1987 My Era

Chapter 695, This is Happiness
Yang Yingwen looked the same as before, with no change, except that he was a bit darker than before.

Yang Yingwen opened the door and let Li Heng and Song Yu in. He teased, "It's a rare cloudy day today. Why aren't you enjoying some time alone with Song Yu? What are you doing here?"

Li Heng glanced around the room: "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, just came to see you. Hey, where's your mother?"

Yang Yingwen poured a glass of water for each of the three people: "She has a day off today, but she can't stay idle, so she went to set up a stall with someone again."

Li Heng asked, "Set up a stall? What will you sell?"

Yang Yingwen said, "I sell socks and sandals, things like that."

Li Heng asked curiously, "Does it make money?"

Yang Yingwen said, "I usually earn a few yuan. If I'm lucky, I can occasionally earn more than 10 yuan."

As he spoke, Yang Yingwen sealed a red envelope on the spot and handed it to him: "I heard that the dimwit had a daughter, but I didn't even go to see her. Could you give this to him for me? It's not much money, but it's a small token of my appreciation."

Li Heng put the red envelope in his pocket. "Okay. You still remember him. Lao Yong will be overjoyed."

Yang Yingwen asked Song Yu, "Did you and Li Heng go to New Future yesterday?"

Song Yu nodded gently, "I stayed over there for half a day and didn't see you."

Yang Yingwen replied, "I went to Tianjin on a business trip with Professor He Wen yesterday and only returned this morning, so of course you won't see me."

After she finished speaking, Yang Yingwen continued to ask her, "So, your parents have met. When can Xiao Feng and I attend the wedding banquet?"

Song Yu and Li Heng exchanged a glance and smiled, saying, "We'll see how things go after he graduates."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yingwen and Xiao Feng exchanged glances, both thinking of Xiao Han, and couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

But they were all friends with both Xiao Han and Song Yu, so they didn't show it on their faces and offered their blessings: "Congratulations! Remember to let me and Xiao Feng know when the time comes. We'd be happy to contribute money as a gift."

Song Yu smiled faintly and said, "Okay."

The four of them sat around chatting for a while, then Yang Yingwen stood up and said to Li Heng, "Come out here, I want to talk to you about some company matters."

Li Heng understood and followed her to the outside corridor, where they found a secluded corner.

Song Yu and Xiao Feng glanced at the two of them and continued their previous conversation.

Yang Yingwen asked, "Are you really determined to marry Song Yu?"

Li Heng said, "This is my lifelong wish."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yingwen didn't ask Xiao Han, but instead brought up Chen Zijing: "What are you going to do with Zijing? She was one of the first people to follow you."

Li Heng hesitated for a moment and said, "It's hard to say right now. You can take your time to see."

Yang Yingwen nodded, then asked, "Have Song Yu and Zijin reconciled?"

Li Heng said yes.

Yang Yingwen smiled and said, "That's great."

Then she asked, "Is New Future prepared for Song Yu and her children?"

Li Heng asked, "Why do you guess that?"

Yang Yingwen said, "You have so many female confidantes, yet you only brought Song Yu along. Isn't it easy to guess?"

Li Heng gave a thumbs up: "Since we're both in the capital, please help Song Yu out for me."

Yang Yingwen sighed: "Since you're going to marry her, I'll definitely do my best to help her. Don't worry."

According to Lao Mobu, she originally intended to remain neutral among Zijing, Songyu, and Xiaohan, but now that the situation has changed, her primary goal is naturally to help him take care of the family business.

There was no reason for doing this, because the two were childhood friends who grew up together, a kind of relationship that is hard for outsiders to understand.

Around noon, the four of them went to a restaurant next to Renmin University and also called Liu Li, who worked nearby to earn money.

Five people sat down, making it a small gathering.

After ordering the food and waiting for the waiter to leave, Liu Li grinned and asked Li Heng, "Big tycoon, is your company still hiring? I might as well work for you after I graduate."

Li Heng rolled his eyes: "If you join my company, wouldn't you have wasted your university education? If I remember correctly, your original goal was to work in the government, right?"

Liu Li wiped her sweat with some tissues and said dejectedly, "Sigh, don't even mention it. Having grown accustomed to the prosperity of Beijing, I'm afraid it would be difficult for me to adapt to going back to the local government and working in the system."

Xiao Feng echoed this sentiment, saying, "That's true. I'm facing a dilemma right now: should I join the system? Or should I take the postgraduate entrance exam and stay at the university? Or should I go out and earn money? Beijing looks prosperous, but without money, you can't get anywhere. It's especially unfriendly to people like us from the countryside."

Song Yu chimed in, "Xiao Feng, didn't you want to study abroad?"

Speaking of this, Xiao Feng's face darkened: "I had a chance in my second year, but the spot to study abroad was taken by someone else, and I was rejected."

