Chapter 779: What’s the point?
There is an old couple at the entrance of Guowen Society. They stay at the entrance from the morning before work and leave after work. They have been like this for the past few days and have almost become a sight at Guowen Society.
In the past two days, everyone at the Guowen Society has been discussing this matter. It is said that the couple came to Editor-in-Chief Lin for help because their son was fired by Shuimu.
Everyone has heard about the incident a while ago when students from Shuimu University openly burned the editor-in-chief's novel. Because of the disturbance, two students were expelled. When people in the society heard the news, they all applauded.
In the Chinese concept, burning things that belong to other people is a very unlucky thing.
What's more, Guowen Press is a publishing house, and most of the editors are extremely fond of books. They hate burning books, and this matter will also give them very bad associations.
Besides, the students of Shuimu University have nothing to do with the Guowen Society, but Lin Weimin is a member of the Guowen Society. When everyone heard the news, they naturally felt relieved.
But recently, Lin Xiangrong and his wife have been standing at the door of the National Literature Society every day, rain or shine, which makes some people in the society feel unbearable.
It's the son's fault if he makes a mistake, but the parents suffer as a result.
How pitiful are the loving hearts of parents in the world!
"The couple haven't left yet?"
Lin Weimin was reviewing documents with his head down. Xiao Zhou stood in front of his desk and said, "You haven't left yet. I've advised you many times."
At this point, Xiao Zhou hesitated, "Editor-in-chief, it's not easy for them and their husband. They finally had a child named Shuimu, but he was fired just like that..."
Lin Weimin raised his head and Xiao Zhou stopped talking.
"What? You want to be a hero?"
Xiao Zhou pursed his lips, "No, I'm just... just pitiful."
"There are so many pitiful people in this world." Lin Weimin said calmly. He put down the documents and said, "God helps those who help themselves!"
There was some disappointment in Xiao Zhou's eyes. In his impression, the editor-in-chief was a good person and always had a kind touch. But this time he was so heartless. The boy made a mistake, but his parents were innocent!
He walked out of Lin Weimin's office with mixed feelings. Xiao Hu from next door just came out and asked, "What's going on? Are you here to report Uncle Lin's situation to the editor-in-chief again?"
Xiao Zhou nodded. Xiao Hu looked at his expression and warned him, "Don't be confused. That kid treats the editor-in-chief like an enemy. His parents came to admit their mistakes and they want the editor-in-chief to intercede for them? How can such a good thing happen? Besides, this is Shuimu University. The leaders in the department don't have much say."
"I just feel that Uncle Lin and his wife are quite pitiful."
Xiao Hu sneered, "Pitiable? Who wouldn't be pitiful? I got into trouble myself, who can I blame?"
He patted Xiao Zhou on the shoulder and said, "I advise you not to offend the editor-in-chief. He is a very principled person."
Xiao Zhou nodded and walked downstairs.
He looked at the old couple at the door. The weather in September was not as scorching as the unavoidable heat of July and August, but the afternoon sun was even hotter. The couple just stood at the door, their skin tanned red by the sun and sweating profusely. Only when they couldn't hold on any longer would they sit in the shade for a while.
Xiao Zhou understood that they wanted to win the sympathy of Editor-in-Chief Lin by using this method that was close to self-mutilation.
What a pity, the editor-in-chief seems to be really angry this time.
He couldn't help but think of Xiao Hu's words. That kid treated the editor-in-chief like an enemy. His parents came to admit their mistake and wanted the editor-in-chief to plead for them?
He couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment and disdain towards Uncle Lin's good-for-nothing son. He was the one who caused the trouble, but let his parents suffer for it. What a coward.
The editor-in-chief is right, God helps those who help themselves, and those who abandon themselves...
When Xiao Zhou thought of this, his thoughts suddenly stopped. What did the editor-in-chief mean by this?
He thought quickly in his mind, and suddenly felt that there was something else behind the editor-in-chief's last sentence.
He sat in the room, struggling in his heart for a while, and his eyes finally fixed on the figures of Uncle Lin and his wife exposed in the scorching sun.
No matter what the editor-in-chief means, the worst that can happen is we can give it a try.
Xiao Zhou decided to tell Uncle Lin and ask them to bring his son over to apologize to the editor-in-chief. The editor-in-chief said that God helps those who help themselves. If he doesn't help himself, how can others help him?
After figuring this out, Xiao Zhou was in high spirits and walked towards the gate with brisk steps.
As soon as he walked into the yard, he saw a young man appear next to Uncle Lin and his wife.
