1987 My Era

Chapter 675 was completely bombarded with spoilers, it was terrifying.

They say plans can't keep up with changes.

Li Heng had dinner with his father-in-law, Xiao Hai, and the party dragged on until after 8 p.m.

Wei Shiman originally wanted Li Heng to stay at her home overnight, but when she thought about his sensitive identity, she gave up the idea.

Finally, Huang Zhaoyi drove, Xiao Han sat in the passenger seat, and Li Heng sat in the back. The three of them headed towards Shangwan Village together.

Watching the car disappear from sight, Wei Shiman couldn't help but sigh and said to Xiao Hai, "Old Xiao, do you know who this Consort Huang is?"

Xiao Hai, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "I've spent most of my life holed up in this small town. Just say what you want to say, don't beat around the bush."

Wei Shiman pulled her husband into the house, closed the door, and whispered, "My daughter told me that this Consort Huang is Li Heng's mistress."

With a thud, the cigarette in Xiao Hai's mouth fell to the ground.

Wei Shiman continued, "Huang Zhaoyi's background is beyond our imagination..."

As she spoke, she repeated her daughter's words verbatim.

Xiao Hai was shocked and speechless. It took him a long time to come to his senses: "How could such a good family be willing to be Li Heng's mistress? Besides, she is so famous and her personal qualities are no worse than our daughter's."

Wei Shiman pursed her lips, "That's what I said before too, maybe she's insecure."

Xiao Hai was puzzled: "What do you mean by that?"

Then, Wei Shiman recounted how Li Heng and Huang Zhaoyi got together, saying, "Li Heng rejected her many times before, and she only got into his bed after her niece drugged her. Plus, she's older, which is the root of her inferiority complex. Otherwise, with her background, she wouldn't have become Li Heng's mistress, nor would she have formed an alliance with her daughter."

Xiao Hai bent down to pick up the cigarette from the ground, his fingers tracing the cigarette holder back and forth. After pondering for a long time, he finally spoke: "So, Hanhan really wants to marry Li Heng?"

Wei Shiman frowned: "You don't think it's a good idea?"

Xiao Hai plopped down on the sofa. "Didn't you say there's also Teacher Yu from the Yu family? And Song Yu from Peking University, and Chen Zijin from the Chen family? Can Hanhan beat them?"

Xiao Hai mainly refers to Yu Shuheng and Song Yu. He used to deliver vegetables to his daughter on his way here, and he once saw Song Yu by chance at Shaoyang No. 1 Middle School. At that time, he thought that the girl was too beautiful and had the temperament of a fairy from heaven.

Wei Shiman sat down next to her husband: "Regardless of whether we win or not, at least for now Li Heng only calls us Mom and Dad. In the future, no matter what happens, whether we fight or retreat, we must stand firmly behind our daughter."

Wei Shiman's meaning is very simple: her daughter is her lifeblood. Whether her daughter wants to marry Li Heng or is abandoned in the future due to heartbreak, she will firmly support her daughter and be her backing.

Xiao Hai nodded and put the cigarette back in his mouth: "That's how it is."

In reality, what father would want to see his daughter with a philanderer? It's just that he has no choice; his daughter is deeply in love with him, so he has to swallow his pride and support her.

....
Qianzhen is 10 li away from Shangwan Village. Driving slowly at night, and Huang Zhaoyi not being familiar with the mountain roads, it took her a full 16 minutes to get home.

Originally, Li Heng wanted to take over, but seeing Huang Zhaoyi's serious expression, he gave up and could only keep reminding her how to drive from behind.

As soon as the car entered Shangwan Village, it met Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e waiting at the village entrance. Upon seeing the glaring headlights, the couple immediately ran over.

Xiao Han reacted the fastest. Before the car even stopped, she rolled down the window and called out with a smile, "Uncle, Aunt Tian."

After she finished calling out, she mentally punched herself: I'm still not thick-skinned enough to call out to my parents, and I don't know how I managed to call out to my honey so smoothly.
Tian Run'e had long regarded Xiao Han as her daughter-in-law, and warmly took her hand, saying, "Hanhan, you're here too."

Li Jianguo stood behind his wife and smiled at Xiao Han.

At this moment, Li Heng and Consort Huang got out of the carriage one after the other.

The couple ignored their son and stared blankly at Huang Zhaoyi, quite surprised that the leading lady would be here at this time.
Huang Zhaoyi exudes an innate sense of sophistication in every move she makes. She explained, "Xiao Han and I are friends and neighbors, and I just happened to be giving them a ride back."

The elderly couple knew how powerful the Huang family was, so without much thought, they immediately extended an invitation: "It's getting dark, why don't you come in and sit for a while? Have you had dinner yet?"