Liu Li, who lived nearby, was also hearing about this for the first time. "They have connections."

Xiao Feng nodded, and before anyone else could reply, she looked at Li Heng and smiled, "If I ever have nowhere to go in the future, I'll come and rely on you. Don't look down on me then."

Li Heng readily agreed, saying, "How could a top student from Peking University have nowhere to go? But if you can help me, I would be more than happy to do so."

The food and beer arrived, and everyone started by having a drink.

Liu Li stuffed two pieces of meat into her mouth and chewed them vigorously: "Damn it, I broke up again. Lao Heng, why is my love life so bumpy? You're so experienced, give me some advice."

Yang Yingwen glanced at Liu Li and scolded, "You're asking this question in front of Song Yu? You're asking for trouble.

Liu Li shrank back abruptly, hurriedly poured wine, and looked at Song Yu with a kind and gentle expression: "Forgive me, I didn't mean to offend you, please forgive my blindness, Song Yu, I'll punish myself with this cup."

With a smile, Song Yu watched Liu Li finish her drink and asked, "Weren't you getting along well? Why did you break up?"

Liu Li tugged at her pocket and said sullenly, "My pockets are cleaner than a dog has licked. A local senior was very generous and promised to marry her after graduation. This is like an outsider settling down in the capital right away. It was too tempting. Then I watched helplessly as the girl I loved was snatched away. I was so angry that I even tried to challenge him to a duel like Pushkin. But I was defeated in both verbal and physical battles. Sigh, and then I just accepted my fate."

Li Heng nudged him with his elbow: "Why don't we drink more alcohol and then go find that guy and have a fight with him later?"

Liu Li quickly waved his hand: "Then forget it. A woman like that can abandon me today and abandon someone else tomorrow. It's a blessing to leave her sooner rather than later. It's not worth the old man's trouble. With that energy, we brothers might as well have a few more drinks."

Li Heng brought out two bottles of beer, placing one in front of each person: "Okay, it's good that you can take it easy. Come on, let's down this bottle in one gulp."

"Let's get started! I've never really blew into a bottle before." Liu Li opened her mouth wide and started blowing into the bottle.

After a few rounds of drinks, Liu Li mentioned Zou Aiming, saying that Zou Aiming came to visit him in Dongkou during the summer vacation and they even went to Chen Lijun's hometown together.

Song Yu asked, "Your hometowns are next to each other, do you still keep in touch with Lijun?"

Liu Li scratched the back of her head and replied, "Although I often passed by her house during the summer vacation and would sometimes sit on her doorstep for a while, she seemed to have vanished into thin air, and I haven't heard from her for a long time."

Yang Yingwen asked, "You're so stupid! Couldn't you have asked her family indirectly?"

"I asked, but they just laughed it off, and I was too embarrassed to press them for details," Liu Li said, feeling hurt.

The five of them ate for over an hour, chatting and laughing.

Yang Yingwen and Xiao Feng returned to their rented apartment.

Liu Li continued to work.

Li Heng and Song Yu returned to Peking University and took a walk on campus.

On the quiet, tree-lined path, Song Yu, for the first time ever, took his hand and silently led him forward. Their fingers intertwined, a testament to their deep affection.

Upon arriving at Weiming Lake, the two stood under a tree, quietly watching a pair of birds on the island in the middle of the lake. Song Yu sighed and said, "Liu Li and his girlfriend's relationship has been full of ups and downs. I am so happy to have met you in this life, and that you would spoil me so much."

Having been together for two lifetimes, he rarely heard her say such sentimental things. Moved, Li Heng took a step and hugged her from behind, holding her waist tightly with both hands, and whispered in her ear, "I am the lucky one."

Song Yu slumped into his arms and whispered, "Are you leaving the day after tomorrow?"

Li Heng nodded and said, "Yes, school is about to start, and I have some things to take care of."

Then he realized: "You don't want me to leave?"

Song Yu paused for a few seconds, then said with an elegant air, "You are my fiancé, and it's perfectly legitimate for me to not want you to leave."

Li Heng nuzzled her cheek with the tip of his nose. "Then I won't leave. I'll stay and keep you company."

Song Yu asked, "School's not starting? Things aren't so busy anymore?"

Li Heng said, "None of them are as important as you."

As they talked, his right hand kept moving silently, first caressing her lower abdomen for a while, and then gradually stroking upwards.

Song Yu glanced down at his hand, then looked back at him with a faint smile, asking teasingly, "Is it not as important as this?"

Li Heng showed no sign of backing down, saying, "They're all important."

Song Yu looked around and, seeing that no one was there, suddenly closed her eyes, turned her head, and whispered, "Kiss me."

"Huh?" Li Heng exclaimed, never expecting her to have such a bold day.

Song Yu said calmly, "My husband Li Lang likes to seek excitement. Now that the time, place, and people are all right, I should be sensible and satisfy him this once."

