Chapter 413

Seeing Yu Laoshi get onto the hand-guided tractor first.

Li Heng had no choice but to follow.

After sitting steady, he reminded her: "Teacher, this kind of farm vehicle is quite bumpy. Why don't we take your Mercedes?"

Unexpectedly, Yu Shuheng refused: "No need, this is quite good."

Her thinking was very simple: she was tired of riding in the Mercedes and wanted to be more grounded and experience a brand-new way of traveling, with fresh air and enough time to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

Knowing that this teacher was a person with a very firm mind, Li Heng stopped persuading her after one attempt and instead started chatting with Quexinyan.

He asked: "Half an hour ago, I think I saw your dad. I didn't see him clearly, just his back. Was it him?"

Zhang Zhiyong curled his lips: "Hey! Don't mention that jerk to Old Master. Damn it! That silly bird only treats home like an inn; he runs off as soon as he returns. Even when Grandpa and Grandma call him to eat, he doesn't eat, just rushes off like he's going to be reincarnated."

Yu Shuheng glanced at Zhang Zhiyong and couldn't help but laugh.

In all her years, this was the first time she had encountered such a rare specimen, swearing with every breath and looking down on everyone, though he seemed to respect Li Heng the most.

The tractor took a full 25 minutes to cover the 10-li journey; it really was slow enough.

However, just as they arrived at the Shimen station, before the three of them could get off, they found a crowd gathered at the entrance of Qian Yuejin's wonton shop. The crowd was shouting and making a scene, and it seemed like there was a fight inside.

Spotting a newly bought Honda motorcycle parked not far away, Zhang Zhiyong immediately shouted loudly: "Holy crap! Didn't that silly bird say he was in a hurry to get back to the Shaoshi company? Why is his motorcycle here?"

Li Heng also saw the motorcycle immediately, but before he could speak, two people rushed out of the crowd in a panic, a man and a woman—weren't they Zhang Zhiyong's father and the wonton shop owner's wife?

Zhang Zhiyong's father quickly took out his keys and started the motorcycle. The owner's wife didn't hesitate and hopped on.

Just as the motorcycle started, the owner's husband rushed out with a kitchen knife and swung it in a rage! It was close! Just that close! The knife almost hit the wonton shop owner's wife.

Amidst a roar, the motorcycle flew off, leaving the man behind, brandishing the kitchen knife and chasing after them wildly.

Li Heng and Yu Shuheng were both stunned!

The people around them were stunned too!

Upon realizing what happened, Zhang Zhiyong cursed: "Jerk! That jerk must have gone to mess with women again and got caught red-handed! Damn it! How did he escape even this? Why didn't he get hacked to death!"

Li Heng: "."

Yu Shuheng: "."

Li Heng kicked the idiot: "You better hide. If they didn't catch your dad, they might turn around and take their anger out on you."

"Holy crap! That's true. Old Master is a college student; I don't want to take a knife for that jerk." Saying this, Zhang Zhiyong didn't care about the tractor anymore and slipped into the crowd.

Before leaving, Quexinyan gave him a wink, meaning he was going to the post office to mail the letters.

The crowd remained lively.

No! The woman running off with her lover—this was a spectacular drama! The onlookers were excited, spreading the news, and the scene was boiling over, even livelier than the fight before.

Li Heng sighed in a low voice as he watched.

Yu Shuheng asked: "Why are you sighing?"

Li Heng looked at the wonton shop sign: "We won't be able to eat such good wontons in this town anymore. Isn't that a pity?"

Yu Shuheng had eaten wontons there the day before yesterday, and the taste was indeed unique. After a while, she asked again: "Is Zhang Zhiyong's father very unfaithful?"

"Yeah, his father's unfaithfulness is well-known," Li Heng said.

"Oh."

Yu Shuheng said "oh," then asked meaningfully: "Then how do you compare to him?"

Hearing this question, Li Heng broke into a sweat, only then realizing he had carelessly fallen into a trap.

He rolled his eyes and pretended to be calm: "I'm different from him."

"Both are unfaithful, how are you different?" Yu Shuheng asked curiously.

Li Heng held up two fingers: "First, Quexinyan's father likes to find widows and married women. Second, his father relies on sweet talk or throwing money at women. Mostly, he throws money."

