[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-restarted-life-1992":3,"chapter-my-restarted-life-1992-my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-81":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Restarted Life: 1992",{"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},2279631,4460,"Chapter 81","my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-81",81,"\u003Cp>The car pulled up beside Zhou Andong, the window rolled down, and a man with a center-parted haircut and sunglasses leaned out, smiling: “Dongzi, long time no see—how you doing these days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong sighed: “Just getting by—enough to eat and drink, no hunger. Not like you—you’re driving a big BMW now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihé got out, took off his glasses: “Dongzi, you can’t keep living like this. Why not come south with me? Work under me, manage people—I’ll pay you four grand a month. Better than slugging away at that crappy distillery?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong laughed: “I’m just too lazy and laid-back. I’ll stick with the distillery—it’s free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re always so careless. What can I even say to you?” Zhang Sihé shook his head, looking disgusted, then turned and tapped the window: “Tian Tian, get out—I’ll introduce you to someone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fashionably dressed woman reluctantly stepped out—nothing ugly, but not pretty either, just an ordinary woman, though perfectly matched to Zhang Sihé.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is my childhood buddy, Zhou Andong—call him Dongzi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hi, Dongzi!” The woman nodded blankly, speaking decent Mandarin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihé put an arm around her shoulder: “My girlfriend, Tian Tian!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong chuckled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made the woman frown in annoyance: “It’s too cold—I’m getting back in the car.” She got in and slammed the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Southern girl—can’t handle our northern winter. Don’t mind her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihé pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Andong, then patted his shoulder: “My offer’s always open—whenever you decide to get out, just come find me.” He got in the car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Tian looked out the window at Zhou Andong and sneered: “What friend or brother? Some country bumpkin. Don’t introduce me to people like him again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihé lit a cigarette from the glove compartment and started the car: “When we were kids, he looked down on me. Now that I’ve returned in glory, I’ve got to make sure he knows—I, Zhang Sihé, am a thousand, ten thousand times better than Zhou Andong. Now and forever, I’ll crush him under my feet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sneered: “College graduate? Pfft.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Tian glanced at Zhang Sihé: “If you hate him so much, why even want to bring him over?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihé said: “Isn’t it satisfying to make someone who once looked down on you into your dog?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Tian laughed: “Don’t forget—everything you have came from me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Sihé grabbed her hand, gazing at her with deep affection: “I’m sticking to you for life—you can’t run away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Used to follow us around as a kid, calling everyone ‘Dong Ge, Dong Ge,’ now he calls him ‘Dongzi’ and even dares to call you ‘bro’—typical little man with sudden luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen spat toward the retreating BMW’s rear: “Pfft. A kept man, and he’s got the nerve to come back showing off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong said: “When we were kids, this guy was always scum—that’s why I kept telling you not to hang out with him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, drumbeats and trumpet blasts came from the village direction; Zhou Anbei’s eyes lit up: “The village’s yangge troupe’s here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong said: “Go home and take Lao Si to watch the yangge—keep her from pestering me to take her to the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright!” Zhou Anbei, only sixteen, still childish, couldn’t wait—he bolted home at full speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen asked: “Where you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong headed toward the old man’s place: “To see Grandpa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen said: “I’m coming with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Banghua sat on the kang, rolling a cigarette; the old woman was digging sour cabbage from the crock in the outer room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandpa, Grandma—I’m here!” Zhou Andong called out as he entered the yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman, Zheng Guixiang, lifted the cotton door curtain and beamed: “My eldest grandson’s here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong walked in: “Grandma, Mom says you should come over for the New Year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re going nowhere!” the old woman said. “You brought us so much meat—just cook something at home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Happy New Year, Grandpa, Grandma!” Gao Zhen had grown up with Zhou Andong and always called them Grandpa and Grandma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Da Zhen’s back! You’ve grown taller again!” the old woman said warmly. “Come in, come in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong entered the room; Gao Zhen followed: “Grandpa, Happy New Year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man chuckled: “Happy New Year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen grabbed an apple from the kang and took a big bite: “Sweet!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman said: “That’s from your aunt’s own fruit tree—want more? Take some when you leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong enticed: “Grandpa, come to my place for the New Year—I’ve got some great liquor. You’ll regret it if you don’t come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man didn’t want to go, but hearing his grandson mention good liquor, he couldn’t sit still: “Fine—I’ve got my eldest grandson asking me personally—I’ve got to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong smiled. This old man had been a legend in his youth—worked as a guard for caravans, served as a household protector, later joined the revolutionary forces, marched the Long March, fought the Japanese, and served as a bodyguard for top leaders. He turned down many chances to become an official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the War of Resistance, he told his leader the fighting was over and it was time to go home—and returned to farm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes Zhou Andong wondered: why refuse an official post? If he’d taken one, he’d be a second- or even third-generation elite—driving fast cars, drinking heavily, hanging out in bars, dating a few sweet girls, chatting about life, discussing human anatomy—no worries at all. How nice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong said: “I’m heading out—you two come later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go ahead!” the old woman waved him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stepped out; Gao Zhen asked: “When’s dinner at your place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Andong said: “Not before two in the afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen nodded: “I’ll gather a few guys to come over and play cards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright!” Zhou Andong got home and got busy—cleaning, cooking, preparing dishes—and by one, everything was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole family sat around the table, piled high with over a dozen dishes—all meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Liying suddenly burst into tears. Zhou Xiao sighed: “Why are you crying on New Year’s?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Liying wiped her eyes: “After all these years, this year’s New Year meal is the most lavish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman sighed: “Liying, you’ve carried so much—big and small—through all these years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is nothing. Our lives will only get better from now on.” Zhou Andong smiled as he poured wine for the old man and woman. “Come on—let’s all raise a glass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man lifted his cup, sniffed it: “Today, thanks to my eldest grandson, I’ll finally taste what Maotai’s like.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little girl raised her nearly empty Coke and shouted: “Ganbei!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eating this early?” Zhou Anbin suddenly pushed open the door, holding a large basin. “Grandpa and Grandma are here too?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1135,"2026-06-20T01:18:49.036Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b2ca630010f89923a5ad4a65c7a908f59246e2aad4adafef55ab801897a7ba7e","my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-82","my-restarted-life-1992-chapter-80",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-restarted-life-1992-cover.jpg"]