1987 My Era

Chapter 680, The Understanding Flower
Having not returned to Shangwan Village for more than half a year, the relatives and neighbors were very welcoming, and the father and son chatted with them until about 10:30 pm before parting ways.

Back home, Li Heng took a shower and went upstairs.

He went to his own bedroom for a while, and then came to Yu Shuheng's bedroom door and reached out to turn the doorknob.

The door wasn't locked, and it opened easily.

At this moment, Yu Shuheng was wearing a blue and white floral nightgown and was leaning against the headboard reading a book. When she saw him come in, she naturally moved to a slightly different position, getting closer to the wall.

He closed the door, unbolted it, walked to the bed, took off his shoes in one go, and got into bed. Li Heng asked, "Teacher, it's almost 11 o'clock, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Yu Shuheng asked meaningfully, "Still call me teacher?"

Li Heng chuckled, crossed his arms behind his head, and leaned against the headboard, saying, "I'm not used to calling you by your name yet."

Yu Shuheng said, "If you're not used to it, just call me Sister Yu, or Wife Yu?"

"Look at the multiple-choice question you've given me, do I even have a choice?" Li Heng rolled his eyes, then called out, "Shuheng, my wife, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Yu Shuheng chuckled at his words, "I'm thinking about something."

Li Heng asked, "What's on your mind?"

Yu Shuheng hummed in agreement.

Li Heng turned his head slightly. "What's on your mind? Can you tell me?"

Yu Shuheng closed her book: "Tonight, my mother called me."

Li Heng asked, "Your mother-in-law?"

Yu Shuheng smiled warmly: "It's her."

Li Heng looked at her.

Yu Shuheng said, "My mother hopes I'll have a baby soon..."

She then recounted the entire conversation that took place on the balcony that evening, without embellishment or omission.

Her main selling point is sincerity.

She had given this statement considerable thought, for two reasons:
One reason is that her mother-in-law's suggestion appealed to her. She's almost 27 and it's indeed time for her to get married and have children.

However, she understands that getting married and having children is not something she can do as she pleases.

The key lies with Li Heng.

So she spoke up, taking it as an opportunity.

As for the chances, she couldn't control them; it was up to fate.

Another point is that she has to listen to her mother-in-law's heart-to-heart talk the first time she has one, and she can't just give a perfunctory or dismissive answer.

However, she had a gentleman's agreement with Song Yu, so she couldn't openly break it and could only leave the choice to Li Heng.

If Li Heng is willing to give her a child, then the gentleman's agreement with Song Yu becomes less important. After all, a mother's status rises with her child; she can marry into the Li family in one fell swoop.

If Li Heng doesn't really want to, then there's no harm in her saying it; it's just a way of giving her mother-in-law an explanation.

In fact, she had also thought about it. Tian Run'e brought up the child tonight, asking her to keep Li Heng in check. It might be a test.

This will test whether she has the courage, shrewdness, and ability to be a first wife.

This will test whether she can manage the household.
This will test whether she can stop the Zhou family and Zhou Shihe.
If she fails this time, perhaps this mother-in-law will find someone else, such as Song Yu, or directly Zhou Shihe.

The probability of them looking for Song Yu is high, and the possibility of them looking for Zhou Shihe is also not small.

After all, if you look through all his female confidantes, only those two have that potential.

She knew that Tian Run'e had looked for her in Lushan Village before, but hadn't been so explicit then. Now was the last chance, and she didn't want to miss it without doing anything.

So after weighing the pros and cons, she confessed directly to Li Heng.

After he finished speaking, the bedroom fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The pressure was put on Li Heng, but the choice was also given to him.

On his left were Zijing and Songyu, and on his right was Yu Shuheng. Both were his beloved children, and he would feel heartbroken if he hurt either of them. For a moment, he was truly at a loss.

Seeing that he was deep in thought, Yu Shuheng did not urge him, but reopened the book and continued to read and calm her mind.

A long time, a long time.

Li Heng looked up and said apologetically, "It's too early to talk about having a child."

Yu Shuheng paused noticeably for a moment, then her gaze remained fixed on the pages of the book.

Li Heng stared at the ceiling and muttered to himself, "Zijin has been with me since junior high. Time flies so fast; eight years have passed in the blink of an eye. Last year, for my birthday on Dragon Boat Festival, she didn't come with Song Yu. Do you know why?"

Yu Shuheng remained silent.

Li Heng continued, "You are such a smart person, you should be able to figure out why Zijing didn't come to Lushan Village, and you should also be able to figure out why I haven't gone to the Chen family in the capital."
But the Chen family is the Chen family, and Zijing is Zijing. I want to give my first child to her; it's a promise to her, her lifelong support and security, and also Song Yu's requirement of me. Shuheng, can you understand me?

