Chapter 537: The Best Ear of Wheat (Request Subscription!)

Lushan Village.

Upon learning that Li Heng would return today, Mai Sui began buying groceries with Zhou Shihe right after noon to prepare for dinner.

Li Heng loved duck, so Mai Sui specially paid a high price to buy a free-range duck from a farmer's home—also known as a mā duck.

He loved pork belly and fish, so she also bought pork belly and yellow-bone fish.

He enjoyed dried wild rabbit meat, so she dug out cured meats from the cabinet.

For vegetables, he especially loved long beans and bok choy, both of which she bought in full.

Watching Mai Sui prepare everything so meticulously, Zhou Shihe felt an odd emotion stir within her: she couldn't help thinking Li Heng shouldn't be fickle—he should break up with Xiao Han, cut ties with Teacher Yu, and not…

At this thought, she paused: Mai Sui was the best woman in the world, the one who loved him most—Li Heng should cherish only Mai Sui.

When Mai Sui had finished preparing all the dishes, Zhou Shihe asked gently, "What time will Li Heng get home?"

Mai Sui replied, "Probably around 8 p. ."

Zhou Shihe glanced at her wristwatch and said, "Then let's wash and chop everything first—we'll start cooking around 6: 0. Otherwise, the food will get cold."

Mai Sui scanned the prepared ingredients and asked, "Will an hour and a half be enough? This is a three-year-old duck—it might take half an hour just for this dish."

Zhou Shihe knew exactly: "First, pre-process the duck—fry off the moisture, stir-fry briefly, then put it in the pressure cooker with beer and stew for eighteen minutes. Afterward, add chili, garlic leaves, and other seasonings."

She thought this dish tasted good, so she had carefully watched Li Heng make it several times.

Mai Sui thought for a moment and asked, "Shihe, can you make the preserved egg and chili mash?"

Zhou Shihe smiled softly, "I thought you'd forgotten this dish."

A faint blush crossed Mai Sui's face as she said gently, "He loves this when he drinks."

Zhou Shihe said, "I'll try making it."

At once, Mai Sui pulled out three preserved eggs from the lower cabinet and began carefully peeling them.

Zhou Shihe didn't move, leaning weakly against the kitchen cabinet, her gaze fixed on Mai Sui's hands as she peeled the eggshells.

After a while, she suddenly asked, "Will he go straight to Shanghai Medical University?"

The question was cruel; she had hesitated to ask. But remembering how Li Heng always rushed to Xuhui every time he returned, she felt compelled to warn her.

So her hopes wouldn't rise only to be dashed.

Besides, she wasn't speaking without reason. Last time Li Heng left Shanghai, he had barely any time to see Xiao Han—based on her understanding of him, he'd rush to make up for it this time.

After all, Mai Sui was the newcomer.

Xiao Han was his official girlfriend—they'd known each other for years, their bond deep.

Mai Sui's hands paused for a moment, her gaze frozen for several seconds, then resumed normally. "It's fine."

Two words: "It's fine." They explained everything.

They explained Mai Sui's quiet, uncomplaining, unwavering love.

Zhou Shihe understood perfectly, and felt the depth of this pure emotion—unbidden, those two lines surfaced again in her mind:

I fell in love with Zhou Shihe at first sight.

What is love in this world? It makes people vow to live or die together.

Suddenly, she wondered: if one day someone lost control and acted on his feelings—ignoring Xiao Han, ignoring Teacher Yu, only seeing Mai Sui—she still shouldn't give him a chance.

Zhou Shihe deeply respected Mai Sui's character, cherished their deep friendship, and didn't want to hurt her.

Seeing her friend fall silent for so long, Mai Sui looked up, sensing the heaviness: "Shihe, what are you thinking about?"

Zhou Shihe snapped back, "I was wondering why Manning and Ningning haven't arrived yet."

Mai Sui guessed, "Probably playing pool—the school's pool club has an internal match tonight, and Manning loved it since high school."

The two women chatted idly, washing and chopping vegetables, and at exactly 6: 0, Zhou Shihe began cooking.

