[{"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-4":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},2294422,4489,"Chapter 4: Chapter Four: The Smart Ones of the Era","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-4",4,"\u003Cp>The last period in the afternoon was self-study, and ten minutes before dismissal, Li Ye packed his bag and bolted out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Class monitor Hu Man hurriedly called out: “Li Ye, where are you going? School hasn’t ended yet!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t turn around: “Monitor, I’ve got something to take care of—please get me excused.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man shouted in anger: “It’s just a few more minutes—why take leave? I...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye was already out of the classroom, meeting up with Li Dayong as planned, and vanished in a flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man was furious, her chest rising and falling, revealing quite the ample pair of rabbits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the end, she took out a sheet of paper and wrote Li Ye a leave note, so the teacher wouldn’t have questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong and Li Ye left school, sharing a second-hand 28-inch bicycle, heading north toward County No. 1 High School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>County No. 1 High and County No. 2 High weren’t far apart—they arrived in under ten minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong stopped the bike, lit a cigarette, then asked Li Ye in a low voice: “Brother, are you really decided?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gave a slight nod: “Yeah, decided.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, Li Ye had come to the gates of County No. 1 High to collect a debt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he and Lu Jingyao got engaged, he had given her a 26-inch Phoenix bicycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 1980s, a Phoenix bicycle required ration coupons and cost over 180 yuan; without coupons, you couldn’t buy one even for 300. The 26-inch model was rarer than the 28-inch, making it more coveted than a modern sedan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Li Ye’s grandfather and father had just resumed work for over a year; after using their industrial coupons to buy two bicycles, they planned to get Li Ye a 28-inch Feiyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye insisted on giving Lu Jingyao a bike, so his grandfather went out of his way to secure this 26-inch Phoenix, suitable for a woman, as an engagement gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The engagement caused a sensation comparable to gifting a BMW to a granddaughter-in-law in later times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even if the Lu family was reluctant, they should have returned the bicycle when breaking off the engagement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when Lu’s father came to Li’s home to end the engagement, Li Ye’s father threw the fish and meat out the door, cursing: “The dowry was just food for dogs!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao’s father didn’t pick up the fish and meat either, but he didn’t leave the Phoenix behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s steady grandfather and frugal grandmother didn’t stop Lu’s father from riding away on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Li Ye might not have understood—but now he knew clearly: his grandparents were swallowing their rage to leave their grandson an escape route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Li Ye had passed the college entrance exam this year, the Li family would have played good cop and bad cop to win back their grandson’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lu family likely had the same thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This unreturned Phoenix bicycle was the fragile thread tying the two families together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lu Jingyao went to Beijing for school, she gave the Phoenix to her younger brother, Lu Zixue, who was in first year of high school at County No. 1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Former Li Ye had fantasized that Lu Jingyao might change her mind—he’d walk everywhere on foot rather than demand the bike back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this Li Ye? He had no such magnanimity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were just past history and we parted ways peacefully, fine—but Lu Jingyao publicly sent money to school, branding Li Ye as Huang Shiren, treating him like a sucker?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can’t keep taking my benefits while loudly proclaiming your “freedom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly... Li Ye himself still didn’t have a bike! He couldn’t go anywhere easily—why should she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong took a deep drag on his cigarette, hesitating: “Brother, if you take back that Phoenix, you two are really...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye glanced at Li Dayong: “Is Lu Jingyao really that great? Must I hang myself on her tree? My brother’s got the ability to own the whole forest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong stared blankly for a long moment, blinking, unable to fully grasp Li Ye’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【So it wasn’t you who was dying for Lu Jingyao back then?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t explain further, just patted his shoulder to reassure him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this childhood best friend was big, burly, and looked like a bear, he had a surprisingly thoughtful side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, when he yelled at Lu Jingyao’s doorstep, or suggested today at lunch, “Go to Beijing and curse Chen Shimei”—both had a clear goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To force Lu Jingyao to reconcile with Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【If you won’t come out and explain to my brother, I’ll scream your dirty business all over town. If you dare be Chen Shimei, I’ll make sure the whole school knows.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s wrongful reputation as “Huang Shiren” owed much to Li Dayong’s “Mu Renzhi” support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, school’s almost out—let’s move farther from the gate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As dismissal neared, Li Dayong suddenly grew nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? What are you afraid of?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The teachers at No. 1 High are tough—I’m afraid they’ll meddle like dogs chasing rats.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“..........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>County No. 1 High differed from County No. 2 High—not only was its academic discipline strict, but it also dealt harshly with outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1981, street thugs were already extorting kids, but none dared cause trouble at County No. 1’s gate; Li Dayong’s rough appearance instantly raised teachers’ suspicions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s to fear? Teachers’ authority ends inside the school—can they reach outside?” Li Ye said dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right—teachers’ hands may be long, but they can’t reach beyond the school gates.” Someone nearby echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye and Li Dayong turned to see a man around thirty grinning at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had approached earlier; Li Ye and Li Dayong assumed he was picking up a child—but now it seemed otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong scowled sharply: “Who are you? What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boys back then grew up watching patriotic films and instinctively suspected spies, thugs, or villains—this man spoke with a foreign accent; he might be trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man wasn’t offended, still smiling: “I sell sesame candy. Gentlemen, care for some?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What gentlemen? You think this is feudal times? Selling sesame candy... you don’t fear the Anti-Speculation Office arresting you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong wore a face of moral righteousness, but his mouth watered as he swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Anti-Speculation Office had been powerful for over a decade, playing a major role in crushing nascent capitalist impulses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t throw around baseless labels,” the man said. “Higher-ups have said individual economy is a necessary supplement to state and collective economies...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he pulled out a newspaper, with a red pen marking an article titled “Certain Policy Provisions on Urban Non-Agricultural Individual Economy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was surprised—wise people were everywhere; one must never underestimate the heroes of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The policy had been issued months ago; many departments hadn’t even grasped its spirit yet, yet someone had already seized the chance to “seek fortune through risk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This commercial instinct and daring spirit could stir massive ripples in this stagnant pond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, many would drown too—after all, the crime of speculation wasn’t abolished until 1997, and wrongful convictions were inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much for your sesame candy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye walked up to the man, gesturing for him to show his goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man unrolled his bundle, revealing a small clay pot inside, half-filled with amber-brown sesame candy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sesame candy was a time-honored snack, most famous in Tangshan to the north and Hubei to the south, made from glutinous rice, sesame, and maltose—fragrant, sweet, thin, and crisp, with unique flavor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong’s saliva flowed more freely, emitting a loud slurp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an era where everything still required ration coupons, the temptation of such sweets was immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy was clearly waiting by the school gate to lure students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man grinned: “One yuan per kilogram. How much do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong nearly jumped: “One yuan a kilo? White Rabbit candies are one-fifty a jin—I think you’re...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey hey hey, you misunderstood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man quickly explained: “I mean kilogram. White Rabbit is one-fifty per jin—and you need sugar coupons too...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, this guy was a crook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled, didn’t expose him, just pulled out two yuan and tossed them over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man snatched the two one-yuan notes into his pocket, then grabbed a scale to weigh the candy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d already spotted this kid was rich—but didn’t expect him to be a big customer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been standing by the school gate all day, earning pennies—five or six fen at a time—sometimes days before he’d even make two yuan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t care about a few yuan—he was the only boy in the family; his grandfather, grandmother, father, and sister all gave him pocket money. He wasn’t a millionaire, but he was a minor rich kid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when he saw the candy seller press his right pinky against the scale beam, he felt anger rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheating with a crooked scale? Don’t you know who you’re dealing with? Think I’m a kid you can fool?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A light cough startled the seller—he immediately stopped, grabbed another large chunk of candy and piled it onto the scale, bending the beam upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two yuan, two kilograms plus four liang. Should I wrap it in two portions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wrap it in three.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man pulled out pre-cut white paper, swiftly bundled the candy into three portions, and handed them to Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye and Li Dayong each took one to eat, and stashed the third in their schoolbags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candy seller squatted, watching the school gate, waiting for the next customer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d sold nearly half his stock—today looked like a good day’s earnings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye ate the candy, idly chatting with the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a sent-down youth? Never returned to the city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got married here. Can’t go back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave me your address—I might need you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wander the city—either here at County No. 1 High, or at Yuhong Middle School...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Got it—he’s cautious. A useful henchman worth recruiting.\u003C\u002Fp>",1670,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6f57ee12d1ca268b4712bea2fa95e2661ed2bb111dc06da094a72342d82c7996","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-5","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-3",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]