Uncle Lin was a little weak at first, but when he saw the young man, his movements became a little more agile. He walked up and slapped the young man in the face. Xiao Zhou's face twitched and his daily life of being scolded by his father emerged in his mind.
After slapping the young man, Uncle Lin pointed at him and started cursing.
Without asking, one knows that this must be Uncle Lin's son who was admitted to Shuimu but became a useless person.
Uncle Lin was scolding his son. Xiao Zhou was too embarrassed to go forward and took his steps back, but his eyes were always fixed on the door.
I always felt pity for Uncle Lin these days, but today I finally saw his majestic side. He was ruthless when teaching his son a lesson. He beat and scolded his son and even slapped him several times. It was really satisfying to watch.
Stupid and stubborn, you deserve to be beaten!
At the end, Xiao Zhou discovered that Uncle Lin’s son was beaten to tears, and he felt even more contemptuous.
This coward is nothing. How capable do I think he is? How dare he burn books?
No, I only dare to burn a book!
After watching the excitement, Xiao Zhou felt that he should tell Uncle Lin about his guess. Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, it is better than waiting here foolishly every day.
Thinking of this, Xiao Zhou walked outside again.
"Uncle Lin!"
Xiao Zhou came to Lin Xiangrong and was about to speak, but saw Lin Xiangrong's son suddenly stood up. Xiao Zhou's muscles tensed up subconsciously. Although he could beat ten people like this, he could not underestimate the enemy. Even a lion will use all its strength to fight a rabbit.
"Comrade, are you from the Chinese Literature Society?" Lin Zhi asked Xiao Zhou, with several palm prints and tear marks on his face, looking miserable.
"What's the matter?" Xiao Zhou's tone was a little stiff.
Lin Zhifa didn't say anything, but took out a letter and a stack of stationery from his bag.
"I know that Mr. Lin definitely doesn't want to see me, so please pass this thing to him. Just say that I sincerely apologize to him and that it was my fault for burning the book."
Xiao Zhou flipped through the things in his hand. The letter must be an apology letter. He held up a stack of paper and asked, "What is this?"
"I burned Teacher Lin's novel and hand-copied a copy for him these days," said Lin Zhifa.
Xiao Zhou was accidentally copying a book? Isn't this apology a bit perfunctory?
He then thought of the registration he had to do in the mailroom every day, which was no more than 1,800 words, but it was already making him miserable.
This stack of letter paper would have at least 300,000 or 400,000 words, right?
I was able to copy the novel in just a few days, which shows I have shown a little sincerity!
"Comrade Zhou, what do you want to say?" Uncle Lin asked at the side.
After receiving Lin Zhifa's apology letter and the handwritten copy of "God Bless America", Xiao Zhou thought about it and felt that there was no need to remind him again.
He smiled and said, "Nothing, I just wanted to ask if you are thirsty. If you are thirsty, come in and have a drink of water."
Uncle Lin waved his hands quickly, "I'm not thirsty, I'm not thirsty, we can just stand here."
Xiao Zhou looked at Uncle Lin's already cracked lips, shook his head helplessly, and turned away.
After returning to the building, Xiao Zhou went upstairs and knocked on Lin Weimin's office door.
"Editor-in-Chief, Uncle Lin's son is here. He got beaten up by him and brought this."
Xiao Zhou put the things on Lin Weimin's desk. Lin Weimin looked at them without saying anything. Xiao Zhou explained, "This is an apology letter and his handwritten copy of your novel."
Lin Weimin shook his head and said, "He gave this thing to the wrong person."
Xiao Zhou was puzzled, "Isn't it wrong for him to apologize to you?"
"What are you apologizing for? Does this have anything to do with me?"
Lin Weimin's question left Xiao Zhou a little confused. This matter... has nothing to do with the editor-in-chief?
Lin Weimin didn't give him a chance to respond and said, "Send the things back to him."
Xiao Zhou was disappointed again after hearing this. It turned out that the editor-in-chief did have some hidden meaning in his words just now!
He finally showed some cleverness, but the result was like this. Xiao Zhou was a little depressed.
He picked up his things and turned around to leave, but was stopped by Lin Weimin. Hope rekindled in Xiao Zhou's eyes.
"Tell them that if they have the time, they might as well let their son repeat the grade earlier."
Xiao Zhou was completely disappointed.
He came to the gate of the courtyard and returned the things to Lin Zhifa.
Lin Zhifa's expression was filled with astonishment. "Teacher Lin won't forgive me?"
"It's not that I don't want to forgive you. The editor-in-chief said that this matter has nothing to do with him. You sent this thing to the wrong person."
