Chapter 648: Two Women Break the Ice, Arrive

The second major event before the Dragon Boat Festival was that Liu An died.

Or rather, Liu An was found barely alive in a narrow alley near Wujiaochang, and later succumbed in the hospital despite efforts to save him.

According to rumors from the hospital, Liu An suffered terribly—so terribly that it was a weakened version of the final fate of Qi Lady.

After the incident, police, based on Liu An’s injuries, immediately suspected Li Guoyi—but could find no physical evidence at the scene.

Where was Li Guoyi at this moment?

He was in his dorm, smoking and playing cards with Zhou Zhangming, Li Guang, Hu Ping, Zhang Bing, and Tang Daoling, laughing, cursing, and acting exactly as usual.

Watching Li Guoyi lose hand after hand, having lost over twenty yuan in a row, Zhou Zhangming advised: “Old Li, your luck’s terrible today—stop playing. If you keep losing, even we winners will feel embarrassed.”

In the past, Li Guoyi would never listen—he’d shout he’d fight to the end.

But today, Li Guoyi was different. He checked his watch, then laid down his cards. “Zhou Ge is right. These cards can’t be played anymore.”

He pulled out a pack of premium Zhonghua cigarettes, opened it, and told the guys: “Too bad Heng Da isn’t here to share this last smoke with me.”

The guys in the dorm froze.

Li Guang, ever impulsive, asked: “What last smoke? Are you quitting smoking? Damn it—I’m telling you, Old Li, you can’t quit.”

Li Guoyi grinned, showing his teeth. “Coward! Who said I’m quitting? I’m going to heaven. Hey, they say there are lots of beauties there.”

Zhang Bing, Zhou Zhangming, Hu Ping, and Tang Daoling exchanged glances.

Finally, Hu Ping frowned and said: “Old Li, stop talking nonsense. Don’t casually use the word ‘heaven.’”

“Hehehe, Hu Ge is right—I just have a loose tongue. Here, these Zhonghua are special—I bought them just for you guys. Try them.” Li Guoyi handed out cigarettes to each of them.

Everyone sensed Li Guoyi was acting strangely today, but they didn’t refuse—they took the cigarettes and gathered in a circle to smoke.

Halfway through the smoke, as if sensing his end was near, Li Guoyi suddenly stood up, picked up a stack of books from his bedside, took hold of Water Margin, stared at it for a moment, then tossed it into the trash: “I’m still too soft. I can’t be as decisive as Song Jiang or Yang Xiong. This damn book isn’t worth reading.”

Then he picked up the Criminal Law, glanced at it, and tossed it aside, shaking his head: “Wasted effort! Total waste!”

Finally, Li Guoyi held four or five Buddhist sutras, running his fingers over each one, then chuckled: “Hehe, brothers, when you all get rich and powerful someday, remember to burn me a few beauties.”

As the guys were still confused, the dorm door suddenly opened. A school official entered, followed by counselor Liu Jia, then a group of police officers.

Among them was a pregnant woman.

Upon seeing Li Guoyi, the police immediately surrounded him.

The lead officer pointed at Li Guoyi and asked the pregnant woman: “Is this him?”

The woman hesitantly studied Li Guoyi, then nodded frantically, stepping back two paces, trembling and stammering: “I-I-it’s him!”

Li Guoyi offered no resistance. Before being taken away, he tilted his head toward the woman and winked: “You’re a woman of great fortune. Raise your child well.”

He hadn’t studied Criminal Law for nothing—he’d covered his tracks perfectly. The police found not a single piece of physical evidence at the scene.

No physical evidence, but through interviews they found one witness—the only one—the pregnant woman.

At the time, Li Guoyi had noticed the woman’s sudden appearance. When he approached her, she froze, sat helplessly on the ground, shaking uncontrollably, eyes full of tears, too terrified to even beg for mercy.

But Li Guoyi simply stood before her for a moment, then let her go. He thought of Leyao—she had once aborted his child. That was his greatest regret. So, in his most violent moment, he stopped himself—he wouldn’t harm the innocent.

When Li Guoyi was taken away, the guys in Dorm 325 were stunned.

Hu Ping asked counselor Liu Jia: “Teacher, what crime did Old Li commit?”

The counselor replied: “This has nothing to do with you. Just focus on your studies.”

The school official and counselor comforted them briefly, then left.

The dorm fell into silence. Five grown men stood frozen in the center, unable to speak for a long time.

