Chapter 536: Heng Yuan

He froze in place, the atmosphere heavy and awkward.

After an indeterminate length of time, Li Heng turned slightly, pulled Yu Shuheng into his arms, and pressed his face against hers—yet he said nothing, offered no explanation.

To his surprise, Yu Shuheng did not resist; instead, she sighed softly, closed her eyes slowly, and leaned fully against him, motionless.

He rubbed his cheek against hers for a while, waited long without her speaking, then deliberately asked the opposite: "Aren't you going to ask me for an explanation?"

Yu Shuheng's long eyelashes trembled, still without opening her eyes; after a moment, she murmured softly: "I know my future husband's character well enough."

The phrase "future husband" clearly voiced her demand.

It also signaled that, since things had come to this, tormenting him further was pointless.

Rather than make him suffer and herself ache, she chose to embrace it with grace.

Li Heng's heart stirred at her words, and he held her tighter.

Seeing her so forgiving, Li Heng, after much deliberation, changed his mind and explained plainly the full story of his relationship with Huang Zhaoyi.

He spoke concisely, recounting it all in about a minute.

When he finished, Yu Shuheng slowly opened her eyes, gazing at him with a faint, knowing smile: "Little man, you got such a stunning beauty—you should thank Liu Yue."

Their eyes met; Li Heng said nothing, leaned in to kiss her.

She swiftly pulled away.

She sat upright in his arms, smiling elegantly: "I'm your university teacher. Mind your manners."

Then she opened her bag, pulled out a stack of documents, and placed them before him: "This is the financial company's equity agreement."

Seeing the agreement, Li Heng exhaled half his tension, picked it up, and read it carefully.

More than ten minutes later, he took up the pen, signed where required, opened the red seal box, and pressed his thumbprint.

Seeing this, Yu Shuheng said nothing, signed her name, and pressed her own thumbprint.

Thus, a financial investment company was preliminarily established: Li Heng held 51%, Teacher Yu 37%, and the Fu couple 12%.

When the red seal dried, she asked his opinion: "Teacher Fu is an expert in finance and mathematics—he once worked extensively in the U. . Would you agree to appoint him as general manager?"

For the fake Daoist, Li Heng had no objections: "Fine."

She continued: "Since the company is just starting, I'll temporarily serve as executive director. When it grows larger and you become interested, we'll form a board and you'll become chairman."

Li Heng nodded: "Agreed."

Then he asked curiously: "Is Teacher Fu that rich?"

Twelve percent might be a small share, but even excluding technical equity, the cash required was no small sum.

Yu Shuheng explained: "Teacher Fu earned some money in the U. . about $350, 00. Siya saved from her piano training school, and her sister's shop too. The rest she lent them."

Starting this company wasn't just to help Li Heng realize his ambition—she also wanted to lift up her close friend's family.

Li Heng asked: "When will Teacher Fu start?"

Yu Shuheng said: "Wall Street is watching Japan closely—something unexpected could happen anytime. To seize the opportunity, he's already submitted his resignation and plans to go to Tokyo next month."

Li Heng recalled: Japan's stock market crash was still far off, but preparing now was undoubtedly the right decision.

He asked: "If the fake Daoist resigns, won't Building 24 be empty?"

Yu Shuheng replied: "Probably."

Next, they discussed the company's details: staffing, finances, management, and a three-year plan.

Finally, Yu Shuheng asked: "What about 'Hengyuan Investment' as the company name?"

The "Heng" in Hengyuan came from both their names.

Li Heng. Yu Shuheng. Both carried the character "Heng."

"Hengyuan" meant enduring longevity between them—and prosperity for the company. A perfect double meaning.

The name was plain, yet carried profound significance. Li Heng smiled, revealing clean, bright teeth: "Teacher, you've thought of everything."

Seeing his approval, Yu Shuheng handed him the pen again, asking him to fill in the company name—the last blank space.

After writing, she blew gently on the ink, then neatly folded and stored the documents in her bag.

Finished, in good spirits, Yu Shuheng extended her right hand to him: "Let's go for a walk."

