Chapter 547: Formal Handover (Request Subscription!)

Sun Manning couldn't hold back and cried out, "Holy shit! Li Heng's that awesome? He already got Xiao Han's family on board?"

Others didn't know about Chen Zijin and Li Heng's affair, but she did. She even knew their scandal had rocked the entire ten-mile radius around the old town.

If she knew, then Xiao Han's family in town had no reason to be unaware of what was going on between Li Heng and Chen Zijin.

So how could he possibly imagine Li Heng had managed to win over Xiao Han's mother?

And how could Xiao Han's mother possibly accept Li Heng?

If it were her, and she found out her daughter was dating two men at once, she'd beat the bastard out the door with a stick—no reasoning, no mercy.

Sun Manning looked utterly stunned.

Mai Sui felt no better inside; she thought much the same as Manning. Then she set her needle down in the basin and said to the girls, "Wash your hands and help me tidy up."

Her "tidying up" meant both moving her personal belongings to the neighboring No. 27 cottage and helping Li Heng clean the house to leave a good impression on Xiao Han's mother.

The girls instantly understood Sui's intent and immediately dropped their snails and needles, standing up.

Sun Manning instinctively resisted, but the words died on her lips. She thought: Xiao Han getting ahead isn't the end—there's still a long road ahead, and Song Yu hasn't even shown her hand yet. Who will win? It's too early to tell.

In her heart, either Song Yu or Mai Sui taking Li Heng was fine—they were both her good friends, and either outcome benefited her. Even Chen Zijin would do; they were extremely close.

But she didn't know Xiao Han well—if Xiao Han married Li Heng, she'd never be able to drop by again.

Zhou Shihe glanced at Mai Sui and quietly followed her inside.

Ye Ning, unable to hold back, whispered, "Sui Sui, can you really be this patient? Xiao Han's mother's here—it's settled now. Don't you even want to marry Li Heng?"

Mai Sui only smiled softly, offering no explanation.

After washing their hands, the four girls quietly emptied the second-floor spare room and carried Mai Sui's clothes over to No. 27 in batches.

While Ye Ning and Sun Manning ran off laughing, Zhou Shihe softly asked, "Will you come back?"

"Come back" meant returning to No. 26 after Xiao Han's mother left.

Mai Sui joked, "What? Won't you take me in?"

Zhou Shihe smiled faintly, unusually teasing: "Stay here a while—I want to see how flustered he gets."

Both girls knew full well Li Heng would be uncomfortable.

Unexpectedly, after a moment of thought, Mai Sui actually agreed: "Fine."

Zhou Shihe was surprised, her expression odd: "You're jealous?"

Mai Sui shook her head: "No."

Zhou Shihe stared at her.

After a long pause, Mai Sui explained: "It's their honeymoon phase. I should give them space."

Zhou Shihe asked the question she'd long wanted to ask: "Why do you always give in? Is it really because you don't want him to suffer—or is there something you're hiding?"

Mai Sui said: "I don't want him to suffer."

Zhou Shihe suddenly blurted: "Is the woman Manning said could match me your high school classmate? Your best friend? Did Li Heng fall for her at first sight? Are you holding back because you're afraid of her?"

She suspected Li Heng had fallen for her at first sight for two reasons:

Because Li Heng had fallen for her at first sight too—their first meeting felt as vivid as yesterday, etched clearly in her memory.

But Li Heng was restrained—he never made any advances toward her.

That was also why she hadn't overly doubted his vague replies to Wang Ye in the private room.

Manning said this woman could match her. If Li Heng felt this way about her, he might feel the same about the other.

Second piece of evidence:

After over a year of observation, Mai Sui and Xiao Han were merely ordinary friends—hardly enough reason to sacrifice sacred love for such a shallow bond.

Besides, Li Heng deeply liked Mai Sui, and that affection had only grown stronger over time. If she truly fought for him against Xiao Han, the outcome was far from certain.

Xiao Han had known him longer and had deeper feelings—that was her advantage.

