[{"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-58":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},2294476,4489,"Chapter 58: Chapter Fifty-Eight: What","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-58",58,"\u003Cp>“Woo~ woo~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A muffled whistle jolted Teacher Ke awake from sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh no, we’re almost at the station.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke scrambled down from the top bunk, slinging bags and parcels over her shoulders, muttering to herself about how she’d overslept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Teacher Ke hadn’t enjoyed a journey this relaxed in a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the hard-sleeper top bunk wasn’t comfortable, it was clean enough and private enough to spare her the crush and suffocation of the seated carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that she never had to queue for the toilet let her control her diet and fluid intake without worrying about certain things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening the leather bag Li Ye had slipped her, she found sausages, cake, and biscuits—foods that let her avoid the complicated stares around her and the humble, stubborn act of gnawing on cold, hard steamed buns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten years ago, she’d scorned such treatment; now, it felt like another lifetime, filled with boundless emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Could those good old days ever return?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking out the window at the packed crowds, Teacher Ke felt uneasy but pressed forward anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t push! Don’t push! I’ve got glassware here—it’ll hurt someone...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the surging, jostling crowd, Teacher Ke carefully protected the cigarettes and liquor in her bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To big shots, these things meant nothing—but often, it’s the petty officials who are the hardest to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Teacher Ke was getting off, which was far easier than boarding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After drenching herself in sweat, Teacher Ke finally emerged from the station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She carried her leather bag, slung her bundle, and clutched her suitcase, hurrying forward with her head down, following memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already late; she needed to find a guesthouse, freshen up, and start her planned visits right away—some people might not be seen even after three or four tries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke remembered there were a few small collective-run guesthouses five or six li east of the station, cheap and conveniently accessible by bus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Teacher Ke passed a bus stop, two girls got off the bus, each burdened with heavy bags—clearly heading to the station to catch a train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them glanced at Teacher Ke, then stopped dead, exclaiming in delight: “Teacher Ke! You’ve come to Beijing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breathless and exhausted, Teacher Ke looked up and replied in surprise: “Lu Jingyao? What a coincidence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao hurried over, reaching out to take Teacher Ke’s luggage: “Teacher Ke, where are you going? Let me take you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke quickly refused: “No, no, I’m just going a little way ahead—it’s only a few steps.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao wouldn’t hear it, snatching the bags with enthusiasm: “If it’s close, then I must see you there—otherwise, won’t I be an ungrateful wretch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao’s admission to Beijing Foreign Languages College had been impossible without Teacher Ke’s help, so her words were utterly sincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Teacher Ke still smiled and said: “Really, no need—you’re catching a train, right? Today’s trains are impossible to board; I spent half an hour just squeezing out. You’ll have it worse going in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, Teacher Ke! We got here two hours early! We’d crawl if we had to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao had already slung her bundle over her shoulder, smiling around: “Teacher Ke, last year you showed me the way—today, even if it’s to the ends of the earth, I’ll see you there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke smiled helplessly and pointed to a building a hundred meters away: “I’m going to Guangming Guesthouse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guangming Guesthouse was a third-sector hotel affiliated with a central state enterprise, with excellent environment and facilities—perfectly matching Li Ye’s requirement for a “big guesthouse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guangming Guesthouse? Got it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao paused, startled, as if about to ask something—but ultimately said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her memory, Teacher Ke had always been poor—had she been reinstated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if she’d been reinstated, given Teacher Ke’s rank, she should’ve been picked up and dropped off by car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao turned to her fellow traveler: “Mu Han, wait for me a moment, okay? I’ll be right back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao’s roommate Liu Muhan smiled: “It’s just a few steps—why wait? Let’s go together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three walked quickly and soon arrived at Guangming Guesthouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Lu Jingyao suddenly remember something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked curiously: “Teacher Ke, where’s Xiao Yu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke replied: “It was inconvenient on the road, so I left her in Qingshui County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao immediately said: “Oh, then I’ll bring Xiao Yu to our place when I get back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no,” Teacher Ke waved her off: “She’s grown up—she can take care of herself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can you say that?” Lu Jingyao worried: “Xiao Yu’s so timid—just leave her to me! I promise I’ll take good care of her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really, no need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke couldn’t tell Lu Jingyao that she’d entrusted Wen Leyu to Li Ye’s care—it would only make things awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guangming Guesthouse provided excellent service; Teacher Ke checked in quickly, and the two girls turned toward the station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the two left the guesthouse, Liu Muhan asked Lu Jingyao about her relationship with Teacher Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao told Liu Muhan in detail how she’d gotten into university, speaking of Teacher Ke with the same reverence as one would show a mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Muhan gently furrowed her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Lu Jingyao and that Teacher Ke...】