"Oh, alright."

Li Heng understood, grasped her palm, pulled her up, and they left the residence, strolling leisurely through Ma Erkang Town.

They bought snacks, daily necessities, dried goods and wild game, handicrafts, and more.

In the days that followed, neither mentioned the Great Green Robe, neither caused the other discomfort.

"Tomorrow we're going to the county town below. Let's have another bowl of butter tea," Yu Shuheng said, stopping at the breakfast shop they'd visited on their first day.

Li Heng asked: "Aren't you still used to it?"

Yu Shuheng walked gracefully into the shop: "I want to try again."

Both understood: she wasn't drinking butter tea—she was savoring the experience, the time they spent together.

This time, Yu Shuheng didn't show disgust; she swallowed the entire bowl, gritting her teeth against the odor.

She wanted the taste of butter tea to deepen the memories of Ma Erkang, to make them more vivid.

This bowl of butter tea was like her love: though the little man had countless flaws, she still chose to drown in it, trying to convince herself to accept the reality that had already happened.

She was changing—for the man who had claimed her heart and body.

After finishing the tea, they exchanged a smile, satisfied, and left the shop.

Back in the room, Li Heng suddenly protested: "Teacher, why do you always refuse my kisses? It's the third time."

Ahead of him, Yu Shuheng smiled happily, stretched, and didn't turn back: "Little boy, is your kiss really sincere? No ulterior motive?"

Li Heng asked: "What do you mean by ulterior motive?"

Yu Shuheng spoke slowly, clearly: "Impure heart."

Li Heng complained: "Comforting you counts as ulterior motive? Hmph!"

"Hmph…" she mimicked his tone, humming twice—her smile brighter than ever before.

After putting away the purchases, Li Heng washed his hands briefly and entered the study.

Yu Shuheng began packing, tidying their belongings. Once a wealthy young lady who only cared for herself, she now willingly devoted herself entirely to another.

After much effort, all the small items were organized—only tonight's clothing remained unpacked.

She checked her watch: over an hour had passed without notice.

Thinking of it, she glanced toward the study, hesitated, then walked in.

Li Heng was reading county records—not writing.

Or rather, since arriving in Ma Erkang, he had not written a single word of his new book; he spent his days reading or visiting elderly locals, discussing the cultural and historical shifts of Aba with Principal Zhao Ran.

Yu Shuheng never asked about his writing, never pressured him. She picked a book from the shelf and sat quietly beside him.

She now cherished this quiet rhythm.

When he wrote "A Bitter Journey Through Culture," Runwen had boasted about it repeatedly in letters to her.

Now, as she accompanied him through "Bai Luyuan" and his new book, she had replaced Runwen—and cherished this experience more than Runwen ever had.

Time slipped by in the glow of books; sunlight faded, and night fell silently.

At one moment, Yu Shuheng closed her book and looked up at him.

Seeing him bent over, focused on his notes, her gaze softened like water—she stared, entranced.

Suddenly, she could no longer resist. She rose from behind, wrapped her arms around him, rested her chin on his shoulder, and watched the characters forming under his pen.

Li Heng paused, glanced back at her, then returned to his writing.

After watching him fill two pages, Yu Shuheng's affection swelled; she leaned in and kissed his left cheek.

He didn't react. She kissed again.

Then a third…

A fourth…

…

On the seventh kiss, Li Heng dropped his pen, spun around, lifted her onto his lap, and slid his right hand up her abdomen—slowly, slowly—into her clothing.

Yu Shuheng watched his movements, neither encouraging nor stopping.

But as time passed, her body softened. At the instant his mouth bit at her chest, she froze—her right hand instinctively rose to push him away—but she couldn't bring herself to. Instead, she closed her beautiful eyelashes, and her hand drifted unconsciously to the back of his head, stroking gently.

The study grew increasingly intimate. As passion peaked, Yu Shuheng tensed her legs, clutched his head tightly, stretched her pale neck to its limit, arching backward—every sensation, every strange thrill, culminating in a long, lingering sigh.

