Chapter 337 You Can't Control It
In the third week of March, Lin Weimin was reviewing manuscripts in his office when he was startled by the bang that pushed open the office door.
Turning around, he saw Yu Hua standing at the door, his face full of joy, and he shouted excitedly: "Teacher Lin, I'm here...!"
Before he could finish his words, he realized that there were two people in the office.
Qin Chaoyang and Lin Weimin looked at Yu Hua with amusement. Lin Weimin said, "You're here now. Why are you so excited?"
"Hehe!" Yu Hua restrained his expression and movements and walked into the office.
Lin Weimin asked: "How is it? Are you adapting to the School of Arts?"
When he talked about this topic, Yu Hua said: "I have adapted, I have adapted very well. Every day there are famous teachers giving lectures and there are many activities. I really want to continue studying here."
The 1986 short-term advanced course of the National Academy of Literature started on March 1. Yu Hua explained: "I should have come to the editorial office a long time ago, but I came late and had a lot of studies and activities..."
"It's okay. Isn't it the same if I come now?"
Yu Hua stayed in the office for half a day, and when he got off work, Lin Weimin invited him to dinner.
Sitting in the Crown car, Yu Hua excitedly touched everything.
"Teacher Lin, how much did you buy this car for?"
"Teacher Lin, are the seats leather?"
"Teacher Lin, do you have a radio in your car?"
…
Along the way, Lin Weimin was so annoyed by his noise that his head hurt. Arriving at Lama Temple Hutong, he picked up Shi Tiesheng and brought the two of them to the barbecue restaurant.
The most famous mutton restaurant in old Yanjing is Donglaishun, which uses copper pots to cook mutton.
When it comes to eating beef, we have to mention the Zhizi BBQ in Kaorouwan. The barbecue here is different from that elsewhere. They only roast beef. The beef is marinated with seasonings in advance and then roasted on an iron plate. The aroma is overflowing and the meat flavor is tempting.
Before they even entered the store, the mere walk from getting out of the car to the store was enough to arouse Shi Tiesheng and Yu Hua's appetite, and they were almost drooling with greed.
After entering the store, Yu Hua ordered five pounds of beef without further ado.
Teacher Lin is treating us today, so it’s okay to eat as much as you want.
"Are you here beating up the local tyrants?" Lin Weimin couldn't help but complain.
Yu Hua complained: "Teacher Lin, you don't know, the College of Arts only gives 40 kilograms of food coupons a month, and there are rice coupons and flour coupons. My rice coupons are all used up in a few days, and I can't have enough to eat!"
Lin Weimin naturally would not believe his lies. Yu Hua did not lie about the treatment of the Faculty of Arts, but if he said that this kid would starve if he lost his food coupons, he would not believe it even if he was beaten to death.
Speaking of the School of Arts, Shi Tiesheng talked about how he met Lin Weimin, "At that time, Xiaowei took me to your School of Arts to attend classes, and that's how I got to know Weimin."
Ever since Qu Xiaowei got married, he has been away from his wife and children, and is rarely seen a few times a year.
As Yu Hua was chatting, his mind unconsciously popped up the interesting stories that the teachers from the School of Arts had told everyone when they chatted with everyone after class. They told him about the time when Teacher Lin studied there.
Compared with the tall, majestic, and brilliant image of Teacher Lin today, hearing about what Teacher Lin did back then really makes people feel like the world is falling apart.
Of course, Yu Hua only dared to think about these things in his heart.
As they were chatting, Yu Hua heard Teacher Lin and Shi Tiesheng talking about their visit to Hong Kong later this month.
He immediately became interested. It was a rare thing to be able to travel abroad these days.
He inquired for a long time and thought that the people who came here were all famous writers like Teacher Lin, or writers like Shi Tiesheng whose representative works were well-known throughout the country, but he never expected that there was actually a Mo Yan among them.
Yu Hua thought about Mo Yan's small eyes as big as green beans.
Is it appropriate for you to be among these names?
"No, why should Mo Yan go? If he can go, I can go too!" Yu Hua said jealously like a primary school student.
"Then you have to ask the people in Hong Kong. They invited you." Lin Weimin joked.
