That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1297 Okay, I'll give you an explanation (I'm very reluctant, so I'm taking a break for one more chapter)
Although Li Ye didn't think Zhen Rongrong would do something so foolish, he still asked doubtfully, "The class monitor said he wanted to date you?"

He Dazhuang replied matter-of-factly, "That's right. We're old classmates, why would I lie to you?"

Li Ye thought for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Did she directly tell you that she wanted to date you? Or were you just imagining things?"

He Dazhuang opened his mouth, then said, "She said it directly! How can I speculate about something like this?"

"is it?"

Li Ye drew out a long sound, his calm gaze fixed on He Dazhuang's eyes. Just a few seconds later, he caught the flicker and evasion in the other's eyes.

Clearly, this guy is fooling himself.

So Li Ye said calmly, "Is the class monitor saying that you are in Qing Province and she is in Beijing, which is far away, so the two of you are not a good match?"

"."

He Dazhuang stared at Li Ye in astonishment, and after a full ten seconds, he said with annoyance, "So the class monitor already told you? She specifically told me not to tell anyone else yesterday. How could she do this?"

[I knew you were just making this up, and you actually dared to lie to me? Didn't I beat you up badly enough last time?]

What? You think I'm too old to beat you up?

Sometimes, people hate growing up.

For example, if you encounter a staged accident, and you are under fourteen years old, you can play a magic trick against a magic trick.

Li Ye sometimes misses the first two years after he transmigrated, because everyone knew he was a "fool" who would fight at the drop of a hat and get into a fight if he didn't like someone, so many people wouldn't argue with him.

But now that I'm older and have become a deputy factory director, I'm being asked to be "reserved, steady, magnanimous, and have a broad perspective."

Over time, people around him started gossiping and talking nonsense about him again. A few days ago, an employee who couldn't understand even blocked Li Ye and questioned him about why he hadn't been promoted to section chief.

Do you think that as people get older, they can no longer do "reckless" things? Do they have to be worldly-wise and shrewd?

Take He Dazhuang, for example. He was beaten up by Li Ye twice when he was in school, and he didn't argue with Li Ye for the next three or four years. But now...
It's really not easy to beat him up now. If it were a few years ago, Li Ye, in a fit of rage, would have easily knocked He Dazhuang down twice. Don't underestimate He Dazhuang just because he's 1.75 meters tall and weighs over 200 pounds. Li Ye was confident he could easily knock him down.

"The class monitor didn't tell me this. You just don't understand her speaking style. She was worried that if she rejected you directly, you would lose face, so she used this reason to politely decline."

Although Li Ye was very unhappy with He Dazhuang, because Zhen Rongrong was involved in this matter, Li Ye simply told him the truth in a cold tone and told him to give up on the idea as soon as possible.

However, He Dazhuang immediately replied, "I'm not afraid of losing face. That's childish behavior for kids. Back in school, I wasted so much time and missed so many good opportunities because I was afraid of losing face."
Li Ye, you understand this all too well, right? You found your partner in college, spent four years together in sweet romance, and are now set to spend the rest of your life together. If I had been bolder back then, things wouldn't have come to this.

"."

Li Ye stared blankly at He Dazhuang, a whole bunch of herbivores with the surname Cao and the given name Nima running through his mind.

So you think you missed out on great opportunities at school simply because you weren't bold enough or shameless enough?

Do you think that if you're just a little bolder, you can reclaim the good times you've missed?

Li Ye sighed helplessly and said with a laugh, "Yeah! Back when my wife and I were dancing by the lake, some people made a big deal out of it and wouldn't allow me to date!"

"Yes!"

He Dazhuang slapped his thigh and said regretfully, "Those people at school were such busybodies back then, making us miss out on a great opportunity. That's why I said you were smart."

[Damn it, wasn't it you who made a big deal out of this in the first place? And you're using this to oppose my application to join the Party.]

Li Ye almost cursed out loud. He had already subtly mocked He Dazhuang, but the other party was just playing dumb. Moreover, the implication in his words was that Li Ye had gotten a great deal by marrying Wen Leyu at the cost of violating school rules.

So Li Ye wasn't going to give He Dazhuang any face and said directly, "He Dazhuang, you know how precious the time at school was, but we can't go back now."
In school, we were all clueless classmates, but from the day we graduated, we had to abandon that naivety and understand the rules of society.

As you said yesterday, finding a partner requires compatibility in terms of social standing. Now, our class monitor is rising through the ranks at the State Commission for Restructuring the Economic System, and you're also developing your own career in Qinghai Province. If we're all doing well, we can still be classmates. But if we force ourselves to stay together, we might not even be classmates in the end!

"."

He Dazhuang's face turned visibly red, and he resumed his argumentative mode. "How can this be considered forcing us together? I'm single, she's single, we're about the same age, have similar education levels, and are at the same social class. How can we not be a good match?"

