Chapter 691

End of call, Li Heng sat for a while longer, then went downstairs to find something to eat—at a restaurant.

After eating his fill, he drove to Yuelu District and Tianxin District to inspect the four properties Big Blue Robe had bought for him.

This time, he planned to hand over all four properties to Song Yu.

On the 19th, Li Heng began preparing gifts for the Song family, spending a full day gathering presents for aunts, uncles, and distant relatives.

At 11 a.m. on the 20th, his female assistant Li Fang arrived by car and drove him to the South Bus Station entrance.

As soon as he got in, Li Fang said: “Mr. Li, I spoke with my boss—she won’t be returning to Changsha anytime soon. She told you not to wait for her.”

Li Heng asked: “What happened in her family?”

Li Fang replied: “The boss didn’t say.”

Li Heng nodded, closed his eyes to rest, and asked no more.

Not long after, the car reached the South Station; as he was about to get out, Li Heng told the assistant: “Tell your boss I might go to Beijing by end of August—otherwise, I won’t return to Changsha.”

Li Fang responded: “Understood.”

Just as he arrived at the meeting spot with bags in hand, Sun Manning bounced out from the left, immediately complaining: “Rich Uncle Li, why are you so late? I’ve been waiting nearly an hour!”

Li Heng blinked in surprise: “I left late on purpose to avoid making you wait. How’d you get here so early? When did you leave Shaoshan?”

Sun Manning pouted: “We left before dawn. If you hadn’t shown up, I might’ve been kidnapped.”

Li Heng sized her up seriously and nodded: “That figure’s good for childbearing—definitely at risk of being snatched.”

“Fuck! You jinx! If I really get bagged and sold off to some brute to bear kids, you’ll cry yourself to death!” Sun Manning cursed, yet kept helping him carry the bags.

Li Heng had no retort this time.

He asked: “Are you hungry?”

Sun Manning replied: “My uterus is starving to death.”

Li Heng was speechless: “There are people everywhere—can’t you speak like a proper young lady?”

“Pfft!”

Sun Manning rolled her eyes, pulled her baseball cap lower: “We’re wearing sunglasses and hats—what are you afraid of? Such a coward.”

Grumbling, she marched into a restaurant and ordered four dishes and three chilled beers in one breath.

After placing the order, she smirked: “You’ve got money—you’re paying.”

Li Heng rolled his eyes: “By your logic, I’ll always be paying.”

Sun Manning argued: “Not necessarily—I might strike it rich someday, become the richest person on Earth.”

Li Heng said: “That’s less likely than the Yangtze River drying up.”

Sun Manning fumed: “You old bastard, underestimating me? Fine! When I finish eating, I’ll drink the Yangtze dry.”

Seeing her spiraling into nonsense, Li Heng changed the subject: “When are Mai Sui and Shihe’s flights?”

Sun Manning said: “1:30 p.m.”

Li Heng asked: “Why didn’t you go to Yuhang with them?”

Sun Manning replied: “Didn’t I promise you and Song Yu? I can’t break my word.”

Li Heng said: “You could’ve broken it this time.”

Sun Manning widened her eyes: “Do you find me annoying?”

Li Heng smiled: “Not annoying exactly. But given how powerful Shihe’s family is, logically, the closer you are to her, the better for your future.”

Sun Manning glanced around, lowered her voice: “Look, you’re thinking like an outsider. No matter how powerful Shihe’s family is, she’ll marry someday—and she’ll be your wife. If I cling to you, isn’t that the same as clinging to her?

Besides, beside your leg are Teacher Yu, Song Yu, and plenty more—you think I’m stupid? I’m sharp as a tack.”

Li Heng gave her a thumbs-up, thoroughly convinced.

After lunch, the two easily found the bus to Yueyang and boarded.

Their seats were in the back row; luckily, the bus departed shortly after.

Sun Manning admired the street scenery for a while, then suddenly asked: “Hey, why didn’t you have that woman drive us straight to Dongting Lake?”

The woman she meant was Li Fang.

Li Heng asked: “You noticed?”

Sun Manning poked her eye: “I’m not blind.”

Li Heng said: “She has her own matters. I didn’t ask. Besides, taking the bus isn’t bad—it’s like a little vacation.”

Sun Manning shot him a side-eye, stretched lazily, and whispered: “Hey, man, how big are my boobs?”

Li Heng replied calmly: “Go away.”

Sun Manning laughed, then said: “I woke up too early—I’m napping. Wake me when we get there.”

Li Heng teased: “Sleep on. When you wake up, you’ll find yourself surrounded by giant men.”

Sun Manning crossed her legs, slumped into her seat: “No problem—I’ll give them a whole volleyball team.”

The fool actually fell asleep. Li Heng enjoyed rare peace, spending the ride thinking about the New Future Training School and Wang Runwen.

Around 5 p.m., he shook awake Sun Manning, still snoring: “Maning, we’re here.”

“Huh?” Sun Manning jolted awake: “Really?”

Li Heng pointed to the front-left entrance of a small county bus station: “Remember that camphor tree? Last year we met Song Yu under it. They’re already here.”

Sun Manning followed his gaze and shouted loudly: “Song Yu! Song Yu! We’re here!”

Her voice was loud—Song Yu, Song Shuyu, and Song Shi turned to look.

But the bus didn’t stop—it drove straight into the station.

Seeing this, Song Yu and the others followed inside.

As soon as the bus halted, Sun Manning leapt out and rushed over to hug Song Yu: “Ha! Finally! Listen, your husband bullied me on the way—make him pay later.”

Song Yu showed little reaction to “husband,” smiling: “How did he bully you?”

Sun Manning exaggerated: “He said he’d sell me to some giant men to bear kids!”

Li Heng wanted to kick this fool, but smiled and called out to Song Shi and Song Shuyu: “Uncle, Auntie, sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Song Shi smiled, helped load the gifts into the Santana’s trunk: “We just got here. You two must’ve been tired riding the bus.”

Song Shuyu asked: “Li Heng, are you hungry?”

Li Heng replied: “We ate lunch before boarding.”

After placing all the gifts in the trunk, Li Heng turned to Song Yu.

Their eyes met; both smiled, then got in together.

Song Shuyu drove; Song Shi sat in the front passenger seat.

Li Heng, Song Yu, and Sun Manning sat in the back.

Sun Manning muttered: “Ugh, I’m in the wrong place. Just pretend I’m invisible.”

Song Shuyu chuckled, glancing back at Sun Manning.

Song Shi stared straight ahead, silent. He recalled his wife’s words from last night.

Just as they got into bed, Jiang Yue said: “Lao Song, I need to tell you something.”

Song Shi asked: “What?”

Jiang Yue said: “Li Heng will come in two days and stay a month. You and Shuyu should pick him up at the county bus station.”

Song Shi was stunned: “Your attitude changed so fast—I’m not used to it.”

Jiang Yue sighed helplessly and recounted her conversation with their daughter: “I asked your daughter seriously—she’s determined to marry Li Heng.”

Hearing this, Song Shi fell silent for a long time, then spoke slowly: “Alright. Tomorrow I’ll call Xiao Mei to drive back.”