She had planned the order: first the beer duck and dried wild rabbit, then the pork belly and yellow-bone fish, and finally the vegetables.

At 7: 0, after preparing all the side dishes, Mai Sui suddenly remembered something and said to her friend, "I'll go sweep the snow outside."

She feared icy patches would make the ground slippery, afraid Li Heng might slip when he returned.

Zhou Shihe glanced at her friend, then replied calmly, "Alright."

Mai Sui took broom and shovel and cleared all the snow from the gate to the front door, then went out to the alley to sweep there too.

Even after sweeping, she wasn't satisfied—she walked back and forth over the cleared ground herself, checking if it was still slippery.

Once the snow was gone, Mai Sui returned to the kitchen, chatting with Shihe and occasionally helping out.

Around 7: 0, Mai Sui left the kitchen again, stepping into the alley to wait—but after five minutes, no one appeared.

Five minutes later, fearing her friend might be bored, she returned to the kitchen.

At 7: 8, Mai Sui left Building 26 and arrived at the alley two minutes early.

Zhou Shihe checked the time, then looked at the clean bok choy in the basket. After a moment's thought, she gave up—she'd cook it after they returned; there was still time.

She took off her apron, washed her hands, and stepped out of the kitchen too.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Mai Sui at the gate, stamping her feet and blowing warm air into her palms—but her eyes never left the alley entrance.

The wind outside was fierce, whipping Mai Sui's hair wildly, making her clothes flap loudly.

Zhou Shihe stood at the doorway, watching her friend's silhouette for a long while, then returned inside, brought out a long coat, and handed it to her: "It's so cold—why aren't you wearing more?"

Mai Sui smiled sweetly, took the coat, and put it on: "It wasn't this windy before."

Zhou Shihe waited in the alley for over a minute, but her frail body couldn't hold out—she returned inside alone.

She didn't call Mai Sui back in.

Because she knew better than anyone: Mai Sui's heart wasn't in Lushan Village—it had already flown to someone else.

Ten minutes later, Mai Sui came in, her hair disheveled.

Zhou Shihe, reading the newspaper on the sofa, looked up and reminded her, "You should comb your hair again."

Mai Sui touched her hair, then hurried upstairs.

At 8: 0, Mai Sui went outside again.

Zhou Shihe, moved by her friend's devotion, suddenly couldn't focus on the newspaper. She rose and walked to the window, her gaze quietly following Mai Sui's figure.

Heaven rewarded the devoted: after several disappointments, figures finally appeared at the far end of the alley.

The one leading the group was unmistakably Li Heng and Teacher Yu.

Seeing Li Heng, Mai Sui smiled, unconsciously taking a few quick steps forward—but then she stopped.

Zhou Shihe could guess why Mai Sui stopped.

First, to maintain her composure.

Second, she remembered Teacher Yu was there too.

Indeed, it was precisely because of her restraint and Teacher Yu's presence that Mai Sui suppressed her impulse. She stood still, eyes fixed as Li Heng rushed toward her.

Seeing him, her heart instantly settled.

Li Heng spotted Mai Sui from afar and sprinted forward, skidding to a stop right before her, concerned: "It's so windy—why did you come out?"

Mai Sui smiled softly, reaching out to take his right-hand luggage: "I felt you'd be back soon, so I came to see."

Li Heng asked, "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, just about half a minute—I was helping Shihe cook in the kitchen," Mai Sui said gently, fearing he'd scold her.

Li Heng didn't believe her. He touched her icy palm, then looked at her tangled, wind-blown hair—he understood everything, but said nothing, only gently took her hand and led her inside.

Mai Sui felt awkward, whispering, "Li Heng, Teacher Yu is here."

Hearing this, Li Heng tossed his left-hand luggage by the gate, then, under her gaze, swept her up in one swift motion and strode into the house.

In mid-air, Mai Sui blushed furiously, pleading, "Put me down—Shihe is inside!"

But it was too late—she'd barely taken a few steps before Li Heng was already inside, facing Zhou Shihe by the window.

