Chapter 133

Leaving Baidi in the morning amidst colorful clouds, a thousand miles to Jiangling in a single day.

The monkeys on both banks cry incessantly, the light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains.

This was an ancient poem Li Heng could recite before he was 10.

But visiting Baidi City in person, he was still awestruck by the historical depth of this small city.

He and the English teacher each held a wooden-handled black umbrella, learning from Li Bai's style, walking gracefully through the wind and rain.

Walking down two stone-paved streets, the English teacher, who hadn't spoken, suddenly opened her mouth: "The weather forecast says tomorrow will be cloudy to sunny. Are we setting off?"

Li Heng stood at a cotton candy stall for a while, spent a dime to buy two cotton candies, and handed one to her:

"If it's not raining, we go. We can't delay too long here; I have many places to go."

The English teacher took the cotton candy, took a bite, and said with a smile: "Don't give me candy to eat in the future; I have to keep my figure."

Li Heng subconsciously glanced at her and said impulsively: "You could be a little fatter; maybe it would be more flavorful."

The English teacher's eyes narrowed. She turned her head, squinted at him, and mocked with a "hehe": "I think you're looking for death!"

Li Heng looked up at the sky, turning a deaf ear, and kept eating his candy.

On the way back, the two ate a bowl of sour and spicy rice noodles, both numb and spicy. The two looked at each other like two Pekingese dogs, their mouths watering, damn it, it was satisfying.

The English teacher brushed her hair back: "Why is it so spicy?"

The boss heard this and asked: "Where are you from? This is the extra spicy you asked for!"

Li Heng smiled and said: "We're from Shanghai."

He didn't dare say he was from Southern Hunan; being this spicy, he was afraid of losing face.

Shanghai is fine; anyway, people there don't eat spicy food, and he and the teacher's Mandarin could muddle through.

Sure enough, the boss gave a thumbs up and said: "Looking at you two, you seem like you're from a big place. No wonder you're from Shanghai, daring to challenge our extra spicy here. Your courage is commendable!"

The word "couple" silenced them both. They hurriedly finished eating and slipped away quickly.

When they got to the hotel, Li Heng asked suddenly: "Teacher, do I look very old?"

"What do you mean?"

"We are teacher and student."

Oh ho!

The English teacher's chest heaved as she heard this, instantly exploding with anger. Beneath her beautiful glasses, she squinted at him with extremely dangerous eyes and asked coldly in return: "What? Am I very old?"

"Aha..."

Li Heng went into his room happily.

There's one bad thing about summer: having to wash clothes every day is so annoying. Damn it! When will a woman take all this on for me!

A great writer squatting down to scrub clothes is too damn demeaning!

Li Heng indulged in self-admiration for a while. After washing and hanging up his clothes, he took out a book he carried with him and started reading it with great satisfaction.

Not long after, the English teacher knocked on the door: "Li Ran and Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong haven't returned yet."

Li Heng sat down and continued reading: "It's not the first time these two have done this. Let's wait."

Then he tilted his head and glanced at the other party: "Teacher, if you want to come to my room, just come directly. You don't need to find such a clumsy excuse."

The English teacher crossed her arms and spat out a single word clearly: "Scram!"

Li Heng stood up reflexively, then sat down in a daze: "No, this is my room. How can you be so arrogant?"

The English teacher smiled slightly, adjusted her glasses, and went to the window, leaning against the railing and looking out, ignoring him again.

After 10:00 at night, Li Ran and Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong returned, bringing back a bag of game and a few bottles of beer.

The four sat around, chatting and sharing what they had seen and heard during the day, not sleeping until very late.

The next day.

Sure enough, as the English teacher said, the rain stopped, the sky cleared, and it was a good day.

Early in the morning, the four bid farewell to Baidi City and entered the Three Gorges, which were about 200 kilometers long.

On the waterway, 200 kilometers is not a short distance. However, you will never feel that the Creator is writing an overly long article. The power and beauty gathered here could be spread out for 2,000 kilometers without making people tired.

Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Xiling Gorge—every gorge is condensed densely, and no matter how slow the speed, they cannot be resolved. Even the sun and moon, which illuminate ten thousand miles, cannot squeeze in here.

Regarding this, Li Daoyuan, 1,500 years ago, said it best:

Mountains connect on both banks, with almost no gaps. Layer upon layer of cliffs and peaks hide the sky and block the sun. Unless it is noon or midnight, the sun and moon cannot be seen.

Except for Li Heng, the English teacher, Li Ran, and the simpleton were all on a boat for the first time. Along the way, they were full of wonder, and the exclamations and unrestrained laughter never stopped.

In the middle, Li Ran said to Li Heng and the English teacher: "Li Heng, Teacher Wang, stand a little closer. I'll take a group photo for you."

"Sure."

Li Heng readily agreed, tilting his head slightly toward the English teacher. The two faced the lens and took their first group photo.

Although they had taken photos before, Li Heng had been concentrating on writing at that time and hadn't exerted his subjective initiative.

Then the four asked the boatman for help, standing in a row with their backs to the river, and left a group photo.

The Three Gorges are very long, but they couldn't compare to a light boat. After 9:00 at night, there were no farewells, no excitement, no singing.

Leaving a tranquility for the Three Gorges, Li Heng and the four went to the distance.

He didn't want to be so rushed, but the agreed-upon date had already passed. He was afraid Zou Ping would wait in vain at Dongting Lake for too long, so he boarded the train overnight.

In the hard sleeper carriage, Li Heng had no sleepiness. After a short rest, he took out paper and pen and couldn't wait to write the "Three Gorges" chapter.

The English teacher sat beside him as usual and asked with concern: "Why so rushed?"

"There are too many things and inspiration in my brain. If I don't write them out, I won't be able to sleep tonight," Li Heng said without lifting his head.

The English teacher understood his feelings; asking just now was just out of concern for him.

Seeing him obsessed with writing, she didn't make any more noise to disturb him. She opened a newly bought paper fan, fanning him while enjoying the words under his pen.

Li Ran was bored and wanted to call the two to play cards, but as soon as she saw them like this, she immediately extinguished the thought.

She pulled Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong to the small corridor outside and muttered: "What do you think they look like now?"

Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong poked his head out cautiously to look, then shook his head: "What do they look like? Haven't they always been like this?"

"Stupid!"

Li Ran said with contempt: "Simpleton, if you can find a wife in the future, I'll drink the Yangtze River dry!"

Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong jumped up and said foolishly: "Find a wife? You've been dragging me around these days; I thought you wanted to pursue me!"

"You...!"

Li Ran said "You," choked with anger, and after a long while, retorted: "Don't talk about whether I'm pursuing you. With your build, I estimate you'll be reunited with my father in half a year."

Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong didn't believe it, stiffening his neck and asking: "Are you that powerful in bed?"

Li Ran rolled her eyes and said proudly: "Whether I'm powerful or not, you won't get to eat the meat."

"Pah!"

Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhiyong spat unhygienically: "You think I care about you? I only like Sister Liu Liu Chunhua."

"Who is Sister Liu Liu Chunhua?" Li Ran asked curiously.

Mentioning this question, the simpleton suddenly went silent. Returning to the village this time, he learned from Liu Liu Liu Chunhua's brother that Sister Liu Liu Chunhua's job transfer had been settled, and she had gone to work.

Liu Liu Liu Chunhua's brother also boasted: his sister had been taken a fancy to by her leader, and the leader was working hard to match his sister and his son in marriage.

The simpleton was so angry when he heard the news that he didn't sleep all morning, wanting to go to Shao City to make a scene. But after hearing that the other party's leader was someone even his uncle couldn't afford to offend, he had to suppress his temper.

This was also the reason he followed Li Heng out to travel again. One was to relax, and the other was because he was afraid that if he stayed at home too long, he wouldn't be able to think straight and would carry a knife to someone's door to hack them.

This was also why Li Heng forcibly dragged the simpleton out with the excuse of "out of sight, out of mind."

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(End of Chapter)