[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-1987-my-era":3,"chapter-1987-my-era-1987-my-era-chapter-493":6,"glossary-terms-4409":23},{"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},2259653,4409,"Chapter 493","1987-my-era-chapter-493",493,"\u003Cp>Onstage, Li Ran began with a ten-minute opening speech, mainly introducing the situation and faculty of the New Future Tutoring School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having once worked as a journalist for a major newspaper, she handled such tasks effortlessly; her speech was far from dry, instead frequently weaving in current events to make it lively and humorous, with bursts of laughter rising from the audience every few moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the opening, Li Ran raised a finger to her lips with a soft “shh,” and once the 8,000-person audience fell silent, she asked: “I’m sure everyone has heard the name Li Heng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone in the crowd shouted loudly: “Is he the legendary musician reported on the News Broadcast?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran nodded: “Yes, that’s the one—have you heard of him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another person said: “Hear of him? I bought his instrumental album—I listen to it for half an hour every night before bed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran gave him an imaginary thumbs-up and smiled: “Today, this legendary musician is here in person—would you like to hear him play a piece?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” At these words, the audience erupted in murmurs; the 8,000 people instantly grew restless, scanning every direction—but not a shadow could be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not finding him, someone anxiously asked: “Where is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran led the applause, speaking in a seductive tone: “If your applause is loud enough, he’ll appear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd was skeptical but still clapped along—though the result was poor, the clapping sparse and uneven from front to back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment Li Heng walked out from the classroom, holding his erhu, the tide turned instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When someone up front shouted, “Wow! It’s really Li Heng! He was on the Spring Festival Gala—I recognize him!” the atmosphere shifted abruptly; those in front stretched their necks, all eagerly awaiting his arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people in the back half stood up even more directly, faces flushed with excitement, just to catch a glimpse of Li Heng’s true form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This era was nothing like the future—no smartphones, no internet—seeing a major star was incredibly rare, let alone Li Heng, who was exploding in fame, officially dubbed a “legendary musician” by state media, wielding immense influence—he had become a national idol overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s really Li Heng! It’s really Li Heng!” A girl in the front row excitedly hugged her friend beside her, and her emotion instantly spread to those around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at Li Heng on stage—polite, refined, brimming with artistic charm—the audience fell into a brief, profound silence, then applause erupted violently from all sides, thundering through the sky, nearly lifting the elementary school off its foundations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too enthusiastic!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was too excited!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d come for a trial class, yet now they were seeing the “musical genius” personally certified by Master Wu Yili!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the “musical genius” title, here’s how it happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days ago, Master Wu Yili attended a banquet, and a reporter couldn’t help asking: “Master Wu, recently Li Heng released an instrumental album—have you listened to it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yili smiled and nodded: “Yes, a friend drove over and delivered the album to my home, strongly urging me to listen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter asked curiously: “And after listening, what did you think? Any comments?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yili paused, then said seriously: “Comments? Newspapers are full of praise, but I feel those still fall far short. This man may be China’s first world-class musician to reach global recognition—I deeply admire him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporter was stunned; she hadn’t expected such high praise, and asked: “His album has ten pieces—what’s your favorite?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yili replied sincerely: “Every piece is beautiful; each one is an immortal classic—I’ve listened to them all repeatedly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This interview was brief, but after publication, it sparked a new wave of public frenzy; hundreds, even thousands of media outlets nationwide rushed to republish it immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some outlets even later contacted Wu Yili to verify whether the report was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, Wu Yili gave Li Heng another round of promotion: “This morning, the first thing I did upon waking was drink morning tea and listen to Li Heng’s instrumental music. This is how life should be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listen! Listen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the seventy-year-old music giant Wu Yili had nearly turned into a fangirl; Li Heng’s fame exploded again, his popularity soaring to a new peak, making him the idol of countless youths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Question: How could anyone not be excited when such a phenomenal figure showed up at a trial class?