[{"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-882":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},2295300,4489,"Chapter 882: The Gap","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-882",882,"\u003Cp>After sensing Mr. Ruan’s disappointment, Li Ye couldn’t help but feel puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Minying was in the same system as Mr. Ruan; after returning from studying abroad, she was promoted quickly and was already a deputy division chief the last time they met in Japan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even a young, promising deputy division chief—was she really worth Mr. Ruan going out of his way to befriend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye felt it wasn’t worth it; Mr. Ruan was a senior, powerful division chief who cared about face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Mr. Ruan was a man of deep guile; his probing remarks were just a light touch, fleeting and gone, and he immediately shifted topics to chat casually with Li Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re Zhao Meiwen’s cousin, right? What’s your surname?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Li. Li Ye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Li Ye. Jiawei said you were assigned to an auto plant in Haidian after graduation—is that right? How’s your job going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye nodded and replied, “Not bad. Going smoothly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Ruan smiled. “Really? You’re from the class of ’82, so you graduated the year before last, right? Have you been promoted to deputy section chief yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gave a light laugh and nodded, knowing his cousin hadn’t told Jiawei much about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ruan family only knew he graduated from Beijing University and stayed in Beijing for work—they didn’t know he was already a well-known figure in the Light Auto Company, and still thought he was some lowly nobody struggling to get by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s indeed smooth sailing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Ruan sighed. “A couple years ago, someone in your situation would’ve been assigned here. But these days, university graduate assignments aren’t as good as before—just staying in Beijing is already lucky.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I had an old classmate, brilliant as they come, went through hell to get transferred back to Beijing, spent ten years to reach section chief, and only got promoted again near fifty—lived apart from his wife and kids for years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye kept his lips pressed together, silent as Mr. Ruan seemed lost in memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now he understood: Mr. Ruan’s earlier words weren’t praising his smooth path—they were highlighting the value of a Beijing hukou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiawei had a Beijing hukou; even without studying abroad, he’d likely be assigned here after graduation—returning from overseas made it even more impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at Cai Minying—why had Mr. Ruan mentioned her just now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This old man was subtly reminding Li Ye of the gap between his own precious son and Zhao Meiwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye recalled the oppressed Beijingers of the future, facing off against locals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Meiwen was beautiful and well-educated, but that was merely the baseline for marrying into a first-tier city—because to Mr. Ruan, a local, Zhao Meiwen could offer his son almost no advantage at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for love, after decades in the bureaucratic tide, Mr. Ruan saw it as mere seasoning—optional, at best a slightly bland one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the main ingredient was lacking, that was a fundamental difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could the best seasoning turn sweet potato flour into minced meat nutrition?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Mr. Ruan had high emotional intelligence; though Li Ye sensed his intent to highlight the gap, he kept it polite on the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mrs. Ruan was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Ruan, you really don’t know how to talk. Li Kezhang is a top graduate from Beijing University—he’s already wasted his talent by being assigned to an auto plant instead of a ministry or central bank, and you call him lucky?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan scolded her husband with a smile, then turned to Li Ye: “Li Kezhang, you studied economics—you should’ve been assigned to a finance unit handling money. Now you’re stuck in an auto plant. Are you really content?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye felt his pride stung—he could tell Mrs. Ruan’s words weren’t warm concern, but a sneering taunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You think ten years of hard study makes you special? You think graduating from Beijing University guarantees a good job?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since his pride was wounded, he’d give no more face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said coolly: “What’s unnatural about it? Money—also called currency—requires goods before there can be currency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without goods, ‘currency’ is just paper. So manufacturing supports money and is the foundation of the economy—I’m quite satisfied with my job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan froze. She was used to scolding others—she’d never faced such subtle defiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you teaching me economics?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan squinted. “That’s not right—I remember currency is backed by gold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled lightly. “That’s... a bit complicated. Hard to explain right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan’s face darkened immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked: “By the way, Xiao Li, I heard your sister say your family has overseas connections?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yeah, my mom’s overseas—she’s chair of a financial conglomerate. But why should I tell you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gave a forced smile. “Not really overseas connections—I have a classmate studying in the Lighthouse, so I’m thinking of writing to see if she can find a guarantor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your classmate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan’s eyes shifted rapidly. “Has your classmate graduated and acquired citizenship?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye shook his head. “No, she hasn’t even gotten her master’s yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan smiled again—this time, she didn’t hide her mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s problematic. Visas are hard to get now—even with solid guarantors, approval isn’t guaranteed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said nothing more, only replied honestly: “Actually, developing within the mainland isn’t bad either. The country is undergoing reform and change—talent is desperately needed everywhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Xiao Li, you’re wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Ruan lifted her chin, speaking in a patronizing tone: “Xiao Li, someone as talented as you shouldn’t set your sights low. Look up—open your eyes to the world!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take your schoolmate Cai Minying—returned from overseas, assigned to Old Ruan’s unit, and in under two years she’s already a division chief. Look—both of you graduated two years ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And our Jiawei, and your cousin—without studying abroad, they’d just be young doctors, starting with ER, then residency, grinding away for years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye, watching Mrs. Ruan keep complaining, couldn’t help asking: “Even if you study abroad, you still have to grind your way up, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if overseas-trained doctors were scarce in the 80s, they couldn’t skip night shifts after returning, could they?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mrs. Ruan laughed. “That’s exactly why you must look up—after going abroad, your options multiply. Our colleague’s child studied mechanical engineering in China, switched to business overseas, and now lives in a little villa abroad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye sighed, torn between laughter and frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They left and never planned to return, chasing whatever paid best—hardly thinking of healing the sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coming from Mrs. Ruan, this was especially ironic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye only heard the idea of “staying overseas” after entering university; in primary and middle school, every student was taught to strive hard and serve the motherland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye’s complex, half-laughing expression stung Mrs. Ruan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Li, don’t laugh! You’ve left school and entered the workforce—you must understand reality. You’re a top graduate from Beijing University, yet ended up in an auto plant. No matter how you spin it, it’s mismatched.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When speaking with Mr. Ruan, he’d thought this family had high caliber—but now Mrs. Ruan had used the word “mismatched”? That was truly... mismatched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Ruan was clearly high-caliber—he killed without blood, insulted without bruising, always left you three points of face, so even afterward you couldn’t object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mrs. Ruan was like those neighbor aunts who coaxed children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like back in Li Ye’s past life, when one family bought the only color TV in the neighborhood, Li Ye and some kids went over to watch cartoons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as they were engrossed, the owner shouted: “Li Ye, your dad’s calling you outside!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye kept his eyes on the TV. “No he’s not. My dad didn’t call me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He did—I heard him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye sat there stunned, then reluctantly went out to find his father—only to discover his dad had been home the whole time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Ye asked if his father had called him, he saw the sadness on his father’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This trick was easy to see through—anyone could spot it instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she still did it, and even if you later realized and got angry, she thought herself clever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that your dad didn’t call you—it’s that your dad isn’t worth anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If your dad were impressive, we’d even feed you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Mrs. Ruan’s meaning was clear: your family has no ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Ye suddenly felt his sleeve tugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and saw Zhao Meiwen’s face pale, her hand gripping his sleeve, shaking her head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Zhao Meiwen wanted to leave—run away as fast as she could.\u003C\u002Fp>",1432,"2026-06-20T05:05:02.628Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0fbace098c2c95c766113c88def8e809e38aaf73ec038164526e406dad1c654f","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-883","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-881",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]