1987 My Era

Chapter 686, Making a Statement: Pressure from the King

After ending the call, Li Heng sat for a while before going downstairs to find something to eat and go to a restaurant.

After having a good meal, he made a trip to Yuelu District and Tianxin District to check on the four properties that Da Qingyi had bought for him.

This time, he plans to hand over four properties to Song Yu.

On the 19th, Li Heng began preparing gifts for the Song family, and it took him a whole day to gather all the gifts for his aunts and uncles.

Around 11 a.m. on the 20th, his female assistant, Li Fang, drove over and took him to the gate of the South Bus Station.

As soon as he got into the car, Li Fang said, "Mr. Li, I spoke with my boss on the phone. She won't be able to return to Changshi anytime soon. She told you not to wait for her."

Li Heng asked, "What happened at her home?"

Li Fang replied, "The boss didn't say."

Li Heng nodded, closed his eyes to rest, and asked no more questions.

Not long after, the car arrived at the South Station. As Li Heng was getting off the car, he said to his assistant, "Tell your boss that I might go to Beijing at the end of August, and I won't be returning to Changchun at other times."

Li Fang responded.

Just as they arrived at the meeting point carrying large and small bags, Sun Manning jumped out from the left and began to complain, "Li the Rich Man, why are you so late? I've been waiting for you for almost an hour."

Li Heng was taken aback: "I deliberately left a little late because I didn't want to keep you waiting. Why are you here so early? When did you leave Shao City?"

Sun Manning pouted: "We set off before dawn. If you hadn't come, I almost would have been kidnapped."

Li Heng looked her up and down, then nodded seriously: "With such a good figure, she's definitely at risk of being kidnapped."

"Damn it! You jinx. If I really get kidnapped and have someone else's baby, you'll be crying your eyes out." Sun Manning cursed, but her hands didn't stop as she helped him carry his things.

Li Heng was in the wrong and didn't argue back this time.

He asked, "Are you hungry?"

Sun Manning replied, "My uterus is almost gone from starvation."

Li Heng was speechless. "There are people coming and going around here. Can't you, a grown woman, speak properly?"

"cut!"

Sun Manning scoffed and pulled her baseball cap down a little: "We're all wearing sunglasses and hats, what are you afraid of? You're such a coward."

Muttering and swearing, the girl walked into a restaurant and ordered four dishes and three bottles of ice-cold beer.

After ordering, she said with a wry smile, "You have a lot of money, you're treating."

Li Heng rolled his eyes: "According to your bullshit logic, I'll always be the one to treat you."

Sun Manning retorted, "That's not necessarily true. Maybe I'll strike it rich someday and become the richest person in the world."

Li Heng said, "The probability is even lower than the Yangtze River drying up."

Sun Manning said angrily, "You old bastard, you underestimate me! Just you wait! After I finish my meal, I'll go and drink the Yangtze River dry."

Seeing that the girl was getting more and more rambling, Li Heng changed the subject and asked, "What time are Mai Sui and Shi He's flights?"

Sun Manning said, "It's 1:30 pm."

Li Heng asked, "Why didn't you go to Yuhang with them?"

Sun Manning said, "Didn't I promise you and Song Yu? I can't go back on my word."

Li Heng said, "You can break your promise this time."

Sun Manning's eyes widened: "Are you disgusted by me being a third wheel?"

Li Heng laughed and said, "It's not that I dislike her. It's just that, according to most people's thinking, the closer you are to Shihe's family, the more beneficial it will be for your future career."

Sun Manning glanced around and lowered her voice, saying, "See, you're being uninformed. No matter how powerful Shihe's family is, I'm still going to marry into her family. Shihe will be your woman in the future. If I cling to your coattails, isn't that the same as indirectly clinging to her coattails?"
Besides, there's Teacher Yu next to you, and Song Yu too, and lots and lots of others. Do you really think I'm stupid? I'm shrewd as a bat."

Li Heng gave a thumbs up, completely convinced.

After lunch, the two found the bus bound for Yueyang and boarded it, knowing the way well.

The two of them were seated in the last row, and luckily, the bus started moving soon afterward.

Sun Manning admired the street scene outside for a while, then suddenly asked, "Hey, by the way, why didn't you have that woman take us directly to Dongting Lake?"

The woman she was referring to was Li Fang.

Li Heng asked, "You saw it?"

Sun Manning rubbed her eyes: "I'm not blind."

