Chapter 656

One question, one answer.

One stood half-turned at the stairwell entrance, the other sat on the sofa; they faced off, eyes blazing with thunder and lightning.

Their gazes were sharp, the atmosphere icy.

The two women were like needle against wheat awn—neither would yield.

Just as Li Heng was about to speak and ease the tension, footsteps echoed again from the stairwell.

The footsteps were chaotic, as if more than one person was coming.

Hearing the noise, Zhou Shihe glanced down from the stairwell entrance without hesitation, then spun around at top speed.

Under Li Heng and Song Yu’s watchful eyes, she slipped into the bathroom.

At the sink, Zhou Shihe turned on the tap, cupped two handfuls of water, and splashed it on her face, washing away the tear tracks from her eyes and cheeks; then she did the same to wipe the tears from her collarbone. Finally, she took down the towel she usually used for washing her face and washed her face once more.

After washing, she glanced at her damp collar, paused, then swept her long hair forward, using the tips to conceal the wet fabric.

Since the bathroom door was open, Li Heng saw every move Zhou’s girl made—and was momentarily stunned, wondering who could possibly be coming.

What could make Zhou Shihe react so strongly?

As time passed, the footsteps finally reached the second floor.

Li Heng squinted—wow! The visitors turned out to be Zhou’s mother and Teacher Yu.

Behind them followed Wei Xiaozhu.

No wonder.

So it was Zhou’s mother—no wonder Zhou Shihe had rushed to wash away the evidence of tears, afraid her mother would see.

If her mother had seen her crying, her relationship with Li Heng would’ve been exposed outright, and her hour-long standoff with Song Yu would’ve raised suspicions.

Zhou’s mother walked ahead, glancing around the living room but not spotting her daughter, then couldn’t help asking Li Heng: “Li Heng, isn’t Shihe here?”

Li Heng pointed to the bathroom. “She’s in there, Auntie.”

Zhou’s mother turned toward the bathroom just as her daughter stepped out.

Mother and daughter locked eyes—neither spoke.

Zhou’s mother studied her daughter closely for a long moment, then subtly glanced at Song Yu, then at Li Heng; finally, she said nothing, asked nothing, and warmly invited Li Heng and Song Yu: “Maning told me Li Heng and Shihe share the same birthday—today’s your twentieth, born on the same day, same month, same year—what a rare coincidence.

Dinner’s ready at home. Come eat with us; everyone’s already here, only the three of you haven’t come down, so I came with Teacher Yu to check.”

In truth, Zhou’s mother had been deeply puzzled after not seeing her daughter return for over an hour, but wisely said nothing, instead subtly bringing Teacher Yu along.

As for Wei Xiaozhu, she’d simply run into them in the courtyard downstairs and, out of concern, followed them up.

Li Heng had already promised Zhou’s daughter that he would attend the birthday dinner yesterday; now with such a perfect opportunity to go along with the flow, he naturally didn’t hesitate and agreed immediately.

After accepting Zhou’s mother’s invitation, he turned to Song Yu with a conciliatory tone: “It’s dinnertime—let’s not keep them waiting. Let’s go eat. I’ll cook at home later, make it lively for everyone.”

Song Yu smiled beautifully and rose with him: “Alright.”

No matter how much she and Zhou Shihe had clashed before, in public, Song Yu showed Li Heng full respect and gave him every ounce of face.

For a man, sometimes face matters more than life itself—and Song Yu would never drag him down or embarrass him in front of others.

Teacher Yu remained silent, glancing between Zhou Shihe and Song Yu, silently amused: Looks like Zhou Shihe’s met her match—just now, who won?

Unlike Teacher Yu, Wei Xiaozhu, hiding behind the crowd, worried deeply—for Shihe, and for Li Heng. As for Song Yu, she didn’t know her well and felt no emotional resonance.

But this was Wei Xiaozhu’s first time seeing Song Yu—and she was stunned: no wonder Bai Wanying said Song Yu and Shihe were evenly matched; she truly was breathtakingly beautiful.

Seeing Li Heng and Song Yu agree, Zhou’s mother cast another subtle glance at her daughter, then beamed and called everyone to follow as they headed downstairs.

One by one, the group descended.

Zhou Shihe walked last; Wei Xiaozhu waited for her.

Only after everyone had left Building 26 did Wei Xiaozhu find a chance to whisper: “What did you talk about? Why so long?”

“Just some family talk. I didn’t realize we stayed so long,” Zhou Shihe replied with a faint smile.

Wei Xiaozhu wanted to ask, “Are you okay?”—but the words died on her lips.

Wei Xiaozhu felt: from Shihe’s perspective, she and Wanying still didn’t know about her relationship with Li Heng, so it was better not to bring it up bluntly—it might embarrass Shihe.

After all.

After all, Li Heng’s fickleness was obvious: first Xiao Han, then Mai Sui, then Teacher Yu, and now Song Yu—the pinnacle of beauty. All this hinted that Shihe and Li Heng’s future was uncertain, full of variables.

Without Song Yu’s appearance, Wei Xiaozhu believed Shihe had a strong chance of winning in the end.

But today, Shihe and Song Yu had clashed for over an hour; though the details were unknown, the battle must’ve been brutal.

This indirectly showed Shihe had met a true rival—she couldn’t quickly defeat or drive off Song Yu.

Back at Building 27, Wei Xiaozhu met Bai Wanying’s gaze at the gate; after exchanging glances, Wei Xiaozhu shook her head.

Seeing Li Heng and Song Yu arrive together, Bai Wanying was surprised, then understood: probably Zhou’s mother’s doing—Li Heng still hadn’t given up on Shihe, and Shihe had lost today.

Bai Wanying deduced Shihe had lost for one simple reason: if she were Song Yu, and had come all this way only to lose to Zhou Shihe, she wouldn’t have shown up for the birthday dinner.

Even if Li Heng sided with Shihe, she’d have walked out immediately—too disgusted to watch the two of them flaunt their affection.

Still, even if Song Yu won, she likely only won because of favorable timing, terrain, and circumstance—and barely at that. Otherwise, Shihe would’ve returned sooner, and Li Heng wouldn’t dare bring Song Yu here so openly—that would be an open provocation.