[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981":3,"chapter-that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-101":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","That Year, the Flowers Bloomed in 1981",{"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},2294519,4489,"Chapter 101","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-101",101,"\u003Cp>Late July is the hottest season of the year in Qingshui County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1982, with no air conditioning and electric fans still uncommon, these dozen or so scorching days were truly unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone with the means to choose would surely take a break during this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang sat beneath a large tree outside his office, gulping down hot tea by the mouthful while rapidly fanning himself with a reed fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every late July marked the release of Gaokao results; scores would trickle down from the provincial level to the county Education Bureau, then be distributed to each high school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even though sweat soaked his towel as if it had been washed, Principal Chang dared not leave his telephone for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although admission was officially confirmed by acceptance letters, only a handful of students received them each year—hundreds of others were still waiting for their Gaokao scores to be announced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ringing, ringing, ringing~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phone rang abruptly; Principal Chang, despite his age, darted into his office with speed no one would expect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, this is No. 2 High School of Qingshui County. Oh, Director Ruan! What instructions do you have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled, Principal Chang scrambled for a towel to wipe his sweat—only to realize he’d left it under the tree. He lifted the hem of his vest and wiped the beads from his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, calls from the County Education Bureau to No. 2 High School came from mid-level directors; this was the first time the top official had called directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Chang, congratulations! Higher-ups are sending reporters to interview your school—you must prepare thoroughly and showcase the fine image of Qingshui County’s education system.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reporters? Which reporters? City-level? Provincial? Provincial reporters are coming to interview our school?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang asked several times before he finally realized something had landed on his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exclaimed excitedly: “Rest assured, I’ll prepare everything properly—but why are they coming to interview our school?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice on the other end chuckled oddly: “Isn’t it because of your school’s… unusual student, Li Ye?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unusual? What does ‘unusual’ mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang pondered those two brief phrases, unsure of the caller’s true intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had already brought him fame last year with his novella “Infiltration”—was this another case of “Infiltration”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not like ordinary students—rebellious, always acting unpredictably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The caller’s lengthy explanation made Principal Chang sweat even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No no no, sir, you’re mistaken—Li Ye is a good student. We can’t believe rumors!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang was fiercely protective—he knew Li Ye was No. 2 High’s flagship; he had to defend him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next moment, the caller teased: “He’s a good student, yet treats the mock exam like a joke— isn’t that unusual?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden flash of insight struck Principal Chang—he remembered a phrase Li Ye had spoken two months ago, right in this office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, that brat had deliberately startled him while he was drinking tea, just to make him choke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director, are the Gaokao results out? Did Li Ye really score six hundred?” Principal Chang’s voice trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You knew his real ability? If he’s that good, why let him act up...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The caller scolded him at length, leaving Principal Chang reeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang immediately protested: “Sir, you don’t understand—Li Ye’s a genius. He was deep into writing then, his mind full of—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So he skipped the mock exam. Besides, his writing received strong guidance from Teacher Ke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To protect Li Ye, Principal Chang subtly dragged Teacher Ke into the story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough with your excuses—save it for when the reporters arrive,” the caller cut him off. “Do you now understand how to explain this to them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Highlight the personality of this talented young writer—emphasize the arrogance and confidence of youth. There are plenty of precedents!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unusual? Definitely unusual. Rebellious? Confident? He’s plenty rebellious and confident!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang patted his chest in assurance—as if the man who’d just called Li Ye a good student weren’t himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing, he smiled and asked: “So Director... how did Li Ye actually do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t say—it’s against regulations,” came the reply, deliberately vague. “Your school’s results will be distributed soon—just check them yourself. But think about it—you’ve hit a lucky break. You’ll be bragging about this for years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guess? Oh come on, old boss, give me a hint! I won’t sleep tonight if you don’t!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But you should’ve figured it out yourself—this time you got a huge bargain, enough to brag about for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hanging up, Principal Chang dropped his cautious demeanor and growled: “You’ve gotten too big for your chair, and you’ve lost your honesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You used to be open and sincere—now you beat around the bush. Have you forgotten how I used to bring you meals?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after just two seconds of thought, Principal Chang grasped the key clue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Provincial reporters? Big break? Last year’s provincial top scorer was Mu Yunxue... second place was...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who even remembered who came second?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang leapt to his feet, pacing excitedly around his office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Provincial first place—it must be provincial first place!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strode out of his office, gathered his dantian energy, and bellowed: “Someone! Get me someone!