Chapter 520: The One Who Shouldn

Today was a fine day, and since the people at the main table were all his elders, Li Heng, in an unusually good mood, took the initiative to toast them, determined to serve them well.

As a result, after an hour of drinking and chatting, he got himself drunk.

He couldn't avoid getting drunk—how could he possibly get everyone else drunk? Besides, today was worth getting drunk for.

After lunch, Master Jin Yong left with two officials from the system, saying they had arranged a welcoming banquet for the evening.

Before leaving, Jin Yong made plans with Li Heng to visit Old Man Ba's home together the next day.

After Jin Yong and his secretary departed, Old Man Ba and Xiao Linjie also prepared to leave, saying the distinguished guest from the morning was still in Shanghai and needed continued hospitality.

To everyone's surprise, Xiao Han didn't linger in Building 26; she took Xiao Linjie's ride and left.

Li Heng, barely holding onto his drunkenness, mumbled half-asleep: "Wife, why are you leaving so fast? Can't you stay and keep me company a bit?"

Xiao Han glanced at Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe nearby, then said with quiet understanding: "I'd love to, but today is Ms. Wenyan's birthday—I need to get back early with Haiyan to prepare the cake and other things for a surprise tonight."

He remembered how Ms. Wenyan's husband had eloped with one of her students to America, leaving her childless; he remembered how, in both past and present lives, she had carefully nurtured and supported his dark-hearted wife—this birthday truly couldn't be skipped.

Li Heng asked: "Should I come with you?"

Xiao Han was tempted, but soon dismissed the idea: "You're already this drunk—just go home and sleep. So much happened today; there's still cleanup to do. You shouldn't leave."

Li Heng thought it over and agreed—he reached out and hugged her publicly, then said: "I'll come see you at the end of the month."

Xiao Han smiled, two charming dimples appearing. "Alright."

Master, Editor Liao, Xiao Han, and Xiao Linjie left.

Li Heng personally saw them off at the door, only staggering back inside after the four vanished from sight.

Mai Sui, who had been chatting with Zhou Shihe and the others, immediately ran over and helped him up the stairs to the bedroom.

Ye Ning muttered: "Suisui really has such a good temper! Li Heng was right in front of her, flirting and hugging Xiao Han for ages—and now she just forgets it all…"

Hearing the complaint, Zhou Shihe unconsciously recalled a scene: that day Li Heng had pinned Suisui on the sofa, kissing her fiercely.

At this thought, Zhou Shihe calmed herself, then quietly picked up a book from the coffee table and began flipping through it.

Sun Manning replied to Ye Ning: "Can you stop being so nagging? This isn't the first or second time—Suisui's got a knot inside her, and she won't let go."

"What knot? The knot of secretly stealing Xiao Han's man?"

Ye Ning's eyebrows twitched: "They're not even married—how's that stealing? Besides, Suisui gets prettier every day; who'll turn out more feminine between her and Xiao Han? It's still up in the air—what's there to fear?"

Sun Manning rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking: If only there were just one Xiao Han—no, the real issue is the one from Peking University.

Thinking of Song Yu, Sun Manning suddenly turned her head and studied Zhou Shihe intently, silently comparing them.

At first, Zhou Shihe didn't care about her friend's stare—she kept reading.

Only after a long while, noticing Manning's gaze still fixed on her, did Zhou Shihe slowly lift her head and look back.

Sun Manning gestured with her fingers, sincerely exclaiming: "You two are both perfectly made—I can't tell who's better, can't find a single flaw."

Ye Ning, hearing this, was baffled and immediately pressed: "Who are you talking about? Is there really a woman out there who rivals Shihe? I find that hard to believe."

Remembering Song Yu's relationship with Li Heng, Sun Manning snapped back to reality, stretched lazily, laughed it off, and hurried off to the kitchen for a glass of cold water.

Ye Ning, her curiosity now burning, glared in frustration: "Shihe, did you hear Manning's nonsense just now?"

Zhou Shihe smiled gently. "You called it nonsense—if Manning doesn't want to say, don't press her."

"I'm curious! There's a woman as beautiful as you—I'm sure you're curious too. Do you believe it?" Ye Ning asked.

Zhou Shihe flipped pages silently, saying nothing.

