Chapter 429

For the second phone call, Li Heng called Dongtinghu.

As it turned out, no one answered.

He called twice more in a row, and it was still the same, no one answered.

He looked up at the sky, blue as if washed. Could the whole family be picking tea on the tea mountain?

For the third phone call, he called his second sister, but it was Jiao Sect who answered.

Jiao Sect said his second sister had gone to get stock and might not be back until evening. Because the pastry shop business was booming and there weren't enough hands, Jiao Sect, who was too busy, chatted with him for less than 3 minutes before hanging up.

Putting the receiver back, Li Heng asked: "Boss, how much?"

"42 yuan." The boss showed him the call duration for the three calls.

Damn it, three calls took away 42 yuan. In the countryside, with a wage of 1.5 yuan a day, one could hire someone to work for a month and a half.

It really hurt, it was like a robbery, faster than picking up money.

For a moment, he pondered whether to install a phone at home?

But thinking of Mai Sui being there, Yu Laoshi being there, he immediately panicked and extinguished the thought. If Zijin called, if Song Yu called, and they were answered by Mai Sui and Yu Laoshi, how should he handle it?

Wouldn't that be inviting lightning?

Wouldn't that be digging a hole for himself?

If Mai Sui talked to Song Yu from time to time, wouldn't the heart she had finally opened to him be completely closed?

He couldn't be that stupid. The phone matter couldn't be rushed; he had to wait until his relationship with Song Yu reached a certain level.

Otherwise, this Buddhist wife would be very difficult to deal with.

After paying the bill, Li Heng didn't stop and mailed the two letters out.

Just as he was about to enter the department store to look for some snacks, he actually saw Zhang Bing, and beside him was the inseparable Bai Wanying.

The two had actually changed trades and were selling braised dishes, things like pig intestines, pig ears, and pig tails.

"Old Zhang, Old Bai, good noon to you both." Li Heng walked over to greet them.

Zhang Bing, who was cutting pig tails for a customer, looked up and said with a full face of smiles: "Old Li, when did you come?"

"I wanted to ask you that, I've been here for a while." Li Heng said.

Bai Wanying's gaze was fixed on him, very peculiar.

Li Heng felt hairy from being watched, "Is there something dirty on me?"

Bai Wanying smiled like a flower, "I see peach blossom luck on you."

"Nonsense! Is peach blossom luck something you can see?" Li Heng rolled his eyes.

Bai Wanying smiled and said: "Actually, I saw you a few days ago. You were with Zhou Shihe, eating breakfast at the Blue Sky Hotel."

Li Heng asked: "Oh, then why didn't you call me?"

"Seeing you two talking with your heads down the whole time, I was embarrassed to disturb you, haha." Bai Wanying said.

Li Heng leaned over to look, "How did you think of selling this? Didn't you say you were going to sell roasted chestnuts?"

Bai Wanying explained: "Chestnuts have to wait a while. My brother-in-law has been selling this braised food in Xu Hui recently, and the business is super good. They've even leased a fixed small shop. Seeing Zhang Bing worried, I let him learn this from my brother-in-law."

Li Heng asked: "How long have you been learning?"

"This was braised by my brother-in-law and the others, he hasn't finished his apprenticeship yet. Come, try some." As she spoke, Bai Wanying cut a piece of pig intestine and handed it to him.

Li Heng didn't reach out, afraid of the grease and too lazy to wash his hands, so he just lowered his head and ate it, chewed a few times: "Mm, the taste is okay, no wonder your business is not bad."

Zhang Bing said: "If you're used to eating it, I'll cut a little of everything for you."

Li Heng nodded, "Alright."

He originally wanted to ask with concern how Zhang Bing's family situation was. However, after glancing at Bai Wanying, he dismissed the thought.

Asking about Zhang Bing's family would inevitably mention Zhang Bing's wife and two children, which wouldn't be good in front of Bai Wanying. Although they were friends of noble character, who knew what thoughts were hidden deep in their hearts?

