Chapter 572: The Art of the Emperor, Sleepless Night

Upon learning that Li Heng had bought a house for Xiao Han, right next door and only minutes away, Old Man Ba and Xiao Lin-jie were extremely pleased.

At the insistence of father and daughter, Li Heng had no choice but to take Old Man Ba and Xiao Lin-jie back to his own garden villa.

As soon as they entered, Old Man Ba said: "So this is the little Western-style villa—tasteful."

After touring the place, Xiao Lin-jie pulled Xiao Han's hand and said: "Such good fortune—this place is even larger than your senior sister's."

Xiao Han smiled sweetly and said brightly: "Senior sister can come visit here often."

"Ah, good!" Xiao Lin-jie replied with full delight.

Back at the teacher's home, Xiao Lin-jie took Xiao Han out to buy groceries.

Li Heng stayed behind to chat with Old Man Ba.

Old Man Ba asked the most pressing question: "How's the new book coming?"

Li Heng answered: "I've written up to Chapter 22."

Old Man Ba asked: "How many characters?"

Li Heng answered: "Around 120, 00."

Old Man Ba asked: "How many chapters total?"

Li Heng answered: "I outlined 72 chapters."

Old Man Ba nodded repeatedly—he knew this beloved disciple had poured great effort into the outline—and suppressed his urge to read it immediately, then asked: "What's the title?"

Li Heng answered: "Dust Settles."

Dust Settles?

Old Man Ba savored the title, then sipped tea and said: "A fine title—evocative."

He then asked the final question about the new book: "What's the theme?"

"Tusi-related subject matter…" Li Heng didn't hide it; he immediately outlined the story structure and his motivations for writing it.

After listening, Old Man Ba said with great interest: "When it's done, bring it to me."

"Sure. When it's finished, I'll give it to you first," Li Heng replied without hesitation.

After all, he'd already promised many "firsts"—as long as he didn't deliberately hold himself to them, they'd remain firsts forever.

Like spitting floral water through clothes countless times—it doesn't change the fact that she's still a virgin.

After chatting about the book for a while, Old Man Ba shifted topics to Senior Brother Liao, the editor-in-chief.

Old Man Ba asked: "Have you been in touch with your senior brother?"

Li Heng nodded, then shook his head: "I was in regular contact recently, but I haven't heard from him in several days—I've been busy with exams. How's he doing?"

Old Man Ba slowly shook his head and sighed: "Not good. The situation isn't optimistic."

Two "not goods" in a row told Li Heng the gravity of the matter—he leaned forward slightly: "Even your intervention won't help?"

Old Man Ba smiled with his aged teeth: "My respect is granted by others. When it doesn't involve interests, they treat me with courtesy; when family values are at stake, they may not even notice me."

"Your senior brother is a womanizer. This is a lesson he needs—better now than a bigger scandal later."

Li Heng was confused: "Then what exactly happened?"

Old Man Ba said: "The Xu family demands the child take their surname, but your senior brother refuses outright—this caused a major conflict. Later, your Yu teacher's father intervened and eased tensions."

"Still, your senior brother is half a year older than Su Yun's mother, already married, has an illegitimate daughter outside, and has ties with multiple women—her reluctance is understandable. In two days, your senior brother will take Su Yun back to Shanghai."

Hearing that Yu teacher's father had intervened, Li Heng was puzzled—hadn't he intervened long ago?

Or had he not truly cared at first, only stepped in later?

That must be it.

After all, given Yu's father's social standing, he wouldn't casually meddle in others' family affairs—or perhaps, to him, this wasn't even worth noticing.

Li Heng said cheerfully: "At least she's returning to Shanghai—that proves the effort wasn't wasted."

Old Man Ba nodded, then turned the fire onto Li Heng: "Buying such a large garden villa for Xiao Han—have you finally settled down?"

The old man spoke only half—he meant: You brought Xiao Han back a second time, bought the villa nearby—does this mean you've decided to marry her?

Li Heng was speechless.

He slowly realized: the teacher had mentioned Senior Brother Liao earlier precisely to set the stage—to subtly warn him.

Thinking of how the teacher had been exhausted and irritable over Senior Brother Liao's troubles, Li Heng wisely avoided confrontation and evaded: "I'm very willing to marry Xiao Han."

Old Man Ba, having lived so long and become shrewd, wasn't fooled—he pressed: "'Very willing'? Does that mean you're equally willing to marry other women—or even more so?"

Li Heng flushed.

Teacher, Teacher—you're this old—can't you pretend not to notice?

Pretending ignorance is good for your health!

Meeting the teacher's piercing gaze, Li Heng stopped dodging and admitted: "Teacher, I still have a close friend at Peking University."

