That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1684 I won't get involved in my sister's affairs.

"Radical? Am I radical?"

Li Ye glanced at Lu Jingyao suspiciously, and seeing her calm eyes, he suddenly felt like he was talking to a brick wall.

"Ha, maybe! I've always been like this."

Despite having seen much of the world abroad and having surpassed over 90% of people in her era after ten years of honing her skills, Lu Jingyao remains unknowingly trapped in the limitations of her time.

Chinese is the root of the Chinese people. If we abandon even Chinese, it's like losing the key to our home.

Are children who can't speak Chinese not considered foreigners?

He doesn't even have a basic sense of identity with the culture of the Chinese people, and he doesn't even understand the concept of "leaving one's hometown and returning to one's roots." What else could he be but a foreigner?
It's not like he desperately tries to squeeze into overseas circles when things are booming overseas, and then after China prospers, he puts on a yellow-skinned, black-eyed body and speaks fluent foreign languages ​​to claim that he is a Chinese, right?
You can't have your cake and eat it too; you can't expect to get everything for free.

However, Li Ye's casual admission that he "has always been like this" displeased his younger sister, Li Ying.

Li Ying said to Lu Jingyao, "My brother is not radical at all. He is always kind to others and forgiving. If he were radical, he wouldn't say 'a gentleman takes revenge after ten years,' but rather 'a gentleman takes revenge from morning till night.'"

Li Ye: "."

Principal Chang: "."

Lu Jingyao: "."

Everyone else present was stunned.

Since Li Ye, Lu Jingyao, and Li Ying were all Principal Chang's students, everyone was well aware of the feud between Li Ye and Lu Jingyao.

Li Ying's words were clearly a sarcastic remark to Lu Jingyao: if Li Ye were truly the radical person you described, you would have been thoroughly disgraced and ruined long ago.

Li Ye was somewhat speechless because he had taught Li Ying the saying "A gentleman takes revenge from morning till night" as a joke. If analyzed solely based on this one sentence, Li Ye was indeed a bit radical.

Moreover, Li Ying's words also had a hidden meaning, which was, "My brother is magnanimous, but I am not." I, as her younger sister, still remember the harm that Lu Jingyao caused to Li Ye!
Principal Chang, who had been secretly amused, dared not watch the spectacle any longer and quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Lu Jingyao's use of the word 'radical' is inappropriate. Li Ye isn't radical; he's just straightforward and outspoken."
Dealing with Li Ye requires no beating around the bush or scheming; he speaks frankly and directly. Moreover, Li Ye is kind, generous, righteous, and always willing to help others. Anyone who can make a friend like Li Ye is blessed for a lifetime.

Principal Chang praised Li Ye for many of his strengths before changing the subject, saying, "However, Li Ye is over thirty years old now. He shouldn't act and speak as hastily and arbitrarily as he did when he was eighteen or nineteen."
You and Lu Jingyao are both the best students at the county's No. 2 High School, especially you, Li Ye, who are far ahead of the second-place student.

However, Lu Jingyao has now returned from abroad to invest in her hometown, contributing to the prosperity and strength of the country. While your abilities may differ, your hearts are all equally devoted to China.
People say that those who disagree cannot work together, but if you share the same path, even enemies can appreciate each other, right? Actually, when you reach my age, you'll understand that many grudges from your youth are nothing, just stubbornness in your heart.”

"."

Li Ye listened to Principal Chang's words and didn't understand why he used the phrase "mutual appreciation".

This kind of plot often appears in movies: two enemies who were irreconcilable when they were young suddenly find their past grudges ridiculous when they get old.

But Li Ye had already let go of Lu Jingyao long ago!

How can you cherish each other if there is no hatred in your hearts?

However, Principal Chang then said to Li Ye, "Lu Jingyao came to me today because of the land issue in the south of the city. She wants me to act as a mediator and ask you to mediate."

Lu Jingyao didn't know that you had your eye on that piece of land first, which is why you were willing to offer compensation. I haven't even gone to your house yet! And here you are, just in time to show up."

"She wants you to mediate between me?"

Li Ye looked at Lu Jingyao in surprise.

Knowing Lu Jingyao as Li Ye did, she was the kind of person who would never admit her mistakes, and her most stubborn trait was her mouth. Yet now she was actually taking the initiative to find someone to mediate and was even willing to offer compensation.
It's really unbelievable.

