[{"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-154":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},2294572,4489,"Chapter 154: Little Ye, I","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-154",154,"\u003Cp>A autumn rain drizzled for half a week, completely dispelling the last lingering heat of summer in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if overnight, the cool chill of autumn enveloped this land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The twelfth day of the ninth lunar month: auspicious for moving house, relocating;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>inauspicious for opening a business, opening storerooms, installing beds, or burial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye rose early, ran a circuit outside, then met Jin Peng at Zaojunmiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was his little brother Wang Qiang’s housewarming day—Li Ye, as the big brother, had to show up and offer congratulations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his own courtyard, he found a crowd already gathered; Old Song, who hadn’t been seen in days, was simmering porridge in a large clay pot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Li arrived so early? Have you eaten?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet! Give me a bowl.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song’s address for Li Ye was growing increasingly feudal—sometimes calling him “Zhuangyuan,” sometimes “Master Li,” always in a half-joking tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, authentic lotus seed, goji berry, and coix porridge—try it, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng and Tan Min beside him both grimaced, clearly disdainful of Old Song’s posturing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye sighed. “Old Song, this is a new society now. Just call me Li Ye. ‘Master’ sounds unnatural to me—and others will laugh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Old Song grinned, showing his yellow teeth. “You have your ways, I have mine—it’s no trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, habits shift like feng shui. Who knows? In a few years, ‘Master’ and ‘Lord’ might come back again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye genuinely admired this man—no one could survive from the Japanese occupation all the way to today, still hopping around, without some sharpness in his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a few more years, wouldn’t all those old customs return anyway?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. But don’t embarrass me in front of outsiders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it. Try the porridge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye tasted it—indeed delicious—but halfway through, he realized the bowl itself was even better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Song, where did you get this bowl?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song squinted, smugly smiling. “Master, you’ve got sharp eyes—this is authentic Qing Dynasty Daya Studio ware. I polish it daily, just waiting for you to use it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye chewed his lips, savoring the porridge, then studied the Daya Studio bowl, finally smiling with narrowed eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Song, did you spend all fifty thousand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had given Old Song fifty thousand as capital; Old Song took his team to the courtyard at Dazhong Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though some tenants still lived there, Old Song had sworn he’d drive them out within six months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t know what he’d collected these past days—or whether he’d filled Dazhong Temple’s courtyard yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, brilliant as ever,” Old Song gave a thumbs-up, unashamed. “We’ve exhausted ourselves, selecting only the finest, for your grand vision—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop, stop,” Li Ye cut him off, disgusted. “Just say it—how much more do you need?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song chuckled and held up two fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye dropped his disdainful look, serious. “Two hundred thousand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song nodded, no longer flattering. “We’re late. Two years ago, things cost a few yuan—now they’re hundreds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With too little capital, we can’t turn over inventory. I can’t just spend your money without making you profit, can I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye set down the bowl. “How do you plan to make money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song replied instantly: “Good pieces—we only collect, never sell. Mustn’t let them leave the country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But older items with mediocre craftsmanship? We can flip them. If we can fool those foreigners—heehee—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m old. I need some fun. Otherwise, what’s the point of living?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song had revealed his true nature in three sentences—but instantly reverted to his sly, cunning old rogue persona.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In antiques, if you only collect and never sell, you’re a pure collector. Old Song meant some items without cultural value could be flipped—or scammed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye stared at him for ten seconds. Old Song stared back, unblinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No evasion, no retreat—his eyes contradicted his shabby appearance entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. I’ll give you three hundred thousand. But your team’s too small—ask Hong Shu for another man. Stay safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye lifted the bowl again, sipping as he added: “Don’t forget—you’ve got a grandson.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song grinned. “Can’t forget. In two years at most, I’ll be holding my great-grandson!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Ye finished his lotus seed porridge, Wang Qiang stepped out of the side room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nearly spat out his mouthful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qiang’s suit was fine—standard style, Li Ye could understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what the hell was that half-pound of hair grease on his head?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mosquito landing on it couldn’t fly off—and couldn’t even stand, only manage a split!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qiang sensed Li Ye’s odd stare, utterly embarrassed—couldn’t smile, couldn’t not smile, painfully awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bro, today’s a happy day, so I wore new clothes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t speak—just pointed at Wang Qiang’s head. “Go wash that grease off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qiang blinked, grinned, nodded, turned toward the house—but grabbed Ma Qianshan by the arm and dragged him in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Ma Qianshan’s wails echoed inside: “Strong Ge , Strong Ge ! I saw many bosses with this style—it’s not my fault!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qianshan sat glumly in the driver’s seat of the Beijing 130 cargo truck—he’d taken a beating, so letting him drive was the consolation prize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Beijing 130 was the training vehicle for Jin Peng’s crew; everyone fought to drive it daily. Ma Qianshan, the newest, rarely got the wheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Old Song, you’re not coming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was assembled—Li Ye noticed Old Song hadn’t boarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This slick guy was so good at networking—how could he miss a chance to bond with Wang Qiang?