[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-1987-my-era":3,"chapter-1987-my-era-1987-my-era-chapter-81":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","1987: My Era",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2259241,4409,"Chapter 81: No Death, No Trouble; Heaven Aids Us (Request Subscription)","1987-my-era-chapter-81",81,"\u003Cp>Third period of evening self-study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Homeroom teacher Wang Qi stood at the podium, spittle flying as she repeatedly emphasized the importance of tomorrow’s first college entrance exam simulation, urging everyone to take it seriously and carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Midway through, Song Yu suddenly passed him a note.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The note contained only three words: Congratulations!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The message came out of nowhere, but Li Heng understood at once—his beautiful desk partner was congratulating him on the huge success of his novel *Alive*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng felt pleased; after all, this girl rarely took the initiative. He picked up his pen and wrote: Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu took the note, paused for two seconds, and asked: How’s Zijin? Is she doing well?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng wrote: It’s been a week since I called her. Why are you only asking now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu replied: I saw you immersed in joy these past few days, so I didn’t want to disturb you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some things were understood without being spoken; Li Heng didn’t hide it: I told her about my writing. The Chen family probably knows now. Her condition should improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu genuinely rejoiced for her friend. After a moment’s hesitation, she wrote: Now that the hardship has ended and happiness has arrived, and Zijin holds such pure feelings for you, you must cherish her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Got it. At this point, Li Heng understood everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he not understand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This girl was clearly using the opportunity to reject him—aiming to crush any hopes he might harbor toward her before they even took root.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reread it twice, sighed, yet felt no deep disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could win her over so easily, she wouldn’t be Song Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in his past life, she had rejected his marriage proposal twice. Even though she cried while refusing him and held him tightly in self-blame, wasn’t her heart as unyielding as a rock?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made no reply, crumpled the note, and tossed it into his desk, then opened his Chinese textbook and quietly reviewed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Li Heng showed no obvious emotional disturbance, Song Yu quietly exhaled in relief and pulled out a math test, beginning to solve problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as evening third period ended, Zhang Zhiyong sprinted from the back of the classroom to his side:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Boss Heng! You said you’d cover my monthly allowance—still on for it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng looked up: “You spent all your money already?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong grimaced: “Don’t even ask. This afternoon, Zou Ai and I climbed the wall to buy braised pork and spicy sea cucumber. On the way back, someone stole my cash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it! My pants are torn open this big—I can’t even wear them anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured wildly, utterly miserable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng closed his book and said cheerfully: “Tell me what you want—I’ll pay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhang Zhiyong’s face brightened instantly. He grabbed Li Heng and Liu Li and dragged them to the snack shop:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The snack shop just got a shipment of ice cream. Haven’t had any in nearly half a year—I’m dying for it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li groaned: “Zhang Zhiyong, you idiot, eating ice cream in this weather? Are you insane? You’ll get diarrhea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong scowled: “Call me that again and I’ll rip your mouth apart. If you’re scared, don’t eat—I’ll have one in each hand, and you’ll be jealous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li was all talk. Seeing Li Heng and Zhang Zhiyong devouring ice cream in one hand and braised pork and spicy sea cucumber in the other, he couldn’t resist. The three of them gathered around a stone table near the artificial hill, inhaling and exhaling as they feasted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After two bites of braised pork and a large helping of spicy sea cucumber, Li Heng felt wonderful: “Too bad there’s no alcohol—if there were, it’d be perfect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit! You dare drink on campus? When did you get this bad? First Xiao Han, now Song Yu—damn it, I barely recognize you anymore.” Zhang Zhiyong had been reading every newspaper Li Heng had finished lately, each time feeling both thrilled and melancholy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My brother’s changed—he’s become a famous writer. We’re no longer on the same path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap’s too wide. It killed all his fun. Finally, he came up with a solution: for the first time in years, he genuinely felt the urge to work hard. Day and night, he picked up books like everyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhang Zhiyong put it: We don’t care about Tsinghua or Peking University, or Fudan or Renmin—we just want to go to the same city as our brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This idiot wasn’t overly dependent on Li Heng—he’d just grown up laughing and fooling around with him. If they suddenly parted, he’d feel terribly lonely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shoved five pieces of braised pork into his mouth at once, cheeks bulging as he sighed: “Ugh, I didn’t solve a single math problem tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked Guanqie ly: “What’s wrong? Struggling with competition problems?