Knowing Shihe's nature—she never liked discussing such things—Ye Ning changed the subject: "Shihe, your sink's clogged. When are they coming to unclog it? I've been sweating buckets and can't even shower—I'm afraid the water'll back up."

Zhou Shihe said: "I've already called someone. They said they'll come tonight. You can shower here for now."

"Shower here?"

Ye Ning lowered her voice: "The bathroom door lock's broken—Manning the strong girl broke it. I'm worried it's not safe."

Zhou Shihe smiled lightly. "Who are you afraid of? Him?"

Ye Ning puffed up: "Don't mock me! Sure, he probably doesn't even notice me—but he's still a man! What if I shower here and he gets aroused, and decides to take advantage of me?"

Zhou Shihe glanced at her with amusement, then went back to reading.

Soon, Mai Sui came downstairs and asked Zhou Shihe: "Shihe, are we leaving for Jing'an now?"

Zhou Shihe shook her head slightly. "No rush. We can go another day."

Since Xiao Han had left, Mai Sui no longer needed to avoid the place—Zhou Shihe instantly lost the urge to head out for the bus.

She preferred cleanliness; on such hot days, buses always smelled of mixed odors, and she rarely rode them.

If she could avoid it, she would.

Mai Sui seemed to understand—she didn't press further, and instead tied on an apron to clean up the leftover food.

Li Heng slept through the afternoon; when he woke again, it was past six.

Damn it, baijiu was truly his nemesis—his head still throbbed dully, his mind fogged like a lump of paste.

Probably because he'd drunk too much alcohol and some tea, he felt an urgent need to urinate—he bolted out of bed the moment he opened his eyes and rushed toward the bathroom.

The bathroom door was closed, but he didn't think much of it—wasn't it usually shut anyway? Only the window was open for ventilation.

Everyone knows there are three urgent needs—he pushed the door open with his right hand, as usual.

But…!

But as soon as he opened the door, he froze.

He was stunned.

He shuddered violently—and his mind instantly cleared.

Holy hell!

Guess who he saw?

He saw Zhou Shihe standing under the shower, lathering herself with body wash.

Hearing the door, she instinctively covered her private areas with both hands—one above, one below—and turned toward the entrance.

Their eyes met—and Li Heng instantly felt immense pressure.

Zhou Shihe said nothing. Her pure black-and-white gaze fixed on him—no joy, no sorrow, no anger, no resentment.

Only the faint pout of her small lips, and the way her left hand shielded her chest while her right guarded her most intimate spot, betrayed any emotional shift.

Yet her frail body radiated an aura so sharp it cut through the air.

After a brief standoff, Li Heng, burdened by guilt, finally averted his eyes, stepped back one pace, then another, and quickly shut the bathroom door.

The moment the door closed, all pressure vanished.

Li Heng exhaled slowly in relief.

Only now did he realize—he'd broken into a cold sweat, all from being stared at by those eyes that usually looked so gentle.

He took two deep breaths, then walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it.

He sat there dazed, the image of her white body burned into his mind, impossible to erase.

Zhou Guan'er always seemed delicate and fragile, like Lin Daiyu—easily pitied. But now, for the first time, he realized how profoundly alluring her body was—no less than any other woman's.

The last time his body reacted this strongly was when he'd pinned Mai Sui down.

Back then, he'd lost control and taken her twice.

And now…

Li Heng slapped his forehead hard, cutting off his thoughts, forcing himself to calm down.

Outside the door, the man's blood surged, his emotions still unsettled.

Inside, Zhou Shihe was equally agitated—just as the door shut, her rigid frame collapsed against the wall, her body limp, her gaze fixed on the opposite wall, slowly losing focus.

First, he'd kissed her while skiing in the northeast.

Then, they'd shared a room in Beijing for over a month—he'd often stared at her silently, even whispered her name in his dreams; each time he called her name, he'd wake up, find fresh clothes, and sneak off to the bathroom.

Later, back in Lushan Village, his gaze in the music room had changed—his eyes when looking at her had changed.

Now… now it was complete—he'd seen her…

She didn't know how long he'd stared—but she…

After what felt like an eternity, the silence shattered with a soft creak.

The bathroom door opened again—connecting the two worlds on either side.

Li Heng didn't stand—he only turned his head to look.

Sensing it, Zhou Shihe also turned toward him.

