Chapter 97

The next day.

Just as dawn broke, Li Heng was woken by his mother: “Man-zai, get up and eat. Zhiyong is waiting for you downstairs.”

Li Heng felt as if he’d just lain down and had to get up again, his whole body weary; he half-opened his eyes and grumbled: “Why’s the idiot here so early?”

“He’s been here a while already—has been chatting with your dad for ages. The food wasn’t ready, so I didn’t come up to call you,” Tian Rune said, arranging his old desk’s textbooks neatly into his backpack.

She asked: “Will you come back before the college entrance exam?”

Li Heng shook his head: “No, too far—I get carsick, and I’m too lazy to make the trip. I’ll come back after the exam.”

Tian Rune fell silent for a moment, then spoke: “Then study hard at school. Even if you’ve got some writing ideas, set them aside for now. And—”

She paused. “And at this critical time, avoid bothering female classmates.”

Li Heng, while dressing, muttered “Mm-mm-mm” several times.

Seeing his indifference, Tian Rune turned serious: “I’m telling you something important.”

Li Heng looked up. “I’m being serious when I say ‘mm.’ It’s this late—who would I bother? No one’s a delinquent at No. 1 High; everyone’s focused on their future. Who would I even bother now?”

As he spoke, he felt something odd and turned around. “Mom, you never used to say this. What’s going on today?”

Tian Rune said: “Last night I had a dream—a girl’s parents came to our house and beat your father into a cripple.”

Li Heng: “...”

He complained, baffled: “That’s not fair. You’re blaming me just because of a dream? How is that different from how Second Sister used to make up fake excuses to beat me as a kid?”

Tian Rune sighed. “You’re my own flesh and blood—I know you pretty well. Since preschool, you’ve always liked playing with girls, and you always picked the prettiest one in class.”

“Who’s Song Yu? Tell me—why have you called her name in your dreams, over and over?”

Li Heng puckered his lips.

Had his mother heard him talking in his sleep?

Or had Second Sister snitched?

Under his mother’s gaze, the guilty Li Heng hurriedly dressed and got out of bed, laughing it off as he slipped downstairs.

Seeing this, Tian Rune stood in place for a long while, then checked once more for any missing books or pens, finally picking up the backpack and heading downstairs.

Her son came home only once every half-year, so this breakfast was a real splurge—she’d gone all out: yesterday’s fish, his favorite steamed egg, braised pork, and stir-fried baby bok choy.

There was also a platter of pickled vegetables: sour chili peppers, sour radish, sour bamboo shoots, and sour lotus root.

Three meat dishes, two vegetables—this was the classic mark of a well-off family, almost like New Year’s Eve.

Li Heng served himself five bowls of rice and dragged the idiot over to the table:

“Don’t be polite—I know you. You’ve got a cow’s stomach. Eat up, eat up, then get going.”

The food was so good, Zhang Zhiyong was indeed tempted—he’d been salivating quietly earlier. Besides, they were close enough now to skip formalities.

Still, the guy was a bit restrained. For instance, the fish placed before Second Sister—he dared not even lift his chopsticks, afraid of being rebuked.

With no girls present, just family, Li Heng dropped his usual refined demeanor and ate like a beast, finishing two bowls in one go.

After eating his fill, he shoved a green apple into his mouth.

Green apples were just starting to appear on the market, sold in mesh bags—three yuan a bag, about twenty or more apples. Was it cheap or expensive?

In the village, hardly anyone could afford to buy them.

If someone walked by carrying a long bag of green apples, the kids would stare, eyes glued, so envious they’d practically want to change their names and become that person’s child.

After eating, he handed his backpack to Second Sister, then bent down to shoulder a pair of rice baskets—about a hundred catties.

He complained: “Mom, stop selling rice from now on—it’s too tiring, and you barely make any money.”

Tian Rune considered a moment. “I’ve been selling rice for years. If you suddenly make me stop, I won’t get used to it.”

“Besides, a few regular customers like buying from me. Even if I quit, I still have to tell them.”

Li Heng realized: his mother was just making excuses. “It’s this early—the market isn’t even open yet. So who’s this rice for?”

Tian Rune said: “The town head’s family. Man-zai, remember that family you helped me deliver rice to back in January? Yesterday I ran into Wei Shiman on the street—she asked me to deliver a hundred catties today.”

The Xiao Han family?

Had his mom just raided their stronghold?

Ignoring Zhang Zhiyong’s exaggerated winks beside him, Li Heng pressed on: “How many times have we delivered rice to the town head’s house?”

Tian Rune recited like a ledger: “Fifth time. Once a month. Wei Shiman says our rice tastes best—whenever she runs low, she comes to me herself.”

The crossroads to town was about ten li. Li Heng and the idiot took turns carrying the rice, while Tian Rune and Second Sister swung their backpacks, chatting as they walked, arriving without much rest.