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li shook his head: “No. It’s almost graduation. I thought I’d never see Chen Lijun again, and my chest ached, my head buzzed—I spent the whole night just staring at her back, couldn’t solve a single problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng said: “Work harder—you can get into the same school as her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li stared at the bag of braised pork for a long time, then suddenly grabbed a piece and shoved it in his mouth: “Bah, that’s pointless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I look like a walnut. Chen Lijun’s like this braised pork—juicy, tempting, everyone’s eyeing it. Even if we go to the same school, she won’t end up in my bowl.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who did Chen Lijun end up marrying? Where did she go? Li Heng rummaged through his memory—but remembered nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Zhiyong shook his head and said: “Big Brother Liu, do you know what I admire most about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li looked up: “Oh? I have something you admire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong grinned: “You’re ugly as hell, face like a cone—but you’ve got self-awareness, haha. That’s what I admire about you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li exploded: “Like you’re any better? Sneaky-eyed, utterly sleazy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the idiot was a loudmouth, he was generous—he’d bought at least three pounds of braised pork. They ate for a long time, only returning to the dorm just before lights out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t eat in the dorm because meat was expensive back then, and braised pork was especially precious. With so many people in the dorm, there wouldn’t be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the three washed up and entered the dorm, they happened to see Liu Yejiang holding an English book and a flashlight, heading toward the communal toilet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li’s mood soured: “Look at him—off to study all night again. I wasted my whole evening. Ah, my lovely girl has ruined me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though none of them liked this fool, they had to admit—he was like an indestructible cockroach, always bouncing back stronger, earning everyone’s respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that respect bred anxiety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By night’s end, Li Tuanming, Zou Aiming, and class monitor Liu Hui each had a flashlight, huddled under their blankets, studying fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Climbing into bed, Liu Li, eyes red, said: “Tomorrow I’m buying a flashlight too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Heng silent, lying there comfortably asleep, Liu Li couldn’t help rolling over to ask:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Heng, you’re way too calm. Aren’t you worried they’ll surpass you? They’re all aiming for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng didn’t even open his eyes: “The brain needs rest. Staying up every night just exhausts you—it’s not worth it in the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at Xiao Feng, Song Yu, Mai Sui—they rest when they need to. Look at Yang Yingwen, Xiao Jun, Luo Zhijie—they never study to the point of burnout.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li tilted his head, thinking: “That makes sense. Tomorrow I’ll buy a flashlight—want one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng pulled the blanket over his head, muttering: Fuck this idiot, I’m going to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Got diarrhea!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the middle of the night, Li Heng heard his stomach gurgle violently—he couldn’t hold it anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he grabbed toilet paper and rushed into the restroom, he realized he wasn’t alone—Zhang Zhiyong, Liu Li, Zou Aiming, and Liu Hui were all squatting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha! Old Heng’s here! I knew you ate braised pork—you couldn’t escape it!” Zou Aiming, at the farthest stall, burst out laughing as Li Heng dashed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng found an empty spot and asked: “What’s going on? Did the braised pork go bad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Hui from the next stall said: “Not sure yet, but likely. We just compared notes—among what we ate yesterday, only the braised pork and spicy sea cucumber overlapped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Tuanming was drained: “You guys are lucky—only one trip. I’ve been three times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Aiming raised his hand: “Second time. Almost ready to meet the Empress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong reported: “Second time too—just rolled around with the concubine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These bastards\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng was speechless—so now having more bowel movements was something to brag about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If this keeps up, how are we going to take tomorrow’s simulation exam?” Liu Li fretted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the restroom fell silent. Finally, Zou Aiming broke the quiet: “I’ll skip tomorrow’s exam.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Hui said: “You dare skip? The Ninth Eunuch will smash your head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Aiming protested: “If I go in like this, I’ll just embarrass myself—and let Liu Yejiang, that bastard, win. Better not to take it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng glanced around: “Where’s Liu Yejiang? Weren’t all of you fighting in the toilet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Tuanming replied: “I know, I know—he got driven out by my chain of farts. Probably went to the third-floor toilet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your farts are brutal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This hilarious scene didn’t look like diarrhea—it looked like a circus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, these idiots felt better knowing Li Heng, their top student, was suffering alongside them—it eased their worries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a night of diarrhea, early the next morning, as soon as the boys’ dorm door opened, they all sprinted in unison toward the infirmary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor hadn’t woken yet, but they couldn’t hold on—they pounded on the door until they woke her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor was a young woman. She pulled the door open, yawning: “What’s the emergency?