[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-1987-my-era":3,"chapter-1987-my-era-1987-my-era-chapter-567":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","1987: My Era",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2259727,4409,"Chapter 567: The Weight of Jealousy","1987-my-era-chapter-567",567,"\u003Cp>1989.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>January 1st, today is New Year’s Day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the morning, I read and wrote in the study, working on Chapter 20 of “The Dust Settles”: “The Book.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The missionary returned to the dungeon; he needed to heal before emerging again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Ma family would gain another slave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Li Heng planned to finish the entire novel before publishing, his new book was in no rush—he always waited until his emotions were perfectly ripe before putting pen to paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he felt the slightest dissatisfaction, he would tear it all down and start over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or simply not write at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under this extreme, meticulous self-criticism, though he labored all morning, his word count remained modest—around 5,600 words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drank a cup of tea, rubbed his wrist, relaxed his mind, then continued writing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept at it until around five in the afternoon, when Zhou Shihe came to find him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe quietly opened the study door and asked gently, “You didn’t eat lunch again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng turned around and said casually, “Oh, I forgot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then asked, “Have you been practicing piano all day?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe nodded and added, “I reviewed in the classroom this morning, then practiced piano this afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked, “Didn’t you go to the library?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe replied, “Too many people—I arrived late and couldn’t get a seat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked offhandedly, “Which classroom?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe said, “Room 309.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng had never been to that classroom, but he knew it was a large one, around the corner near the restrooms: “Is that room usually crowded? If it’s quiet, you should switch—unsafe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe knew he wasn’t exaggerating, and she was aware of her own allure; she replied at once, “It’s usually busy, but if no one’s there, I’ll pack up and leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Heng nodded and asked, “Did you come here for something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe said, “Sui Sui is hosting the New Year’s Eve gala tonight—I’ve prepared dinner; we’ll go together to Xianghui Hall later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked, “Did Sui Sui ask you to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe replied composedly, “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Sui Sui’s request, she would never have come alone to find him, nor would she have cooked for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cooking for him wasn’t due to any lack of friendship between them—it was fear he might misunderstand her intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He capped his pen, tightened the ink bottle, and followed her downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the staircase landing, she asked, “Have you finished Chapter 20?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze fell on the back of her head; he smiled and asked, “Want to read it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead of him, Zhou Shihe seemed to have eyes in the back of her head—she remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Downstairs, she shut the door, entered the kitchen, and began serving the dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng didn’t idle—he washed his hands, then fetched rice and chopsticks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked, “Just the two of us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe said, “I’ll bring meals to the three of them afterward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng replied, “Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After over a year of living together, this was their first time eating alone—though they’d dined together in Jingcheng before, the atmosphere then was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, a thick wall stood between them, sealing their hearts shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, she sensed this man was increasingly determined to break through that barrier—he seemed less able to restrain himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, he wanted to control his words and actions, yet often, when facing her, he found himself unable to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why she’d asked Sui Sui whether he had another woman—she was bracing for a sudden move from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she dared not press further, fearing Sui Sui would sense something amiss, fearing Sui Sui would realize his feelings for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that happened, both she and Sui Sui would be humiliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the first half of the meal, they barely spoke; when their chopsticks accidentally clashed or both reached for the same piece of meat, they’d glance at each other, then silently withdraw, pretending nothing had happened, continuing to eat as if untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet both knew their minds were wandering—otherwise, their chopsticks wouldn’t have collided three times in quick succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, she deliberately avoided the green pepper with pork, and also refrained from touching the tomato and egg or mapo tofu in front of him—her chopsticks only reached for the two Huaiyang dishes beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for mapo tofu, this was her second time making it—she’d experimented once during winter break using a recipe from a book in her hometown in Hangcheng, and everyone at home said it was delicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, she suddenly remembered and made it again—but this time, she added more chili for his taste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng loved mapo tofu—he even spooned several ladles of it over his rice, then ate with his bowl in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt satisfying, like eating rice topped with stew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hearty eating looked delicious; the woman across the table glanced at him once, then unconsciously glanced again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her movements were subtle, but he caught them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Heng set down his chopsticks, half rose, picked up the bowl of mapo tofu with his left hand, and used a spoon to ladle five portions into her bowl, praising, “Your cooking is incredible—it’s perfect for me, goes perfectly with rice. Try some.