But proximity gave Mai Sui the upper hand.

Add to that Mai Sui's innate, ever-present allure—on matters of love and sex, Xiao Han might not stand a chance.

If Mai Sui were ruthless, gave herself to Li Heng, and used her charms to bind him completely, over time, the busy doctor Xiao Han would inevitably fall behind.

Thus, Zhou Shihe's simulation concluded: time, distance, profession, and sexual dynamics all favored Mai Sui—she'd likely win against Xiao Han.

Of course, there was one variable: Yu Laoshi.

But she didn't think Yu Laoshi or Xiao Han were reasons for Mai Sui's passivity. Something deeper must be restraining her.

All these thoughts led Zhou Shihe to suspect the woman Manning mentioned was Mai Sui's best friend.

Mai Sui was stunned—Manxing had only slipped once, and Shihe had connected so many dots!

Fortunately, it was all just speculation.

She remembered how Shihe had once probed Song Yu—this time, Mai Sui used facts to deny it: "I promised Li Heng I wouldn't interfere in his personal relationships."

Not interfering in his personal relationships was true—it was a promise she'd made.

This fact perfectly dodged Shihe's question—she betrayed neither Li Heng nor lied to Shihe.

Zhou Shihe quietly observed her friend's micro-expressions, confirmed no deception, and began to wonder: Had she imagined it all?

She asked: "When did you make that promise?"

Mai Sui answered: "Shortly after we started university."

Zhou Shihe asked: "Back then, hadn't you two even confessed your feelings yet?"

Mai Sui said: "He's clever. From the day I followed him to Fudan University, he must've known exactly how I felt. He just pretended not to for a long time."

Zhou Shihe recalled Li Heng's nature and accepted this explanation, suppressing her suspicion.

She suppressed it for two main reasons:

One: she'd fallen into a cognitive bias.

She thought if her guess were true, Li Heng should've followed that woman to university—not come to Shanghai.

She remembered Li Heng himself admitted he and Xiao Han officially got together after the Gaokao. If he'd fallen for Manning's woman in high school, that contradicted his own words.

Zhou Shihe believed that with Xiao Han's pride, she'd never accept being someone else's substitute.

The second reason: right now, Li Heng and she were just good friends, with no deeper ties—she simply wasn't that curious to dig deeper.

…

Li Heng woke up.

He instinctively grabbed the watch on the nightstand—9: 2.

Shit—he'd slept eight hours straight. He yawned, put the watch down, and got up to wash up.

But as he passed the spare room, his brow furrowed deeply—he stopped.

Empty?

She moved everything out—was Mai Sui leaving him?

The thought struck him like a blow. A crushing sense of loss flooded his chest—he felt the world collapsing. He forgot to wash up, sprinted through both floors searching—no one.

Then he dashed to the neighboring No. 27 cottage.

He hit the mark—inside, he saw the four girls eating breakfast together.

Hearing the loud noise at the door, they all looked up.

Then they saw Li Heng rush over to Mai Sui, staring at her with urgent intensity.

Sensing something was wrong, Mai Sui put down her fried dough stick and stood, softly asking: "What's wrong?"

Li Heng forced calmness: "You moved everything out?"

"Oh! So that's it! Mai Sui said she doesn't want to live with you anymore!" Sun Manning slurped her tofu pudding, gleefully stoking the fire.

Mai Sui ignored Manning's provocation and reached for Li Heng's hand.

Li Heng didn't move.

Mai Sui paused, thought for a moment, then made an action that shattered everyone's composure—she leaned forward and kissed his cheek with lightning speed.

Then, blushing, she looked up and asked: "Can I be unreasonable?"

Li Heng's mood soared like a rollercoaster—he grinned broadly: "Yes."

Then he picked her up right there and asked happily: "One night apart, and you've turned so bossy?"

"Ugh! Enough already! If you're gonna make out, go to the bedroom! Don't ruin our breakfast!" Sun Manning yelled.

Ye Ning chimed in: "Exactly! Sui Sui, if you keep acting like this, me and Manning will bring over ten or eight hot guys and kiss right in front of you—see how you like it!"