Old Man Ba asked: "What's her name?"

Li Heng said: "Song Yu."

Old Man Ba lifted his teacup lid slightly: "Do you prefer marrying her?"

Li Heng said: "Either Song Yu or Xiao Han—I'd be genuinely happy with either."

Old Man Ba asked: "What about your first love? The Chen girl?"

Li Heng's spine chilled: "Huh? Teacher, you know about her?"

"Your senior brother is a warning—I had Xiao Lin-jie visit your hometown."

Old Man Ba paused, then continued: "I didn't expect you were already famous in your hometown three years ago—you did something earth-shattering. In matters of women, your self-proclaimed charming senior brother isn't even fit to carry your shoes."

Hey! Teacher, Teacher—stop praising me out of nowhere!

Don't hit a man where it hurts—don't rip open old wounds to my face!

Li Heng defended himself: "I didn't mention Zijin because I feared you'd be angry—but honestly, I'd be happy marrying any of the three."

"Hmph!"

Old Man Ba laughed bitterly at his audacity: "You'd marry any of the three? Then what about your Yu teacher? And that Mei girl you've hidden away?"

Li Heng blinked: "Teacher, I'm still completely innocent with Yu teacher."

Old Man Ba slammed his teacup lid onto the table and set the tea aside: "You think I'm senile?"

Li Heng hurried over and began massaging the old man's back, launching into a lavish compliment: "Look, you're getting worked up again. You're the undisputed leader of the literary world—you need to cultivate calmness and inner peace."

Old Man Ba rolled his eyes: "Don't flatter me—I dare not claim first place before you."

Li Heng chuckled: "I'm your disciple—what's mine is yours. We're family—why draw such clear lines?"

Old Man Ba's expression turned serious: "Then how far have you and Yu teacher gone? What do you truly intend?"

Seeing the old man press again, Li Heng no longer hid it: "Except for the final step, our feelings are essentially complete."

Old Man Ba stared at him.

Li Heng thought a moment and asked: "Do you have any advice?"

Old Man Ba asked: "Can you get rid of her?"

Li Heng raised an eyebrow: "Teacher, don't joke—I wouldn't dare."

Old Man Ba asked: "Is it that you dare not? Or that you don't want to?"

Li Heng muttered: "I earned them all by my own merit—why would I spit out meat I've already swallowed? I don't want to let go."

Knowing the teacher was determined to get to the bottom of this, Li Heng dropped all pretense: one word—he wanted them all.

Old Man Ba was furious, ready to smash him—but stared at him for a long while before calming down: "Tell me about Song Yu."

Li Heng's eyes widened: "Teacher, have you sensed something?"

Old Man Ba said: "Stop pretending. I'm old, not foolish—your words make it clear you want to marry Song Yu most."

Li Heng fell silent, then said: "She's the woman I fell in love with at first sight—and the one I've never been able to let go of."

The four words "first love" and "most regretful" said everything.

Old Man Ba clearly understood—he sighed heavily: "Delay your marriage. Wait until I'm buried before you speak of it."

Old Man Ba clearly couldn't bear it—he didn't want to meddle in his disciple's marriage again.

Because to him, Senior Brother Liao's affair was a minor squabble—this disciple would cause chaos on a hellish scale, attracting women more beautiful and accomplished than the last, impossible to handle.

So he decided: better to be dead—then he wouldn't have to see it.

Li Heng thought: Come on, you've got decades left—you'll still be around when I've got grandchildren. You won't escape.

Li Heng smiled: "Don't say that—I still want you to be my wedding witness."

Old Man Ba tapped his fingers on the table, thought deeply, then suddenly asked: "How are things between you and that Zhou girl now?"

Li Heng knew he meant Zhou Shihe.

He asked: "Why bring her up?"

Old Man Ba said: "She was the first girl you brought here—she left a deep impression on me and Xiao Lin-jie."

Li Heng joked half-seriously: "Of course—she's the only queen at Fudan University—she's naturally formidable."

Old Man Ba shook his head: "None of the women around you have as much fortune as she does."

Li Heng was startled: "Teacher, you believe in Huang-Lao philosophy?"

"I don't claim to believe or disbelieve—some things are fated. That Zhou girl gave me an exceptionally good impression," Old Man Ba said.

Li Heng understood a little—and that made him even more astonished: "What do you mean?"

Old Man Ba glanced at him: "Do you know what 'Imperial Strategy' means?"

Li Heng blinked: "The art of balance."

Old Man Ba picked up a bottle cap, swirled it around the rim of his teacup, and spoke slowly: "In ancient times, emperors feared ministers growing too powerful, dominating the court."