After the sigh, the study fell quiet.

Li Heng looked down, watching her with hungry eyes.

At this moment, Teacher Yu's face still flushed, breathtakingly beautiful, exuding irresistible charm. After a moment, she opened her eyes weakly, lips trembling: "Little man… satisfied?"

Li Heng grinned happily, leaned close to her ear: "I love you like this."

Yu Shuheng, expressionless, asked lazily: "When will you wear the jade pendant?"

The jade pendant she meant was the sheep-fat jade tablet she had worn for over a decade.

After their first accidental intimacy, she gave it to him.

Clearly, she was testing him.

And retaliating for his teasing.

Li Heng blinked once, then answered: "When you get pregnant."

Yu Shuheng burst out laughing—angrily, yet amused. She sat up sharply from his lap, turned, and walked away—no hesitation, no delay, clean and decisive.

Her laughter was half real, half feigned.

Real: because this man still thought of marrying Song Yu.

Feigned: because she felt uneasy—needed to clean herself.

…

Liu Bei returned.

Besides delivering some business documents to Yu Shuheng, she also brought Li Heng a stack of letters.

It really was a stack of letters.

Among them were replies from Song Yu, Xiao Han, Chen Zijin, and Mai Sui.

There were also letters from Wang Ye and Li Wang.

And some miscellaneous love letters—Liu Bei gave them all to him unopened.

Li Heng made no effort to hide from Teacher Yu; he read the letters right under her nose.

Yu Shuheng, sipping her coffee, did not lean over to peek at the contents, but quietly observed his every move.

Just as she had expected.

Of all these letters, the first one Li Heng opened was from Song Yu.

Next came Xiao Han's, then Chen Zijin's.

Fourth was Mai Sui's.

She also noticed that, aside from Song Yu's letter—which he read twice—the letters from Xiao Han, Chen Zijin, and Mai Sui were each read only once, and took nearly the same amount of time.

Did this mean Mai Sui's position in his heart had now caught up to Xiao Han's and Chen Zijin's?

All four letters were mundane updates—each described their school life and studies, asked after his well-being, and inquired about his latest movements in Ma Erkang Town.

After finishing the four letters, Li Heng did not reply immediately; instead, he drank half a cup of coffee to catch his breath.

Then he began opening Wang Ye's letter.

Since refusing Wang Ye's "bet condition" in the private room at Lao Li Restaurant, Li Heng had been wondering when she might suddenly resign.

But in fact, he had overthought it.

In her letter, Wang Ye diligently outlined the current situation at Xin Weilai Tutoring School.

She reported in detail every management measure she had implemented since taking office, along with new hires and revised company policies.

Then, Wang Ye wrote that Xin Weilai had already begun planning to open branches in Shanghai, Yangcheng, and Tianjin.

Tianjin?

After carefully reviewing Wang Ye's justifications and survey data for this unplanned city, Li Heng fell silent, then agreed.

Wang Ye's letter was long—six full pages—with not a single wasted word, packed with substance.

After reading it all, he felt only one thing: this woman was terrifyingly capable, an outstanding organizer—unlike Li Ran, who was a frontline fighter; this was a commander who could stand alone. He had struck gold.

Immediately, Li Heng wrote Wang Ye a reply. The letter was brief, summarizing six points, each seeking her opinion.

Seeing that he replied to Wang Ye before any of his four close female friends, Yu Shuheng asked curiously, "You have high hopes for Wang Ye?"

Li Heng smiled but said nothing; instead, he handed her the six pages of Wang Ye's letter.

After reading it, Yu Shuheng could not help praising: "If you can keep her by your side long-term, she'll save you ten years of work."

Hearing this, Li Heng thought of Wang Ye's original intention—to use him for reproduction—and immediately shook his head: "Such a person cannot be forced. When she feels it's time to leave, you must learn to let go."

Yu Shuheng said, "You're quite detached."

Li Heng replied, "It's not about detachment—it's useless to force it. I think Master Jin Yong understood this deeply."

Yu Shuheng asked with meaning, "She has some demand of you, doesn't she?"