Later, Zhou Zhangming picked up the Criminal Law and Water Margin from the trash, and suddenly felt a chill: “Old Li… Old Li didn’t… do something to Liu An, did he?”

Hearing this, Zhang Bing, Tang Daoling, Li Guang, and Hu Ping all shuddered.

The next second, Tang Daoling bolted for the door: “I’m going to check the Law School dorm—see if Liu An’s there!”

“I’ll go with you,” Hu Ping said, chasing after him.

Once Tang Daoling and Hu Ping left, Zhang Bing whispered: “Actually, Old Li had good hands today—he drew many strong cards. But he kept breaking them up. He was letting us win.”

Because there wasn’t enough room and Zhang Bing was frugal with every yuan, he didn’t play—he just watched.

So he saw every single card Li Guoyi held. At first he couldn’t understand it, but now it was clear: Old Li never intended to win.

Zhou Zhangming finally got it: “No wonder he lost so much—I always thought Old Li’s card skills couldn’t be that bad.”

Once something happens, it can’t be hidden—especially when a living person like Liu An vanishes forever. Soon, the shocking news spread.

When Wei Xiaozhu heard the news, she was having dinner in her dorm with Dai Qing—the two had just returned from outside.

When Liu Yanling rushed in breathlessly to tell them, there was a loud crash—Wei Xiaozhu turned deathly pale, dropping her bowl and chopsticks to the floor.

Dai Qing and Liu Yanling both asked anxiously: “Xiaozhu, are you okay?”

Wei Xiaozhu took a long time to come back to herself, Mianqiang said: “I’m fine.”

For the next two hours, Wei Xiaozhu stood by the window like a statue, staring at the horizon, saying nothing.

Dai Qing silently stayed beside her.

Liu Yanling cleaned up, then joined them.

Worried about Xiaozhu, Sun Ye, Zhao Meng, Cai Yuanyuan, and Wei Sisi gradually returned from all corners of campus to Dorm 107.

Seeing their worried faces, their gentle inquiries, their efforts to distract her, Wei Xiaozhu was deeply moved. After a moment, she forced a smile: “I want to take a walk. Who’ll come with me?”

The girls exchanged glances, then all eyes turned to Dai Qing.

They all felt Wei Xiaozhu’s words were clearly meant for Dai Qing.

Indeed, Dai Qing and Wei Xiaozhu were the closest in the dorm—since freshman year, inseparable, like sisters.

No, their bond was even deeper than that of sisters.

Outside the No. 12 female dormitory, Dai Qing asked: “Where do you want to walk?”

Wei Xiaozhu said: “Yanyuan. I want to sit with my aunt.”

Dai Qing guessed and followed her toward Yanyuan.

But unfortunately, Wei Xiaoquan wasn’t home—instead, they met Bai Wanying on the first floor, who was folding paper cranes by the window.

As they passed the window, Dai Qing leaned in and asked: “Wanying, why are you packing up today?”

Startled by her name being called, Bai Wanying, lost in folding, shuddered, then turned to see Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing at the window. “You’re here! Come in, sit down. I’m folding cranes for Li Guoyi.”

Wei Xiaozhu stepped inside: “You heard too?”

Bai Wanying, calmer than anyone else, kept folding as she gestured for them to pour tea: “Whether I heard or not doesn’t matter. When I noticed Li Guoyi had been visiting Jing’an Temple frequently this past month, I knew this day was coming. I just didn’t expect it so soon—I thought it’d be summer vacation.”

Hearing this, Dai Qing suddenly recalled a recent bus ride: Li Heng, herself, and Li Guoyi had all been on board. She’d asked Li Guoyi several questions about burning incense then—but he’d just laughed it off, so she hadn’t taken it seriously.

Recalling the past, Dai Qing asked Bai Wanying: “You really saw this coming?”

“Not seeing—it was just a woman’s intuition.”

Bai Wanying voiced her thoughts: “Li Guoyi always acts carefree, treating everyone with indifference, looking down on them. I never believed he’d believe in Buddhism—unless he planned to do something terrible and sought inner comfort.”

Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing said nothing, staring fixedly at Bai Wanying.

Bai Wanying looked up at them: “Do you think I’m heartless? Knowing Li Guoyi was going to do something bad, yet doing nothing to stop him?”

Before either could answer, Bai Wanying continued: “When he helped out at the braised meat shop, I warned him openly and subtly many times—but to no avail.

In truth, it was all destined.

Given Li Guoyi’s nature, none of us could have stopped him. And I couldn’t have tied him up or restricted his freedom based on some vague woman’s intuition—that would’ve been me breaking the law.”