Zhou Shihe glanced at Mai Sui, then at the spot on Li Heng's face where she'd kissed him—thanks to the fried dough stick, a clear lipstick mark remained.

She stared at the glossy lip print for two seconds, then lowered her head and resumed eating her flaky pastry in small bites.

Mai Sui, still in his arms, blushed softly and whispered: "Put me down—I have something to tell you."

"Mm." Li Heng happily spun her once, then set her down.

His action made the two girls burst into laughter, hurling teasing remarks at them.

Mai Sui couldn't take it—she grabbed Li Heng's hand and pulled him out the door.

Only when the couple had nearly vanished from sight did Zhou Shihe, who had been looking down, glance up at them once more, then return to her pastry.

Back at No. 26, Mai Sui didn't hesitate—she told him everything about Xiao Han and her mother waiting at Wujiaochang, then watched him silently.

After listening, Li Heng exhaled deeply: "Don't ever do that again. I can't handle waking up and not seeing you."

Mai Sui smiled sweetly, playful as in high school: "I did a divination—you're destined to need me."

Li Heng held out his hand.

They locked eyes for a moment, then both smiled softly. She stepped forward, stepped into his arms, wrapped her hands around him, and whispered in his ear: "I'll say it one last time—as long as you don't push me away, I'll stay with you for life."

Li Heng held her tightly, breathing in her hair's scent: "I can't let you go."

"Mm."

Feeling his affection for her, Mai Sui turned her head and kissed his cheek again, apologizing: "Today was rushed—I forgot to leave a note explaining. I promise it won't happen again."

After embracing for a while, Li Heng was stirred and wanted to kiss her.

Mai Sui turned her head away, urging him: "Go wash up quickly. Today's your big day—don't keep them waiting."

Li Heng insisted: "Are you repulsed by me for not rinsing my mouth?"

Mai Sui laughed, tilted her head up slightly, and reluctantly closed her eyes.

Li Heng leaned in and lightly kissed her lips, then let go. "I might as well take a shower."

"Fine. Come eat breakfast after you're done—I bought it for you," Mai Sui instructed.

"Alright." He went upstairs.

Mai Sui, still uneasy, checked every room upstairs and downstairs again, confirmed there were no oversights, then sat on the second-floor sofa to wait for him.

Not long after, Li Heng came out of the shower.

Mai Sui stood up and said to him: "Give me your changed clothes. Go eat breakfast."

Li Heng grabbed her wrist: "Together. You haven't finished eating either."

Unable to refuse, Mai Sui took his laundry to the neighboring No. 27 house, planning to wash it there and hang it to dry on this side.

The three women in the house were already used to Mai Sui washing his clothes. In fact, among the girls, they long ago assumed the two lived together as husband and wife.

Over breakfast, Ye Ning pulled out a letter from her pocket. "This letter is from my cousin. Do you want to take it?"

Ye Ning was conflicted. If she didn't give it to Li Heng, she'd feel like a true hypocrite.

But if she gave it to him, she didn't want her cousin to get close to him.

So she played a trick—pulled out the envelope in front of Mai Sui, ensuring she didn't betray her cousin while also preventing the letter from ever reaching Li Heng's hands.

Ye Ning still felt uneasy about her cousin's beauty. What if one day Li Heng ended up in her cousin's bed?

As expected, Li Heng politely refused, took the letter, and immediately slipped it into Mai Sui's hand: "I'm busy. Comrade Mai Sui, you handle this for me."

At that moment, Sun Manning chimed in: "Li Heng, from high school until now, have you received five hundred love letters?"

Li Heng was speechless: "How many girls were there in total in high school and college? How could there be that many?"

Sun Manning retorted: "You're dumb. Some girls wrote more than one letter. You just never looked. I remember your storage room—love letters piled up as high as your desk."

Ye Ning said: "Ask the busy man himself? Better ask his housekeeper, Mai Sui. Suisui, is it really that high?"

