Chapter 610: The Days We Were Together

Li Heng spoke slowly and calmly: “I can’t leave right now. I’ll come find you after a while.”

His reply was like celestial music; Huang Zhao Yi instantly became lively, as if a ray of sunlight had shone into her heart, warm and soothing.

In an instant, all her worries vanished. She sat upright and said: “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Li Heng asked with concern: “You’ve been taking medicine for so long—how do you feel now? Has your condition improved?”

Huang Zhao Yi replied: “My life has become more regular. I feel much more energetic than before.”

Li Heng felt considerably relieved: “That’s good. Put work on hold for now—delegate tasks to your subordinates. Your main task now is to restore your health. When the time is right, we’ll try together again.”

Try what exactly?

Of course—to have a child.

But he didn’t specify a date, and she didn’t ask.

He had already laid out his plans before; she had her own reckoning: with so many women, he couldn’t possibly give all his chances to her.

Huang Zhao Yi was a sensible woman; her first rule was never to cause him trouble.

Li Heng asked again: “Has your family been pressuring you lately?”

Huang Zhao Yi said: “It’s been okay.”

“Okay” meant there was pressure, but not excessive.

That was within the range both could accept.

The Huang family was a large household, and Huang Liu was the most beautiful woman among the Huang and Liu clans—if her parents didn’t care at all, that would be unnatural. A little questioning, but no heavy pressure, was perfectly reasonable.

Of course, mainly because Huang Zhao Yi rarely went home—her parents couldn’t meddle even if they wanted to.

After discussing their feelings, they talked a bit about work. Li Heng repeated his advice: rest more, take care of your health.

During the conversation, Huang Zhao Yi said: “By the way, I had a dream last night.”

Li Heng asked curiously: “What kind of dream?”

Huang Zhao Yi said: “I dreamed that Uncle Li and Aunt Tian came to see me.”

Li Heng asked: “What did they want?”

Huang Zhao Yi fell silent, unsure how to explain.

In the dream, Li Jianguo and Tian Rune had come to visit her—she was already pregnant, and she was kissing Li Heng on the sofa, caught red-handed by the two elders.

Li Heng guessed: “Caught in the act?”

Huang Zhao Yi blushed and nodded silently.

Li Heng asked: “Have you seen my parents recently?”

Huang Zhao Yi said: “No. But I’m going to Jingcheng tomorrow for a performance. Lanlan contacted me—she wants me to have dinner near Drum Tower.”

Li Heng mused: “Then go. But be careful with my second sister—she’s sharper than a monkey.”

Huang Zhao Yi had felt the same.

After more small talk, Li Heng brought up Li Ran.

He recounted the history of Li Ran’s feud with the Zhao family, then said: “Li Ran got off the train in Jinhua. If you have any connections there, try to find out about him. If not, don’t force it—he’s a cockroach that won’t die, tougher than a cockroach.”

Huang Zhao Yi committed his words to memory: “I have some contacts—I’ll ask around.”

“Alright, then. Oh, I’ve been on the phone with you too long—this convenience store owner is making a fortune.” Li Heng ended with a joke.

Huang Zhao Yi smiled, deeply satisfied—this was the longest phone call they’d ever had since they met.

In the past, he always said just a few words: “Where are you?” “I’m coming over.” That was it—two or three minutes at most, sometimes only ten seconds.

Today, Huang Zhao Yi checked her watch—it had lasted nineteen minutes.

For the first time, the call duration reached double digits.

It seemed to prove that she was gradually moving deeper into this man’s heart—even if still on the fringes, it was a good trend.

She felt deeply content.

She hung up the receiver. Li Heng placed nineteen yuan on the counter and turned to leave the convenience store.

The store owner hadn’t returned—he was probably still chatting with the female owner next door, forgetting the time. Oh! Men really are all the same—none of them are immune to lust.

A man without lust is a rare species—a protected animal indeed!

To his surprise, Chunhua Fenmian Shop had already closed.

Li Heng looked up at the second floor, then abandoned the idea of disturbing the couple.