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two teachers on duty rushed over like firefighters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong, Principal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Higher-ups are inspecting our work. Get people to clean—clean every visible spot, especially the toilets.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two teachers stared at each other, grimacing: “Principal, it’s just us two—we can’t possibly clean everything!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleaning duties never lacked manpower—during school hours, anyway. But now it was vacation; where were the students to act as laborers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Principal Chang pointed to a few students near the school bulletin board: “Aren’t there students there? Get them started—I’ll call others right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school bulletin board was where Gaokao results were traditionally posted. With the announcement date approaching, anxious students came daily, hoping to catch a glimpse of their fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Weiguo was one of them. He lived in town, and his family made him come every day. Today, he didn’t see his results—only ended up with a large broom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Clean the toilets? But we’ve graduated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve graduated? So you’re definitely not repeating next year?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Us clean the toilets? We’ve graduated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could be sure? If they were that confident, why would they keep nervously showing up every day waiting for results?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang didn’t care about He Weiguo’s inner suffering. He returned to his office and dialed Li Zhongfa’s number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, Director Li! This is Old Chang from Qingshui No. 2 High. Ha ha, tell Li Ye—he’s got reporters coming to interview him, and a report meeting too. He must prepare well—write several speeches.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? He’s not home? No rush, no rush—the reporters won’t come for two days. What did you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s traveling to admire our country’s beautiful landscapes? Can’t be reached?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Chang’s cheerful smile froze solid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long silence, his roar echoed from the office:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little monkey... you really are unusually peculiar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Principal Chang’s roar erupted from the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingshui River flowed from west to east, and after passing through the county town, it split southward into a tributary, winding its way to irrigate countless fertile fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the eastern bank of this tributary lay a large village of over three thousand people: Xiajiacun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most villagers bore the surname Xia, having lived and multiplied on this land for centuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the village’s eastern end, Xia Laoshi was a master carpenter by ancestral trade—skilled, kind-hearted, and blessed with four sons, all broad-shouldered and sturdy, earning him great respect in the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the reforms, villagers’ minds had opened; they no longer competed over who was poorest, but who was richest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demand for new furniture and doors\u002Fwindows surged, and Xia Laoshi’s fortunes soared—his family of five carpenters saw their lives grow brighter by the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since his youngest daughter returned from town half a month ago, Xia Laoshi, once always cheerful, had lost his smile and even stopped playing cards, his favorite pastime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High noon. After hours of labor in the cool morning air, Xia Laoshi and his fourth son finally set down their planers and sat at the small dining table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His wife quietly placed pickles and egg noodles on the table, then nodded toward the side room, signaling him to call her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Laoshi sighed softly: “Yue, wake up—time to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a minute passed before Xia Yue’s voice came from inside: “Dad, I’m not hungry. I’ll eat at noon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Laoshi patiently replied: “Three meals a day—you can’t skip any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Get up. Your fourth brother is taking furniture to town today—he’ll take you along. They say the department store has new clothes—I’ll buy you one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah yeah yeah,” the fourth son mumbled through his noodles, shouting toward Xia Yue’s room: “Hurry up, Xiao Yue! Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you. Besides, aren’t the results coming out soon? We should go check.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you yapping so much? Can’t you just shut up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Laoshi kicked his fourth son’s shin hard, nearly making the big lad drop his bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth son snapped back to reality, lowered his head, and ate in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Laoshi had four sons and only one daughter, Xia Yue—he’d doted on her since birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her four brothers adored her, giving her anything she wanted, spoiling her into a spoiled, arrogant girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xia Yue’s brilliance perfectly masked these flaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d been top of her school since elementary—unlike her four brothers, who were too dull to learn anything but carpentry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this once-excellent student had hit a wall at the Gaokao. Her first attempt missed the cutoff by a few points—she’d confidently enrolled in a retake class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this second attempt had shattered her. She’d shut down completely. No matter how Xia Laoshi pleaded or cajoled, nothing worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating, Xia Laoshi sat silently smoking his pipe. His wife cleared the dishes and approached:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should we try asking Lu Jingyao again? Maybe she can talk some sense into Xia Yue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Laoshi snapped: “She’s a college student now—why would she care about us? We asked twice and she didn’t come. Are we that stupid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Laoshi sighed irritably: “He’s a college student now—why would he still care about us? We went to invite him twice and he didn’t come; if you don’t get it by now, you’re a fool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Xia Laoshi finished speaking, someone laughed outside the courtyard wall: “Uncle, you’re embarrassing me—don’t even say I’m a college student; even if I were an old student, I couldn’t forget my roots, could I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1759,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b6938a0d1c6f4528982e027101f1dff49d9e0918805fd1e716121382427ad49c","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-102","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-100",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]