Chapter 160 Do you understand?
What does a creator need most?
People usually say it is inspiration, but inspiration is just a fuse. What really ignites the birth of a work should be the creator's full immersion in it.
But it is also because of this that it is very likely to cause serious self-admiration and self-indulgence.
Therefore, a good creator must have the ability to step out of himself and look at his own work from a third-party perspective.
Perhaps because of the time travel, Lin Weimin has always been calm and restrained in this regard.
Although the novel he promised to write to Yu Zhaohuai was so inspiring, he finished it almost in one go.
But looking back, he still found many problems in the novel, and Lin Weimin deleted and revised them without mercy.
As he was deleting some, Lin Weimin felt that he should add some more. This process lasted for nearly a month until Yu Zhaohuai called him again.
"Yes, yes, it was originally a short story, but as I was writing it, I felt that it could be expanded into a novella. Please wait a moment, okay."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Chaoyang asked Lin Weimin, "I remember you promised to write a short story for me, didn't you?"
Lin Weimin spread his hands and said, "I can't help it. I got inspiration. It would be a waste to just write a short story."
"Show off!" Qin Chaoyang cursed with a smile as he looked at his expression.
"Aren't you very efficient? Why did it take you so long to write this novella?"
Lin Weimin said, "This story is a bit absurd. I have to be more restrained in writing it, otherwise it will easily become absurd. I'm a little slow in deleting and revising it."
Qin Chaoyang praised: "Not bad, you are really becoming more and more mature now."
The maturity he refers to is the ability to exercise self-control in creation, which is rare for a creator.
When it was almost time to get off work, Mark Meng found the Chinese Literature Society.
"Old Ma, why are you here?"
"Forest!"
Mark Meng came up and gave Lin Weimin a hug before saying, "Tomorrow is Christmas. We plan to go to the Yanjing Hotel, where there will be a Christmas event tonight. I would like to invite you to go with us. What do you think?"
Mark Meng came all the way to invite him, how could Lin Weimin refuse? "Okay!"
But he thought of his oldest nephew who was alone at home, "Can I bring someone else with me?"
Mark Meng was stunned for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and asked, "Male or female?"
"A man, my nephew, what's wrong?"
Mark Meng seemed relieved, "Nothing, you're welcome."
"Ok, it's settled then."
After Mark Meng left, Lin Weimin thought that these foreigners seemed to have to give gifts for Christmas, so since he was going there, he still had to prepare something.
When it was almost time to get off work, he left a little earlier and went to Wangfujing to buy some Chinese gifts that the little foreigners would like, and also bought some other things.
When he returned home in the evening, Lin Weimin told Han Zhuangzhuang that they would go to Yanjing Hotel to join in the fun the next day. Han Zhuangzhuang was very excited.
"Uncle, what is Christmas like for foreigners?"
Lin Weimin thought for a moment and said, "Except for not setting off firecrackers, it's pretty much the same as our Spring Festival."
Han Zhuangzhuang's face was full of anticipation, but his uncle actually didn't know that he still had a rehearsal tomorrow night.
However, Han Zhuangzhuang didn't intend to say that he planned to skip the rehearsal tomorrow night and ask for leave by saying that he had diarrhea.
I definitely can't tell this to my uncle, or he'll definitely scold me.
The next day is December 24, which is what Westerners call Christmas Eve.
In China in the 1980s, no one cared about these things except in certain specific places.
Before the end of get off work that day, Han Zhuangzhuang ran to the Chinese Literature Society.
Lin Weimin knew without a doubt that this guy must have run out early. He wanted to scold him, but when he thought that he was the one who invited him, he didn't say anything.
The uncle and nephew rode a bicycle towards the Yanjing Hotel.
"Uncle, I plan to buy a bicycle for the New Year."
"Have you saved enough money?" Lin Weimin asked.
"I've saved enough!" Han Zhuangzhuang's tone was a little proud.
He had money when he was in school. In the past few months, he had been eating and living at Lin Weimin's house. Except for occasionally buying some vegetables for him, he had a lot of money left over from his monthly salary. It was not difficult for him to save up enough to buy a bicycle.
"What do you think of my bicycle?"
“Very good!”
"Then my uncle will sell you out."
"Sell me?"
Han Zhuangzhuang turned his head in shock and looked at Lin Weimin.
"Look at the road, why are you looking at me?" Lin Weimin hit his back.
Han Zhuangzhuang turned his head back and muttered, "Uncle, you are not kind!"
"Bullshit! You eat my food and drink my drinks, is it too much for me to sell you a bicycle?
Besides, I’ve only had this bike for a year, it’s brand new! And it doesn’t even require a ticket, where else can you find such a good deal?”
Han Zhuangzhuang knew he couldn't win the argument with his uncle, so he asked in a low voice, "How much do you want?"
"One hundred and fifty!"
"Why don't you go and rob?"
Han Zhuangzhuang was angry. Is this still his uncle?
"How much money do you want?"
"sixty."
"You are a black-hearted thing!"
"What about eighty?"
"One price, one hundred dollars. I don't want a ticket."
Han Zhuangzhuang hesitated for a long time and said, "Okay."
Lin Weimin scolded, “Don’t act like you’ve suffered a loss.”