"Besides, a man is in his prime at thirty, while a woman is past her prime at thirty. Next year, both the class monitor and I will be thirty. How is it that we are not a good match now that we are together?"
You know, Li Ye, I didn't come here to bother my classmates because I couldn't find a partner. After my divorce in Qing Province, everyone around me introduced me to potential partners. I collected a whole stack of photos, all of them young and beautiful. I'm just scared; I want to find someone with a high level of education whom I know well."

【Wow, you're still in high demand!】

Li Ye was both amused and exasperated.

However, upon closer reflection, Gormu is not Beijing. In Beijing, section chiefs and deputy directors are not valuable, but Gormu, where He Dazhuang lives, is very different. It is normal for a divorced, childless bachelor like He Dazhuang to collect a few photos.

But Li Ye is confident that even if all these photos were put together, they wouldn't be enough to create a full set of buffs for Zhen Rongrong.

A graduate of Peking University, a government-sponsored student abroad, and a core reserve cadre of a unit under the Fifth Academy of the State, whose head is a well-known super boss in mainland China—if Li Ye were a matchmaker and introduced Zhen Rongrong to a divorced, childless single man, that would be blatantly disgusting!
Li Ye's face turned cold, and he said, "Alright, alright, no matter what I say, with you in Qing Province and the class monitor in Beijing, this marriage has no foundation for success. So I suggest you hurry up and choose one from that stack of photos."

He Dazhuang was stunned for a moment, then said unwillingly, "That's why I asked everyone to come up with a solution! I've asked around, and Li Ye, you're the one who has the final say in the first factory. If you take me in, wouldn't I have a foundation for success with the foreman?"

"The class monitor and I are both getting on in years. If we drag this out for another two years, we'll even miss out on having children. If you just nod your head, you'll be solving our life's most important matter. You'll be doing us a great service!"

Good grief, are you trying to morally blackmail me? So if you two are delayed, you'll blame me?

Li Ye, holding his anger, said resentfully, "He Dazhuang, you know our country's cadre transfer system. For a cadre of your rank, let alone me, even the head of our head office can't be transferred so easily."

Li Ye was telling the truth. In mainland China, cadres are managed across different levels. For example, the only room for maneuver for cadres at the level of a division chief is at the level of a section chief or below. If He Dazhuang wants to be transferred, it would be easier if Ma Zhaoxian intervened. But why should Li Ye bother Ma Zhaoxian?

But He Dazhuang answered almost instantly: "Isn't there Sun Xianjin? He works in the directly subordinate department of your superior ministry. Is it difficult for him to be transferred?"

Li Ye exclaimed in surprise, "He Dazhuang, you even schemed against Sun Xianjin? Are you trying to wipe out all the classmates in one fell swoop?"

"What do you mean by 'catching everyone in one fell swoop'? We were classmates, and I was just helping out. How did that become 'catching everyone in one fell swoop'?"

He Dazhuang started to complain, rambling on about things from his school days, as if he had a great relationship with Li Ye and Sun Xianjin.

But by this point, Li Ye had realized that this guy was a real troublemaker. If he were to come to his workplace, who knew how many times he would be kidnapped in the future!

So Li Ye simply stopped arguing with He Dazhuang and bluntly told him, "Absolutely impossible," that he was powerless to help.

He Dazhuang watched as he almost wore himself out trying to persuade Li Ye, but Li Ye grew increasingly indifferent and ruthless. Finally, he could no longer suppress his frustration and depression.

"Li Ye, tell me the truth, do you and the class monitor have something going on? If you two really do, then I, He Dazhuang, have been reckless, and I, He Dazhuang, deserve to die."

Li Ye's gaze slowly sharpened.

"He Dazhuang, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Am I talking nonsense? I'm not talking nonsense, am I?"

He Dazhuang, seemingly trying to provoke him, said without any hesitation, "Back in school, I noticed that Zhen Rongrong's gaze towards you was off. Every time you made so many mistakes, she tried her best to speak up for you."
But you already have a boyfriend, so there's nothing she can do. However, after she went abroad to study, you still went to the lighthouse to see her.
Tell me, which man, who already has a girlfriend, would travel thousands of miles to visit another woman?
Since the class monitor came back, she hasn't had a boyfriend. Now I want to take care of her for the rest of her life, but you're doing everything you can to stop me. Explain yourself to me, why is that?"

"."

Li Ye gritted his teeth, almost spitting out the words: "Why? You want me to explain why to you?"

"Yes! Now that you've explained it clearly, I've given up hope."

"Okay, I'll give you an explanation."

Li Ye slowly stood up, then suddenly kicked out with his leg, sending He Dazhuang tumbling down the wall with a loud thud.

"Whoo~"

After kicking, Li Ye let out a long sigh of relief and then shouted out a single word.

"Cool~"

　My child's test results came home today, and my wife was furious. I'm just caught in the crossfire, so that's all I can write. Sorry!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)