Huang Zhaoyi was very tactful; she looked at Xiao Han and let her reply, aiming not to steal the limelight.

Xiao Han understood, "Aunt Tian, ​​don't worry, we've eaten what's served."

Li Heng stood by, pretending to be invisible, until they had finished their conversation, before finally interjecting, "Hey old lady, I've been standing here for so long, and you haven't even asked me if I'm your son?"

Tian Run'e waved her hand and pulled Xiao Han into the car, saying, "I'm chatting with my daughter-in-law, it's none of your business, go away."

Li Heng: "..."

Huang Zhaoyi was very curious about seeing Tian Run'e in this way for the first time, and she sat back in the driver's seat.

Seeing this, Li Heng and Li Jianguo exchanged a glance and got into the car one after the other.

This time, however, Li Jianguo sat in the passenger seat, while Li Heng sat next to Xiao Han in the back.

Tian Run'e asked with concern, "Why are you back so late?"

Li Heng said, "Look at the question you're asking. It's not like you've never been to Shanghai before. It's a long way. If Sister Huang hadn't driven us, we might not have been able to get a ride back today."

Tian Run'e glared at him with a smile, "I wasn't asking you, I was talking to Hanhan."

Xiao Han smiled sweetly, wondering what her honey had done to offend his future mother-in-law.

Li Heng was speechless. He thought for a long time but couldn't figure out why his mother had changed her expression today.
Back at the crossroads, Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi wanted to leave, but Tian Run'e wouldn't let them, saying it was too late and the mountain road was unsafe, and insisted on keeping the two women there.

Xiao Han didn't feel too guilty and chatted with Tian Run'e, naturally sitting down on the sofa.

Consort Huang glanced at Li Heng subtly, and only when Li Heng nodded did she feel relieved.

Li Jianguo poured a cup of tea for the group and then went into the kitchen to prepare a late-night snack.

Li Heng didn't stop him, but went to take a shower instead. Half an hour later, he went to his older sister's house with gifts and gave the child a large red envelope.

The older sister asked, "Brother, when did you get back?"

Li Heng said, "I just got back not long ago."

My brother-in-law wasn't home at the time; he was doing carpentry work for someone in Xiaoshajiang. Since it was a mountain road that took dozens of miles, he would only come back about once a week.

The eldest sister had originally intended to come to the house, but upon seeing the two beauties, Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi, she backed out at the last minute, grabbed her child, and dashed back to her husband's house. She was incredibly fast and strong; Li Heng couldn't even stop her.

There's no turning back, let her be.

The eldest sister hadn't received much education and hadn't seen much of the world. She was most afraid of being seen by glamorous city people, always feeling that it would bring shame to her family and younger brother, so she generally chose to avoid them.

Hearing the noise at the door, Tian Run'e came out and asked, "Was that your older sister just now?"

Li Heng said, "That's right, they ran away as soon as they saw Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi. No matter how you keep them, they're useless."

Knowing her eldest daughter's temperament, Tian Run'e said in a low voice, "Forget it, let's leave her alone. She'll feel uncomfortable if she comes. It's better for her to stay home and take care of the children."

Before her son could reply, Tian Run'e asked to confirm, "When is Teacher Yu coming?"

Li Heng replied, "We'll be coming to Shaoyang on July 1st, but we might have to stay there for a day or two as we have some things to take care of."

Tian Run'e frowned: "What's wrong? You don't have any businesses there, it's not that high school English teacher, is it?"

Li Heng asked, "Mom, why don't you trust your son?"

Tian Run'e didn't say anything, but spat on the ground. Even though she didn't spit, she wiped it with the sole of her shoe.

Li Heng: "..."

Tian Run'e pressed further, "Is it that high school English teacher named Wang Runwen?"

Li Heng countered, "Why would you ask that?"

Tian Run'e said, "Never mind, is it her?"

Li Heng gave an irrelevant answer: "Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to flirt with another woman in front of Teacher Yu? Besides, she's my teacher."

Tian Run'e said, "Isn't Shuheng your teacher?"

Li Heng replied, "They've resigned now."

Tian Run'e frowned even deeper. "Really resigned? When did that happen?"

Li Heng nodded: "He resigned on Dragon Boat Festival."

Tian Run'e paced back and forth a few times, and finally said with a worried expression, "Since you've resigned, you can't refuse anymore, can you? What will you do if you get pregnant too early? Do you dare to leave her hanging and not marry her?"

In fact, Tian Run'e is not opposed to marrying Yu Shuheng. However, considering her son's complicated romantic relationships, especially with Xiao Han and Zi Jin, whom he has already officially acknowledged, as well as Half Wheat Ear and Song Yu, whom her son most wants to marry, it might not be so simple.

Li Heng said, "I will handle this matter, so please don't worry."

