[{"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-177":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},2294595,4489,"Chapter 177: You Think We","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-177",177,"\u003Cp>This tape recorder is really great! No sound leaks out from the outside, but with headphones on, it’s crystal clear and very pleasant to listen to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good idea—using this kind of tape recorder to learn English avoids a lot of trouble. Last time I used that double-speaker recorder to listen to Deng Lijun, my English teacher was furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I think we should take one apart and let the electronics department students study it, to understand the world’s cutting-edge electronic technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the student union activity room, Liu Chunbo had one walkman in each hand, fiddling with them endlessly, thoroughly enjoying himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing beside him, Nakamura Naoto smiled warmly, his expression radiating “friendliness, greatly increased.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto had been on this poor land for over two years; though most of the Kyoto University students he met were young talents with humble means but lofty aspirations,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>before absolute material wealth, even these young talents would happily forget their principles and make friendly compromises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for ordinary people outside Kyoto University—hah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When eight thousand yuan was placed before that Guan family, their greedy gazes burned hotter than the courtesans of Daban Dance Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Nakamura Naoto believed that with just a little clever maneuvering, he could easily smooth over last night’s blunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a few walkmans—if that doesn’t work, then ten or more; if that still doesn’t work, Nakamura Naoto planned to secretly pull out some Japanese manga—he refused to believe he couldn’t corrupt a few young people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, why doesn’t this machine have a recording button? Can’t it record?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably can’t record—such a small size, the functions must be limited.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s too bad—if it could record, it’d be even better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Chunbo fiddled with the walkman, suddenly beginning to discuss its flaws with a few classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto walked up with a smile and explained: “Liu-san, this is a Sony Walkman—you can also call it a walkman. It’s designed to give users the most convenient musical experience,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>like listening to ‘The Blue Danube’ on the bus, or ‘Sabre Dance’ while jogging.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto’s smile was flawless, but inside, he felt profound contempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You’re clutching it like treasure but pretending to find faults—you’re truly bureaucratic!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next moment, Liu Chunbo’s face turned expressionless, and he placed the walkman into the handbag Nakamura had brought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others followed suit with perfect synchronicity, and in an instant, they stopped clinging to their walkmans—reluctantly shoving them into the handbag with mild disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Chunbo picked up the handbag and held it out to the stunned Nakamura Naoto.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have no time to listen to ‘The Blue Danube’ or ‘Sabre Dance.’ We must study diligently and prepare to build our nation. Thank you for your kindness, Nakamura—please take it back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto stared at Liu Chunbo in shock, as if he didn’t recognize this person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this still the sharp-eyed, smooth-talking Liu Chunbo? How had he suddenly become so cold and unyielding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liu-san, the walkman is useful for studying—you can use it to learn English.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nakamura, please call me by my name, or ‘Liu,’ but never ‘Liu-san.’ It sounds awkward to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awkward your leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why didn’t you think it was awkward before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto clenched his teeth tightly, yet his face still wore a full smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bowed deeply to Liu Chunbo: “I’m truly sorry—I never meant to cause you such trouble, Liu Bu-zhang. Please accept this small gift as my apology.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Chunbo hesitated, then insisted: “Nakamura, if you insist on giving a gift, deliver it directly to the professor. Our student union has no authority to accept gifts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto looked up in confusion, glancing at the double-cassette, four-speaker recorder on the table behind Liu Chunbo—it struck him as absurdly funny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it wasn’t just him who could say one thing and mean another—others could lie with their eyes wide open too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Bakayarou!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto’s mind flashed with Li Ye’s handsome figure—he longed to rush to the Economics Department and slash him into eight pieces right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nakamura Naoto picked up the handbag and walked away dejectedly; he feared if he stayed any longer, his smile would crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is what it means to have your warm face slapped by a cold rear end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a voice from behind nearly made him explode on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He actually thinks we’re desperate for his stuff—how shallow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twenty-three.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twenty-four.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Sunday morning, in the small grove beside Weiminghu, clear, ringing “kill” cries echoed continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu held a wooden rifle, thrusting it repeatedly into the air at an old tree, decades old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye dared not let Wen Leyu stab at a real target—her slender, delicate wrists could easily sprain, and he’d be heartbroken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even stabbing at air, Wen Leyu trained with utmost seriousness, stubbornly vocalizing her own sound effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she said her father Wen Qingsheng and her brother Wen Guohua trained this way—it was full of spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was different from how Li Ye learned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s grandfather Li Zhongfa trained from childhood in traditional long spear techniques, and even when switching to bayonet combat, he never shouted “kill”—he was slippery, sneaky, striking without warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye had no intention of correcting Wen Leyu—girls naturally idolize their fathers, and her high-pitched cries were kind of cute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for whether anyone would hear? Who cared!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afraid of neighbors hearing your shouts? Then don’t clap either!