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Muhan prided herself on reading people accurately—Teacher Ke had always smiled politely, yet there was a barely perceptible distance in her manner toward Lu Jingyao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Liu Muhan was always tactful; she never mentioned this to Lu Jingyao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the “royalty fee incident,” Lu Jingyao had gradually drifted away from He Xue and others, growing closer instead to Liu Muhan, the “petty bourgeois.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after getting close did Lu Jingyao realize Liu Muhan wasn’t as unpleasant as He Xue and the others claimed—she shared many commonalities with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, both studied diligently, both loved literature—though Liu Muhan’s literary tastes were broader and her family background better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, on this trip home, they’d taken the same train, but Liu Muhan’s family had arranged for her a sleeper berth—lower bunk—while Lu Jingyao had to squeeze into the hard-seat carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before departure, Liu Muhan had kindly invited Lu Jingyao to join her in the sleeper carriage after boarding, promising she could sit on her berth until reaching Dongshan’s provincial capital, as long as no one objected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao had refused at the time, thinking it unnecessary to trouble someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after they’d struggled for hours just to reach the platform, Lu Jingyao abandoned her principles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, dignity didn’t matter—getting on the train was the only concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Spring Festival, all trains were overbooked; countless vice directors, directors, and section chiefs in Beijing were returning home to celebrate with their families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, whether you were a director or a section chief, you all had to jostle shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers and workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only once on the platform did a vice director’s rank matter—because only at that level could you buy a sleeper ticket and avoid climbing through windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fasten your school badge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Liu Muhan came from a wealthy family, she had no airs—she was pragmatic, urging Lu Jingyao to pin on her Beijing Foreign Languages College badge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she politely explained to the ticket inspector that they’d been unable to squeeze through from the front, that they were boarding together, and that Lu Jingyao would move to the hard-seat carriage immediately after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inspector glanced at their badges and generously let them board, even kindly suggesting they could “stay a little longer” in the sleeper carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After boarding, the carriage was already full—returning officials from Beijing heading home for the holiday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One couple, only one of whom qualified for a berth, shared a single bunk, so Lu Jingyao’s presence no longer stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After settling their luggage, both sighed in relief and pulled out books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao took out an English textbook borrowed from the library; Liu Muhan pulled out a brand-new novel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao was puzzled—normally Liu Muhan read foreign novels or thick tomes—so she asked: “Why are you reading this kind of book?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Muhan replied: “A few days ago, I called my father and asked what he’d been doing. He said he was reading a really interesting novel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was curious—what novel could make such a dry scholar find it interesting? So I bought a copy to take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao gave a light laugh and didn’t press further, opening her own book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An interesting novel? What use was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did novels have beautiful women? Did they have golden houses?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only textbooks had those!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding-kang ding-kang~~ ding-ding-kang ding-ding-kang~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The train had started; the slow, rhythmic clatter of the tracks had a magical sleep-inducing effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passengers in the sleeper carriage soon fell asleep one by one—only Lu Jingyao and Liu Muhan remained focused on their books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing a chapter, Lu Jingyao’s eyes grew sore; she marked her place, closed the book, and stood up to stretch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she noticed Liu Muhan, eyes alight with delight as she read the novel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【How strange.