Tian Run'e said, "It's an intuition. This girl is so beautiful, if you don't go and flirt with her, I won't feel like you're my son."

Li Heng: "..."

Look at what you're saying, as if I'm going to hit on every pretty girl in the world?
That Zhao family girl was beautiful enough; when they were in Bailu Village, she made his heart flutter, but he remained obedient and well-behaved.

We can't continue with the topic of Miss Zhou, or we'll make a mistake if we say too much. So Li Heng changed the subject and answered irrelevantly: "It's your precious son's birthday today, even Song Yu is here. Mom, say something nice."

Sure enough, upon hearing Song Yu's name, Tian Run'e immediately shifted her attention: "Song Yu went all the way to your school?"

"Yeah, see? They really care about your son, don't they?" Li Heng said smugly.

Tian Run'e began to feel sorry for him: "Hanhan didn't come? Teacher Yu isn't here?"

Li Heng said, "Xiao Han is here. Teacher Yu sat for a while at noon and then went back to the Yu family home. After all, it's the Dragon Boat Festival today, and she has to spend the evening with her family."

Tian Run'e asked cautiously, "Have Hanhan and Song Yu had any disputes?"

Li Heng said, "How could that be? No, Mom, don't worry. It's my birthday today, I'm the oldest, and they are all well-mannered people."

Tian Run'e was skeptical: "I haven't met Song Yu in person, so I can't comment. Hanhan is very quick-witted; can she really avoid conflict with others under the same roof?"

Li Heng replied, "She used to get along very well with Mai Sui, and they never argued."

“That’s because Mai Sui always lets her have her way. Every time Hanhan comes to Fudan University, Mai Sui goes to sleep with the Zhou family’s daughter. Don’t think Mom doesn’t know.” Tian Run’e pointed out the essence of the matter.

This is so embarrassing! My cunning wife is really good at talking. Li Heng chuckled and changed the subject again, asking, "Mom, was Chen Zitong there when we called earlier?"

Tian Run'e's heart skipped a beat; she felt that something bad was going to happen to that "brother-in-law."

She frowned and said, "I had just finished talking to Zhou Shihe on the phone when, coincidentally, Zitong came in from the courtyard. As soon as Zitong came in, she asked me, 'Aunt Tian, ​​it's my brother-in-law's birthday today. Sister Lanlan went to Shanghai. Why didn't you go to Fudan University with him?'"

Tian Run'e told her son her suspicions: "Lanlan went to the Mai family in Shaodong yesterday. In order to conceal her itinerary, she casually told Jiaojiao in the shop that she was going to Fudan University to celebrate your birthday. I guess Jiaojiao told Zijin and Zitong about it in a casual conversation, and then this happened."

Without thinking much of it, Li Heng asked, "Is Zijing here?"

Tian Run'e said, "She left not long ago, about thirteen or fourteen minutes ago. She brought some zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) to your dad and me, and then after lunch, she was picked up by Chen Xiaomi, who said she was going to visit your grandfather's house in the afternoon."

Li Heng slapped his forehead in frustration. He had been so worried about whether the girls would have a fight that he had completely neglected Zijing.

He asked, "Where's Dad?"

Tian Run'e said, "Your second sister isn't in Beijing. The pastry shop is too busy and they're short-staffed, so your dad went to help out. I'm going to go later too."

The mother and son talked for about 20 minutes before ending the call.

After hanging up, he thought for a moment and called Huang Zhaoyi again, but the call didn't go through.

I tried to contact my high school English teacher, but no one answered.

Wow! Why are they all so busy? Aren't they all home?

Li Heng glanced at his watch; it was 4:39.
Not daring to delay any longer, he jogged back to Building 26.

At this moment, Xiao Han led Sister Lin, Editor-in-Chief Liao, and Grandpa Ba up to the second-floor living room.

In the living room on the first floor, Chen Xiaoyu, Bai Wanying, Ye Ning, and Zhang Haiyan were playing cards; Zhang Zhiyong was watching the game from the side.

Wei Xiaozhu, Dai Qing, and Sun Manning all went to the kitchen to help.

In no time, the huge kitchen was packed with people chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.

Entering the kitchen, Li Heng and Song Yu exchanged a glance, then went straight to Zhou Shihe and asked, "Are there still a few dishes that haven't been cooked?"

Zhou Shihe listed them off as if they were her own treasures, saying, "Five."

Li Heng rolled up his sleeves. "Thank you for your hard work. Go outside and rest for a while. Leave the rest to me."

Zhou Shihe glanced at him, took off her apron and handed it to him, then decisively left the kitchen and went back to her own home to take a shower and wash her hair.

I don’t know if it’s an illusion?
With Miss Zhou gone, everyone in the kitchen instantly felt much more relaxed. Sun Manning even spoke more confidently than before, exuding a strong sense of self-assurance.

Sun Manning asked Li Heng, "Hey, it's already this late, why hasn't Teacher Yu arrived yet?"

Li Heng replied, "Teacher Yu went home for something and can't come for dinner."

"Huh?" Sun Manning was a little confused, thinking to herself, "Is Teacher Yu stupid? She's not even going to Li Heng's 20th birthday party?"
However, after thinking about Song Yu and Shi He, he felt that it was better if Teacher Yu didn't come, otherwise if things really got out of hand, the situation would be difficult to manage.

The girls knew that Shihe and Teacher Yu had always been at odds, and if anything happened that ignited a conflict between the two women, even Li Heng might not be able to stop it.

After finishing all the tedious tasks, Wei Xiaozhu, Dai Qing, and Sun Manning wisely left, leaving Li Heng and Song Yu alone.

Once everyone was alone, Li Heng said, "My mom asked about you on the phone just now."

Song Yu washed her hands and looked at him.

Li Heng asked in a consultative tone, "Do I really have to wait until after graduation to meet my parents? Can't we meet them earlier?"

After staring quietly into his eyes for a while, Song Yu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, "I'll think about it some more."

She had initially intended to say, "I'll meet your parents after you're sure you'll marry me," but the words felt too cruel, so she changed her mind. She understood that, given the current situation, the probability of Li Heng successfully marrying her was less than 5%. This was also contingent on Li Heng continuing to treat her with genuine affection; otherwise, the chances were less than 3%.

Unfortunately, she had no way out. It was a pity that she had made a promise to Zijing, otherwise she would have let things take their course and not paid attention to marriage.

"Think about it again?" Based on Li Heng's understanding of Song Yu from his previous life, that basically meant she agreed, which made him extremely happy.

Seeing his face visibly beam with smiles, Song Yu said with a faint smile in her eyes, "The dishes will be ready soon, I'll go set the table."

Li Heng, immersed in happiness, nodded and said "eh".

Li Wang has arrived.

Just in time for lunch, this younger cousin rushed over from Anta Shoes, carrying two gifts, one for herself and one for Li Xi.

This was the first time Li Wang had met Song Yu. After taking the tea from her, he carefully examined her for a while, and then whispered to Li Heng, "And who is this? Did you trick the Moon Goddess Chang'e down from the moon?"

Seeing that she couldn't help but praise Song Yu's beauty, Li Heng said with a smile, "Song Yu is my girlfriend."

Li Wang asked in surprise, "Where's Xiao Han? You got a new girlfriend?"

Li Heng pointed to the ceiling: "Hanhan is upstairs with my teacher and the others."

Li Wang circled around him for a moment before realizing that his cousin was a womanizer and that asking such a question was utterly idiotic.

But she was curious: "How do you do it? How can you keep two such beautiful women in the same room without them arguing?"

Li Heng didn't speak, but looked towards the stairs.

Li Wang followed his gaze and saw Xiao Han, Grandpa Ba, and his group coming down.

It was time to eat, so the card players put away their cards and helped set up the tables and chairs.

Sun Manning then came up to him and whispered in his ear, "Mr. Li Heng, Shihe hasn't arrived yet."

Li Heng looked around the room. Everyone else was there, but Zhou was nowhere to be seen.

He immediately and instinctively said to Sun Manning, "Manning, go and call her."

After saying that, he paused for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Never mind, I'll go myself."

"That's right, that makes sense. If I could shout, why would I be telling you anything?" Sun Manning felt a mix of happiness and guilt seeing that he had finally understood.

I'm happy, but it's for Zhou Shihe.

The guilt was directed at Song Yu.

Sun Manning felt that she was being a bit wicked, wanting to have her cake and eat it too, being two-faced.

Li Heng took off his apron, put on his shoes, and went out.

Song Yu and Xiao Han both secretly observed his actions and knew perfectly well who he was calling, but neither of them spoke up to stop him.

