Chapter 680: All Plans Backfired, Terrifying

Everyone says plans can’t keep up with changes.

For dinner, Li Heng accompanied his father-in-law Xiao Hai for a few drinks; time dragged on and on until after eight before they finally broke up.

Wei Shiman had wanted Li Heng to stay overnight at her home, but remembering his sensitive status, she quashed the idea.

In the end, Huang Zhaoyi drove, Xiao Han sat in the front passenger seat, and Li Heng sat in the back; the three of them headed together toward Shangwan Village.

Watching the car vanish from sight, Wei Shiman sighed and said to Xiao Hai: “Old Xiao, do you know who Huang Zhaoyi really is?”

Xiao Hai lit a cigarette: “I’ve spent most of my life stuck in this small town—just say what you mean, no need to beat around the bush.”

Wei Shiman pulled her husband inside, shut the door, and lowered her voice: “My daughter told me Huang Zhaoyi is Li Heng’s mistress.”

With a soft click, the cigarette fell from Xiao Hai’s lips to the floor.

Wei Shiman continued: “Huang Zhaoyi’s background is beyond anything you or I could imagine…”

She then repeated word for word what her daughter had told her.

Xiao Hai was stunned, speechless; after a long while, he regained some composure: “Such a prestigious family—why would they let Li Heng have her as a mistress? Besides, she’s famous and her personal qualities aren’t any worse than our daughter’s.”

Wei Shiman pursed her lips: “I thought the same at first—maybe she’s just insecure.”

Xiao Hai frowned: “Where does that come from?”

Wei Shiman then recounted how Li Heng and Huang Zhaoyi had gotten together: “She was rejected by Li Heng many times before, and only got into his bed after her niece slipped him drugs. Add her age, and that’s the root of her insecurity. Otherwise, with her credentials, she’d never become Li Heng’s mistress—or ally with our daughter.”

Xiao Hai bent down to pick up the cigarette, rubbing the filter between his fingers, thinking long before speaking: “So… Hanchan really wants to marry Li Heng?”

Wei Shiman frowned: “You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

Xiao Hai sat heavily on the sofa: “Aren’t you aware there’s also Yu Shuheng? And Song Yu from Peking University? And Chen Zijin from the Chen family? Can Hanchan possibly outshine them?”

Xiao Hai was mainly referring to Yu Shuheng and Song Yu. He’d once casually brought vegetables to his daughter and happened to see Song Yu at Shaoshan No.1 High School—he’d immediately thought the girl was too beautiful, her aura like a celestial fairy.

Wei Shiman sat beside her husband: “Whether she can win or not, right now Li Heng only calls us Mom and Dad. No matter what happens later—whether she fights for him or steps back—we must stand firmly behind our daughter.”

Wei Shiman’s meaning was simple: her daughter was her life. Whether her daughter married Li Heng or was later abandoned in heartbreak, she would unswervingly support her, be her shield.

Xiao Hai nodded, re-lit his cigarette: “That’s true.”

In truth, which father wants to see his daughter with a womanizing rake? But since she loved him to the core, he had no choice but to set aside his pride and support her.

…

The former town was ten li from Shangwan Village; driving slowly at night and with Huang Zhaoyi unfamiliar with the mountain roads, it took sixteen full minutes to arrive home.

Li Heng had wanted to take over driving, but seeing Huang Zhaoyi’s serious expression, he gave up and instead kept offering reminders from the back seat.

As soon as the car entered Shangwan Village, they spotted Li Jianguo and Tian Rune waiting at the village entrance; seeing the blinding headlights, the couple hurried over on foot.

Xiao Han reacted fastest—before the car even stopped, she rolled down the window and smiled: “Uncle, Auntie Tian.”

After saying it, she mentally slapped herself: still too shy—couldn’t bring herself to say “Mom and Dad.” How did that honey manage to say it so smoothly?

Tian Rune had already accepted Xiao Han as her daughter-in-law; she warmly took her hand: “Hanchan, you’re here too.”

Li Jianguo stood behind his wife and smiled at Xiao Han.

Then Li Heng and Huang Zhaoyi got out of the car.

The couple ignored their son, staring dumbfounded at Huang Zhaoyi—how could the great Qingyi be here at this hour?

Huang Zhaoyi’s every gesture carried an innate elegance; she explained: “I’m friends with Hanchan, and we’re neighbors. I just happened to be driving by and gave them a lift home.”

The elderly couple knew how powerful the Huang family was; without further thought, they immediately invited: “It’s dark now—come inside for a bit. Have you eaten dinner?”

Huang Zhaoyi showed perfect tact, glancing at Xiao Han for her to respond, deliberately not stealing the spotlight.

Xiao Han understood: “Auntie Tian, don’t worry—we’ve already eaten.”

