[{"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-124":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},2294542,4489,"Chapter 124: Someone More Powerful Than You Exists","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-124",124,"\u003Cp>“Kaijian, stop right now, are you defying heaven?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let go of me, you’re crazy, ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue heard her son’s wailing and ran from the other end of the bus station, only to see her younger brother grabbing her son and beating him mercilessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue rushed forward to pull them apart, but she couldn’t budge them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had never seen Li Kaijian so furious—he was nearly turning his own nephew into a pig’s head and showed no sign of stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helpless, Li Mingyue opened her mouth and bit down on Li Kaijian’s arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ow! Ow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaijian bled from the bite, his grip loosened slightly, and Cui Aiguo finally freed half his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue released her bite and seized Li Kaijian’s collar instead, crying out: “What are you doing? Tell me what you’re doing! Are you trying to kill your own nephew?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s not my nephew—he’s an animal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaijian’s eyes burned red as he glared at Cui Aiguo, who hid behind Li Mingyue, breathing heavily as if ready to charge and crush him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your nephew’s an animal, so what are you? Aren’t you an animal too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what he did?” Li Kaijian pointed at Cui Aiguo, his voice low and venomous: “He wrote a denunciation letter—accusing Li Ye of cheating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue froze for several seconds, then murmured dazedly: “Cheating... Li Ye cheated? No wonder...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two are both bastards, both curses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaijian flew into another rage, shoved past Li Mingyue, and grabbed Cui Aiguo’s collar again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue immediately clung to his other arm and shouted: “Where did you hear this nonsense? How could Aiguo do something so evil?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He admitted it himself,” Li Kaijian growled. “That day, the county education committee officials sat at the same table as our father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They were baffled—exam graders normally only review college entrance papers; even the top scorer in the province just gets his paper reviewed a few extra times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So why did the provincial authorities even think to check Li Ye’s pre-exam scores?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did they know Li Ye was ‘unique’? And why did the inquiry trickle down from province to city to county, digging into Li Ye’s background?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible. Aiguo’s a good boy—he’d never do something like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard it myself,” Li Kaijian rasped. “Just now, I heard it—your son wrote two letters to the provincial education committee denouncing Li Ye for cheating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This... maybe the province got it wrong...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue argued, but even she didn’t believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, provincial reporters had come to Qingshui County to interview Li Ye, the top scorer in the province—partly because Li Ye was labeled “unique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them knew it was Cui Aiguo who had written the denunciation letter to the provincial education committee, triggering the review of Li Ye’s two exam papers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Li Ye’s two papers had identical handwriting, and his pre-exam paper was “brilliant”—so Cui Aiguo’s two letters had no effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, after hearing this, Li Kaijian was drenched in cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of nephew was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only because the official college entrance exam carried such massive responsibility that the authorities were extra cautious—if not, what chaos would have erupted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Animal. Not even death is enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue’s hands trembled violently as she grabbed Cui Aiguo and asked, voice shaking: “Tell me—did you make a mistake? Were you dreaming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Aiguo, still seething from his uncle’s beating, jerked his neck defiantly: “He definitely cheated—Old Huai even appeared to him in a dream, didn’t that count as cheating too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, I denounced him—and he benefited! If not for me, would he have made the newspaper? Would he have gotten so famous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaijian and Li Mingyue were stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaijian couldn’t believe his own nephew was this cruel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue couldn’t believe her own son was this foolish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, good, very good. This isn’t over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaijian stood speechless for a long while, then gritted his teeth and spat: “I’m done,” before turning and sprinting off on his motorcycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue slapped Cui Aiguo hard across the face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, you’re hitting me too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You stupid child!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue wept as she stomped and paced, more frantic than an ant on a hot pan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, Li Ye didn’t even get hurt—he beat me once, now my uncle beat me again—what more does the Li family want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—” Li Mingyue choked back tears: “Your uncle’s anger is one thing—but if your grandfather finds out, he’ll never forgive you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Aiguo scoffed: “Grandfather? He’s going to beat me too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh no, why did you just admit it?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mingyue twisted her son’s arm, sobbing: “Li Ye is Li—his grandson. You’re Cui—an outsider’s grandson. Do you think he’ll spare you?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Aiguo stood frozen for a long time, then suddenly bolted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aiguo, where are you going? Come back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, I’m going to college—I’ll miss the train!