Lin Zhifa felt extremely aggrieved when he heard this. He lowered his proud head, but he didn't even get a chance to apologize.
This is not fair!
After Xiao Zhou finished speaking, regardless of his reaction, he turned to Uncle Lin and said, "Uncle Lin, the editor-in-chief asked me to bring you a message."
Uncle Lin seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw, "What did writer Lin say?"
"He said, if you have the time now, why not arrange for your son to repeat his studies earlier? If he can get into Shuimu University, it won't be difficult for him to get into a good university. Why waste time here?"
The last sentence was added by Xiao Zhou himself.
Just now, as Xiao Zhou walked from the building to the gate of the courtyard, he kept thinking about what Lin Weimin said.
He seemed to slowly understand the editor-in-chief's attitude in this matter.
As a student of Shuimu, Lin Zhifa burned books and caused trouble in school. Although the books burned were the editor-in-chief's books, the editor-in-chief would not really care about him, after all, he had that status.
This guy was expelled from school. That was the price he paid for what he did and had nothing to do with the editor-in-chief.
Uncle Lin begged the editor-in-chief for help on behalf of his son, and the editor-in-chief really helped. Doesn't that mean he was repaying evil with kindness?
After all, his son's mistake was not caused by the editor-in-chief, so it is not the editor-in-chief's turn to apologize or beg.
Xiao Zhou also figured out the meaning of the editor-in-chief's words "God helps those who help themselves". It is better to rely on oneself than to rely on others. Just as the editor-in-chief said, instead of enduring every day in Yanjing, Uncle Lin and his family might as well return to their hometown to think of a way to see if they can arrange for their son to repeat his studies.
Since Lin Zhifa was able to get into Shuimu University, he can definitely get into other schools. Why should he go down this path and never turn back until he hits a wall?
In fact, the editor-in-chief still pointed out a way for them.
"Repeat a grade?" Uncle Lin was stunned for a moment when he heard this option, and asked Xiao Zhou: "Is repeating a grade okay?"
"Why not? Your son was able to get into Shuimu, so the school should have no reason to reject him. If it really doesn't work, ask someone to intercede for him. I don't think it will be a big problem. If everything goes well, he will be a college student again next year."
Uncle Lin imagined the picture that Xiao Zhou described to him. Now that Shuimu couldn't go to school, repeating a grade seemed to be a good choice. At least he could still go to college.
Lin Zhifa listened to the conversation between his father and Xiao Zhou, feeling mixed emotions.
He is a distinguished student of Shuimu University. Is he repeating a grade? Wouldn't his three years of university be wasted?
For someone who has succeeded once, failure is even more unacceptable.
"I understand. Comrade Zhou, thank you for showing us the way."
Now that Lin Weimin is not going to help them, the suggestion given by Xiao Zhou is their best choice. Lin Xiangrong discussed it with his wife and made a decision immediately.
Xiao Zhou smiled and said, "Uncle Lin, I'm not the one giving you directions. The editor-in-chief said so."
"Yes, yes, thank you, writer Lin!" Lin Xiangrong bowed fiercely in the direction of the office building.
"It would be nice to repeat a year and get into another university. It would be better than now." He stood up and spoke softly, as if he was trying to convince himself and his family.
Lin Xiangrong pressed his son's head hard and made him bow several times to Xiao Zhou and the office building. Then he said to Xiao Zhou, "Thank you for your advice. I won't trouble you any more."
After he finished speaking, he kicked Lin Zhifa hard on the butt, "Why are you still here? You are such a disgrace!"
Lin Zhifa felt like crying but had no tears. It would be so embarrassing if he had to go back to repeat the year!
But under the pressure of his father's tyranny, he dared not disobey and could only leave dejectedly.
Lin Xiangrong said goodbye to Xiao Zhou and left as well, with his wife following closely beside him.
Xiao Zhou looked at the family's backs as they walked away, and suddenly some enlightenment arose in his heart.
In fact, the editor-in-chief should have anticipated today's situation long ago. He left Uncle Lin's family alone for such a long time in order to put an end to their hopes. In this way, repeating the grade became their best option.
The editor-in-chief said he would not help, but he still pointed out a way for the family.
Xiao Zhou sighed, thinking about the good intentions of the editor-in-chief and the figure of Uncle Lin exposed to the scorching sun. He hoped that after this Lin Zhi was sent out, he would be able to turn over a new leaf and work hard.
Burning a book and wasting four years of youth, what's the point?
(End of this chapter)
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