Standing silently on the sidelines until their conversation wound down, Li Heng finally spoke up: “Mom, I’ve been standing here this whole time—haven’t you even asked if I’m your son?”

Tian Rune waved her hand, pulling Xiao Han toward the car: “I’m chatting with my daughter-in-law—none of your business. Go away.”

Li Heng: “...”

Huang Zhaoyi had never seen Tian Rune like this—she found it novel and returned to the driver’s seat.

Seeing this, Li Heng and Li Jianguo exchanged glances and got in the car too.

This time, Li Jianguo sat in the front passenger seat, while Li Heng sat in the back beside Xiao Han.

Tian Rune asked: “Why are you back so late?”

Li Heng replied: “You’re asking that? You’ve been to Shanghai before—it’s far. If Huang Jie hadn’t driven us, we might not have made it back tonight.”

Tian Rune shot him a playful glare: “I didn’t ask you—I’m talking to Hanchan.”

Xiao Han smiled sweetly, wondering where her honey had offended his future mother-in-law.

Li Heng was speechless, thinking hard but unable to figure out why his mother had suddenly changed.

At the crossroads, Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi had planned to leave, but Tian Rune refused outright, insisting the mountain roads were unsafe at night and insisting the two girls stay.

Xiao Han felt no psychological burden; she chatted naturally with Tian Rune and sat down on the sofa.

Huang Zhaoyi glanced subtly at Li Heng; seeing him nod, she finally relaxed.

Li Jianguo poured tea for everyone, then headed to the kitchen to prepare late-night snacks.

Li Heng didn’t stop him—he went to take a shower. Half an hour later, he carried gifts to his elder sister’s house and slipped a large red envelope to the child.

His sister asked: “Brother, when did you get back?”

Li Heng replied: “Just got back a little while ago.”

Her husband wasn’t home—he worked as a carpenter in Xiaoshajiang, and since the mountain roads were dozens of li long, he returned only once a week.

His sister had wanted to come over to visit, but upon seeing Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi—the two stunning beauties—she changed her mind on the spot, hugged her child, and dashed back to her in-laws’ home. So fast, so forceful, Li Heng couldn’t even grab her.

Fine, let her go.

His sister had little education and little exposure to the world; she was most afraid of meeting glamorous city people, always fearing they’d bring shame to her family and her brother, so she usually chose to avoid them.

Hearing the noise at the door, Tian Rune stepped out and asked: “Was that your elder sister just now?”

Li Heng replied: “Yes—she ran off the moment she saw Xiao Han and Huang Zhaoyi. Couldn’t stop her no matter what.”

Tian Rune knew her eldest daughter’s nature; she whispered: “Forget it. She’d feel uncomfortable here anyway. Better to stay home and look after the child.”

Before her son could reply, Tian Rune pressed: “When is Yu Shuheng coming?”

Li Heng answered: “She’s arriving in Shaoyang on July 1st, but we might stay there a day or two—there are still some matters to settle.”

Tian Rune frowned: “What matters? You don’t have any business there. Is it that high school English teacher?”

Li Heng asked: “Mom, do you really not trust your own son?”

Tian Rune said nothing, only spat on the ground—though no saliva came out, she still rubbed her shoe sole over the spot.

Li Heng: “...”

Tian Rune pressed: “Is it that English teacher, Wang Runwen?”

Li Heng countered: “Why ask that?”

Tian Rune said: “Never mind why—just answer: is it her?”

Li Heng dodged: “Do you really think I’d be stupid enough to flirt with another woman right in front of Yu Shuheng? Besides, she’s my teacher.”

Tian Rune replied: “Isn’t Shuheng your teacher too?”

Li Heng answered: “She’s resigned now.”

Tian Rune’s brow furrowed deeper: “She really resigned? When?”

Li Heng nodded: “During the Dragon Boat Festival.”

Tian Rune paced back and forth, then sighed anxiously: “If she’s resigned, you can’t refuse her anymore. What if she gets pregnant early? What will you do? Will you dare ignore her and not marry her?”

In truth, Tian Rune didn’t oppose bringing Yu Shuheng into the family. But considering Li Heng’s complicated web of relationships—especially the already-recognized Xiao Han and Chen Zijin, plus the half-ripe wheat, and the woman he most wanted to marry, Song Yu—she knew it wouldn’t be simple.

Li Heng said: “I’ll handle this myself. Don’t worry.”

Tian Rune stopped pacing: “Really?”

Li Heng replied: “I’m confident. And Yu Shuheng is very reasonable—nothing like the domineering, pushy woman you imagine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be living so peacefully now.”

Recalling her interactions with Yu Shuheng, Tian Rune’s tense mood gradually eased; then she asked: “Is Hanchan really friends and neighbors with Huang Zhaoyi?”

