1987 My Era

Chapter 682, The Secret of Wheat Ears is Discovered by the Father

Sauté ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers, star anise, cinnamon, and other spices in hot oil until fragrant. Then add snails and stir-fry over high heat. Season with cooking wine and light soy sauce.

Next, pour in the beer and simmer for 15 minutes.

Finally, add a generous amount of perilla leaves for aroma.

Li Heng noticed that all the seasonings in the Mai family's home were produced by McCormick & Co., so he asked Mrs. Mai, "Auntie, how are these seasonings? Are they any good?"

Upon hearing this, Mai Sui, Zhou Shihe, and Sun Manning all looked at the soy sauce in his hand.

Mai Sui and Sun Manning didn't react yet, but Zhou Shihe seemed to be deep in thought.

Mai Mu replied, "This was recommended to us by an old friend who owns a restaurant. He said it's a new seasoning that's very good. We've found it to be quite good."

Li Heng asked, "Is McCormick well-known around here?"

Mai Mu told him, "It's huge, extremely huge. Just walk around the county and city, and you'll see this company's advertisements and signs everywhere. Every few days, people come to do promotional activities, giving away eggs, aluminum basins, and the like when you buy something. It's very popular."

These techniques were all taught to Consort Huang by Li Heng. I never expected that the leading lady would be so efficient and effective.

Sun Manning took the soy sauce and examined it closely, then asked him, "Hey, wait a minute, why are you so interested in McCormick Company, you big tycoon?"

The wheat ears and the wheat mother also had some doubts.

Zhou Shihe withdrew her gaze and quietly turned the pages of the book in her hands. She was now basically certain that this was the company Huang Zhaoyi had started.

After learning that her daughter had fallen in love with Li Heng, and after learning that her daughter had said that she had kissed Li Heng, Zhou's mother returned to Yuhang and did one thing: she secretly asked someone to investigate Li Heng's background.

If you don’t check it, you don’t know.
Without a word, the young Li Heng had so many women outside of marriage. In addition to the darling daughter of the Yu family, he had also fallen in love with the famous youngest daughter of the Huang family. It is said that she even opened a condiment company in Hunan.

After obtaining the investigation materials, Zhou's mother did not make a fuss, nor did she tell her husband or family. After a night of careful consideration and deliberation, she finally called her daughter and told her the whole story of Li Heng.

During the process, Zhou's mother stated the facts objectively, without embellishing or adding her own subjective opinions.

She did this because she wanted to hear her daughter's true feelings and thoughts.

To her surprise, her daughter remained calm and showed no signs of anger. Finally, Zhou's mother couldn't help but ask, "Shihe, aren't you surprised at all?"

Zhou Shihe said, "He was always a womanizer, it's just that he increased the number of women from 3 to 7."

Zhou's mother realized what was happening and asked, "Did you already know?"

Zhou Shihe gave a soft "hmm," and said, "Yes, he was honest with me."

Zhou's mother frowned slightly. "You're just accepting it so readily?"

Zhou Shihe said calmly, "I was angry at the time. Every time he had another woman, I would slap him."

Zhou's mother asked, "What was his behavior like?"

Zhou Shihe said, "I didn't fight back."

Zhou's mother pressed further, "So what do you plan to do?"

Zhou Shihe pondered for a long time before finally asking, "Mom, I have a question for you."

Zhou's mother said, "You speak."

Zhou Shihe looked out the window, gazing at the horizon, and said, "Is it good or bad for a man to be so promiscuous?"

Zhou's mother said, "It depends on the person."

Zhou Shihe remained silent, waiting for what would happen next.

Zhou's mother took a sip of tea, sat on the sofa, and said, "If a man is incompetent, being unfaithful is the original sin. At best, it will lead to a breakdown in the relationship between husband and wife; at worst, it will lead to the destruction of the family and death."

Throughout history, adultery has often resulted in death, and to some extent, it is linked to infidelity.

If a man is capable and doesn't break up other people's families, then being unfaithful is at most a moral failing and doesn't affect his standing in other people's eyes. As long as he doesn't bring other women home, many people will choose to turn a blind eye.

Zhou Shihe asked without joy or sorrow, "What about the scholars?"

Objectively speaking, Zhou's mother said, "For a writer, as long as he has works and has gained social recognition, people will only gossip about him if they hear rumors of him being a womanizer."