Zhou Shihe's gaze flickered between them, then she smiled faintly and turned toward the kitchen to finish the last dish.

Stir-fried bok choy.

Outside, Yu Shuheng, Ceng Yun, and Liu Bei had also seen what just happened.

Ceng Yun and Liu Bei exchanged glances, then quietly carried their belongings into Building 25 and left the area without delay.

At the alley entrance, Ceng Yun spoke up, unusually: "Why does Miss Yu tolerate him so much?"

Liu Bei was different—she was a graduate of a military academy, highly educated, sharp-witted, and efficient—this was why Yu Shuheng valued her so deeply.

Liu Bei replied, "Because of love."

Ceng Yun sighed, "Have you noticed? Miss Yu keeps lowering her standards for him—again and again."

Liu Bei had long understood this: "Perhaps Mr. Li is her destiny."

Ceng Yun asked, "You're smarter than me—you see things clearly. Do you think they'll end up together in three years?"

Both knew Li Heng was fickle, and were aware of Song Yu, Chen Zijin, and Xiao Han.

They even vaguely knew of Huang Zhaoyi.

Liu Bei hesitated, then said, "Hard to say."

Ceng Yun widened her eyes, blurted out, "Why? Could he ever betray Miss Yu?"

Liu Bei glanced back toward Building 27 and said vaguely, "There's an old saying: what's handed to you isn't precious—what you have to chase is."

At first, Ceng Yun didn't understand, then slowly it clicked: "You mean Zhou Shihe?"

Liu Bei didn't answer.

But in her eyes, only Zhou Shihe could deliver a dual blow—both physical and emotional—to Miss Yu, posing a real threat.

Song Yu could pressure Miss Yu spiritually, but her family background was a fatal weakness—one that couldn't be fixed.

Huang Zhaoyi, though from a good family and beautiful, suffered from a huge age disadvantage—and her earlier, overly humble devotion had cost her the upper hand.

As for Xiao Han, her personal qualities weren't inferior to Miss Yu's—but again, her family background was too far behind—on a completely different level.

Liu Bei, who handled affairs for the Yu family every day, knew better than anyone else that the energy controlled by such a great clan was unimaginable, nothing a small-town mayor could match.

…

Seeing Li Heng carry Mai Sui into the house through the courtyard gate, Yu Shuheng stood frozen in the alley outside for a moment, then entered her own home.

Unconsciously, a scene flashed through her mind: in the room at Chuanzhu Temple, he had carelessly laid her across his thighs and lowered his head to bite at her chest.

Now, this man was carrying Mai Sui in his arms.

Inside the house, Yu Shuheng, who had just been expressionless, leaned against the doorframe to rest for a while before going upstairs—first pulling the curtains shut, then fetching clean clothes and heading to the shower.

Under the spraying water, Teacher Yu wiped off the shower gel, her mind entirely filled with those large hands of his.

After stepping out of the shower, Yu Shuheng poured herself a cup of coffee, turned off the lights, held the cup with both hands, and sat elegantly on the sofa, staring blankly into the night.

Since childhood, she rarely stared into space.

But since meeting him, she had drifted off like this several times.

…

Shihe had retreated to the kitchen.

Teacher Yu, sensing the mood, didn't come over.

The first-floor living room now held only Li Heng and Mai Sui.

Their eyes entangled, Mai Sui whispered again: "Put me down, okay?"

Looking at the woman before him, at the woman in his arms, at her delicate, fluttering eyes, Li Heng suddenly realized: his feelings for her had already sunk deep into his marrow, into the depths of his soul.

If not for his past life, if not for Xiao Han, Song Yu, and Zijin, he might have proposed to Mai Sui without hesitation in this life.

Sensing something was off, Mai Sui stopped pleading and asked instead, worried: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Li Heng said nothing, holding her tightly.

Seeing he refused to let go, Mai Sui seemed to understand something—she fell silent, stopped asking, and wrapped her arms around him in return. The two embraced quietly.

After a long while, until the sizzling of the kitchen's stir-fry ceased and all sound from the kitchen vanished, Mai Sui lifted her head slightly and said softly: "Shihe's coming out."

