[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-1987-my-era":3,"chapter-1987-my-era-1987-my-era-chapter-13":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},2259173,4409,"Chapter 13: Became a Rat Crossed by the Street","1987-my-era-chapter-13",13,"\u003Cp>The tenth day, morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A light drizzle fell over the mountain fields, the second rain of the year, pattering steadily all morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one had the heart to admire its tender beauty; Tian Run’e stood under the eaves, deeply troubled—today was market day, and she had hoped to sell two sacks of rice to raise tuition for her second daughter and her youngest son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just after seven, seeing the rain ease slightly, she decided not to wait any longer, neatly wrapping the rice-filled urea bags in white plastic, then handing Li Heng a bamboo hat and a straw cape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She instructed: “Man Cai, it looks like this rain won’t stop anytime soon. Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She feared arriving too late and failing to sell the rice; her face was full of worry, her heart burning with urgency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng nodded, pulled on the bamboo hat, draped the straw cape over his shoulders, then bent down to shoulder one sack of rice and stepped into the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sack weighed 105 jin after being weighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, as a rural boy, he wouldn’t have minded much—he was strong and fit, and could cover ten li with at most five rests to reach town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today’s dirt road was terrible—full of potholes, slick with mud; barely had he stepped out when he was caked in mud, his Liberation shoes completely coated in sludge, not a trace of military green left visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The muddy path was slippery; on two downhill stretches he nearly slid into the paddy fields below, breaking out in cold sweat, silently cursing under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck this damn weather—it’s a nightmare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Run’e carried another sack, just over 80 jin, following behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jianguo, due to his health, couldn’t carry heavy loads and stayed home to help Li Lan feed the cattle and pigs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing an old man pushing a cart overtake him, he couldn’t help but envy him—look at the man, clean and dry, even in the rain stubbornly chewing on a pipe of tobacco, puffing out smoke rings every few steps, looking perfectly content.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, two horses caught up, then a bicycle passed by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bicycle was ridden by a middle-aged man, with a fat boy perched on the back; as they splashed through a puddle, water splashed all over Li Heng, soaking his head and mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Heng’s miserable state, the fat boy gleefully pointed at him and burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laugh your ass off! Riding a bike in this weather? Such a show-off—hope you both crash and break your necks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, Li Heng’s eyes burned with frustration, feeling more and more worthless by the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Heng, Li Heng…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder and shifted the pole to his left, a rumbling sound came from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rumbling carried shouts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a hand-guided tractor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The driver was Zhang Zhiyong, his face flushed red, drawing stares all along the way, basking in glory—he felt more prestigious than if he were driving a Mercedes or BMW in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idiot slammed on the brakes, leapt off the vehicle, and waved his right hand vigorously at Tian Run’e: “Aunt Tian, hop on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Run’e glanced at the packed cargo bed and said: “Looks full already, Zhiyong, go ahead—we’ll be there soon too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who says it’s full? There’s space—watch me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring Tian Run’e’s protest, Zhang Zhiyong turned and bellowed into the cargo bed: “You’ve already gone more than half the distance—if you get off now, I won’t charge you. Anyone want to get off?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?” asked an elderly woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aunt Liu, you’ve ridden my cart before—you know I never break my word.” Zhang Zhiyong thumped his chest loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words worked—several habitual cheaters immediately jumped off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhiyong helped the mother and son place the rice in the cargo bed, then told Tian Run’e: “Aunt Tian, sit up front—the front seat’s empty too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The front meant the space beside the driver’s seat, where one person could sit on either side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain had grown heavier again; after a moment’s hesitation, Tian Run’e moved to the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng, who had a close relationship with the Zhang family, wasn’t so polite—he flipped himself into the cargo bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cargo bed was packed with villagers—mostly young wives and older women, plus a few elderly men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His bamboo hat and straw cape were soaked; fearing he’d wet others, he stood by the edge in the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he bent down to tie his shoelaces, he suddenly noticed a girl staring fixedly at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl looked about sixteen, decent-looking; Li Heng felt her face was familiar, and after a moment he remembered—she was Yang Juan, the only daughter of the village’s women’s committee chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his past life, they had crossed paths—when his daughter attended Yali High School in Changshi, Yang Juan had been her homeroom teacher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daughter had loved her, saying the teacher treated her exceptionally well, often inviting her over for meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the past, Li Heng smiled unconsciously and greeted: “Yang Juan, long time no see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprised he spoke to her, Yang Juan’s cheeks flushed unexpectedly; after a pause, she murmured softly: “You know my name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder she was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Li family lived at the village entrance, while hers was near the brigade office—nearly a li apart, and they weren’t even in the same school year; for him to know her name outright was unexpected, yet somehow also pleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng replied: “Of course I know—you were in elementary school with Chen Zitong, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Yang Juan’s eyes flickered, ready to respond, the women’s committee chair suddenly reached out, pulling her daughter behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chairwoman half-jokingly told Li Heng: “Li Heng, if you want to chat, talk to me—Juan’s shy and inexperienced, don’t scare her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the cargo bed erupted in malicious laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One old lecher even teased the chairwoman: “Your Juan’s pretty—be careful, don’t end up like Chen Zijin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yang Juan lowered her head, staring at her toes, her face instantly redder than a monkey’s ass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng was speechless—after half a year, his reputation hadn’t improved at all; everyone still saw him as Ximen Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly felt the world’s deep malice—he and Chen Zijin were Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, deeply in love, yet why did rumors twist them into a Jin Ping Mei story?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This cruel heaven was unjust—he was innocent! Why had it struck him down with lightning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing a dozen or so unreasonable gossips, Li Heng knew he couldn’t win—he wisely pretended not to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1104,"2026-06-19T15:27:33.982Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6bec6393c9460920ca0de95ecf866a34a5352206b879f54b7d60cb8cd78c354c","1987-my-era-chapter-14","1987-my-era-chapter-12",713,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002F1987-my-era-cover.jpg"]