Li Heng said, "They have their own things to do, so I didn't let them. Besides, there's nothing wrong with taking the shuttle bus; just treat it as a trip to relax."

Sun Manning rolled her eyes, stretched, and quietly asked, "Hey, man, is my rabbit big?"

Li Heng calmly uttered four words: "Get out of here."

Sun Manning laughed and then said, "I got up too early today, I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get there."

Li Heng teased her, "Go to sleep. When you wake up, you'll find yourself surrounded by burly men."

Sun Manning crossed her legs and slumped in her seat, saying, "It's alright, it doesn't matter. I'll give them a volleyball team when the time comes."

This idiot really fell asleep, giving Li Heng a rare moment of peace. He spent the whole way thinking about the New Future Training School and Wang Runwen.

Around 5 p.m., he shook Sun Manning, who was still fast asleep, awake: "Manning, we've arrived."

"Huh?" Sun Manning suddenly opened her eyes: "We're really here?"

Li Heng pointed to the small town bus station entrance to the left: "Remember that camphor tree? We met up with Song Yu under that tree last year. They've arrived already."

Sun Manning followed his gaze and immediately leaned out, shouting, "Song Yu! Song Yu! We're here!"

This idiot's voice was very loud, and Song Yu, Song Yushu, and Song Shi looked over in the direction of the sound.

However, the shuttle bus did not stop, but drove directly into the bus station.

Seeing this, Song Yu and the other two followed them in.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Sun Manning jumped out and ran over to hug Song Yu tightly: "Haha, I'm so glad to finally see you. Let me tell you, your husband bullied me on the way here, so you'll have to stand up for me later."

Song Yu didn't react much to the word "husband," and asked with a smile, "How does he bully you?"

Sun Manning added fuel to the fire, saying, "He said he was going to sell me to a burly man to have his baby."

Li Heng, who followed behind, really wanted to kick this idiot. He smiled and called out to Song Shi and Song Yushu, "Uncle, Aunt, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Song Shi smiled and helped carry the things to the trunk of the Santana: "We've only been here a short time, but you guys must have had a hard time taking the bus all the way here."

Song Yushu then asked, "Li Heng, are you hungry?"

Li Heng said, "Fortunately, we had lunch before getting on the bus."

After putting all the gifts into the trunk, Li Heng looked at Song Yu.

They looked at each other, smiled, and got into the car together.

Song Yushu drove, and Song Shi sat in the passenger seat.

Li Heng, Song Yu, and Sun Manning sat in the back row.

Sun Manning muttered, "Oh dear, I seem to have appeared at the wrong time. You two should just bear with me, or just pretend I'm not here."

Song Yushu laughed when she heard this, and even turned around to look at Sun Manning.

Song Shi kept his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent. He couldn't help but recall what his wife had said to him the night before.

Just as he was falling asleep in bed, Jiang Yue said, "Old Song, I have something to tell you."

Song Shi asked, "What is it?"

Jiang Yue said, "Li Heng is coming in a couple of days and will stay here for a month. You and Yu Shu can go to the county station to pick him up."

Song Shi was surprised: "Your attitude has changed so quickly, I'm not used to it yet."

Jiang Yue sighed helplessly and immediately recounted her conversation with her daughter that day in detail: "I asked your daughter seriously, and she was adamant that she wanted to marry Li Heng."

Upon hearing this, Song Shi remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly and deliberately, "Alright, I'll call tomorrow and have my younger sister drive back." After a while, Song Shi asked, "Has Li Heng... made any promises about marrying Yu Bao?"

Jiang Yue said, "Your daughter said that Li Heng wants to take her home to meet the elders of the Li family. Besides, if he really stays in Dongting Lake for a month, it will show more sincerity than any promise."

Song Shi strongly agreed with this statement.

Given Li Heng's current status, wealth, and reputation, if he were to truly spend a month quietly with his daughter at Dongting Lake, that would be more convincing than anything else.

The next day, Song Shi called his younger sister.

Upon hearing this, Song Shuyu, who works in a government agency, was overjoyed and said, "Brother, this is great news! Our Yu Bao is so lucky. I'll be back in a bit."

...

Inside the Santana.

Faced with Sun Manning's teasing, Song Yu simply smiled and then asked Li Heng with concern, "Do you get carsick after traveling such a long distance?"

Li Heng said, "Someone told me that drinking a little alcohol before traveling would prevent motion sickness. I drank some beer at lunch, and I was indeed less carsick than before."