Maybe that fool was busy kissing Liu Chunhua right now?

If he shouted out, what if they bit their tongues off? Wouldn’t that make them mute?

No! Absolutely not!

Coming up empty-handed, Li Heng turned back, dejected, and entered the school gate.

He had planned to stroll around campus, savoring some quiet moments—but then he remembered Zhou Shihe was alone at home, so he crushed all thoughts of lingering and headed straight for Lushan Village.

“Tap tap tap!”

He stood at the gate of Building 27 and knocked.

Soon after, the first-floor light turned on. A slender figure stepped out from inside.

She moved lightly, unhurried, taking nearly half a minute to cross the courtyard and open the gate.

Through the gate, their eyes met. She spoke: “There’s a phone call for you.”

Li Heng asked: “Who? Mai Sui?”

Zhou Shihe stepped aside to let him in: “Wang Ye.”

Li Heng was surprised. He stepped inside and asked: “Why would she call you?”

Zhou Shihe said: “She’s in Shanghai. She didn’t say anything else.”

Li Heng thought for a moment—he guessed Wang Ye was calling about Li Ran.

He closed the gate and returned upstairs. He dialed the Shanghai branch of Xin Weilai Training School.

The phone rang once. Wang Ye cut straight to the point: “Mr. Li, are you free tonight? I’d like to come see you.”

The way she phrased it—made one’s imagination run wild.

But Li Heng didn’t hesitate: “Sure. Drive slowly. Watch your safety on the road.”

Just two sentences. The call ended.

Zhou Shihe poured him a cup of hot tea and sat on a separate sofa beside him: “I’m not going home tomorrow.”

“Really?” Li Heng’s voice rose involuntarily.

Why?

His burning gaze had already revealed everything.

Unable to bear his intense emotion, Zhou Shihe subtly looked away, avoiding his eyes, and said calmly: “My mother will come tomorrow afternoon. Around ten at night, Suisui will arrive.”

She dropped two bombs at once—instantly dousing his desires.

Li Heng pursed his lips. The thought of Mai Sui arriving early filled his heart with renewed joy. He finished his tea with a smile.

Zhou Shihe noticed every subtle shift in his expression. She quietly rejoiced for her friend, yet felt an unspoken emotion within.

If she could, she wished this Singapore trip had never happened.

She wasn’t used to the window being shattered—this situation confused her, left her adrift.

But she understood: when things reach a certain point, this outcome was inevitable—today or tomorrow, it had to come.

Because this man showed no restraint. His feelings for her were as obvious as Sima Zhao’s ambition—both knew it well.

After he finished drinking, Zhou Shihe rose and poured him another cup. Then, from the bedroom, she brought out the manuscript of Chapter 27 and placed it before him. Softly, she asked: “Have you finished Chapter 28?”

Li Heng took the tea and joked: “In your eyes, am I only valuable for writing books?”

Zhou Shihe lowered her eyes, sitting quietly, staring at the tea in her cup, saying nothing.

He looked at her. She looked at the tea. The atmosphere grew strange. Neither spoke.

After a tense silence, Li Heng sighed inwardly, set down his cup, picked up the manuscript, and left.

Zhou Shihe didn’t move at first. Only when his figure was nearly gone from the stairwell did she glance at his back, almost imperceptibly.

Later, she slowly turned her cup, sipping two small sips.

More than ten minutes later, Li Heng returned from his shower, holding the manuscript pages of Chapter 28.

“Here!” He handed her the pages.

“Mm.”

Zhou Shihe murmured an acknowledgment, then added, “Thank you.”

The moment she took the manuscript, he became an afterthought. She ignored him entirely, instantly lost in the world of the book.

Li Heng sat across from her, watching her for a while. When a restless urge stirred in his blood, he finally looked away, stood up, and went outside to the rooftop to catch the wind.

This woman was too beautiful—like Song Yu, exactly the type that moved him most.

If he stayed in the living room, he feared he’d lose control again—and get slapped.

Today was the seventh day of the New Year. The night wind was strong, still chilly. As he stood there, his heated blood slowly cooled.

