[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-1987-my-era":3,"chapter-1987-my-era-1987-my-era-chapter-10":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},2259170,4409,"Chapter 10: The West Gate Qing","1987-my-era-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>Flashbacks of past events flickered through Li Heng’s mind; he deliberately croaked out, “Who’s stealing trees?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled by the sudden voice, Yang Yingwen froze, her body stiffening; it took her a moment to react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked around and saw a face half-smiling, half-sneering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She instantly relaxed, patted her full chest, and complained, “It’s you? What are you playing at? You scared me half to death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she asked, “How come a lazybones like you came into the mountains?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng immediately bristled, raising an eyebrow: “What? That’s really how you see me? Lazy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heaven! You’re not lazy? How dare you say that? Your skin’s whiter than Chenglirende , everyone behind your back says you’re like a needlework maiden.” Yang Yingwen shot back without mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng leaned forward, curious: “What else do they say about me behind my back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen glanced sideways at him, serious: “Better not ask. Nothing good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng blinked. “I’ve always been sincere and kind to people—how could my reputation be this bad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen snorted. “Are you really this stupid, or just pretending?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just look at how you tricked Chen Zijin into bed—that scandal alone, go ask around, which family dares let their daughter near you now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exposed, Li Heng’s face flushed with shame; he snapped back: “Don’t talk nonsense—we were mutually in love.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What good does yelling at me do? I’m not the one gossiping behind your back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying that, Yang Yingwen still wasn’t satisfied and pressed further: “Besides, you had the nerve to do something like that—don’t you think people have the right to talk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng pointed at her, deeply frustrated: “So after all these years as friends, you still don’t trust me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen said: “You’ve got a track record—you were a troublemaker back in junior high.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it! Always digging up the past—this conversation was over. Li Heng stepped past her, ready to drag the felled tung tree home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Yang Yingwen panicked and hurried after him: “Hey! Li Heng, don’t do that—I worked hard to find this dead tree, I need it for kindling…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the local dialect, “tong huo” meant kindling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she finished, Li Heng turned: “Just tell me—is this mountain ours, the Li family’s?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, she opened her mouth but shut it again, knowing she was in the wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng had dragged the tung tree out of the mountains with tremendous effort, only to find the girl still trailing him silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he teased her: “Beg me. Say something nice, and I’ll give you the tree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen stood firm: “You’re ridiculous. Don’t even think about it—I’ll just find another one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go find one. I’m going home. Thanks for cutting the tree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that, he slung the tree over his shoulder and turned to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his surprise, the girl didn’t move, just stared straight at him where she stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng studied her face for a moment, then couldn’t help speaking: “What are you standing there for? Come on—I’ll walk you home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen refused outright: “No, don’t. I can’t accept that—I don’t want people gossiping about us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng raised an eyebrow: “What’s that supposed to mean? Say it again. Do you think walking with me is embarrassing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d won—no need to press further. Yang Yingwen gave a rustic smile and turned back into the mountains without another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing her nature after all these years, Li Heng understood she wasn’t truly angry. He set the tree down in an open spot to avoid blocking the path, then followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After searching two hillsides, his effort paid off—he found another dead pine tree. But this spot wasn’t Li family land anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the old saying goes: stealing firewood isn’t stealing—if you get it, it’s skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as you’re not caught red-handed and don’t go too far, everyone turns a blind eye. After all, in the countryside, who hasn’t done something like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who among them has clean hands?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dead pine was huge—he chopped it into four logs and tied three bundles. Li Heng and Yang Yingwen made four trips to haul it all out of the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, both were drenched in sweat, utterly exhausted, collapsed like dogs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing a mountain spring, they happily dropped to the ground, gulped down water, washed their hands and faces, and finally sat to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked: “Chun Nainai passed away—why didn’t Zijin come back? Do you still keep in touch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng shook his head: “No. But her sister dropped off a bag of study materials for me yesterday afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen gasped: “Chen Zitong gave you that? Don’t lie—you treated her sister like that, how could she not hate you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng snapped: “Enough already. Can we just drop this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen, sensing his mood, dropped the subject. After chatting a while longer, they each went home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tung tree was the best kindling—Li Heng left it for her, intending to take only one log of the dead pine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she refused, insisting on splitting it evenly. She even said she was already getting the better deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng pushed back several times, but couldn’t sway her—finally, he gave in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before parting, he asked again: “You’re sure you don’t want me to walk you home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yingwen refused bluntly: “Leave me alone. From now on, pretend you don’t know me in the village—I still have to get married someday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fickle, ungrateful brat. Li Heng spat inwardly, slung the wood over his right shoulder, gripped the rabbit in his left hand, and hurried toward the crossroads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening, his elder sister arrived again, belly swollen, to mooch dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan never knew the meaning of politeness when visiting home—before even stepping through the door, she shouted loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother! I heard you got lucky and shot a wild rabbit—is that true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng had just finished killing the rabbit and was about to skin it; seeing her rush in so fast, he urgently warned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, walk slower—don’t fall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem, I’m careful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the large rabbit, Li Yan beamed, her eyes gleaming as she touched it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So much meat—must be over four catties. This is a good dish. Brother, cook extra rice tonight—I’m staying for dinner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly what Li Heng expected. He nodded and agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, the two siblings squatted by the back door, plucking the rabbit’s fur—one on each side—quickly stripping it clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, his second sister returned from cutting pigweed, carrying four large baskets on her back—two for the ox, two chopped fine for pig feed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In between, Li Lan asked: “Is that dead pine tree outside the courtyard yours?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng, slicing open the rabbit’s innards with a kitchen knife, didn’t look up: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lan asked again: “Only half? Where’s the other half? Why didn’t you bring it all back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, his elder sister chimed in: “I know, I know—it’s at Yang Yingwen’s place. I saw it when I passed by her gate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with a clueless grin, she asked: “Brother, wait—that doesn’t make sense. Why does Yang Yingwen have a tung tree too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You got cheated! I should go over there and take half the tung tree back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lan: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh my! What’s inside your head, sister?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just tofu dregs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You always pick the worst moment to speak—so tactless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng quickly said: “Sister, no need. I went hunting rabbits myself and ran out of time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lan wasn’t easily fooled. Hearing “tung tree,” she suddenly remembered something, dropped the pigweed, and headed straight for the back mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, she found the tree by memory—but the tree was gone, only a stump the width of a bowl remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lan bent down, examining the fresh cut marks—she instantly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, while gathering pigweed, she’d spotted the dead tree from afar, but hadn’t had time to cut it—never imagined this wastrel had given it to a girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back home, Li Lan said nothing about the tung tree—until her sister was out of earshot, then suddenly blurted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I get Chen Zijin—she’s beautiful. But Yang Yingwen? How could you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that Yang Yingwen was ugly—just that her looks and aura were in a different world from Chen Zijin’s, impossible to compare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among neighboring villages, as a beauty herself, she recognized only Chen Zijin as her equal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Request monthly votes! Request reads! Reads matter so much!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1406,"2026-06-19T15:27:33.982Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a0afcc12b2df4bb0b141c05c5ba1e21ceb1c6938105bd8e9bea19baa85ab6774","1987-my-era-chapter-11","1987-my-era-chapter-9",713,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002F1987-my-era-cover.jpg"]