Tian Run'e stopped in her tracks: "Can you really handle this?"

Li Heng said, "I am confident. Moreover, Teacher Yu is a very reasonable person, not as domineering and aggressive as you think. Otherwise, I wouldn't be living such an easy life now."

Recalling her time with Teacher Yu, Tian Run'e's tense mood gradually relaxed, and then she asked, "Is Hanhan really friends and neighbors with Huang Zhaoyi?"

Li Heng nodded: "They are indeed neighbors. You have been to my and Xiao Han's new home on Wukang Road. Huang Zhaoyi lives next door."

"Is that so?" Tian Run'e was a little suspicious, but considering that Xiao Han was still in the room, she didn't ask any further questions.

After chatting for a while about other trivial matters, just before going inside, Tian Run'e still asked repeatedly, "You really have nothing to do with that teacher Wang Runwen? I've seen her; any man would want to take a bite out of her. Can you resist touching her?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes: "I'm your precious son, for goodness' sake. What kind of person do you take me for?"

Tian Run'e said, "According to the book, to put it nicely, he's a romantic and talented man; to put it bluntly, isn't he just like Chen Shimei?"

Li Heng's lips twitched: "What's going on? Why are you so upset with me today?"

Tian Run'e fell silent, then sighed and said, "Thinking about coming back to help you take care of other women, your father and I felt especially sorry for Zijing. We've been thinking about this the whole way back from Beijing."

Now it was Li Heng's turn to be speechless. After a long while, he finally said, "When I have time, I will go and spend time with Zijing."

Tian Run'e glanced at her son and went inside.

The late-night snack was simple, just a few home-style dishes, mostly wild game. Li Jianguo suggested, "Since we've eaten, let's have some drinks."

Then Li Jianguo asked Xiao Han, "Hanhan, would you like sweet wine or strong liquor?"

Xiao Han smiled and said, "Uncle, sweet wine."

Li Jianguo ladled a bowl of egg drop soup and sweet wine for Xiao Han, then asked Huang Zhaoyi, "What about you? I remember you can drink alcohol, how about a few sips of liquor?"

Huang Zhaoyi readily placed the bowl over and said, "Okay, I'll have a drink with Aunt Tian."

Li Heng also drank liquor, closed the door, and acted as a foil.

However, as they drank, Li Heng poured half a bowl of liquor for his wife. Xiao Han stared at the liquor in the bowl, then rolled her eyes at her honey before drinking it anyway.

Needless to say, after drinking half a bowl of liquor, Xiao Han passed out.

After her son carried Xiao Han to the bedroom on the second floor and settled her in, Tian Run'e pulled him outside and asked reproachfully, "Why did you let Hanhan drink so much?"

Li Heng thought for a moment and said, "I have something to tell you and Dad."

Tian Run'e's heart skipped a beat: "What's going on? Are you going to get Hanhan drunk?"

Li Heng didn't rush to speak, but instead led his mother downstairs and waited.

After waiting for a while, Tian Run'e grew impatient. She stood up and paced back and forth in the room, asking, "Has something serious happened?"

Li Jianguo, sitting next to her, was smoking a cigarette, and his patience was much better than his wife's.

Li Heng glanced at his watch, then looked towards the bathroom. "Please wait a little longer, until Consort Huang comes out."

Upon hearing this, Tian Run'e stopped in her tracks, exchanged a glance with her husband, and the two of them looked at each other with doubt and confusion.

Four or five minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and Huang Zhaoyi, who had finished showering and washing her hair, came out.

To be honest, Consort Huang, with her delicate eyebrows like autumn water, looked stunning at that moment. She was radiant and poised, and her graceful walk caught Tian Run'e's eye.

Li Jianguo glanced at it and then looked away, afraid his wife would write it down and he'd be held accountable later. He was genuinely worried, knowing Zhao Jing had been nagging him her whole life.

Seeing the family of three sitting silently in the living room, Huang Zhaoyi, who was drying her hair with a towel, pondered for a moment and then asked, "Aunt Tian, ​​haven't you rested yet?"

Tien Yun-e laughed and said, "Man-zai said he has something to say, so he'll wait for you."

Upon hearing this, Consort Huang's heart suddenly pounded, and she turned to Li Heng somewhat awkwardly.

Li Heng waved to her, then patted the stool next to him.

Tian Run'e and Li Jianguo were stunned, not understanding what their son was doing. Why was he letting Huang Zhaoyi sit next to him?

But Huang Zhaoyi's next move surprised the elderly couple.

Huang Zhaoyi paused for a moment, and then, under the watchful eyes of the elderly couple, she actually came to Li Heng's side and sat down next to him. Although she was a little nervous, she behaved very obediently.

