Chapter 369 Good Intentions
January 10th, the first day of the twelfth lunar month, was exactly one month away from the Spring Festival of 1987.
In the past few years, because he had to participate in the Spring Festival Gala, Lin Weimin was always very busy during this period.
Last month, CCTV approached Lin Weimin to discuss this year's Spring Festival Gala, but Lin Weimin flatly refused.
The Spring Festival Gala is something he should just try out for fun. He has already praised the people he should praise, and if he continues to participate, it would only be a waste of time and energy, with no added value to himself.
He is not one of those skit and crosstalk performers who need to rely on the Spring Festival Gala to survive.
Lin Weimin's refusal caught CCTV off guard.
Everyone has become accustomed to his efficiency in releasing scripts like throwing seeds in the past few years. Without this great general like him, the director team of the evening show really can't find anyone to fill this gap for a while.
But the trouble is CCTV's, not Lin Weimin's. Given his current status, helping the Spring Festival Gala is a favor. If he doesn't help, CCTV won't dare to have any objection.
Without the burden of the Spring Festival Gala, Lin Weimin put all his energy into "Contemporary".
A few days after New Year’s Day, the first issue of this year was officially launched.
As the first issue of "Contemporary" after its revision as a monthly magazine, the editorial department including the Guowen Publishing House attached great importance to this issue.
After a few days of fermentation, information from bookstores and post offices near Yanjing was gradually fed back.
The sales of the monthly magazine "Contemporary" are as hot as ever, which makes everyone feel relieved.
Along with the hot sales of "Contemporary", a bad sign is spreading.
It is said that some critics did not give high praise to the first part of "Ordinary World" published in this issue.
Regarding this point, Jiang Zilong who was far away in Tianjin also called to confirm it. In his words - Even when you are serving the people, you can still make mistakes sometimes!
The first part of Lu Yao's "Ordinary World" was revised and handed over to Lin Weimin in late August, and it took more than four months before it was published.
When the manuscript was being reviewed, several colleagues in the editorial department had complaints about the content of the novel.
There are two main points of concern.
One is that the writing style of this novel seems too old-fashioned in today's flourishing literary world.
The narrative is complicated and long-winded, and the plot development is nothing new.
The second is the treatment that Lin Weimin wanted to give to this novel: it should be the headline of the first issue after the revision in 1986, published in the first issue, and the full text should be in large font.
The last novel to enjoy this treatment in "Contemporary" was Lin Weimin's "Lover".
Those colleagues had originally felt that the quality of the novel was unsatisfactory, and now that Lin Weimin was going to give it such high honors, they were the first to express their opposition.
Lin Weimin tried to persuade them again and again, but they still could not reach a consensus.
In the end, it even came to the point of causing a disturbance at the pre-editing meeting of the society, where Lin Weimin slammed the table in frustration.
“This novel must be published!”
He is the editor-in-chief of the editorial department. Although he is usually kind to everyone, when he is really angry, everyone can only obey him.
Today, the reputation of "The Ordinary World" is gradually fermenting, and the evaluation in the critics' circle does not seem to be very ideal. Not only colleagues in the editorial department, but also there are some discussions within the Guowen Publishing House.
The National Academy of Literature was also on winter vacation. When Yu Hua heard that Mo Yan had gone to live in the guesthouse of the National Academy of Literature, he also came over to join in the fun.
Mo Yan was concentrating on writing the script and had no time to pay attention to him, so he slipped away to the editorial department, but he didn't want to see Lin Weimin there.
Just like a mouse seeing a cat, it instinctively wanted to avoid it, but was stopped by Liu Yin.
"Hey, Yu Hua!"
Yu Hua turned around with a bitter look and stole a glance at Lin Weimin, "Teacher Liu, do you have something to talk to me about?"
Liu Yin said unhappily, "Did I come to you? You came in by yourself, okay?"
"I just came to see if the editorial department needs hot water. If so, I'll get it for everyone!"
Yu Hua praised his cleverness, but Liu Yin said, "Stop joking. I have a question for you."
"You say!"
"What do you think of the novel "Ordinary World"?"
Yu Hua glanced at Lin Weimin standing beside him, with an expression of admiration on his face, "This novel is great!"
"Oh? What's good about it?" Liu Yin asked.
"Hmm..." Liu Yin's questioning made Yu Hua hesitate. How would I know where is the best?
I'm just being polite. Isn't Teacher Lin here?
"The characters are vivid and full, the plot is well-paced, the intention is lofty, and the pattern is grand..."
Lin Weimin waved his hands, "Alright, alright, stop making it up!"
Yu Hua stopped awkwardly, and the editors in the office couldn't help laughing.
Yu Hua said embarrassedly: "Teacher Lin, I've been too busy recently and haven't had time to read it."
"What are you busy with? Running around here and there. There's no place in Yanjing City that you can't go to." Lin Weimin teased mercilessly.
"I'm just collecting inspiration!" Yu Hua insisted.
Everyone watched the two bickering with smiles on their faces. Liu Yin said, "We just made a bet with Teacher Lin that the audience reputation of the novel "Ordinary World" would not be very good. What do you think?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Yu Hua waved his hands.
