[{"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-261":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},2294679,4489,"Chapter 261: Subduing the Enemy Without Fighting","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-261",261,"\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t sleep well on the train, so after lunch he lay down to catch up on rest and woke up to find it was already three or four in the afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d drunk too much noodle soup, so he got up to go outside to relieve himself—and saw the little sister sitting right outside his door, holding a stick, just like during his own Gaokao days, keeping “dogs and chickens at bay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now she had her head bowed, eyes half-lidded, a trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth—as if dozing off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said nothing, tiptoed to relieve himself, and on his way back, he spotted Li Juan walking over from the kitchen and giving Li Ying a sharp kick in the side, sending the napping girl sprawling face-first onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye opened his mouth to scold Li Juan—forbid family violence—but then heard Li Juan launch into a rapid-fire tirade like a fast-talking clapper performer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you to guard the door, and you sleep; I told you to sleep, and you sneak snacks; I told you to eat, and you pick out the meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Waaah~ I’ll fight you to the death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying, jolted awake, leapt up, bent low, grabbed her sister’s arm, and slammed her forehead into Li Juan’s waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Li Ying was three years younger and far weaker, her fighting spirit blazed like a furious little calf charging forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, who’d been about to stop them, now relaxed—kids fighting helped bond them; otherwise, when they grew old, they’d barely remember what their younger selves were like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At worst, the two girls would just cry a little—nothing serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next moment, Li Ye’s face turned dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan executed a clean leg sweep and sent Li Ying crashing hard to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey hey hey, Li Juan, take your hands off her!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye rushed over, circled Li Juan, and stared in astonishment: “You’ve got serious form! Hmm? You’ve been practicing on Li Ying a lot, haven’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan, who’d just rolled up her sleeves, quickly let them fall and muttered: “She gets beaten every day and still can’t do anything right! She’s about to start middle school and all she knows is eating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said sternly: “No matter how bad she is, she’s your sister—sisters are to be cherished, not beaten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How old is she? Just fifteen? Being able to add firewood to the stove is already enough—do you expect her to fix houses or till fields?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s lecture on sisterly affection made Li Juan’s eyes well up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying stood behind Li Ye, chin lifted high like a proud little rooster, grinning and glaring at her sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan fired her ultimate weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, she’s useless at everything—but she failed her exams, came in second-to-last! If you don’t beat her, she won’t improve!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying stared blankly at her sister, a flash of anger in her eyes, then her face crumpled into wounded, plaintive sorrow—as if to say, “How could you expose my shame? I’m your own sister, you know~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye pursed his lips and turned to look at the dejected Li Ying: “Xiao Ying, we don’t need to be top three in class—but second-to-last is unacceptable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying shrank back a step, whispering: “I’m not second-to-last—I’m… forty-eighth from the top.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re sneaky,” Li Juan sneered. “There are fifty kids in your class—forty-eighth from the top is the same as second-to-last.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying snapped: “Then what about you? You fight at school! The teacher came to our door—and you paid one yuan and eighty fen in medical bills!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was baffled—how come neither of his sisters was a well-behaved child?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at Wen Leyu—so sweet and sensible; look at these two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it—they’re no match for Wen Leyu even together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye thought a moment, then asked Li Juan: “Xiao Juan, why do you hit people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment before, Li Juan had been furious—now she fell silent, raised her head to meet Li Ye’s gaze for a few seconds, then lowered it without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye clearly saw tears glisten in her eyes within those few seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye turned to Li Ying: “Little sister, tell me—why does your sister fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The kid from Wu the Butcher’s house on East Street said we—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan’s sharp shout silenced Li Ying instantly—sisterly authority was no joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Li Ying, too, lowered her head, joining her sister in playing dumb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine—Li Ye knew he’d asked too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t one of those stupid parents from TV dramas who had to dig to the bottom of every mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t their reactions say enough already?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone must’ve been gossiping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, fighting isn’t shameful! Ask around—I’m famous for it! Everyone in the county knows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan and Li Ying both looked up, gazing at Li Ye with wide, hopeful eyes—adorably clueless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye comforted them: “We don’t start trouble, but if someone picks on us, we fight back! If you can’t win, come home and tell your sister or your dad—they’ll handle it for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan sniffled and nodded vigorously, clearly awed and in full agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ying worriedly said: “But then… Mama will beat us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, let’s go out and shop—see what dishes we can buy to add to dinner!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gave up lecturing and called the two sisters out to shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know, I know! Behind our school gate, there’s a stall selling pig’s head meat—cheap and delicious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Their pig’s head meat isn’t cheap—it’s way more expensive than fried dough balls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re stupid! If pig’s head meat were cheaper than dough balls, would it even be called pig’s head meat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the stupid one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re stupid!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re stupid!