They gazed at each other across the space for over ten seconds—then Zhou Guan'er hugged her changed clothes and turned to leave, heading for the stairwell.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?" As she reached the stairs, Li Heng, after holding back for so long, finally blurted out one sentence.

What he said didn't matter—the point was breaking the tension.

He said it to tell her: what happened just now was accidental—he had no intention of offending her.

If only!

If only the bathroom light had been on, or if there'd been running water—he never would've pushed the door open.

But the truth was, it was still daylight outside—no need for lights—and the lock had been broken by Sun Manning, with no tools available to replace it.

Thus, fate had brought this about.

Having known each other for over a year, having shared a room, having rehearsed together through holidays—they were more familiar than anyone else. At his words, Zhou Shihe understood his meaning instantly.

"Not yet," she replied, then descended the stairs without looking back.

Both knew: though the moment had been deeply awkward, almost crossing a line, there had been no malice.

And both understood: over the past year, they were no longer just close friends—they were soulmates in collaboration.

During their time living together, their friendship had quietly deepened into an unspoken, indescribable understanding.

To prevent Li Heng from overthinking, to avoid awakening his desire for her, to spare Mai Sui future pain—she turned and walked away.

But they were neighbors who would inevitably cross paths again, and they still had three more years of university life to share—there was no escaping it—so Zhou Shihe replied, "No."

One asks, "Have you eaten?" and the other replies, "No," leaving each other an escape route, a face-saving excuse.

Hearing her response, Li Heng's tense heart slowly settled.

Once his body fully returned to normal, he dashed again toward the bathroom; a faint fragrance lingered inside—was it the scent of rose shower gel, or a woman's natural scent? It was pleasant.

Damn, he was nearly suffocating—Li Heng turned on the water, pondering how to make up for his earlier mistake.

He washed his hands, stepped out of the bathroom, and immediately entered the study. From the thirty sample books given by Editor Liao, he took ten, uncapped his pen, bent over, and began signing.

The first nine went smoothly—he wrote his name and the date in one continuous stroke.

But when he reached the tenth book, *Bai Luyuan*, he paused after opening the title page. The pen tip accidentally left three ink dots on the white paper. After a sigh, he continued signing, writing the date.

Carrying the stack of ten books, Li Heng arrived at the neighboring Number 27 villa.

To his surprise, the courtyard gate was only half-closed—not locked at all.

Having learned from his earlier mistake, Li Heng entered the courtyard and knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock…"

After just one knock, the door opened a crack, revealing Zhou Shihe's figure.

She glanced at him, then at the books in his hands, fully opened the door, yet remained standing in the threshold.

Seeing this, Li Heng abandoned the thought of entering and handed her the books: "Exactly ten."

Zhou Shihe extended both hands to receive them, then turned to walk inside.

Watching her fragile back, Li Heng suddenly said, "You've worked hard today. Thank you."

Zhou Shihe softly hummed, then stopped in place, her back to him—as if she knew he had more to say.

Indeed, Li Heng continued: "Where's Mai Sui? Do you know where she went?"

Zhou Shihe replied: "The student union held an emergency meeting today. All three of them went."

Li Heng asked: "Did they say when they'd be back?"

Zhou Shihe answered succinctly: "Don't know."

Li Heng hesitated, then tentatively asked: "Would you like to go out for dinner together?"

Zhou Shihe fell silent. After a long while, she whispered, "Okay."

But she added: "The plumber might come soon—we'll have to go later."

Li Heng suddenly understood.

No wonder her gate wasn't locked.

He also realized: she was gently inviting him inside. After all, she was alone at home, and plumbers were usually men—she felt unsafe.

Understanding her meaning, Li Heng didn't wait for her to speak—he stepped over the threshold, entered, and changed his shoes.

Sensing movement behind her, Zhou Shihe ascended the stairs slowly, calmly reaching the second floor.

Since the awkward moment had just occurred, Li Heng didn't follow. He sat casually on the first-floor sofa, facing the door, observing the alley's center.

Number 26's courtyard gate was unlocked—he was watching the house this way.

Both had perfect tacit understanding. On such a hot day, Li Heng didn't ask why she bathed before dark—didn't she fear having to bathe again before bed?

She offered no explanation.

…

Second floor.