Li Heng didn't move; he still held her, unwilling to let go.

In truth, Zhou Shihe had never left the kitchen. After plating the bok choy, she leaned weakly against the cabinet, her pure, simple black-and-white silhouette framed by the window, gazing blankly at the parasol trees outside rustling in the wind.

Without needing to guess, she knew what the two emotionally charged people were doing outside—she naturally gave them space.

After another while, Mai Sui resorted to her last tactic and spoke for the third time: "Let me go, okay? I'll stay with you tonight."

This worked.

Perhaps Li Heng had calmed down—he murmured an "Mm," released her, and used his fingers to smooth her tangled hair: "I'll take a shower. Just a few minutes. Go call Teacher Yu—I'll be right down."

Mai Sui replied, "Okay," and watched him go upstairs.

After waiting a few seconds, she touched her now-neat hair, took two deep breaths to suppress her inner happiness, then turned and walked into the kitchen: "Shihe, I'm going to call Teacher Yu."

This was a signal.

When her best friend entered, it meant she could leave the kitchen.

Zhou Shihe smiled warmly: "Alright."

As she spoke, the young lady straightened up, lifted the lid of the insulated steamer, and began placing the kept-warm dishes onto the table.

Walking through the pitch-black alley, Mai Sui switched on her flashlight and entered Building 25—the door wasn't even locked; she turned the handle and stepped right in.

Making her way upstairs, she told Yu Shuheng on the sofa: "Teacher, the food's ready. We're all waiting for you to come eat."

The voice broke Yu Shuheng's wandering thoughts. She smiled and nodded, rising to her feet.

At that moment, Mai Sui noticed: Teacher Yu's coffee was still full—but no steam rose from it. Clearly, she hadn't taken a sip.

Mai Sui was clever; a little thought revealed the truth. But she pretended ignorance, turning away with thoughtful discretion.

Noticing her action, Yu Shuheng glanced down at the coffee in her hand, smiled faintly, bent to place the cup on the coffee table, then pulled a souvenir from her bag and handed it over: "I didn't know what to buy in Shudou, so I got this. I don't know if you'll like it."

In Teacher Yu's hand was a Hetian jade bracelet—bought specially for Mai Sui, at considerable expense.

Mai Sui took the bracelet, delighted: "So beautiful. Thank you, Teacher."

Seeing the genuine delight, Teacher Yu picked up her bag, slipped her arm through Mai Sui's: "Let's go eat. Don't keep them waiting."

This was the first time Yu Shuheng had voluntarily linked arms with a woman—previously, other women had always sought to cling to her.

Mai Sui tucked the bracelet into her pocket and asked, "Teacher, is Aba very cold?"

"Mm, it's very cold. Especially these past few days—when I was there, I had to wear five layers."

Mai Sui said: "With your figure, even five layers won't make you look bulky."

Yu Shuheng had always been confident in her figure—otherwise, that man wouldn't have held her for over an hour that day. "Speaking of figure, yours is exactly what men love."

Her words were both teasing and sincerely felt.

Mai Sui's inner allure radiated outward, exuding a magnetic charm that could seize a man's gaze with just a fleeting glance.

As they chatted, the two women entered Building 26.

Ye Ning and Sun Manning, as if they had dog noses, came sniffing over, laughing and helping to serve rice.

Seeing Yu Shuheng, Zhou Shihe gave her a gentle smile in greeting.

Yu Shuheng returned the smile.

Mai Sui shut the front door and asked Sun Manning: "Manning, did you win your billiards match today?"

Sun Manning patted her chest proudly: "Of course! It's just a small contest—I showed up personally, so how could I lose?"

"Pfft! You're such a braggart—you only came in third!" Ye Ning mocked.

Sun Manning shot back: "I let you win! Don't you know? My chest is so big, theirs are so small—if I didn't let them, how would they survive?"

Mentioning her chest was a direct, devastating blow to Ye Ning.