Zhou Shihe pretended to read, but kept glancing at him.

Since childhood, she had boundless confidence in her allure. In such solitude, prolonged proximity inevitably stirred his emotions—so she had no choice.

Fortunately, this man’s willpower was decent. He could restrain himself—and when restraint nearly failed, he chose to retreat to the rooftop. That gave her heart a quiet sense of relief.

She could have gone to her bedroom to read, but didn’t. That would only be a temporary fix—it might provoke his rebellion, making things worse.

Besides, she still had two and a half years of university left. They were neighbors, friends, musical partners—they’d keep seeing each other. Avoiding him wasn’t a solution. Better to face it openly from the start.

About twenty minutes passed. Zhou Shihe finished reading the manuscript, silently rereading it twice.

Just then, Li Heng, his hands and feet icy from the wind, couldn’t bear it anymore and came back in. Suddenly, he asked her: “Could you play a piano piece?”

Zhou Shihe slowly lifted her head and gazed at him.

Li Heng said: “I want to hear you play ‘Rain’s Mark’.”

Zhou Shihe seemed hesitant.

Li Heng seemed to understand her concerns, and promptly fell silent, turning toward the stairwell.

Zhou Shihe watched him leave in silence, her heart a tangle of emotions.

She knew he truly wanted to hear her play the piano.

But she feared that, mid-piece, he might betray his true feelings.

The scene in Singapore had struck her most deeply—because of “The Street Where the Wind Resides,” she had let her guard slip and revealed the deepest secret she never wanted anyone to know.

Fortunately, she had reacted quickly enough to regain control and avoid a public breakdown.

Back at Building 26, Li Heng wandered aimlessly, touring every room.

Finally, he sat in Mai Sui’s room, staring blankly at the nightstand.

After an indeterminate length of time, Zhou Shihe arrived, stopping at the threshold of the spare bedroom, silently watching him.

Suddenly, Li Heng spoke out of nowhere: “What are you thinking?”

Zhou Shihe replied gently: “If you care for Mai Sui so much, why don’t you marry her?”

Li Heng froze, then said softly: “Mai Sui is an excellent woman. Marrying her would be my great fortune. But… sigh…”

He sighed and said no more.

After a moment’s pause, Zhou Shihe asked: “Aren’t you reading or writing tonight?”

Li Heng answered without hesitation: “I’m too restless tonight.”

Zhou Shihe fell silent, then said after a long while: “Go to the music room.”

Li Heng was startled: “You’re not afraid of me anymore?”

Their eyes met. Zhou Shihe said nothing, but her gaze seemed to say: I am afraid—but I don’t want you to lose your focus on writing because of me.

Just as they stared at each other, Wang Ye arrived—the knock at the door below shattered the stillness.

Zhou Shihe was the first to snap out of it, turning toward the sofa.

Li Heng called after her: “Comrade Shihe, go to my study. I’ll talk with her on the sofa.”

Zhou Shihe stood frozen, glanced back at him, and softly said yes.

Opening the door, Li Heng invited Wang Ye in and poured her a cup of hot tea. “How big an impact did Li Ran’s departure have?”

Wang Ye knew what he meant: “Li Ran was only the deputy head of the Shanghai branch. Her sudden departure caused no fatal disruption—I’ve already calmed things down.”

She pulled a stack of documents from her bag and handed them to him: “Here’s the progress report from Wuhan and five other branches. Please review them, Boss.”

Concerned with the company—and his own finances—Li Heng took the documents without ceremony and began reading them carefully.

Wang Ye sipped her tea casually, her eyes scanning the living room. When she noticed light coming from the study, she wondered inwardly: Is there a woman inside?

If there is a woman—who could she be?

Would she be beautiful?

It’s only the seventh day of the new year; his many romantic interests should still be back home. Logically, none would return so soon.

But one of them might have followed him without notice.

For some reason, she felt a pang of envy toward that woman—free to linger in his space, alone with him.

Maybe even warm his bed at night.

Thinking of warming his bed, Wang Ye’s gaze returned to Li Heng. For a moment, her legs tightened unconsciously, and a strange sensation stirred within her.

