[{"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-138":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},2294556,4489,"Chapter 138: A Bit Tight","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-138",138,"\u003Cp>At 5:30 a.m., Beijing Aviation Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan quietly slipped out of bed, climbed down from the top bunk, and pushed the still-sleeping Hu Man on the lower bunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were lucky enough to both get into the same university and assigned to the same dormitory—truly inseparable like sisters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hu Man, Hu Man, wake up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmm… is it time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man, still half-asleep, lingered in bed for three seconds before reluctantly getting up and shuffling groggily to the communal bathroom to wash up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At six o’clock sharp, the two were already waiting at the academy’s main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man yawned and said, “We agreed on six-thirty. Why’d you get up so early?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan replied, “Li Ye said six-thirty, so he’ll definitely arrive early. Do we want him waiting for us? Let him know we’re lazy sleepers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s a lazy sleeper?” Hu Man blushed slightly. “They’re picking up Wen Leyu first, then Li Dayong and Han Xia—we’re the last stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hu Man spoke, a blue “big-head car” rumbled toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the back window, Li Dayong stuck half his body out and waved vigorously at Hu Man and Jiang Xiaoyan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a car like this! I think I saw one in Qingshui County—only township cadres get to ride them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan stared at the double-row Beijing 130 parked before them, still envious—Qingshui County had only a few of these.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After parking, Li Ye told the two in the back: “You two, get up in the cargo bed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Favoring girls over friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingjie muttered, rolled his eyes, and climbed out to the rear cargo box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This vehicle had two rows of front seats, rated for six passengers—eight of us couldn’t possibly fit inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this era, transport was scarce; cargo trucks were allowed to carry up to six passengers in the rear bed. Only if more than six rode would you need official paperwork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Hu Man and Jiang Xiaoyan got in, Li Dayong immediately became overly eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled open a large cardboard box beneath his feet, revealing seven or eight pairs of brand-new sports shoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, come on, take a look—these are defective goods Li Ye got for us, two yuan a pair. See what size you need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two yuan a pair? That cheap?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan and Hu Man instantly perked up, each grabbing a pair to examine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shoes resembled Huili sneakers in style, but from an unfamiliar brand; when squeezed hard, the texture felt surprisingly good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan exclaimed happily, “I’ll take a pair in size 36.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me try, let me try—I’m size 37.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man also picked up a size 37. Both girls felt the joy of stumbling upon a bargain while shopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, watching their delighted smiles in the rearview mirror, smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defective goods did exist—many factories built by the Huili Shoe Factory often sold slightly flawed Huili shoes internally at low prices, barely different in wear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, Yangcheng’s wholesale division had expanded rapidly, and shoes had become one of the main products under Li Ye’s “Yangcheng Branch,” so he had asked Jin Peng to send over some shoes and clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But two yuan? Impossible. Li Ye had quietly subsidized a bit himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared that if he sold them at cost—four or five yuan—he’d worry Jiang Xiaoyan wouldn’t dare buy them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, Li Ye had noticed that among the eight, Jiang Xiaoyan was still wearing cloth shoes made by her mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, even after arriving in Beijing, this girl hadn’t changed her thrifty, budget-conscious nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, as the eight climbed the Great Wall, she alone wore something different. Even if she showed no outward sign, could she truly feel nothing inside?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many once-close friends drifted apart, slowly losing contact, all because of material disparities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Li Ye felt that if spending a few extra yuan could preserve the pure friendship among the eight, it was more than worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was now a wealthy man with a big business—dozens of yuan? Just pocket change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting in the front passenger seat, Wen Leyu glanced sideways at Li Ye’s smile, smirked, and smiled too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason Li Ye had won the little girl’s heart was precisely this “kindness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kindness isn’t stupidity—it’s simply the side of human nature that opposes “evil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the little girl’s smile had another reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【He only knows my shoe size—not Hu Man’s or the others’.