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Song hurriedly said: “I showed my face on Beier Tiao last time—better not go. Don’t want to embarrass Qiangzi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beier Tiao? Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded, remembering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after arriving in the capital, Old Song had fought two men—one-on-two—and left them with minor injuries. The fight had been on Beier Tiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They drove there. Wei Jiaxian had already gathered several tricycles, loaded with furniture, waiting at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye glanced at the furniture—old and new mixed, practical and eclectic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qiang fished out his keys, opened the door, then shed his suit and began helping the tricycle drivers unload.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how he dressed, this kid’s kind, generous heart never changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng nudged Li Ye’s shoulder and nodded toward the alley outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See that alley over there? Huang Gang’s house is just two hundred meters down. Qiangzi could walk there in a step. You know the saying—‘Close to water, you get the moon first.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Peng Ge, your culture’s improving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye and Jin Peng both rubbed their chins, grinning like foxes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Wang Qiang thought he hid it well, Jin Peng’s surveillance had revealed nearly everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Huang Gang’s entire family arrived—not just Huang Gang’s mother and sister, whom Li Ye had met, but also Huang Gang’s father, whom Li Ye had only heard of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They took Wang Qiang’s housewarming seriously, bringing gifts per Beijing custom, and helped introduce him to neighbors, inviting them over for food and drinks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Better a close neighbor than a distant relative.” Wang Qiang, an outsider, was clueless here—but Huang Gang’s mother, a local, knew everyone and quickly gathered neighbors to show support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Wang Qiang didn’t skimp—he served fine wine and delicious food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, this young Wang’s got class! The feast’s not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you hear? This young Wang’s a deputy manager—he’s settling in the capital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deputy manager? So young? Impossible. Huang Gang’s mom, you’re just making it up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What nonsense? Look at that buzzcut—he’s the manager, the kid’s cousin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll tell you—this young Wang works at Pengcheng Factory No. 7, the one selling sundries on Xiushuijie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pengcheng Factory No. 7? No wonder he’s generous. That place’s been raking in cash lately—still open at eight at night!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Gang’s mother had elevated Wang Qiang’s status in under ten minutes. Though in Beijing, where everyone had three relatives in power, it wasn’t much—but it did improve neighborly relations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, I owe you drinks. That day, if not for your righteous intervention—I’ll drink it all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the feast began, Huang Gang, his two brothers, and their families came to toast Wang Qiang, Li Ye, and Jin Peng, showering them with thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was truly a life-saving debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Gang’s two brothers had lain in the hospital for over ten days—they’d only been discharged the day before!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye and Jin Peng accepted their toasts. Too much formality now would create distance, harming Qiangzi’s future happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when Huang Gang and his brothers toasted Li Ye, he clearly sensed their different attitude toward Wang Qiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Gang and Wang Qiang already had the vibe of lifelong brothers—warm, intimate, no formality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with Li Ye and Jin Peng, they were stiff—even Li Ye felt Huang Gang was slightly afraid of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Huang Suwen came to thank Li Ye, Huang Gang didn’t let her stay a second—he awkwardly pulled her away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Suwen frowned. “Brother, why so rude? These three saved you—they’re your benefactors. Why can’t I thank them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Gang shook his head. “I know they saved me. If I had to repay them, I wouldn’t hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But sister—that one… isn’t like Qiangzi. Good and evil are hard to tell apart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Huang Gang was the only one among the three brothers who was sober; he was certain that among Jin Peng, Li Ye, and Wang Qiang, the most vicious and ruthless was the seemingly mild-mannered college student.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the wooden spear, no opponent could stand a single clash—it was utterly brutal and cold-blooded, as if possessed by a killing god, and just thinking about it sent chills down the spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye asked Jin Peng with a hint of annoyance: “Peng Ge, why is Huang Gang afraid of me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng rubbed his scalp and laughed: “Don’t say he’s afraid of you—I was afraid of you that night too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After drinking and eating their fill, Li Ye felt he had drunk a bit too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Jin Peng stepped outside, firmly forbidding anyone from driving, leaving the 130 truck on Beier Tiao, telling Wang Qiang to pick it up himself after he sobered up the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group went to the street outside the alley to wait for the bus; as they waited, Li Ye suddenly stepped back and slipped behind Jin Peng, Ma Qianshan, and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he had seen an acquaintance emerging from the alley near Wang Qiang’s house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto, a third-year international student from Peking University.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you to reader Zero Machine—Yehuo for the coin reward, thank you to reader “Zuiweng Zhi Yi Bu Zai Jiu” for the 1500-coin reward, thank you to readers for their rewards, thank you to reader “aaa—Han Lichun” for the reward, thank you to readers for their rewards, thank you to reader “Liu Fenggu” for the reward, thank you to reader “Jiang Hao” for the 500-coin reward, thank you to reader “Jian Dan 008” for the reward, thank you to reader “Sui Feng Er Shi i” for the reward, thank you to reader “Bank Mortgage Credit t” for the reward, thank you to reader hatsuneakina for the reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1849,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","789104d948e6deabb94fcb5311e42855069784dc2e292e6544eabe8cfbca6fff","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-155","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-153",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]