Meeting everyone's gazes, Mai Sui said: "About that. At least three to five letters every week."

Ye Ning asked: "Have you ever secretly opened any?"

Mai Sui glanced at Li Heng and shook her head with a smile.

After breakfast, Li Heng didn't linger—he headed straight for Wujiaochang. But just outside Lushan Village, he met Li Xian skipping happily, accompanied by Chen Guifen.

Seeing him, Li Xian pouted: "Master, are you leaving?"

Li Heng asked: "Yes. What's with that face? You're not happy I'm going out?"

Li Xian took several letters from Chen Guifen and handed them to him. "I was just using the chance to deliver letters to come over and get familiar with your place. Here, the letters. My chance to visit is gone."

Li Heng thanked her, took the letters, and said: "I've got something to do. Next time, I'll invite you and your family over."

"Deal." Li Xian extended her pinky finger, signaling a pinky promise for a hundred years.

Li Heng was speechless, extended his own pinky, and teased: "Where did you learn all these tricks?"

After linking pinkies, he glanced a few more times at Chen Guifen.

He sighed inwardly. Since breaking up with Lao Hu, this girl had grown thinner, losing the vitality she once had.

Leaving the school gate, Li Heng walked while glancing through the letters in his hand.

One was from Wang Ye.

A few others were from people he didn't recognize.

When he reached the bottom letter, he froze. Huh? Isn't this Ye Zhanyan's handwriting?

Ye Ning just gave me one—how is there another?

Out of curiosity, he broke his usual rule and opened a love letter not from his own women.

Well, he didn't know its contents yet—so he'd call it a love letter for now.

Inside were two colored sheets of paper and a photograph.

He glanced at the photo. Honestly, it was stylish and pleasing to the eye—no disgrace to the title of Fudan's Little Wang. Definitely superior to Huang Ziyue, Wu Siyao, and others.

He skimmed the letter quickly. When finished, he frowned.

Ye Zhanyan clearly stated in the letter: the one she sent to her cousin was just a test—he wouldn't open it, and her cousin might not even give it to him.

So she wrote a second letter.

Li Heng tucked the letter away, exclaiming inwardly: I've been tricked! Sister Ye used his curiosity, betting he'd open the second letter.

Ye Zhanyan wrote a lot, but in essence, she was subtly asking one thing: Is there still room for a romantic companion by your side?

The deeper meaning: she'd be willing to become his mistress without demanding status.

This matched her earlier, indirect invitation to meet him at the guesthouse at Wujiaochang. Ever since Zhao Menglong encouraged her to try, Ye Zhanyan felt trapped by an obsession—thoughts of becoming Li Heng's mistress kept surfacing, until finally she gathered the courage to write this letter.

After sending it, she felt temporarily freed—released from that fixation, able to focus quietly on her studies and do what she truly wanted.

As for whether her junior would respond? Reason told her not to hope too much.

Indeed, Li Heng had no intention of replying.

But then again, aside from his own women, Sister Ye was the most beautiful of all women who pursued him.

Huang Ziyue, Wu Siyao, Dai Qing, Li Xian—all fell short.

Even girls from middle and high school, like Chen Lijun, were inferior.

In beauty, the only one close to Fudan's Little Wang's caliber was perhaps Wu Siyao from Tongji University. Next came Huang Ziyue.

Crossing the street, Li Heng walked straight to Wujiaochang, then searched around the Lantian Hotel and nearby—but found no trace of his sly wife.

She hadn't arrived yet.

Then again, it was only just past ten—still time before the agreed eleven.

Waiting was the most agonizing. Bored, he suddenly remembered Huang Zhaoyi's new home nearby. Since going to Aba, he'd almost lost contact with her—he wondered how the Great Blue Opera Singer was doing now, and where she was.

He considered calling, but then ran into Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing.

Their eyes met. Li Heng realized and asked: "You two came here to help Old Zhang?"

Wei Xiaozhu smiled: "Yes. What a coincidence—you're here too."