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sisters instantly brightened, scampering after him like little tails, bickering all the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye first took them around the county town, buying this and that, filling two large bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Li Ye noticed that though the family now had money, Li Juan and Li Ying’s quality of life hadn’t changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they saw many things, their longing eyes couldn’t be faked—they were overjoyed by just a few candies and pastries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the idea of “raising girls with wealth” hadn’t taken root yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Ye wandered, he reached East Street and began asking where Wu the Butcher lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Ye ask about Wu the Butcher, Li Juan, sharp as ever, immediately tugged his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t go, Brother. Last time, they didn’t ask for much—they only took one yuan and eighty fen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Juan’s anxious face, Li Ye smiled: “What are you afraid of? I’m not going to fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan opened her mouth—clearly didn’t believe him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You not fighting? Please. I paid one yuan and eighty fen—you back then?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Juan was too weak to hold him back—the three siblings soon arrived at Wu the Butcher’s door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Woof woof woof!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large dog sat at the gate, barking furiously at Li Ye—its glossy coat clearly hid plenty of fat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ying hid behind Li Ye at the sight of the dog—clearly terrified—but Li Juan had already picked up a brick, testing its weight with a few hefts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few old men cooling off under a tree warned Li Ye: “Kids, stay away from that dog—it bites!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why keep a dog if it doesn’t bite? To eat its meat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the barking, a half-grown boy stepped out, complaining as he walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t tall, but he was thick with fat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Juan with the brick, the chubby boy instinctively turned to run—but then remembered he was on his own doorstep, so he turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… what do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing. I just want to ask you one thing,” Li Ye asked calmly: “Can you please stop insulting my sister?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I—I didn’t! I didn’t insult her later—I didn’t know she was your sister!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chubby boy looked like he was about to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Li Ye stood calm and composed, the boy felt a chill—this man was far more terrifying than the wild brick-wielding Li Juan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on? Xiao Ban, who are you talking to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman stepped out from inside, paused when she saw Li Ye’s trio, then forced a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, our child is well-behaved—it was other kids in class who provoked him—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine, it’s all in the past. I’m not here to cause trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled at the chubby boy: “You know where we live now—if my sister gets bullied at school, could you please come tell us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes yes yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy nodded frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled and shoved a bag of pastries into the boy’s hands: “My sister’s hands are heavy—sorry for breaking your head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? N-no, it’s fine, really, it’s all healed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy held the pastries, utterly confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman was just as baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, when the boy’s head was broken, they’d stormed over and taken one yuan and eighty fen—later, they’d regretted being so rash; offending the Li family was no good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, seeing Li Ye, they’d expected another beating—yet here he was, giving them pastries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can we accept this? How can we accept this?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's fine, let's go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye turned and walked away, but hearing the big dog still barking, he couldn’t help squinting and clicking his tongue. \"Hmm, this dog’s good—can’t fit in one pot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\".\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Li Ye had walked far away, he heard a scream of pain from the dog behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bro, why did you give him that pack of Daokousu? I didn’t even get a bite!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving Dongjie, Li Juan threw down the brick in her hand and muttered under her breath, annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That chubby kid who fought with her hadn’t held back—he’d hit her—and now that he couldn’t win, he went running to his parents? And even after paying eight jiao, today he added a pack of tasty snacks? Little Li Juan felt cheated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye said: \"Xiao Juan! Fighting? Sure, it feels good—but that’s only the last resort when there’s no other way. The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan and Li Ying both stared blankly, feeling the Li Ye before them didn’t match the legendary elder brother who was fearless in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by nightfall, the two girls were utterly awed by Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhongfa returned carrying two net bags, filled with cleaned dog meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Juying asked in confusion: \"What’s this? Eating dog meat in summer? Are you feeling cold?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cold? No—Wu the butcher in Dongjie is feeling guilty. Your sweet grandson came back only half a day and already caused trouble,\" Li Zhongfa snorted. \"He came to me with it—forced me to spend several yuan buying it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Juying paused, then went to ask Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t hide anything—he told the whole story honestly, leaving nothing out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two younger sisters cowered nearby, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This whole mess was their fault—if Grandma flew into a rage, and their mother turned on them, she’d really hit them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after hearing it, Wu Juying said: \"Hmm, you handled this well. When a sister is bullied, a brother must stand up for her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Juan and Li Ying exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing—there really should be a boy in the family. Having an elder brother feels so good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Note: Sometimes when Old Feng edits published content, later comments get automatically deleted by the system—so it’s not Old Feng’s doing. For example, the part in the last chapter about dumplings for departure and noodles for return—Old Feng really messed that up. As the older generation passes away, these customs fade, and Old Feng’s memory grows hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1968,"2026-06-20T05:05:01.382Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","818b243dacda51d451dc6ab8dd48d948b8e08e017b28dc18231698d59d2cc85c","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-262","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-260",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]