Instantly, Ye Ning was furious. She sprang to her feet, rolled up her sleeves, and shouted: "What?! Big chest means you're better? Haven't you heard 'big chest, empty head'?" Hearing this, Sun Manning grabbed Teacher Yu's arm, then pulled Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe: "Listen! Listen! The airport's insulting you! Can you really tolerate this?"

Zhou Shihe smiled faintly, ladling herself a bowl of scallion egg soup.

Mai Sui and Yu Shuheng likewise stayed out of it, watching the scene with quiet amusement.

Sun Manning's jab was a crushing blow. Ye Ning screamed: "I'm not eating! I can't eat with you big-chested people! My small chest doesn't deserve to sit at your table!"

Just then, Li Heng came downstairs and comforted: "Comrade Ye Ning, you still have to eat. If you don't eat, you'll never catch up."

Mai Sui: "…"

Zhou Shihe: "…"

Yu Shuheng glanced at him, smiling with deep understanding. She had experienced firsthand just how much he adored that part.

Sun Manning clapped her hands and laughed loudly: "Li the Great Writer, you're brilliant! That was perfect!"

Ye Ning, furious, stamped her foot and crossed her arms: "Li Heng, I'm a woman! How can you say that?"

Li Heng remained unfazed: "Come on. You two spew dirty jokes in front of me every day—I'm completely immune. To me, you're already like brothers."

This left Ye Ning speechless, with no reply.

Because Li Heng was right. Over the past year, she and Manning had joked about every romantic scandal imaginable. At first, Li Heng had avoided it out of propriety, but over time, he'd grown used to it—and simply stopped caring.

Looking at the full table of hearty dishes, Li Heng sincerely told Zhou Shihe: "Comrade Shihe, you've worked hard."

Zhou Shihe smiled understandingly and replied with dignity: "It's all thanks to Sui."

Li Heng turned to Mai Sui: "You've worked hard too."

Mai Sui murmured "Mm," and urged everyone: "You're all hungry, right? Let's eat before the food gets cold."

Everyone was indeed hungry, and being old friends, they had no concept of politeness—they immediately grabbed chopsticks and began devouring.

Because the food was so good, no one spoke at first; all heads were bent over their plates.

After eating a bowl of rice and filling their stomachs, Ye Ning suddenly leaned forward and asked Li Heng: "Great genius, the newspapers are all reporting that your pure music album earned over 850, 00 pounds overseas in just over a month—is that true?"

Li Heng, mouth full of pork belly, chewed and swallowed before asking: "It's on the news already?"

"Of course! More than that—everyone in China now knows you're amazing, earning pounds and dollars from foreign devils, hehe! Now even students look up to you like a god."

Li Heng chuckled: "No, no, don't say that. The credit isn't mine alone—it's Shihe's and Teacher Yu's too. Without them, I couldn't have done a thing."

Yu Shuheng chimed in: "Actually, it's more than 850, 00 pounds—the record label and taxes took a big cut."

Teacher Yu's remark was subtly meant for Zhou Shihe, to avoid raising suspicion.

At the same time, Yu Shuheng had leaked the news domestically to further boost Li Heng's fame, build his personal prestige, stimulate the domestic market, and spark another wave of consumption for the pure music album and Anta Shoes.

The meal was lively and full of conversation—everyone enjoyed it thoroughly.

After dinner, Li Heng asked Zhou Shihe: "Are you staying overnight in Lushan Village tonight?"

Zhou Shihe replied: "Yes."

Li Heng said: "Then later, Teacher Yu and I will come to you. We have something to discuss."

Zhou Shihe said: "Okay."

Watching Zhou Shihe head to the neighboring Building 27, Sun Manning and Ye Ning pounced on Li Heng with questions: How was Aba? Was it fun? Did the ethnic minorities eat lamb and beef every day? Did they have so much meat they couldn't finish it? Were the Tibetan temples really made entirely of gold, as legends said? Were the women in Aba beautiful? Had he had any romantic encounters?

Li Heng laughed and groaned, indulging their nonsense for a long while before satisfying their curiosity.