Correct—Second Sister had, for the first time ever, walked with him to Shaodong County.

In the past, she’d always despised him and left a day earlier.

The town government compound sat directly across from the town middle school. The group took a shortcut, and Tian Rune, leading, knocked on the gate.

The town government courtyard sat directly across from the town middle school; the group took a shortcut, and Tian Rune, walking at the front, reached out and knocked on the door.

A bright, lively voice came from inside.

“Hello, we’re here to deliver rice,” Tian Rune replied politely from outside.

With a creak, the wooden gate opened a crack, and half a head poked out.

Who else but Xiao Han?

Xiao Han instantly recognized Tian Rune, quickly pulled her head back, hurriedly adjusted her clothes behind the door, then opened it fully, speaking clearly and brightly:

Xiao Han instantly recognized Tian Rune, quickly pulled her head back, hurriedly adjusted her attire behind the door, then fully opened it again, calling out clearly and brightly:

“Ah, good morning!”

Tian Rune liked this girl immensely—not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was also well-mannered; in the whole town, she was unmatched.

Sometimes she couldn’t help but marvel: how could such a beauty exist in a small town? It must have drained centuries of spiritual essence from the place—she looked like she’d stepped straight out of a painting.

Sometimes she couldn’t help but marvel: such a beauty hidden in a small town must have drained centuries of spiritual essence from the place—she looked as if she had stepped straight out of a painting.

Tian Rune herself had been a famous beauty in her youth—otherwise, how could a single photo have won over Li Jianguo across provinces?

Even so, she felt she couldn’t compare to this girl.

Letting Tian Rune in, Xiao Han gave Li Heng, who was carrying the rice, a sweet, subtle smile, her lips barely moving as she silently mouthed: “You’re here.”

Glancing around the house, Li Heng deliberately stumbled, making Xiao Han rush over to steady him—but before she could hold him properly, she felt something strange on her left cheek.

Li Heng glanced around the room, then deliberately stumbled just outside the door, making Xiao Han rush over to support him—but before she could steady him, she felt something wrong with her left cheek.

A soft “pop”—quiet, yet crystal-clear to both their ears.

Xiao Han’s back stiffened. Her head buzzed. She stumbled backward two steps and hurried into the house, her face now blooming like a spring field in full bloom.

She instinctively covered the spot he’d kissed, silently screaming inside: Mom! Mom! A remarried man just kissed me!

With past experience in mind, Xiao Han kept her distance from him after that—no, she fled far away from him.

Hearing the commotion at the door, Wei Shiman and her husband came downstairs.

Soon after, Yang Ying also emerged from the downstairs bathroom.

Yang Ying glanced at Li Heng and his mother, who were discussing the weight with Wei Shiman, then walked over to Xiao Han and whispered:

Yang Ying looked at Li Heng and his mother, who were discussing matters with Wei Shiman and her husband in the center of the room, then stepped to Xiao Han’s side and whispered softly:

Xiao Han blinked, dazed. “Huh? Is it that obvious?”

Yang Ying reminded her: “Your palms are sweating.”

At that moment, Li Heng looked up and smiled at her. Still dazed from the kiss, Xiao Han immediately dropped her head, her whole body burning as if set alight—she didn’t need a mirror to know her face was crimson.

She rarely blushed—she almost never blushed. All her blushing was for him alone.

At this moment, Xiao Han again felt heaven was teasing her, deliberately sending this boy—whom she had zero defense against—right to her doorstep.

Making all her self-control look like a joke, utterly humiliating her.

Yang Ying, who had watched Xiao Han’s every expression, sighed inwardly and advised:

“Before your uncle and aunt notice, go wash your face with cold water. Otherwise—”

But before she could finish, Xiao Han had already slipped into the bathroom.

“One hundred and one catties, eighteen fen per catty—that’s eighteen yuan and eighteen fen, right?”

After weighing, Wei Shiman tapped her abacus and calculated the price.

Tian Rune had already done the math beforehand and nodded. “Correct.”

“Li Heng, could you help me carry the rice into the storage room?” Wei Shiman said to him.

Not the first time—he’d done this before. Li Heng picked up the rice, walked through the living room, and entered the small room inside.

This was, in fact, the first time Wei Shiman had ever spoken to Li Heng in this life.

The observer, Yang Ying, clearly sensed: Wei Auntie’s eyes held no regard for Li Heng and his mother—she treated them like fleeting strangers.

The onlooker Yang Ying could clearly sense: Wei Auntie’s eyes held not the slightest regard for Li Heng and his mother—she seemed like a fleeting, weightless passerby.

This shabby-looking fellow, who still carried rice for sale, was already a famous writer.

And who could have imagined?

Xiao Han, the fairy blossom praised by many as the very essence of the town’s spiritual beauty, had already fallen for this guy.