Yu Shuheng asked mockingly: "And you?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes again: "I'm always chased by women, except for Song Yu."

He was telling the truth. In his past and present lives, among so many women, she was the only one he had pursued.

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the temperature in the air drop significantly; in the middle of summer, there was a chilly sensation.

Li Heng turned his head and saw that Yu Laoshi looked calm, but had returned to her icy demeanor.

Well, he had offended someone without realizing it.

About 20 minutes later, the farce before them dissipated. The wonton shop, which had been open for years, closed its doors in broad daylight. After the owner's husband left in a rage, Quexinyan emerged from some corner.

Yu Shuheng said to Quexinyan: "The letters are mailed, let's go."

Zhang Zhiyong scratched his head, playing dumb: "Teacher, what letters?"

Yu Shuheng glanced at Li, smiled warmly, and said nothing.

In front of others, she gave Li Heng plenty of face, hiding her icy side very well.

Regarding the letters, Li Heng pretended not to see or hear anything and instructed: "Old Yong, let's go. We're going to the neighboring town to look around."

"Alright, alright! Let's go!" With his father caught cheating, Quexinyan didn't seem affected at all. On the contrary, he seemed high-spirited and even started singing in the tone of the scriptures chanted when worshipping the Bodhisattva of the Southern Mountain.

Jinshi Town, the neighboring town, was a bit further away, about 20 li. Rural markets in summer weren't as lively as in winter. Both sides of the street were full of vendors' stalls, most of which were just urea bags spread on the ground with items for sale placed on top. They were very crude, and the items were of mixed quality, looking very cluttered.

Seeing Yu Laoshi browsing with great interest, Li Heng took her to the farmers' market, the agricultural machinery station, and other crowded places one after another.

Especially in a corner of the farmers' market, she stood guard at a mushroom stall for a long time, but the vendor didn't sell a single cent's worth. The vendor kept glancing at Yu Laoshi, thinking to himself: This woman is so dignified and beautiful, why is it that as soon as she arrives, my mushrooms won't sell?

The stall owner felt unlucky, but seeing Li Heng and Quexinyan nearby, he didn't dare to drive them away.

Li Heng tugged at Yu Laoshi's sleeve: "Teacher, it's getting late. Let's find a place to eat something; we have to go back soon."

Yu Shuheng nodded and followed him out of the farmers' market.

Strangely enough, as soon as she left, customers came to the stall, and the owner was almost moved to tears.

Li Heng asked her: "Why did you stand guard there for so long?"

Yu Shuheng said: "I was tired of walking, so I wanted to rest. I just happened to see the milk-paste mushrooms we picked yesterday on the stall, so I was curious how much they could sell for in a day?"

Li Heng was speechless. The reason was so powerful that he couldn't refute it for a moment. After all, she was a young lady from the city; wasn't it normal for a city lady to feel curious about things in the countryside?

They picked a clean shop to eat a bowl of noodles, and then the three of them took the tractor back.

When they returned to Qian Town, he thought for a moment and said to Zhang Zhiyong: "Old Yong, stop for a second. I have something to do."

Quexinyan grinned: "Holy crap! Old Master knew you'd definitely want me to stop. You want to go find Xiao Han, right? You haven't gone to see her after being back for so long, watch out for your head!"

Looking at this idiot, Li Heng's mouth twitched, and he wished he could crush him with one finger.

He couldn't help but sigh to the heavens: Damn it, it's really true that what you fear comes to pass. How could I have gotten to know such a fool?

Seeing his constipated expression, Yu Shuheng suppressed a laugh, got out of the car first, and said: "The Xiao family is over by the middle school, right? Teacher will go with you; it's a good chance to see what the school you attended in junior high looks like."

Li Heng was very reluctant: "Teacher, didn't you say your feet were tired? Why don't you wait for me in the car? I'll be back soon."

Yu Shuheng turned a deaf ear to this.

No choice, Li Heng had to take a shortcut to the town government, hoping she really just wanted to see the middle school.

But the problem was, the place where he and Xiao Han usually dated was also in the small woods of the middle school.

However, thinking that the time they agreed on was around 10:00 in the morning, and it was already past 4:00 in the afternoon, he felt relieved.