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could the crowd not be stirred?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their palms were red from clapping, yet still not enough to express their excitement!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the roaring cheers, Li Heng smiled, waved to the crowd, then spoke briefly into the microphone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello everyone, I’m Li Heng. Today I’ll perform ‘The Street Where the Wind Lives.’ I hope you like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this frenzy, he didn’t need to say more—too much would ruin the mystique. Marketing, after all, thrives on mystery and anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, just those few words triggered another storm of applause and cheers below. Those in the know understood it was a trial class; those who didn’t thought they’d stumbled into a concert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sitting quietly for twenty seconds, cultivating the mood, Li Heng drew his bow across the strings—and instantly, beautiful notes flowed out like wind, drifting into every ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the 8,000 people fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eleven teachers appeared simultaneously on the right side of the stage, watching the big boss with curious eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Shucheng scanned the audience, then glanced at Li Ran and Yang Ying, finally fixing her gaze on Li Heng—her eyes flickered with unspoken emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This young boy—she loved him more with every glance, wanted him more with every look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as she watched, Yu Shucheng seemed to detect something in Li Heng’s demeanor: Who was he thinking of?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it Zhou Shihe?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, “The Street Where the Wind Lives” had always been performed by Li Heng and Zhou Shihe together; each time they played, their eyes would meet unconsciously, creating a soul-deep resonance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Shucheng had quietly observed all this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she hadn’t expected that even now, playing alone, this boy would slip into that same state—making her frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze traced over him, and she understood: Right now, this boy probably hasn’t realized it—or has been suppressing his feelings for Zhou Shihe. When the accumulation finally triggers a transformation, when he wakes up and chases Zhou Shihe without hesitation—that will be her greatest challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her thoughts swirled, then the audience erupted again in waves of thunderous applause—Yu Shucheng snapped back to reality: the piece had ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran took the stage again and asked the crowd: “Was it good?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The audience shouted from the heart: “It was amazing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran said: “It’s a pity the sound system isn’t complete—if it were, the effect would’ve been even better. But do you know who he is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd looked puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t he Li Heng?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who else could he be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the first plant stepped forward, playing along: “Who?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran smiled and answered with one sentence: “Mr. Li Heng is the founder of this school—he’s our boss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Heng is the boss of New Future School?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the crowd erupted into chaos, whispering to each other, all in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone said: “He’s this young and already a boss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else exclaimed passionately: “I won’t miss this—I’ll tell my best friend I’m studying English at my idol’s school!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting the crowd buzz freely for a minute, Li Ran spun a story:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Li founded this New Future Tutoring School because a friend failed three times to study abroad due to failing English exams. He suddenly felt he had to do something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Li says society is now undergoing an unprecedented transformation—a golden era of opportunity. Our generation of youth shouldn’t be lost or confused about the future—we should be filled with hope and vigor…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran spoke eloquently, lavishing praise on Li Heng, crafting for him a three-good-youth image: patriotic, passionate about life, with lofty ideals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng listened in silence—this girl could spin lies better than his second sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since the audience reaction was excellent, he let it go, thinking instead: If my love life ever blows up, where should I hide?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he reconsidered: Hide? What’s the point? If I grow strong enough—strong enough to command the world’s reverence—then nothing will be a problem. Even if I say nothing, great scholars will defend me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strength!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything is strength. He craved strength more than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Li Ran’s motivational speech, the trial class moved to its first topic: an introduction to studying abroad, delivered by He Wen from Beihang University.