Dai Qing glanced at his back and asked: "You came alone? Where's Mai Sui?"

Li Heng nodded: "I'm waiting for Xiao Han here."

Hearing this, Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing exchanged glances, then both laughed and walked past him toward the braised dishes stall, clearly not wanting to interfere with his date.

Li Heng was speechless, turned, and followed them to the stall.

"Hey, why's no one here today? Business bad lately?" he asked Bai Wanying and Zhang Bing.

Bai Wanying replied: "We just set up. Usually no one comes at this hour. Business picks up at noon, and peaks in the evening and night."

Li Heng asked: "Then why come so early?"

"Bored," Bai Wanying said. "Sell a little, earn a little—it's still money."

Zhang Bing, nearby, fiddled with his roasted sweet potato equipment, dusty and grimy, asked Li Heng: "Old Li, it's getting cold. Want a sweet potato?"

Li Heng waved him off: "No thanks. I'm a country boy—I don't like that stuff. I'd spit it out if you shoved it in my mouth."

Zhang Bing agreed, but since he sold sweet potatoes, he kept his opinion to himself.

Li Guang arrived cheerfully, holding a bag of beef jerky. He rushed into the stall, tore open the package, and handed out pieces to everyone: "My mom mailed this from home. Come on, try it—pure grassland flavor."

Li Heng took a piece, tasted it, and found it delicious. He immediately asked: "Do you sell this?"

Li Guang slapped his chest hard: "Sell? Pfft! If you like it, Brother Heng, just say the word—I'll bring you a few packs later."

Knowing this kid came from wealth, Li Heng didn't pretend modesty. "Alright."

After a brief chat, less than a minute later, Li Guang had promised twelve packs of beef jerky—everyone present got some.

While eating the jerky, Li Guang suddenly asked Bai Wanying: "Wanying, you said your condition can still be treated, right?"

Bai Wanying, happily munching, didn't think much and replied offhand: "The earlier you treat it, the higher the chance—but it costs a lot."

As soon as she spoke, she realized something. She looked up at Li Guang and joked: "You didn't tell your parents about this, did you?"

Li Guang nodded vigorously. "Yes! I hesitated for ages, but recently told my parents about you. Today I got their reply. Here, read it."

He hurriedly pulled the letter from his pocket, beaming, and unfolded it for Bai Wanying.

Bai Wanying read the letter, then fell silent.

The letter passed among them. Li Heng, Wei Xiaozhu, and Dai Qing all leaned in, read quickly, then fell silent too.

In the letter, Li Guang's father wrote: If you truly love this girl, don't expect anything in return. My wife and I believe in Buddhism. Whatever the surgery costs, just tell us the number.

Clearly, Li Guang had previously hinted he wanted to marry Bai Wanying, fearing his parents' disapproval. But his parents saw such conditional help as improper—they were willing to help generously within their means, without strings attached.

Zhang Bing finished reading and fell silent. His right fingernail unconsciously dug into the sweet potato flesh.

Sensing Li Heng and Wei Xiaozhu's gazes, Zhang Bing awkwardly smiled, quickly set the sweet potato aside, returned the letter to Bai Wanying, then ran off to the convenience store and bought several bottles of soda.

Li Heng and Wei Xiaozhu exchanged glances. She said: "Li Heng, when will Xiao Han arrive? Do you have time to come with me to the department store?"

"She should be coming soon." Li Heng walked off with Wei Xiaozhu.

Dai Qing, perceptive, followed them, leaving space for Li Guang and Bai Wanying.

After walking thirty meters, Wei Xiaozhu whispered: "Did you notice?"

The question came out of nowhere, but Li Heng understood. "I saw."

Wei Xiaozhu sighed: "Indeed, Zhang Bing has developed feelings for Bai Wanying."

Dai Qing added: "It was predictable. But they're destined for no outcome. Zhang Bing is deeply traditional—he values family and kinship too much to abandon his wife and children back home for Bai Wanying."

Li Heng said: "Qingqing's thoughts align with mine."

Wei Xiaozhu teased: "Qingqing?"