If his works are highly acclaimed, captivating the vast majority of people and possessing the immense potential to be remembered for generations, then his womanizing will be seen as a romantic tale by others, who will envy him and describe him as dashing and debonair.

Zhou Shihe asked, "In Mom's heart, what category does Li Heng belong to?"

Zhou's mother picked up her teacup, took two small sips, and said calmly, "In the literary world, he is among the top tier. But he is too young and needs a major literary award to silence the critics."

Zhou Shihe asked, "Many literary critics say that he will definitely be a contender for the next Mao Dun Literature Prize. What do you think, Mom?"

After pondering for a moment, Zhou's mother said, "I support this view."

Zhou Shihe said, "Some leaders of the Writers Association don't like his works, especially 'White Deer Plain'."

Zhou's mother laughed: "Leaving aside other forces, just the fact that his teacher is Mr. Ba is enough to make anyone who wants to target him think twice about their own strength."

Zhou Shihe was not bothered by her mother's laughter and suddenly asked, "If he becomes the Zhou family's son-in-law, can Mom accept it?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou's mother stopped laughing.

After a long, long silence, Zhou's mother said, "You haven't given up yet?"

Zhou Shihe said, "The premise is that he has to marry me."

Zhou's mother reminded him: "Judging from your behavior on the Dragon Boat Festival, your position in his heart is not as high as that of Song Yu. Yu Shuheng has not yet made her move, and the youngest daughter of the Huang family is also a strong competitor. And that Xiao Han, she is probably not as simple as she seems. She is now Li Heng's official girlfriend."

Zhou Shihe said, "Huang Zhaoyi is excluded."

Zhou's mother asked in surprise, "What's the reason?"

Zhou Shihe hesitated for about ten seconds before finally telling the story of Li Heng and Huang Zhaoyi being together.

Zhou's mother asked, "Drug? Could that daughter of the Liu family do such a thing?"

Zhou Shihe remained silent.

Zhou's mother asked, "Did Li Heng say that himself?"

Zhou Shihe hummed in agreement.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou's mother asked, "Are you serious?"

Zhou Shihe said quietly, "I don't know either."

Zhou's mother pressed further, "What do you mean?"

Zhou Shihe's mother is a very open-minded person. She did not choose to hide anything from her son about marriage: "We are in a cooling-off period now. If he can move me again in the future, I will consider marrying him."

Zhou's mother asked, "A cooling-off period? The women around him are all stunning, especially Song Yu. Are you absolutely certain that he will still be clinging to you in the future?"

Zhou Shihe replied gently, "Isn't it what Mom wants most that you don't bother me?"

Zhou's mother did not deny it. Subjectively, she did not want her outstanding daughter to marry Li Heng, but she would not say it outright and would respect her daughter's wishes.

At this point, the mother and daughter fell silent on the phone.

Four or five minutes passed before Zhou's mother, having finished half a cup of tea, put down the cup and slowly said, "From childhood to adulthood, you have never disappointed your father and me. Mom believes in you, believes in my charm, and wishes you all the best."

Zhou Shihe opened her cherry-like lips slightly, wanting to say thank you to her mother, but ultimately didn't say it.

....
When faced with Sun Manning's question, Li Heng kept it a secret for now: "I'll keep it a secret for now, you'll find out later."

"Tch! Fine, I won't tell you then. I don't care anyway," Sun Manning pouted.

Li Heng cooked dinner himself, preparing five meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and a soup, in addition to snails.

Mai Dong returned from Shaodong County, bringing back several cases of beer. As soon as she entered, she called out to Li Heng, "Your snails smell so good! I could smell them from outside. We're free tonight, how about some beer?"

Li Heng didn't refuse, and said with a smile, "Okay, then I'll have a drink with you, Uncle."

After everyone sat down, Mai Mu was the first to eat snails. She didn't know how to suck them up and failed several times, but that didn't affect her love for them at all. She picked out about 10 snails with a toothpick and put them in her mouth. Before finishing, she praised, "The perilla in it is amazing. If you opened a store with this skill, I guarantee it would be packed with repeat customers."

Sun Manning's mouth and hands were covered in red oil, and she nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at rice. "I agree, I agree, it's super delicious! Li Heng, you're so kind of you, why didn't you make something this good sooner? Hiding it away like a young lady, that's not right."