Because of the presence of elders and a third wheel, their conversation was limited to trivial matters of daily life. Even so, Song Yushu and Song Shi in the front row listened attentively to every word, one listening with great interest, the other with a jumble of thoughts.

As evening fell, the group took a boat across Dongting Lake and arrived at Junshan Island.

As soon as Li Heng entered the Song family courtyard, he greeted his grandparents, Jiang Yue, his uncle, and others with a smile.

Jiang Yue looked at her daughter, then at Li Heng, and said gently, "The food is ready, let's eat first."

Li Heng chuckled and agreed, "Okay."

The table was packed with people. Li Heng drank some liquor with Song Shi, his grandfather, and his uncle.

Seeing that he had drunk half a bowl, Song Yu asked, "Can you still drink? If you can't, then rest for a while."

Li Heng waved his hand and said, "It's alright, this bowl of wine should be fine."

Actually, this was just polite talk. A big bowl of liquor would definitely be too much for him, but everyone else at the table was having a good time, and he didn't want to spoil the fun, so he could only reluctantly drink along.

After a few rounds of drinks, Jiang Yue, who had never asked about his family before, suddenly asked, "Xiao Li, does your family know you're coming to Dongting Lake?"

Upon hearing this, the clinking of glasses, the chatter, and the general noise at the table gradually subsided, and everyone held their breath, watching him intently. They all seemed to know that beneath this seemingly ordinary question lay something extraordinary.

Li Heng replied, "These days, my parents are in our hometown. I came from home, so they know that."

He was not lying.

Originally, Li Jianguo and Tian Run'e wanted him to go to Beijing, but after learning that he would be staying in Dongting Lake in August, they only told him one thing: "Manzai, bring Song Yu to our house before school starts."

Li Heng readily agreed, adding, "Let's leave the Gulou area for now. In late August, you two should go to Xila Hutong. Song Yu and I have a house there."

Tian Run'e and her husband had heard about the courtyard house in Xila Hutong from Li Lan a long time ago, so they agreed to meet there at the end of August.

Song Yushu glanced at her sister-in-law and, with keen insight, chimed in, "Do your parents know about you and Yubao?"

Her question was a rhetorical one, a deliberate bait to elicit the topic and answer the Song family wanted.

Li Heng nodded: "I understand."

Before Song Yushu could continue speaking, Li Heng continued, "My parents originally wanted to come with me to see Song Yu after coming from our hometown, but they thought it wouldn't be appropriate to come so abruptly. So they specifically told me to bring Song Yu home for a casual meal when I return to Beijing at the end of August."

He spoke with great sincerity.

This is both his personal statement and the attitude of the Li family.

After hearing his words, the Song family members looked at each other, all appearing somewhat pleased. Jiang Yue glanced at Song Yushu.

Receiving her sister-in-law's look, Song Yushu turned to Song Yu with a knowing look and teased, "Yu Bao, since your future in-laws have extended such a warm invitation, don't be shy. Buy some gifts and go home with Li Heng."

Sun Manning stared intently at her friend, her chopsticks almost breaking in her grip, she was so excited for Song Yu.

Meeting everyone's gazes, Song Yu smiled sweetly, placed a piece of pork belly on Li Heng's plate, and said, "Okay."

The word "good" brought a sigh of relief to the Song family.

The word "good" set the tone for the Song and Li families.

Song Shi touched the cigarettes in his pocket, resisted several times, but finally couldn't resist. He took them out and offered one to Old Master Song and one to his uncle-in-law. He put one in his own mouth, lit it with a match, and silently began to smoke.

As Song Shi smoked, he observed the intimate interaction between Li Heng and his daughter. In the end, the slight resentment in his heart was exhaled into the air along with the smoke rings, and then disappeared.

Having lived two lives, Li Heng was very perceptive. He immediately picked up his wine bowl, smiled, and said to Song Shi, "Uncle, I'd like to offer you a toast."

Song Shiyong held the cigarette between his fingers, picked up the bowl, smiled, clinked it against his, and then took a big gulp.

The meal was meaningful, the atmosphere was good, and it lasted a long time. With everyone chatting and laughing, Li Heng couldn't escape a hangover.

Seeing that he lay obediently on the table after getting drunk, Grandma smiled kindly and said, "As the old saying goes, a person's drinking habits reflect their character. He doesn't talk much or make a fuss when he's drunk, so you two can rest assured."

Grandma said this specifically to Song Shi and Jiang Yue.