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in today’s internet age, researching every detail of studying abroad—what materials to prepare, what procedures to follow, what qualifications are needed—is an extremely tedious task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Wen had applied for overseas study three times, each time failing at the final hurdle—he was rich in experience, and his opening remarks were explosive, packed with practical knowledge, zero fluff, instantly capturing everyone’s interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To help the audience empathize, He Wen shared why he’d once been so determined to leave: his wife had gone abroad five years ago and still hadn’t returned. He wove his longing for her into every detail of the application process, speaking with such sincerity that listeners were moved to tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching He Wen on stage, so genuine and unpretentious, Li Heng sighed inwardly: five years gone—his wife was probably dazzled by the foreign world; whether she’d ever return remained uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t being cynical—he just knew the reality of the times: some people, once abroad, formed new relationships overseas and never came back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Wen had prepared thoroughly; his fifteen-minute lecture was vivid and unforgettable. When he finished and bowed to the audience before leaving, the crowd gave him sincere, heartfelt applause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came the second topic: foreign teacher Ella explaining Western customs and culture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ella had an excellent appearance—blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and slender—and her entrance instantly drew every male gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes: rarity increases value. And since most in the audience wanted to study abroad, harboring that “foreign moon is rounder” mindset, Ella’s foreignness came with an automatic halo—even if she farted onstage, someone would probably say it smelled nice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder she’d worked at the British Foreign Office—she knew exactly how to spark curiosity. She wore heavy makeup, dressed in revealing yet tasteful clothing, gestured dramatically, turned gracefully, and boldly interacted with several male and female students—all in English. The atmosphere never cooled for a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng nodded inwardly: good. The contrast between the foreign teacher’s passion and domestic teachers’ rationality wasn’t a bad thing—diversity kept students engaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After fifteen minutes, the third topic arrived—the most important one of the day: how to master English and prepare for the TOEFL exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jing from Renmin University was thoroughly prepared. Li Ran had also carefully planted several prompts in the audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two played off each other perfectly, pulling everyone into their rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, one plant asked the question everyone wanted to know: “Teacher Zhao, are there any tricks for the TOEFL exam?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Zhao smiled and nodded: “Of course. If you learn English without tricks, just memorizing by rote, you’ll never master it well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At New Future School, our research team has analyzed every past exam question, deeply summarized patterns for multiple-choice and test questions, and developed entirely new textbooks tailored to real needs—nowhere else on the market. Even if you know no English, if you study our textbooks carefully, you’ll have no trouble passing the TOEFL…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jing had been teaching for over ten years; she knew exactly how to connect with students. She even gave examples: how to tackle multiple-choice questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance: if three options are long and one is short, pick the short one; if three are short and one is long, pick the long one; if lengths differ, pick B; if levels are uneven, pick D; if all are the same length, pick A; if all are short, pick C—these were the exam secrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, this set of exam tricks was thoroughly overused in the future, and test-makers had grown wary of them. But in the 1980s, they often worked by accident—when stuck, following these rules could yield surprising results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though these tips contained a hint of deception, the audience listened with rare seriousness, pulling out pens and notebooks to write them down meticulously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knows a dull lecture feels like an eternity—but a successful trial class flies by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, before they knew it, over an hour and a half had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Timing it perfectly, Li Ran cut the trial class short at its peak, took the microphone, and announced:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Students, many have called New Future asking if they should enroll—they’re hesitant, confused, even terrified of the TOEFL after multiple failures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I want to say your perception is correct—the world’s competition is this cruel, life is this hard, and we fully understand your hesitation and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They say one minute on stage takes ten years of practice offstage. Come to our New Future School—we don’t just teach lessons, we guide you; we don’t just impart knowledge, we shape dreams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, before you lie two paths: one is retreat, destined for failure; the other is full of thorns and suffering, but ahead shines a brilliant light. Everyone has the choice—you may choose to settle for comfort and withdraw, or you may choose to join our New Future School, where we teach with heart