Dai Qing's face flushed, and she instinctively pushed her best friend.

Li Heng spread his hands: "Isn't that how you call her? I thought you wouldn't make such a joke."

"This is a step forward in your friendship," Wei Xiaozhu smiled. "As a witness, I naturally need to add a little seasoning to deepen the memory."

The three didn't go to the department store; instead, they stopped at a corner.

Dai Qing asked the two: "Do you think Bai Wanying will agree?"

Wei Xiaozhu mused: "Not necessarily. After all, no one's money blows in from the wind. If she truly accepts Li Guang's family's help, marrying Li Guang might be the most perfect outcome."

Dai Qing said: "Li Guang is too eager. He shouldn't have pulled out the letter in front of us—it's put Bai Wanying in a difficult position."

Wei Xiaozhu said: "That's the Li Guang we know—always smiling, grinning at everyone, no scheming, living entirely by passion. Didn't you see him just now, bouncing over here? He's probably been thinking of nothing but this good news all the way, not considering anything else."

Li Heng said: "That's fine. Someone like that makes for an easy life—no pressure getting along with him."

Dai Qing agreed: "True. If Leyao had chosen Li Guang instead of Li Guoyi, she'd probably be far happier now."

After chatting a while about Bai Wanying and Li Guang's complicated relationship, Wei Xiaozhu asked him: "You were with Xiao Han yesterday—why are you waiting for her here today? Didn't she come with you last night?"

Li Heng was about to speak when he saw Xiao Han, Wei Shiman, and Xiao Qing appear near the Lantian Restaurant. He immediately said: "I'll go first. We'll talk later."

Saying that, he strode off quickly.

The two women also spotted Xiao Han and the others. Dai Qing asked: "Is that Xiao Han's mother?"

Wei Xiaozhu replied: "Probably. They look somewhat alike."

After watching for a while, Dai Qing suddenly said: "Has it already reached the point of meeting the parents? Then what about Mai Sui?"

This was also the question Wei Xiaozhu had just been pondering.

Of course, Dai Qing's mention of Mai Sui was really an expression of some unspoken emotion: Li Heng has been so quickly locked down by Xiao Han—what about all those who like him? Are they now completely out of luck?

Her words were a Shitan toward Xiaozhu, and also a way of telling her best friend: If you really do love Li Heng, as Hu Ping claimed, then you'd better act now—otherwise, your chances will only grow slimmer.

Dai Qing only spoke vaguely, because she still couldn't confirm whether her best friend truly loved Li Heng.

Besides, she couldn't ask outright—after all, she herself was secretly in love with Li Heng.

If the fact that two sisters both loved the same man were made public, it would be awkward and indirectly affect their future university life together.

So some things could be understood without being spoken aloud—leave the window paper unbroken, so everyone retains some space, some escape route.

After speaking, Dai Qing quietly observed her friend's expression. Unfortunately, Wei Xiaozhu showed no reaction, plunging Dai Qing back into self-doubt: maybe she'd imagined too much; maybe Hu Ping was just finding an excuse to withdraw, preserving his dignity.

Dai Qing thought to herself: Perhaps Xiaozhu never had any feelings for Li Heng at all.

Then again, Li Heng may be outstanding—far beyond his peers—but that doesn't mean he attracts every girl.

Just like in Dorm 107: Cai Yuanyuan and Zhao Meng were Hu Ping's secret admirers; Wei Sisi was only devoted to Tang Ling; Sun Ye seemed quite interested in Zhou Zhang; Leyao's first love was given to Li Guoyi.

Over the past year, Dai Qing had noticed a pattern: the more a girl thought herself superior, the more drawn she was to Li Heng. Those less exceptional merely admired and respected him—without romantic feelings.

Like herself: back in high school, she'd been flattered by boys and love letters, feeling wonderfully self-important—so when she entered university, she set her sights on Li Heng. The result? Total defeat, head hung low.

But that didn't mean she wasn't outstanding or unattractive; outside of Li Heng, Dai Qing had received 47 love letters in the past year and a half.