Wei Xiaozhu asked: “What are these cranes for?”

Bai Wanying said: “Just now, I dozed off by the window and dreamed of Li Guoyi. He was wearing funeral robes, standing by the window, asking me to fold a jar of cranes for him—he said his life was utterly wicked, and in his next life, he wanted to be good.”

Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing looked at each other, silent.

After a long while, Dai Qing asked: “You had this dream in broad daylight? Aren’t you afraid?”

Bai Wanying said: “I heard he let the pregnant woman go. I believe he won’t harm me.”

Hearing this, Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing sat at the desk, and the three women folded paper cranes together.

The glass jar was small—a tangerine jam jar. With three of them, they filled it quickly.

Wei Xiaozhu asked: “What will you do with them?”

“Them” referred to the paper cranes.

Bai Wanying said: “Burn them for him on his seventh day.”

The words felt heavy; the three women felt their breath grow tight.

After a long pause, Wei Xiaozhu stood up: “Let’s leave this room—it’s too stuffy. Let’s go for a walk.”

Bai Wanying said: “Good—I want to go to Lushan Village. Push me there.”

The girls were very close, so Bai Wanying spoke plainly—no hidden meanings.

Wei Xiaozhu asked: “Are you going to see Li Heng?”

Bai Wanying nodded: “I heard he has a telescope. I really want to gaze at the vast universe tonight—so I won’t be haunted by so many useless thoughts.”

It made sense. Facing the infinite universe, Earth was just a speck of sand, humans mere dust. Contemplating this, one sometimes realized that human joys and sorrows were nothing at all.

…

The third event: Yu Shuheng encountered Huang Zhaoyi at a high-end boutique in the bustling city center.

At this moment, Yu Shuheng had just stepped inside.

Huang Zhaoyi was checking out, preparing to leave.

And they happened to bump into each other.

Yu Shuheng glanced at the belt in Huang Zhaoyi’s hand and immediately understood: the woman was buying a birthday gift for Li Heng.

Yu Shuheng had also come to buy a birthday gift. But seeing the belt in Huang Zhaoyi’s hand, she instantly lost all interest in purchasing anything in this store.

Yu Shuheng asked: “Do you have a moment?”

Huang Zhaoyi was surprised—she’d assumed they’d simply pass by, never expecting Yu to speak up. She replied: “Yes.”

Yu Shuheng extended an invitation: “Want to sit at the café across the street?”

Huang Zhaoyi said: “Sorry, I don’t like coffee.”

Yu Shuheng’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at her, not believing for a second that Huang Zhaoyi disliked coffee.

Because when Liu Bei had secretly investigated Yangpu’s new apartment, she’d found many coffee beans and a set of coffee-grinding tools inside.

From this, it could be inferred that Huang Zhaoyi not only loved coffee, but also had deep knowledge and refined tastes about it.

Facing Yu Shuheng’s powerful aura, Huang Zhaoyi wasn’t the least intimidated; as she walked toward the door, she said: “I know you love tea—I know a good teahouse nearby.”

Yu Shuheng smiled and followed her.

Then Huang Zhaoyi drove a Santana, while Yu Shuheng drove a Mercedes, one ahead of the other, arriving at an old-street teahouse.

Inside the teahouse, they ordered a pot of Biluochun and sat across from each other at a table.

Yu Shuheng asked curiously, “You seem to really like that Santana?”

She knew Huang Zhaoyi owned Siwu cars, yet the woman often drove the Santana.

“Mm.”

Huang Zhaoyi murmured, “The car itself isn’t great, but it means a lot to me.”

Hearing “means a lot,” Yu Shuheng recalled what Li Heng had once told her: that his relationship with Huang Zhaoyi had been forced, the result of Liu Yue drugging him.

Could it have happened in that Santana outside?

Yu Shuheng asked: “Did Li Heng like riding in that car?”

Huang Zhaoyi hesitated a moment, then answered: “It was fine—he didn’t care which car, but he was more interested in my body.”

Hearing this, Yu Shuheng realized the other woman had misunderstood—she thought Yu Shuheng wasn’t asking about the car, but whether Li Heng liked being with her.

The previously calm atmosphere instantly turned tense, thick with hostility.

Yu Shuheng dropped all pretense: “I heard you once desperately pursued him to no avail—only succeeded because Liu Yue drugged him?”

Huang Zhaoyi didn’t answer, but asked: “Have you slept with him?”