Lu Jingyao noticed the strange looks from Li Ye and Li Ying, sighed, and said, "A classmate of mine from school has been transferred to the Investment Promotion Bureau, and he hopes I can include investment within his job scope."
He arranged the land for me. I didn't know beforehand that someone had already reserved it. By the time I found out, construction was already halfway done. I'm very sorry, and I hope you won't misunderstand."

"Oh~"

Li Ye then realized what was going on.

Lu Jingyao invested in a factory in Qingshui County, which she entrusted to her classmate. Unexpectedly, this conflict with Li Ying's factory expansion project occurred. Several parties were involved in the struggle, but Lu Jingyao was kept in the dark.

By the time Lu Jingyao realized what was happening, the factory was already mostly built, so she sought help from Principal Chang to resolve the situation.

Li Ye smiled faintly and said, "That factory belongs to my sister, so I won't get involved. You two can continue chatting!"

Lu Jingyao was clearly surprised. She couldn't believe that such a large business belonged to Li Ying alone. When did the Li family's assets become something that a younger sister could control? Wasn't it all the property of Li Ye, the little emperor of the family?

Lu Jingyao had been the "prospective granddaughter-in-law" of the Li family for a year, so she was very clear about Li Ye's status in the Li family.

Regardless of whether Lu Jingyao believed it or not, Li Ying had already raised her chin high and said arrogantly, "Forget it, I'm not that petty. Since you don't know about this, I won't hold it against you."

"."

Lu Jingyao was stunned for a long time before she smiled helplessly.

Li Ye didn't treat Han Chunmei and her son very well back then, but now it seems he's a truly kind person.

"Thank you for your understanding. I'll be going now, Principal Chang. I'll come to see you again sometime."

Having fulfilled her wish to "reconcile," Lu Jingyao stood up and took her leave.

Li Ye and Li Ying stayed at Principal Chang's house for a while before leaving, but when they went outside, they found Lu Jingyao waiting for them at the entrance of the alley with her nephew.

Li Ye asked curiously, "Is there anything else you want to say to me?"

Lu Jingyao shook her head slightly, then said, "My nephew wants to say a few words to you."

Li Ye smiled and looked at the shy little boy, asking gently, "What do you want to tell me?"

The little boy seemed a bit afraid of Li Ye. He hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and said, "I wanted to say that I'm from China. I've been learning Chinese since I was little, and I've even read your novels." Li Ye asked in surprise, "You've read my novels?"

The little boy nodded emphatically: "I have all of your novels at home. My mom and aunt both love reading them. I really love the history of China. I'm not a foreigner; my household registration is still Chinese!"

Lu Jingyao's expression changed, as if she was somewhat embarrassed. Li Ye, on the other hand, was genuinely surprised.

Li Ye never expected that Lu Jingyao's family had his complete set of novels, let alone that Gao Xiaoyan, Lu Jingyao, and this child were all reading his novels.

Judging from the little boy's expression, he probably doesn't understand the entanglement between Li Ye and Lu Jingyao. He simply feels wronged, wronged by Li Ye's earlier judgment about "foreigners," and wronged by Li Ye's "misunderstanding" of his "flower-loving heart."

Li Ye squatted down and said to the little boy very seriously, "I'm sorry, young man. What I said just now was a bit harsh. If it caused any misunderstanding, I apologize."

The little boy shook his head vigorously, looking embarrassed, and said, "No need, no need to apologize. I just wanted to say that China is great, I like China, I don't like Great Britain, and I want to be a Chinese person."

"."

Li Ye was pleasantly surprised, extremely pleasantly surprised, because when he wrote "The North Wind Rises" and "The Lone Army Longing for Home," his original intention was to inspire everyone's sense of honor and identity with China.
For a child who grew up overseas to say such things, even if it's only one-tenth of Li Ye's credit, it's enough to make Li Ye feel gratified.

Lu Jingyao pursed her lips and followed up, "Over the years, I've read all the novels you've written. I admire your dedication and faith in this land."
It just so happened that Jonina wanted to settle down in China, so Xiaoyan and I came back together. However, we still spent most of our time in Shenzhen. The factory in Qingshui was mainly for taking care of some of my father's relatives and friends.

"pretty good."

Li Ye smiled and nodded, then suddenly asked, "Have you ever thought about why Jonina was willing to settle in the mainland?"

