1987 My Era

Chapter 684, Thoughts and Schemes
Li Heng didn't go to the orange grove to take photos because he happened to receive a phone call.

The call was from my second sister, Li Lan.

As soon as the call connected, my second sister said, "Wang is right next to me. She wants to talk to you about something."

As he spoke, the phone was handed to Wang Ye.

Wang Ye said, "Boss, the fourth round of new student recruitment officially begins on August 10th. Are you free?"

Li Heng asked, "Are the six newly built branch schools ready?"

Wang Ye said, "I recently visited the various branch schools for on-site inspections, and the progress has exceeded expectations. I anticipate there will be no problems."

Li Heng thought for a moment and said, "I might not have time then. We'll see how things go."

Wang wasn't surprised; he was wondering who he would be spending time with this time, and which confidante would be favored.

Wang Ye brought up the second matter, "Mr. Li, I just received a call from someone claiming to be Wang Runwen. Who was the caller?"

Li Heng slapped his forehead and said, "Look, I actually forgot about this. I called you twice a while ago, but no one answered. I was just thinking of talking to you about this."

Wang Runwen was my high school teacher. She has recently resigned and wants to find work. Would it be convenient for you to mentor her?

Wang, having worked in the corporate world for many years, understood certain things immediately and asked directly, "Is she Mr. Li's woman?"

If Yu Shuheng hadn't come before, Wang Ye wouldn't have thought this way. After all, Yu Shuheng was once Li Heng's teacher.

But her boss had a criminal record and seemed to have a particular fondness for older women, so she asked the question almost without hesitation.

Of course, she asked this to gauge Wang Runwen's worth and his standing in the boss's eyes, so she could decide how to cultivate him in the future.

Li Heng understood the implication in his words, and after a moment of contemplation, he frankly said, "Not yet."

Upon hearing this, Wang immediately understood, and at the same time felt a pang of sadness.

She had pleaded and begged, hinted and made direct advances several times, but Mr. Li showed no tenderness whatsoever. Meanwhile, he kept adding other women to her life, almost causing her to lose her composure.

Unconvinced, Wang Ye couldn't help but ask, "Is it beautiful?"

Her subconscious thought was: like her other female confidantes, she was a great beauty?

Li Heng did not reply, but said, "You can take care of him for a few months. If Wang Runwen is capable, I'll ask you to put in more effort for me; if he's not, I'll take him away and use him for something else."

Wang Ye remained silent for a moment, then asked before finally replying, "To cultivate a successor for the future?"

Li Heng said, "The matter of a successor is still a long way off; we'll talk about it when the time comes."

Wang Ye felt relieved and offered his opinion: "If Mr. Li really intends to pass the New Future Training School on to Song Yu and her children in the future, I do not recommend that Wang Runwen take over, otherwise it may cause trouble in the future."

As for a successor, it would be better to select one directly from the school's senior management.

She can learn workplace experience from me, but it's best if she doesn't get involved in the highest levels of power at this school. If you trust me, I'll take her into the real estate industry when the time is right.

Wang Ye didn't want to tell this blunt truth, as it's always hurtful and could easily damage her relationship with Mr. Li. But the truth was unavoidable, and she didn't want the New Future Training School, which she had worked so hard to build, to collapse due to infighting.

These words struck a chord with Li Heng.

Li Heng immediately replied, "Okay, I trust you."

After discussing these two main points, the two then talked about the current situation and future prospects of New Future School for about an hour before ending the call.

"Hey, wait a minute, don't hang up." Just as Wang was about to hang up, Li Lan, who had been listening nearby, quickly grabbed the receiver.

Li Heng asked, "Second Sister, is there anything else?"

Li Lan asked, "Is it convenient for you right now?"

Li Heng glanced at the courtyard outside and saw that Mai Sui, Zhou Shihe, and Sun Manning had returned. "There are people in the courtyard outside, so it's not very convenient."

Li Lan frowned, then lowered her voice and said, "I'll just say one thing, don't reply. You bastard, you actually managed to get Wang Runwen."

Let me tell you, Wang Runwen's sexy figure is a bottomless pit. You'd better start taking care of your health now. Don't follow in Li Ran's father's footsteps, and don't expect me, your aunt, to take care of your orphan in the future.

