[{"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-56":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},2294474,4489,"Chapter 56: Chapter Fifty-Six: Whoever Darkened My Day, I","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-56",56,"\u003Cp>Whether in 1922 or 1981, the train station before Spring Festival was a battlefield everyone detested but had to face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially in 1981, though the number of mobile people was small, train services were even fewer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no private cars and scarce alternatives like bus or air transport, all passenger pressure squeezed onto rail transport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye stood on a high platform outside the provincial capital’s train station, staring down at an endless sea of tightly packed heads, feeling his claustrophobia nearly overwhelm him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was still the capital of Dongshan Province—if it were a major rail hub like Huonan’s capital, it would be even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, many domestic trains weren’t direct and required transfers at such hub cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye’s father had once told him, from a soldier friend, that seven or eight young men heading home for the holiday couldn’t even reach the transfer stamp window at Huonan’s capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helpless, they threw one comrade over the railing like a flying man, stepping on heads just to reach the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even this “not too crowded” scene made Li Ye deeply doubt whether a refined single woman like Teacher Ke could handle such a brutal environment where feet left the ground but you still stood upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Dayong and Jin Peng beside Li Ye felt no “crowd phobia”—instead, they seemed excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng said: “Little Ye, you know, take this train and in two days and two nights you’ll reach Yangcheng—gold dust is everywhere; just grab a sack and you’ll get rich...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong gazed up at the towering train station roof, dreaming: “I wonder if next year we’ll be able to take this train far away to university...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In late 1980, people had too few chances to leave home; many might spend decades trapped within a county of just a few dozen li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So ambitious young men all yearned for distant places, filled with anticipation for the unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smoked a cigarette: “Next year. Next year, you and Hao Jian figure out who’ll go to Yangcheng first, check things out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng’s eyes lit up instantly as he stared at Li Ye: “Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded: “Really. Go scout first—whether you make money or not doesn’t matter; just broaden your horizons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng nodded: “Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was always sharp, said little, but understood perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong’s eyes lit up too: “Peng Ge, going alone is dangerous—can I take leave and go with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t hesitate: “Stay home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong froze, crept closer to Li Ye, tugged his sleeve, his eyes full of pleading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every boy dreamed of roaming the world; now, hearing about bandits and highwaymen, they didn’t fear danger—they found it thrilling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye coldly said: “If you don’t want to repeat your studies alone next year, don’t go anywhere—stay here and study.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng burst out laughing but didn’t comfort his junior—he added salt to the wound: “Big Yong, you think we’re short on people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ergou and San Shui beg to join us every day—how many times have they pleaded? You’re a student, not supposed to be competing with us for food?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong sulked off and squatted aside, feeling Jin Peng wasn’t a true brother—failing him at the critical moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng chuckled and ignored him, then glanced far off and whispered: “Here they come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Li Ye saw that annoying parted-hair man, and the silent, bald man whose gaze was as sharp as a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye couldn’t imagine he’d witness such a bizarre, adaptable character today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Rui, the parted-hair man, had just moments ago been bullying the market with thug-like arrogance, but now turned slick and polished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t fight Li Ye’s group—he clapped Jin Peng on the shoulder and became his “friend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deal went through: six and a half jiao per catty of grain coupons—higher than market price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was utterly convinced—he’d never met such a smooth talker; his tongue outshone a stand-up comedian’s. All three of Jin Peng, Li Ye, and Li Dayong together couldn’t match him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong despised this bully of the weak, but Li Ye didn’t care—he asked him to get some premium tobacco and alcohol, plus a sleeper ticket to Jingcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man patted his chest, promising everything: relatives in the local produce company and railway department—any problem could be solved with money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gave him fifty yuan as deposit, arranging to meet at the station in two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, at least this guy hadn’t been short-sighted enough to steal Li Ye’s fifty yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brothers, sorry for the wait—during holidays, finding people is tough. I finally gathered everything you wanted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But my second aunt on the railway is off today, so I can only get you three platform tickets...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Rui opened two bulging bags: four packs of cigarettes, over a dozen bottles of liquor, and some snacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cigarettes were “Little Zhonghua” filtered Peony brand; the liquor was good—six bottles of Maotai, the rest Xifeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was barely satisfied with the goods, but disappointed he hadn’t gotten the sleeper ticket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, they were strangers in the provincial capital—buying tickets on the spot meant waiting long even for platform tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. Calculate the total.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure thing. Peony cigarettes—eighty-five yuan per pack if you take the whole pack. Maotai—I don’t have tickets, fifteen yuan per bottle...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye: “.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the crowd, Li Ye would’ve shown this bastard a hand-splitting brick trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peony cigarettes cost over five jiao per pack—he marked them up 60%. Maotai with tickets was eight yuan per bottle—he nearly doubled it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Rui sensed Li Ye’s displeasure instantly: “Brother, don’t think it’s expensive—I told them if it doesn’t sell, I’ll return it the same day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye glanced at him, said nothing, counted the money, and paid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, all speculators were like this—if their hearts weren’t black enough, how could they get rich?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Money and goods exchanged, Li Ye and Li Dayong took the items and headed to the station entrance to wait for Teacher Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng clapped Ma Rui on the shoulder, chatted and laughed for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Ma Rui left, Jin Peng returned and told Li Ye: “Don’t worry—he made money off us? I’ll make him spit it all back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye: “Seeking fortune on the road—don’t spill blood unless absolutely necessary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng laughed: “Of course not! That Ma Rui’s interested in our candy business—he’s already in our trap. We’ll lead him by the nose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine. In terms of street smarts, Li Ye admitted he wasn’t as good as Jin Peng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke got off the bus from Qingshui County, ran all the way to the train station, and silently groaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, when she walked half the night and arrived early to queue for tickets, the provincial capital’s station wasn’t this crowded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Spring Festival neared, the station grew more congested each day—there was nothing to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please make way, excuse me, my train’s arriving soon—ten-thirty train...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke abandoned all dignity, shouting as she pushed forward, ignoring whether the people ahead were old or children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she carried a small bag in her arms, a large bag slung over her shoulder, and a bundle on her back—bulky as a little bear—how could she move in this sea of people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Make way, I’ve got a ten-thirty train...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke was frantic, her voice hoarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earliest bus from Qingshui County left at eight—she barely made it to the capital by ten, leaving only half an hour—how could that be enough?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop shouting, sister—I’ve been pushing for ages and can’t budge. Shouting won’t help—maybe if you ditch your stuff, you’ll squeeze through...” A thin man beside her stared at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke glanced at him, hugged the small bag tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside were the manuscript of “Fugitive in the Fire” and her official introduction letter—these two things were her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the clothes in the sling bag and the twenty steamed buns in the bundle—they were useless now, neither worth keeping nor discarding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clothes didn’t matter, but she had almost no grain coupons—what would she eat in Jingcheng?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though years of hardship had “wilded” Teacher Ke—she could survive on grass—she couldn’t survive without food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if she missed the train and couldn’t reach Jingcheng—what then? What about her husband? Her son?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling years of helplessness, Teacher Ke’s eyes grew misty, blurring everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how tough or strong you were—what could it change?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it fix?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Ke, Teacher Ke... Teacher Ke...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, loud calls came steadily closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke wiped her face, stood on tiptoe—and saw Li Ye’s handsome face and Li Dayong’s bear-like bulk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m here! Here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke sniffled, waved her thin arms fiercely—like a withered weed in drought, welcoming the coming rain.\u003C\u002Fp>",1468,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a1510156197f4bd2c5767e291b3572682e1bd2b41f0711611e7ea06a5e7cd280","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-57","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-55",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]