Li Heng nodded: “Yes, we’re neighbors. You’ve been to our new home on Wukang Road—Huang Zhaoyi lives right next door.”

“Is that so?” Tian Rune was skeptical, but seeing Xiao Han still inside, she didn’t press further.

The mother and son chatted about other trivial matters; just before going inside, Tian Rune couldn’t help asking again: “You really have nothing to do with Wang Runwen? I’ve seen her—her figure? Any man would want to bite into her. Could you really resist?”

Li Heng rolled his eyes: “I’m your precious son—what do you take me for?”

Tian Rune said: “According to books, you’re called a charming genius; in harsher terms, you’re just another Chen Shimei.”

Li Heng’s lip twitched: “What’s going on? Why are you so hard on me today?”

Tian Rune fell silent, then sighed: “Thinking about coming back to help you care for other women, your father and I felt terrible toward Zijin. On the way back from Beijing, we kept thinking about it.”

Now it was Li Heng’s turn to be speechless; after a long pause, he said: “When I have time, I’ll go spend special time with Zijin.”

Tian Rune looked at her son, then went inside.

The late-night snack was simple—just a few home-style dishes, mostly wild game. Li Jianguo invited: “Since you’ve already eaten, have some wine.”

He then asked Xiao Han: “Hanchan, do you prefer sweet wine or strong liquor?”

Xiao Han smiled sweetly: “Uncle, sweet wine.”

Li Jianguo ladled her a bowl of egg-drop sweet wine, then asked Huang Zhaoyi: “And you? I remember you can drink—have a little strong liquor?”

Huang Zhaoyi placed her bowl forward without hesitation: “Fine, I’ll have a little with Auntie Tian.”

Li Heng drank strong liquor too, closing the door, playing the role of mere companion.

But as they drank, Li Heng poured half a bowl of strong liquor for his future wife. Xiao Han stared at the liquor in her bowl, finally gave her honey a glare, then drank it.

The result was predictable—half a bowl of strong liquor, and Xiao Han passed out cold.

After Li Heng carried Xiao Han upstairs to her bedroom, Tian Yuan pulled him outside and scolded: “Why let Hanchan drink so much?”

Li Heng thought for a moment, then said: “I need to tell you and Dad something.”

Tian Run’e’s heart skipped: “What’s going on? Are you trying to get Hanhan drunk?”

Li Heng didn’t speak right away; instead, he led his mother downstairs and waited again.

After waiting a long while, Tian Run’e grew impatient, stood up, paced back and forth in the room, and asked: “Has something big happened?”

Next to her, Li Jianguo smoked quietly, his patience far greater than his wife’s.

Li Heng glanced at his watch, then toward the bathroom, “Just wait a bit longer. Wait until Huang Zhaoyi comes out.”

At this, Tian Run’e froze in place and exchanged a look with her husband; both old folks’ eyes were filled with suspicion and bewilderment.

Another four or five minutes passed, and the bathroom door opened—Huang Zhaoyi stepped out, her hair and body freshly washed.

To be fair, Huang Zhaoyi, with her faint brows like autumn water, looked stunning now—radiant, poised, and moving with effortless grace, making Tian Run’e’s eyes light up.

Li Jianguo glanced once and looked away, afraid his wife would jot it down in her little notebook and later settle accounts. He’d endured Zhao Jing’s nagging his whole life—he was truly terrified.

Seeing the family of three sitting silently in the living room, Huang Zhaoyi, still drying her hair with a towel, paused, then asked: “Aunt Tian, haven’t you gone to bed yet?”

Tian Run’e smiled: “Little Man said he had something to say, and we’re waiting for you.”

Hearing this, Huang Zhaoyi’s heart suddenly pounded hard; she turned shyly toward Li Heng.

Li Heng waved her over, then patted the chair beside him.

Tian Run’e and Li Jianguo stared in shock—what was their son doing? Asking Huang Zhaoyi to sit beside him?

But Huang Zhaoyi’s next move stunned the old couple.

She hesitated, then, under their watchful eyes, actually walked over to Li Heng’s side, sat down beside him—though nervous, she behaved with quiet obedience.

Tian Run’e was dumbfounded. The Huang Zhaoyi in her eyes was the famed Peking Opera performer, a member of the Huang family—when had she ever obeyed her son so obediently?

Li Jianguo was equally stunned; the cigarette butt burned his fingers and he didn’t even notice. He kept glancing between his son and the lead actress, his mind barely functioning.

With Huang Zhaoyi’s sitting down, the entire room fell into deathly silence.

The four of them stared at each other, no one speaking for the moment.

As the atmosphere grew heavier, Huang Zhaoyi’s palms began to sweat unconsciously—this was the first time in her life her emotions had spiraled out of control.