"If you can't rid yourself of Yu teacher, and can't control her, give her something to do—shift the core conflict, turn class struggle into internal strife, redirect attention."

Li Heng chuckled and said, "Master, you just reminded me of a saying."

Old Master Ba asked, "What saying?"

Li Heng grinned and said, "An elder in the house is a treasure—but you, old man, are a troublemaker."

Old Master Ba immediately gave him a sharp knock on the head, numbing his scalp.

Then Old Master Ba himself laughed and sighed, "I've never met Song Yu, but if you're still thinking of her, she must be extraordinary. If you get the chance, sneak her over for a meal."

I mentioned the Zhou girl only to give them something to do—to steer your focus back to real work. Writing is your life; great works are your foundation. Otherwise, among all these girls, only Xiao Han, Song Yu, and the Chen girl truly care about you."

Master, you forgot Mai Sui too.

But he only muttered this inwardly, knowing the old man was absolutely right.

If I hadn't been reborn and hadn't shown extraordinary talent in literature and music, I'd never have caught Yu Laoshi's attention.

But then again, this line of thinking is itself a fallacy—if you're not outstanding, why should anyone choose you?

If I were worthless, not just these top-tier beauties, but even Li Xian wouldn't have clung to me so eagerly from the first day of school.

Of course, when it comes to trust, the three women from my past life and Mai Sui are the ones I trust most and can't bear to let go of.

If a girl can withstand a year or two of testing, you might say she's good at pretending.

But if she can withstand a lifetime of testing, I'd trade my life for her.

Li Heng knew his master truly cared for him and was genuinely worried; he gave a solemn pledge: "Alright, I get it—I'll make writing my lifelong pursuit."

Hearing this, Old Master Ba nodded happily.

The master and disciple were deep in conversation when Xiao Linjie returned with Xiao Han, having bought groceries and prepared dinner.

The meal was especially lavish: half Shanghai-style dishes, half Hunan dishes with chili peppers. The four of them ate and chatted warmly.

At the table, Old Master Ba quietly observed Xiao Han's manners and behavior, more intently than before.

He concluded: though Xiao Han came from a small-town family, her conduct at such a young age was remarkably polished, her speech witty and wise.

This filled him with guilt—he regretted giving Li Heng that foolish idea. Had he not feared Yu Laoshi's dominance would drive away all the girls around him, and had he not worried the boy would be dragged into the chaos and lose focus on writing, he, an old man, would never have played the villain.

After dinner, night was falling.

Reluctantly, Li Heng bid farewell to Xiao Han and the father-daughter pair after a brief exchange and hurriedly left.

He personally saw them off to the shaded path outside the gate; only when Gong Min drove off in the Santana and they vanished down the road did Xiao Linjie ask Old Master Ba:

"At dinner, you kept watching Xiao Han?"

Old Master Ba asked, "You noticed?"

Xiao Linjie said, "I'm your daughter—I've been beside you for years. Of course I noticed."

Old Master Ba replied evasively, "What do you think of this girl?"

Xiao Linjie said, "She's sincere toward Young Master, beautiful and well-mannered—she'd make an excellent wife."

Old Master Ba nodded. "Too bad her family background is ordinary."

Xiao Linjie blinked. "When did you start judging people by family?"

Old Master Ba waved his hand. "I'm not judging by family—it's the objective truth. When family gaps are too wide, resistance is nearly impossible. Your Uncle Liao is a living example."

Xiao Linjie finally understood. "You're worried about Yu Laoshi?"

Old Master Ba clasped his hands behind his back and walked forward. "This one causes more trouble than the other. Peace won't return."

Xiao Linjie hurried after him. "I heard from Uncle Liao that the Huang girl…"

Old Master Ba cut her off. "Useless—you mean Huang Zhaoyi? She can't compete, and probably won't even try. Otherwise, she wouldn't be sneaking around."

"True. The age gap's too large. There's a natural disadvantage in their early relationship—it's hard to compete." Xiao Linjie murmured to herself.

Then she asked, "So what do we do? Honestly, I like Xiao Han."

Old Master Ba said, "Today I mentioned the Zhou girl to that rascally kid."

Xiao Linjie was startled. "Zhou Shihe, the one who came before?"

Old Master Ba said, "Yes."

Xiao Linjie was baffled. "You're stirring up trouble! One Yu Laoshi is already enough—now you're pushing Young Master to drag Zhou's daughter into this? They'll fight!"

"Hmph. Is it any less chaotic now? Count how many there are already. Trouble is trouble—whether it's five or six, adding one more doesn't change a thing. Sometimes, chasing rabbits while gathering grass brings unexpected results." Old Master Ba chuckled like a mischievous child.

