Chapter 324: Praise, admiration, and submission (Please subscribe!)

Could it be Huang Zhaoyi again?

Thinking of this woman's level of infatuation, Li Heng was silent for a moment.

Don't look at how Chief Editor Liao was respectful and highly reverent toward Chen Laoyezi Huang and Old Mr. Ba; he was, after all, the editor-in-chief of *Harvest* magazine and held a high social status. Li Jianguo, Tian Run'e, and the others in the Li family treated Chief Editor Liao with great importance and friendliness.

Even Chen Gaoyuan, who lived across the way and had not long returned from hanging out, came over to sit for a while.

Chen Xiaomi, however, did not come. Her emotions toward Li Heng were somewhat complex now; she could understand him, but she could not hide the loss in her heart.

But once she thought about how a dignified editor-in-chief had personally run to such a remote mountain corner, she slowly felt relieved.

In terms of social status, setting aside her identity as a daughter of the Chen family, she was far inferior to Chief Editor Liao. When one's skills were inferior to others, what else was there to say?

However, thinking later of the relationship between Chen Zijin and Li Heng, Chen Xiaomi gradually had something to look forward to. Li Heng was still young, and with his current creative talent and energy, perhaps she would be able to taste the sweetness herself in the future.

After sitting on the first floor for half an hour, Li Heng took Chief Editor Liao up to the second-floor bedroom to start on serious business.

As soon as they entered, he teased himself: "The countryside is not like Shencheng; it's quite simple. Senior Brother, please don't mind."

Because of their close relationship, Chief Editor Liao jokingly pointed a finger at him and urged him while sitting in a chair: "Don't give me that nonsense. Hurry up and give me the manuscript."

Li Heng pulled open the leftmost drawer of the desk and took out the refined manuscript from inside: "Here, there are 4 chapters, about 55,000 words. Take a look for me."

Chief Editor Liao put on his glasses straight and, without wasting a word on him, took the manuscript and entered a professional state.

What Bai Jiaxuan later took pride in was that he had married 7 women in his lifetime.

The beginning was captivating and aroused curiosity. Chief Editor Liao read it twice, and at the same time, he remembered the beginning of *One Hundred Years of Solitude*: A novel is considered the secret history of a nation.

Both used a single sentence to express the three spatial and temporal concepts of the past, present, and future.

Thinking of this, he savored the beginning again, and Chief Editor Liao felt it was wonderful and excellent.

Only then did he continue reading downward.

Four chapters and over 50,000 words could not be finished in a short while. Li Heng did not wait idly but continued to study the county annals of the Bai Luyuan area and its surroundings.

It was very noisy outside, with the sounds of firecrackers and New Year greetings coming from time to time, but it did not affect the two people in the room at all.

Chief Editor Liao was engrossed in reading *Bai Luyuan*, completely immersed in the world within the book.

As for Li Heng, he was thinking and summarizing. After about an hour, he spread out his pen and ink and began to write the 5th chapter.

Once he started writing, he forgot the time and forgot the days.

It was not until Chen Zijin came to call them for dinner that Li Heng came back to his senses and discovered that Chief Editor Liao had been standing behind him for who knows how long, quietly watching him write.

"Did I disturb you two?" Chen Zijin stood at the door and asked with a smile.

Looking at Chen Zijin, then looking at Li Heng, and then calmly sizing up Chen Zijin, Chief Editor Liao's mind couldn't quite turn the corner, and he thought to himself: Which deity was my Junior Brother reincarnated from? Did he descend to earth specifically to conquer women?

One Xiao Han, one Mai Sui, then there was Zhaoyi, and now this young lady in front of him...

Chief Editor Liao's eyes were dizzy. He felt deeply that his thinking was rigid and aging severely, unable to keep up with the young people. He couldn't take it...

Some things were understood without being said. Neither Li Heng nor Chief Editor Liao brought it up. He asked: "Senior Brother, how do you feel about what I've written?"

Chief Editor Liao stroked the manuscript in his hands, unable to put it down, and sighed from his heart:

"The plot is full of twists and turns, smooth and natural. There is deceit, there is loyalty, the myriad states of the human world, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy—everything is there. These short four chapters seem to describe things objectively, yet every word is a gem, penetrating deep into the essence. The atmosphere of feudal bureaucracy, the smoke and fire of the common people—it has flesh and blood. Beautiful!"

At this point, he paused and said with an admiring face: "Junior Brother, I haven't seen you for a month, and your skill has greatly advanced. I have read it three times, and it is the best work I have seen since I entered the industry."

If *To Live* and *Cultural Bitter Travel* made Chief Editor Liao value him more and more and look at him with new eyes, then these short 4 chapters today had completely conquered him.

The reason he stood behind Li Heng for more than 2 hours just now was that he wanted to witness the birth of a great work with his own eyes. The surging feeling in his heart was something he could not describe in words.

Hearing such a great editor-in-chief of *Harvest* magazine praise and admire her man so much, Chen Zijin felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey. She was no longer in a hurry to call them for dinner and stood by the side, listening to their conversation with great interest.