Jiang Yue didn't refute, but said to her husband and uncle-in-law, "Li Heng is tall, Yu Bao can't lift him up. Take him upstairs to his bedroom to lie down for a while."

Song Shi and his uncle put down their bowls and chopsticks, stood up, and helped Li Heng upstairs.

Song Yu and Sun Manning followed.

A short while later, Song Shi and his uncle came down and sat down again.

At this moment, with no outsiders at the table, the usually quiet uncle-in-law said, "Brother and sister-in-law, I personally strongly support Yu Bao's decision. If you're going to get married, do it sooner rather than later, don't hesitate."

A man like Li Heng is one in a million. Even a fool could tell there's a long line of excellent women waiting for him. If our family hesitates even slightly, someone will take advantage of the situation.

Jiang Yue voiced her concerns: "He's too popular with the opposite sex, and I'm worried that Yu Bao won't be able to control him in the future."

My uncle-in-law smiled and smoked, not knowing how to respond.

Song Yushu said, "Sister-in-law, you're overthinking it. Don't try to keep a close watch on someone like Li Heng. If you really put a tight rein on him, it means the relationship is over."

There's a saying, "The capable should do more, and rewards should be distributed according to work." It may sound harsh, but the principle is sound. In this society, which capable man doesn't have a bunch of women around him? Even my junior section chief has an illegitimate child.

Grandma asked her youngest daughter, "Is he an illegitimate child? Doesn't his family know?"

Song Yushu picked up a piece of food and put it in her mouth: "The place is only the size of a palm. How could we not know after a long time? But the pillar of the family can't just collapse. Everyone depends on him to support the family. Turning a blind eye is beneficial to everyone."

After finishing a dish, Song Yushu picked up a piece of chopped chili fish head and put it in her bowl. "Men who are not favored by women are either powerless, insignificant, or poor. If a man has any one of these three qualities, even if he is short, ugly, fat, and old, there will be plenty of women throwing themselves at him."

Besides, Li Heng excels in every aspect, from looks and temperament to wealth, talent, and social status. Let's be frank, brother and sister-in-law, you should prepare yourselves; he'll definitely have no shortage of female companions in the future. As long as he doesn't bring them home to upset Yu Bao, it proves he's a loyal and affectionate person.

Song Shi didn't say anything, and continued to smoke silently.

Jiang Yue glanced at her husband, thought for a moment, and said a name: "Zhou Shihe, you should have heard of this name. Yu Bao is under a lot of pressure."

Grandma reacted the fastest: "That girl who played the piano on the Spring Festival Gala? I remember you praised her back then?"

Jiang Yue said yes.

The uncle-in-law also had a particularly deep impression of Zhou Shihe, and interjected, "Sister-in-law, what did Yu Bao tell you?"

Jiang Yue recounted her exact words: "Yu Bao said that the other party was very stunning, with looks and temperament no less than hers, very talented, with a powerful background, and seemed to be in love with Li Heng as well."

Everyone was speechless, not expecting that Yu Bao would encounter a formidable opponent so soon.

Song Yushu asked a crucial question: "Is the Zhou family very powerful?"

This question stumped everyone present. Even the uncle of the youngest sister was only a mid-level cadre with real power at present. How could he be a match for a behemoth like the Zhou family?
Jiang Yue shook her head: "I'm not very clear. But I have seen the news reports about the piano brand Zhou Shihe uses, Steinway D274. Just this one grand piano, our family couldn't earn it even if we didn't eat or drink for three lifetimes."

Jiang Yue is a university music teacher, so she naturally knows about musical instruments and the like, and her words carry a lot of weight.

Song Yushu understood. "Is your sister-in-law worried about this man surnamed Zhou?"

These are all close family members here. Jiang Yue didn't put on airs or act superior. Instead, she said in a very down-to-earth manner, "Anyone would be unsure of themselves if they encountered an opponent like this."

Song Yushu said, "That's true, it's normal for Yubao to feel pressured. But I think you shouldn't think too much about it, sister-in-law. No matter how many women are eyeing Li Heng, no matter how outstanding they are, the competition only revolves around one core: Li Heng himself."

"As long as Yu Bao continues on this current trajectory and firmly grasps Li Heng's heart, all problems will be easily solved."

The uncle-in-law chimed in, "That makes sense. We should make a clean break when necessary. The root of the problem lies with Li Heng; we don't need to worry about anything else."

Song Shi and Jiang Yue exchanged a glance, their mood brightening somewhat.

(End of this chapter)