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wuuu~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wuu~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The train from the south slowly pulled away from Dongshan Station, heading northward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong, Hu Man, and others waved frantically out the window—their faces, once filled with excitement, now streaked with tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The principal and several teachers had already faded into the distance; Han Xia’s father and Jiang Xiao Yan’s mother still ran alongside the platform, chasing the train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nagging reminders—“Be careful on the road,” “Write when you have news”—had felt annoying moments ago, but now, as the train moved, they echoed like a mother’s lullaby, breaking their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Child, when you earn money, who will you spend it on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You and Grandma—I’ll buy you so much food, you’ll never finish eating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Girl, what will you become when you grow up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be a doctor—I’ll cure your cough for sure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they grew older, children who once saw only their parents became independent, rebellious, eager to escape their control, to fly free in their own sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only occasionally, when they glanced back at the homeland now out of sight, did they suddenly remember their childhood promises remained unfulfilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was only rarely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The train rolled along steel rails, its rhythmic metallic clatter quickly dispelling the homesick melancholy of the children, reigniting their restless longing for freedom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiao Yan and Han Xia claimed the two window seats, pressing their faces against the glass, eyes wide with delight as the scenery blurred past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My turn, my turn—you’ve both stared long enough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingjie hurried over, annoyed at Han Xia and Jiang Xiao Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, stingy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia muttered the insult but immediately stepped away from the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After boarding, Li Dayong and the others had secured two adjacent window seats, so the six of them took turns sitting there, savoring the breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, I’ve got salted duck eggs my mom boiled—want some?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My mom made me egg pancakes—I can’t finish them, help me eat them up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me too, me too...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At mealtime, the children all pulled out their best treats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These delicacies, rarely eaten at home, had been stuffed into their backpacks by their parents—each bite packed with love.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it was Li Dayong’s turn, he sighed: “I didn’t bring anything—just money. My brother told me: as long as you don’t skimp on spending, you won’t lack for anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Without your big brother Li Ye around, you’ve turned into a big monkey? How full of yourself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about? I’m a rich man too! Hey, I’ll treat everyone to boxed meals! My brother said train meals don’t need grain coupons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong, stung by Han Xia’s jab, spotted a train attendant in a white chef’s uniform pushing a food cart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cart had a pile of chopsticks up front and aluminum lunch boxes behind—smelling surprisingly good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much per box? Fifty cents? Give us six.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before anyone could refuse, Li Dayong pulled out three yuan and handed it over, his boastful demeanor unhidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man whispered: “I heard from my dad it used to be thirty cents a box.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant handed out the boxes and said: “Girl, that was the price two years ago. Don’t complain—it’ll only get more expensive soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifty cents is cheap? Really...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shh—my dad told me: when traveling, speak less, especially don’t badmouth in front of others. This actually smells pretty good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the others thought fifty cents was expensive, but they didn’t know the attendant was telling the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, the train cooks were skilled state employees; in a few years, when the boxed meals were outsourced, the prices and taste... hehehe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating, they waited for the attendant to collect the boxes, when a petite, doll-like girl smiled and walked up from the rear of the train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you all eaten? The journey is long—how about a casual interview?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the others stared for several seconds before instinctively saying: “Reporter Yue, this train’s going to Jingcheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Mengmeng smiled and walked over to Fu Yingjie. “That’s right—I’m going to Jingcheng!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingjie quickly moved aside to make room; he knew full well how formidable this petite girl could be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you don’t give her a seat, she’ll make you squirm and leave you torn between laughing and crying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong, as the self-appointed “big brother” at the moment, stepped forward and asked: “Reporter Yue, didn’t you already interview us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Mengmeng put on a worried expression. “My internship’s over. My unit assigned me to the Beijing bureau, but I’m completely unfamiliar with the city—I have no idea where to start.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why don’t I interview you? I’ll write a story about outstanding students from Dongshan Province who came to the nation’s capital, saw its strength, and marveled at its greatness. What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That hat you’ve put on is hard to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong and the others looked at each other, hesitant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Mengmeng added: “I brought a camera. Once we get to Jingcheng, I can take a few photos of you and mail them home to your families.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We want pictures of Tiananmen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then you’d better cooperate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Mengmeng was highly professional—she asked each question one by one, jotting notes down, and soon the skeleton of the article took shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as she was finishing, she suddenly asked: “You all are college students now—what are your views on college students’ romantic lives?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Romantic life? What’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean your views on adult relationships. Li Ye must have a girlfriend, right? By the way—who among you is Li Ye’s girlfriend?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the other two girls were first stunned by the question, then exchanged glances—each look heavy with unspoken meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Heh, you might meet her soon. You think you’re tough? You haven’t seen anyone tougher yet.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1792,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","96ece0c6a14c40b6245c224cbd0fed1c6fc41f4e5146c2d93f5536f8684566d0","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-125","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-123",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]