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1982, Badaling Great Wall rarely saw “crowds of tourists,” especially on non-holidays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any tourists who appeared were either foreigners or outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong, carrying a large iron pot and two ten-kilogram plastic water buckets, struggled painfully up the Great Wall’s steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far ahead, Hu Man, Jiang Xiaoyan, and Han Xia had already flown off like swift swallows; Li Dayong could only watch their fading silhouettes and sigh helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Fu Yingjie chuckled, “Big Yong, didn’t you plan for this? Now’s your chance—go chase them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingjie and Li Dayong had always been close, having both entered Beijing Institute of Industry; he’d already guessed most of his buddy’s feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong had a crush on Hu Man, but she showed no interest—over the past few weeks, he’d approached her repeatedly with zero progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, he’d hoped climbing the Great Wall together would give him a chance to get closer, but Li Ye had planned a picnic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The big pot, cooking gear, meat, dishes—all dumped on the poor, burdened Li Dayong, Fu Yingjie, and Yan Jinbu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying forty to fifty pounds, how could he catch up to light-as-birds girls?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more Li Dayong thought about it, the angrier he got. He turned and yelled at Li Ye, fifty meters behind: “Bro, I’m exhausted!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, lingering behind with Wen Leyu, snapped back irritably: “I’m tired too! Want me to let you carry me up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten seconds later, a bear let out a roar, hoisting the pot and buckets, and charged up the steps with thundering strides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu asked curiously, “What’s wrong with Big Yong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye snorted, “Spring’s here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1982, picnics were easier than in later years—you didn’t need to bring firewood or gas; branches were everywhere, easily gathered for authentic wood-fired meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The point of a picnic was the atmosphere: eight people bustling around two big pots, laughing and chatting about old times, spirits higher than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I got a letter from Jin Shengli—he actually apologized to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I got one too. Never thought he’d lower his head to apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I got a letter from Zhuang Hongxing too! He said if we ever go to Chang’an, he’ll treat us to lamb dumplings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you reply to Jin Shengli? I’m not replying—I’d rather write back to Zhuang Hongxing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Hongxing and Jin Shengli both got into junior colleges this year—one to Chang’an, one to the provincial capital—successfully escaping hardship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that they’d “made it,” their horizons had broadened, and they began trying to mend ties with classmates who’d come to Beijing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man suddenly sighed and said, “Did you hear? Xia Yue didn’t re-take the exam at County No. 2 High. She got someone to send her to Linxian—wonder if she’ll adapt there alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fiery Han Xia snapped back, “Why feel sorry for her? If she’d passed this year and we hadn’t, would she have pitied us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True,” Hu Man laughed wryly. “On the narrow bridge, who’s more pitiful than whom?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dinner’s ready! Dinner’s ready!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan waved her spatula and shouted, instantly dispelling the girls’ maternal sentiments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One pot of braised pork stew, one pot of steaming white rice—eight young people rediscovered the taste of Erliangdian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Burp~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia let out an unrefined burp and murmured, “After all this time in Beijing, I thought I’d never taste that kind of happiness again—school cafeteria food, sigh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huagongxue Academy’s cafeteria food was better than Qingshui County No. 2 High’s, but nowhere near this home-cooked meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating home-cooked meals at Erliangdian for half a year, this familiar taste might never fade from memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye ate heartily too. After finishing, he said, “I bought a courtyard in Zaojunmiao. Tonight, I’ll take you all to see it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From now on, on weekends, I’ll have meat and dishes ready ahead of time—you can all come over for a feast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man smiled, “Li Ye, you’re planning to take care of us for life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, startled, replied, “Who said that? You pay—ten fen per meal, not a penny less. I’m a socialist little moneybags, and my heart’s very, very black.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia and Hu Man laughed so hard they doubled over; Jiang Xiaoyan, too, smiled with lips pressed shut—no longer as reserved as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, her pockets had money!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, back at Zaojunmiao, after another lavish dinner, everyone pulled out ten fen to give Li Ye—but Jiang Xiaoyan handed him five yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye knew exactly what the girl meant, but pretended surprise: “Xiaoyan, you want change? I’m a little moneybags—I’ve only got big bills, no small change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan smiled awkwardly. “This is for the meals I owe. Over the past six months, I’ve gained fifteen jin—I owe you for that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of talk is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, everyone, gather here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye frowned, clapped his hands, and called the classmates over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan instantly felt embarrassed—she’d wanted to quietly pay five yuan first, then gradually settle the rest, without anyone knowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said seriously, “Just now, Xiaoyan said something that made me feel guilty. I should’ve told everyone sooner—she might never have misunderstood for so long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia asked, “What’s so serious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said, “Do you remember when we first went to Erliangdian?