and you learn with peace, walking shoulder to shoulder through hardship to build a better future…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran went on and on, brimming with enthusiasm, spending another five or six minutes pouring a wave of emotional inspiration into everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect was fantastic! As soon as the trial class ended, the crowd surged like they’d been injected with adrenaline, rushing toward the registration points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, all six registration points were completely surrounded; all eleven teachers eagerly joined in to provide consultations, register names, and collect fees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worried the teachers couldn’t handle the rush, Li Lan and security guard Liu Jingye walked over to volunteer and lend a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene, Yang Ying was overjoyed, holding the microphone to guide everyone: “Don’t rush! Don’t push! The Enhancement Class registration is on the left, the Overseas Advanced Class is in the middle, and the Future Class is on the right—choose the point that fits your needs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Enhancement Class costs 400 yuan, the Overseas Advanced Class costs 880 yuan. The Future Class offers a full-service package and costs 1,288 yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng was stunned to find that the queues for the Enhancement Class and the Future Class were the longest; a quick glance showed each had at least eight hundred people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the Future Class, with its steep 1,288-yuan fee, had the densest crowd around it—over twelve hundred people at just the two registration points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, the Overseas Advanced Class in the middle looked relatively empty, with perhaps only four or five hundred people waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Heng wandered around, listening everywhere, then quietly sighed to Teacher Yu in a corner: “Teacher, my imagination still isn’t enough—there really are so many rich people in Jingcheng, willing to spend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Shuheng scanned the crowd, then smiled faintly: “To these people, going abroad means success, means living a life above others overseas—it’s an investment, a gamble, so they’re willing to throw money, even if every penny was scraped together bit by bit. They won’t cut corners here. I have to say, young man, your insight is sharp—you’ve precisely found a money trail no one else saw. Today looks like it’ll bring a flood of profits; you might even clear a few million in pure earnings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Posted first, edited later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also: Let me mention updates—I checked the backend, and so far this month I’ve posted over 178,000 characters, which isn’t much compared to previous months. But this month I mainly adjusted my daily routine to lower my blood pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next month, I’ll try to return to my previous update volume. I feel writing too little each day is boring for me and unsatisfying for you—I’ll push myself harder. Thank you all for your support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2699,"2026-06-19T15:27:37.100Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","14099670a38a7f9be176e2ae3f0d95343711713987fa72aa457e98e0712ee55a","1987-my-era-chapter-494","1987-my-era-chapter-492",713,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002F1987-my-era-cover.jpg",{"terms":24},[25,29,33,37,41,45,49,53,57,61,65,69,73,77,81,85,89,93,97,101,105,109,113,117,121,125,129,133,137,141,145,149,153],{"id":26,"raw_term":27,"original_term":28},1802890,"Li Heng","李恆",{"id":30,"raw_term":31,"original_term":32},1802891,"Xiao Han","肖涵",{"id":34,"raw_term":35,"original_term":36},1802892,"Yang Yingwen","楊應文",{"id":38,"raw_term":39,"original_term":40},1802893,"Editor Liao","廖主編",{"id":42,"raw_term":43,"original_term":44},1802894,"Zou Ping","鄒平",{"id":46,"raw_term":47,"original_term":48},1802895,"Old Master Ba","巴老爺子",{"id":50,"raw_term":51,"original_term":52},1802896,"Song Yu","宋妤",{"id":54,"raw_term":55,"original_term":56},1802897,"Chen Zijin","陳子衿",{"id":58,"raw_term":59,"original_term":60},1802898,"Xiao Feng","肖鳳",{"id":62,"raw_term":63,"original_term":64},1802899,"Chen Xiaomi","陳小米",{"id":66,"raw_term":67,"original_term":68},1802900,"Chen Siya","陳思雅",{"id":70,"raw_term":71,"original_term":72},1802901,"Fu Yanjie","付岩傑",{"id":74,"raw_term":75,"original_term":76},1802902,"Mai Sui","麥穗",{"id":78,"raw_term":79,"original_term":80},1802903,"Tun Run'e","田潤娥",{"id":82,"raw_term":83,"original_term":84},1802904,"Su Daji","蘇妲己",{"id":86,"raw_term":87,"original_term":88},1802905,"Liu Yue","柳月",{"id":90,"raw_term":91,"original_term":92},1802906,"Liu Jia","劉佳",{"id":94,"raw_term":95,"original_term":96},1802907,"Li Jianguo","李建國",{"id":98,"raw_term":99,"original_term":100},1802908,"Teacher Yu","余老師",{"id":102,"raw_term":103,"original_term":104},1802909,"Yu Shuheng","余淑恆",{"id":106,"raw_term":107,"original_term":108},1802910,"Li Lan","李蘭",{"id":110,"raw_term":111,"original_term":112},1802911,"Zhou Shihe","周詩禾",{"id":114,"raw_term":115,"original_term":116},1802912,"Sun Manning","孫曼寧",{"id":118,"raw_term":119,"original_term":120},1802913,"Ye Ning","葉寧",{"id":122,"raw_term":123,"original_term":124},1802914,"Liu Yanling","劉艷玲",{"id":126,"raw_term":127,"original_term":128},1802915,"Wei Xiaozhu","魏曉竹",{"id":130,"raw_term":131,"original_term":132},1802916,"Fake Daoist","假道士",{"id":134,"raw_term":135,"original_term":136},1802917,"Zhang Zhiyong","張志勇",{"id":138,"raw_term":139,"original_term":140},1802918,"Yang Cheng","陽成",{"id":142,"raw_term":143,"original_term":144},1802919,"Huang Zhaoyi","黃昭儀",{"id":146,"raw_term":147,"original_term":148},1802920,"Huang Ziyue","黃子悅",{"id":150,"raw_term":151,"original_term":152},1802921,"Principal Sun","孫校長",{"id":154,"raw_term":155,"original_term":156},1802922,"Dai Qing","戴清"]