Seeing that he had shared his deepest thoughts with her, Yu Shuheng was somewhat moved. Her fingers unconsciously pinched the pages of the book, and then she said softly, "My little man, you are a person who values ​​relationships and loyalty. This is your best quality."

Although your choice saddened me somewhat, it also put my mind at ease, as I no longer worry about being abandoned when I grow old and lose my beauty. As your woman, I certainly cannot make things difficult for you.

Hearing this, Li Heng felt ashamed and gently reached out to hug her, saying, "I'm sorry for defiling your nobility and purity. I'm ashamed. I'm also very moved."

It was rare to hear such a magnetic voice from him. Yu Shuheng put her book aside, rested her head on his shoulder, and said, "Little boy, I want to be your confidante."

What is a "compassionate flower" (or "one who understands words")?
Of course, she should always be intelligent, sensible, and considerate.

In Yu Shuheng's mind, Li Heng was an arrogant, talented, smooth-talking, and seemingly foolish person who was actually very opinionated and a womanizer.

She knew that this kind of man didn't want a "troublemaker" who argued with him every day, nor a scheming "poisonous woman," but rather a confidante who could make him feel relaxed, happy, and completely trusting.

Having lived two lives, Li Heng immediately understood the deeper meaning behind this simple sentence. He said nothing and made no promises.

He simply lowered his head and kissed her, kissing her relentlessly.

This time, Yu Shuheng opened and closed her red lips and kissed him cooperatively without any resistance. She even opened the city gate that had been tightly closed in the past.

Because at this moment, she could clearly sense that the man in front of her was different, and his attitude towards her was different.

If their compatibility was 80% before, after this heart-to-heart talk, their compatibility soared to 90%.

This was an unexpected gain that filled her with joy and moved her deeply.

The two red tongues intertwined for a long time, and just when they were about to suffocate, they finally separated. Yu Shuheng covered his face with her hand and gently caressed it, her deep eyes shining with an unprecedented light: "Little man, I love you."

These were words she had always kept in her heart, and now she spoke them out with great passion. Although she had lost her composure, she did not regret it.

She wanted to have a passionate love affair with this man, a love that would last forever.

Taking a couple of breaths, Li Heng kissed her again, this time with more care and passion, until the woman in his arms curled up and curled up in close embrace.

The kiss made Yu Shuheng, who was experiencing a French romantic kiss for the first time, feel weak in the knees and couldn't help but murmur softly.

After a long six minutes, Li Heng released her red lips, kissed her forehead, and said, "I love you too."

"Mmm, thank you." Yu Shuheng closed her eyes happily, burying her long black hair in his neck.

Having lived for 26 years, this was the happiest day of her life, a day she would never forget. She wanted to savor every second and remember it forever.

That night, the two slept in each other's arms. Even though their bodies grew increasingly hot, they instinctively craved each other.

However, the two remained respectful and did not cross the final line.

Perhaps this is what she has truly been pursuing; the fusion of souls is far more memorable than physical pleasure. The next morning, Yu Shuheng gazed longingly at the still-sleeping person beside her, and thought to herself.

After that night, she could feel that she held a more important place in his heart, and that he was being more gentle with her.

I just don't know how far I am from Song Yu on this path.
Sometimes, she actually envied Song Yu and Zhou Shihe, envying them for being actively pursued by Li Heng.

If Li Heng had taken the initiative to pursue her back then, things might have been very different.

But the past can only be thought about; it cannot be changed. Just as the Buddhist saying goes: "Every drink and every bite is preordained; every cause and effect has its own reason."

Li Heng was reluctant to get out of bed. By the time he opened his eyes and woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. He picked up his watch from the bedside table and took a look.

Wow, good stuff!
8:47
It's a bit late. Did you sleep very soundly last night?
He sniffed it and could smell a faint woman's fragrance, which smelled particularly pleasant.

I got up, put on my shoes, and went downstairs when I ran into Yu Shuheng and Tian Run'e hanging their bedding out to dry in the yard. They must have just washed it in the water. They each took a quilt, wrung it out, and hung it on a long bamboo pole to dry.

"You're up." Yu Shuheng greeted him when she saw him.

Li Heng came to her side, playfully kissed her earlobe, and then asked his mother across from him, "Mom, where did Dad go? I'm a little hungry, when are we going to eat?"

Tian Run'e said, "Your dad went to Weijiaduan to discuss something with your aunt. He won't be back until noon. Shuheng and I have already eaten. Go eat by yourself."

"Huh? You've already eaten?" Li Heng exclaimed in surprise.

Yu Shuheng smiled slightly, wiped his face with her wet fingers, and then helped him straighten his messy collar: "Mom was just teasing you. We're waiting for you. Let's go eat."

Seeing how much Yu Shuheng doted on Manzai, Tian Run'e was very happy and couldn't help but like this daughter-in-law even more.