Hearing no footsteps on the stairs, Zhou Shihe glanced back, then carried the books into her master bedroom.

There were ten books; since they contained dense text, each was quite thick.

She placed the stack before her vanity mirror, closed the door, sat on the chair, and stared blankly at the books.

Long moments passed. Unconsciously, she flipped through the title pages one by one, glancing at the signatures.

When she reached the last book, her movements slowed. Her fingers clutched the title page, eyes fixed on the three ink dots on the white paper.

After a moment of thought, she imagined a scene in her mind—as if she could see Li Heng hesitating and struggling while signing this book. He probably wanted to write something, but ended up writing nothing—his thousands of words reduced to just three ink dots. Checking the other books again, their signatures were clean, fluent, with no hesitation—she confirmed her suspicion.

After a long while, Zhou Shihe locked the book with the three ink dots into her drawer.

The other nine she planned to mail—to friends and relatives who had requested signed copies.

About twelve or thirteen minutes later, the plumber arrived—a middle-aged man with exceptional experience. He inspected, repaired, and cleared the clog in under half an hour, then left.

Zhou Shihe never showed herself during the entire process—she left all the details to him.

Only after he left did she step out of her room, descend the stairs, and silently hand him a banknote.

This was the fee for the plumbing work—she paid it.

He glanced at the money, then at her. Li Heng didn't take it. He stepped back quickly, turned, and left Number 27.

Her gaze followed his retreating figure, watching quietly for a moment, then she tucked the money away, locked her door, locked the courtyard gate, and walked to the alley's center.

Then came a strange scene.

A man and a woman walked one behind the other along the cobblestones toward the alley's mouth—no words exchanged, yet strangely harmonious, as if a perfect autumn harvest painting.

Just reaching the alley's mouth, they met Yu Shuheng—dressed in black, cold and distant, radiating an aura of commanding elegance.

Li Heng stopped in time and called out: "Teacher, just back?"

Her gaze swept between the two, then she nodded: "You're taking a walk?"

Li Heng replied: "No, no—I haven't had dinner yet. Have you eaten? Would you like to join us?"

Her eyes met Zhou Shihe's over Li Heng's shoulder. Yu Shuheng declined: "I've eaten. Come to my place after you finish."

"Oh, okay." Li Heng didn't ask why—readily agreed.

Yu Shuheng walked past them.

Li Heng couldn't help glancing back at Teacher Yu, then at Zhou, the girl just beside him—his heart swelled with emotion, but he stayed silent and headed toward the school gate.

Outside the school gate, he paused, then spoke his first words since leaving Lushan Village: "Shall we go to Lao Li Restaurant or Lantian Restaurant?"

Zhou Shihe replied quietly: "Either is fine."

Either is fine?

If either was fine, he'd choose based on his preference—he turned and headed straight for Wujiao Square.

Zhou Shihe followed without a word.

Passing a braised dish stall, Li Heng spotted a unfamiliar face and glanced twice.

Seeing this, Bai Wanying smiled and introduced: "My younger sister—came to visit me today. Great writer, put away your charm—she's already terrified by just a few glances. She's trembling."

Bai's younger sister blushed from her sister's words, stood there dumbly, awkwardly enduring Li Heng's gaze.

Li Heng deliberately studied her a moment longer, then cheerfully asked: "How's business today?"

Zhang Bing, busy slicing braised meats, replied: "Good. Lao Li, want to take some home?"

Li Heng waved his hand: "No need. We're going out for a big meal today. Are you free? It'll be lively—join us."

Perhaps due to Li Heng's reputation, Zhang Bing, like the other boys in Dorm 325, felt uneasy around Zhou Shihe. In the end, Bai Wanying took over: "You go ahead—we just finished eating."

"Alright, we'll talk later." Li Heng said, and led Zhou Shihe into the nearby Lantian Restaurant.

Watching them leave, Bai's younger sister finally took a deep breath: "Sis, that's Li Heng—the one everyone's talking about?"

Bai Wanying corrected: "What do you mean 'everyone's talking about'? That's fame spreading far and wide."

Bai's younger sister said: "I read the news about him in the Evening Paper—it's incredible!"

Bai Wanying sighed: "You're a girl—watch your language. 'Incredible'? Say 'impressive.'"

Bai's younger sister stuck out her tongue. "Then who's the girl just now? So beautiful!"

