Chapter 247: Lushan Village

When Shen Xin walked out of Building 25, Li Heng was pumping air into his bicycle tire at the gate.

He had just lied, and now he ran into her—so awkward—but he still forced himself to call out, "Auntie."

Shen Xin acted as if she hadn't heard, her expression unchanged; she stopped walking and stood in the alley, studying him closely for a long while.

Feeling the oddness, Li Heng had no choice but to look up: "Auntie, is there something?"

Shen Xin asked her first question: "What year were you born?"

Li Heng instinctively glanced back at the second floor of Building 25, but didn't see Yu Laoshi's figure; he answered, "'69."

Shen Xin did the math in her head—he was only eighteen or so—and immediately stopped bothering him, walking off and leaving Lushan Village.

Weird as hell, Li Heng grumbled to himself—he had no idea how Yu Laoshi had gotten rid of this auntie?

Back home, Shen Xin called her friend: "Old Cheng, sorry, let's cancel today's meeting—Yu Yu Shuheng can't make it."

As a mother, Shen Xin cared about her daughter's marriage, but she wasn't desperate—after all, with their family's backing and her daughter's exceptional qualities, marriage wasn't a problem at all.

In the past, even when she nagged her daughter about dating and marriage, she'd never arranged blind dates—too undignified, unnecessary.

This time, it was because an old friend had admired her daughter for years, constantly using connections to push for a marriage alliance; reluctantly, she'd agreed to let her daughter meet him.

But after talking with her daughter just now, she'd lost all interest.

On the other end, the friend panicked: "Old Shen, we had it all settled—why can't she come?"

Shen Xin spoke calmly: "Honestly? My daughter's had someone in her heart for a long time—she told me today. We're close; I can't force her."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, I was careless. Think about it—she's nearly twenty-six; how could she not have someone in her heart? I owe you one—I'll treat you to dinner later." Shen Xin said she was sorry, but her face showed not the slightest embarrassment.

It was just a formality—whether he accepted or not, she didn't care, and she wasn't even bothered to manage it. That was the confidence of a great family.

Lushan Village.

After inflating the bicycle tire, Li Heng thought for a moment, then looked toward the gate of Building 25.

A moment later, Yu Yu Yu Shuheng appeared on the upper floor—she'd clearly bathed and changed clothes.

He looked up, curiously asking: "Teacher, was the problem resolved?"

Yu Yu Yu Shuheng nodded.

Li Heng glanced around, then, on impulse, ventured: "You didn't use me as a decoy, did you? The way that auntie looked at me as she left—it gave me chills."

Yu Yu Yu Shuheng smiled faintly, gave no answer to that question, and instead said: "Are you going to buy breakfast?"

Li Heng instantly understood: "What do you want?"

"One egg, two rice cakes, one cup of soy milk," she said.

"Alright."

Li Heng said "alright" aloud, but inside he was seething.

Damn it! He hadn't gotten any answers from his probing, and now he was being sent off to buy breakfast—wasn't that unfair? In both his past and present lives, except for Song Yu, every other woman had rushed to buy him breakfast—this was just ridiculous.

But thinking of the absurdity of sleeping in the same bed last night, he sighed inwardly—and instantly lost all temper.

On his way to the cafeteria by bicycle, he ran into several acquaintances.

Like Li Li Watching Li Guoyi and Le Yao—they weren't holding hands, but they were utterly cloying together.

Like Bai Bai Bai Wanying—this time, it wasn't Zhang Bing pushing her wheelchair, but Li Guang, with Zhou Min walking beside them, all three laughing and chatting.

Li Li Watching Li Guoyi spotted him and flaunted his affection: "Heng-ge, your girlfriend's not at Fudan—aren't you lonely?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes and smiled, nodded to Le Yao, and zipped past.

Le Yao pinched Li Li Watching Li Guoyi quietly and grumbled: "What are you showing off for? He wants a girlfriend—there are plenty. At least two in our dorm would jump at the chance."

Li Li Watching Li Guoyi rubbed his head: "Besides Dai Qing, who else?"

Le Yao whispered: "Liu Liu Liu Yanling."

Li Li Watching Li Guoyi was stunned: "Isn't Zhou Zhang chasing her? Can she be dating two guys at once?"

"If you can't speak properly, just shut up, you idiot," Le Yao sighed. "Zhou Zhang is chasing her, but whether she'll accept him is another matter. Liu Liu Liu Yanling's got a great figure—lots of guys write her love letters."

Li Li Watching Li Guoyi dramatically hugged himself and shook his head: "Her figure's great, sure—but for Heng to notice her? Ha! I'm not putting her down, but she's nowhere near enough. Unless Wei Wei Wei Xiaozhu from your dorm steps in, she might have a chance."

Thinking of Xiao Han's appearance and aura, Le Yao fully agreed: "Wei Wei Xiaozhu's personality is quiet and refined—she'd never pursue Li Heng, and Li Heng wouldn't pursue her either. Your whole premise is invalid from the start."

But you—you've been bringing up Wei Wei Xiaozhu on and off these past few months—what's your meaning? Are you interested in her? Or have you been eyeing her since the beginning?"

Li Li Watching Li Guoyi was stabbed right in the heart—he immediately raised his hand to swear, and spent a long time soothing Le Yao back to calm.

As Li Heng stole glances at Bai Bai Bai Wanying and Li Guang, Bai Bai Bai Wanying noticed and smiled, waving: "Li Heng, what are you looking at?"

Li Heng smiled back and made up an excuse: "The sunlight on your face looks really nice."

Bai Bai Bai Wanying looked up at the sky: "It's overcast today—rained earlier. Where's the sunlight?"

Li Heng blinked: "Mistake—I meant your skin's so smooth, it glows like sunlight reflecting."

Bai Bai Bai Wanying covered her mouth and laughed: "So that's how you won over the gorgeous Xiao Han?"

Li Heng chuckled: "Forget it—I won't disturb the three of you."

Saying that, he walked off.

Inside the cafeteria, he bought Yu Laoshi her egg, rice cakes, and soy milk, then went to the farthest noodle counter and ordered a bowl of fish noodles.

The noodle auntie said: "You haven't been around in a while."

Li Heng smiled: "Been busy—someone else usually brings me breakfast."

The noodle auntie said: "That girl comes almost every day."

Li Heng knew she meant Zhou Zhou Zhou Shihe: "Auntie, you've got a good memory."

The noodle auntie said: "She prepaid for two bowls of noodles for you—this one's on her."

So that's why she was chatting so much—he asked: "When did this happen?"

The noodle auntie recalled: "She paid on Monday morning, but you never came."

Li Heng didn't understand what Zhou Zhou Zhou Shihe meant—last time she gave him two Jiao Jiao Jiao Jiao, he refused it; now she's repaying him this way?

But no matter how he thought about it, the auntie hadn't taken his money.

Li Heng didn't care anymore—he had too many other things on his plate; he didn't have time to ponder such subtleties.

ps: Writer's block. Totally stuck.

(End of chapter)