[{"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-215":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},2294633,4489,"Chapter 215: Teacher Ke Was Once Young Too","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-215",215,"\u003Cp>Li Ye’s suggestion for a “public debate,” with Professor Zhang’s support, was ultimately partially adopted by the Economics Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Peking University students encountered the new concept of “debate competitions” three years ahead of schedule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Li Ye’s name finally began to circulate at Peking University.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There is a widely known Western proverb—there’s no such thing as a free lunch—so I must warn the affirmative side that blindly importing low-end manufacturing to meet Western demands will inevitably increase the risk of domestic industries being controlled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I oppose the affirmative side’s position; the introduction and development of any industry is never blind—the state has been selectively importing needed industrial capital, especially advanced technologies, which is a positive action with benefits outweighing drawbacks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The opposing side’s viewpoint is invalid; capital is not a philanthropist—it will only give you what it needs, not what we need, and it always protects its own interests. Many of the technologies we’ve imported are a decade or more outdated—that’s the evidence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have the world’s largest undeveloped consumer market and a complete foundation in light and heavy industry—we already possess the leverage to negotiate. Everything depends on human effort.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Saturday afternoon, in a large classroom at Peking University, the inaugural “Peking University Economic Debate Competition”—with extremely basic facilities—was in full swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, as a member of the opposition team, joined several senior students from the classes of 1980 and 1981 in a heated debate against four students from the affirmative side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of students watched from the sidelines, filling every aisle, and even students from other universities had rushed over upon hearing the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone felt a fresh sense of novelty toward this unprecedented debate format.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Debate competitions originated in Great Britain and were later developed and popularized in the Chinese-speaking world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Li Ye, Peking University’s first exposure to debate competitions would have been in 1986.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That year, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, located at the strategic chokepoint of the Strait of Malacca, hosted the first Asian University Debate Championship and invited mainland universities through institutional channels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, the Peking University team, having never encountered this format before, traveled thousands of miles and won the championship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, CCTV broadcast the event nationwide twice without prior announcement, causing a massive sensation across the country, especially in higher education institutions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Structured debate is one of the hallmarks of modern society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>China’s reform and opening had just begun; everyone was exploring—not just economically, but in other fields too—and young people needed to explore: how?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Argument was the most common method; many classmates who previously got along well developed rifts after a single dispute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using debate competitions as a tool for intellectual collision among students could resolve this flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This interactive, equal form of public discussion and debate, emphasizing mutual respect and persuasion through reason, would maximally embody “focus on the issue, not the person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The debate process was intense, but afterward, everyone remained friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in such a formal setting, with so many spectators and observers recording everything, you couldn’t possibly label or demonize others anymore, could you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take Song Ziyuan—if he again said something like “damn” to Li Ye, everyone would remember it forever, becoming his indelible black mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the debate, Li Ye stood up and said: “Once, our silk, porcelain, and cotton cloth sold throughout the world, making everyone aware of this powerful, civilized, and prosperous land in the East.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why can’t our generation achieve the same glory? Remember, our land has not been without the world’s top economic position for more than two hundred years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The classroom fell silent. Li Ye looked at everyone and said firmly: “I believe that with sufficient effort, we can build a powerful manufacturing superpower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can, like our ancestors, once again make this land the center of the world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clap clap clap clap clap~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several seconds of silence, the classroom erupted into enthusiastic applause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps many disagreed with Li Ye’s views, but look around—whose heart doesn’t harbor a desire for the motherland’s strength?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the 1980s, no one could imagine what China would be like forty years later—who dared to shout “center of the world”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the past few years’ “launching satellites.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye shouted it—and he shouted it with confidence and determination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sparked intense resonance among all the young people present; this generation of university students felt they bore the responsibility of reviving China—so isn’t it fine to set a goal of “center of the world” in their hearts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, although your remarks are highly impractical, I don’t want to oppose them—I’m willing to accept this dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Chen, as an affirmative debater and someone who had some “history” with Li Ye, walked over and shook Li Ye’s hand again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the difference between a person without dreams and a salted fish?” Li Ye smiled as he shook hands. “What we must do is turn dreams into reality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Chen gripped his hand firmly: “Let’s encourage each other.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded: “For the great rejuvenation—let’s encourage each other.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rejuvenate China!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those around them were infected and began discussing the topic of “rejuvenating China.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai and Yang Yumin, who had been waiting nearby, grabbed Li Ye’s arms and pulled him away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, come on—we must get drunk tonight. Everything you just said was more thrilling than Shan Tianfang’s storytelling—you’ve got to tell us more tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not a storyteller—how can you say that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was about to joke back with Li Huai when Wen Leyu walked over from the front row, smiling and winking at Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye told Li Huai: “I’ve got something to take care of—I’ll catch up with you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Huai immediately said: “Go ahead, go ahead—urgent matters first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Li Ye left with Wen Leyu, Li Huai turned to Yang Yumin: “Even the mightiest hero can’t resist a woman’s smile. Sigh—our little brother is utterly spoiled by that girl.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yumin smirked: “Don’t talk sour—like you’re not jealous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh~—same here. Neither of us can talk about the other.