Li Heng replied ambiguously, "Whether she does or not, I won't agree."

Yu Shuheng smiled, and left it at that.

Then Li Heng asked, "Teacher, what do you think about opening a branch in Tianjin?"

Yu Shuheng thought a moment and said, "The market is completely blank. Tianjin can support your tutoring school."

Hearing this, Li Heng finally felt at ease.

Yu Shuheng asked, "When does your second session start?"

Li Heng said, "Planned for late December."

Yu Shuheng estimated, "If you maintain the same momentum as the first session, the four schools' second sessions could bring you tens of millions in revenue."

Li Heng said with hopeful anticipation, "I hope so."

Then he remembered something and looked up: "By the way, how much salary do you think I should offer Wang Ye?"

"Salary?"

Yu Shuheng asked in return, "Salary might not be enough. Let her name her own terms—as long as it's within her reasonable expectations, agree promptly. She's a rare talent."

She mused further: "I think Wang Ye won't make demands anytime soon. She'll wait until after the second session, prove her abilities with results, then sit down to negotiate properly."

Li Heng smiled: "I'm looking forward to that moment."

After replying to Wang Ye's letter, Li Heng opened Li Wang's letter next.

The first paragraph brought him a pleasant surprise.

Li Wang mentioned: Over the past half-month, Anta's sales performance surged again, with two weeks' revenue exceeding 21. million yuan; October is on track to set a historic record of 45 million yuan.

The Hancheng Olympics ended on October 2, but their influence continued to grow, reflected in steadily rising sales figures.

Li Heng read this with quiet amazement—his strategy had been utterly effective; the market had given him exactly what he wanted.

The letter included a sales report.

As his eyes scanned each figure, his heart swelled with joy, bright and clear.

It proved that revealing his identity as a famous writer had been worthwhile—not only had it propelled Anta and Li-Heng brands to new heights, but it had also generated massive economic returns.

At the end of the letter, Li Wang described the distributor conference in detail: when she unveiled the joint-sales program, many distributors resisted collectively.

But she showed no mercy, strictly enforcing Li Heng's policy: whoever resisted was fired; whoever led the unrest lost their distributorship.

Under her ruthless approach, the conference successfully revoked the distributorship of eleven people on the spot.

Her final line read: "Cousin Boss, don't worry—everything's looking up."

Li Heng stared at the words "Cousin Boss" for a long time, then smiled faintly, deeply satisfied.

Facing troublemakers? Huh! If you're not ruthless, you won't stand firm—you must cut decisively. Reform always brings resistance and pain, but in this golden age where you can bend down and pick up fortunes, who the hell has time to coddle you?

From the Olympics until now, in just one month, Anta's total sales had already surpassed 53 million yuan—quite impressive.

This was 1988. In Shanghai, this was already a major company, a top taxpayer, a presence the local government had to treat with care.

He was deeply content. As for the rest of the miscellaneous letters, Li Heng glanced through them briefly and put them away—he had no time to read them.

At dinner, Liu Bei told them everything was ready; they could depart tomorrow morning.

Liu Ying added, "The weather forecast says heavy snow, even blizzards, are expected over the next week."

Yu Shuheng placed a piece of pork belly in Li Heng's bowl and asked, "Will it affect travel?"

Liu Bei glanced at the pork belly in Li Heng's bowl: "All four SUVs are fully loaded with emergency gear and supplies—we can handle blizzards even if we're stranded outdoors."

Hearing this, Yu Shuheng turned to Li Heng: "What do you think?"

Li Heng said, "Good."

With his decision made, everyone ate while discussing tomorrow's details, and didn't break up until nearly two hours had passed.

While walking at night, Li Heng reflected: Dr. Gu Yao said that in high-altitude regions, one must avoid strenuous exercise and alcohol.

But damn it—look around, people are running everywhere; I bet plenty are playing cards under their quilts at night.

Otherwise, how did all these kids on the streets get born?

Honestly, maybe because I grew up herding cattle and chopping wood in the Snow Peak Mountains, I feel no discomfort in Aba—only that it's colder than home.