Lu Jingyao paused slightly, then said, "Jonina is quite sensitive. After living in Shenzhen for a few years, she felt more comfortable here and found the people of China to be more friendly."

"Oh, Jonina is indeed quite sensitive."

As the translator of "A Song of Ice and Fire," Jonina has already surpassed most people in terms of wealth, so she can live a very comfortable life overseas. There is no issue of her using the exchange rate difference to retire in China. So why does she choose to stay in China?
In the 1990s, when the West was at its peak, it was quite strange that a wealthy Western woman chose to settle in China.

Li Ye had met Jonina, and Wen Leyu even frequently spoke and met with her. Wen Leyu didn't find the sensitive and introverted woman "strange" at all; on the contrary, she was surprised by her sensitivity.

Sensitive people have an extraordinary ability to perceive both kindness and danger.

China in the 1990s was indeed not as developed as the West, but this land, which had been nurtured by Eastern culture for thousands of years, also possessed a kind of "human kindness" that the West could never cultivate. With the added advantage of Jonina's status in mainland China, how could she not be extremely comfortable?

Li Ye said calmly, "Jonina's choice is right. Please wish Jonina well. Bless her. Love life and love yourself."

"Love life, love yourself?"

Lu Jingyao repeated herself to herself, gave Li Ye a complicated look, nodded, and left with her nephew.

The little boy followed Lu Jingyao, hopping and whispering to her. Lu Jingyao patiently talked to him back. Clearly, the relationship between the two was much closer than that of an aunt and nephew.

Li Ye suddenly recalled a saying from decades later: "When a woman's maternal instincts overflow, that's probably when she most regrets not having her own child."

Li Ying stood on tiptoe, watching the aunt and niece get into the car in the distance. Suddenly, she whispered to Li Ye, "Brother, she actually cares a lot about what you think of her. Even after all these years, she still feels indebted to you."

Li Ye shook his head slightly, saying nothing.

The butterfly effect grows stronger over time. Li Ye has been in this world for thirteen years, influencing too many people and changing too many things.

People like the Li family and those in the Chengnan Development Zone have all benefited from Li Ye, while others have fallen into a strange cycle because of him. Whether they can get out of it depends on themselves.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

After Li Ye returned to Beijing, it was time for his pre-Spring Festival visits. He wasn't too busy with production matters, but he was very busy building relationships.

On the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, Li Ye suddenly received a call from his senior brother, Shang Ruilin.

"Li Ye, when are you going to visit your teacher this year?"

"I'll be there in the next couple of days!"

"Then let's go the day after tomorrow! We'll all go together the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, then the day after tomorrow."

After hanging up the phone, Li Ye felt something was off.

Because Shang Ruilin was among the earliest batch of Zhang Qiyan's disciples, they didn't usually go to their teacher's place in a small circle.

Li Ye usually belongs to a small faction with Peng Rui, Yu Xiufen, and Cai Minying, so why did Shang Ruilin take the initiative to invite Li Ye this year?
On the third day, Li Ye drove to the outside of Zhang Qiyan's government compound. As usual, he had to get out of the car at the gate to register. The gatekeeper would confirm with the people inside before letting him in.

Just as Li Ye was registering, a person walked over and greeted him familiarly: "Hey, Li Ye, you're here to wish your teacher a Happy New Year too! Perfect timing, let's go in together."

Li Ye said without even looking up, "If you want to go in, come and register yourself. We have different statuses, so don't try to get close to me."

"."

Li Ye's eyesight was exceptionally sharp; he spotted Zhang Chaoxian hiding nearby as he approached.
This top Wall Street trader, after marrying Zhuo Minglan and preparing to return to Lighthouse, hurled insults at a group of his fellow apprentices on the Light Automobile Company's BBS, even including their teacher Zhang Qiyan. Now, he wants Li Ye to take him in? What is he thinking?

Zhang Chaoxian was taken aback, feeling somewhat embarrassed: "What are you saying? We're all fellow disciples, who's trying to get close to whom?"

"Heh~, I don't have a fellow disciple like you."

Li Ye chuckled softly, tossed the registration book to the other person, and then got into the car to wait for clearance.

A moment later, the gatekeeper directed Li Ye's car in, but Zhang Chaoxian was stopped outside.

When things are looking great overseas, some people return voluntarily with wealth and technology, while others are forced to return with debt and resentment. So, who should be accepted? Is there any need to say more?
(End of this chapter)