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Li Ye explained the movements, Wen Leyu finally began bayonet training—and stubbornly set herself a goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hundred thrusts per day, split into two sessions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had only meant to casually teach her, but now he had to take it seriously, carefully observing her condition to prevent muscle injury from overtraining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on the flip side, being a training partner for a cute girl was also a kind of pleasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu had a single ponytail tied at the back of her head, which bounced with each powerful thrust, dancing with lively, agile motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, standing behind her counting, kept feeling the urge to grab that ponytail and swing her around like a toy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imagine holding a little girl like a tiny rabbit—helpless, struggling, yet unable to escape—wouldn’t that be delightful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thirty-seven, pause—I’ll correct your form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keep your eyes fixed on your opponent’s hands, not the target you want to stab. Don’t lift your head too high—slightly lower it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye finally reached out and grabbed Wen Leyu’s ponytail, adjusting the tilt of her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl obeyed perfectly—when Li Ye pulled forward, her head lowered; when he pulled back, she lifted her forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now this was interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before Li Ye had played with it for two minutes, Wen Leyu squinted and turned her head toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want to play with my hair—can you wait until later?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye laughed softly and let go, without any excuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they weren’t an old married couple yet, they were already a couple who held hands and hugged waists after dark—long past the boundary of ordinary friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just like playing with your hair—so what? You gonna flip out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thirty-eight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu didn’t flip out, but after Li Ye corrected her form, her cheeks flushed red, sweat beaded on her forehead, and her thrusts lost their earlier sharpness, her strength mysteriously diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifty. Good enough for today—give me the rifle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After completing her fiftieth thrust, Li Ye took the wooden rifle, climbed the tree nimbly, and placed both rifles high on a sturdy branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, next time they came to train, they could just grab them on the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye jumped down from the tree; Wen Leyu was wiping sweat with a handkerchief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exhausted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye handed her the thermos of warm water: “Your throat’s hoarse—those little birds and animals in the grove have all fled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu took the thermos, drank two sips, then gave Li Ye a big, exaggerated side-eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I can’t even scare off the birds, how can I scare off enemies?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu trusted Li Ye, but she had her own convictions—she didn’t care what others thought of her shouting and fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go—Hu Man and Xiao Yan are going to Zaojunmiao today. Yesterday I asked Peng Ge to get some soft leather—let’s head there early; I’ll make you a pair of thin leather gloves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thin leather gloves?” Wen Leyu blinked her big eyes. “You never told me you could make gloves! I bought wool yarn to knit us two pairs—I’ve been working on them for days and still haven’t finished. If I’d known you could make them, I wouldn’t have bothered!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t know how before—wasn’t forced to learn on the spot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye took her small hand and pointed to the blisters forming on her fingers: “See? Does it hurt? You want more blisters? Calluses?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye rode his bicycle toward the Sihe Academy at Zaojunmiao; on the backseat, Wen Leyu slowly leaned against his back like a cat—through thick winter clothes, they could still feel each other’s affection and attachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t knit gloves anymore—I’ll knit you a sweater.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu didn’t say anything else; she feared that if she spoke, Li Ye would wait until spring to wear the sweater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her skill—she couldn’t finish a pair of gloves in half a month—knitting a sweater was truly a huge challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they arrived at the Sihe Academy in Zaojunmiao, it was still early, and no one had arrived yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu looked at a newly rebuilt side room and asked in confusion, “Didn’t I remember this room was just renovated? Why rebuild it again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was selecting colors from thin leather, not lifting his head. “Go inside and see for yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu opened the door herself and stepped in—then froze in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The side room had been transformed by Li Ye into a private bathroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pristine white sanitary porcelain, still extremely rare in 1979, covered the floor and walls, spotlessly clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brand-new gas water heater hung outside the wall, extending a showerhead with rubber tubing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1979, China’s first gas water heater was successfully developed at the Yuhuan Water Heater Factory in NJ City—Li Ye was already using one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The radiator by the wall was already hot; the bathroom’s warmth made her feel cozy, and Wen Leyu felt very comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, either Jin Peng or Wang Qiang had come early this morning to clean up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this environment, this treatment—it was several levels more luxurious than what Wen Leyu had at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keep in mind, in 1982, Wen Leyu’s family was among the highest-tier in terms of benefits—but Li Ye’s setup was bordering on extravagant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she remembered: it was only after seeing her standing in line outside the women’s bathroom with a washbasin that he decided to renovate the bathing area. Wasn’t this extravagance directed straight at her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu felt her skin begin to itch, as if tiny ants were crawling over her. She’d only sweated slightly during morning exercise, but now she was sticky and unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She blinked, ran to Li Ye’s side, and pouted as she demanded, “You just rebuilt one room—how much money did you spend? How can you be so wasteful?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I spend money on you, do I need to count every penny? Our family isn’t short of cash.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t even look at Wen Leyu’s shy gaze; he grabbed her small hand and pressed it onto the thin, soft leather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spread your fingers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu obediently spread all five fingers, letting Li Ye trace the outline of her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu watched quietly as Li Ye cut the leather, then took out needles and thread to begin sewing her gloves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Wen Leyu fidgeted and said, “You go out for a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I go out? Where to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Li Ye look up in surprise, seeing Wen Leyu’s shy, flustered expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I’ll go guard the door. Lock it from inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye picked up the needle-and-thread box and a small stool, then squatted outside the Sihe Academy’s gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when Jiang Xiaoyan and Han Xia arrived together, they saw the handsome Li Ye, sitting in the sun like a rural old woman, stitching shoe soles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh no—stitching gloves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2053,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","97fe03c278b06ab77dab3787f3e1a2f81495f177fb4a5ca147ea59d69e6c3702","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-178","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-176",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]