"Mr. Li, I heard you're leaving tomorrow?" A girl named Zhu La asked him as he wandered past a dried wild goods shop.

They had interacted quite a bit.

Because she was enthusiastic, lived close to his accommodation, and—key point—she was a vocational school graduate with decent Mandarin.

Hmm, apparently she was Han Chinese, just had a local-style name, hence her good Mandarin.

Li Heng nodded with a smile: "Not leaving—just going to check out nearby counties and towns."

Zhu La pulled out a copy of Bai Luyuan from under the counter: "Mr. Li, could you sign this for me?"

Oh!

This was the first time since arriving in Aba that someone had asked for his autograph. Usually, he felt people above didn't even know who he was or what his name was.

Li Heng took the book and asked, "When did you figure out who I am?"

Zhu La smiled sweetly: "I liked reading newspapers at school—I'd seen your photo."

Li Heng pulled out a pen and signed: "No wonder you always gave me a discount when selling me wild goods."

At that moment, Zhu La's little sister blurted out: "Big Brother Li, my sister says she wants to marry you!"

The air turned suffocating.

Zhu La stole a glance at Yu Shuheng, then quickly lowered her head, frantically digging her toes into her shoes—so hard she nearly punched holes through the soles.

In the presence of the utterly refined beauty Yu Shuheng, Zhu La felt utterly inferior and dared not meet her eyes.

Teacher Yu offered a knowing, intellectual smile, flicked her long hair, and left the shop.

She wasn't worried about Zhu La—this girl was only average-to-middling at Fudan University, far below Dai Qing from Li Heng's dorm Lianyi.

Li Heng also ignored the child's nonsense, reached out, patted Zhu La's head, and walked after Teacher Yu.

Once they were gone, Zhu La instantly bounced back, grabbing her sister's arm and shaking her: "Are you crazy?! Are you trying to die?! Where did you learn to say something so embarrassing?!"

The little sister, tossed back and forth, screamed: "You're the one who kissed the newspaper!"

Why kiss the newspaper?

Because there was a photo of someone on it.

Zhu La was utterly mortified, frantically covering her sister's mouth, her eyes darting around the shop, face burning red—she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.

Rest for one night.

The next day, the group of six departed Ma'erkang Town in four SUVs. Their first stop was Miayluo to the east, where autumn had turned the maple forests into a breathtaking sea of red.

Yu Shuheng, who had always maintained an elegant demeanor, nearly lost her composure, excitedly pulling Li Heng around to take photos—solo shots, group shots.

Before a grove of crimson leaves, her eyes sparkled as she gazed at Li Heng, as if saying: Hold me.

Li Heng understood her gaze; he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and together they faced the lens in Gu Yao's hands, capturing a beautiful portrait.

Looking at the two in the frame, Gu Yao couldn't help but admire: "Truly celestial beings—the scenery is beautiful, but you two are even more so."

Ever since she'd sensed the ambiguity between them, Gu Yao no longer mentioned their teacher-student relationship; their conversations became more relaxed.

Stay overnight in Miayluo.

The next day, they continued their journey, heading north through Rangkou, Emetang, Xiao Jin, Tangke, and Ruogai, arriving at Chuanzhu Temple.

Along the way, whenever they reached a small town, Li Heng personally investigated local conditions, studied regional texts and documents, and visited respected elders to gather firsthand material.

Of course, it was also a way to leave his own footprint, preparing for his next book and silencing doubts about it.

When the new book came out, people would say: "Oh, that guy went through so much effort—no wonder he wrote such a high-quality novel."

When they reached Chuanzhu Temple, it began to snow. Thick, heavy snowflakes fell in layers, soon blanketing the entire gray, hazy world.

They'd hoped to find an inn, but reality was harsh—this era was poor everywhere; in these tiny western Sichuan towns with no end in sight, there were no decent lodgings. In the end, they had no choice but to pay their way into the local commune.

"Mr. Li, Miss Yu, there are only two restaurants in town, and both are closed in this weather," Zeng Yun reported after driving around the town.