Xiao Linjie sighed in exasperation, then thought carefully. "Your plan won't work. I've observed Zhou Shihe—she's outwardly gentle but inwardly firm. Even if Young Master were single, she wouldn't be easy to win over."

Besides, he's already entangled with so many women—she's not foolish enough to wade into this mess."

Old Master Ba pictured Zhou Shihe's face and had to admit: she truly deserved the saying, "This girl belongs only among the heavens." She might indeed be unattainable.

Old Master Ba said, "I was just speaking loosely. But if she does wade in, her disruption might even surpass Yu Laoshi's."

Xiao Linjie was speechless. "Then why are you giving Young Master reckless advice?"

Old Master Ba weighed his words: "Everything has two sides—risk and reward are balanced. This boy is already a handful. A strong figure giving him a sharp wake-up call might not be all bad."

"Besides…"

Xiao Linjie, hearing no continuation, pressed: "Besides what?"

Old Master Ba waved his sleeve and lifted his chin. "If he messes up, what's it to me? I'm nearly in the grave."

Xiao Linjie felt dizzy—she never expected her once-dignified father to act like a brat.

Clearly, Young Master's romantic entanglements had driven the old man to his wit's end.

Back inside, Old Master Ba asked, "Have you met Song Yu?"

"No."

Xiao Linjie asked, "Should I go meet her? I've been wanting to visit Jingcheng anyway."

"You can visit Jingcheng. But don't seek her out—when fate intends it, you'll meet. No need to rush." Old Master Ba finished and walked into his study.

…

Picking up Zhang Haiyan, the Santana sped on, leaving Xuhui, passing Jing'an, crossing Hongkou, and finally arriving at Lushan Village at just after eight.

"Thank you today. Happy New Year in advance," Li Heng said, unloading his luggage for Gong Min.

Gong Min gave her signature smile, nodded to Xiao Han, and drove off without delay.

Li Heng picked up the bags and said to Xiao Han and Zhang Haiyan, "It's windy and cold outside—let's hurry."

"Alright."

Xiao Han replied sweetly.

The two girls followed him closely to the end of the alley in Lushan Village.

At No. 27, the house glowed brightly, with occasional shouts from Sun Man and Ye Ning echoing inside.

Around it, Nos. 24, 25, and 26 were dark, doors and windows shut, silent and empty.

He pulled out his key and opened the courtyard gate.

As they walked in, Xiao Han paused to glance at the withered ginkgo tree: "Master, spring's coming after the New Year—remember to plant trees."

"Don't worry, I marked it on my calendar," Li Heng replied.

"A calendar won't do—it has to be in your heart. The heart's person, you know," Xiao Han said with a smile.

Li Heng said, "Fine, I'll listen to my wife—I'll tear up the calendar tonight."

At that moment, Zhang Haiyan chimed in with a joke: "Still planting? What if it dies again?"

"Jinx!"

"Jinx!"

Li Heng and Xiao Han spoke in unison.

Xiao Han turned back to gaze at the ginkgo tree, lost in thought: Haiyan's words weren't all a joke—the chance of another ginkgo dying was high. Maybe someone didn't want it to live?

Inside the house, Li Heng took a shower and told Xiao Han, "Wife, the bathroom's warm—go wash up. I'll go next door to tell them about leaving together tomorrow morning."

Pfft. "Tell them about leaving tomorrow"? Honey just wants to see those seductresses.

Xiao Han inwardly grumbled, but outwardly said with understanding, "Go ahead, don't mind me."

"Mm." Li Heng murmured and walked toward the bedroom door.

Xiao Han cleared her throat behind him. "Want me to shut the door after you?"

What did "shut the door after you" mean?

She was asking: Will you come back tonight?

Li Heng turned, threatening, "Wife, if you're this naughty, I'll give you the family punishment tonight—you won't make it onto the plane tomorrow."

Xiao Han stepped back two paces, pointing at the door with glee. "Then I'll lie on the doorframe—you can carry the doorframe on the plane tomorrow."

You've gone too far!

Li Heng lunged forward.

Xiao Han couldn't dodge—he pinned her to the bed. Her face fell; she clutched his mischievous hand, whimpering, "No, don't—you're hurting me. I haven't bathed yet—I'm filthy."

"My wife is the cleanest in the world—how filthy could you be?" Li Heng ignored her, his right hand slipping beneath her belly, tracing upward along her curves until he held the peak of the world in his palm.

The girl who had just wriggled like a shrimp now went limp, softer than glutinous rice dough, pleading pitifully: "Go ahead—show me how powerful my master is. I don't want to live anymore. Let Haiyan learn from outside the door."