Just as the air in the room seemed about to freeze into ice, Li Heng spoke.

He said to Huang Zhaoyi: “Call them Mom and Dad.”

Those three simple words nearly made Huang Zhaoyi’s heart leap out of her chest—but thanks to her noble upbringing and experience with all kinds of occasions, she steadied herself, then turned to Tian Run’e and said: “Mom.”

After calling her Mom, she looked toward Li Jianguo: “Dad.”

No sooner had the words “Mom” and “Dad” left her lips than a thud echoed—the sound of someone collapsing.

Li Heng and Huang Zhaoyi turned to see Tian Run’e, dizzy and reeling, had fallen to the floor, eyes wide open, staring as if she refused to die.

Li Heng leapt up instantly and rushed over to help his mother.

Huang Zhaoyi stood and moved to the other side of the future mother-in-law, crouching down to assist.

Li Jianguo was violently shaken by the word “Dad”; it took him a long time to recover—he was the last to react.

But Tian Run’e ignored her son entirely, swatting his hand away, turning to Huang Zhaoyi: “Zhaoyi, what did you just call me?”

Huang Zhaoyi, who had always been proud in public, blushed for the first time in her life—but cleverly replied again: “Mom.”

Tian Run’e, dazed, didn’t respond. She lay half-sitting on the floor, eyes locked on Huang Zhaoyi’s face, her expression shifting rapidly—truly spectacular.

They remained frozen for half a minute, then Tian Run’e moved her lips and asked her husband: “Jianguo, did you hear that? Zhaoyi just called me Mom.”

Li Jianguo felt no better than his wife; he forced out a weak smile and nodded.

With her husband’s confirmation, she knew it wasn’t a hallucination—Tian Run’e swung her fist and punched Li Heng, but though the motion looked fierce, the blow was light as a tickle.

Tian Run’e punched him and scolded: “Did you bully Zhaoyi?”

Li Heng’s eyelid twitched as he watched his mother’s dramatic performance.

But the guilty Huang Zhaoyi quickly interrupted: “Aunt Tian… Mom, don’t blame him—it was my idea to be with him.”

Hearing this, Tian Run’e turned her head again to look at Huang Zhaoyi.

Li Jianguo also stared at the lead actress.

Huang Zhaoyi said: “I’ve admired Li Heng for a long time. We ended up together by chance.”

Tian Run’e kicked her husband.

Li Jianguo reached out and pulled his wife up.

Tian Run’e didn’t care about her untidy posture—she sat down quickly and asked: “Admired? When did you two even connect?”

Huang Zhaoyi replied: “Two years ago, we started exchanging letters.”

Tian Run’e blurted: “So early? Back then he was still a high school student!”

Huang Zhaoyi flushed, unsure how to respond.

Li Heng interjected: “She was my reader. After reading ‘To Live,’ she started writing to me. At the time, she didn’t know I was a high school student—she thought I was a young writer.”

“Oh, so that’s how it was.”

Tian Run’e suddenly understood, then pressed on: “So you two knew each other long ago—and in Beijing, you were just putting on a show for me?”

Facing her future mother-in-law’s accusation, Huang Zhaoyi wished she could dig a hole and crawl into the ground.

Li Heng said: “We were just afraid you’d worry.”

Tian Run’e shot her son a furious glare, then took one or two minutes to calm herself. When she spoke again, her demeanor had recovered—she was composed, rational, no longer stunned.

Tian Run’e reached out her right hand, drew Huang Zhaoyi close, and asked in the gentlest tone: “Tell me—how far have you gone?”

Afraid Huang Zhaoyi would be embarrassed, Li Heng cut in: “Mom, that’s a stupid question. If she’s already calling you Mom, then obviously everything that should’ve happened has happened.”

Tian Run’e glanced at her son, then at the solemn Li Jianguo, fell silent for a moment, then said: “Zhaoyi, you’ve been treated unfairly. I never thought that bastard would even lay a hand on you.

When I left the theater, I told Jianguo, ‘With your beauty and your Peking Opera talent, who on earth will be lucky enough to marry you?’ I never imagined you’d end up in our Li family—as my daughter-in-law.”

With that, Tian Run’e held Huang Zhaoyi’s hand, leaned forward, and asked with utmost seriousness: “Are you truly willing to be with this scoundrel?”

Huang Zhaoyi nodded: “Mom, I am.”

Tian Run’e asked: “Do you know how many women he’s been with? I’m afraid you’ll be unable to accept it if you find out.”

Huang Zhaoyi nodded, silently acknowledging.

Having laid out the worst truth and seeing Huang Zhaoyi’s sincerity, Tian Run’e finally exhaled a long, deep breath—and instantly changed her expression, smiling warmly: