Chapter 687

Heat oil to fragrance ginger, garlic, dried chili, star anise, cinnamon, and other spices, then add the river snails and stir-fry over high heat, drizzling with cooking wine and light soy sauce for seasoning.

Then pour in beer and simmer for 15 minutes.

Finally, add a handful of soul-stirring perilla leaves for fragrance.

Li Heng noticed that the seasonings in the Mai family were all produced by the McCormick company, so he asked Mai's mother an extra question: "Auntie, how are these seasonings? Are they good to use?"

Upon hearing this, Mai Sui, Zhou Shihe, and Sun Manning all looked at the light soy sauce in his hand.

Mai Sui and Sun Manning didn't have much reaction, but Zhou Shihe was thoughtful.

Mai's mother replied: "This was recommended to us by an old friend who runs a restaurant. They said it's a newly released seasoning and it's very good to use. We've been using it and it's indeed quite good, very nice."

Li Heng asked: "Is McCormick's reputation big around here?"

Mai's mother told him: "Big, very big. You can walk around the county town and the city at will; you can see the company's advertisements and signs everywhere. Every few days, someone comes to hold promotional activities, buying things and giving away eggs, aluminum basins, and the like. It's very popular."

These tricks were all taught by Li Heng to Huang Zhaoyi. He didn't expect the Big Green-Clad Lady to have such strong execution and such good results.

Sun Manning took the light soy sauce to take a closer look and asked him: "Hey, that's not right, Big Rich Man, why are you so concerned about the McCormick company?"

Mai Sui and Mai's mother were also puzzled.

Zhou Shihe withdrew her gaze and quietly turned the pages of the book in her hand. She had basically confirmed now that this was the company opened by Huang Zhaoyi.

Ever since Zhou's mother learned that her daughter had fallen in love with Li Heng, and ever since she learned that her daughter had personally said she had kissed Li Heng, after returning to Yu Hang, she did one thing, and then entrusted someone to quietly investigate Li Heng's background.

You don't know until you check, and you're scared once you check!

Quietly, the young Li Heng actually had so many women outside. Unexpectedly, besides the apple of the Yu family's eye, even the famous young daughter of the Huang family had fallen into his love trap. It was said that she had also opened a seasoning company in Xiangnan.

After obtaining the investigation data, Zhou's mother didn't make it public, nor did she tell her husband or family. After a night of careful consideration and weighing, she finally called her daughter and told her Li Heng's deeds from beginning to end.

In the process, Zhou's mother spoke based on facts, without any exaggeration, nor did she add her own subjective wishes.

By doing this, she wanted to hear her daughter's true feelings and thoughts.

To her surprise, her daughter's performance was very calm, without any signs of anger, which made Zhou's mother finally unable to help but ask: "Shihe, aren't you surprised at all?"

Zhou Shihe said: "He was already a playboy; it just increased from 3 to 7."

Zhou's mother realized and asked: "Did you already know?"

Zhou Shihe gave a light "um", "Yes, he confessed to me."

Zhou's mother frowned, "You accept it so generously?"

Zhou Shihe said calmly: "I was angry at the time. Every time he had one more woman, I slapped him."

Zhou's mother asked: "What was his reaction?"

Zhou Shihe said: "He didn't fight back."

Zhou's mother asked: "Then how do you plan to handle it?"

Zhou Shihe pondered for a long time, and finally asked: "Mom, I have a question for you."

Zhou's mother said: "Go ahead."

Zhou Shihe looked out the window, gazing into the distance: "Is it good or bad for a man to be such a playboy?"

Zhou's mother said: "It depends on the person."

Zhou Shihe remained silent and waited for the rest.

Zhou's mother drank some tea and said while sitting on the sofa: "If this man has no ability, being a playboy is the original sin; at best, the couple's relationship breaks down, and at worst, the family is destroyed.

Since ancient times, illicit affairs have led to deaths; to some extent, it is linked to being a playboy.

But if this man is very capable and doesn't destroy other people's families, then being a playboy is at most a lack of private virtue, which doesn't affect his status in other people's hearts. As long as he doesn't bring women from outside home, many people will choose to turn a blind eye."

Zhou Shihe asked without joy or sorrow: "What about scholars?"

Zhou's mother spoke objectively: "For scholars, as long as they have works and have been recognized by society, others will at most gossip when they hear rumors of them being playboys.

If his works have a high reputation, have conquered the vast majority of people, and have the huge potential to leave a name in history, then his being a playboy is a romantic story to others. Others will envy him when they hear it and say he is dashing and romantic."

Zhou Shihe asked: "In Mom's heart, which category does Li Heng fall into?"

Zhou's mother picked up the teacup, drank two small sips, and said unhurriedly: "In the literary world, he is among the top tier. But he is too young and needs an important literary award to shut the mouths of the public."

Zhou Shihe asked: "Many literary critics outside say that the next Mao Dun Literature Prize will definitely have a place for him. What does Mom think?"

Zhou's mother pondered for a while, and said later: "I support this view."

Zhou Shihe said: "There are leaders in the Writers Association who don't like his works, especially 'White Deer Plain'."

Zhou's mother laughed: "Not to mention other forces. Just the fact that his teacher is Mr. Ba, if others want to snipe him, they have to weigh their own weight first."

Zhou Shihe was not disturbed by her mother's laughter and asked abruptly: "If he becomes the son-in-law of the Zhou family, can Mom accept it?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou's mother stopped laughing.

After a long, long time, Zhou's mother said: "You still haven't given up?"

Zhou Shihe said: "The premise is that he must marry me home."

Zhou's mother reminded: "Judging from the tracks on the Dragon Boat Festival, your current status in his heart is not as good as that Song Yu. Yu Shuheng hasn't exerted her strength yet, and the Huang family's young daughter is also a powerful competitor. And that Xiao Han, I guess she isn't as simple as she looks; she is Li Heng's official girlfriend on the surface now."

Zhou Shihe said: "Huang Zhaoyi is excluded."

Zhou's mother was surprised: "The reason is?"

Zhou Shihe hesitated for ten seconds, and finally told the story of Li Heng and Huang Zhaoyi being together.

Zhou's mother asked: "Drugged? Can the daughter of the Liu family do such a thing?"

Zhou Shihe didn't make a sound.

Zhou's mother asked: "Did Li Heng say it himself?"

Zhou Shihe gave an "um".

Zhou's mother pondered in her mind for a while, and then asked: "Are you serious?"

Zhou Shihe said quietly: "I don't know either."

Zhou's mother asked: "How so?"

Her mother was a very enlightened person. Regarding the major matter of marriage, Zhou Shihe didn't choose to hide it: "We are in a cooling-off period now. If he can move me again in the future, I will consider marrying him."

Zhou's mother asked: "Cooling-off period? The women around him are all stunning, especially that Song Yu. Do you have full confidence that he will still pester you in the future?"

Zhou Shihe replied gently: "Isn't it what Mom wants most to see if he doesn't come to pester me?"

Zhou's mother didn't deny it. Subjectively, she didn't want such an excellent daughter to marry Li Heng, but she wouldn't say it explicitly and would respect her daughter.

At this point, mother and daughter fell into silence across the phone.

After a full four or five minutes, Zhou's mother, who had finished half a cup of tea, put down the cup and said slowly: "Since you were small, you have never let your father and me down. Mom believes in you, believes in my daughter's charm, and wishes you success."

Zhou Shihe's cherry mouth opened slightly, wanting to say thank you to her mother, but in the end, she didn't say it.

Facing Sun Manning's question, Li Heng kept her in suspense: "Let's keep it a secret for now; you'll know later."

"Cut! If you don't want to say it, don't say it; I don't care." Sun Manning pouted.

Dinner was cooked by Li Heng himself. Besides the spicy snails, he also stir-fried 5 meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and one soup.

Mai Dong returned from Shaodong County, bringing back several boxes of beer. As soon as he entered the door, he shouted to Li Heng: "The spicy snails you made are really fragrant; I smelled them while I was outside the house. Nothing to do tonight, drink some beer?"

Li Heng didn't refuse and said with a smile: "Okay, then I'll accompany Uncle for a drink."

Everyone took their seats. Mai's mother was the first to eat the spicy snails. She didn't know how to suck this stuff and failed several times, but it didn't affect her love for eating them at all. She picked out more than 10 snail meats with a toothpick and put them in her mouth. Finally, she praised: "The perilla leaves inside are amazing. If you use this skill to open a shop, you'll definitely have a full house of returning customers."

Sun Manning's mouth and hands were covered in red oil, and her head nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, "I agree, I agree, super delicious! Li Heng, you're kind, why didn't you make this good stuff earlier? Hiding it like a big girl, it's not right."

Mai Sui's mouth was very capable. Under Li Heng's guidance, she quickly mastered the knack of eating spicy snails with her mouth.

Zhou Shihe didn't talk to Li Heng throughout the whole process, just "ding", a snail shell fell onto the table, "ding", another snail shell fell onto the table. Not long after, a small mountain was piled up in front of her.

During this period, seeing Li Heng's gaze cast over, Miss Zhou paused. Later, she swept all the snail shells on the table into the trash can, and then started eating other dishes. When someone's attention was focused on drinking with Mai Sui and Mai Dong, she quietly turned to the spicy snails again. "Ding", "ding", snail shells fell one after another. But this time it wasn't on the table, but directly into the trash can under the table.

After a few bottles of beer, Li Heng drank some shochu under Mai Dong's bewitchment.

Well, drinking this mixed, he soon became a bit drunk. Finally, how did he eat two big bowls of rice? How did he return to the room to rest? He was a bit confused.

Fortunately, he didn't drink himself to death, and a trace of clarity remained in his consciousness.

Li Heng lay on the bed, Mai Sui was taking care of him nearby. She was wiping his hands and feet with a towel and asked with concern: "Are you thirsty? Do you want to drink some water?"

Li Heng asked vaguely: "Who is singing outside? Why is it so ugly?"

Mai Sui smiled charmingly and explained: "It's Manning. Her throat is hoarse from the spice, and she's also drunk, dancing and singing in the bedroom, acting drunk. Shihe is taking care of her."

Li Heng gazed at her, a bit infatuated, and stared at her for a full four or five minutes.

Mai Sui felt his lingering affection, and her right hand rested on his left cheek unconsciously, stroking slowly. At this moment, her eyes were full of tenderness.

Li Heng squinted his eyes, very much enjoying it. In the past, he liked to stroke her face, but today it changed, changing to Mai Sui stroking him.

The two looked at each other, the bedroom was silent, and both invisibly entered their emotional world.

At one moment, Li Heng mumbled, "Kiss your husband."

Mai Sui surprisingly didn't resist. After staring at him steadily for a while, she actually leaned down slowly and, in the man's expectation, pecked him.

Then pecked him again mischievously.

Then pecked him again with a smile.

By the 5th peck, her mouth was accurately bitten by Li Heng. After looking at each other, the two kissed together.

I don't know when, Mai Dong came to the second floor, carrying two bowls of hangover soup.

From far away, he heard Sun Manning screaming and yelling. Mai Dong smiled, feeling that this girl was truly genuine and quite interesting.

Amidst the singing, Mai Dong walked toward the bedroom where Li Heng was. At this time, the door was ajar, and he pushed it with his hand, pushing it open a crack.

Just as Mai Dong was about to speak, just as he was about to push the door open a little more, he was suddenly stunned!

He was dumbfounded!

He was petrified!

Mai Dong was stunned on the spot.

Guess what he saw? He actually saw Suibao kissing Li Heng.

At this time, his daughter was sitting at the head of the bed, leaning forward and half-lying on Li Heng; Li Heng was lying on the bed, reaching out to hug his daughter's waist. The two were very engaged, very self-forgetful, very intoxicated.

As someone who had been through it, Mai Dong could naturally distinguish that the two's intimate movements were particularly familiar. It looked like it wasn't the first time they had done this.

At the same time, Mai Dong could be sure that his daughter was voluntary.

Because the expression on his daughter's face couldn't be faked.

Mai Dong stood outside the door like a wooden goose for a while, then realized it, closed the door again with the lightest movement, and left the second floor on tiptoe.

Walking to the corner of the stairs, Mai Dong felt relieved for no reason, then drank the two bowls of hangover soup into his stomach, then patted his slightly full belly with his hand, and quickened his pace to the first floor.

Seeing her husband come down so quickly, Mai's mother, who was just about to go upstairs, couldn't help but ask: "Why so fast?"

Mai Dong said: "Drinking a bowl of hangover soup, how long could it take?"

Mai's mother asked: "How is Li Heng?"

Mai Dong said: "He's sleeping with his eyes closed after drinking, almost asleep."