Ten minutes later, the three of them arrived near the entrance of the town government.

Li Heng looked around and didn't move.

Seeing this, Yu Shuheng crossed the road and entered the middle school opposite.

Li Heng looked at Zhang Zhiyong: "Old Yong, do you want to be a third wheel?"

Quexinyan immediately cursed and followed them to the middle school.

With the annoying person gone, Li Heng checked the time—4:32—and found a grocery store to start calling the Xiao family.

The call didn't go through.

He made a second call, and it still didn't go through.

He called three times in a row, and all were dead ends.

Were they not home?

Li Heng pondered, and after hesitating for a moment, he changed his approach and walked straight toward the entrance of the town government.

He had already appeared at the Shanghai Medical University a few days ago and had been bumped into by Wei Shiman, claiming to be a good friend of Xiao Han. So, going to find her directly now wasn't a big deal, right? He had a reason.

"Yo! Are you Li Heng? The great writer. Who are you looking for? Are you looking for the secretary's daughter?" The gatekeeper recognized him at a glance, his attitude undergoing a earth-shaking change compared to last time. Not only did he actively open the door, but his face was also full of aged smiles, though his speech was a bit long-winded.

He remembered last time, wow! The man had guarded against him like a thief, his tone as bad as it could get, almost driving him away by force.

Having lived two lives, Li Heng didn't care much about these trivial matters, smiled, nodded, and prepared to walk inside.

But after taking only two or three steps, he stopped.

Guess who he saw?

He looked up and saw Xiao Han by the window. When his gaze landed on her, she looked pitiful, her expression as aggrieved as it could be.

This black-bellied wife was home, and she had deliberately not answered the phone?

Could it be that news of Yu Laoshi going to Shangwan Village had already reached her ears?

Looking back at their interactions in his past life, this wife had a fickle personality and never played by the rules; she was an existence he could never fathom.

Li Heng waved his hand and mouthed silently: "Wife, come down."

Xiao Han hid behind the curtain, watching him, unmoved.

Li Heng waved again, and she still didn't react.

No choice, he had to bite the bullet and head toward the stairwell. Regardless of whether Wei Shiman was home or not, he was determined to knock on this door today.

He had to; he had been back for more than a day, and he was already in the wrong for not coming to see her immediately yesterday. He had to have a heart-to-heart talk with her today.

Otherwise, he would feel empty inside, as if he had lost the most important thing.

Seeing him cross the basketball court in the courtyard and enter the stairwell, Xiao Han couldn't stay calm anymore. Although she had deliberately made things difficult for honey, her mother might come back at any time.

If she let the twice-married man come to the door, Wei Shiman might smile on the surface, but she would definitely go crazy inside.

Meeting at the Shanghai Medical University a few days ago could be said to have a reason.

But if he came to the door again today, could it still be called a coincidence? Were there any fools in the world who were that easy to trick?

Thinking of this, Xiao Han quickly left the bedroom, opened the door, and headed toward the living room.

At this moment, there were two women on the sofa in the living room: Xiao Qing and Xiao Feng. The latter had come over for the market yesterday and had already stayed at the Xiao house for one night.

Seeing her sister changing shoes to go out, Xiao Qing asked: "Where are you going?"

Xiao Han replied: "Something came up."

Xiao Qing glanced at the wall clock and then at Xiao Hai, who was busy in the kitchen. She walked over and whispered a blessing: "Don't be too late for your date. It's Mom's birthday today; you need to be back before 5:00."

According to the usual situation, Wei Shiman would arrive home around 5:00, so she reminded her sister.

Xiao Han's expression was a bit twisted, but she knew she couldn't hide it from her sister at all. Just now, she had unplugged the phone line for no reason, which probably already made her eldest sister suspicious. And now, leaving alone without caring about her friend being home only confirmed it.

That's right, she had stood by the window just now and seen everything Li Heng, Yu Shuheng, and Quexinyan did outside. When she saw her man walking toward the grocery store, she guessed he would call, so she unplugged the phone line in advance.

She didn't know why she unplugged it either. She clearly wanted to see him, but she was just feeling a bit annoyed.

Sigh, honey was truly the nemesis of this beauty; she had lost her heart to him, otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a low-level mistake. Xiao Han reflected internally, then responded with a "got it" and opened the door to leave.

