Chapter 743 Life Itself is More Important
The National Awards for Outstanding Drama, Chinese Opera and Opera Scripts was founded in 1980 and is jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and the China Dramatists Association. The chairman of the jury for the first awards ceremony was Mr. Wan. Over the past decade, the National Awards for Outstanding Drama, Chinese Opera and Opera Scripts has become the most important and influential art awards event in the domestic theater community.
This year, in order to commend Mr. Wan's contribution to Chinese drama creation and to express recognition of his achievements in the field of drama creation, after consultation with the Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the China Association of Dramatists, and with the approval of the Ministry of Rites, the National Award for Outstanding Drama, Opera and Opera Scripts was officially renamed the Wan Jiabao Drama Literature Award.
When Lin Weimin heard the news, he called Zhong Lin from the Drama Association and learned about the name change of the award. When he learned that the name change of the award had been approved by higher authorities, he decided to add some color to the award, so he came to Mr. Wan today.
"What do you want to discuss with me?" Mr. Wan asked.
Lin Weimin said seriously, "As your founding disciple and also your last disciple, I feel that I have an obligation to make a contribution to the award named after you. I will donate 1 million yuan to it first."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Mr. Wan's hand reaching for the crutch beside him. Lin Weimin very considerately handed the crutch to Mr. Wan, with an expression of seeking credit, "Teacher!"
Mr. Wan took the cane, and without standing up, he picked it up and hit Lin Weimin with it.
"I'll beat you to death, you loser!"
“Hey hey hey!”
Lin Weimin never expected that his flattery would backfire, so he quickly ran away, shouting, "Look at you! Why are you hitting me when you can just talk it out?"
Hearing the noise, Li Yuru hurried over to stop Mr. Wan and asked, "What are you two doing, teacher and student?"
"You ask him!" Mr. Wan said in an unhappy tone.
Li Yuru looked at Lin Weimin, who looked aggrieved. "Master's wife, I am innocent! I was just telling him about the award!"
"Is it about the awards?" Mr. Wan asked.
Lin Weimin added: "I just said to donate some money to the awards, wouldn't that be nice?"
Li Yuru advised: "It's a good thing to donate some money for the people!"
Mr. Wan leaned his cane on the ground and said, "Is he donating some money? He wants to donate 1 million!"
Li Yuru was a little surprised, "One million?"
She turned to look at Lin Weimin, "Weimin, how can you donate 1 million? It's too much, too much!"
"Teacher's wife, I just want to make you proud! With this donation, I guarantee that the news of the award's name change will spread across the country within a few days. By then, it will be more famous than the Yanbing Literature Award."
His sophistry made Mr. Wan even angrier. "Look, look, the more you talk, the more outrageous you become. Do you think awarding an award is advertising? I disagree with using my name for an award, but you insisted on donating money and making it public. You are specifically going against me, aren't you? You were a good person when you were young, but after being an official for a few years, you are full of utilitarianism!"
"How can this be called utilitarianism? I am doing this for your own good!" Lin Weimin looked at Li Yuru, "Master's wife, you have to make the decision for me!"
Li Yuru smiled and said, "Okay, okay, the two of you should stop making a fool of yourself here."
As she spoke, she snatched the cane from Mr. Wan's hand and pushed him onto the sofa.
Seeing Li Yuru's actions, Lin Weimin became arrogant, "You have to take good care of him. Now he has learned to hit people. What will happen in the future?"
Mr. Wan looked at Lin Weimin angrily. Li Yuru didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Don't tease him. He's in a bad mood right now."
Lin Weimin regained some seriousness and said, "Teacher, calm down first. I am here to discuss something with you!"
"That sounds like a sentence!" Mr. Wan's attitude softened a little.
Without the tension between the teacher and the student, the living room returned to normal. Li Yuru sat down directly this time, fearing that the two would have another breakdown in their conversation.
"Don't even think about donating. I didn't agree with using my name for an award in the first place. Who are you on by doing this?"
"Yes, yes, I understand."
This time, Lin Weimin behaved well and did not mention a word about the donation.
After chatting a little more about the award judging, Mr. Wan talked about "The Thirteenth Son of the South China Sea".
After every work of Lin Weimin was published, Mr. Wan would buy it and read it. In the past, Lin Weimin came frequently, and he would often discuss the pros and cons and experiences of the creative process with Lin Weimin.
His health has been poor in recent years, and Lin Weimin has come less often. In addition, as Lin Weimin has become increasingly mature in his creations, the teacher and student have fewer opportunities to discuss creation.
"You may not think so, but in the eyes of us, the readers of the novel, this novel can indeed be regarded as a watershed in your creative career. You wrote Farewell My Concubine when you were 21, and you were exactly 33 when you wrote Nanhai Shisanlang. It's a cycle.
The same subject matter is written with different flavors. It should be said that this novel witnesses your growth in the past 12 years and also witnesses your maturity in creation.
You have to keep up the momentum and never let down your guard. Once you do, it will be hard to produce good works.”
In response to Mr. Wan's earnest teachings, Lin Weimin looked serious and nodded in agreement.
After chatting about novels for more than half an hour, Mr. Wan said, "I haven't seen your little Doubao for a long time. Remember to bring the child with you next time you come."