Li Heng looked up at the sky and said: "We brought firewood, rice, oil, and salt—I'll cook."

Gu Yao was surprised: "Mr. Li can cook?"

Li Heng half-joked: "Delicious food—Doctor Gu, you'll want to eat an extra bowl."

"That's perfect," Gu Yao laughed, covering her mouth. "A famous writer's home-cooked meal is a once-in-a-lifetime treat—I'll definitely eat an extra bowl."

To be fair, after spending so much time together, she genuinely liked looking at Li Heng's face. Add to that his dazzling reputation as a writer and musician, and if he weren't always accompanied by the stunning Miss Yu, she might have even considered betraying her husband one night and offering herself to him.

After all, they'd been trekking through mountains and rivers, eating and drinking together daily. Li Heng was strikingly handsome and wealthy, and Gu Yao was thirty-eight, at the peak of her longing—after going too long without a man, her heart was easily stirred.

But these were only fantasies born of sleepless nights. With Yu Shuheng present, she dared not and could not do anything improper.

Because it was so cold, dinner was simple: three wild game dishes and one spicy-sour chicken gizzard. Then Li Heng prepared a large mutton hotpot, surrounding it with side dishes like fried tofu, mushrooms, and potato slices.

The same hotpot, but someone who knew how to cook made all the difference. The six of them gathered around the table and nearly drank the broth dry.

Gu Yao, who'd eaten two bowls, patted her belly contentedly and teased Yu Shuheng: "Mr. Li is both cultured and capable—Miss Yu, you're so lucky."

Yu Shuheng smiled warmly, offering no rebuttal—clearly, she was very pleased with Li Heng's cooking.

The snow grew heavier. By morning, the snow on the ground had reached their knees, trapping them.

With no choice, Li Heng temporarily abandoned his plan to visit Jiuzhaigou and focused on reading in his room. He also took time to reply to letters from Song Yu and the other three women.

Outside the window, a nest of sparrows had appeared on a tree trunk, chirping noisily and bringing unexpected liveliness. Yu Shuheng raised her camera and stood by the window, snapping photos nonstop.

Finally, she sighed: "If only the snow sealed the mountains—then I'd live here for the rest of my life."

Li Heng looked out the window: "The scenery here is beautiful, fine for a short stay, but you'll miss Shanghai eventually."

Yu Shuheng, facing away, whispered softly: "I won't miss it."

Those three words—"I won't miss it"—made Li Heng feel dazed. His gaze settled on her tall back. He understood: she was speaking to him, in another form of emotional expression.

His eyes lingered on her slender figure. In a moment of quiet longing, he set down his book, rose silently, and walked behind her. He slipped his arms around her, pulling her close against him.

Yu Shuheng turned her head and smiled, pressing a tender kiss to his lips.

This time, Li Heng moved quickly, capturing her lips.

Yu Shuheng froze for a moment, then placed her camera against her chest, made no effort to pull away, and gently reciprocated with several soft pecks—their lips lightly brushing, not deepening, yet this quiet intimacy was more stirring, more haunting and yearning than any deep kiss.

After the eighth light touch, Yu Shuheng rested her head against his neck, gazing far into the swirling snow, and said earnestly: "Li Heng, I want to live with you."

Breathing in the faint scent of her hair, Li Heng followed her gaze toward the horizon. He said nothing, but held her tighter.

The two, lost in shared stillness, forgot time.

How long they remained like that, neither knew. When the last sparrow on the tree trunk finally flew away, Yu Shuheng slowly came back to herself and asked: "In five more days, we'll have been in Aba a month—still going south?"

Li Heng replied: "Yes. We'll go south through Maoxian, Wenchuan, and Yingxiu, then fly directly back to Shanghai."

Yu Shuheng visualized the route in her mind and whispered: "Alright."

Still holding each other, unwilling to part, they held on until night fell. Yu Shuheng pulled the window shut, set her camera aside, turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and stared straight into his face. After a long moment, she smiled: "Beautiful."

