[{"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-23":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},2294441,4489,"Chapter 23: Still Need to Make Money","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-23",23,"\u003Cp>The first snow of 1981 finally fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The biting wind and snow howled through, and overnight, the land felt the chill of winter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With great willpower, Li Ye shook off the lure of his warm quilt, quickly pulled on his clothes with shivering breaths, and braved the freezing air to head from the dorm to the classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold. So cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did Li Ye understand what “climate warming” meant in the future—Qingshui County could barely be called a “northern city,” yet temperatures routinely plunged below minus twenty degrees, something unheard of in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And heating conditions in this era were even more desperately lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dorms at County No. 2 High had no heating at all; by night, water froze on contact, and frost coated the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each boarding student huddled under blankets like the crying bird of legend, shivering and suffering endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stoves in the classrooms were mostly for show—each day’s ration was just a handful of firewood and a few coal cakes, enough to smoke for a moment before burning out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even under these harsh conditions, the students’ thirst for learning remained unbroken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, students were already studying alone in the classroom; those like Li Ye who arrived only when the bell rang were considered lazy losers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no sooner had Li Ye sat down at his desk than several classmates gathered around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, after lunch, can you explain these problems to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong handed Li Ye two still-warm baked buns and half a thermos of lukewarm water, then took out a test paper and waited nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>County No. 2 High didn’t provide breakfast; the buns were leftovers from last night, and to warm them by the stove’s brief smoke required the skill of jostling for space on a bus at Bawangfen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye bit into the bun while tossing his own test paper over: “Figure out the answers yourself first, then ask if you don’t understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong and the others immediately grabbed the papers, huddled together, copying and discussing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Ye finished eating, class monitor Hu Man swiftly handed him a hot water bottle, then placed her marked-up test paper before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hot water inside the bottle had been saved up by everyone—it still held seventy or eighty degrees, a luxury under these conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This set of problems isn’t hard. Let’s start with...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye tucked the hot water bottle against his chest, warmed his hands, and quickly explained the problems before dismissing Hu Man, Fu Yingjie, and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The test had been handed out during last night’s self-study; he and Wen Leyu had already finished it, but Li Dayong and the others struggled far more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Dayong and Fu Yingjie weren’t the hardest hit—the most struggling were Xia Yue and Jin Shengli, who boasted themselves as the top students of Class One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Teacher Ke handed out the novel test paper, Xia Yue and the others shed their days of frustration, feeling vindicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Teacher Ke emphasized, “This test paper was provided by student Li Ye and printed by the school,” they believed the school had supplied these valuable papers, with no connection to Li Ye, and owed him nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Yue and the others gritted their teeth, determined to prove who the real top student in Class One was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But reality was harsh—within just two days, they were crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke usually distributed the tests during self-study, but before self-study ended, Li Ye and Wen Leyu had already finished them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even by the next day, Xia Yue, Jin Shengli, and the others were still staring helplessly at the difficult problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then would Hu Man, Li Dayong, and the others come to Li Ye for explanations, then share what they learned with classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this sharing stopped dead at Xia Yue and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone seemed to have an unspoken agreement: they drew a clear line between themselves and Xia Yue’s clique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the gentlest class monitor, Hu Man, treated Xia Yue and the others coldly, refusing their “requests for help” with polite but firm indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chewing on scraps like a baby—what good is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Xia Yue and Jin Shengli were left only with bluster—they had mocked Hu Man and the others for “eating off Li Ye’s leftovers,” yet now they themselves could only turn to teachers for help. Same tactic, yet they still felt superior to Hu Man’s group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t care to deal with them now; only when they grew accustomed to the daily joy of taking tests, and suddenly found none left, would their true nature show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before noon dismissal, a teacher suddenly came to the remedial Class One looking for Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye! Li Ye! Someone from your family is here waiting for you at the school gate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye frowned, quickly heading outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared something urgent had happened at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong thought of the same thing and hurried after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was Sunday; no classes were held except for the remedial class, and the empty campus lay blanketed in snow, visible for miles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far off, Li Ye spotted a small figure at the school gate, stamping her feet and hopping to stay warm—it was his adopted younger sister, Li Juan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan carried a large bundle on her back, hunched against the wind, her slender frame appearing even more frail and lonely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye called out: “Juan, what’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan heard his call but didn’t answer immediately; instead, she jumped hard and smiled at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye rushed over in three strides: “Juan, why are you here? Is something wrong at home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan shook her head quickly: “Nothing’s wrong, nothing’s wrong. Yesterday you were supposed to come home for your living allowance, but when Ma didn’t see you, she sent me to bring