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao was astonished—her understanding of Liu Muhan didn’t match this overt emotional reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night deepened; trains then averaged only forty to fifty kilometers per hour, and they were still far from Dongshan’s provincial capital. Lu Jingyao grew restless and wanted to check on her own carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when she reached the door and peered into the hard-seat carriage, she immediately turned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was packed solid—the toilet door wouldn’t close because people were jammed inside; no way to pass through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in the sleeper carriage, Liu Muhan realized Lu Jingyao was uncomfortable and quickly curled up to make room, urging her to squeeze in and rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Muhan, however, kept her eyes glued to the novel—even skipped her chicken cake dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao leaned against the berth, drowsy, and fell asleep—only waking suddenly in the small hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Muhan was still reading, her eyes gleaming like a cat’s in the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mu Han, aren’t you sleeping?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, oh—go ahead and sleep! I’m almost done. When I finish, I’ll let you read it—it’s so interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao glanced at the novel’s cover and finally saw its title—《Qianfu》.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Is it really that good?】 Lu Jingyao finally felt curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by the time they reached Dongshan’s provincial capital, Liu Muhan still hadn’t handed her the novel 《Qianfu》.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao noticed that after finishing it, she started reading from the beginning again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao took the train, then a bus, and by the time she reached Qingshui County it was afternoon; she walked thirty li to Liuqiao Township, and by then night had fully fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her body was exhausted, Lu Jingyao felt happy inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the items in her backpack were two shirts—one her father’s, one her mother’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beautiful hair clip was the gift for her younger sister Lu Jingqi; as for her brother Lu Zixue, Lu Jingyao bought him two reference books for studying—extremely useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These items cost her nearly twenty yuan, at the price of owing Liu Muhan money, which she could only repay next year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the starlight, Lu Jingyao stepped into her familiar home and called out, voice trembling: “Mother, I’m back. Father, I’m back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nī’s back? It’s Nī who’s back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mother hurried out of the house, took Lu Jingyao’s luggage, and ushered her inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a careful look, she couldn’t help crying: “How have you gotten so thin? Why are you even thinner than when you were at home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t lost weight—I’ve actually gained!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao quickly smiled to comfort her mother, then opened her luggage to hand out gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her father and sister were delighted, holding up the clothes and hair clip, peering left and right at the mirror on the big wardrobe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her brother Lu Zixue had no interest in the reference books—he pulled out a stack of white paper and a fountain pen, and eagerly shoved them into Lu Jingyao’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sis, you’re finally back! Write a novel quick—my bicycle depends on you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao was completely baffled, wondering if she’d misheard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue exclaimed excitedly: “Sis, don’t you know? Guo Jia’s royalty rates are sky-high now—one novel earns thousands of yuan. You’ve published articles before, right? Hurry up, write a novel!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“............”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao stood stunned for a long moment, then laughed bitterly: “Royalties aren’t that easy to earn—thousands of yuan? Are you still dreaming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue froze, staring at his sister, eyes reddening—he was angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their mother rushed over to mediate: “You’re a college student now. High schoolers can write novels and earn thousands—why can’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao was utterly speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she was in junior high, her mother had listened to an English radio broadcast and asked her: “Do you understand what foreigners are saying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she was in high school, a relative asked her: “You’ve studied science for over ten years—can you fix a water pump?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“..........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the point of going to school anyway?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao took two deep breaths, suppressing her inner rage: “High schoolers earn thousands writing novels? Which high schooler? Name him—I want to meet him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“..........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family fell silent all at once; the earlier lively chatter had vanished, replaced by an eerie quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu’s father and mother stammered evasively; her younger sister slipped outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Zixue didn’t care—he shouted loudly: “Sis, don’t you know? Old Baldy Li’s bragging all over the county—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye wrote a novel and earned thousands in royalties. You know him—he doesn’t understand a damn thing about literature, yet he can write. Why can’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【What the hell is wrong with this world?】\u003C\u002Fp>",2266,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7149f35092d44b8887bda91b72bee8fd9c20e1d1c45ed21a316084c14e7fa443","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-59","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-57",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]