Before he could respond, she added wistfully: "You've managed to charm so many outstanding women—Miss Tian deserves at least half the credit."

This "half the credit" referred to Tian Run'e's beauty having been passed down to him.

Li Heng frowned: "What do you mean 'charm'? Aren't you willing?"

Yu Shuheng's smile deepened. Suddenly she let go of him and said softly: "It's late. I'll go talk to Liu Bei. You should wash up and rest."

"Alright."

Li Heng said "Alright," but didn't follow her advice. He returned to his desk, picked up his book, and resumed reading.

He read with great focus, occasionally jotting notes in the margins, recording his reflections. It was a habit formed over years of reading.

This time was different—he planned to finish the new book, revise it repeatedly, then show it to his teacher and Editor Liao.

Now that he had fame, status, and no lack of money, he didn't need to rush. Refining his prose and story was the real priority.

So during his month in Aba, he didn't write a single word of the new book. Instead, he spent day after day reading local county records and talking with elders, accumulating cultural depth.

His goal was to innovate upon his previous works, aiming to write a book surpassing them in thought, literature, and narrative depth.

He felt this was what he should strive for in his reborn life.

Around 11: 0 p. ., Yu Shuheng emerged from Liu Bei's room. Seeing his light still on, she didn't urge him—she simply entered, poured him a cup of hot tea, and sat beside him.

Gazing at his meticulous profile, a thought suddenly struck her: Give yourself to him tonight. You're already lost in this feeling.

But another thought followed: No. Think of Song Yu and Zhou Shihe. You are Yu Shuheng—this feeling should be perfect.

Her mind battled fiercely. For the first time, Yu Shuheng, always so composed in public, felt uncertainty and fear of loss.

Li Heng knew none of this.

When he finally snapped out of his reading, the night was deep, and Teacher Yu had fallen asleep, her head tilted on the chair.

Li Heng instinctively checked the time: 3: 9.

Huh?

Already this late?

He rubbed his temples, disbelieving—he thought his watch had broken. It felt like just a blink.

He checked the watch on Teacher Yu's wrist—also 3: 9.

He was stunned. He quickly packed his book, capped his pen, walked to her side, bent down, lifted her into his arms, and carried her to his bed.

After covering her with blankets, he turned off the light and left the room, spending the night in her bedroom.

When the door clicked shut, Yu Shuheng stirred, half-asleep, opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling for a moment, then closed them again.

Before sleep, her last thought: He's not short of quality women, and he's timid.

Earlier, when they embraced by the window, his body had clearly changed—she could feel it clearly even through thick clothing.

But the little man had been trying hard to control his desire, only slipping his hand inside her clothes when he could no longer bear it.

But after a while, he'd pull his hand back out.

Yu Shuheng pretended not to notice. Not only did she not stop him—she welcomed those small touches with quiet pleasure.

For four straight days, the group was trapped in Chuanzhu Temple.

Only on the fifth day, after most of the snow and ice had melted, did Li Heng and the other five continue their journey.

They abandoned Jiuzhaigou, heading south through Maoxian, stopping and starting along the way, taking a full week to reach Shudou.

Watching the increasingly bustling streets outside the window, Yu Shuheng asked reluctantly: "Really going back?"

Li Heng replied: "We've been away nearly forty days. It's time to return."

Forty days? Yu Shuheng pulled out a calendar and realized today was November 8.

In just over fifty days, 1988 would be over.

She stared at the calendar and murmured: "Time flies—back to school to start writing the new book?"

Li Heng said: "Probably. But not right away—I still need to organize some materials."

Yu Shuheng perked up: "Have you decided on a title for the new book?"

Li Heng answered: "Dust Settles."

Yu Shuheng silently tasted the title a few times. It had a fine resonance. "I want to be the first reader of 'Dust Settles.'"

"Consider it done," Li Heng smiled, fulfilling her wish.

In November of this year, Shudou Airport was chilly. Li Heng boarded the plane without changing clothes.

Gazing out the window at the receding clouds, he asked: "Teacher, what's the weather like in Shanghai today?"