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe sat still, not objecting; her eyelids lowered slightly as she watched him spoon one portion after another—five total—into her bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he finished, he sat back down and resumed eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe stared at the mapo tofu in her bowl for a long while, then finally picked up her chopsticks, imitating him, mixing rice and tofu together, and eating small bites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, they fell silent again, and remained so until the meal ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng glanced into her bowl—oh! Empty. Not a grain of rice or tofu remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, unconsciously, he turned toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met in midair; for five silent seconds, neither moved—then Zhou Shihe calmly averted her gaze, looking elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she noticed his gaze still fixed on her, Zhou Shihe stilled, rose, and went to the kitchen to pack meals for Sui Sui and the other three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng didn’t idle—he wiped the table, cleared the dishes, swept the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye—these chores had always been Sui Sui’s. Today was truly the sun rising in the west—he was even wiping tables and sweeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After packing three meal boxes, she waited on the living room sofa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another ten minutes passed before Li Heng emerged from the kitchen; he raised his left hand to check his watch and said, “It’s getting dark. Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe remained serene, rose, picked up the meal boxes, and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng locked the door, walked a few steps behind her, then suddenly spoke: “I didn’t bring my erhu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe said, “Sui Sui already took it for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Heng kept pace: “Are we the first to perform?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe gave a soft “Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked, “What time?” Zhou Shihe replied, “Forty-seven minutes until it starts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng said, “We haven’t rehearsed together in a long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe looked at him: “After finals, don’t leave right away—let’s rehearse for three days in Singapore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catching her glance, Li Heng understood: “You’ve been wanting to tell me this all along, haven’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe was candid: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng frowned, calculating the days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe asked, “Can’t you squeeze out three days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng nodded: “I have many things during winter break—I can stay at most one day. What if I come a day earlier after the New Year? We meet here on the fourth day of the lunar new year?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihe seemed to understand, and replied softly, “Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this era without phones or computers, there was little to do—so the New Year’s Eve gala was an event everyone eagerly anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, as soon as they reached the entrance of Xianghui Hall, they found it packed, jammed with people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stood at the entrance for a few seconds, then abandoned the idea of entering there, circling around to the backstage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The backstage was bustling; Sui Sui, in a bright red coat, stood out sharply—visible from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Heng and Zhou Shihe appear, the previously noisy backstage fell silent as if a mute switch had been flipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single person turned to look at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was Li Heng? No need to explain—he carried a long list of titles, any one of which could crush his peers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhou Shihe? She’d long been a legend—Fudan’s sole queen, unmatched in beauty and poise, now crowned with the radiant halo of a pure music album—wherever she went, she was always the center of attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing through the makeup crowd, Li Heng smiled at Senior He Xiao nearby, nodded to Dai Qing beside him, and asked, “Dai Qing, have you eaten dinner?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, he spoke to her in this setting—Dai Qing was flattered, smiling back, “Yes, I have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spotted Huang Ziyue—the girl wore a Huangmei opera costume, likely performing tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Ziyue had intended to approach, but seeing Zhou Shihe right beside him, she hesitated—and in that hesitation, Li Heng had already walked past her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A perfect chance slipped away; Huang Ziyue cursed herself for being weak, yet her gaze clung tightly to Zhou Shihe’s frail back—she felt defeated for the first time in her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t afraid to compete with Teacher Yu for a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t afraid to compete with Sui Sui for a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to compete with Zhou Shihe? She’d already lost three-tenths of the battle before even stepping onto the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Approaching Sui Sui, Li Heng no longer cared—he knew the entire campus was already gossiping about their ambiguous relationship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He circled Sui Sui once, blinking, and said, “Beautiful. As always—red is your destiny.