[{"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-140":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},2294558,4489,"Chapter 140: What Really Is a Mountain of Gold?","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-140",140,"\u003Cp>Sunday, 6:30 a.m., ninety percent of Peking University students were still in bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye was already running along the path beside Weiminghu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The campus sports meet was about to begin, and as a 3000-meter runner, he had to at least sharpen his skills and show some flair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 1982 wind carried no trace of industrialization; breathing it in gave Li Ye a cool, refreshing sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to admit, this body of his was truly good—though it lacked any urban supernatural prowess, running two or three thousand meters was genuinely effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, hah~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along Weiminghu, Li Ye wasn’t the only morning runner; other students were engaged in various exercises, among whom the martial arts group stood out particularly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye glanced at a group ahead by the lake—likely students practicing Nanquan—whose rhythmic breathing and vocalizations never ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had noticed these students during his previous morning run, but today he spotted a familiar face among them—He Dazhuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Dazhuang’s bulky frame was actually well-suited for the powerful, swift style of Nanquan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye wasn’t worried he’d come seeking revenge; though there was a saying that “Nanquan beats Beiquan,” it was just a saying, and Li Ye, though northern, wasn’t a pure martial artist—he was a cheat, so what did he fear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Li Ye, over here, Li Ye!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Ye passed the martial arts group, someone called out from his right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and saw Li Huai and Yang Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled and turned toward them to greet them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day Li Ye met Li Huai at the post office, he’d been brought into their circle and learned these students were wuxia enthusiasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a top literature student writing wuxia didn’t seem odd at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai and Yang Yu treated Li Ye like a little brother, and they chatted easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Environmentally modified individuals, Li Huai and his group had studied at Peking University for over two years and were now utterly unlike first-years—they were warm, refined, even slightly polished, making conversation feel like basking in spring breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time they graduated senior year, they’d likely become outstanding talents meeting societal standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, you’re running so hard—are you entering the sports meet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You noticed that already? Otherwise I’d be sleeping longer in bed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye joked with them, then asked: “What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai tilted his chin toward the martial artists by the lake: “Watching them train, seeing if I can steal a few moves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye frowned: “Why not just go join and learn directly? Why steal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai chuckled awkwardly: “We don’t meet the martial arts club’s entry requirements.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye looked at Li Huai and Yang Yu’s builds and found it amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So martial arts in the 1980s was still prestigious—these two didn’t even qualify.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The martial arts craze and qigong fever of the 1980s were indeed intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the famous poet Hai Zi wrote in a letter to his family: “If you’re looking for XXX, you must first master qigong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew that decades later, taekwondo would surge in popularity while martial arts faded, and as for qigong—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it, you two keep watching. I’m off to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t want to dampen their enthusiasm and decided to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the two said: “Let’s go, let’s go! We’re heading to eat too—and by the way, those things you mentioned the other day, I think I’ve started to understand them a bit. Let’s chat more later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye replied: “I’ve made plans to have breakfast with someone. You two go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Made plans?” Li Huai and Yang Yu perked up immediately: “With a girl?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t want to tease these two singles; at the cafeteria entrance, he found a seat and waited for Wen Leyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the two sat down beside him, like ticketed spectators determined to see the full melodramatic finale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Li Ye, is that girl? She’s really nice!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s our class monitor—don’t go making up nonsense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No? That can’t be right! She smiled at you from far away—based on my years of experience—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up. What’s your years of singlehood worth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“. You bastard, I’m cutting ties with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Rongrong watched Li Ye and Li Huai’s group curiously, smiled, and walked past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai sighed: “Don’t be too picky. First-year freshmen are competing with guys from all four grades.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Huaiyu added: “Li Ye, don’t be shy. According to Peking University tradition, you can be bold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh. Loyalty matters. Being bold leads only to tragedy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai and Yang Yu were puzzled, but soon saw Li Ye’s gaze fixed on a girl approaching from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu strolled lazily, occasionally yawning, like a sleepy orange cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when she reached the cafeteria and spotted Li Ye and Li Huai, her entire aura shifted instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cute drowsiness vanished; a cool, icy presence subtly radiated, making the two onlookers feel a chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, you’re right—if you dare to chase two girls at once, you’ll be in deep trouble. Deep, deep trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye and Wen Leyu found a quiet corner to eat, avoiding the need to scatter dog food for others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the girl yawn three times in five minutes, Li Ye scowled: “Tell me—did you sleep at one a.m. or two?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last night... I read an interesting English book...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu squinted and held up one finger; seeing Li Ye’s stern look, she sheepishly changed to two fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two. I slept at two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why not wake up later?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu pouted: “You said we’d have breakfast at seven. Are you blaming me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was speechless—her childish pouting left him utterly helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat, then go back to sleep. No more reading, got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm, I finished last night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine. So her “two a.m.” was a lie too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing breakfast, they left the cafeteria together and saw Jin Peng and Hao Jian waiting outside for Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu smiled at Jin Peng: “Good morning, Peng Ge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, good morning!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng immediately tossed away his cigarette and greeted Wen Leyu with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu nodded at Hao Jian, then turned and went back to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye walked over: “What’s up? Something urgent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No,” Hao Jian smiled. “I’m taking the train to Yangcheng at noon. Before I go, I wanted to ask you, Li Ye, if you have any instructions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have that many instructions,” Li Ye sighed. “You’re now in charge of a unit—you need to believe in yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t mock me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I do things now, I feel uneasy unless I check with you first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Jian shook his head seriously: “When I first met you in Qingshui County, I thought we were evenly matched.