He had added 40% new content to the new book. Although he felt good about it, to be honest, he was still a little nervous. After all, those involved are confused, while bystanders are clear.

But now, hearing Chief Editor Liao give such a high evaluation, the heart that had been suspended in Li Heng's chest finally landed. What followed was full of joy, and a faint sense of achievement.

Being able to wield a knife on a masterpiece and still receive recognition from an authoritative figure was in itself a very remarkable thing.

Chief Editor Liao asked: "It's called *Bai Luyuan*?"

Li Heng nodded.

Chief Editor Liao asked: "A long novel of over 500,000 words?"

Li Heng nodded again, "Only more, not less."

"Good! Good, good, good! As long as you maintain this standard, the moment the book is finished will be the time you establish your status in the literary world." Chief Editor Liao said "good" four times in a row, which showed how excited he was.

This status, of course, did not refer to things like cats and dogs, but a lofty status that suppresses the literary world.

Li Heng revealed his neat and clean teeth and smiled very brightly: "Let's go, dinner is ready. Senior Brother, you've been on the road all day, you must be hungry too. Let's go down and eat."

"Alright, I didn't notice just now, but I am indeed a little hungry." Chief Editor Liao rubbed his belly and followed Li Heng and Chen Zijin downstairs with a smile.

Walking at the very back, Chief Editor Liao's gaze was always on Chen Zijin's back, secretly pondering: She is already openly active in the Li family; does Junior Brother intend to marry her in the future?

Thinking of this, he had a bit of a headache for Zhaoyi.

Today, the old Li family set up 3 tables.

Not only were the second aunt's family and the lineage of the great grandfather there, but the eldest sister Li Ping's family of three also came. At the same time, Li Jianguo also called Chen Laoyezi Chen and Chen Gaoyuan over.

In addition, there was a tag-along; Chen Zitong also followed behind.

This girl now had a somewhat unscrupulous attitude. She didn't put her own mother Zhong Lan in her eyes at all. Every day she followed behind, calling "Brother-in-law" this and "Brother-in-law" that, and had become familiar with everyone in the entire Shangwan Village.

It was already dark outside, so Chief Editor Liao naturally couldn't leave. He simply hardened his heart and drank shaojiu with everyone.

As for this shaojiu stuff, how should one put it? It's not like baijiu; some people don't get drunk, and some people get to their heads very easily. Chief Editor Liao belonged to the latter. After two cups, his old face was redder than a monkey's butt, but fortunately, his years of drinking foundation held him up, and he was able to deal with everyone at the table for seven or eight rounds.

However, in the end, he could not escape his ultimate fate. Chief Editor Liao was dead drunk, and in the end, it was Li Heng and Li Dequan who helped him into the bedroom.

Li Heng saw Chen Zijin's face was red, "Wife, are you drunk too?"

Chen Zijin pouted and held up a finger: "I only, only drank one cup."

Forget it, her speech was already stuttering. Li Heng was very happy, picked her up horizontally, and asked: "Have you bathed yet?"

"Mm, I bathed when I came back from the mountains at noon," Chen Zijin said with a sweet smile.

"Alright, then you go to sleep first. I'll go chat and drink with Great Chen Laoyezi and your dad for a while, and I'll come up to accompany you later." Li Heng put her on the bed, leaned over, and kissed her.

"Alright, lock the door and take the key," Chen Zijin urged.

"Mm, except for my sister and my cousin, no one will come up, don't worry." However, after Li Heng went out, he still took the key and put it in his pocket.

When he went down to the first floor, there was one more person in his sight. He shook his head, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him, but it was correct—it really was the dim-witted one who had returned.

"Damn! Grandpa Heng! Finally saw you! Damn it! This old master has missed you to death!"

As soon as the two brothers met, the 170cm Zhang Zhiyong ran over, clamped his waist, and lifted him up directly with force. What an excited energy, what a high-spirited tone!

Whoa! It made everyone in the house laugh.

After the two brothers had some fun, Li Heng asked: "There are still plenty of dishes on the table, are you drinking?"

"Drink! If I don't drink during the New Year, why the hell did I come to find you? If we drink, we drink from big bowls; small bowls can go aside." Seeing Li Heng take a rice bowl, Zhang Zhiyong was immediately unwilling and took the initiative to run to the kitchen and take out two vegetable bowls.

It was as if this was his own home. He acted as he pleased under the eyes of Li Jianguo, Tian Run'e, and others, without even discussing it.

It had been nearly a month, so Li Heng didn't go against this blockhead and happily accompanied him for food and drink.

"Good, good drinking capacity!"

Just as Li Heng poured a bowl for this idiot and turned to pour for himself, the dim-witted one had already picked up the bowl and drank the whole bowl of shaojiu in one breath.

Li Heng pulled him, "When did your drinking capacity get so good? Don't end up sleeping in the pigsty later."

When they were young, they had slept in the pigsty and cow shed together when they were drunk with a group of little friends. They had slept there several times, lying in rows at the doorway. The pigs and cows were all startled and huddled in the corner, mooing and oinking.