Also, for the first child, I'll only accept it from Chen Zijing, Xiao Han, or Song Yu—uh, Mai Sui is fine too. You'd better think carefully about anyone else. Okay, bye, you bastard.

The call ended abruptly, and before Li Heng could react, the receiver was already dialing a busy signal.

Li Heng frowned, stared at the receiver for a long time, and then put it back.

Damn it, what's wrong with my second sister today? Why is she so angry?

Well, okay, my second sister seems to have always been like this. She throws tantrums whenever she wants and beats people whenever she wants, without any restraint, for decades.

...

Wang Ye stared at Li Lan, his mind a little blank.

How did Li Lan, who was chatting amicably with me just moments before, suddenly become so foul-mouthed? And the target of her insults was none other than Mr. Li, whose social reputation was at its peak?
Wang Ye asked, "Aren't you siblings?"

Li Lan said with a smile, "I only held back because we're family."

Wang Ye was taken aback: "You mean you held back with your words?"

Li Lan refilled his cup of herbal tea: "In our hometown, there's a saying: 'Spare the rod and spoil the child.' You'll understand later."

Wang Ye pondered for a moment, then asked, "Do you know Wang Runwen?"

Li Lan nodded.

Wang Ye asked, "Beautiful?"

Li Lan said meaningfully, "She may not be as good-looking as you, but she has her own unique qualities. You'll understand when she comes to the capital to report to you. My brother has no ordinary people around him."

Hearing this, Wang felt that her thoughts had been seen through by the person in front of her. She took a sip of tea, got up to say goodbye, and left.

....
Dinner was prepared by Li Heng.

A large pot of stewed old hen with soft-shelled turtle, braised wild rabbit, spicy mountain crab, chives and river shrimp, twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts, spicy and sour chicken giblets, plus a green vegetable dish and a chicken mushroom soup.

The table was laden with food; it was quite a feast.

Mai Dong went to drink with Li Heng again, saying the food was good and the two men would have a good drink.

Li Heng readily agreed, and they drank beer, liquor, and eventually even baijiu (Chinese white liquor).

result.

As expected, Li Heng got so drunk that he was completely unconscious.

Looking at Li Heng, who was fast asleep in the chair, Mai Dong thought smugly: I went easy on him last time we drank, let's see how you can mess with Sui Bao this time.
Sun Manning leaned over, pinched Li Heng's nose, and seeing no reaction, said happily, "Uncle, you're amazing! This guy is really drunk."

Mai Sui's eyes were full of heartache, but she couldn't show it.

Grandma Mai looked at her son carefully, fanned herself with a palm leaf fan, and left the yard with her cane to visit other neighbors.

Zhou Shihe ladled a bowl of mushroom soup and sipped it slowly. She knew perfectly well that Mai Sui's father had deliberately gotten Li Heng drunk; as for the reason, there was no need to guess—it must have some ambition involved.

After helping Li Heng into the bedroom to rest, Liu Ting asked her husband privately, "Dongzi, what's wrong with you tonight? Drinking is fine, but why switch between three different kinds? He's so young, and a scholar. Do you think he's some kind of gangster like you?"

Mai Dong scratched the back of her head and said dismissively, "I was having so much fun drinking that I didn't notice anything for a moment."

Hearing this, Liu Ting was speechless with anger and didn't know what to say.

Sun Manning didn't sing tonight, but she was half-drunk, lying on the sofa watching TV, holding a bag of popcorn and constantly putting it into her mouth.

Unable to count on Manning, Mai Sui said to Zhou Shihe, "Shihe, I'm going to take a shower. Can you take care of him for me?"

Zhou Shihe nodded gently and sat down on the chair by the bed.

Mai Sui left, closing the door behind her to prevent the TV noise from disturbing the two people inside.

Zhou Shihe looked around, then opened the window and suddenly asked, "Are you really drunk?"

Li Heng hummed in agreement and slowly opened his eyes: "Thank you. If you hadn't secretly replaced that liquor with water, I really would have collapsed. Sigh..."

As he spoke, he sighed, "Uncle Mai is a grown man, yet he's still quite vengeful."

Zhou Shihe smiled knowingly, and teased him for once, saying, "At least it's better than getting beaten up."

As soon as they finished speaking, they both froze, fell silent, and looked at each other.