With his throat dry, Sun Manning gulped down a large bowl of water, then pulled Li Heng aside into the alley, whispering: "Li Heng, I have something to ask you."

Li Heng asked: "What is it?"

Sun Manning checked behind them to make sure no one was following, then lowered her voice: "Has Chen Lijun contacted you?"

Li Heng was surprised: "Why are you asking about her?"

Sun Manning sighed: "Never mind why—just answer me."

Li Heng thought for a moment: "Last year she wrote me a letter saying she was joining the military. After that, no contact at all."

Sun Manning pressed: "No contact since? Not even a letter?"

Li Heng shook his head: "What's this about?"

Sun Manning ignored him and asked on her own: "In that letter, did she confess her feelings to you?"

Li Heng was baffled: "What do you mean, 'confess'?"

Sun Man narrowed her brows: "Don't tell me you didn't know Chen Lijun secretly likes you?"

Li Heng was speechless—he'd truly never paid attention to it in high school, because his thoughts were all on Song Yu and Zijin.

Even with Mai Sui, if not for his past-life memories and if she hadn't come to Fudan University with him, he wouldn't have noticed she liked him either.

Seeing his clueless expression, Sun Man couldn't help mocking: "Oh! Oh oh oh! Who's the great romantic again? Can't even see something this simple?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes and shot back: "I really didn't notice Chen Lijun. But someone else—back in freshman and sophomore year, and even the first semester of senior year—acted like a little tyrant, forbidding anyone to sit with me. I actually thought she liked me back then."

"Hehe!"

Remembering her glorious past, Sun Man grinned: "You were good at math, so I wanted to learn from you. Turns out it paid off—I might not have scored so high on the Gaokao, and maybe wouldn't have ended up at the same school as you."

Li Heng bluntly asked: "Did you ever like me?"

"Pfft! Can you be a little less shameless? Do you think you're the only man in the world? Are all men dead? Why on earth should I like you? Who are you? If I like you, will you give me ten million?" Sun Man crossed her arms, expression dripping with disdain.

Li Heng smiled happily: "Good. I admire your defiant attitude. So why bring up Chen Lijun?"

Sun Man glanced back, then reached into her pant pocket and pulled out a folded, yellowish-brown envelope: "This letter is officially from Lijun to me, but it's really meant for you. She asked me if you and Mai Sui were together. I told her yes. So you get it, right?"

Li Heng understood.

Because Mai Sui was around, Chen Lijun didn't write to him directly—she asked Sun Man to deliver it privately.

Her goal was to keep it hidden from Mai Sui.

Li Heng stared at the envelope for a long while, then finally reached out and took it.

He asked: "Did she write you any other letters?"

Sun Man nodded vigorously: "Of course! If she hadn't written me, how would I have known this letter was for you? Look at the back of the envelope—there's a star drawn in ballpoint pen. That's the mark. She was afraid I'd open the wrong letter."

Li Heng flipped the envelope over and indeed saw a tiny five-pointed star, no bigger than a grain of rice, in the lower right corner.

He asked: "Do you know what's inside?"

Sun Man sneered: "You think I'm a psychic? Should I open it for you?"

Li Heng pushed her hand away. "Enough. Thanks for delivering the letter."

Sun Man's gossip instincts flared: "Why did Professor Yu go to Aba with you? And why for forty days straight—skipping classes?"

Li Heng answered instantly: "Who said she stayed in Aba? Professor Yu has business overseas—she went abroad, okay?"

Sun Man flipped him the middle finger. "Shen Xin told me. You liar!"

Li Heng fell silent, pressing: "When did Shen Xin say that?"

Sun Man replied: "Just recently. Shen Xin came over to air Professor Yu's quilts and chatted with us. She said Professor Yu was with you in Aba. And she looked so worried, saying you two should be careful, don't get her pregnant so early…"

Li Heng groaned. That was exactly the kind of thing Shen Xin would say.

He asked: "What else did she say?"

Sun Man continued: "She said a lot—basically that you and Professor Yu are sneaking around together, and if she gets pregnant, you two should just get married already…"

Ignoring Sun Man's fiery glare, Li Heng probed: "How many people were there when she said that?"