Just like him and Mai Sui, after being together for a long time, he couldn't leave the other person.

Of course, compared to him and Mai Sui, the situation between Zhang Bing and Bai Wanying was still very different. At least, for now, it was all just speculation based on shadows, and he hadn't seen any ambiguous side to the two.

It had to be admired.

Zhang Bing cut three jin of braised food for him and wouldn't take his money no matter what. Finally, there was no other way, so he had to stuff a banknote into Bai Wanying's pocket and leave directly.

Bai Wanying was in a wheelchair and it wasn't convenient, so she couldn't catch up at all. She could only watch him go far away, and finally gave an "ai."

After Li Heng disappeared from sight, Zhang Bing, after sending off two customers, couldn't help but ask: "Did you really see Old Li and Zhou Shihe together?"

Bai Wanying nodded.

Zhang Bing was confused, "Are you talking about them?"

"Probably not."

Bai Wanying knew what he meant, "Li Heng and Zhou Shihe being together might be for something. They don't give me the feeling of being in love. Besides..."

Zhang Bing asked: "Besides what?"

Bai Wanying asked: "If you had a partner like Xiao Han, would you still be fickle?"

Zhang Bing shook his head straight: "I couldn't do such a betrayal."

Bai Wanying looked at him and put the money in her hand into the box: "That's right. It's rumored that Zhou Shihe's family background is very powerful, but as a man, having a girlfriend like Xiao Han, there shouldn't be any regrets. I don't think Li Heng would have any ideas about Zhou Shihe."

Zhang Bing thought it made sense: "The guys in the dormitory all say that Xiao Han and Zhou Shihe are on par in terms of looks, each having their own merits. Xiao Han is also Old Li's childhood sweetheart, there's no reason to abandon Xiao Han and get together with Zhou Shihe."

Bai Wanying agreed with this.

Up to now, the impression Li Heng gave them was very good: talented, temperamental, good-looking, cultured and not flashy, especially fitting the image of a Prince Charming in a woman's heart.

This was also the reason why Li Xian liked Li Heng so much back then, but wasn't mocked by people in the class. Because too many girls in the management school had a crush on Li Heng, and too many boys envied Li Heng, feeling that all this was a matter of course.

At this point, the two looked at each other, both curious why Li Heng and Zhou Shihe got together during the summer vacation?

Bai Wanying asked: "Could it be that they are doing music creation again? Like the Spring Festival Gala?"

Zhang Bing pondered for a while, "It's possible, only then does it make sense."

As he spoke, Zhang Bing suddenly said: "Li Guang will be coming over in two days."

Bai Wanying lowered her head to organize the change: "I received a letter from him."

Buying some candy, Li Heng rode his bicycle like the wind back to Lushan Village.

Just as he entered the alley entrance, he saw Yu Shuheng walking inside with a black umbrella.

Li Heng stopped his bike and shouted enthusiastically: "Teacher, get on, I'll give you a ride."

Yu Shuheng smiled slightly: "No need, it's just a few steps to get home."

Seeing this, Li Heng knew she was worried about the eyes of the teachers around, after all, it was broad daylight, so he got off the bike and pushed it while walking: "Are the recording matters settled?"

"Already contacted, over in Hongkou, starting tomorrow we'll go over to record." She said.

"Going early and returning late every day?"

"Right."

"Thank you, Teacher, you've worked hard."

"Mm, where did you go?"

Li Heng pointed to the small basket in front: "Went to mail letters, and bought some snacks by the way."

As he spoke, he said again: "Teacher, starting from the 8th, I have to leave for a while."

Yu Shuheng glanced at him, pondered for a moment, and asked: "Going to Jingcheng?"

Li Heng thought for a moment and said truthfully: "Going to Dongtinghu first."

Yu Shuheng didn't speak again, slowly passed him, and walked in front.