Just as she closed the door, she ran into Li Heng.

Facing each other, Xiao Han tried hard to squeeze out a smile and greeted: "Hi! Mr. Li, long time no see."

"A day without seeing is like three autumns; we really haven't seen each other for a long time," Li Heng said, standing still.

This time it was Xiao Han's turn to be anxious. It was broad daylight, and walls have ears. Could you please stop standing there? Could you please not get me beaten when I get home?

If he had broken up with that Chen family noblewoman, Xiao Han would be extremely happy.

But this guy was clearly stepping on two and a half boats; he wasn't a settled person and carried a bomb with him, which might explode on the spot one day.

In her heart, Li Heng shouldn't have had the chance to eat Song Yu yet, so Song Yu could only count as half a boat.

Xiao Han walked over, wanting to pull him away.

Li Heng stood firm, and she couldn't move him at all.

Xiao Han reached out to pull him again, to no avail.

Her eyebrows curved, revealing a pitiful expression, and she lowered her voice: "I'm begging you, wife, give me some face."

Li Heng wanted to laugh, and he did.

To show the side of a wife following her husband's lead, Xiao Han tried hard to adjust her expression, followed suit with a fake smile, and laughed.

Li Heng asked: "Did you unplug the phone line?"

Xiao Han shook her little head like a bell, denying it flatly: "No."

Li Heng said: "Don't let it happen again. If you unplug the phone line next time, I will"

"You'll knock on the door and propose to me in front of Wei Shiman? Is that it?" Xiao Han interrupted him in time, hinting at him with a nudge.

This hint was a bit playful and full of youthful energy, but it was more of her internal expectation.

Sensing the worry and longing in her eyes, Li Heng calmed down and nodded earnestly.

His nod invisibly resolved the stalemate and also resolved some unexplainable things.

What unexplainable things?

For instance, why did Yu Laoshi come to Qian Town?

For instance, the issue of how to treat her and Chen Zijin in the future.

For instance, the issue of facing other women in the future.

Although the future was full of variables and uncertainties, her man's attitude could at least soothe her for a short time, soothe her anxiety and worry, and soothe her decadence and dejection.

People are made of flesh and blood, not copper walls and iron bastions. When there were top-tier competitors like Chen Zijin and Song Yu in front, and Mai Sui and Yu Shuheng behind, even if Xiao Han was confident, she would inevitably have moments of low mood and exhaustion.

She jokingly called this: even tigers take naps.

After a brief exchange, Xiao Han looked pleading and pulled his sleeve for the third time.

This time Li Heng moved, fulfilling her wish, and followed her down the stairs, leaving the town government compound.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Li Heng pointed to the small hill across the river and said with emotion: "Let's go up and walk around. I often played up there during my three years of junior high. I haven't been there for many years; I miss it very much."

"You often fought up there in junior high," Xiao Han recalled.

"Who's to say otherwise." Time flies and never returns; many things were vivid in his memory, as if they happened yesterday, which made him regretful.

Xiao Han glanced at the middle school opposite and suddenly said: "Mr. Li, it's too hot today. Let's not climb the mountain; let's go to the small woods and sit for a while."

Li Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he understood instantly. Many things were actually transparent between them.

Thinking about it, it made sense; otherwise, why would she unplug the phone line?

Crossing the road, the two of them entered the middle school opposite one after the other, then turned right, heading toward the small woods with familiarity.

Speaking of this small woods, it was full of tears; it was originally the place where he and Zijin dated in junior high, but this black-bellied wife had chosen this place.

He occasionally wondered if she was deliberately taking revenge on Zijin?

Unfortunately, the small woods were quite lively today; not only were there several children chasing and playing inside, but there were also several teachers standing nearby chatting.

Clearly, they couldn't go there.

Otherwise, what happened the second before would reach Wei Shiman's ears the second after. This school had many teachers who were on very good terms with Wei Shiman.

Xiao Han held her left hand with her right, pouted, turned around, and said: "Let's go to Class 224."

Class 224 was the class they attended during junior high, on the second floor of the teaching building.

He asked: "Do you have the classroom key?"