Bai Wanying replied: "Zhou Shihe."

"Wow! So she's your school's queen? No wonder she's so stunning—Sis, you can't even compare to her little finger." Bai's younger sister winked.

Bai Wanying frowned: "Even if I can't match her, I'm not that bad. Say another word like that, and you're going home."

Bai's younger sister giggled, hugged her sister's arm, and asked mischievously: "Are they dating? They look like a married couple—I felt nervous just seeing them."

Bai Wanying was tight-lipped: "None of your business. Don't pry."

In Bai Wanying's view, Li Heng, if he spent enough time with a woman like Zhou Shihe, would inevitably fall.

Her aura was simply too captivating—even another woman couldn't help wanting to draw near, to protect her.

Inside Lantian Restaurant, though busy, they were lucky—found a window seat with an excellent view.

After ordering according to their tastes, Li Heng asked: "Would you like a glass of the restaurant's signature frost drink? Made fresh with fruit."

Zhou Shihe gazed through the glass window at the evening clouds, and softly replied: "Yes."

After ordering two frost drinks, Li Heng asked: "Have Mai Sui and the others had dinner?"

Zhou Shihe said nothing—as if her thoughts had drifted far away, as if she hadn't heard him.

Glancing at her profile, Li Heng told the server: "That's all. Please bring the food quickly—I'm hungry."

The server replied: "Yes, sir. The dishes will come soon."

Once the server left, the two across the table fell silent again—one stared out the window, the other closed his eyes, idly listening to the chatter from the next table.

Well, he wasn't trying to eavesdrop—it was the next table that seemed to recognize him and was whispering about him.

The server said the food would come soon, but ten minutes passed—still no sign of dishes. Instead, more guests arrived, making the restaurant even noisier.

Suddenly, a quiet voice reached his ear: "Will you marry Teacher Yu?"

Since the two girls beside him kept sneaking glances at him, Li Heng was feeling smug—he opened his eyes, glanced at Zhou Shihe opposite him. She sat exactly as before. Had he imagined it?

After a moment, Li Heng asked: "Were you speaking to me?"

Zhou Shihe's long eyelashes fluttered slightly. She nodded.

Damn, this question was agonizing—Li Heng dodged: "Why ask that?"

Zhou Shihe's voice was ethereal and pure, gentle as water: "I just thought of this question."

Li Heng replied with a counterquestion: "Do you really think, at this point, that I must marry Teacher Yu?"

Zhou Shihe said nothing.

After waiting a while without a reply, Li Heng continued on his own: "Actually, I'd rather marry a woman I like."

This time, Zhou Shihe moved—she turned her head and regarded him with dignified composure.

Li Heng realized his mistake and blurted out: "Don't misunderstand—I didn't mean you..."

Uh, he stopped mid-sentence, swallowing the rest of his words.

They stared at each other. Li Heng suddenly wanted to die—he wanted to explain, but found it utterly impossible.

If he didn't explain, the misunderstanding would only deepen.

He looked at her; she looked at him. The atmosphere grew increasingly delicate.

They were both intelligent people. Many things didn't need to be spoken aloud—they were already understood.

Even if Li Heng wanted to stubbornly deny it, several times the words died on his lips.

At one moment, Zhou Shihe deliberately averted her gaze, lowering her eyelids to ask: "You don't like Teacher Yu?"

Just then, the men and women at the next table finished their meal and rose to leave.

But before they went, one girl gathered courage and approached Li Heng: "Twelve, hello, I'm a loyal reader of yours. Could we take a photo together?"

Li Heng turned, smiled warmly, stood up from his chair, and cheerfully took the photo with her.

After the photo, the girl beamed and volunteered: "I'm a graduate student at the neighboring Finance University, graduating next year. I'd like to work at your Anta shoe factory—is there still an opening in accounting?"

Li Heng was stunned.

Zhou Shihe was stunned too—she lifted her head.

The girl's companions were equally bewildered.

No one here was foolish—they all knew the girl's real intent wasn't the job.

These days, a graduate from a top finance university—clearly a highly educated person—had dozens of institutions fighting to hire her. Why would she choose a newly founded private company?

Clearly, she was testing the waters.

Li Heng paused, then said calmly: "I haven't been to the shoe factory in a while—I don't know the current situation. If you're interested, you can go ask there."