Tian Run'e was dumbfounded. In her eyes, Consort Huang was a famous Peking Opera artist and a member of the Huang family. When did she become so obedient to her son?

Li Jianguo was equally dumbfounded. He didn't even realize when the cigarette butt burned his hand. He stood there dumbfounded, glancing at his son and then at the woman in blue. For a moment, his mind was completely blank.

With Huang Zhaoyi sitting down, the large room became deathly silent.

The four of them stared at each other, neither saying a word for a while.

As the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, Huang Zhaoyi's palms began to sweat involuntarily. This was the first time in her life that she had lost control of her emotions.

Just as the air inside the room was about to freeze, Li Heng spoke.

He told Huang Zhaoyi, "Call them Mom and Dad."

Those three simple words almost made Huang Zhaoyi's heart jump out of her mouth, but fortunately, she came from a prominent family and had experienced all kinds of situations. Finally, she calmed herself down and called out to Tian Run'e in front of her, "Mom."

After calling her "Mom," she looked towards Li Jianguo and said, "Dad."

Just as the words "Mom and Dad" were uttered, a thud was heard and someone collapsed to the ground.

Li Heng and Consort Huang looked in the direction of the sound and saw Tian Run'e stagger and fall to the ground, her eyes wide open, giving the impression that she died with her eyes wide open.

Li Heng quickly stood up and went over to help his mother.

Huang Zhaoyi stood up, walked to the other side of her future mother-in-law, and squatted down to help her up.

Li Jianguo was so shocked by the word "Dad" that he didn't come to his senses for a long time, and was the last to react.

But Tian Run'e completely ignored her son, swatting his hand away and turning to ask Huang Zhaoyi, "Zhaoyi, what did you call me just now?"

Huang Zhaoyi, who was always proud in front of others, showed shyness for the first time, but still cleverly called out, "Mom."

Tian Run'e was dizzy and didn't respond. She just lay half-reclined on the ground, staring intently at Huang Zhaoyi's face. Her expression kept changing, which was quite a sight.

After a full half-minute standoff, Tian Run'e moved her lips and asked her husband in front of her, "Jianguo, did you hear that? Zhaoyi just called me 'Mom'."

Li Jianguo felt no better than his wife; he forced a smile and nodded.

After her husband confirmed that it wasn't a misperception, Tian Run'e punched Li Heng with her fist. However, despite the force of the punch, it was actually very light and felt like a tickle.

After hitting her, Tian Run'e scolded, "Did you bully Consort Zhao?"

Li Heng's eyelids twitched as he watched his mother put on a great show.

Feeling guilty, Huang Zhaoyi quickly stopped him, saying, "Aunt Tian... Mom, don't blame him, I was the one who went with him."

Upon hearing this, Tian Run'e turned her head again and looked at Huang Zhaoyi.

Li Jianguo also looked at the woman in blue.

Huang Zhaoyi said, "I have long admired Li Heng, but we only ended up together by a twist of fate."

Tian Run'e kicked her husband.

Li Jianguo reached out and helped his wife up.

Tian Run'e, disregarding her improper posture, sat down and hurriedly asked, "Ai Mu? When did you get in touch with him?"

Huang Zhaoyi said, "I started corresponding with him two years ago."

Tian Run'e blurted out instinctively, "So early? Wasn't he still a high school student back then?"

Huang Zhaoyi was embarrassed and didn't know how to respond.

Li Heng chimed in: "She was my reader. She only started interacting with me and writing letters after reading 'To Live.' At that time, she didn't know I was a high school student and thought I was a young writer."

"Oh, I see."

Tian Run'e suddenly realized, and then asked urgently, "So you two knew each other all along, and you were just putting on an act for me in the capital?"

Faced with her future mother-in-law's questioning, Huang Zhaoyi felt like digging a hole and disappearing into it.

Li Heng said, "Wasn't that because I was afraid you'd worry?"

Tian Run'e glared at her son, then took a minute or two to calm herself down. When she spoke again, she was much more composed and had regained her composure from the shock.

Tian Run'e reached out her right hand, pulled Huang Zhaoyi to sit beside her, and asked in the most kind tone, "Tell me, how far have you two gotten?"

Fearing that Da Qingyi would be embarrassed, Li Heng interrupted, "Mom, that's a bad question. I've already started calling you Mom, so of course everything that's supposed to happen has happened."

Tian Run'e looked at her son, then at Li Jianguo, who had a solemn expression, and remained silent for a while before speaking: "Zhaoyi, I'm sorry to have wronged you. I didn't expect that this bastard would not even spare you."

When we left the theater, I remarked to Jianguo with a touch of melancholy, "You're so beautiful and sing Peking Opera so well; I wonder who you'll end up marrying? I never imagined you'd end up in our Li family, becoming my daughter-in-law."