Sun Man counted on her fingers: "Me, Shihe, and Mai Sui."

Li Heng asked: "Just the three of you?"

"Oh, and Siya," Sun Man added.

Li Heng asked: "Was Ye Ning there?"

Sun Man said: "That day Ye Ning went out for a meal with a hometown friend—she wasn't there."

Li Heng asked: "Did you tell Ye Ning about this?"

"Pfft! Do you think I'm stupid? You're about to get your teacher pregnant—how dare I gossip about something so outrageous? Besides, you're my brother, right? We've been close for years—you're definitely closer to me than Ye Ning." Sun Man's mouth kept chattering nonstop.

Li Heng's eyelid twitched—he wanted to punch her.

Seeing his expression, Sun Man leaned in: "Are you thinking of hitting me?"

Li Heng rolled his eyes.

Sun Man patted her own head, taunting: "Go ahead! Hit me! Beat me to death! Then I won't feel guilty—I can shout it from the rooftops that you seduced your teacher!"

Li Heng held back, held back, and finally held his tongue. "Fine. Just go. I don't hit women."

Seeing his constipated expression, Sun Man laughed triumphantly: "You're dying to ask me what Mai Sui's expression was, aren't you?"

Li Heng nodded silently.

He had a hunch: Shen Xin wasn't just talking to Mai Sui—her real target was probably Zhou.

Mai Sui was probably just collateral damage.

Because Mai Sui and Zhou Shihe were practically inseparable—wherever Mai Sui was, Zhou Shihe was there; and vice versa.

So even if Shen Xin didn't mean to hurt Mai Sui, she couldn't avoid it.

He wondered: Had he shown his feelings for Zhou Shihe so clearly that even Professor Yu and Shen Xin were on guard?

Professor Yu, fine—he'd mostly interacted with Zhou Shihe during their trio music practice.

But Shen Xin? How did she figure it out?

Had Professor Yu told her?

And more importantly—had he really been poisoned by Zhou Shihe without even realizing it?

At this thought, Li Heng cut off the line of thinking. Honestly, he didn't want to—couldn't—let it go further. He feared one day he might lose control.

Seeing him stand like a statue, silent for a long time, Sun Man waved her hand in front of his face: "Hey! What are you thinking about?"

Li Heng's eyelids involuntarily blinked as he followed her hand: "Nothing. What was Mai Sui's expression?"

"Mai Sui? What expression? You've been a heartless flirt since high school—four girls already, and now you've got Professor Yu? Honestly, I'm relieved. At least now you won't go after Shihe." Sun Man didn't spare him any dignity.

In Sun Man's view: with Professor Yu as the big boss keeping him in check, this kid should finally settle down and stop chasing around.

For a while, she'd suspected Li Heng and Zhou Shihe's relationship—wondered if he'd quietly fallen for Zhou's dazzling charm.

But after observing them, she realized she'd overthought it: their relationship was crystal clear, with zero ambiguity.

What a mess—Shen Xin was truly a bull in a china shop.

Luckily, Professor Yu was reasonable, unlike Shen Xin—otherwise, he might not have held out.

Seeing Sun Man staring intently at him, Li Heng asked: "Why aren't you leaving?"

Sun Man extended her right hand toward him.

Li Heng asked: "What's this?"

Sun Man pouted, threatening: "I've got this insane blackmail now. Aren't you going to bribe me? Aren't you going to pay me off to shut up?"

Li Heng shook his fist in front of her: "No money. How about a punch?"

Sun Man looked disgusted: "No thanks. Your hands have touched too many girls—they're filthy."

Li Heng: "..."

Seeing his expression darken, Sun Man instinctively stepped back, but kept her hand outstretched: "Fine. We're out of chocolate. You're a millionaire now—help a girl out?"

Li Heng asked: "What happened to the two boxes I bought for Mai Sui last time? Did you eat them all?"

Sun Man puffed out her chest: "I ate them to grow my chest. How can a man be so stingy?"