It was a polite refusal. Yet the girl left with sparkling eyes.

After the group at the next table left, the corner grew quiet.

Zhou Shihe pursed her lips: "Aren't you worried she'll use your name to get hired?"

Li Heng said: "It doesn't matter. If she's capable, she stays; if not, she leaves. The company doesn't keep idle people—it's that simple. Besides, I hardly ever go there. What could she possibly gain from me?"

After much waiting, the iced drink finally arrived.

Li Heng handed her a cup, picked up his own, and took a deep gulp, then two more large swallows, his face relaxing in pleasure.

Seeing him drink so eagerly, Zhou Shihe inserted her straw and took a small sip—she found the taste truly good, took another sip, then said: "You haven't answered my question."

Li Heng asked: "Teacher Yu?"

Zhou Shihe softly murmured, "Mm."

Li Heng said: "I thought all those interruptions made you forget."

Zhou Shihe lowered her eyes to her drink and smiled knowingly.

Li Heng thought for a moment and said: "You misunderstood again. I want to marry a woman I actively fall for."

After speaking, he tilted his head, frowning: "Even that's not right."

Zhou Shihe took another small sip through her straw: "You mean love at first sight?"

Li Heng nodded: "Yes."

Zhou Shihe understood—he had never experienced love at first sight with Teacher Yu.

She asked: "What about Mai Sui?"

Li Heng said: "With her, it was love that grew over time."

Zhou Shihe asked: "Didn't you have feelings for Suisui back in high school?"

Li Heng said: "We were always close—went to class together, ate together, hung out and shopped together. But I never thought of her as anything more than a friend back then."

Zhou Shihe asked: "Because of Xiao Han?"

Li Heng answered instantly: "Sort of."

Zhou Shihe asked: "Did you and Xiao Han have love at first sight?"

This question completely stumped him.

Because he and his sly wife had never had love at first sight.

The woman who had stolen his heart at first glance was Song Yu.

But in Zhou's eyes, if all three women close to him had never sparked love at first sight, did that mean he didn't want to marry any of them?

And then...

... ould the misunderstanding bounce back onto Zhou herself?

Li Heng blinked. "Yes."

Zhou Shihe looked at him, sensing he was lying—but she didn't call him out. Yet suddenly, a strange heaviness settled in her chest.

She knew he was lying because, over the past year, every time he lied, his eyebrow twitched slightly—so subtly, only someone paying close attention could notice. Though unconscious, it had become a habit.

She had noticed this trait long ago, but never mentioned it to anyone.

Teacher Yu had fallen for him without realizing it.

Suisui had secretly loved him.

And he didn't have love at first sight with Xiao Han.

Could it be...

Recalling how, over the past year, he'd occasionally shown her something unusual, Zhou Shihe pinched her straw between thumb and forefinger, her gaze drifting, lips slightly parted in confusion.

The dishes arrived.

Starving, Li Heng served her a bowl of rice, then his own, and began eating with unrestrained delight.

Zhou Shihe's eyes followed the movement of his chopsticks, her straw still in her mouth, as if she'd forgotten to eat.

Only when he shoveled in the seventh piece of hui guo rou did he remember to speak: "Aren't you eating? The food's good—pick up your chopsticks, or I'll finish it all."

Zhou Shihe moved her iced drink aside, picked up her chopsticks, and took a tiny bite of lean meat—and then...

... here was no more.

She simply watched him eat.

Seeing this, Li Heng asked: "Doesn't the food suit your taste? Should we order more dishes?"

Zhou Shihe shook her head: "No, I'm just not very hungry."

He stared into her eyes for a long moment, then slowly understood—today's events had come too suddenly, robbing her of her appetite.

With this realization, his chopsticks slowed, his pace of picking food decreasing.

As if sensing his thoughts, Zhou Shihe changed her demeanor—calmly, elegantly, she began picking up food and eating with quiet grace.

Had he misunderstood? Li Heng teased: "Didn't you say you weren't hungry?"

Zhou Shihe didn't look up: "I'm not hungry now, but I'll be hungry tonight—I need to eat something."

"That makes sense," Li Heng breathed inwardly in relief, and resumed eating heartily.

PS: Posted first, edited later.

(End of Chapter)