After speaking, Tian Run'e took Huang Zhaoyi's hand, leaned forward, and asked with utmost seriousness, "Are you really willing to follow this rascal?"

Huang Zhaoyi nodded and said, "Mom, I'm willing."

Tian Run'e asked, "Do you know how promiscuous he is outside? I'm afraid you won't be able to accept it if you find out."

Huang Zhaoyi nodded in agreement.

After laying out the worst-case scenario, and seeing that Zhaoyi was sincere, Tian Run'e secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her expression changed faster than turning the pages of a book, and she smiled kindly and said, "Good! Good, good! I've been eyeing you for a long time. I never thought you would actually become part of my family. I'll have face when I go out in the future."

These words were considered a formal acceptance of Consort Huang.

Huang Zhaoyi's tense nerves gradually relaxed.

Li Jianguo, who hadn't said much until now, walked away. When he returned, he brought over four more cups of tea and handed the first one to Huang Zhaoyi.

Huang Zhaoyi accepted the tea, saying, "Thank you, Dad."

"Hey." Li Jianguo responded happily, reaching into his pocket with his right hand and pulling out a bulging red envelope to hand over.

This is a red envelope for changing one's address.

Huang Zhaoyi glanced at Li Heng and accepted the red envelope.

Seeing this, Tian Run'e slapped her thigh, exclaimed "Oh dear!", and ran into the bedroom, also giving her a red envelope.

Huang Zhaoyi smiled and called out "Mom" again, then said thank you.

Now, the elderly couple finally understands why their son got Hanhan drunk first, and why Zhaoyi personally drove her son and Hanhan back.

But there was one thing the elderly couple still couldn't understand: given the Huang family's and Da Qingyi's circumstances, why would they willingly give Hanhan away? And why were they so close to Hanhan? In a way, the two women were rivals in love, shouldn't they have disliked each other?
Everything about it was weird.

The Huang Zhaoyi incident completely shattered the elderly couple's psychological defenses.

But they were very perceptive and didn't ask what "a twist of fate" meant. Instead, they kept helping their son appease his daughter-in-law.

Even with her son and Zhaoyi's personal confirmation, Tian Run'e still found it hard to believe. She pulled the head maid to look at her from left to right, from every angle, and after several times, she suddenly asked, "I remember, you seem to have a house in the capital?"

Consort Huang replied, "Yes."

Tian Run'e said to her husband, "Jianguo, get some paper and pen and have Zhaoyi leave the address so we can visit her when we get back to the capital."

Tian Run'e was quite tactful in saying this; she didn't take the initiative to invite Huang Zhaoyi to her home near the Drum Tower in the capital, since that was Zijing's territory, otherwise it would be too much.

Huang Zhaoyi was very familiar with all the ins and outs, but she had no complaints. She had no intention of arguing, and she was already very grateful that her future mother-in-law came to visit her.

Li Jianguo returned to his study and retrieved paper and pen.

Huang Zhaoyi wrote down the addresses of her two permanent residences in Beijing and left her landline numbers. She handed them to Tian Run'e and said, "I go to Beijing two or three times a month. I usually stay here on the night after a performance."

After two years, Tian Run'e had already memorized the other party's performance schedule. She happily accepted the offer and said, "Okay, I'll give you a call before I come over."

Huang Zhaoyi smiled and replied, "Okay."

They chatted for more than half an hour, holding hands. When it got late, Tian Run'e said to Huang Zhaoyi, "It's getting late. You should go upstairs and rest. There are two bedrooms, and the beds are already made up. You can choose any one."

Huang Zhaoyi glanced at Li Heng and obediently went upstairs to the second floor.

Li Heng didn't leave immediately; he knew the old couple definitely had something to ask him.

Sure enough, after the footsteps disappeared at the entrance of the building, Tian Run'e, who had just been all smiles, instantly changed her expression. She frowned and stared at her son for a long time before finally asking, "Tell me and your father, how long did it take you to deceive Zhaoyi?"

Li Heng was even more wronged than Dou E, "Didn't I just say it was a coincidence, not something I did on my own initiative?"

Tian Run'e didn't believe Huang Zhaoyi's story at all and asked directly, "If you don't take the initiative, do you think she'll take the initiative to sleep with you?"

Li Heng: "..."

Li Jianguo: "..."

Neither the father nor the son expected her to say such a thing.

Is this still the Comrade Tian Run'e they know?
Li Jianguo coughed twice and reminded him, "Manzai's all grown up now, use your words carefully."

Tian Run'e was furious. She turned to her husband and glared at him, saying, "He inherited your bad habits. He's always thinking about other women. Look how many he's had!"