Han Zhuangzhuang started to mutter again, "Don't expect me to take care of you in your old age."
Lin Weimin punched the boy twice.
"Uncle, now that you've sold me your bicycle, what are you going to ride?" Han Zhuangzhuang suddenly remembered and asked.
"Uncle, please change your motorcycle."
motorcycle?
Han Zhuangzhuang was about to drool just thinking about it.
Riding a motorcycle on the street these days is much cooler than driving a BMW or Mercedes-Benz in later generations.
It's not a question of price, but of rarity.
You can walk around Yanjing City for a whole day and may not see many motorcycles.
In the past few years, many motorcycles in China were imported and placed in the windows of department stores, but only a few could be sold in a year.
This year, Jialing Factory signed a technical cooperation contract with Honda to jointly produce CJ50 in the Chinese market. From then on, the price of domestic motorcycles began to gradually become more affordable.
But at the end of 1981, this thing was still extremely expensive for ordinary people at that time!
There is a Yamaha 125 with an original imported four-stroke engine displayed in the window of Wangfujing Department Store. The price is 3,800 yuan. Even if it is the salary of a senior cadre, one has to save up for three years without eating or drinking to afford it.
The idea of changing to a motorcycle came to Lin Weimin yesterday when he went to Wangfujing to buy gifts. Looking at the Yamaha 125 in the window, Lin Weimin felt that since he couldn't change to a four-wheeled car for the time being, it would be nice to get a motorcycle to ride, at least it would save effort!
He is not short of money now, and his pursuit of wealth is not to the point of spending everything just to increase its value. He has to enjoy the money he makes.
He doesn't want to do something where he has a chance to earn money but no chance to spend it!
When we arrived at the entrance of Yanjing Hotel, we saw a lot of foreigners coming in and out of the hotel today.
Mark Meng led Lin Weimin and his nephew into the restaurant. Lin Weimin met several young foreigners in the restaurant, including Xiao Heiyangzi, Yin Geli, Cao Mengde, Feng Xiaolong, and Mark Meng. These five people were a group that often hung out together, and they were also the five foreign students that Lin Weimin was most familiar with.
Seeing that Lin Weimin was a little shy, Xiao Heiyangzi just called him "Mr. Lin" softly, then sat next to Yin Geli and stopped talking.
Several people cast ambiguous glances at the two of them, but Lin Weimin glared back at them fiercely.
Several people came to the restaurant on the seventh floor of the west building. Today, the place was decorated with lights and there was a Christmas tree. Even the waiters were wearing Santa Claus hats, and the atmosphere was full of festive joy.
The restaurant was almost full of foreigners, and Lin Weimin and his friends finally found an empty seat.
On an occasion like today, the two Chinese people, Lin Weimin's uncle and nephew, have become eye-catching.
After sitting down, Lin Weimin distributed the gifts he bought to everyone one by one, and he also accepted gifts from everyone.
The gift is not expensive, what matters is the thought and the process.
Today's meal was paid for by several international students on an AA basis. Mark Meng originally wanted to treat Lin Weimin and Han Zhuangzhuang, as he was the one who invited them.
Lin Weimin quickly rejected him. The younger brother didn't know Han Zhuangzhuang's strength, and Lin Weimin was afraid that he could not withstand the stimulation.
When ordering, everyone said they couldn't eat that much, but Lin Weimin still ordered three more dishes, "It's okay, these dishes are for us alone."
After the dishes were served, everyone realized why Lin Weimin ordered three more dishes.
Han Zhuangzhuang really devours the food like a whirlwind. Not to mention his appetite, you can tell the difference just by looking at his posture.
Just like watching food broadcasts in later generations, everyone sees him eating so happily and their appetite is boosted.
While everyone was eating, a dozen performers dressed in suits and dresses, carrying musical instruments, walked into the restaurant.
"This is a performance specially prepared by the restaurant for tonight." Mark Meng said in a low voice.
The service in a five-star hotel was indeed excellent. Lin Weimin kicked Han Zhuangzhuang and asked him to eat slowly so that he could enjoy the show.
Today is Christmas for Westerners, and the hotel specially invited performers from a national-level orchestra. There was even someone to announce the show when it started.
The treatment of foreigners in China is indeed a bit too superior.
Ordinary people have to pay to watch this kind of thing, but foreigners enjoy it for free after dinner.
After complaining in his heart and enjoying the free high-quality program, Mark Meng said to Lin Weimin: "Lin, do you know? Uncle Qiao Sen asked my Chinese teacher in the United States to translate your novel."
Lin Weimin's first reaction was that the foreigner Qiao Sen was going to pirate his book.
After thinking about it again, he was amused by his own thoughts and looked at Mark Meng.
Mark Meng looked at him seriously and said, "I think he is very likely to want to publish your book."
Lin Weimin thought again of the time when Qiao Sen visited the Guowen Society. Could it be that he had figured things out with Qiao Sen, the old American?
He didn't quite understand this train of thought, but who knows? If someone is willing to translate it, then let them translate it. As long as it is not an illegal publication or pirated copy, it has nothing to do with him.
Lin Weimin guessed that Qiao Sen wanted to understand the content of "Farewell My Concubine" carefully before making specific suggestions.
He actually felt a little bit of anticipation for this.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