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked first: “Diarrhea—do you have tetracycline?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor asked: “How many times?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng: “Three.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Five.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing their chatter, the doctor, after learning the cause, pointed to a chair: “With this severity—five or six times—you might be dehydrated. You should get an IV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng, take medicine first and see how you feel—you’re taking the exam today, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zou Aiming asked: “Wait, Doctor, you know Li Heng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor joked: “Of course. Girls come here for shots and keep talking about him. I got curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, I even went to see his photo on the Honor Wall—he truly deserves the girls’ description: ‘tall, elegant, and handsome.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck, she’s just stirring up hatred—could I ask if she saw Song Yu’s photo?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tetracycline doesn’t work fast. At 8 a.m., the Chinese exam began. Li Heng held out for only 85 minutes before he couldn’t take it anymore—he bolted out of the exam room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The proctor recognized him and ran to the hallway shouting, “Li Heng! School rules forbid early submission—come back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng had no interest in him at all; he sprinted toward the restroom as if racing against time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female proctor at the back glanced at the clock: “Only eighty minutes in—how much has he finished?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male proctor flipped through Li Heng’s exam paper: “Surprising. You teach Chinese—take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male teacher placed the paper on the podium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female teacher stepped forward, bent to scan it, and remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male teacher said, “We must report this to the school. He’s a top candidate for Tsinghua and Peking University—this mock exam is crucial for college application choices, and he’s treating it like a joke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After carefully reviewing the final few major questions, the female teacher said, “Don’t rush. Let’s wait and see how he does in the math exam before deciding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Song Yu froze, a sudden pang of guilt rising in her heart: Could Li Heng’s self-sabotage be linked to the note I left him last night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the top-tier students, one abandoning mid-exam drew only a glance from the others in Exam Room One—they returned to their papers without much fuss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around 10:30 a.m., math began; Li Heng swallowed two more tetracycline pills before entering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing Song Yu, he saw her worried gaze and smiled at her before taking his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui, seated in front, turned around and asked, “Li Heng, you okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning, seat No. 17, tried to approach, but a single glance from the proctor stopped her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male proctor called out, “Li Heng, I reiterate: this mock exam is vital—it heavily influences your college application choices.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take it seriously. If you submit early again, we’ll have to bring in your homeroom teacher and school leadership.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng wanted to say, “Teacher, I have diarrhea.” But he thought better of it—diarrhea wasn’t something to be proud of. He’d explain to his homeroom teacher later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared that if they learned the real reason—climbing the wall—he and Zou Aiming might face punishment, so he’d rather say nothing at all, especially not from his own mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Math was his strength; he finished before eighty minutes. But as feared, his stomach churned again after just a cursory check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No choice—he sprang up and bolted from the classroom before the proctor could react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Heng! Li Heng, what are you doing? Come back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The proctor shouted, but when he rushed outside, the hallway was empty—not a trace of Li Heng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, though still loose, it was far better—not the watery mess before. After leaving the restroom, Li Heng made a detour to the infirmary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Definitely not just water anymore?” the doctor asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. The medicine’s working. Take another dose after lunch—you should be fine by afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Heng felt relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doctor, curious, asked, “Three students in your class skipped today. How did you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng guessed, “Pretty good, I think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t boasting—though pressed for time, he always solved problems at lightning speed, finishing two or three major questions faster than most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the doctor predicted, after lunch, Li Heng clearly felt his strength returning; the exhaustion had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the afternoon politics exam, the vice principal arrived, the dean arrived, and his homeroom teacher Wang Qi came with a face as dark as thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without asking for explanation, the vice principal stormed into the exam room, grabbed Li Heng’s ear, and dragged him out to the hallway, cutting straight to the point:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Heng, why did you submit early?