"Don't worry about me, this old master is seeking drunkenness today." The dim-witted one had a massive capacity and even drank his bowl too.

Damn it, one could understand it by thinking with their toes; he must have encountered something. Li Heng was so scared he didn't dare to pour a third bowl and instead pulled this guy outside.

Even so, the dim-witted one didn't miss a beat. He hugged the bowl of pickled chili peppers on the table and ran away, stuffing chili peppers into his mouth randomly as he ran.

That funny appearance made the group of people drinking and chatting laugh out loud again.

Seeing this, Li Lan got up, "I'll get you a new jar of pickles."

Arriving outside the house, Li Heng asked: "What's going on? Did something happen?"

"Don't worry about me first. I heard Chen Zijin is sleeping at your house?" Zhang Zhiyong winked, his eyes lecherous, as cheap as could be.

Li Heng raised an eyebrow: "She is my wife, if she doesn't sleep at my house, where would she sleep?"

"Awesome! Awesome as hell!" Zhang Zhiyong gave him two thumbs up.

Then this idiot stretched his neck and asked: "So you intend to marry her?"

Li Heng blinked, "Future things, we'll talk about later. I won't lose out no matter which of the three I marry."

"Awesome! Awesome as hell! Damn it! I'm so envious of you." For no reason, suddenly, Zhang Zhiyong cried as he spoke.

Li Heng was a little confused, and it took a long time for him to react: "You stupid bird, you didn't run to see Sister Chunhua, did you?"

Zhang Zhiyong held the vegetable bowl, one pickled chili pepper per bite, "That's right, my Sister Chunhua... sob..."

Li Heng: "..."

Two vegetable bowls of shaojiu down, it actually seriously exceeded this idiot's drinking capacity. As the alcohol surged, the dim-witted one was dead drunk, still calling for Sister Chunhua in his mouth.

Later, Zhang Zhiyong's father came. Upon meeting, he first slapped his son across the mouth: "Coward! Study hard, earn money hard, and maybe Liu Chunhua can become your mistress in the future."

Li Heng: "..."

If one were to ask who the hell in Shangwan Village was the most absurd, it would definitely be the dim-witted one's father. It seemed like not a single cell in his whole body was grown correctly.

And Zhang's father had a special hobby: he loved widows.

Carrying a flashlight to send this pair of father and son home, Li Heng came back and chatted with the Li family's guests for a while before resting.

After 11 o'clock at night, when Li Heng opened the door and entered the bedroom, he found the light was on inside. Zijin wasn't asleep at all and was staring at the ceiling with her eyes open.

He took off his clothes, shrank into the quilt, and hugged her, "What are you thinking about? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I don't dare to sleep." Chen Zijin buried her head in his arms.

Li Heng asked softly: "Why don't you dare to sleep? Did you have a nightmare?"

"No, we are going back to the capital tomorrow morning. I'm afraid that if I sleep until dawn, there won't be much time to accompany you," Chen Zijin acted like a spoiled child in his arms.

Li Heng felt warm in his heart and hugged her tighter, "Silly..."

"Mm, then kiss your silly wife," Chen Zijin wrapped her hands around his neck, her head slightly raised.

Li Heng lowered his head, knowing and interested, and kissed her.

This kiss was directly earth-shattering, directly thunder and fire. The wooden bed sang for more than an hour before it stopped.

"Husband, I can't bear to leave you." After the event, Chen Zijin was full of feminine charm, sticking to his arms like a cat.

"Mm, me too."

"If I leave, will you miss me?"

"Silly, of course I will."

"Then will you come to see me?"

"Yes, I will come to see you every two months from now on, okay?"

"Good, let's not sleep tonight."

"Ah? Can you take it?"

"Virtue, what are you thinking about? Let's chat all night. I don't want to waste a single bit of time with you."

They agreed to chat all night, but the bed sang "Conquer" three more times later.

After 7 o'clock in the morning, the two put on their clothes and got up, ready to set off.

Before getting in the car, Chen Zijin was very reluctant. Regardless of the crowd, under the gaze of the Chen and Li families, she turned back to hug him, hold him, rubbed his cheeks with both hands, and finally kissed the corner of his mouth.

Everyone was dumbfounded, everyone was moved.

Everyone could see that this Miss Zijin loved Li Heng extremely!

Chen Gaoyuan gave a bitter smile and didn't go to disturb them.

Zhong Lan had long since drilled into the car, her gaze cast in another direction. Since she couldn't interrupt, she chose to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear.

The three Chen Xiaomi sisters looked at the two openly, with diverse moods.

"Remember your promise, come to the capital to see me."

"Good."

Although reluctant, there is no banquet in the world that does not end. Chen Zijin still followed the Chen family and left.

Watching the Chen family leave, Li Heng turned to Chief Editor Liao and said: "Senior Brother, my eldest aunt is marrying off her daughter today. We have to go down later.

Let's go, I'll take you around the village, hurry up and take some pictures."

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

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10,800 words updated today.

(End of chapter)