Speaking of being beaten, apart from his second sister, this girl in front of him beat him the most.

After a while, Li Heng broke the silence and asked, "When are you going back?"

Zhou Shihe said, "The plane ticket is for the 20th."

Li Heng asked in surprise, "So late? Didn't you say you were only going to play for half a month?"

Zhou Shihe returned to her chair and silently watched him. Her pure and bright eyes inexplicably put a lot of pressure on him.

Li Heng pondered for a moment, then said, "Last week, Xiao Han, Huang Zhaoyi, and Teacher Yu all came to my house. I'll be away at the end of the month because of something. How about next year? I'll invite you and Mai Sui to my house next year."

His implication was: it's not good to bring so many women back in such a short time, please let me go. Zhou Shihe didn't say anything, but it was as if she said everything. After a long look at each other, she smiled slightly and looked away: "It was originally scheduled for the 20th. Sui Sui would come with me to Yuhang."

Li Heng: "..."

I feel like I've been tricked by this girl in front of me. She tricked Xiao Han, Huang Zhaoyi, and Teacher Yu into revealing her secrets, and even tricked me into making a promise to take her home next year.

As for whether Zhou Shihe will be willing to go home with Li Heng next year, that depends entirely on her mood and how the situation changes at that time. In short, she can retreat to defend herself or advance to attack.

With just a glance, she seized the initiative.

That night, Mai Sui slept with Zhou Shihe as usual.

Li Heng sleeps alone, and Sun Manning sleeps alone.

After lying in bed for an hour or so, Mai Sui asked, "Shi He, are you asleep?"

Zhou Shihe responded gently, "No."

Wheat asked, "Can't you sleep?"

Zhou Shihe gave a soft "hmm".

Wheat Ear asked, "Thinking about something?"

Zhou Shihe hesitated for a moment, then said, "Last week, Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi went to his hometown."

Mai Sui was surprised: "Isn't it Teacher Yu? Huang Zhaoyi went too?"

Zhou Shihe said, "They should have gone at different times."

After thinking for a moment, Mai Sui asked, "Shi He, what are you worried about?"

Zhou Shihe stared at the ceiling: "Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi have completely joined forces; Song Yu and Yu Shuheng have reached an agreement. I've become the target of everyone's criticism. Sui Sui, can you help me?"

Mai Sui paused for a moment, then asked with a kind heart, "How can I help?"

Zhou Shihe didn't speak at first. After a long while, she turned her head and whispered a few words in her best friend's ear.

Mai Sui nearly lost her voice upon hearing this, and stammered, "Will this... will this really work?"

Zhou Shihe paused for a few seconds, then slowly closed her eyes and said, "They have already built a barrier. Without breaking it down, there can be no new construction. I want to give it a try."

Mai Sui knew that Li Hengding had done something during the hike today that broke the long-standing cold war with Shi He and solidified Shi He's resolve.

Mai Sui couldn't refuse, but she could only comfort her: "While you still have time, think it through. Once this happens, there's no going back."

Zhou Shihe quietly said, "Okay."

Mai asked, "Will your family agree to such a rash move?"

Zhou Shihe said gently, "This is my business. My parents may have different opinions, but they will still support me."

Mai Sui asked, "So, are you still giving him the cold shoulder?"

Zhou Shihe said, "Let's say half and half. This is a rare opportunity."

Mai Sui asked suspiciously, "Huh?"

Zhou Shihe said calmly, "Now all the women around him are obedient to him. Only Song Yu may still have some persistence and reserve. This situation is no longer novel or exciting for him. In the long run, the more he can't have me, the more he wants me, and his desire will become more and more urgent. This is beneficial for me to carry out my final plan."

Mai Sui patted her chest in lingering fear: "Luckily I'm not a man, otherwise you would have me completely under your thumb."

Zhou Shihe smiled cleverly but didn't say anything.

In fact, for her plan, if Li Heng didn't love her and didn't pursue her afterward, there was absolutely no possibility of it being realized.

But she was willing to take a gamble, a big one.

If she succeeds, she will suppress all other women and rise to power.

She lost, suffered a crushing defeat, and vowed never to have any further contact with Li Heng.

...

The night passed.

The next day, when Mai Sui got up, she ran into Li Heng coming out of the next room.