Those letters came from boys in her class, her major, other majors, the student union, even from boys at nearby universities…

After watching Li Heng, Xiao Han, and her mother from afar for a while, Wei Xiaozhu said: "Qingqing, let's go. We've been gone long enough—Bai Wanying and Li Guang's matter should be settled."

Dai Qing glanced back at Li Heng two more times, then turned and followed.

Seeing her mood shift, Wei Xiaozhu teased: "Heartache?"

Their bond was close—they told each other everything. Dai Qing didn't hide it: "A little."

Then she stared at the ground and added: "Even though I've always known there was no chance with Li Heng, I still hoped that during university, he wouldn't be completely claimed by some girl—so when I graduate and leave Fudan, my heart will still be alive."

Wei Xiaozhu slipped her arm through her friend's. "So you've always been optimistic about Mai Sui being in his life?"

"Yes. To be honest, I once even wished he'd be a playboy—so no one could fully possess him." Dai Qing's heart had long been weighed down by a knot of gloom; saying this out loud made her feel lighter.

Wei Xiaozhu asked, puzzled: "Why? Loving him means wanting him to be happier, doesn't it?"

Dai Qing answered: "I'm a realist. This way, I can let go."

Wei Xiaozhu smiled: "Then he already is a playboy—one Xiao Han, one Mai Sui, both stunningly beautiful. You should be satisfied."

As she spoke, Wei Xiaozhu suddenly remembered Zhou Shihe. She'd wanted to ask Li Heng indirectly yesterday, but he was too wary and wouldn't take the bait.

Dai Qing shook her head: "Mai Sui doesn't fight at all—it's meaningless. I wish someone would challenge Xiao Han."

Wei Xiaozhu had no reply: "You're stirring up trouble."

Dai Qing nodded: "Sometimes I think I'm not pure-hearted—I've even thought…"

After a pause, with no follow-up, Wei Xiaozhu turned her head: "Even thought what?"

Dai Qing took a deep breath: "Get him drunk, sleep beside him, just sleep. Don't look at me like that—I don't want to sleep with him. I just want to briefly, closely possess him for a while, to prove my four years at Fudan weren't wasted. Then I'll disappear far away, never see him again."

Wei Xiaozhu had been ready to tease her friend further, but after hearing this, she fell silent.

Wei Xiaozhu thought: Perhaps Qingqing isn't as proper as she seems—but isn't this also a silent, profound love?

…

On the other side.

Although Mai Sui had already told herself that Wei Shiman would come today, when she actually appeared, Li Heng's inner excitement was beyond words.

What did this mean?

Even a fool would understand!

He never imagined his scheming bride would give him such a surprise.

When he'd retreated dejectedly from Shanghai Medical University yesterday, he'd seriously considered a long campaign, devising a whole strategy to win over this mother-in-law.

Then, unexpectedly—bam! He woke up to dawn!

He was overjoyed!

So joyful that as he ran over, he instinctively called out: "Mom, you're here."

He still called her "Mom"—but yesterday's "Mom" and today's "Mom" were worlds apart. Wei Shiman forced a faint smile, nodded at him, and to soothe her daughter's anxiety, she asked him: "Did we interrupt your new book writing?"

Li Heng flashed a bright, clean smile: "No interruption. The new book hasn't even started yet—it'll be a few more days."

Seeing her honey and mother chatting, slowly dissolving yesterday's ice wall, Xiao Han's heart felt as sweet as honey, thick and bubbling.

She looped her left arm through Li Heng's, her right through her mother's, standing between them with smiling eyes: "Mr. Li, Mom and Big Sister haven't had breakfast yet—why don't you treat us to breakfast or lunch?"

Li Heng was startled: "You two haven't had breakfast yet?"

Xiao Qing smiled: "We didn't eat dinner until after nine last night, and it was past ten when we finished. This morning, we weren't very hungry, so we just bought a cup of soy milk."

Hearing this, Li Heng immediately led the three women toward the Lantian Restaurant.