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu called Li Ye out to invite him home for dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye asked: “Just dinner? Or is there something else? You’ve got to give me a hint—I need to prepare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu glanced sideways at Li Ye and smiled: “What’s there to prepare for? Are my parents going to eat you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not necessarily!” Li Ye leaned close to Wen Leyu’s ear. “What if they’re looking for a son-in-law? Shouldn’t I be more reserved? Shouldn’t I carefully check whether your daughter’s pretty or ugly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu, initially leaning in sweetly as Li Ye approached, froze upon hearing these words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused for a second, her face slightly flushed—but instead of blushing shyly, she turned her face right up to Li Ye’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, look closely—are you satisfied or not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu’s bold reaction left Li Ye speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These past days, their relationship had been steadily warming; a thin layer of paper between them had grown nearly transparent, and Wen Leyu had always been the reserved, passive one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would have thought that the usually cool and gentle Wen Leyu would suddenly turn the tables with such boldness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, whether I’m satisfied or not—you know best, Xiao Yu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gently held her hand. “The thing I’m most satisfied with in this life is meeting you—the girl who perfectly suits me, willing to walk beside me through spring, summer, autumn, and winter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu, who had been squinting and stiffening her face, finally cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having spent so much time with Li Ye, their feelings were already clear—had there been even a hint of dissatisfaction, she would have sensed it long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you keep talking sweet nonsense, do you think I won’t tell my mom?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmm, mmm, mmm—help me keep it secret, okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph—then hurry up, we’ve got to go home and cook! I want sour cabbage fish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Are you inviting me to eat, or to cook?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll cook! I didn’t ask you to cook—my mom told me to start learning now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two of them tugged and teased their way down the street, unaware that several pairs of eyes were fixed on their backs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu’s sour cabbage fish wasn’t very successful, but everyone at the table pretended to love it, devouring every last bite and loudly praising how delicious it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Wen Leyu happy. She knew her cooking skills were mediocre and that her dish was slightly underdone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I worked so hard—I even killed a live fish! Shouldn’t I get some praise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever dares to complain won’t get it next time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pssst~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Qingsheng opened a bottle of soda and placed it in front of Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what this is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded: “Coca-Cola—the world’s best-selling carbonated drink, three times the price of Beibingyang. I investigated it in Hong Kong—its market share exceeds eighty percent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Qingsheng was surprised by Li Ye’s answer, but he still said gravely: “Do you know how difficult it was for Coca-Cola to enter our mainland?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye knew—Coca-Cola was the first foreign enterprise to enter the mainland after 1978.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From 1978, when Coca-Cola decided to return to the mainland, until 1981, when it partnered with COFCO to begin production, it endured three years of setbacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Ye silent, Wen Qingsheng assumed he didn’t know and explained: “When Coca-Cola first tried to enter the mainland, they negotiated with us for three years. Initially, they wanted to build a factory in Shanghai, then chose COFCO.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since last year, Coca-Cola has been sold in Beijing, but sales have been poor—even resorting to giving away balloons with every bottle. To this day, they’re still not allowed to advertise on CCTV.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye listened quietly. He knew Wen Qingsheng was telling him that foreign investment was introduced with extreme caution—even a giant like Coca-Cola needed years of negotiation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then how absurd must Li Ye’s article advocating “accepting industrial transfer” have seemed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mainland did not reject advanced overseas technologies—in 1978 alone, it introduced twenty-two major advanced technology projects—but with strict controls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Genuine relaxation of foreign investment conditions wouldn’t come until after 1986, when the “Regulations on Encouraging Foreign Investment” were issued, promoting investment from export-oriented and advanced technology enterprises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In ten or more years, nearly every city would have one or more joint-venture clothing companies; Pengcheng would be flooded with foreign enterprises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Kong’s trading firms, big and small, would gorge themselves on mainland profits, indulging in luxury and extravagance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The path of “trading shirts for airplanes” had fattened countless vampires—and the eventual reversal of fortune came only after immense sweat and bloodshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When China no longer needed these middlemen, they still complained about losing “their money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than seventy percent of Hong Kong’s trading firms later went bankrupt, yet still felt themselves innocent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply being alive was a “gift,” yet they believed wealth was their due.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it was still 1983—no one could foresee the prosperity of decades later, and even Wen Qingsheng couldn’t see what things would be like in three years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only tell Li Ye: some paths are arduous, dangerous, and possibly dead ends—highly unrealistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye paused, then said: “Actually, the article I published was merely my personal thoughts and reflections, meant for discussion—not anticipating any subsequent impact.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Qingsheng looked at Li Ye in surprise and asked: “Did Zhang Qiyan have any influence or instruction regarding your article?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Qiyan is Professor Zhang; clearly, Teacher Ke already knew that Professor Zhang “appreciated” Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said firmly: “No, after I returned from Hong Kong, I wrote that article and showed it to Professor Zhang, but he didn’t change a single word.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Qingsheng glanced at Teacher Ke, who remained expressionless and said: “It’s good that you’re learning from Zhang Qiyan, but in the future, try to discuss issues within the school and don’t publish articles too casually.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded in agreement; Teacher Ke’s conservatism and caution were also a form of protection for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu chimed in: “Li Ye originally wanted to discuss things within the school—he even suggested the school hold an internal debate competition, it’s really interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke: “Debate competition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See, Mom, you didn’t know either?” Wen Leyu explained in detail: “It’s when everyone publicly debates a certain viewpoint, divided into pro and con sides.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu spoke at length, especially emphasizing Li Ye’s final remarks about the “center of the world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Li Ye saw expressions of surprise in the eyes of Wen Qingsheng and Teacher Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Wen Qingsheng began drinking with Li Ye, then Wen Guohua joined in—the classic two-against-one routine began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Ye was leaving, Teacher Ke walked him to the door and said softly: “Do whatever you want to do! Youth with passion and dreams is never a bad thing—who can really stop you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye looked at Teacher Ke in surprise; this wasn’t like her at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after locking eyes with Teacher Ke for a few seconds, Li Ye suddenly understood—who hadn’t once had a youthful, passionate life? Teacher Ke might have been even bolder than Li Ye when she was young!\u003C\u002Fp>",2197,"2026-06-20T05:05:01.382Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2d1efd3e47033808558d693a3d9dbf4d3faf0fbe89d1c0671ba2758caa8c2a25","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-216","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-214",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]