I don't know why?
At this moment, Mai Sui looked at him as if he were a turtle in a jar: he was the turtle, and Shi He was the one who caught it.

Li Heng waved his hand in front of her: "Don't you recognize your man? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Mai Sui smiled sweetly and even tiptoed to kiss him.

Li Heng's eyes widened, and he said with a happy expression, "One more time."

Mai Sui glanced around, and sure enough, she obediently kissed him on the corner of the mouth again, saying before saying, "Let's go wash up."

"Hey." Li Heng wanted to reach out and hug her, but then he saw Miss Zhou appear from behind the door. In the end, he had no choice but to reluctantly withdraw his hands and give up.

He greeted her: "Good morning, Comrade Shihe."

"Mmm." Zhou Shihe gave a quiet "Mmm," then walked past the two of them and headed towards the stairwell.

Mai Sui felt a little embarrassed, secretly wondering if Shi He behind her had noticed her actions.

Li Heng tugged at her wrist: "Let's go, let's go down together."

Mai Sui snapped out of her daze: "Okay."

In the small washroom, the three of them seemed to have a tacit understanding, rinsing their mouths and washing their faces in perfect unison. Even without verbal communication, the three of them were as harmonious as a family, which made Li Heng feel flattered.

In the days that followed, Li Heng took on the role of chef, preparing lunch and dinner. During the day, he accompanied them on hikes and river trips, occasionally visiting the market in the small town. If heavy rain prevented them from going out, they would stay home reading or playing cards together.

Although the incident on the mountain broke down the ice between Li Heng and Zhou Shihe, Zhou Shihe remained lukewarm towards him. If he initiated a conversation, Zhou Shihe would give a brief reply, nothing more.

As for getting Miss Zhou to talk to him, don't even think about it, there's no way he'll agree.

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was July 18th.

Early in the morning, Li Heng packed his things and prepared to leave.

He was supposed to leave on the 15th, but because Zhou Shihe was in Shaodong, he delayed for two days.

Sun Manning skipped her lazy sleep and chased after him barefoot, asking, "Hey, are you going to Dongting Lake without a word? Without me?"

Li Heng said, "I have to go to Changsha. There are some things I need to take care of there. Aren't Mai Sui and Shi He supposed to be going to Changsha to catch a plane on the 20th? You can come with them. Get off at the South Bus Station and wait for me. I'll come find you."

Sun Manning asked, "How was that place last year? At the entrance of the bus station."

Li Heng nodded and said, "Okay."

If this girl hadn't mentioned Dongting Lake, Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe could have pretended not to know anything, but once she did, the atmosphere at their farewell became somewhat awkward.

After finishing his cigarette, Mai Dong stubbed it out and sat down in the driver's seat of the van quite consciously.

Li Heng got on the bus.

Mai Sui got into the car and leaned out to ask, "Shihe, Manning, would you like to go to Shao City for a stroll?"

Zhou Shihe didn't want to go, but she couldn't resist Sun Manning's entreaties and got into the car.

Maijia is not far from Shaoshi, only an hour's drive away.

Halfway there, Sun Manning realized she wasn't wearing shoes and wailed, "Li Heng, it's all because of you that I rushed to get my shoes on without even putting them on! You're so rich, why don't you pay for a pair of sandals for me?"

Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe chuckled as they looked at her bare feet.

Li Heng was very straightforward. He took out a wad of cash from his pocket, stuffed it into her hand without even looking at it, and said, "Just buy whatever shoes you like. You can return any extras to me later."

"Bullshit, I'm not returning it. Consider the extra money as a treat for us to eat today." Sun Manning looked down at the small wad of banknotes in her hand, her eyes gleaming with greed.

Li Heng said, "That works too."

At 9 a.m., he arrived at Shaoshi Bus Station.

Half an hour later, Li Heng boarded a bus bound for Changshi.

As soon as he left, Mai Dong also left to see her friends.

After everyone left, Sun Manning asked, "Where are we going?"

Mai Sui looked at Shi He, "Shi He, is there anywhere you particularly want to go?"

Since they were all close friends, Zhou Shihe didn't beat around the bush and said gently, "I want to visit Shaoyang No. 1 Middle School."

Mai Sui and Sun Manning exchanged a glance and instantly understood Shi He's purpose.

(End of this chapter)