Yu Shuheng cradled her teacup in both hands: “What are you getting at?”

Huang Zhaoyi said: “He’s been inside me more than ten times, but Liu Yue only drugged him once.”

The meaning was simple: the drug could only account for one encounter; the rest couldn’t be explained by drugging. The only explanation was that Li Heng had grown fond of her body.

So whether or not he’d been drugged no longer mattered—the outcome was what she wanted.

Yu Shuheng smiled faintly: “I have a habit with food—I like to eat the worst first, saving the best for last, savoring it slowly.”

In other words: Li Heng was just eating the worst to whet his appetite—the best hadn’t even been touched yet. Once he tasted the best, he’d naturally lose interest in the worst.

Huang Zhaoyi had just launched a direct attack; Yu Shuheng immediately countered with equal ferocity, her words ruthless.

Huang Zhaoyi said: “I can’t agree with your eating style—I’ve never eaten anything inferior in my life. Every bite has been the best.”

Though Huang Zhaoyi appeared weak and timid before Li Heng, she was still a Huang family daughter—the most beautiful woman among the Huang and Liu clans within three generations—surrounded by so many accolades, how could she possibly be an easy target?

The only reason Huang Zhaoyi bowed and submitted before Li Heng was one: she loved him utterly, to the marrow of her bones. Because of her illegitimate status and age difference, she was plagued by insecurity.

Needle against wheat stalk!

Both women, raised in elite families, carried their own pride. As long as they didn’t tear each other apart, they were polite, harmonious, each pretending the other was fine.

But once the mask slipped, no courtesy remained—neither would yield an inch in public.

Yu Shuheng sipped her tea gracefully, speaking slowly: “Li Heng is truly a rare man—not just you want him, many women do. Have you ever wondered why Liu Yue drugged him on the eve of her departure abroad? Was it truly just to help you?”

Huang Zhaoyi asked: “What are you implying?”

Yu Shuheng said: “You know exactly what I mean. Li Heng’s body is strong, his abilities impressive—letting you have a taste won’t hurt. But you’d better keep an eye on Liu Yue—don’t let any scandal happen in your Huang household.”

Huang Zhaoyi opened her mouth to retort, but stopped. She wasn’t foolish—she’d also questioned Liu Yue’s motives.

She’d even thought more than once: if Liu Yue hadn’t called her that day, what would Liu Yue have done?

The answer was obvious: Liu Yue would almost certainly have slept with Li Heng.

The private room fell silent; both women lost themselves in thought.

After a long while, Huang Zhaoyi asked: “Did you come to me today just for this?”

Yu Shuheng said: “Yes, and no.”

Huang Zhaoyi stared at her.

Yu Shuheng spoke slowly: “You bought a villa on Wukang Road, next door to Xiao Han—are you betting everything on Xiao Han?”

Huang Zhaoyi grew angry: “Are you investigating me again?”

The word “again” didn’t just reopen old wounds—it ripped them wider.

Yu Shuheng shook her head, utterly candid: “I did investigate you before, but I pulled my people midway. Still, that was my fault.”

As for the Wukang Road villa—it was coincidence. I happened to like your house and wanted to buy it, but didn’t know the owner was you.”

Huang Zhaoyi strangely believed her. Though rivals and enemies, both women had pride—they did what they did, and wouldn’t lie.

Huang Zhaoyi calmed slightly and asked: “Are you targeting Old Master Ba? Or Xiao Han? Or both?”

Li Heng was Old Master Ba’s final disciple, closely connected to him; becoming his neighbor would bring great advantages.

Yu Shuheng spoke vaguely: “I once promised him I wouldn’t play tricks on his beauties—on the condition that his beauties follow the rules.”

Huang Zhaoyi stared into her eyes, understanding the rest of Yu Shuheng’s intent.

A deathly gaze. Yu Shuheng didn’t flinch, returning the stare silently.

In an instant, Huang Zhaoyi sneered: “If I were a few years younger, you’d never dare say that to me—I’d tear your mouth apart.”

With that, she slammed her teacup onto the table, snatched her bag, and stood to leave.

Watching her retreating back, the spilled tea across the table, Yu Shuheng remained utterly calm—as if she’d expected it all.

She calmly finished her tea, placed a bill on the table, and walked out.

Today, Yu Shuheng sought out Huang Zhaoyi for two reasons:

First, to remind Huang Zhaoyi to keep a tight watch on Liu Yue—now and in the future, never let down her guard.