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d originally planned to hire someone to cook—two meals a day, meals included, eight yuan a month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye held up a hand gesture for “eight” and said, “Eight yuan a month is low—temporary workers get eighteen yuan fifty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But later, because we needed secrecy, we had Xiao Yan cook for us, no wages—just no charge for her meals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You all know basic arithmetic—help Xiao Yan calculate how much she lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man, Yan Jinbu, and others stayed silent. They weren’t children—a meal costing one jiao didn’t even cover cost, so who cared about loss or gain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, compared to getting into university, what’s a few meal fees?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Li Ye’s tutoring, could they have gotten into university? Especially a top-tier one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you believe that if Li Ye returned to the Second Grain Store and shouted, “I need to tutor ten students,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>every student from County First and Second High Schools would swarm the store, fighting to the death for a spot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this kind of debt, how can you dare say you’re being cheated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone owes Li Ye a favor, but Jiang Xiao Yan just fixated on it, thinking she owed more than anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need—don’t count pennies and nickels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing everyone silent, Li Ye turned to his better half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu understood at once, speaking precisely: “Jiang Xiao Yan cooked for us seven months, eight yuan a month—seven times eight is fifty-six.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See? I actually owe you fifty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiao Yan bit her lip, so moved she nearly cried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wiped her nose with her hand, smiling and nodding in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t give you the five yuan either—I’ve got a deal for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye slipped the five yuan back into his pocket and turned to Jin Peng: “Peng Ge, bring out all the flawed goods—let these lambs see them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, if anyone doesn’t spend three or five yuan here, they’re not leaving through the main gate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng, smoking a cigarette, barely held back his laughter and called Ma Qianshan to haul items out of the side room—clothes, shoes, socks, coats—over a dozen styles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These all have minor flaws—maybe the stitching is off by a millimeter, or the cuffs differ by a millimeter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shoes are two yuan, clothes are one yuan each—hurry up and pick. Once you’re done, I’ll send you on your way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia and Hu Man immediately lost their composure—seeing discounted clothes made them freeze in place. It was a woman’s nature, no different from a man’s reaction to a beautiful woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Yan Jinbu and Fu Yingjie couldn’t resist the temptation of “one-yuan goods!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the small sihe courtyard buzzed like a clothing market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu, the refined lady, also had her eyes gleaming, eager to browse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye held her back and said, “You’re tall—you don’t fit their sizes. Here, two trunks in the west wing are yours. Go inside, close the door, and try them on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh oh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl eagerly dashed into the west wing to try on her “custom pieces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Jiang Xiao Yan quietly approached Li Ye and whispered, “Li Ye, I don’t need clothes—can I just buy three?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was genuinely surprised. “Xiao Yan, I remember when you got into university, your village and township all gave you aid. Why won’t you spend a few yuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiao Yan murmured like a mosquito: “I saved that money—I want to buy my mom a bicycle. She walks to the market carrying a shoulder pole. I’ve saved enough for the bike, but not enough for the ticket.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye couldn’t help but sigh deeply. “If you don’t have a bicycle ticket, go to Peng Ge—he has connections. He can get you one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiao Yan looked at Li Ye skeptically. After a long pause, she said, “Then… I’ll go see Peng Ge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go, go quickly. Give him the money directly—he’ll handle it for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Jiang Xiao Yan walk off with light steps, Li Ye felt pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doing one good deed a day—excellent, excellent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Engengeng~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From behind Li Ye came a clear, nasal sound from Wen Leyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye turned and saw the girl frowning, cheeks slightly flushed, looking uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked, “What’s wrong, Xiao Yu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu whispered, “The size doesn’t fit—it’s too tight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too tight? How?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t believe it—he’d known her size well after living with her so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when he stepped closer, he realized he’d been wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just over a month, her other parts hadn’t changed, but her rear and hips had subtly grown half a size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How? Growing this fast? Huh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you to reader “Qiao Mu Yu” for the reward, and to reader “Ren Er Wu Yi Bu Si He Wei” for the reward—thank you, brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2421,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d95be2e3cb69c07fbcc620e23ec6df50d9dd72d5b24d385bf53f382399b57aa2","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-139","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-137",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]