Yu Hua looked depressed and felt very hurt.
It’s okay that I can’t compare with nationally famous writers like Teacher Lin and Shi Tiesheng, but how can I not even compare with Mo Yan?
Yu Hua's self-confidence suffered an unprecedented blow, and he could only turn his grief and anger into appetite.
Shi Tiesheng is a carnivore, and with Yu Hua here today, his appetite has increased a lot.
After dinner, the three of them came out of the barbecue burping.
"Don't go back yet, let's take a walk to digest the food before we go." Lin Weimin suggested.
Yu Hua and Shi Tiesheng expressed their strong agreement.
There just happens to be a small park next to the barbecue restaurant, Nanlishi Road Park.
Lin Weimin pushed Shi Tiesheng, and Yu Hua walked beside them, chatting along the way.
Since we have entered the Nanlishi Road Park, we naturally have to mention the radio compound on Nanlishi Road, and then mention the Spring Festival Gala that just passed.
A few people chatted and laughed. Yu Hua pointed at a few shabby tents in the park and asked, "Why are there still people living here? Are they migrant workers?"
The term "blind flow" appeared after the founding of the People's Republic of China. It refers to those people who are unwilling to stay in rural areas and migrate to cities under the dual urban-rural household registration management system, but have no place to stay.
Shi Tiesheng was from Yanjing, and he explained to Yu Hua: "These should be foreigners who came to Yanjing to see a doctor for their children..."
He pointed to the hospital next to the park, which was still lit, and said, "It is affiliated with Capital Medical University and has the Yanjing Children's Hospital, the best children's hospital in the country. These people are probably parents who brought their children to see a doctor. Some of them are poor and can only come to the park to set up tents to live."
After Shi Tiesheng finished his explanation, Lin Weimin and Yu Hua looked at the tents in silence.
In the 1980s, the colorful tents used for camping in later generations were almost gone. Instead, all the tents were military green. No one knew how many years they had been used and how many times they had passed through the hands of the people. The color faded, and the military green became mottled, worn, and had a sense of brokenness.
After a long while, Yu Hua moved. He walked to the door of a tent, squatted on the ground and started chatting with the man who was sitting there with a sad face.
Looking at this picture, Shi Tiesheng said with emotion: "Yu Hua will be a good writer."
"Yeah, he has a soft and sensitive heart!"
"Weimin, do you still remember Mingwa?" Shi Tiesheng asked again.
Lin Weimin nodded, "I remember."
Last year, Lin Weimin took Shi Tiesheng back to Guanjiazhuang in northern Shaanxi where he had been sent to work as a sent-down youth. He stayed there for a day and listened to him talk about Mingwa with the villagers.
When Shi Tiesheng and his friends first went to the countryside to work, they lived in an old cave dwelling of Mingwa's family. Mingwa was two years younger than Shi Tiesheng and had a congenital heart disease.
Mingwa's mother, Yamato, worked day and night and saved some money to take him to Yanjing for medical treatment.
"That year Mingwa came to Beijing for medical treatment, but he couldn't get treatment. We took him to see Tiananmen Square, took photos, and visited the Summer Palace, the zoo, and Wangfujing. Mingwa's mother was willing to spend money to let Mingwa have a good time in Beijing, eat a few times, and buy him some nice clothes. Mingwa was very happy..."
Shi Tiesheng muttered to himself, but he didn't finish his next words.
Mingwa returned to northern Shaanxi, and his father and mother arranged a marriage for him, spending 600 yuan on the betrothal gift. When the child was a little over one year old, Mingwa died in the mountains while he was digging the land.
"You said, if Mingwa was born in Yanjing City, he wouldn't have died so early, right?" Shi Tiesheng suddenly raised his head and asked Lin Weimin.
Lin Weimin remained silent and did not answer him. He thought Shi Tiesheng didn't need his answer.
Here, in the emperor's capital, human life seems to be more precious. At least one doesn't have to do heavy physical work while suffering from a fatal illness.
The two stood there waiting for Yu Hua. He came back half an hour later and talked to several people.