Clearly, Huang Zhaoyi had taken this to heart.

Second, through the Wukang Road villa, Yu Shuheng saw Huang Zhaoyi’s true intentions—betting everything on Xiao Han. This was extremely disadvantageous to her.

And to Li Heng as well.

In Yu Shuheng’s world: Li Heng’s playfulness was a fact, impossible to change. Since it couldn’t be changed, she would quietly follow behind him, protecting him.

So she opposed Huang Zhaoyi supporting Xiao Han and disrupting the current balance—it would confuse Li Heng, scatter his focus, and inflict immeasurable damage on his golden creative period.

Of course, this was all from Yu Shuheng’s perspective.

She didn’t know Li Heng was reborn.

She didn’t know he could write effortlessly.

She didn’t know Xiao Han was his Qianshi ’s lawful wife.

She simply thought Xiao Han wasn’t as trustworthy as Maisui, and simply refused to let anyone distract him during his peak creative years.

If Huang Zhaoyi had abandoned her dignity, submitting utterly to Li Heng, accommodating him in every way—this was ultimate love.

Then Yu Shuheng, even at the cost of offending Huang Zhaoyi, insisted on giving him a peaceful environment—wasn’t that another kind of ultimate love?

…

On the other side, Lushan Village.

When Wei Xiaozhu and Dai Qing pushed Bai Wanying to the end of the alley, No. 26 was locked—Li Heng wasn’t home.

After hearing the news about Lü Guoyi’s trouble, Li Heng rushed straight to Dorm 325 to investigate.

When he learned Lü Guoyi had willingly gone with the police, he abandoned his plans to go to Sun’s principal’s house.

Because it was clear: Lü Guoyi didn’t resist, and there were witnesses—he had committed the crime involving Liu An, and had openly admitted it.

Tang Daoling and Hu Ping returned from the law school dorm.

Upon entering, Tang Daoling rasped: “I want to drink tonight—who’s with me?”

The roommates exchanged glances, silent, then all left the dorm together, walking somberly toward Lao Li Restaurant.

Throughout dinner, no one spoke loudly, no one talked about pretty girls or told dirty jokes—only drinking, one glass after another.

By the end, everyone was nearly drunk.

At that moment, Zhang Bing flipped his cup upside down on the table and sighed: “I’m the eldest in this dorm—six or seven years older than you all. It’s my fault I didn’t watch over Lü Guoyi… Ah…”

As he spoke, Zhang Bing shed tears.

Tang Daoling, the most loyal among them, also cried.

The others said nothing, hearts heavy.

Even if Lü Guoyi wasn’t a good man, he’d lived with them for two years.

No one remembered how the drinking ended—everyone was thoroughly drunk. The strong drank baijiu, the weak drank beer; finally, the six men stumbled back to Fudan University, supporting each other.

At the campus gate, Zhou Zhang asked: “Lao Heng, are you going back to the dorm tonight—or to Lushan Village?”

Li Heng rubbed his throbbing temples: “I have something to do tomorrow morning—I need to prepare tonight. It’s late already. I’ll go back to Lushan Village. After this busy stretch, I’ll move back to the dorm for a while.”

Returning to the dorm for a while had been the group’s request over drinks—he’d agreed.

Zhang Bing and the other four said nothing, walking him personally to the mouth of Lushan’s alley, watching him enter before turning back.

Step by step, he reached the alley’s end, dazed, looking up at the women on the upper floor.

At that moment, Sun Manning, Wei Xiaozhu, Dai Qing, and Bai Wanying were all on the upper floor of No. 26—chatting, adjusting telescopes.

Sun Manning spotted him first, leaning over the railing and grinning: “Hey! Li Heng, where’d you go? So many beauties at home—you off chasing other girls again?”

Li Heng rolled his eyes, slurring: “Stop nagging—come down and open the door.”

“Oh oh!” Sun Manning chirped, sprinting down to open it.

Opening the gate, Sun Manning sniffed: “How much did you drink? Smells like a distillery.”

[201] Li Heng replied: “Ten beers.”

Sun Man walked around him once, then realized: “Drinking with the people in your dorm? Because of Li Yi?”

Li Heng said yes.

Hearing this, Sun Man stopped teasing him and quickly reached out to support him.

Li Heng turned his head to glance at her, dazed: “Don’t get so close.”

Sun Man leaned close to his ear and asked: “Is it because I’m too much for you, making your heart race?”

Li Heng rolled his eyes again—he was truly worn out by this girl.