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng replied, “Teacher, I have diarrhea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leaders exchanged glances. Wang Qi, focused on scores, asked, “We heard you finished math—how much do you estimate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng answered conservatively, “Above 115.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They glanced again. The dean asked, “What about Chinese? Don’t let me fail you in Chinese—that’ll make me unhappy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng grinned, showing his neat teeth: “Just normal performance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d done preliminary checks before coming—he’d finished both papers—and since they didn’t want to disrupt his momentum for the remaining subjects, they didn’t press further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wang Qi stayed all afternoon, never leaving his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched Li Heng through politics, then history, until the final exam ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When all subjects were done, Wang Qi said, “Don’t celebrate yet. Tonight, we’ll grade Exam Room One’s papers first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scores will be out by eight or nine. If you did poorly, I don’t care about your diarrhea—I’ll still crack your skull.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around 8 p.m., Liu Yejiang appeared at the academic office, asking math teacher Pan, “Teacher, are the math scores out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Pan smiled. “They are. You scored 103—not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yejiang pressed, “What about Li Heng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Pan replied, “Him? Don’t ask about him—focus on tomorrow’s English and geography exams.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yejiang refused to give up. Since losing the scholarship exam, he’d worked tirelessly to redeem himself—he couldn’t let this slide:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher, tell me—how much did he get? Did he finish in eighty minutes? Did he break ninety?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to bear it, another math teacher from the research group spoke up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liu Yejiang, here’s your Exam Room One math paper—look for yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yejiang snatched the paper, flipped rapidly to the fifth page, confirmed the handwriting was Li Heng’s, then glanced at the top—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t look twice—he felt the world spin. His heart nearly stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven, how unjust! How unjust!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did that bastard Li Heng score full marks in eighty minutes, while I, Liu Yejiang, slaved away and got only 103?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His grand ambitions shattered, his spirit dead, Liu Yejiang didn’t know how he left the academic office—he wandered the campus like a lost soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Teacher Pan said to the other math teacher, “You shouldn’t have given him the paper. His morale’s broken—he won’t do well tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The math teacher shrugged. “Eat according to your capacity. If you can’t handle this much psychological pressure, why keep trying to compete with him? You’re just asking for pain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day’s English and geography exams went smoothly. Wang Qi stayed by Li Heng’s side as before, but said nothing about scores or threats of skull-cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the exam ended, Wang Qi finally smiled, patted his shoulder, and asked, “You finished fast today—did well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine,” Li Heng replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qi nodded, praised, “Good!” and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As usual, after the monthly exam, the school granted three days off—to relax, and to give out-of-town students time to return home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mai Sui, from Shaodong County, was picked up by her parents in a minivan the moment exams ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Li and Chen Lijun also left by long-distance bus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With three gone from their circle, only Li Heng, Zhang Zhiyong, Song Yu, and Sun Manning remained on campus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu didn’t count—she lived nearby, a ten-minute walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning didn’t need to go anywhere—her mother lived right on campus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shashi was too far from Qian Town, the roads were terrible, and there was only one direct bus daily—at 11 a.m. They couldn’t leave now; they’d have to wait until tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing the others off at the gate, Song Yu paused, then asked Li Heng, “Do you have time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng asked in return, “It’s this late—aren’t you going home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu said, “I couldn’t solve the last math problem. Teach me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng said yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhang Zhiyong clumsily follow them, Sun Manning grabbed him from behind: “Zhang Zhiyong, how good are you at pool?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong boasted, “Do you even have to ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Play two rounds with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t play with girls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“PLAY TWO ROUNDS WITH ME!