Li Jianguo immediately fell silent, hurriedly took out a cigarette, lit it, and began to puff out smoke.

With one move, she subdued her husband. Tian Run'e sat down opposite her son, determined to get to the bottom of things.

Faced with his mother's death stare, Li Heng had no choice but to weigh the pros and cons. In the end, he simply explained his situation with Da Qingyi.

After finishing his speech, without waiting for his parents' reaction, he said sincerely, "Although Zhaoyi and I got together after I drugged her, I am quite satisfied with her and have never thought of getting rid of her."

"If you dare to shake her off, I'll skin you alive!" Tian Run'e declared sternly.

This shows how much Tian Run'e likes Huang Zhaoyi, and how much her identity as a Peking Opera performing artist is appreciated.

Come to think of it, it makes sense. She used to be my favorite leading lady, and I would go to see almost every performance. Now, she has become my daughter-in-law. Which mother-in-law wouldn't be happy?

Today, she was shocked, but Tian Run'e also felt a strange joy.

To put it simply, it's like the beautiful jade you've been longing for suddenly becoming yours. How could you not be excited?

Li Jianguo interjected, "That Liu Yue, is she really that extreme in her actions?"

Li Heng said, "Liu Yue was my classmate in college. To be honest, I don't know her very well."

Li Jianguo asked a crucial question: "Even if you got together after being drugged, you didn't break off contact with her afterwards and continued to have contact with her. That can't simply be attributed to chance."

"Let me ask you, what are you going to do with this Consort Zhao? Marry her? Or what will you do with her? I've heard about the Huang family; you wouldn't be willing to let her be just your confidante, would you?"

“Yes, that’s the most important thing. With Consort Zhao here, I couldn’t ask you what you were thinking. How dare you bring her home so early?” Tian Run’e chimed in from the side.

Meeting the anxious gazes of the elderly couple, Li Heng remained calm: "Don't worry, she and I have already discussed this. Apart from not getting married, I will give her everything she is entitled to, including the children."

Li Jianguo was taken aback: "Zhaoyi can accept this?"

Li Heng said, "I have already made it clear to her."

The couple looked at each other, somewhat at a loss, unsure whether they should believe that such a good thing could exist in the world.
After a long pause, Tian Run'e asked, "What about the Huang family? What is their attitude? Do they know about your affairs?"

Li Hengdao: "You know?"

Li Jianguo asked, "Has the Huang family come looking for trouble with you?"

Fearing that Huang's mother might suddenly find the elderly couple, Li Heng did not lie about this matter, saying, "Zhaoyi's mother and two older sisters have all contacted me."

Li Jianguo asked, "What did they say?"

Li Heng said, "Of course she wanted me to marry her, but I didn't agree, and Consort Huang didn't allow it either. She persuaded her family to leave."

Li Jianguo pondered, "Does this mean the matter isn't over yet, and the other party hasn't fully admitted it?"

Li Heng nodded.

Li Jianguo didn't ask any more questions. He silently smoked his cigarette, puffing away, and the sparks quickly burned through three cigarettes.

Tian Run'e also fell into deep thought, and the room became quiet again.

After a long while, Tian Run'e remembered something and asked, "Besides Hanhan, did anyone else know about your affair with Zhaoyi? For example, Song Yu, or Teacher Yu?"

Li Heng hummed in agreement.

Tian Run'e quickly asked, "What were their reactions?"

Li Heng shamelessly replied, "It's alright."

Tian Run'e asked irritably, "What do you mean 'okay'? If I were them, I would have slapped you a few times."

Look, Comrade Tian Run'e, you're spouting nonsense again, aren't you?

Back then, Aunt Zhao Jing pestered my dad for so long, didn't you handle it politely?
When did you ever dare to slap someone?
But then again...

Li Heng touched his face, thinking to himself that his old face had been slapped by Miss Zhou, but he still argued with her, saying, "They are all civilized people, they are all cultured, how can you be so violent?"

Besides, objectively speaking, even if I made a mistake, you can't blame it all on me. Blame God; it was God who personally acted as matchmaker.

Tian Run'e wasn't so easily fooled. She went straight to the point and asked, "Are Song Yu and Teacher Yu really that magnanimous? Is Teacher Yu's compromise because she wants you to marry her?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jianguo raised his head and stared intently at his son.

This time, Li Heng didn't beat around the bush and nodded: "Yes."

"Sigh!" Tian Run'e sighed, clapped her hands, and lost all interest in asking any further questions.

I'm really afraid of what's coming!
I knew Teacher Yu was definitely after the marriage certificate.

Thinking this through, Tian Run'e, who still had many questions to ask, suddenly waved her hand impatiently: "Go upstairs and sleep too. Seeing you annoys me. If I had another son, I would kill you right now."

Li Heng automatically ignored these words, knowing that his mother was truly angry this time, so he simply went upstairs.

After her son left, Tian Run'e sighed repeatedly and said, "Look at him, he's going to cause trouble. Let me tell you, after what happened with Zhaoyi tonight, I bet that English teacher from No. 1 Middle School will be a regular in your son's bed in the future."

Li Jianguo had never met Wang Runwen before, and asked in a low voice, "Very beautiful?"

Tian Run'e shook her head: "Compared to the average person, she is definitely considered pretty. But compared to Song Yu, Hanhan, Mai Sui, Hanhan, Zi Jin, and Teacher Yu, there is still a big gap. But the key is that she is pleasing to the eye and has a very good figure."

Having traveled all over the country for so many years, I've seen quite a few women, but apart from that girl Mai Sui, I reckon Teacher Wang has the most attractive figure for men.

After thinking for a moment, Tian Run'e uttered two words: "Sexy! That's right, sexy. I just remembered this word. Unlike the allure of wheat, Teacher Wang is purely sexy. I think your son would most likely lose control when facing her."

Li Jianguo asked, "Why did you suddenly bring up Teacher Wang?"

Tian Run'e said, "Before leaving Beijing this time, Lanlan told me to keep an eye on Teacher Wang. She said that if Manzai goes to Shaoshi alone this time, he might go to see him."

Li Jianguo asked in surprise: "Lanlan?"

Tian Run'e said, "Lanlan spoke quite seriously this time; it didn't sound like she was joking."

Li Jianguo stubbed out his cigarette. "No wonder you insisted on going to No. 1 Middle School when we got to Shaoshi that day. I thought it was something important. Did you go to see Teacher Wang?"

Two days ago, when Li Jianguo returned from Beijing and transferred in Shaoshi, he met with an old classmate and had a meal with him, while Tian Run'e went to Shaoshi No. 1 Middle School.

That night, the couple rested at Zhao Jing's house again.

Tian Run'e said, "I did go to see her."

Li Jianguo asked, "Did you see him?"

Tian Run'e said, "It was easy to find. When I arrived, Teacher Wang was giving a lesson on the platform. I stood by the window for a while and then left."

Li Jianguo asked, "Didn't anyone notice?"

Tian Run'e said, "I found out, but I don't know if they recognized me?"

Li Jianguo held a pessimistic view: "Manzai looks like you, so he probably recognized him."

One by one, they surfaced. The couple looked troubled. Finally, Tian Run'e said, "I want to meet Song Yu face to face."

Li Jianguo immediately understood what his wife meant: "You want to observe Song Yu's character?"

Now that things have come to this, Tian Run'e no longer hides anything. "Your son is so eager to marry her, I need to see what she looks like. Does she deserve Lanlan's praise that she's 'a beauty only fit for heaven'?"

Li Jianguo said, "I'm still most worried about Teacher Yu and Zhaoyi."

Tian Run'e understood the implication in her husband's words, but for a moment she didn't know how to respond.

Because both the Yu family and the Huang family are behemoths, the Li family, with its small arms and legs, cannot possibly contend with them. As the saying goes, a person of low status has little influence, so no matter how much discussion is held now, it will be useless. The key is to see the attitude of Teacher Yu and Consort Huang and their ability to mediate between them.

Thinking it over, Tian Run'e said, "I'm still worried about that Miss Zhou from Lushan Village."

When Zhou Shihe was mentioned, Li Jianguo had nothing to say. He stood up and said, "Don't think about those things anymore, it's easy to get stressed. Let's go to bed early, we still have to go to the Xiao family tomorrow morning, we can't be late."

Tian Run'e stood up dejectedly and followed her husband back to the bedroom.

That night, Tian Run'e tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She finally managed to drift off in the latter half of the night, but had a terrifying dream.

How terrifying were the dreams?
In her dream, she was invited to a hot pot dinner by Zhou Shihe, whom she didn't know well. The other guests at the dinner included Mai Sui, Xiao Han, Song Yu, Huang Zhaoyi, Chen Zijin, Teacher Yu, and Wang Runwen.

At first glance, wow! The whole table was full of familiar faces, all of them my son's girlfriends.

Tian Run'e sat down and asked the women, "Hey, you've prepared a delicious meal! Where's Li Heng? Didn't you invite him?"

The women remained silent and all looked at Zhou Shihe.

Zhou Shihe said calmly, "It called."

Tian Run'e asked, "Where?"

Zhou Shihe pointed vaguely with her chopsticks at the boiling red oil hot pot, which was full of chunks of meat: "It's in the pot."

"Ah!!!" Tian Run'e screamed in terror and woke up.

