[{"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-9":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},2294427,4489,"Chapter 9","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-9",9,"\u003Cp>The dinner was warm and joyful, filling Li Ye with a sense of comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, Li Ye went to bed early; since his midnight time-travel, his mind had been in chaotic flux, and the lingering weakness from continuous fever left him exhausted and drowsy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he fell asleep, Grandfather Li Zhong’s face darkened, and he sent for Li Kaibian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go find out what’s going on with the rumors at school—quietly, don’t make a fuss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaibian had been pondering the same thing; he got on his bike and rode straight to Li Dayong’s house, returning less than half an hour later, furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is too much—they’ve labeled Xiao Ye as Huang Shiren! I’m going to fucking—tomorrow I’m going to teach that poor scholar a lesson, no, I’m going tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaibian had been discharged for years but still kept his soldier’s fiery temper; hearing his son had been wronged, he immediately cursed and stormed to confront the Lu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Zhongfa snapped: “What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t you think the kid’s heart is already crushed? Don’t you understand that gossip only grows worse when stirred?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaibian, unusually defiant, stuck his neck out at his father: “Dad, do you know Xiao Ye had a high fever for two days in the dorm? He nearly... We can’t take this humiliation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, he needs to suffer a bit. We can protect him for now, but not forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhongfa said: “Didn’t you notice how Xiao Ye changed today? Steel is forged through hammering. Let him handle this himself from now on—no more interference from you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaibian paced in circles, then spat bitterly: “I was blind—I never saw how heartless that girl really was.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah~ She has the means to be heartless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhongfa chuckled softly: “Do you know how fast that college student, Xiao Liu, who came to the county last year, was promoted? So don’t underestimate the Lu family—don’t make unnecessary enemies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaibian froze, then slowly began to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a blunt, straightforward man, he lacked the sensitivity of Li Zhongfa, who had weathered storms—he still didn’t grasp the value of a college student in this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frustrated, Li Kaibian grumbled: “It’s all Xiao Ye’s fault—he’s too useless. If he’d passed the college entrance exam, none of this would’ve happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhongfa rolled his eyes in disdain: “You, a crude oaf who can’t even recognize all twenty-four letters, dare to criticize Xiao Ye?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Kaibian stared blankly, wanting to say there were twenty-six letters, but wisely swallowed the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we were to fight with our fists, we’d take on seven and challenge eight—but if we’re to compete in culture... let’s not talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Plop~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Li Hui shoe stepped into a puddle after the rain; murky water splashed joyfully, turning the white sneaker black and muddy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue numbly pulled his leg out and trudged forward, stumbling through the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His home was in Qianjin Village, Liuqiao Township, thirty li from County No. 1 High School; when he had a bike, it took just over an hour to get home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue loved the feeling of racing on his bike—not just the wind whistling past his ears, but also the envious glances from passersby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just entering high school and already riding a Phoenix-brand bike—how cool that was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today Li Ye “took back” the bike, and Lu Zixue realized how long this dirt road truly was, how exhausting walking could be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By late autumn, night fell early; Lu Zixue walked three hours, fell countless times, and finally saw the lights of Liuqiao Township.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liuqiao Township was named after a stone bridge spanning Qingshui River; crossing the bridge westward and walking four more li led to Qianjin Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far off, Lu Zixue spotted a small figure sitting under the bridge’s lamplight, hunched and staring expectantly toward the county.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she saw Lu Zixue stumbling closer, the small figure leapt up and hurried toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue then recognized her—his younger sister, Lu Jingqi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, why are you back so late... Where’s your bike?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at his sister, Lu Zixue couldn’t answer, so he asked instead: “What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingqi said: “Mom worried you weren’t home by dark, thought your bike broke down, so she sent me to meet you. Brother, where’s your bike?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingqi’s constant mention of the bike stoked Lu Zixue’s anger; he snapped: “Mom sent you to meet me, so why are you just sitting here? If I’d died halfway, no one would’ve known!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingqi froze, then whispered, wounded: “It’s dark... I was afraid to walk at night... I couldn’t go further than this...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. Useless thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue turned and walked ahead, leaving Lu Jingqi behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he felt everyone owed him—his penniless parents, his timid sister, his self-centered sister—all owed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he got home, his father was grading homework, his mother was sewing shoes, and a meal waited for Lu Zixue on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lu Zixue enter, his mother asked again about the bike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zixue could no longer hold back—he burst into tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After learning the full story, his father stayed silent; his mother, heartbroken for her son, soothed: “There, there, stop crying. We’ll get you a new one—your sister will buy you one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A new one? Yes! I’ll write to my sister—tell her to buy me a new one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly enlightened, Lu Zixue abandoned his meal, snatched paper and pen, and poured all his resentment onto the letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The family still had old postage stamps Lu Jingyao had sent back; Lu Zixue sealed the envelope, walked through the dark all night to Liuqiao Township, and dropped it into the postbox outside the post office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, the thin envelope was loaded onto a truck, crossed vast distances, traveled north, and arrived at the mailbox of Beijing Foreign Languages College.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Late autumn in Beijing was already cold; when the final autumn rain fell, a biting chill finally ushered in early winter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The annoying wind pierced the dense rain, carrying damp chill, silently pushing open the window, brushing Lu Jingyao’s face, wetting her lashes, tousling her hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao, absorbed in reading and writing from a thick dictionary, stirred slightly, finished writing one word, then took a deep breath, letting the coolness seep into her lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She loved this faint chill—it sharpened her tired mind and improved her study efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Lu Jingyao felt invigorated, a soft voice came from the upper bunk: “Lu Jingyao, could you please close the window? Half is fine. Thanks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao quickly shut the window, blocking out the late autumn dampness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her roommate, Liu Muhan, was from the south and still unaccustomed to northern weather; Lu Jingyao couldn’t only think of herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, Muhan—how’s your cold?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Liu Muhan poked her head out of the upper bunk. “What are you reading, Jingyao?... Oh... you’re studying so hard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao smiled silently and lowered her head to keep memorizing words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t afford to slack off!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao had barely scraped into Beijing Foreign Languages College and had felt proud—but in Beijing, she realized what true talent looked like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every young person here possessed talent and confidence far beyond their peers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take Liu Muhan, curled up in her blanket—she could read original foreign novels without a dictionary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao had secretly glanced once; the dense, wriggling script made her dizzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a self-made girl who’d leapt through the dragon’s gate accept falling behind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao knew well: her beauty was merely a gift, a bonus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her self-reliance and diligence were her truest wealth—the only tools to break free from her cage and breathe freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Jingyao, you’ve got mail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two girls skipped into the dorm; one held a letter and handed it to Lu Jingyao, who sat reading by the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Jingyao took the envelope, thanked her roommate, and opened it to read, while the two girls hovered beside her like curious cats, peering over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Lu Jingyao’s expression changed—anger, confusion, and worry flickered across her lovely face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two curious cats instantly spotted something interesting and extended their sharp claws.\u003C\u002Fp>",1360,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0a466955e99269d24a5d518de67e66f6405d5bbf54d3d8d169e74e6a5f27cb40","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-10","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-8",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]