After breakfast, the three men, preparing to head into the mountains, began to arm themselves, wearing thick-soled, high-top rain boots and long sleeves, covering their bodies and arms tightly to protect themselves from poisonous snakes, bees, and pine caterpillars.

Of course, the main concern during this season is to avoid venomous snakes.

The back mountain was vast, with rolling hills, and one half-hillside next to the road belonged to Old Li's family. Since it wasn't her first time here, Yu Shuheng had a bit more experience this time, so she didn't need Li Heng to look after her or ask for her permission for everything. She walked alongside him in a line, keeping a distance of three to five meters as she moved forward.

As they walked, Tian Run'e disappeared, and went off to another hilltop by a side road.

Li Heng and Yu Shuheng ignored her, knowing full well that she wanted to make room for the two of them.

After walking about 700 meters towards the ridge, Yu Shuheng suddenly waved to him happily and shouted, "Li Heng, there are so many butter mushrooms over here!"

She has a vivid memory of butter mushrooms; they are not only delicious but also beautiful in color, and they grow in clusters. If you are lucky, you can find a whole clump and fill a bamboo basket.

Li Heng couldn't move his feet, so he used the stick in his hand to sweep across a large area: "Ha, look, I have a lot of Bado here too."

Yu Shuheng leaned closer, her eyes sparkling, "Have we found the mushroom nest? Why are they so densely packed?"

Li Heng said, "In my memory, this mountain forest has always been a mushroom-growing area since I was a child. When we were young, we didn't have many vegetables to eat, so we often picked mushrooms to take back and dry them."

Yu Shuheng asked, "Aren't other people coming to pick it up?"

Li Heng said, "Yes, we'll pick them up, but there's no way we can pick them all up. Every few days, a bunch of them will sprout up from the ground. Besides, this hill is ours, and it's close to my house. If other people see us here, they won't come and harvest them."

Because mushrooms grow on almost every hilltop, there's no shortage of resources; it's just that the types you might encounter are different. For example, the mountain opposite usually produces a lot of pine mushrooms and red mushrooms; the mountain next door has more Boletus luridus and spirulina.

As he spoke, to ensure her safety, Li Heng took a wooden stick and wandered around the area to check if there were any snakes.

Sure enough, he actually saw a black rat snake as thick as a hoe handle, but before he could get close, the snake heard the noise and slithered away.

Yu Shuheng followed behind him and asked, "This snake is huge, is it poisonous?"

Li Heng said, "They're not poisonous. We can pick mushrooms without worry. Where there are rat snakes, other snakes have basically disappeared long ago."

Yu Shuheng didn't quite understand. "Why?"

Li Heng explained to her: "This snake is scientifically known as the king snake. It is large, has strong immunity to venom, and is known as the king of snakes. It often eats other snakes."

After putting down the bamboo basket, the two began picking wild mushrooms without stopping. Yu Shuheng happily picked more than 300 mushrooms in one go, and then said that she was a little tired and sat down on a dead branch to rest.

Li Heng handed her the water bottle he had brought. "Want some water?"

Yu Shuheng agreed, took the kettle, and unscrewed the lid, closing the small opening.

She had only taken two sips when the water bottle was taken away from her lips, and someone quickly covered her red lips with their own, demanding more water from her.

Yu Shuheng smiled, knowingly reached out and hugged his neck, and kissed him tenderly.

After the kiss, Yu Shuheng, panting heavily, teased, "Now I finally know why they like being with you so much. Your technique is really amazing. I can't keep up at all."

Li Heng chuckled, reached out and picked her up, laid her horizontally on his lap, and then lowered his head to kiss her red lips again.

Yu Shuheng nestled in his arms, tilting her head slightly, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Perhaps it was because of the particularly tranquil environment, or perhaps it was because her body was too mature, but Yu Shuheng really enjoyed being intimate with him. In the later stages of their intimacy, her body had a strong physiological reaction, and her face turned rosy, like a bride who had just entered the bridal chamber.

Li Heng held her as if she were a ball of cotton; her body was very soft. Based on his extensive experience with women, the woman in his arms was at the peak of her sexual maturity, fully ripe.

However, she just stared at the man longingly, her eyes concealing desire, but she remained reserved and did not ask him to do anything.

Seeing that his right hand was starting to get restless, Yu Shuheng said with a glint in her eye, "Little man, you're not allowed to mess around outside. Let's pick mushrooms first, and I'll reward you when we get home."

Li Heng asked anxiously, "Really?"

Yu Shuheng laughed and said, "It's fake. You always kill but don't bury, leaving me stuck in this awkward position, and then you just leave without doing anything."

Li Heng chuckled but didn't reply; he really didn't dare to take the final step now.

It took me about an hour to pick all the mushrooms. I made two trips back and forth and carried four bamboo baskets home in total.

Tian Run'e has also returned. I guess she went to the opposite mountain, which is full of pine mushrooms, and you can occasionally see a few red mushrooms.

(End of this chapter)