Xiao Han cleared her throat, cast a look, and said crisply: "You really are a noble person who forgets things; did you forget? That window glass and the steel bars are loose; they can be taken out."

Li Heng was surprised: "So many years have passed, and they haven't replaced them?"

Xiao Han smiled sweetly and said: "The school is poor; if it can be used, we make do. Unlike you, you're very rich now."

Li Heng frowned. Why did it always feel like these words weren't right?

Why did it always feel like there was a sour taste?

Why did it feel like she was pointing at the mulberry to scold the locust?

The problem was, he was also a person who cherished old feelings very much, okay? Women are like wine; the longer they are with him, the more he treasures and cherishes them.

Crossing the playground and arriving at the Class 224 of his memory, sure enough, there was a glass window that could be removed. After pulling the steel bars inside to the sides, a large hole was revealed. With his help, Xiao Han climbed in easily.

Afterward, he restored the glass window, and she opened the back door of the classroom.

Entering from the back door of the classroom, as soon as the door closed, Li Heng reached out and hugged her.

"Ah! You're covered in sweat today; you stink." Seeing that there was no hope of breaking free, Xiao Han rarely used words to squeeze him.

Li Heng lowered his head and sniffed: "Where does it stink? Isn't it fragrant?"

"Is that so? What's fragrant? Woman's scent? Then let me sniff again." Xiao Han's eyes were cunning.

Li Heng: "."

She didn't mention Yu Shuheng at all, but she was insinuating everywhere.

This was truly his own wife; no one else could impersonate her.

Looking at each other, the air suddenly became quiet.

For a long time, he, who had been teased to death by Yu Laoshi these past few days, couldn't help but lower his head to kiss her.

But he was dodged by Xiao Han.

This was the first time since the two of them clearly established a romantic relationship.

Li Heng looked at her.

She turned her head to look elsewhere, not meeting his eyes, and said pitifully: "Mr. Li, I had a dream last night."

Li Heng asked: "What dream?"

Xiao Han said: "I dreamed that our ginkgo tree died."

"Ah? How could it die? I watered it every day at school." Li Heng felt that her dream might come true, but he couldn't say it out loud.

In truth, he had absolutely no experience in planting trees; he didn't know what it meant for ginkgo leaves to wither.

Xiao Han said gloomily: "Do you know how it died in the dream?"

"How did it die?" Li Heng asked curiously.

Xiao Han pursed her lips: "It didn't know how to endure, went deep into enemy territory alone, committed a military taboo, and was beaten to death by enemies because it was too sharp."

Li Heng's eyelids twitched more than ten times in a row, and he leaned over, trying to see her expression when she said this.

Xiao Han knew what he was thinking, and immediately turned her head away a few more inches, not letting him succeed.

Li Heng asked: "It's just a tree, planted in the courtyard, where would it have enemies?"

Xiao Han sighed: "In nature, all things in the world generate and restrain each other. How could it not have enemies? The flower beds on the left, the grass beside it, the tallow trees opposite—they are all competing with it for sunlight and dew every moment. It's a newcomer in Lushan Village, and now no one is taking care of it; I'm really worried about it."

Flowers on the left? There were indeed roses and camellias in the courtyard of Building 27.

There were really two tallow trees in Yu Laoshi's courtyard opposite, whose leaves were bright red in spring and autumn, very beautiful and ornamental.

As for the grass? The ginkgo tree was covered in turf, which was indeed the case.

But he found it strange; was she really not referring to Zhou Shihe, Yu Laoshi, and Mai Sui?

Actually, he had guessed right.

In Xiao Han's heart: Zhou Shihe was as beautiful as a flower, and her appearance and temperament made her wary; every time she saw the other party, she felt a great sense of crisis.

Mai Sui was like grass because Mai Sui's positioning as Li Heng's good friend made it easy for people to ignore her danger level, but little did they know that grass had a characteristic: extreme patience and vitality.

Just like the poem "Wildfire cannot burn it out, spring breeze blows it back to life," Mai Sui was invisibly the most lethal.

And to Xiao Han, Yu Shuheng was just like a towering tallow tree; the other party had a thick trunk and lush branches, and was also known as the "red-leaf tree," which was very beautiful and had horticultural value. In every aspect, the ginkgo tree was helpless against it.

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(More to come)

(End of chapter)