Taking advantage of the moment they passed each other, Xiao Han suddenly cleared her throat and asked, "Ahem, Mrs. Song, does the Mr. Zhou know Chen Zijin?"

Song Yu pondered for two seconds, then looked at her profile: "Was it your idea for Chen Zitong to call me 'brother-in-law' on the phone today?"

Xiao Han's eyes flashed, and she smiled mysteriously, "Guess?"

Looking at Xiao Xu, Song Yu said with a solemn expression, "Today is also Zhou Shihe's 20th birthday."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Han said crisply, "Oh dear! You've softened your heart?"

Before Song Yu could reply, Xiao Han said in a serious tone, "If you feel bad about it, then don't occupy such an important place in my husband's heart, and step back yourself."

Believe it or not, if you step back, the person who vacates the spot won't be so lenient; they'll definitely snatch it up.

You know, Mr. Li is a huge fan of beautiful women, and Zhou Shihe's temperament and looks are exactly his type.

Song Yu smiled and said, "Don't try to provoke me, it won't work. I just think your Mr. Li might get mistreated by her."

"Being bullied? No way! My man is mine to bully. If anyone dares to bully him, I'll break their legs. Besides, I want him to hold me while I sleep tonight." With that, Xiao Han rolled up her sleeves and walked straight towards the door.

Song Yu calmly watched her retreating figure, and after a few seconds of silence, she followed her.

She knew very well that Xiao Han had spoken the truth, but at the same time, she used reverse psychology again.

However, this kind of provocation was an open scheme, and Song Yu had no possibility of refusing it, nor would she refuse it.

First Li Heng left. Then Xiao Han and Song Yu went out one after the other.

Dai Qing, who had been secretly observing this scene, said worriedly to Wei Xiaozhu and Bai Wanying, "Something feels off. Could they be fighting?"

Bai Wanying shook her head: "I've been observing Song Yu for a while now. My impression of this woman is that she is a typical virtuous wife and loving mother. With her personal character, she wouldn't do something like fighting."

Dai Qing asked, "So what kind of person do you think Xiao Han is?"

Bai Wanying still shook her head: "I've met Xiao Han several times. To be honest, her personality is very changeable, and I can't figure her out at all."

Wei Xiaozhu said, "Qingqing, you take care of Wanying. I'm going to check out the alley outside."

Bai Wanying said, "Xiaozhu, you'd better not get involved in this."

Wei Xiaozhu laughed and said, "I know, I won't go inside."

....
Building No. 27.

When Li Heng walked through the courtyard gate and entered the house on the first floor, his mood suddenly became somewhat uneasy.

Past experience told him that if Song Yu's arrival had ignited Zhou's competitive spirit and forced her to make a certain decision, then Zi Tong's address of "brother-in-law" on the phone had likely shaken Shi He's resolve and even significantly diminished her trust in him.

Come to think of it, it's a perfectly normal 20th birthday, especially one spent with her sweetheart. Even though Zhou Shihe is usually very dignified, gentle, and conscious of her image, and quite reserved, beneath her calm exterior lies a strange joy in her heart.

Otherwise, would she have invited Li Heng to lunch on his birthday a day in advance?

Otherwise, would she prepare Li Heng's favorite dishes in advance?
Otherwise, would she cook the dishes herself?

But the result?

Song Yu's sudden arrival, Song Yu being Li Heng's girlfriend, dealt her the first blow, making her feel deceived and betrayed, as if she were a substitute for Song Yu.
This made her wonder for the first time whether Li Heng's words to Wang Ye in the private room of the Blue Sky Hotel, "I fell in love with Miss Zhou at first sight," were just an excuse.

Is this just an excuse he used to brush off Wang Ye's advances?

In the morning, on the second floor of building number 26, just as she and Song Yu were arguing, Li Heng chose Song Yu, giving her a second blow.

The unexpected "brother-in-law" on the phone dealt Zhou Shihe a devastating blow, one that caught her completely off guard. It was the third blow.

Brother-in-law?

Are there still people in Beijing who call him brother-in-law?
Did he have other women in the capital besides Song Yu?

How much of a womanizer is he? How greedy is he? How many women is he secretly seeing?
At that moment, Zhou Shihe suddenly felt like she was about to forget him, and suddenly felt that he was a complete stranger.

At this moment, Zhou Shihe's hard-won belief in love was about to collapse. What kind of man had she fallen in love with?
(End of this chapter)