[{"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-83":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},2294501,4489,"Chapter 83: I Haven","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-83",83,"\u003Cp>Li Ye walked out of the principal’s office and saw Hu Man and the others waiting for him not far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the indifferent Jiang Xiao, every face bore varying degrees of worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye walked over and said, “It’s fine, everything’s settled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone immediately sighed in relief, especially Jiang Xiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on what had just happened, Li Ye could be certain that Principal Chang was more open-minded and experienced than he’d assumed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With only thirty to forty days left before the college entrance exam, he would surely prioritize stability and allow no distractions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to Hu Man, Jiang Xiao, and the others, Li Ye’s casual demeanor carried the air of “shouldering everything alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already late; the study schedule Li Ye had arranged for them was packed, and they still had two sets of practice papers to finish tonight!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as they passed near the classrooms, they saw a crowd of students gathered outside Repetition Class One, the noise inside growing louder by the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dayong and Han Xia, both eager for drama, immediately rushed over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t go near!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the figures of several students outside the classroom, Li Ye guessed what was happening and stopped Hu Man and the others from approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the rest could only strain their necks to peer into the classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia and Li Dayong returned quickly, grinning with malicious delight: “They’re fighting inside! Bao Hongbing and Xia Yue are arguing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arguing with Xia Yue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, loud shouts from Bao Hongbing and Xia Yue echoed from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I paid my fees too—why are you hoarding the materials and not giving them to us...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s withholding anything? Have you even mastered the ones I gave you? Too much is indigestible—giving you all of it would just mess up your solid grasp of the material...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re full of shit—you’re just selfish, treating class materials like your personal property. You scored 404 and got into undergrad—what about us...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The argument inside grew fiercer; teachers from afar were already running over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the crowd outside was so thick, the teachers couldn’t get in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just Bao Hongbing causing trouble—students from other classes were joining in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More students from Repetition Class Two and Three had failed to reach the pre-exam cutoff, and even some second-year students were stirring up chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye glanced briefly and told the eight-member group: “Let’s go. If they start fighting, we might get burned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Burned? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! Xia Yue’s being unfair—what’s it got to do with us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye waved them off, urging them to leave as he walked: “Because Xia Yue has practice papers and didn’t share them with everyone—so do we. We didn’t share ours either, so...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s different,” Hu Man interrupted first. “Our papers are yours personally. Xia Yue’s are class property—how can they be the same?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xia added: “Yeah! She’s always accusing us of being selfish, but she’s the real one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye shook his head slightly and said no more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the others still didn’t understand human nature deeply enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A student who’s prepared for years only to fall short of the key cutoff line is easily consumed by emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When someone suffers a major setback, they’re most likely to blame others rather than analyze their own failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s like a gambler who’s lost all his chips, goes home, sees his wife reading (a loss), and flies into a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Xia Yue or Bao Hongbing was right or wrong didn’t matter at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t deny that most students in the 1980s were honest, kind, and shy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once one “clever” person led the charge with moral blackmail, countless others would eagerly follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When facing a life-altering choice, a person might not choose kindness over self-interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s kids have endless practice papers, countless tutoring classes, and elite teachers to turn to—they don’t have to humiliate themselves begging for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this era, there was truly no other way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paths to improving scores were far too narrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1982, there were almost no review materials on the market; just getting all the textbooks together was a miracle. The temptation of a single set of practice papers was enormous—let alone many sets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, several students from a rural high school traveled dozens of li just to beg for a copy of a practice paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Xia Yue refused them, the despair in their eyes nearly broke the girls in the eight-member group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why Li Ye had always tried to avoid such situations, to protect the group’s study environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he had his biological hard drive to cheat with—but Jiang Xiao and the others had only half a year left. They had to follow a strict, scientific, rational study plan—every step had to be perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were at the final, critical moment; any outside disturbance could shatter their mental stability and slow their progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving school, Jiang Xiao whispered to Li Ye: “I’m sorry—I lost control this time. Principal Chang...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Ye say “get burned,” Jiang Xiao felt guilty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the pre-exam, she’d felt she’d messed up the Chinese paper, so she held back on the rest and ended up with 415—the second-highest score in the county.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Ye had been called into the principal’s office, they’d all feared they’d caused him trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye shook his head: “It’s not your fault. You’ve all done excellently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached the Second Grain Store, Hu Man and the others finally relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And nearly everyone felt a deep sense of realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the chaotic, noisy environment of the school with its hundreds of students, the small warehouse of the Second Grain Store felt like a serene paradise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six months had passed in a flash; only now, seeing their pre-exam scores, did Hu Man and the others realize what opportunities and protection Li Ye had given them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? What’s for dinner tonight? Smells so good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as dinner was nearly ready, Li Ye’s grandmother, Wu Ju, arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girls rushed over, calling her “Grandma” with warm affection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d given them red envelopes during the New Year!