[{"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-71":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},2294489,4489,"Chapter 71: A Small Trial, Final Gains","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-71",71,"\u003Cp>The school did not make a big fuss with any “donation announcement”; it simply invited Jiang Xiaoyan’s family into the principal’s office and resolved the matter as quietly as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also due to Li Ye’s influence; otherwise, by past practice, they would have at least publicized it somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would have praised the student’s academic performance, highlighted the school’s and teachers’ devotion to talent, and encouraged Jiang Xiaoyan to keep striving and reach new heights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Jiang Xiaoyan’s mother, Chen Jinhua, thanked the principal and teachers and stepped out of the office, Jiang Xiaoyan’s grandfather had already stormed out of the school gate, furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man watched his granddaughter’s scholarship vanish and his grandson’s spot in the advanced class disappear, so angry he nearly cursed aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This deeply worried Jiang Xiaoyan; her mother, though fierce and domineering at home, tearing through everything in sight, was in truth exhausted—exhausted beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Jiang Xiaoyan herself was the heaviest burden causing her mother’s physical and emotional fatigue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you crying for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jinhua saw Jiang Xiaoyan lowering her head, wiping tears, and snapped sharply: “Raise your head. Don’t act like a monkey urinating—people will laugh at you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remember, a woman’s tears are useless. Only by getting into university can you earn people’s respect, only then can you speak loudly to men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan wiped her tears but still didn’t raise her head, whispering softly: “Mom, when you get home, Grandma might blame you...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, tell Dad—I’ll send you ten yuan every month once I’m in university.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the point of telling him? If he’d ever stood up for himself at home, would I be this worn out? Would I have to beg everyone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jinhua grumbled, then lowered her voice to Jiang Xiaoyan: “Don’t ever say again that you’ll send money home—it’ll be taken as gospel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’ll cling to you like giant mosquitoes, happily sucking your blood. If one day you can’t send money, they’ll think you’ve committed a sin against heaven and point fingers at your back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jiang Xiaoyan wasn’t quite sharp, Chen Jinhua tapped her daughter’s head hard: “Did you remember everything I said?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xiaoyan nodded quickly: “Mom, I remember—I’ll only send money to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jinhua glared: “Send me money? I hold the family’s rice spoon—do you think I’ll starve?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t worry about them giving me trouble—if they dare to act tough, I’ll choke them all with pickles every day. Just take care of yourself. If you’re well, I’m leaving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jinhua strode off. Behind her, Jiang Xiaoyan’s eyes welled with tears, but she held them back, refusing to let them fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mother had little education—even couldn’t recognize her own name—but she was sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nowadays, a girl can’t carry a family—not even a college student can.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier this year, Lu Jingyao had helped classmates review their lessons; Jiang Xiaoyan and others had seen her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She still wore an old cotton-padded jacket, her face pale and thin, her eyes bright yet weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She bore no resemblance at all to the energetic, vibrant college students they imagined earning wages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of her grandfather’s outburst, Jiang Xiaoyan received special “attention” from her classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye found Hu Man and others and told them to go first to the Second Grain Store to cook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When you get there, cook and chat about happy things—don’t ask any questions, understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the others nodded, half-understanding; they’d just been wondering what exactly had happened to Jiang Xiaoyan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kids these days were innocent; they didn’t understand what “fragile self-respect” even meant. A little curiosity made them dig until they found the bottom. The closer the friend, the more intensely they probed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Wen Leyu, having experienced too much, resonated with Li Ye’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, those people had also been “well-intentioned,” asking her endless questions, offering warm condolences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, they only gave her hollow comfort, then turned her pain and sorrow into gossip, boasting about it to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t a plucked phoenix always the best subject for gossip wherever she goes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu and Li Ye walked behind, watching Jiang Xiaoyan’s back, and said to Li Ye: “Maybe I’m inexperienced, but I’ve never met anyone who helps others the way you do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled and asked: “How do I help others?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu didn’t smile; she said seriously: “You help people so carefully, as if afraid they won’t accept your help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye shook his head: “I’m not as good as you think. My help is selective—I’d never help some people, no matter what. Look at Xia Yue and the others—they hate me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu looked at Li Ye, pondering his words, then softly said after a few seconds: “They’re blind. If you’re not good, then no one is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled: “Good people die young; evil ones live a thousand years. In movies, aren’t the good guys always the first to die, and the villains always survive until the final showdown?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I won’t hold myself to the standard of a good person. In other words...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye turned to Wen Leyu, teasingly: “I might do bad things sometimes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu stared blankly for a long time, then slowly couldn’t hold back her laughter, struggling to suppress it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine! Be good to me—be a good person to me. To everyone else, be a bad person—a thoroughly bad one... hahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu’s loud laughter left Li Ye baffled, but he soon sank into her radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu was truly perfect—even in unrestrained laughter, there was no grotesque gum display, only white teeth and brilliant light, dazzlingly blooming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wen Leyu laughed, she suddenly looked far off, then ran toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, you’re back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye turned and saw Teacher Ke walking toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Leyu darted like a light deer, rushing to her mother’s side, clinging to her affectionately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The separation of over ten days, the constant longing, had only deepened the girl’s attachment to her mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Teacher Ke, seeing Wen Leyu’s demeanor, was utterly astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the family tragedy, she had never seen Wen Leyu run freely or laugh openly—yet in just a few days, how had her daughter become so cheerful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye knew the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Nurturing and shaping is a skilled craft. A small trial, yet real gains. Old man... very pleased.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke first exchanged pleasantries with Principal Chang, canceled her leave, then spoke with Li Ye about the novel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled and asked: “Li Ye, has your writing been affected these past days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said: “I’ve only incorporated usable material into my writing. Anything that might affect the outline or main plot, I didn’t use—and won’t use in the future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t refuse because he didn’t want to—he couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his past life, so many wartime historical web novels had been swallowed by divine beasts; how could he not know the rules?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What shouldn’t be written, absolutely must not be written—even Teacher Ke’s face wouldn’t save him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon hearing Li Ye’s words, Teacher Ke was reassured: “If you think this way, I’m at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You don’t know—these past days, though I received many complaints and suggestions, even more readers expressed eagerness for the next chapters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, as long as someone writes about those years, they’re already delighted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Ye felt slightly embarrassed and said: “I’ll try to meet readers’ demands—I’ll try to include characters and plotlines where possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Ke thought for a moment and smiled: “That’s good. In the future, we may receive many letters and opinions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But treat them like a group of old men who once competed in their youth, now, years later, reviving their old habit of rivalry and banter. Listen, but don’t take it seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye agreed, then listed several sensitive issues he’d accumulated over the past few days and discussed them with Teacher Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early 1980s, the literary creation atmosphere was still quite tolerant and open—even fewer restrictions than in some later periods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, not being from this era, absorbed Teacher Ke’s professional advice and gained deeper insight into his upcoming writing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Teacher Ke said: “Publication may be delayed, but rest assured—it will be published.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye understood, but throughout, he never asked about Teacher Ke’s personal affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such matters are only yours to know when the other person chooses to tell you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then will Li Ye no longer be an “outsider.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1404,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","174ab255ad1e319b520417687f312314e1ad5f2b125de93108b745ea741eea56","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-72","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-70",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]