Mai's mother nodded upon hearing this, then continued to walk toward the stairs.

Mai Dong stopped her and asked: "What are you going up for?"

Mai's mother said: "Manning has been singing, I'm worried about her, I'll go check."

At this moment, Mai Dong's heart was already a mess, but he still managed to squeeze out a smile, shook his head and said: "They are all young people, young people have their own world.

Especially that girl Zhou Shihe, she comes from an extraordinary background. It's so late, she might not like being disturbed. Didn't you see me come down immediately after delivering the hangover soup?"

Hearing her husband's nagging, Mai's mother also felt it made sense. She had experienced the state of mind and happiness of young people, and it was indeed as her husband said, they didn't like adults meddling.

Mai's mother said: "Then I'll go take a shower first, you pay attention downstairs, don't go visiting, Li Heng is drunk, it's not safe without a man at home."

Mai's mother was a careful person, and usually wouldn't let her daughter be home alone.

The reason was very simple, her daughter was too beautiful, too charming, and was a college student, very conspicuous in this countryside, so her guard had always been relatively high.

Not to mention that there was a fairy-like Zhou Shihe at home now, Mai's mother dared not relax even more.

Mai Dong nodded and agreed.

In fact, regarding the safety of Zhou Shihe going to the countryside, Zhou's mother had long ago sent people to protect her in secret, but being low-key and hiding were their professional skills, and it was difficult for ordinary people to discover.

However, Mai Dong still noticed it, but kept his mouth shut and pretended not to know.

His wife entered the bathroom, while Mai Dong slumped in a chair, took out a pack of cigarettes, mechanically stuffed one into his mouth, lit it with a lighter, and started puffing away.

One cigarette.

Two cigarettes.

Three cigarettes.

In one breath, he smoked six or seven cigarettes, Mai Dong didn't even stop.

Because he had already become a piece of wood, a stone sculpture, sitting foolishly, his mind full of the image of his daughter lying on Li Heng kissing.

This matter had a huge impact on him!

Bigger than when his old father passed away.

After all, his old father was also a person in his 70s, and no one could escape birth, aging, sickness, and death. It wasn't a short life, so it was a happy funeral. Although he was sad, he was mentally prepared early on.

And his only precious daughter kissing Li Heng, and so actively kissing Li Heng, this mental impact was devastating!

Extremely destructive!

In the past, he was very proud. He always felt that no man in Shao Yang could match his daughter, and no one could compare to his daughter, until he met Song Yu and Xiao Han, until Li Heng appeared.

But besides these three, no one could still match or compare to his daughter.

Not to mention that Li Heng had always been unclear with Xiao Han and Song Yu, and the relationship was complex. Therefore, he was very relieved and didn't associate Li Heng with his daughter.

After all, his daughter and Song Yu had a very good relationship, often writing letters and calling each other. As a father, he would never imagine that his daughter would fight with her best friend over a man.

After all, Li Heng already had human beauties like Xiao Han and Song Yu. Whoever it was would be satisfied, right? Where would he have extra thoughts to provoke other women?

After all, there was still a Zhou Shihe. This was another existence that could completely compare to Song Yu. Taking a step back, even if Li Heng wanted to provoke other women, the first one should be the Zhou family girl.

Therefore, no matter how he calculated or thought, he felt his daughter was safe.

Okay, okay! Before this, Mai Dong had a heart of a child and had never doubted the relationship between Li Heng and his daughter, trusted the friendship between the two classmates, and trusted his daughter very much.

But it was this trust that was broken today!

His worldview was also destroyed along with it.

But a man's instinct, an old father's instinct, still guarded his daughter without hesitation, protecting his daughter's privacy, and guarding the secret in the depths of his daughter's heart that she didn't want to be discovered. This was the reason why he drank the two bowls of hangover soup at the corner of the stairs.

Drinking Li Heng's bowl of hangover soup was because he didn't want his wife to disturb his daughter and discover his daughter's affair with Li Heng.

Drinking Sun Manning's bowl of hangover soup was to provide cover, not letting the four people upstairs know that he had been up there tonight, and not letting his wife go upstairs.

Mai Dong knew his wife's temperament very well, sparing words like gold, not talking much, not liking to bring up old accounts. After tonight, she would definitely not mention such a small matter as hangover soup again.