Mai Sui was very skilled with her mouth; under Li Heng's tutelage, she quickly mastered the trick of eating snails with her mouth.

Zhou Shihe didn't speak to Li Heng at all. She just kept dropping snail shells onto the table, one after another. Before long, a small mountain of snail shells had piled up in front of her.

During this time, when Li Heng's gaze fell upon her, Miss Zhou paused for a moment, then swept all the snail shells on the table into the trash can, and continued eating other dishes. When Li Heng's attention shifted to drinking with Mai Sui and Mai Dong, she quietly turned back to munching on snails. Ding, ding, snail shells fell one after another. But this time, they didn't fall on the table, but directly into the trash can under the table.

After a few bottles of beer, Li Heng, under the influence of Mai Dong, started drinking liquor.

Well, after mixing all that drinking, he quickly got a little drunk. He was still a bit confused about how he ended up eating two big bowls of rice and how he got back to his room to rest.

Fortunately, he didn't pass out from drunkenness and retained a sliver of consciousness.

Li Heng lay down on the bed, and Mai Sui took care of him beside him. She wiped his hands and feet with a towel and asked with concern, "Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?"

Li Heng asked vaguely, "Who's singing outside? Why does it sound so awful?"

Mai Sui smiled charmingly and explained, "It's Manning. Her voice is hoarse from the spice, and she's drunk. She's dancing, singing, and throwing drinks in the bedroom. Shihe is taking care of her."

Li Heng stared at her, somewhat infatuated, for a good four or five minutes.

Mai Sui sensed his tender affection, and her right hand unconsciously rested on his left cheek, gently stroking it. At that moment, her eyes were filled with tenderness.

Li Heng squinted, thoroughly enjoying himself. In the past, he liked to stroke her face, but today he changed it, and it was wheat ears that stroked him.

The two looked at each other in the silent bedroom, both unconsciously entering their own emotional world.

At one point, Li Heng murmured, "Give your husband a kiss."

Surprisingly, the wheat stalk didn't resist. After staring at him for a while, it actually slowly leaned down and, to the man's surprise, pecked him.

It playfully pecked at me again.

Then he smiled and took another peck.

...

On the fifth bite, Li Heng precisely bit her lips. After exchanging glances, the two kissed.

Before I knew it, Mai Dong came upstairs with two bowls of hangover soup.

From a distance, Mai Dong could hear Sun Manning yelling and screaming. He smiled and thought the girl was genuine and quite interesting.

As the song played, Mai Dong walked first toward Li Heng's bedroom. The door was ajar, and he pushed it open a crack.

Just as Mai Dong was about to speak, just as he was about to push the door open a little more, he suddenly froze!
He was dumbfounded!

He is petrified!

Mai Dong was completely dumbfounded.

Guess what he saw? He actually saw Sui Bao kissing Li Heng.

At this moment, the daughter sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward and half-lying on Li Heng; Li Heng lay on the bed, reaching out to hug his daughter's waist. The two were completely absorbed, completely oblivious, and completely intoxicated.

As someone with experience, Mai Dong could naturally tell that the two's intimate actions were very familiar, and it seemed that this was not the first time they had done this.

At the same time, Mai Dong was certain that her daughter did it voluntarily.

Because the expression on a daughter's face cannot be faked.

Mai Dong stood outside the door like a silly goose for a while, then belatedly realized what was happening, gently closed the door again, and quietly left the second floor.

Reaching the corner of the stairs, Mai Dong inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, then drank two bowls of hangover soup, patted her slightly full belly, quickened her pace, and went down to the first floor.

Seeing her husband come down so quickly, Mai's mother, who was just about to go upstairs, couldn't help but ask, "Why so fast?"

Mai Dong asked, "How long does it take to sober up after drinking a bowl of soup?"

Mai's mother asked, "How is Li Heng?"

Mai Dong said, "After drinking it, I closed my eyes and almost fell asleep."

Upon hearing this, Mai Mu nodded and continued walking towards the stairwell.

Mai Dong stopped her and asked, "What are you going up there for?"

Mai Mu said, "Manning has been singing all the time, I'm worried about her, I'm going to check on her."

At this moment, Mai Dong's mind was a complete mess, but she still managed to force a smile, shook her head and said, "They are all young people, and young people have their own world."

Especially Zhou Shihe's daughter, she comes from a distinguished family, and she might not like being disturbed so late. Didn't you see I came down immediately after delivering the hangover soup?"

After hearing her husband's explanation, Mai's mother felt that it made a lot of sense. She had experienced the mindset and happiness of young people before, and it was indeed as her husband said: they didn't like adults meddling in their affairs.

Mai's mother said, "Then I'll go take a shower first. You stay downstairs and keep an eye on things. Don't go visiting other people's homes. Li Heng is drunk, and it's not safe for the house to be without a man."

Mai's mother was a meticulous person and usually wouldn't let her daughter stay home alone.

The reason is simple: his daughter is too beautiful and charming, and as a college student, she stands out in this rural area, so he has always been quite wary of her.

Moreover, with the stunningly beautiful Zhou Shihe at home now, Mai Mu dared not relax her vigilance even more.

Mai Dong nodded and agreed.

In fact, regarding Zhou Shihe's safety while in the countryside, Zhou's mother had secretly arranged for someone to protect her. However, being discreet and hiding was their professional skill, and it was difficult for ordinary people to discover.

However, Ophiopogon japonicus did sense something, but kept quiet and pretended not to know.

His wife went into the bathroom, while Mai Dong slumped into a chair, took out a pack of cigarettes, mechanically put one in his mouth, lit it with a lighter, and started puffing away.

A cigarette.

Two cigarettes.

Three cigarettes.

...

He smoked six or seven cigarettes in one go without stopping.

Because at this moment he had become a piece of wood, a stone sculpture, sitting there dumbly, his mind filled with the image of his daughter kissing Li Heng.

This incident had a huge impact on him!

It was bigger than the size of his father's death.

After all, his father was already in his seventies. No one can escape birth, aging, illness and death. It was either a short life or a happy death. Although he was sad, he was mentally prepared.

The fact that his only beloved daughter kissed Li Heng, and that she kissed him so proactively, was a devastating blow to his mental state!

Extremely destructive!
In the past, he was very proud. He always felt that no man in Shaoyang was good enough for his daughter, and no one could compare to her, until he met Song Yu and Xiao Han, and until Li Heng appeared.

But apart from these three, no one else is good enough for or can compare to his daughter.

Moreover, Li Heng's relationship with Xiao Han and Song Yu had always been ambiguous and complicated. Therefore, he was quite at ease and did not connect Li Heng with his daughter.

After all, his daughter and Song Yu were very close, often exchanging letters and making phone calls. As a father, he would never have imagined that his daughter would compete with her best friend for a man.

After all, Li Heng already has beauties like Xiao Han and Song Yu, anyone would be satisfied, so why would he have the extra energy to provoke other women?

After all, there's Zhou Shihe, who is another woman who can completely rival Song Yu. Even if Li Heng were to provoke other women, the first one to be targeted should be the Zhou family girl.

So no matter how I calculate it or how I think about it, I feel that my daughter is safe.

Okay, okay! Before this, Mai Dong had a pure heart and never doubted the relationship between Li Heng and his daughter. She trusted their friendship as classmates and her daughter completely.

But that trust has been shattered today!

His worldview was also destroyed.

But a man's instinct, a father's instinct, still compelled him to protect his daughter, safeguard her privacy, and guard the secret she held deepest in her heart that she least wanted to be discovered. That's why he forced himself to drink two bowls of hangover soup at the corner of the stairs.

He drank Li Heng's hangover soup because he didn't want his wife to bother their daughter and discover their affair.

Drinking Sun Manning's hangover soup was a cover-up, preventing the four people upstairs from knowing he had been up there that night, and also preventing his wife from coming upstairs.

Mai Dong knew his wife's temperament very well; she was a woman of few words, didn't like to bring up the past, and after tonight, she certainly wouldn't mention such a trivial matter as the hangover soup again. As he smoked his eighth cigarette, Mai Dong pondered: When did his daughter and Li Heng start their affair?

When did your daughter fall in love with Li Heng?

It should be love.

Moreover, it's a love that's etched into one's very being.

Otherwise, my daughter would never have done such a thing, never betrayed Song Yu, never kissed Li Heng, a "married man".

Mai Dong wondered again: Between her daughter and Li Heng, who took the initiative first?
As Mai Dong pondered, a sudden pang of sadness struck her, and she recalled the events following the college entrance examination: She remembered that shortly after the scores were released, her daughter had missed Peking University by two points. She had hidden away and cried for a long time, heartbroken, and had firmly stated her desire to retake the exam and get into Peking University. But then things suddenly changed; a turning point occurred. When Manning came to find her daughter and told her that she and Li Heng were both going to Fudan University, her daughter stopped insisting on retaking the exam and stopped mentioning Peking University. Instead, she accepted Fudan University.

At that time, Mai Dong didn't think much of it, assuming it was thanks to Sun Manning's persuasion, that her daughter had come to her senses, and that her daughter wanted to go to university with Manning.

After all, Sun Manning and Mai Sui were classmates since elementary school, went to the same middle school, and were classmates again in high school. In Mai Dong's opinion, given how close the two girls were, it was perfectly reasonable for them to go to university together.

but now…

Looking back now, Mai Dong suddenly realized many loopholes and finally understood: after the college entrance examination, her daughter's sadness probably wasn't because she didn't get into Peking University, but because she thought Li Heng had gotten into Peking University and she couldn't go there with him. Later, when she learned that Li Heng hadn't gotten into either of the two universities in Beijing, she accepted everything calmly and wasn't so sad anymore, so it was only natural that she went to Fudan University with him.

If that's the case, then the daughter had her heart set on Li Heng during high school?
If that's the case, was it the daughter who initially pursued love?
Thinking of this, Mai Dong felt extremely frustrated and irritable, but he managed to suppress it all.

He knew perfectly well that a prodigy like Li Heng was not someone he could control, stop, or boss around; he had no right to do so.

He knew even more clearly: his daughter, though seemingly gentle, was actually quite strong-willed and opinionated. Since she had taken the initiative to pursue love, it meant that what had just happened in the bedroom was entirely voluntary. Or perhaps, it was something his daughter had been eagerly anticipating.

In the past, Mai Dong felt so sweet and proud of her daughter.

At that moment, Mai Dong must have felt immense bitterness, suffering from the inability to change the situation and the reluctance to do so.

He was unsure whether he should have a heart-to-heart talk with his daughter.

He didn't know whether he should stop his daughter.

He didn't know if he could win his daughter back.

His heart ached terribly, a heart-wrenching pain. He only had one daughter, yet he could only watch helplessly as Sui Bao walked into Li Heng's abyss, unable to do anything about it.

A strong intuition told him that he couldn't stop this relationship; Li Heng's charm and allure were fatal to his daughter. If he rashly intervened, their father-daughter relationship might break down.

Most importantly, Mai Dong is a doting father to his daughter. He can't bear to hurt her, can't bear to expose her pretense, and doesn't want to see her embarrassed.

That would cause his daughter pain, and he would be in even more pain.

His daughter will always be his pride, no matter what the future holds for her.

After much deliberation, Mai Dong ultimately prevailed over reason and suppressed all her thoughts.

When he heard the shower stop and the sound of running water cease, Mai Dong regained his senses. He quickly gathered the seven or eight cigarette butts on the floor into the trash can and swept up the ashes.

To avoid his wife discovering anything amiss, he even put some vegetable scraps and paper scraps in the trash can to cover up seven or eight cigarette butts.

The wheat germ has emerged.

As soon as she came out, she frowned, sniffed, and asked, "Why does it smell so strongly of smoke? The air is thick with smoke. How much have you been smoking?"

Mai Dong smiled and said, "Just two or three roots. I was bored and listening to Manning sing, so I didn't pay attention."

Sure enough, Mrs. Mai's attention was diverted, and she looked up at the ceiling. "Manning, that girl has amazing energy. Her voice is hoarse from singing, but she's still singing, it's just..."

As she spoke, Mai's mother laughed, "Just like when she was little, except her singing isn't very good."

Mai Dong smiled and said, "Young people should just be happy; nothing else matters."

Mai Mu nodded and asked, "Why hasn't Sui Bao come down yet? Shi He hasn't come down either. Aren't they washing up? Aren't they taking a bath?"

Mai Dong said, "Wait a while, no rush. They've all had some wine, why take a bath so early? I once read in a book that you shouldn't take a bath right after drinking alcohol, it's easy to cause trouble."

Mai's mother asked, "Is that so?"

Mai Dong said, "Of course, I can't be wrong. I watched it two or three times back then."

Mai Mu asked, "Is this the kind of accident that could easily lead to someone's death?"

Mai Dong replied, "That's what the book says. It says it can easily cause risks such as blood pressure fluctuations, hypoglycemia, and fainting, and in severe cases, death. I remember it very clearly."

Upon hearing this, Mai's mother suddenly took a step closer and asked in a sinister tone, "Then why didn't you stop me just now? I also drank beer and liquor tonight. Mai Dong, do you think I'm getting old and my looks are fading? And you want to change wives?"

Mai Dong was both amused and exasperated. "I went through so much trouble to pursue you back then. We're practically an old married couple now, and you're still bringing this up? Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you?"

Mai's mother came from a well-off family; her father was a deputy director-level official, and her mother was a section chief-level official—both were powerful cadres. In her youth, Mai's mother was a smaller version of Mai Sui, beautiful and alluring, with many suitors. At that time, her parents disapproved of their daughter marrying Mai Dong, a country boy.

But Mai Dong was thick-skinned and eloquent, and in the end, she managed to win over Mai's mother.

Of course, Mai Dong is not exactly a country boy in the true sense, after all, his parents are both retired military cadres, people with status and pensions.

Mai's mother asked, "Do you think I'm still attractive now?"

Mai Dong said, "I'm even more beautiful than when I was younger."

Mai Dong spoke the truth. Those with inner charm are like old, weathered people; time leaves few marks on their faces. Instead, with age, they become more alluring, increasingly captivating.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Mai said in a low voice, "To verify that what you're saying isn't a lie, I'd appreciate it if you could work overtime tonight."

Ophiopogon japonicus is bitter; crying is even uglier than laughing.

In matters of the heart, he's never been a match for his wife. Not when they were younger, and now that he's over 40, he's even less capable. Isn't this overtime work going to kill him?
Mai Mu asked, "What? You don't want to?"

Mai Dong said, "There are so many people upstairs, this isn't right..."

Mai Mu interrupted him, "I'm in a good mood right now, don't force me to slap you."

Just as Mai Dong was about to speak, Grandma Mai Sui returned from visiting the neighbors next door. As soon as she entered, she said, "Dongzi, where's Sui Bao? I need to ask her something."

Mai Dong replied, "I'm upstairs taking care of Li Heng and Manning. Mom, is there anything you need?"

Grandma asked, "Not down yet?"

Mai Dong said, "Not yet."

Grandma glanced at the stairwell and said to her daughter-in-law, "Tingting, Aunt Zhang from next door is back. Didn't you say you needed to see her?"

Mai's mother called Liu Ting and immediately went to Zhang's house next door.

After her daughter-in-law left, the grandmother whispered to her son, "If you feel weak, go see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor to help you recover. I told you not to be so busy with business every day, and to take better care of your health."

Ophiopogon japonicus: "....."

He never expected that his conversation with his wife would be overheard by his mother, and he felt like he wanted to die.

Before her son could reply, the grandmother stopped there and left, returning to her room.

Grandma and the couple all live on the first floor, leaving the second floor space for the four young people.

That night, Mai Dong couldn't sleep and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Liu Ting asked, "You usually sleep like a log after all that fussing, why aren't you asleep today? Did something happen?"

Mai Dong, of course, wouldn't reveal anything about her daughter. Instead, she said, "You know Jianxin and the others, right? They went to the Soviet Union to resell goods and made a fortune."

Liu Ting immediately understood her husband's meaning, "You want to go too?"

Mai Dong said, "I had tea with them at the factory this afternoon, and they invited me to join them."

That night, Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe slept together.

Mai Sui asked, "Shi He, do you want to go catch mountain crabs in the mountains tomorrow?"

Zhou Shihe flipped through the book for a while, "Is it far or not?"

Mai Sui said, "It's a bit far, about two miles in the mountains. There are also many wild fruits there, like wild chestnuts and raspberries."

Zhou Shihe had never experienced this kind of life before, and immediately agreed: "Okay."

The next day, when Li Heng stretched and walked into the bathroom from his bedroom, he happened to run into Miss Zhou washing up.

He looked around and asked, "Why are you all alone? Where are Mai Sui and Manning?"

Zhou Shihe quickly glanced at him in the bathroom mirror, said nothing, squeezed out the toothpaste, and began to rinse her mouth.

Well, this girl is treating me like I don't exist.

Feeling awkward, Li Heng found the toothbrush and cup he had used the night before and went to the other side to wash up as well.

At this moment, although the two were squeezed into a small space, they were clearly separated and did not disturb each other.

While Zhou was brushing her teeth and washing her face with a towel, Li Heng noticed that she had pierced ears, but he rarely saw her wearing earrings or other jewelry.

Sensing that he was staring at her ears, Zhou Shihe calmly fiddled with her hair to cover them, then continued applying face wash and washing her face.

Li Heng couldn't help but mutter, "That's too stingy, way too stingy."

Zhou Shihe pretended not to hear and continued with her own work.

She had taken over the entire washroom by herself without any manners. Feeling bored, Li Heng went to the outer courtyard and found Mai Sui and Sun Manning by the reservoir, carrying buckets and following Mai Dong around.

Li Heng called out from afar, "Sun Manning, do you have any fish or shrimp?"

Sun Manning replied: "There's a hook!"

Li Heng: "..."

Wheat Ear: "....."

Mai Dong had a cigarette dangling from her lips and was about to laugh. But when she turned around, she saw her daughter waving enthusiastically at Li Heng. The scene of their kiss last night instantly flashed into her mind, and the fish she had caught suddenly lost its appeal. Her mood was like a rollercoaster ride, a mix of emotions.

Mai Dong looked up at Li Heng, who had been summoned by her daughter, then instinctively looked down at the earth dragon and suddenly had a terrible idea: install the earth dragon and sink it in the reservoir.

However, he only thought about this terrifying idea and forcibly suppressed it. Mai Dong shook his head, feeling that he hadn't slept all night and had become neurotic.

Li Heng ran over, glanced at the bucket, and immediately exclaimed happily, "So many shrimp! They must weigh three or four pounds! Stir-fry them with chives, and it'll make a delicious dish to eat with rice!"

Mai Sui smiled gently, "Then you can cook for us later."

“Sure, I’d be happy to help,” Li Heng agreed.

Before, Mai Dong would be very happy to see her daughter chatting and laughing with Li Heng, excited that her daughter had such a strong friend; but now, oh! She's extremely annoyed, almost to the point of wanting to hit him.

What's most infuriating is that Mai Dong has to pretend she knows nothing and speak to Li Heng in a friendly manner: "Are there many river shrimp where you live?"

Li Heng replied, "There are many, but none are this fat. They're the big ones from the reservoir."

As he spoke, Li Heng said, "Uncle, I'll lift this earthenware duct over there. It's been a long time since I've worked on this thing. Let me get a feel for it."

"Okay." Mai Dong handed him the nylon rope in her hand, feeling that her smile was about to freeze, so she quickly rubbed her face with both hands to try to make her smile more natural.

Li Heng's luck wasn't very good; he didn't get as much as he did from the earth dragon earlier.

Sun Manning, as if possessed by a drama queen, launched a direct attack: "Do you even know how to do this, you loser? My uncle's two earthworms weigh about four or five pounds, and yours, haha, doesn't even weigh half a pound."

Li Heng lifted his foot.

Sun Manning covered her buttocks and jumped back a step in fright, then another step, before she realized what she had done: "Go ahead and kick me if you dare, kick me until I get pregnant."

Mai Sui was already used to Manning's unrestrained speech. In her mind, the more familiar someone was with Manning, the more unscrupulous she became, while she was very proper and gentlemanly in front of strangers.

But Mai Dong didn't take those words to heart. They stung like a thorn. She glanced furtively at Sun Manning, then at Li Heng, her eyes filled with suspicion.

Later, when Mai Dong had a chance to spend time alone with her daughter, she asked, "Are Li Heng and Sun Manning dating?"

Mai Sui retorted, "Dad, why do you ask that?"

Mai Dong took a drag on his cigarette and said, "Manning seemed to joke around with Li Heng without any restraint, I thought..."

Mai Sui interrupted her father with a smile: "Dad, you've got it wrong. This is Manning's true self. The more she acts like this, the more it proves she considers you family and a friend. And..."

Mai Dong waited for a long time but received no further comment, so she asked curiously, "And what else?"

Mai Sui whispered, "You've met Xiao Han. She's such a beautiful girl, and Li Heng and she are very close. Besides, Li Heng has very high standards. So many pretty girls at school pursue him, but he hasn't taken a liking to any of them. Manning is very safe with him."

Mai Dong exhaled a smoke ring, "How is his relationship with the Chen family's daughter now?"

Mai Sui asked in surprise, "Dad, you've heard of it?"