Yu Shuheng replied: "It snowed last night."

"Ah?"

Li Heng asked: "Will it affect the flight?"

Yu Shuheng shook her head: "No. Zeng Yun already confirmed with the airline."

He realized the moment he asked that it was a foolish question—if the weather had grounded flights, the airline would have canceled them long ago.

But his mind and thoughts were still lingering at over 3, 00 meters in Aba—he hadn't fully adjusted.

Li Heng said: "I want to buy a car."

"Oh? What kind of car?" Yu Shuheng turned to face him.

Li Heng said: "A minivan."

Yu Shuheng laughed: "Little brother, you're so serious about buying a car—and it's just a minivan?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes, disliking the term, and leaned in to whisper, "You know how small or not it is, don't you?"

Feeling the warmth by her ear, Yu Shuheng's gaze turned peculiar: "Should I know? Then I'll quit my job tonight and become your bride?"

"Teacher Yu, you don't play by the rules—how could a well-bred young lady say something like that?" Li Heng retreated, wisely staying silent.

Seeing him pull back, Yu Shuheng felt a faint pang of disappointment for no clear reason. She steadied herself and asked, "Why buy a minivan? A Santana would be better."

Li Heng waved his hand. "No need. The Santana's too conspicuous. I'm still a student—just need something for transportation."

Yu Shuheng understood. "So, Xuhui?"

Xiao Han was in Xuhui—he'd truly been motivated to buy a car because of his scheming fiancée.

But he wasn't foolish enough to admit it outright: "Anta's headquarters are in Huangpu. A car would make commuting easier."

Unexpectedly, Yu Shuheng held a different opinion.

She flicked her hair back with her right hand, her red lips parting: "I think you're better off taking the bus right now. It lets you interact directly with society's many facets—beneficial for your future writing."

If you isolate yourself too early with a minivan, and spend most of your time on campus, you risk developing mental gaps."

Seeing him lost in thought, Teacher Yu added, "Shanghai has changed dramatically every year since reform and opening-up. These are the most valuable raw materials. Wait until after your third year to consider buying—then buy a good car."

Li Heng found her words reasonable.

Though his mind held many books, since he began writing "To Live," he never merely copied the original—he added 30% original content, all drawn from daily observations.

Seeing him accept her suggestion, Yu Shuheng smiled, teasing, "If you buy a car, you won't meet beautiful girls from other campuses anymore—that's a real loss."

Li Heng fell silent, recalling Wu Siyao from Tongji University—she'd bumped into him ten times on the bus.

According to her, it had taken her half a year to arrange those ten "coincidences."

In the end, she'd even run into Zhou the King, leaving her disheartened.

The flight from Chengdu to Shanghai took three hours, but their lively conversation made time fly—it felt like only a cup of tea had passed before the plane began its descent.

As they exited the plane and moved with the crowd toward the terminal, Yu Shuheng suddenly asked, "Little brother, why hasn't your family installed a landline? Are you afraid Xiao Han and Chen Zijin will check up on you? Afraid they'll directly contact Mai Sui? Afraid they'll subtly restrict your freedom?"

She guessed it perfectly.

Li Heng shot her a withering look. "Change the name."

Yu Shuheng beamed. "Little brother!"

PS: Post first, then revise.

Already posted 11, 00 words.

Also, let me explain: I have over a dozen kidney stones. Three months ago, I passed twelve, but now, a year later, I've got just as many again. I've suffered too much—I now follow my doctor's orders: every hour and a half during the day, I must get up and walk. I can't sit still for long, so I can't finish ten thousand words by noon, even if I wake at 4 a. . this has been the case for days.

So from now on, I'll try to update as early as possible, but it'll likely be in the evening.

Please, esteemed readers, understand.

Also, don't complain about posting only one chapter a month—I'm posting ten thousand words per chapter! This month alone, I've already published over 268, 00 words. I think that's quite hardworking. Don't just count chapters—look at volume! Volume! There are authors on Qidian who update ten thousand words daily, but they're rare…

I wonder if this chapter will get 404'd!

(End of chapter)