No wonder his scheming bride picked this place—she wanted him to show off, to further ease relations with his mother-in-law.

The Lantian Restaurant specialized in Huaiyang and Shanghai-style dishes. Since Wei Shiman and the others had no experience ordering, Li Heng simply waved his hand and told the staff to bring the restaurant's signature dishes—fill the table.

At first, the waitress hesitated—these signature dishes were expensive, and Li Heng was so young—could he be trusted? Yesterday, someone had even eaten and run.

Until another waitress came over and whispered a few words. The first waitress's attitude instantly changed—her eyes lit up as she stared at Li Heng for a moment, then said: "Of course, Mr. Li. Please wait a moment—the dishes will come right away."

At that moment, the restaurant manager arrived, having heard the news. He bowed politely to Li Heng: "Mr. Li, ladies, we have a private room on the second floor—would you prefer to move?"

Well then—apparently they recognized him. Just moments ago, the waitress had said all private rooms were booked—now one was suddenly available?

Of course it was better to switch. After all, this was his first time formally inviting his mother-in-law to dinner as her son-in-law—the more respect shown, the better.

Once seated in the private room, he felt a quiet satisfaction: the manager really knew how to handle things—very impressive.

Xiao Qing, walking behind, whispered to her younger sister: "Not bad. Your husband has serious clout."

Flattered by her sister's praise, Xiao Han's vanity swelled: Of course! Look who the beauty picked as her husband. Mom, dear Mom—now do you finally understand what good taste looks like?

Though she knew Li Heng held some social status, she hadn't expected him to be so admired outside. Wei Shiman had seen the world—she knew the Lantian Restaurant was no ordinary place. Clearly, she'd underestimated how widely Li Heng was recognized.

Wei Shiman casually glanced at Li Heng's profile, thinking: She needed to reassess him.

Or rather, she'd always been a bystander. Now, by accident, she'd switched places—become the one being watched. Her mindset had to change; she needed to thoroughly understand Li Heng from top to bottom.

After ordering, once the manager closed the door and left, Wei Shiman paused, then asked: "Before we eat, may I ask you one question?"

Li Heng immediately stopped chatting with Xiao Han and Xiao Qing, sat up straight, and said: "Go ahead."

Wei Shiman asked: "Are you serious about Hanhan?"

Li Heng gripped Xiao Han's hand tightly and vowed: "Rest assured—I will take care of her for the rest of my life."

His gaze shifted between his younger daughter and Li Heng for about half a minute, then Wei Shiman spoke again: "Before last night, I didn't approve of the two of you being together.

It's not that I looked down on you—in fact, your excellence matches any woman in this world. In some ways, having you as a son-in-law is a step up for our Xiao family.

Now that we're sitting at the same table, I won't mention the reasons I once opposed you, and I won't bring them up again.

I have only one request: try your best not to make Hanhan, who loves you so deeply, shed a tear.

Can you do that?

If you can, when you come home for winter break, come over and have a drink with your father-in-law—yes, you can call him that now. You must raise a toast to Hanhan's father. From now on, I entrust Hanhan to you."

"Yes. I will always remember your words," Li Heng solemnly pledged.

This was a form of entrustment.

It was also formal recognition of Li Heng and Xiao Han's relationship.

Wei Shiman didn't mention Chen Zijin, the Chen family, or the other women around him—not even marriage.

Because since she was entrusting her daughter to him, she wouldn't add any conditions—this was better for Hanhan, and would let Li Heng feel less pressure when facing her and the Xiao family, giving them more opportunities to communicate and build feelings.

If she'd laid down demands right from the start and scared him off, making him uncomfortable, Hanhan's future wouldn't be bright.

As a mother, as long as her daughter was happy and lived well, some painful truths had to be swallowed inside—never shown.

After all, nine out of ten things in life are unsatisfying—how can everything be perfect?

PS: First draft, will revise later.

I lay in bed for a long time this afternoon due to lower back pain, so the update is late; sorry.

(End of chapter)