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, fine, fine! Damn it, don’t yell like that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Manning disliked foul language—she swung her cue straight at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong took the full blow, said nothing, and sullenly played along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng and Song Yu didn’t enter the school—they walked slowly along the Zijiang Riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, neither spoke. They walked upstream against the river breeze. Only when they were far from the gate, surrounded by silence, did Song Yu speak softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Heng, what was the answer to the last math problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng replied, “First part: greater than or equal to three. Second part: square root of two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he asked, “What was yours? Did it match?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu stopped, turned, and looked quietly into his eyes—she didn’t tell him her answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They held each other’s gaze for a moment. Then Li Heng suddenly understood: “You didn’t come to me for math—you were worried I was giving up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exposed, Song Yu showed no embarrassment. Instead, she gently brushed a strand of wind-tousled hair behind her ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered, “I knew you’d see through me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I regret it,” Li Heng said deliberately. “I should’ve given up completely this exam—see how you’d react. See if you’d panic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu smiled knowingly, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single beauty, clear and bright, with a charming smile and gentle heart—though he’d seen her countless times before, in this moment, the young Song Yu took his breath away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his gaze filled with emotion, Song Yu looked away, slightly uneasy, and continued walking. After a long silence, she asked again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did this happen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng replied, “I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked without context.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He answered without context—but both knew the other understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, Song Yu asked, “The college application deadline is coming—where are you planning to apply?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This question truly stumped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to go to Jingcheng, because Chen Zijin was there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to go south, because the tide of the times was flowing southward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, these weren’t the only factors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting a long time without an answer, Song Yu leaned on the railing, gazing at the mist-shrouded river, and said, “Aren’t you going to Jingcheng to find Zijin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng dodged the question: “What about you? Where are you planning to go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu replied calmly, “My first choice is Peking University.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Li Heng added, “Then I’ll apply to Peking University too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu fell silent, unsure how to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated and said nothing just now, but now that she’s applying to Peking University, he immediately follows suit—doesn’t everyone know what he’s really after?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conversation stalled, as if time had frozen and the world had paused for the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither spoke; they stood side by side, quietly watching the river flow faintly, almost imperceptibly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, this was quite beautiful. Li Heng cherished these quiet moments with her, as if his soul had been purified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the heavens were unkind—suddenly, a gust of wind brought heavy rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Heng hurriedly took off his coat, held it open above her head to shield her from the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu merely looked up and smiled at him, paused, then quietly withdrew her right hand from her bag, hesitated slightly, stepped closer two paces, and ran with him toward Shaoshi Teachers College.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are your parents home?” he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. I haven’t been back in a week.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll drop you off at your building and leave,” he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because of the heavy rain, or perhaps because he had just pushed his boldness to an extreme, Song Yu, for once, was not as cautious as usual—she smiled faintly and said yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavens were unkind, and the path was short—within minutes they arrived outside the Song family courtyard, with no time to linger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the yangmei tree, Song Yu watched the downpour, glanced at him standing so close, then opened her bag and pulled out an umbrella, handing it to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng was stunned, then embarrassed—he hadn’t realized she had an umbrella. What was he thinking, using his own coat?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu seemed to sense his thoughts and discomfort; she smiled gently, pressed the umbrella into his hand, and said, “Return it to me tomorrow,” then walked into the courtyard without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, aren’t you going to say thank you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu’s smile widened further; she waved her right hand at him, then truly went inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Request monthly tickets! Request subscriptions!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll post first, then check—I’m afraid the masters will wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3870,"2026-06-19T15:27:33.982Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","26864b203f6c6c867fed109506ad56195fab0c4230397cca0615890202648663","1987-my-era-chapter-82","1987-my-era-chapter-80",713,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002F1987-my-era-cover.jpg"]