She had imagined it before: if Mr. Li promised her a child, she would devote her entire life to his career.

After spending half an hour reviewing the documents, Li Heng said: “Good job. You’ve done well. But won’t the opening on the twelfth of the first lunar month be too early? Transportation is still inconvenient—some people haven’t even bought train tickets yet.”

Wang Ye replied: “Not too early. Compared to the lure of studying abroad, even if classes opened tomorrow, they’d find a way to arrive early. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have enrolled last year.”

That made sense. Li Heng nodded, returning the documents to her: “Then proceed as planned.”

He then asked: “Did Yang Ying spend the New Year with you?”

Wang Ye said: “Yes, Boss.”

Li Heng asked curiously: “What dishes did you have for the New Year’s Eve dinner?”

Wang Ye answered: “Yingwen made her hometown dishes—nothing fancy. Three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup.”

Li Heng asked: “How was Yingwen’s mood?”

Wang Ye asked: “Are you worried about her family?”

Li Heng was surprised: “You heard something?”

Wang Ye said: “During the holiday, Yingwen and I shared some personal matters.”

Li Heng asked: “What do you think of her not returning home for the New Year?”

Wang Ye replied: “If it were me, I wouldn’t go back either. That kind of father isn’t worth her respect.”

Li Heng asked this question seemingly out of idle curiosity, but in truth, he was probing her character to lay the groundwork for better future cooperation.

After all, Xin Weilai’s scale was growing daily—his most reliable golden goose—and its future potential was immense. He naturally had to pay close attention.

Li Heng smiled: “No wonder you two get along so well.”

As they talked, the subject turned to Li Ran.

Wang Ye spoke bluntly: “If Li Ran ever tries to come back, I will refuse her—on principle.”

Li Heng: “….”

He said: “I once promised Li Ran that Xin Weilai would always be her home.”

Wang Ye voiced her opinion: “Now, Xin Weilai’s management is mostly composed of professors from top universities. During the expansion of the six branches, they’ve demonstrated outstanding ability and remarkable results—all working together toward a brighter future.

Without rules, there can be no order. I don’t like Li Ran’s lax discipline.”

Li Heng was surprised—he had never expected Wang Ye, usually so easygoing, to react so strongly and decisively today.

He looked at her, his mind racing.

After a long silence, Wang Ye relented slightly: “If you truly don’t want to break your promise, then forget what I just said.”

With that, she set down her teacup, neatly arranged the documents, and rose to take her leave.

Li Heng personally saw her to the alley’s mouth.

As Wang Ye opened her car door, she half-turned and asked: “Mr. Li, who is the woman in your study tonight?”

Li Heng was confused: “Why are you asking that?”

Wang Ye said: “I was wondering—if I worked hard for five or ten years, could I earn even one chance to enter your study?”

This study was not that study.

Li Heng was instantly clear—she meant exactly what he thought. He didn’t hide it: “It’s Zhou Shihe.”

“So it’s her.” Wang Ye felt a pang of disappointment. She knew she could never become Zhou Shihe. She bent down, got into the car, and drove away.

Li Heng didn’t hurry home. He walked slowly through the alley, truly surprised—Wang Ye had such strong feelings against Li Ran?

But then he understood: Wang Ye was meticulous, precise, intolerant of sloppiness—just like Old Rags.

And Li Ran was naturally drawn to freedom and spontaneity. She’d even hit Zhao An’s mother and sister. She constantly sought men to satisfy her desires. You couldn’t expect her to behave properly.

As he entered the courtyard, Li Heng remembered his promise to his sly wife—to plant ginkgo trees.

By the solar calendar, today was February 12, 1989. Spring had already arrived over ten days ago, and Tree Planting Day was just a month away. It seemed time to start planning the ginkgo trees.

This time, he absolutely had to find planting guides at the library—otherwise, if the trees died halfway, he’d have no way to explain to Xiao Han.

He entered the house and went upstairs to the second floor.

Li Heng pushed open the study door and found it empty.