Li Heng's eyes shone brightly. He didn't say anything, but leaned in and kissed her alluring red lips.

Song Yu cooperated perfectly, her cherry-like lips moving as she became completely absorbed in the moment.

As the monsoon blew, the two under the willow tree quickly became immersed in sweetness, unable to extricate themselves.

After a long, passionate kiss, Song Yu slowly opened her eyes, gazed into his eyes, and said, "Do you remember how it felt just now?"

Li Heng happily kissed her forehead: "I'll remember this forever."

Song Yu said, "Me too."

Then she brushed a stray hair behind her ear with her left hand and joked, "Unfortunately, I'm a newbie and can't keep up with your pace. I bumped my teeth a few times and ruined the atmosphere."

Li Heng was ashamed and begged for mercy, "Wife, please let me go."

Song Yu smiled gently: "Someone's here. Li Lang, please take your right hand back as well."

After all those twists and turns in our relationship, it turns out it was waiting for us here...

Upon hearing this, Li Heng reluctantly withdrew his right hand, which was supporting the semicircle, and followed her gaze to the end of the path.

The couple who arrived were middle-aged and appeared to be taking an afternoon stroll.

The two silently released each other, and Li Heng asked, "Do you know them?"

Song Yu nodded and then shook her head: "They are all teachers from our school. Some of them look familiar, and I think I've seen them more than once, but I can't remember their names."

Li Heng took her hand again: "Let's take a walk around the lake. I've been to Peking University so many times, but I've never really explored it properly. Let's take a good look around today."

Song Yu calmly agreed.

The two of them didn't go anywhere in the afternoon, but stayed by Weiming Lake, whispering sweet nothings to each other until evening.

In a pavilion, Song Yu sat on a bench, leaning against him and said, "Being with you, even if we don't do anything, makes me very happy."

Li Heng rested his chin on her shoulder: "Take back what you said, let me say it."

Song Yu smiled and said, "It's getting late, we have to go back, otherwise Mom and Dad and my second sister will keep waiting for us to have dinner."

"Alright, let's go then." Li Heng stood up and reached out to pull her up.

The two smiled at each other, shoulder to shoulder, and left Peking University.

As dusk fell, the two finally returned to Xila Hutong. The house was filled with the aroma of food, as the second sister had just finished cooking.

The family of five sat down, and Li Lan asked, "Sister-in-law, where did you go today? Why did you come back empty-handed? Didn't you buy any fashionable autumn clothes or anything?"

Song Yu laughed and said, "I just wandered around Peking University for a while and didn't go shopping."

Li Lan said, "Someone will come to install the phone in a while. I'll take care of them then. Just focus on your studies and don't worry about these things."

She was worried that Song Yu was too beautiful and posed a safety hazard, so she took on the responsibility herself.

Song Yu understood her second sister's good intentions. "Okay, then I'll trouble you, second sister."

Zijing wasn't here today, so Songyu served the elderly couple some food and even had a small drink with Tian Run'e, who loves liquor.

Seeing her angelic daughter-in-law drinking with her, Tian Run'e's smile never stopped, and she was in an extremely good mood. "Yu Bao, do you usually drink with your in-laws at home?"

Song Yu shook her head slightly: "My parents rarely drink alcohol, they only drink a little during holidays like Chinese New Year."

Tian Run'e asked with concern, "Won't you get drunk after drinking most of a glass of wine?"

Li Heng said, "Mom, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her. I'll take over when she's almost done drinking."

Song Yu smiled at him, tacitly agreeing.

It was only because this man was there that she dared to drink. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't even touch a glass of wine; she had a very strong sense of self-preservation.

"You think you're so great? I'm talking to my daughter-in-law, what right do you have to interrupt?"

Tian Run'e interrupted her son, then asked Song Yu, "Will you be going back to Shaoyang this winter vacation?"

Song Yu replied, "I don't know right now; it depends on the situation at home."

After thinking for a moment, Tian Run'e said, "Yu Bao, during the winter vacation, my wife and I will go back to Dongting Lake with you."

Song Yu was surprised, but then realized that her mother-in-law was responding to her parents' visit to Beijing during the summer vacation, as a way of showing respect to the Song family.

She smiled and said, "Okay."

Li Heng chimed in from the side, "You guys are chatting about going to Dongting Lake, but you didn't even ask me. How could you do it without me?"

Song Yu thoughtfully served him food, her expressive eyes seeming to say: We are husband and wife, we are one.

Secretly observing Song Yu's every move, Tian Run'e grew increasingly fond of her daughter-in-law and cherished her even more. "Yu Bao, school starts soon. Come with me to go shopping tomorrow and buy some clothes."

Song Yu agreed.

P.S.: I just checked the backend, and this month's word count is 181069. Uh, a bit less. Well, I've pretty much covered all the groundwork. Next month's update will start moving into the main story. Thank you all for your support!

(End of this chapter)