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After chatting with the kids for a bit, Wu Ju pulled Li Ye aside and took out a Plum Watch from her bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here—I took it to the city to get it checked. It’s not broken at all, just a scratch on the strap. I bought you a new one—if you don’t like the old one, just swap it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the very Plum Watch that Cui Aiguo had smashed a few days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Wu Ju had quickly snatched it up before the face was damaged, afraid Li Mingyue might see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But watches were precious; she hadn’t trusted it, so today she’d taken time off to go to the city and have it inspected by a renowned repair shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye took it, put it on, and said: “It’s just a watch, Grandma—you went all the way to the city? I told you it wasn’t broken.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ju pouted: “This watch isn’t cheap. Be more careful next time. And... don’t let your aunt see it again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye blinked: “Why? She still hasn’t given up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How dare she?” Wu Ju said. “She ran off without eating that day, claiming she was angry—but really, she was afraid you’d ask her for money. If she knew the watch wasn’t broken, she’d cause another scene.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ju looked at Li Ye: “You’re too hard on your own cousin. Today your aunt called Grandpa and said Aiguo’s head bump still hasn’t gone down!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s the cruelty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t you just control your sister? Must you turn the whole family upside down?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was genuinely aggrieved—he’d only turned Cui Aiguo into the Immortal of the South Pole. In a novel, readers wouldn’t be satisfied unless he’d smashed the guy’s brains out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ju glared: “How do you know I haven’t tried? I’ve beaten her butt black and blue more than once... Children are debts from past lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s all your grandfather’s fault—always talking about gender equality. I think he got it from that health worker... Never mind, you’re still young, you wouldn’t understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m off. Study hard, pass well. Your grandfather says you’ll make it to undergrad—when you do, show off for your father. Let him finally feel proud.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Wu Ju walk away, Li Ye suddenly called out: “Grandma, I’ll pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ju probably didn’t hear clearly—she turned back, waved at him, and motioned for him to go inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye suddenly felt his nose sting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People are emotional creatures. When someone truly cares for you, even a stone can grow a heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day after the pre-exam, the school announced that Dongshan Province’s college admission plan had been finalized, with the application deadline set for May 25.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All students who passed the pre-selection grew restless and tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Ye, which school should we apply to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, help us pick first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man, Li Dayong, and the others surrounded Li Ye, pressing him with heavy pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Wen Leyu had already decided on their targets, but the other six faced the perilous dilemma: “One wrong move, and the whole game is lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1982, applications were submitted before the exam, and there was no internet or detailed school information—just one printed catalog. Even if you flipped it to tatters, you’d still be clueless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Priority-based admissions, early batches, separate tracks for undergraduate and vocational programs—all these unfamiliar systems left Li Ye uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing Li Ye was sure of: a score above 400 in Dongshan Province in 1982 would get you into undergrad; 430 might land you a key university. Li Dayong and the others didn’t need to debate undergrad versus vocational.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But which school to pick? That was another matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even among undergrad schools, admission cutoffs varied wildly—and of the two hundred-plus universities nationwide, Li Ye didn’t recognize many names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because their names weren’t the same as today’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, in 1982, university admissions prioritized application order, not scores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If your first-choice school rejected you, you lost your advantage and were left vulnerable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, if you listed Tsinghua or Peking University as your first choice and got rejected,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and your second choice was Provincial Polytechnic,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even if your score was high, you’d have to wait until all applicants who listed Provincial Polytechnic as their first choice were admitted—only then would any remaining slots be yours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assuming there were any slots left at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scored 50 points higher than others, yet got shuffled into a trash major—how unfair is that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t rush it. Everyone gather information separately, then discuss it together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye decided to put it aside for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Li Dayong and the others’ mock exam scores were already above 420; there was still time before the official college entrance exam, and they could still push higher—with plenty of options left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, many students’ college applications depended entirely on their teachers’ advice, and at this point, the teachers at No. 2 High were even more anxious than the students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Man and the others fully trusted Li Ye and each deployed their own methods to gather useful information for him to analyze comprehensively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that day, before Li Ye could make any headway, Li Dayong came sprinting over, staring at him with a strange look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, did you get Jiang Xiaoyan to act?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What action?” Li Ye asked, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just now, Xia Yue got into an argument with Jiang Xiaoyan. Xia Yue said she was applying to Beijing Foreign Languages College. Wasn’t that what you had Jiang Xiaoyan do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“..........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was truly stunned. He’d only told Li Dayong about that cruel plan—he hadn’t told anyone else!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he hadn’t even moved yet! How could it be...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where did Xia Yue get the courage to apply for a national key university? Especially a prestigious one?\u003C\u002Fp>",1986,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5e964516d79694c89353ef95a238a14e64b3c15e9a6ee4d6cd28286617926c82","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-84","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-82",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]