Looking at her tall back, Li Heng wanted to say something but stopped. Finally, the words reached his lips but he swallowed them back, and just followed slowly for two minutes before reaching the end of the alley.

At this time, Chen Siya was picking cucumbers at the courtyard gate with a pregnant belly. Seeing Yu Shuheng, she said: "Shuheng, I thought you weren't coming, you said you had something to do when I called you, come in quickly, the food is almost ready."

Then, Chen Siya asked Li Heng: "Where's Shihe? Where did she go? Didn't she go out with you?"

Li Heng was surprised: "She hasn't come back yet?"

Chen Siya shook her head.

Li Heng turned the bike handlebars, "I'll go find her now."

"Go quickly and come back quickly, just the last dish left." Chen Siya instructed.

"Eh, got it." Li Heng came and went like the wind.

Watching Li Heng go far away, Yu Shuheng asked: "Did you go fishing this morning?"

Chen Siya said: "Old Fu said I had been staying at home for too long and it was easy to get stuffy, so he took me out early to get some air."

Yu Shuheng asked: "Why didn't you call me?"

Chen Siya said: "I told you at dinner yesterday, asked if you were going, you said you didn't have time."

Yu Shuheng said expressionlessly: "Sometimes, time can be squeezed out."

Chen Siya looked at her, realized it after the fact, and said meaningfully: "I was only guessing before, you wouldn't really have fallen for Li Heng, would you?"

"He is not a good match." Yu Shuheng glanced at her and answered like this.

Chen Siya smiled and said: "Then you still fell for him?"

Yu Shuheng handed the umbrella in her hand to her and entered the courtyard first.

Chen Siya smiled, hung the umbrella under the eaves, and sighed: "This doesn't look like you, eh."

"What would look like me?" Yu Shuheng asked.

Chen Siya blurted out: "For so many years in the past, no man could catch your eye, I thought that was normal. You shouldn't have taken a fancy to a student, he's 7 years younger than you."

Yu Shuheng was silent, and after a long while said: "Your Aunt Shen Xin strongly recommended it."

"Aunt Shen Xin is Aunt Shen Xin, you are you..." Chen Siya was interrupted halfway through.

Yu Shuheng said softly: "After reading the ending of *White Deer Plain*, my dad also asked about Li Heng's affairs last night."

Chen Siya's mouth opened wide, and she couldn't say a word for a long time, very shocked.

After a long, long time, she asked: "The *Harvest* magazine only serialized up to chapter 36, did you give the manuscript to your uncle in advance?"

"For me, this isn't a difficult thing." Yu Shuheng reached out and flicked the bell on the table.

Chen Siya looked at the bell for a while, then looked at her best friend for a while: "Then what are you going to do?"

"I haven't thought it through yet." Yu Shuheng said.

Chen Siya asked: "Since it's like this, what are you still hesitating about?"

Yu Shuheng asked back: "Are you saying I should use tricks, or let nature take its course?"

Chen Siya understood what she meant and was instantly speechless.

After confronting each other for two minutes, Chen Siya nodded, "This is indeed a big problem. Using tricks is ultimately not perfect, and if it's not done well, it will be counterproductive. But if you wait for nature to take its course, it won't be a matter of one or two days, and it's hard to avoid accidents in the middle."

After a while, Chen Siya asked: "Do you want me to help you?"

Yu Shuheng raised her head.

Chen Siya swept her eyes toward the courtyard gate, "I'll have Old Fu often call Li Heng to drink in the name of drinking, creating opportunities for you two. Otherwise, he stays with Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe every day, where would you get the chance?"

Yu Shuheng said: "Drinking hurts the body."

"Tsk! You're starting to feel sorry for him, he's not your man yet." Chen Siya teased.

Yu Shuheng stretched and didn't pay attention.

"Drink beer, a little bit is good for the mood, don't drink too much." Chen Siya suggested.

PS: Posted first, edited later.

(End of chapter)