[{"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-45":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},2294463,4489,"Chapter 45: Be Kind, Be Righteous","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-45",45,"\u003Cp>Before the two major publishers competed to publish Li Ye’s novel, rumors about him in Repetition Class One had already spread wildly, threatening to engulf the entire school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after Dong Yuejin arrived, these rumors vanished like spiderwebs set ablaze—sizzling into nothingness in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking back now, the claims that “Li Ye didn’t study in class, he wrote love letters” and “Li Ye didn’t study in class, he was dating” seemed utterly ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he writing love letters? No—he was engaged in literary creation, for heaven’s sake!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he dating? No—he was making money, do you understand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Li Ye’s failure to tutor classmates for free, that was simply because he was immersed in literary creation, bringing glory to the entire school—understandable, and entirely forgivable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, many who had once been labeled “ungrateful wolves” by Li Dayong and others, and who had sided with Xia Yue’s clique, now came forward to greet Li Ye, seeking to mend ties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, I knew you were busy with something important back then—go ahead, take your time, my questions can wait; just explain them to me after you’re done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be busy today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then... the day after that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really need me to say I don’t want to deal with you before you’re satisfied?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, we’re all classmates. A little misunderstanding before doesn’t matter—I don’t hold it against you, and you wouldn’t be petty enough to hold a grudge, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I am petty. Extremely petty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye spent only half a day silencing every last one of the “ungrateful wolves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, naturally, a chorus of curses erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【I knew he was no good—Xia Yue was right. He’s Huang Shiren. He just made a few thousand yuan from royalties and now looks down on everyone.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Calling him Huang Shiren is too kind—I think he’s Shan Chaodiao, self-exiled from the people, self-exiled from the group.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye always wore Huili sneakers and smoked Da Qianmen cigarettes; now, with a sudden windfall of several thousand yuan in royalties, it was impossible for others not to envy him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human nature doesn’t vanish just because everyone’s a naive teenager—it still obeys the law: “It’s not scarcity we fear, but inequality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if Li Ye had been generous at this point, treated everyone kindly, even distributed small favors evenly, they would have forgiven him with magnanimity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye not only snubbed their “overtures,” he also refused to mingle with the masses—wasn’t that self-exile from the masses, self-exile from the group?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the verbal battles in Repetition Class One reignited, with Li Ye’s loyal follower Li Dayong and his new lackey Fu Yingjie clashing verbally with Xia Yue and her allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although both sides behaved properly during class, as soon as self-study period began, they made so much noise that everyone couldn't rest—so loudly that even the teachers were forced to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo stood grim-faced at the podium, his piercing gaze sweeping over the 49 quails in the class, plus one Li Ye and one mute girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Li Dayong and the others had been loud and boisterous moments before, not one dared to defy the teacher once their eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The whole school can hear your shouting—what, are you all full of energy with nowhere to burn it? Want me to loosen your bones for you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Loosen your bones” was local dialect for “stretch your limbs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this wasn’t some relaxing Thai massage—no pressure points, no kneading, no chopping, no kneeling on your back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant a barrage of slaps and kicks that could leave you sobbing with tears and snot streaming down your face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone fell silent. Teacher Luo turned to Hu Man: “Class monitor, what’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Class monitor Hu Man stood up, face grim: “Teacher, Xia Yue and the others gave Li Ye nicknames and insulted him. We couldn’t take it, so we argued back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Yue immediately said: “Teacher, Hu Man is lying. We didn’t argue over nicknames—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye disrupted class unity and refused to accept our corrections... Hu Man is deliberately covering for him...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man’s heart skipped a beat: “Teacher, Li Ye hasn’t disrupted class unity—he’s just too busy to tutor everyone...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Hu Man’s lying! We spoke nicely to Li Ye, but he responded with hostility...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Teacher Luo—Li Ye and Li Dayong formed a clique, deliberately splitting the class into two factions. When Xia Yue was monitor, we never had this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The class was spiraling out of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo didn’t immediately intervene. Since replacing Xia Yue as monitor, Class One had never calmed down—he watched coldly, wanting to see just how deep the rift had grown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the core of the conflict was unquestionably Li Ye and Xia Yue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Yue, sitting in the front row, bowed her head as if deeply pained—but if someone had looked beneath the desk, they’d have seen her smug smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Hmph, you have no idea how powerful the group can be!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the storm’s center, Li Ye stared at the passionate classmates, cold as a statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher, we argued with Li Ye and his group, and he and Li Dayong tried to beat us up... He’s Shan Chaodiao, a bandit’s nature...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoosh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye suddenly stood, strode three steps to the front row, and grabbed Zhou Chenggong by the collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing... let go...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chenggong had been mid-rant when Li Ye yanked him from his seat—his limbs flailed in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, what are you doing? No violence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Study Committee member Jin Shengli stood up and shouted at Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if you looked closely at his hands, you’d see them trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During these days of shouting matches, Li Ye had remained silent, while Li Dayong—the “henchman”—led the charge against Xia Yue and Jin Shengli. Everyone assumed the great writer had mellowed into a gentle soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when Li Ye suddenly turned violent, they realized just how terrifying a furious Li Ye could be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Shengli was even more terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【How dare he? The teacher’s right here... how dare he?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d never had any past conflict with Li Ye—only resentment sparked after he tried to copy Wen Leyu’s test paper and got a glare from Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, when Xia Yue said Li Ye was disunifying the class, Jin Shengli agreed without thinking, and gradually twisted his own mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he never intended to oppose Li Ye!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, suddenly grabbed by Li Ye, he was on the verge of tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【So many are cursing you—why pick me? You should capture the leader!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how unjust his plight, no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was dragged like a piglet, knocking over desks, scattering pens and papers everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did Teacher Luo snap out of his shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye didn’t pause—he dragged Zhou Chenggong straight to the podium, meeting Teacher Luo’s furious gaze without flinching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, explain to Teacher Luo: why call me Shan Chaodiao? Why call me Huang Shiren? Who taught you that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I... I didn’t... it wasn’t... waaah~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chenggong was a quiet, honest kid—he’d only dared to curse Li Ye as “Shan Chaodiao” because Xia Yue egged him on. Now, under the dual psychological pressure of Teacher Luo and Li Ye, he couldn’t hold it together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Teacher Luo’s dark face and imagining Li Ye’s fists, Zhou Chenggong burst into tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo was furious—his teeth ground together. He didn’t need to guess: these nicknames were Xia Yue’s doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xia Yue had already submitted one written self-criticism. If he punished her again, and the Education Office decided to record it in her file, it would ruin her future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this day and age, a girl with top grades who made it to high school was rare indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Teacher Luo’s silence, Li Ye guessed his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke calmly: “Teacher Luo, I truly don’t understand why, since the day I entered Class One, I’ve been targeted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I endured the nicknames. I never provoked anyone—it was always others who came after me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what did my tolerance earn me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now they’re pinning ‘disrupting unity’ on me. Teacher, you know how vicious the labels ‘Huang Shiren’ and ‘disrupting unity’ are, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are they trying to do? Are they using the same old trick from years ago to force me to transfer out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s words weren’t loud, nor were they fiery—but to everyone’s ears, they carried a chilling, icy weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo’s eyes widened in shock, his face grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transfer? Li Ye had just mentioned transferring out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a consequence Teacher Luo had never anticipated—and one he absolutely could not afford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had already signed a publishing contract with Blue Sea Publishing. His name was already reserved on this year’s educational achievements report for Qingshui County No. 2 High—and it could be used for years to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school only sent out two or three students to university each year; the report was already hard to write. If this achievement were stripped away, Principal Chang would lock himself in his office and scream himself hoarse at Teacher Luo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, don’t be so sensitive or emotional. Classmates joking around doesn’t necessarily carry ill intent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A class is a collective—we should help each other. Look, if you took time to tutor everyone, maybe this misunderstanding about disunity wouldn’t have happened...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo still hoped to resolve the conflict, so he patiently tried to reason with Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye coldly laughed: “Teacher, if you think I’m Huang Shiren, do you still expect me to help others and tutor them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo felt suffocated—Li Ye’s words were too cutting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t refute them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this happened to him, he wouldn’t tolerate it either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like someone riding on your head and demanding you untie their pants to help them defecate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not chopping off that bastard’s cock was already restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, come outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as a teacher, Teacher Luo had no choice—he had to pull Li Ye aside and reason with him patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, I understand how you feel. Your hurt and resentment are justified.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But everyone here is here for the college entrance exam. If we can’t even maintain class order, how can we study?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I give Xia Yue and Zhou Chenggong major demerits, won’t the grudges only deepen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re all classmates; once you start working, you’ll be able to help each other. Li Ye, just be generous—make peace!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye looked at the earnest Teacher Luo and shook his head slightly. “Teacher Luo, Huang Shiren’s nickname hasn’t been around for just one or two days. I’m sure the teachers at school have heard it—but the outcome is truly disappointing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t have to give Xia Yue or Zhou Shengli a demerit, but calling their parents in once—surely that’s not too much to ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at all,” Teacher Luo said immediately. “I’ll have them bring their parents in tomorrow, give them a proper scolding and education—this vile nickname won’t spread in the school again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded and added, “Also, we’re here to study. We need a quiet learning environment—but right now, that’s hard to achieve. So...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo’s heart tightened. He was terrified Li Ye would say the words “transfer school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So starting now, we won’t come to self-study sessions anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean ‘you guys’?” Teacher Luo asked in surprise. “Who else? What do you mean by not coming to self-study?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said, “Teacher Luo, I’ve already told my family about the situation in class. To let me study in peace and write quietly, they’ve cleared out a storage room for me at the Second Grain Store across from the school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hu Man, Li Dayong, Fu Yingjie—they’ve already clashed with Xia Yue and can’t reconcile in the short term.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Second Grain Store has plenty of space, and there’s a stove. There are no curfews after lights-out. If we squeeze together, seven or eight of us fit perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo sucked in a breath. “This... isn’t appropriate, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said, “We’ll still attend regular classes normally. We just won’t come to self-study. And at night, they still return to the school dormitory to sleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then... I’m sorry to put you through this, Li Ye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Luo agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many day students didn’t attend evening self-study anyway. By having Li Ye and his “troublesome” companions—Hu Man, Li Dayong—avoid Xia Yue, they’d no longer fight and disrupt everyone’s studies. The class would return to its former calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this might seem unfair to Li Ye, it was now the least disruptive solution available.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh. Can’t fight them? Then I’ll just avoid them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his current status and power, Li Ye couldn’t expel Xia Yue or give her a major demerit. Using his grandfather to punish a girl with no influence whatsoever—his grandfather would look down on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for “avoiding them,” that had long been Li Ye’s planned strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaotic self-study environment had severely damaged his writing and studies. Enduring this childish conflict with Xia Yue would only drag down his own and his close companions’ grades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye wasn’t a bleeding-heart saint, but he wasn’t heartless either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingjie, Hu Man, and the others were already at war with Xia Yue. If he simply left alone, their situation in class would become unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be a man, one must be decent. To a friend, one must be loyal.\u003C\u002Fp>",2248,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ed9501a2a1b88e10d1cfaa7da6bae9c2a2cd06284d3fd94c8170a46d5b95ebd3","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-46","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-44",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]