"I'm not stingy—I just don't respond to threats." Li Heng had almost said "Laozi," but remembered he was talking to a woman and switched to "I."

He reached into his pocket, pulled out two bills at random, and shoved them into her hand without looking: "This is more than enough. Buy me two pounds of braised meat—make sure to get duck necks and duck frames."

"Yes, Master Li! Your humble servant is off! Hehe!" With money in hand, Sun Man instantly turned into a groveling lackey, scampering off with a grin—and not forgetting to bring his best friend Ye Ning.

Once she was gone, Li Heng solemnly examined the envelope in his hand.

For a moment, he was curious enough to open it.

His curiosity stemmed from never understanding why Chen Lijun had given up Renmin University to join the military—even if her uncle was well-connected there, it still didn't make sense.

After all, in this era, Renmin University wasn't like the future—it rivaled Tsinghua and Peking in prestige and strength, with an extremely prestigious reputation.

But after hesitating, he ultimately gave up.

He wouldn't open the letter.

Because he couldn't guess its contents. He feared he wouldn't be able to give a clear reply—better to leave it vague.

As he thought, Li Heng slipped the letter into his pocket, went upstairs to the study, glanced around, then took it out again and locked it in the desk drawer.

Mai Sui had just finished showering and came to the study door: "I'm going to Shihe's place. Are you coming with me?"

Li Heng didn't answer, turning to stare at her intently.

When their eyes met across the room, Mai Sui trembled involuntarily—her heart fluttered like a startled deer, as if scorched by sudden heat. After a moment's hesitation, she quietly stepped into the study and closed the door behind her.

Then she stood by the door, nervously watching him.

Li Heng stepped forward, not kissing her as she expected, but gently placed his right hand on her left cheek, stroking it slowly, then murmured low: "My Mai Sui has lost weight."

Mai Sui smiled sweetly, pressing her face tightly against his palm, savoring the affection: "Two pounds."

"Dieting?"

"Mm."

"You weren't fat before. Why lose weight?"

"I'm at the ideal weight now."

Li Heng's gaze, like infrared, swept over her body—up and down, again and again—as if admiring a priceless treasure.

After several passes, Mai Sui's skin prickled from his stare.

Li Heng leaned close to her ear: "Stay this way. Don't lose any more weight. I like curves."

Hearing "curves," Mai Sui's eyes sparkled like stars, her cheeks flushed crimson like a rosebud blooming in spring—shy, yet radiating an indescribable tenderness that stirred the heart.

Seeing her reaction, Li Heng could no longer hold back—he leaned down and kissed her soft, crimson lips.

Mai Sui was initially flustered, but as he persisted, she gradually surrendered to the kiss.

She leaned against the study door, her hands instinctively gripping the fabric at his waist, head slightly tilted upward, their two red tongues entwined in a struggle neither could break free from.

Five minutes later, they parted, but after less than ten seconds of eye contact, they kissed again, perfectly in sync.

Ten minutes later, their lips separated once more, and Mai Sui whispered softly: "Aren't you supposed to go find Shihe? Teacher Yu should be waiting for you."

Li Heng wrapped his arms around her waist: "Sleep with me tonight."

Mai Sui refused: "No."

"Huh?" Li Heng let out a surprised sound.

He thought to himself: This girl doesn't keep her word—she wasn't like this before.

As if reading his thoughts, Mai Sui smiled sweetly, rose on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth, then swiftly opened the study door and stepped out.

Li Heng rubbed his own lips with his right hand and followed her out, smiling happily.

As Mai Sui had expected, Teacher Yu was indeed in the courtyard, admiring the flowers and waiting for them to come downstairs.

Hearing the noise at the door, Yu Shuheng turned her head and smiled at them.

Under Yu Shuheng's piercing gaze, Mai Sui felt exposed and slightly uneasy: "Teacher."

Yu Shuheng nodded gracefully and said: "Mai Sui, come with me somewhere later."

Mai Sui didn't ask where, and readily agreed out of respect.

ps: Posted first, will revise later.

Already updated ten thousand characters.

(End of chapter)