As Tolstoy said in the opening of Anna Karenina: All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
After Yu Hua came back, he looked sad and silent, obviously depressed by the misfortunes suffered by these families.
Before leaving the park, the few people couldn't help but take a look at the tents set up in the park.
Yu Hua said, "Teacher Lin, I want to write a novel."
"What novel to write?"
If it can be described as a "part", it must be a long novel. Yu Hua raised his head and looked at the moon in the sky, "Just write about the suffering of the Chinese people!"
Lin Weimin's heart skipped a beat. Some novels are not something you can write at your age. Not writing them well is not only a blow to your creative confidence, but also ruins your hard-earned inspiration and materials.
Take Mr. Lin’s advice: you are too young to grasp the situation.
"You are not old enough and have not had enough experience yet. Don't rush to write about heavy topics. Let yourself settle down for a few years until you feel you can handle the topic. Look at Brother Cheng and Lu Yao, one is in his forties and the other is in his thirties before they started writing big books. You are only in your twenties. It is too early to write such a work at this age."
In response to Teacher Lin’s advice, Yu Hua really wanted to ask, Teacher Lin, weren’t you only in your early twenties when you wrote the novel "The Horse Catcher"?
But he didn't ask this question after all. Reason told him that it would be difficult to find a writer like Mr. Lin in decades. How could he compare with him?
"Yeah!" Yu Hua nodded heavily. He decided to listen to Teacher Lin.
Don’t rush to write, give yourself some time to calm down.
Two days later, someone from the Cultural Association came to inform Lin Weimin that all arrangements for the visit had been completed and told him what to pay attention to during the visit.
On March 22, I first went to the Military Art Academy to pick up Mo Yan, and then picked up Shi Tiesheng.
When we drove to the Capital Airport, Zhang Guangnian, Liu Xinwu and Cheng Jiangong had just arrived. This visit was led by Zhang Guangnian, the leader of the Cultural Association, and there was also a comrade named Liu from the relevant department.
After waiting for an hour, I boarded the plane and flew to Shanghai.
After arriving in Shanghai, several people were arranged to stay at the Shanghai Literary Association Guesthouse.
Several writers from Yenching were the first to arrive. After waiting for half a day, several other writers also rushed to Shanghai.
In the evening, the leaders of the Shanghai Literary Association arranged a dinner, and Lin Weimin met Huang Anyi, who was from Shanghai.
"An Yi!" Lin Weimin greeted Huang Anyi.
Huang Anyi responded to him with a polite tone but a hint of distance.
"How come old classmates act like they don't know each other when we meet?" Lin Weimin said enthusiastically, holding Huang Anyi's hand.
Huang Anyi pulled her hand away and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
This person really hasn't changed at all!
After resting for a night in the guesthouse, the large group set out for the airport again early the next morning, flying from Shanghai to Hong Kong.
There are not many flights from Yanjing and Shanghai to Hong Kong nowadays. There are only 59 flights per week between the four cities of Yanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hangzhou.
After a long journey, the plane finally arrived at Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong.
There were three people who met us at the airport: Junlin, deputy editor-in-chief of Ta Kung Pao, Pan Yaoming from Sanlian Bookstore, and a comrade named Chen from the Guangzhou Office in Hong Kong.
Sanlian Bookstore is the organizer of this invitation visit. Ta Kung Pao is also a Z-style media. The former editor-in-chief is Mr. Luo Fu, who previously liaised with Lin Weimin to publish his works for Bafang.
After a brief communication between Comrade Chen from the Guangzhou Office in Hong Kong, Comrade Chen from relevant departments and Zhang Guangnian, everyone boarded the bus smoothly.
Only after getting on the bus did everyone start to exchange pleasantries.
After introducing himself, Zhang Guangnian introduced these writers to Junlin and Pan Yaoming one by one. When they heard Lin Weimin's name, Junlin and Pan Yaoming's reactions were much greater than when they heard the names of others.
Over the past year or so, Lin Weimin's works have frequently appeared in Hong Kong newspapers and periodicals and have been quite popular. He is one of the few mainland writers in recent years who is familiar to Hong Kong's cultural circles and readers.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