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I got to Yangcheng, I considered myself one of your capable generals—but now...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Jian smiled, unable to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gestured, leading them to sit down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you’ve been doing well lately—why this sudden doubt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nine. Nine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We now have nine external processing factories; five have already started production and are shipping goods to Dongshan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Jian suppressed his excitement and told Li Ye: “I now believe your little goal... isn’t just talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When have I ever lied?” Li Ye smiled. “I said you’re doing well—you are. Believe in yourself. Don’t doubt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, really, Old Hao came just to hear Xiao Ye praise him,” Jin Peng pointed at Hao Jian and laughed. “This sneaky guy’s turning into my old construction boss—talking in polished speeches, so damn annoying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the annoying one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you are!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re utterly disgusting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching them banter for a while, Li Ye interrupted: “Hao Jian, when you return to Yangcheng, make sure you take good care of those workers. Whether we can recruit more depends entirely on your skills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Jian immediately patted his chest: “Don’t worry—I understand the principle of buying horse bones to attract talent. Seeing a mountain of gold rotting there makes me just as anxious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past month, Hao Jian hadn’t just negotiated with external factories—he’d also been poaching skilled workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the latter effort hadn’t gone smoothly; so far, he’d only recruited four people, three of whom were retired workers still contributing their experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life in these small collectives was hard, but not unbearable; people were reluctant to leave their homeland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the “mountain of gold” Hao Jian referred to were the skilled workers cultivated under the state system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Ye first introduced the term “mountain of gold” to Hao Jian, Hao Jian had scoffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his mind, the sluggish northern economy couldn’t compare to southern Yangcheng, where gold was everywhere for the picking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after seeing just a few factories absorb massive orders, he finally accepted Li Ye’s “mountain of gold” concept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty years of accumulation had given the north countless large, medium, and small enterprises; though their equipment and some mindsets were outdated, the countless skilled workers remained a vital foundation for China’s economic rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a few years, when these enterprises are restructured or privatized, will what revives them be merely capital and equipment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at India in later generations—without a large number of hardworking, literate, and dedicated workers, any talk is just castles in the air, pure nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These living people are the glittering gold mines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's go, Peng Ge! Take Old Hao to the station, then we'll check out the shop on Xiushuijie.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, I'll drive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng, who had already obtained his driver’s license, didn’t hesitate—he snatched the driver’s seat and drove like a demon, making the Beijing 130 feel like a sports car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Peng Ge, slow down! Slow down! Stop! Let me out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was thoroughly terrified. Everyone said new drivers were timid, but Jin Peng completely reversed that stereotype—he got in the car and just charged ahead without a second thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dropping off Hao Jian, Li Ye flatly refused to let Jin Peng drive again; he drove slowly himself to Xiushuijie, nearly suffocating Jin Peng with his caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Drive like this from now on, or we won’t buy a new car ever again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t care about Jin Peng’s expression—he slammed the door shut, face icy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng smiled but stayed silent; clever as he was, he could tell Li Ye’s mood—this was genuine concern for his Peng Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The authorities didn’t officially recognize the Xiushuijie market until 1985, so in 1982, Xiushuijie showed no signs of prosperity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could have imagined that this tiny street would one day give birth to countless new-generation millionaires?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the vendors currently on Xiushuijie, Li Ye’s starting point was undoubtedly higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they had units and official seals, they could lease nearby shops from the Housing Bureau under the name of Pengcheng Clothing Factory No. 7, or even buy property outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, Hao Jian and Jin Peng’s ability to maneuver had improved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Li Ye having to devise any plans, they each stationed themselves outside relevant government offices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as they spotted a low-level clerk, studied him carefully, the man would at least point them in the right direction—showing them how to get things done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how difficult a matter was, there was always a way—if you didn’t hit a dead end, careful study would eventually get it done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little Ye Ge, you’re here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye entered the shop, and Ma Qianshan immediately stood up with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he was a few years older than Li Ye, he had learned to adapt and now called Li Ye “Ge,” following Wang Qiangqiang’s lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What else could you call him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Call Li Ye “brother”? Do you even have the qualification?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t bother with formalities and asked: \"How’s business been since opening?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qianshan looked a bit embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng cut in: \"Just answer the question straight. Don’t play clever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qianshan chuckled nervously: \"We just opened, our name isn’t known yet, and the shop’s location isn’t top-tier—few customers come in. Also, some people want to bulk-order our goods, but I didn’t agree.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bulk-order our goods?\" Li Ye said. \"That’s a big appetite.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qianshan nodded: \"Yes, but they want to pay on credit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, there were too many so-called geniuses trying to grab money out of thin air, each convinced their brains alone could suck other people’s cash into their own pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go find someone to make a big sign and put it outside the door—just four characters: Can Issue Invoice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? Can issue invoice? Is that even allowed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it’s allowed or not, ask Guo Degang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft, pfft, pfft~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re legitimate business—how could we fake invoices?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An invoice proves the origin of goods and can, to some extent, help avoid suspicion of speculation and profiteering—so naturally, it appeals to certain people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lao Feng has probably taken a wrong turn recently, but he’s trying hard to adjust—the problem isn’t serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you to reader “Shili Qianli” for the reward, and to reader “Huo De Zi Zai” for the reward—thank you both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2178,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9a5b181c2a1f2c70d565ec8187368e6faac1c9b9acb30a474fa2e82c6f03f608","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-141","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-139",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]