you your cotton coat and quilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandpa also gave you a pair of fur-lined leather boots—now you can alternate between them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s heart warmed, and he reached out to take the bundle from her back—only then did he notice the entire right side of her body was soaked in dirty water, now frozen into ice crystals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since she’d trudged through snow from the west side of town to the east, she’d likely stepped into a snowdrift—her cloth boots were soaked through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked urgently: “Where did you fall? Are you hurt? Your boots are soaked—aren’t you freezing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan shook her head like a rattle: “No, no, Brother, I’m really fine... the boots are wet, but I’ll dry them by the fire when I get home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye felt deeply pained: “Then why didn’t you come inside to find me? Why stand out here in the cold? Couldn’t you have waited in the gatehouse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan shrank her neck and whispered: “They wouldn’t let me in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t let you in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye frowned, turning to look at the gatehouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the school had rules forbidding outsiders from entering, everyone always turned a blind eye—who was so rigid in this weather?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the gatehouse chimney was smoking—clearly there was a stove inside. Anyone with a shred of decency would have let a little girl like this warm up. Why leave her out in the cold?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gatekeeper happened to glance out, met Li Ye’s eyes, rolled his eyes, sneered, and turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye stepped forward to confront him, but Li Dayong tugged his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That old gatekeeper, Liu, is a distant relative of Xia Yue. Probably stirring up trouble for no reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was his own fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye thought for a moment, and lost the urge to step in dog shit—stepping in it wouldn’t kill him, but it’d leave a stinking mess on his shoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He handed the bundle to Li Dayong: “Let’s go. I’ll take you to eat first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan shook her head urgently, pulling out a wad of cash: “No, no, Ma’s waiting for me to eat at home. Here’s your monthly living allowance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye ignored her protests, grabbing her arm and pulling her away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the gatehouse window suddenly opened, and an old man with a stern face shouted: “School’s not out yet! Are you skipping class?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye turned and glared at him: “What’s it to you? Mind your own gate—don’t let someone steal it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you calling names? Come back here! I’ll tell your homeroom teacher... make your parents come...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Liu flew into a rage, neck stretched out, yelling after Li Ye—but Li Ye ignored him, pulling his sister away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other students might have been intimidated by this old man, but Li Ye, having lived two lives, knew these tricks all too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more you cower, the bolder they get—they think they’re someone important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They just use petty authority to trip people up. If they dared report him to the administration and demand his parents come, Li Ye would summon his grandfather—and let him have a taste of what real trouble felt like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You let my granddaughter freeze outside, stamping her feet? Did you think the cheap grain we gave you last month was free?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few hundred meters east of County No. 2 High stood a state-run mutton soup shop. Near noon on Sunday, the steam rose thickly, the scent detectable from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan no longer had the energy to argue with Li Ye—she could barely keep from drooling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the shop, Li Ye bought two bowls of mutton soup and a stack of meat-filled baked breads, and they began eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Li Juan was hesitant, but after swallowing half a bowl of soup and breaking into a sweat, she devoured everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye watched the small girl finish the bread and soup, even draining the last drop of broth—her appetite was nearly equal to his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye rose to buy more, but Li Juan quickly stopped him: “Don’t buy more, Brother, I can’t eat another bite—I really can’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye waved his hand: “I’m not full either. I’ll buy another bowl—we’ll split it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan finally relented. When Li Ye returned, she ate again—her tiny stomach, Li Ye wondered, could it possibly hold it all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Li Juan let out a satisfied burp, Li Ye smiled and asked: “How long has it been since you had meat at home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan held up one finger: “A week since we saw any meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye touched the wad of cash in his pocket, feeling a pang of shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father sent him twenty yuan monthly for living expenses; his grandfather added ten; his sister chipped in five—so the allowance Li Juan brought totaled thirty-five yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, a pound of meat cost just over eight jiao—thirty-five yuan could feed them meat every day and still leave plenty left over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at home, they hadn’t eaten meat in a week. He was really overeating off his family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go. I’ll buy you a pair of fur-lined boots.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating their fill, Li Ye planned to take Li Juan to buy a pair of fur-lined leather boots during the noon break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, Li Juan had trudged through snow, and now, sitting in the soup shop, the ice on her boots had melted—just thinking of it broke his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At either the Labor Protection Service Station or the Military Service Station, fur-lined boots were sold—snowproof and waterproof, costing just over ten yuan, well within Li Ye’s means.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye expected timid Li Juan to refuse, but she didn’t immediately decline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a pause, she said: “Brother, I don’t need leather boots—but Xiao Ying freezes her feet every year. Buy her a pair instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s heart grew sour, and he conceived the idea of making money.\u003C\u002Fp>",1966,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","97c0929d38557db0ae0552cbdc9cd42e8eb8d5ead00f7f240ffee6cbe38b7867","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-24","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-22",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]