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, everyone nearby quietly turned to look at Sui Sui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s be honest, Mai Sui in her red dress is naturally enchanting and exudes irresistible charm, her personal allure rivaling that of Xiao Han and Professor Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Zhou Shihé felt that Suisui had changed too rapidly—compared to a year ago, she now could truly be described as breathtakingly magnificent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Ziyue’s best friend silently mused: Ziyue lost both times she competed against Senior Mai Sui for the host position, and there’s a reason for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of so many people, Mai Sui, being shy, couldn’t help but blush; she forced a smile, took the food box, and led the two to find Sun Manning and Ye Ning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked, “Where are those two girls?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui replied, “They’re in the back room adjusting the sound system.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng was surprised: “They know how to do that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui said, “Ye Ning’s family works in this field—their technical skills are even better than those of the school’s assigned staff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng was impressed—was this really the same girl he knew, the one obsessed with BL? Amazing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the room, Sun Manning’s first words were: “Finally, food! I’m starving—I’m about to collapse from hunger!” Her second words were: “Li Heng, be a decent person! Why are you coming backstage to stake your claim? Do you want Mai Sui to become everyone’s enemy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Ning chimed in: “Exactly! Li Heng’s dominance is so overwhelming that even the male hosts dare not talk much with our Suisui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning, mouth full of food, mumbled: “It’s not just the male hosts—no guy with a dick dares to talk much with Suisui!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with sparkling eyes, Sun Manning said to Mai Sui and Zhou Shihé: “You know what ‘dick’ means, Suisui. Shihé, you probably don’t—should I explain it to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui’s face flushed red. She definitely understood—Li Heng had already spilled his seed on her more than once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihé smiled silently, saying nothing, but recalled scenes from The White Deer Plain and The Dust Settles—someone must be an expert in this area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her thoughts drifted, Zhou Shihé glanced at the person gently wiping Mai Sui’s lips, then forcibly cut off the line of thought and stepped lightly out of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning asked: “Shihé, where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Shihé replied calmly: “The air in here is stuffy—I’m going outside for some fresh air.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning sniffed: “Is the air bad? Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Ning said: “It’s definitely bad—I’ve been feeling chest tightness for ages.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning sneered: “I’m a C, Suisui’s a C, Shihé’s a B+, and you’re an A- complaining about your chest? Seriously, Ye Xiao, don’t cheapen the sacred word ‘chest’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Ning exploded: “Sun Manning! If you say ‘A-’ again, I’m cutting ties with you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning shot her a sly glance: “Cut ties? Do you want me to lie? Ask Li Heng—cover your head with a black cloth, what’s the difference between your front and back? Even if you touch it, you can’t tell!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Ning threw down her chopsticks and launched into a full-blown brawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Li Heng and Mai Sui were forced out of the room as the two girls inside went wild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the crowd nearby, Li Heng asked: “Nervous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng said: “Don’t eat all the fatty meat—feed it to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui smiled sweetly: “Marry me? Then I’ll feed it to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng replied: “I will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui was stunned—he wasn’t even fazed by such a bold proposal. Seeing him sneak closer, she nervously glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In one swift motion, she snatched a piece of fatty meat and shoved it into his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After stuffing it in, she tiptoed slightly, using the back of her head to shield his lips from view, trying to hide the act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes, fate is so cruel—the more you try to hide something, the more people see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dai Qing saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Ziyue saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xiao saw it too, and whispered to her friend beside her: “Did you see that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her friend replied: “She fed him a piece of meat—Xiao Han’s in trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xiao nodded in agreement: “I think so too. If I were Xiao Han, I’d probably fall into depression—I’d skip all my self-study sessions just to hang around this guy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Posted first, will edit later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Already posted 12,000 characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2390,"2026-06-19T15:27:37.100Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","12f325b9f45cc7e9772b2a921a15e5005971068b6c7cd0368156bfcba9242348","1987-my-era-chapter-568","1987-my-era-chapter-566",713,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002F1987-my-era-cover.jpg"]