"Why?" Liu Yin asked.
Yu Hua said confidently: "Although I haven't read the novel yet, the novel that Teacher Lin is optimistic about must be right."
Everyone couldn't help but tease: "Xiao Yu, you are just superstitious. Teacher Lin also makes mistakes sometimes!"
"Mr. Lin may make mistakes in other areas, but he will never make mistakes in the novel."
Yu Hua's expression was extremely firm, and he revealed a hint of piety.
Liu Yin reminded him, "Xiao Yu, it's no use flattering. If your work is not good enough, your teacher Lin will not let you appear in Contemporary Magazine."
Yu Hua was like a soldier standing tall in a slaughterhouse. "Teacher Liu, you underestimate me too much. My attitude is entirely based on my trust in Teacher Lin's professional ability, not flattery."
"Okay, you really are a good disciple brought up by Teacher Lin." Liu Yin said half-praising and half-jokingly.
Yu Hua puffed out his chest, very proudly, "That's it!"
"Okay, stop joking." Lin Weimin interrupted Yu Hua's attempt to continue playing tricks and asked, "Mo Yan is writing a script recently, did you know?"
"I know, he told me." Yu Hua said.
"Other people's novels are going to be adapted into movies soon, but what about your novel? There's not even a shadow of it yet!"
"It will be soon. It will be soon. Teacher Lin, you must believe me. My novel will be available to you soon."
Lin Weimin snorted twice, "I hope you didn't lie to me!"
"How could that be possible!" Yu Hua said, but he lacked confidence and seemed to feel guilty.
Small incidents in the office have become the norm in the editorial department during this period. Although some people were not optimistic about the novel before the first part of "Ordinary World" was published, now that the novel has been published, everyone hopes that it will have a good result.
After all, this is a manuscript that the editorial department spent money on and resources to get. If it receives a lot of bad reviews, it will also be a harm to "Contemporary" itself.
As the twelfth lunar month began, the festive atmosphere on the streets of Yanjing gradually grew stronger, and pedestrians on the street also showed a hint of joy on their faces.
The postman in green uniform delivered the packages of letters to the Guowen Press's communication room and shouted, "Uncle Zhai, the letters are here!"
"Okay!"
An organization like Guowen Publishing House is a big customer of the post office. They send out many letters and receive many letters every day.
Sometimes when the publishing house or a magazine publishes a popular novel, the number of letters during that period will basically explode, coming in packages.
That is the case this time.
Some time ago, "Contemporary" was revised and published the first part of Lu Yao's "Ordinary World" as a headline.
As for Lu Yao, the author of "Life", a nationally renowned writer, he has published his works again after two years, which naturally attracted heated discussions from countless critics and readers.
However, it seems that the readers’ evaluation is not very ideal at the moment, and it is basically a mixed bag.
Readers who dislike this novel say it is "boring and long", while readers who like this novel say it is "profound and grand".
Uncle Zhai was sorting the letters, most of which were sent to the editorial department of "Contemporary". After sorting the letters, Uncle Zhai called Tong Zhonggui while they were having dinner.
"Xiao Tong, think about taking all the letters away after dinner!"
"Got it, Master Zhai!"
After dinner, Tong Zhonggui took the letters from readers from the mailroom.
When he got back to the office, he started opening the letters without taking a rest.
First classify the letters, separating those sent to the editorial department and those that need to be forwarded to the authors, and then sort out which authors the letters that need to be forwarded are for.
It took more than twenty minutes to distribute the letters. Tong Zhonggui tied up the pile of letters from readers that would be forwarded to Lu Yao with nylon rope and placed it in the corner of the office.
He Qizhi said: "Give me the letter, I'll go out and mail it to you later."
"No need, Teacher Lin said that we can just write to him when the time comes."
"What does he do with it?"
Tong Zhonggui hesitated for a moment and didn't tell the truth, "I don't know."
Previously, Lin Weimin asked Tong Zhonggui to give him all the letters from readers to Lu Yao, but Tong Zhonggui did not take it seriously.
Until yesterday, Tong Zhonggui went to Teacher Lin's office, and he happened to be away. Tong Zhonggui noticed several letters on his desk, some of which were opened. The contents of the opened letters were basically criticisms of Lu Yao and the first part of "Ordinary World".
Just then, Lin Weimin came back from outside, and Tong Zhonggui watched him stuff the letter of criticism into the drawer of his desk. When he opened the drawer, Tong Zhonggui saw that it was filled with letters.
At that moment, Tong Zhonggui immediately understood Teacher Lin’s good intentions.
"You don't know, right?" Yao Shuzhi suddenly interrupted.
He Qizhi looked at her, "You know?"
"certainly!"
"Tell me!"
He Qizhi looked interested, and other people in the editorial department raised their heads.
Tong Zhonggui sighed secretly when he saw this. This kind of atmosphere could easily make people degenerate!
"Speaking of this matter, it is well-intentioned for the people..."
(End of this chapter)
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