Mai Dong laughed and said, "It's no secret. I know a few friends from the former town."

Mai Sui thought for a moment and said, "I have a very good relationship with Zi Jin, but I've heard that my relationship with the Chen family is not very good."

After thinking for a moment, Mai Dong asked, "You mean, Li Heng will most likely want to marry Xiao Han in the future, so Chen Zijin has no chance?"

The wheat stalks shook their heads.

Seeing her daughter shake her head, Mai Dong's breathing quickened, and she even forgot to smoke. "He preferred someone else when he got married?"

Mai Sui was waiting for Zhou Shihe, her gaze fixed on the frail figure at the gate of her own courtyard. She didn't notice her father's change and nodded.

Mai Dong's heart trembled, and she couldn't wait to ask again, "Who does he want to marry?"

Mai Sui hesitated for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Dad, you really don't know Song Yu?"

Upon hearing Song Yu's name, Mai Dong's newly kindled spirit vanished instantly, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her. She felt listless and weak: "Last summer, Manning went to Dongting Lake with Li Heng. Are they still together?"

Mai Sui wasn't surprised by her father's reaction. "No, Li Heng will still go to Dongting Lake with Manning this August."

Mai Dong raised an eyebrow: "He's really juggling three relationships at the same time?"

Mai Sui neither admitted it nor insulted anyone's intelligence by denying it; she simply said, "The relationship between them is rather complicated and cannot be explained in a few words."

Mai Dong really wants to ask: Sui Bao, is your relationship with Li Heng also complicated?

But Mai Dong didn't ask the question outright. Instead, she asked, "Is Li Heng planning to marry Song Yu?"

Mai Sui said, "I don't know, but that's what we think."

Seeing Zhou Shihe walking towards them, Mai Dong thought of something and asked her daughter, "Does this Zhou girl know about Li Heng's womanizing ways?"

The underlying question is: What is the relationship between Li Heng and Zhou Shihe? Is it complicated?
The wheat ear answered succinctly, "I know."

After his daughter answered "I know," Mai Dong didn't ask any more questions. He felt that with the Zhou family's background and Zhou Shihe's top-notch personal qualities, if Li Heng really dared to offend her, he would definitely marry her, and it was impossible for him to marry Song Yu.

Therefore, based on common sense and logic, Mai Dong felt that the relationship between Li Heng and Zhou Shihe was perfectly clear.

Come to think of it, Li Heng and Zhou Shihe haven't interacted much since yesterday, or even at all, so their relationship doesn't seem to be very good.

Perhaps, Miss Zhou is a legitimate woman and looks down on a womanizer like Li Heng.

Thinking of this, Mai Dong sighed inwardly: Look at her, look at Zhou Shihe. There's no harm without comparison. The Zhou family's daughter simply looks down on Li Heng, while my own daughter is practically begging to be fed to him. This, this, sigh...
Zhou Shihe walked over with light steps.

Mai asked, "Have you finished washing up?"

Zhou Shihe gave a soft "hmm," then greeted him gently, "Good morning, Uncle."

"Oh, good morning, Shihe." Maidong was somewhat flattered, then sighed inwardly. Her daughter was clearly very beautiful; even standing next to Miss Zhou, she didn't pale in comparison. Why was she with Li Heng...?
As the three approached Li Heng and Sun Manning, Li Heng suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Eel! This eel must weigh at least a pound or two!"

Sun Manning took a step back: "Is it really an eel? Not a snake?"

Li Heng was speechless. He moved the earth dragon closer to her and asked, "Have you ever seen such a smooth snake?"

Sun Manning took a closer look and immediately shouted, "Shihe, haha, you're so lucky! You caught a big eel right away, while someone else was just a few ounces of fish and shrimp that were barely alive, haha..."

Haha, it wasn't over yet, and Li Heng hit the girl twice on the head.

Sun Manning clutched her head in pain, her eyes wide with displeasure as she demanded, "Why did you hit me?"

Li Heng said, "Try being aggressive again, or you won't get any eels to eat later."

"Bullshit! This earthworm belongs to Uncle Mai, what right do you have to make decisions about it?" Sun Manning wasn't buying it at all.

Mai Dong thought to herself with distress, "My precious daughter has run off with Li Heng. After I pass away, all my assets will belong to Li Heng. Sigh, just a mere eel..."

(End of this chapter)