Honestly, if not for the scandal involving Li Heng and Chen Zijin—which had spread like wildfire—Yang Ying thought they’d be a perfect match.

Even if Wei Auntie found out, she probably wouldn’t stop them, right?

But now, Yang Ying silently shook her head. Given Wei Auntie’s fastidious nature, she might not approve of them dating at all.

Besides, that bastard Li Heng still had Song Yu on his mind—who knew if he’d abandon Xiao Han for her later?

Hmm, calling a writer a bastard felt oddly satisfying. Yang Ying suddenly felt a surge of relief.

Settled the payment, left Xiao’s home.

Li Heng and his mother rejoined Zhang Zhiyong and Li Lan downstairs, and the group walked three hundred meters together before parting ways.

Li Heng and his mother waited together with Zhang Zhiyong and Li Lan in the courtyard below, and after gathering, they walked another three hundred meters before parting ways.

The sky had fully brightened; Tian Rune repeatedly urged her children, then returned alone to Shangwan Village.

Li Heng, Li Lan, and Zhang Zhiyong headed toward the old bus station on the western edge of the small town.

Travelers were few in these times; when the three arrived at the bus, only two passengers remained—one was Xiao Feng, the other a young man with a crew cut.

Seeing the three look over, Xiao Feng smiled awkwardly and introduced the crew-cut youth to Li Heng:

“This is my second brother. He insisted on waiting for you to arrive before leaving, afraid I’d be in danger.”

Li Heng greeted him: “Good morning, Second Brother.”

Zhang Zhiyong followed suit.

Perhaps because Li Lan’s cold presence was there, the crew-cut youth grew uneasy, forced a faint smile, then got off the bus and left.

Seeing this, Xiao Feng explained: “Don’t mind him—he’s just like this, naturally shy.”

As she spoke, she glanced at Li Lan, then sat down properly in her seat.

Li Heng said: “This is my second sister.”

Xiao Feng was surprised; though she’d heard Li Heng had an older sister studying at Shaoyang Medical School, she’d never met her in person.

Today was the first time she saw her; after careful observation, she realized the siblings did share similar facial features—both were quite beautiful.

Not long after, Yang Ying and Xiao Han arrived, accompanied by Wei Shiman; however, the latter did not cross the road—after seeing her daughter board the bus, she turned back home.

Seeing Li Heng seated beside an unfamiliar woman, Xiao Han’s heart tightened inexplicably, yet her expression revealed nothing; she politely greeted everyone, then sat down beside Xiao Feng.

Yang Ying, walking behind, spotted Li Lan and was greatly startled: “Sister Lan, you’re going to school today too?”

“Mm.”

Li Lan nodded, then handed Yang Ying a packet of five-spice melon seeds.

Yang Ying knew her nature—if she offered melon seeds, it meant she held you in high regard; he thanked her and accepted them readily.

As the bus moved, with Li Lan present, Xiao Han resumed her usual aloof, composed, and haughty demeanor; the interior fell nearly silent.

Just two days ago, the ride had been lively, everyone chatting and laughing; now everyone had gone mute. Zhang Zhiyong felt utterly uncomfortable—he longed to pull out ten yuan and buy five-spice melon seeds from Li Lan, but after several furtive glances, he dared not speak up, afraid of being mocked.

At first, Li Lan looked out the window, but after passing Qijiang Town, her gaze suddenly fixed entirely on Xiao Han in the front row.

After a long silence, she asked her younger brother: “Are you from the same school?”

Li Heng said yes.

Li Lan asked: “What’s her name?”

Li Heng said: “Xiao Han.”

“Oh, so it’s her.”

Li Lan had clearly heard of Xiao Han’s reputation, but this was her first time seeing her in person—like Tian Rune, she was struck by the girl’s beauty.

Li Lan asked again: “Do you always ride like this? Never talk?”

Li Heng answered: “No.”

Li Lan frowned: “Because I’m here?”

Li Heng nodded coldly.

Li Lan’s brow deepened; she extended her hand: “Give me fifty. I’ll get off at the next county town.”

Li Heng was displeased: “All you ever say is ‘fifty’—why don’t you just rob someone?”

Li Lan replied: “Fifty isn’t free—I’m saving you from misfortune.”

Li Heng closed his eyes to rest, refusing to be baited: “Shut up.”

Hearing this, Li Lan turned to her younger brother and stared at him for a moment, then suddenly raised her voice and asked Zhang Zhiyong out of nowhere:

“Dumbass, I heard the prettiest girl at No. 1 High is Song Yu—is that true?”

As expected, the moment she spoke, Yang Ying and Xiao Feng both turned their heads.

Though Xiao Han in the front didn’t turn, Li Lan keenly noticed her ears had subtly perked up.

PS: Please subscribe! Please vote for monthly tickets!

(Already updated ten thousand characters.)

(End of chapter.)