"Okay, I'll bring her next time. This little girl is very naughty now, and you'll have a headache if she comes."
Mr. Wan smiled and said, "It's always good for children to be a little angry."
It was less than three o'clock when Lin Weimin left Mr. Wan's house. He did not return to the Guowen Society, but chose to go home.
When I went back to work the next day, the Chinese Literature Society continued the bustle of the day before.
Yesterday we drew lots, and today we are choosing a house, and the event is even bigger than yesterday.
Because this not only involved the Guowen Publishing House, but also people from the bank and the construction unit, the employees of the publishing house lined up outside the finance office in the order in which they drew lots yesterday.
After entering the finance office, I first choose a house, then sign the contract after confirming it, the construction unit people help fill out the information, the employees pay the loan, the finance department issues a receipt, and the bank people collect the money on the spot.
Seven people came to the bank today, including a vice president, two clerks, and four money transporters.
Even the community security guard Xiao Zhou is on high alert today and fully equipped.
More than 300 employees of Guowen Press were allocated housing, which means more than 300 families. The housing payment ranged from 10,000 to 20,000 yuan to 40,000 to 50,000 yuan. A considerable number of employees had already prepared the money today and paid the housing payment on the spot. Hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars of funds could not help but be valued by the bank.
The Chinese Language Society today was not much better than yesterday, with everyone in a panic over choosing a house and paying the down payment.
The most expensive house built by Guowen Society JZ is 300 yuan per square meter. You can't find such a price in the whole of Yanjing.
Of course, the employees all know that they have gotten a great deal, but human greed is unsatisfactory. When it comes to choosing a house, some people still complain about not choosing the right floor, apartment type and orientation. In this anxious time, some are happy and some are worried, and everyone's emotions are very sensitive.
At the same time, there are still a small number of people who are still worried about raising money for their houses. They keep taking up public phones and making calls, and when you ask, they all say they are looking to borrow money.
Four or five people in a row did not pay the down payment when they chose the house, and were told they could pay later, and the finance department did not say anything.
Anyway, the rules have been set. If you don’t pay the house price within half a month, the house will be returned and you will not be eligible for a house in the future.
From the moment room selection began in the morning, the Chinese Language Society began to be filled with a mixture of anxiety, impatience, excitement, and joy.
Tong Zhonggui's luck in drawing lots was not very good, and he had to be in the third batch to choose a house.
During the morning, he had become accustomed to the various sounds of joy, complaints, and quarrels among his colleagues. In the afternoon, when he was choosing a room, many people had become numb and tired after a morning of excitement, and the finance office was no longer as noisy as it was in the morning.
Tong Zhonggui is now married and has a daughter. There are three people in his family according to his household registration, so he can only choose a 75-square-meter apartment, which is also the main type of apartment in the community’s residential buildings.
He came to the desk, where there was a table of housing sources that the construction unit had helped to compile. The houses that already had owners were followed by the names of the owners.
He and two colleagues gathered around their desk and found that there were indeed not many good floors and orientations left.
But there is still room for choice, as there are even south-facing units available on the third and fourth floors.
"This is great, I want this, what a bargain!" My colleague quickly signed his name on a south-facing apartment on the third floor, then signed the contract and paid the money happily.
Tong Zhonggui chose a south-facing apartment on the fourth floor. In his opinion, the first and second floors were too low, the sixth and seventh floors were too high, and the third, fourth and fifth floors were the best, neither too high nor too low.
Because it was the best floor and orientation, Tong Zhonggui paid the standard rate of 300 yuan per square meter, a total of 22,500 yuan.
For him, this house payment does not pose any financial pressure.
Over the years, thanks to his pen, he has lived a more affluent life than most ordinary people.
After paying the house price, Tong Zhonggui went out, and another new person came in to choose a house.
A colleague sighed as he saw the line in the corridor was already very short, "Old Tong, did you look at the remaining houses just now?"
"What's wrong?"
“The number of people who chose Buildings 3 and 4 was no less than that of other buildings, and there were also many people who chose the units on the higher floors.”
Tong Zhonggui also noticed this situation, and he certainly understood the reason for it.
No money!
It is not easy to live in Yanjing.
Not every employee of the Guowen Society is as lucky as him, being able to easily gain a foothold in the capital city of Yanjing at such a young age.
Life at Yanjing is full of pressure for most of my colleagues, especially those who have elderly parents and young children to take care of. A working couple may have to support a family of five, and some may also have to support their relatives back home. In addition to daily expenses, saving money is not an easy task.
Taking out 10,000 or 20,000 yuan, or even 40,000 or 50,000 yuan at once is even more stressful for these people.
Buildings 3 and 4 are east-west oriented and are cheaper than the other four buildings. If they are on high floors, the price can be even cheaper. This gives some colleagues with poor financial conditions a choice.
Moreover, the biggest difference between the housing allocation of the Guowen Society and that of other units is that everyone is treated equally and there are no leadership privileges.
When some units distribute housing, they often set aside some houses for leadership, and the employees dare not speak out.
Tong Zhonggui sincerely felt that the housing allocation in the society this time was full of humanistic care, and it was obviously the work of Teacher Lin.
"Spending less money and living affordably is better than anything else. I think this is also the original intention of the community!" said Tong Zhonggui.
Life itself is more important than false face.
(End of this chapter)
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