Li Jianguo, who shared the bed with his wife, was awakened by her voice. He reached to the bedside to turn on the light, turned to look at his wife for a moment, and asked, "You're covered in sweat. Did you have a nightmare?"

"My son, my son is gone," Tian Run'e murmured to herself, clearly still in a daze, immersed in a dream.

Li Jianguo reached out and brushed his wife's forehead, a customary practice to cleanse away impurities. Confused, he asked, "What? Your son is gone?"

Tian Run'e recounted what happened in her dream.

Li Jianguo listened patiently and comforted him, saying, "You're worrying too much. Dreams are often the opposite of reality, so don't take them seriously."

Tian Run'e wasn't on the same wavelength as her husband and asked, "Tell me, with so many outstanding women at the same table, why is that Miss Zhou sitting at the head of the table? Could it be that Manzai has already made a move on her?"

Li Jianguo said, "That's pure speculation. Among these girls, you and Miss Zhou are the least familiar with each other..."

"No, I'm most afraid of Zhou Shihe." Unexpectedly, Tian Run'e interrupted her husband and directly expressed the melancholy in her heart.

Li Jianguo was puzzled: "Why are you most afraid of her?"

"Perhaps it's because I know her the least, or perhaps it's a woman's intuition, but I'm inexplicably a little afraid to hear her name," Tian Run'e confessed.

Recalling Zhou Shihe, Li Jianguo said, "She was thin and frail, with a kind face and was very considerate in dealing with people. She seemed easy to get along with, not as terrifying as you described."

Tian Run'e said, "For no reason at all, I'm just most afraid of her."

After thinking for a long time, Li Jianguo said, "Maybe it's because she's too good-looking and comes from a wealthy family, which puts pressure on you."

Tian Run'e tacitly agreed.

She then said, "Actually, it's not just Zhou Shihe; I also feel a lot of pressure when facing Teacher Yu."

Li Jianguo asked, "Where is Consort Huang?"

Tian Run'e said from the bottom of her heart: "Although I was also shocked by this one, I was mostly happy."

Li Jianguo chuckled, "You, you still have the mentality of a child. It's just that her identity as a Peking Opera leading lady is so appealing, exactly what you wanted."

Distracted by this, Tian Run'e felt a little better after being frightened by the nightmare. She sat up, got out of bed, and put on her shoes.

Li Jianguo asked, "Where are you going?"

Tian Run'e said, "I'll go upstairs and see if Manzai is still alive."

Li Jianguo was dumbfounded. "You took your dream seriously?"

“I only have one son, I can’t rest easy if I don’t check on him,” Tian Run’e said, opening the door to her room.

Li Jianguo asked from behind, "If your son sleeps with Hanhan tonight? Or with that other person? Aren't you afraid of waking them up if you go in like this?"

Tian Run'e stopped in her tracks: "With my two daughters-in-law at home, they wouldn't be so unreasonable."

Li Jianguo said, "You're wrong. It's most likely in Hanhan's room. Give up on your hopes."

Tian Run'e turned to look at her husband: "Are you so sure?"

Li Jianguo said, "In the past two years, I've been reflecting on our son's words and actions. The most favored ones are definitely Song Yu and Hanhan, one from the south and one from the north, both of whom have publicly acknowledged being his girlfriends. Zijing has clearly suffered because of Zhong Lan in this regard."

The fact that Hanhan dared to bring Huang Zhaoyi back this time suggests that Hanhan and Huang Zhaoyi have reached some kind of tacit agreement; otherwise, your son wouldn't have dared to do this even if he had ten times the courage.

Hanhan would certainly not invite Zhaoyi to the Xiao family as a guest.

Tian Run'e lowered her voice: "You mean, Hanhan is trying to win over Zhaoyi? She's already starting to form factions?"

Li Jianguo said, "I'm not sure either, but I think it's probably true. You forgot what Lanlan said, Hanhan is very intelligent, and probably not someone who gives up easily."

Tian Run'e rubbed her hands together, and finally decided to go upstairs to check: "I'll go up quietly, and if he's not in his room, I'll come down."

Zijing slept in Li Heng's master bedroom. Last time Teacher Yu came, she also slept in one of the other rooms.

Previously, when Xiao Han got drunk, Li Heng carried her to a brand new room.

There are four bedrooms on the second floor, and at this stage, it's entirely possible to avoid having duplicates.

A few minutes later, Tian Run'e returned looking embarrassed.

Li Jianguo asked, "Not in your own room?"

Tian Run'e took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, and said irritably, "You were causing trouble in Hanhan's room."

With just one word, "mischievous," the couple, having been through similar experiences, fell silent, and the conversation abruptly ended.

Turn off the lights and go to sleep.

However, the couple couldn't fall asleep in the latter half of the night. They just kept talking quietly until dawn.

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(End of this chapter)