Chapter 89: Retreat and Create
In the last few days before the Spring Festival, Lin Weimin entered a state of seclusion.
During the holidays, the operation of the Guowen Society entered a dormant state, with only a few people on duty every day, and even most of the writers in the guesthouse in the back building went home.
The only two people left on the third floor were Lin Weimin and Zheng Guo, who sat next to him.
At first, Zheng Guo would go to Lin Weimin to chat when he had nothing to do. Later, when he saw that Lin Weimin was concentrating on writing behind closed doors, he felt embarrassed to disturb him.
Lin Weimin's state continued until New Year's Eve. When his pen tip wrote the last word on the manuscript paper, he felt inexplicably lost.
He put down the pen in his hand, stood up and walked to the window.
The city of Yanjing, which had just experienced a heavy snowfall, was covered in white. The sky was vast and the land was boundless. The sound of festive firecrackers could be heard in the distance.
He suddenly woke up. It seemed like today was New Year's Eve?
Lin Weimin looked at the perpetual calendar and found that it was New Year's Eve!
He was obsessed with writing these days, working almost day and night, and completed a novel of 120,000 to 130,000 words in just one week. It's incredible to think about it.
Such high-intensity creation not only requires creative ability, but also tests the writer's physical strength.
Lin Weimin looked in the mirror. Compared with the previous few days, he became more haggard and thinner at a speed almost visible to the naked eye.
Damn, this is too exaggerated. I feel like I have lost ten pounds.
Lin Weimin put down the mirror with some fear, and secretly swore in his heart that he would never neglect food and sleep like this again.
The body is the capital of revolution, without the body everything is in vain.
"For the people!" There was a knock on the door, it was Zheng Guo's voice.
Lin Weimin opened the door and Wan Fang was standing behind Zheng Guo.
"This female comrade is looking for you and found out my room."
Zheng Guo explained, with a hint of gossip in his eyes.
"Senior sister, why are you here?"
Hearing Lin Weimin's words, Zheng Guo felt a little disappointed. It turned out to be her senior sister.
Wan Fang did not answer his question, but asked: "Why did you become like this?"
Lin Weimin smiled indifferently and said, "I have been writing a novel in seclusion recently."
"Oh?" Wan Fang became interested when she heard it.
Wan Fang did not have much contact with Lin Weimin, but because of her father, she knew Lin Weimin a little bit. She knew that he always wrote quickly and well, and his current status was very different from his usual performance.
"What kind of work could torture you like this?"
"It wasn't torture. It was mainly because I wrote so smoothly that I didn't get much rest."
After hearing what Lin Weimin said, Wan Fang wanted to see this work even more.
But right now she has another mission, "My dad asked you to go home for the New Year."
"I forgot about it while writing. Senior sister, wait for me to clean up."
Lin Weimin was busy packing up, and Zheng Guo left tactfully. When he finished packing up, Wan Fang instructed him again, "Take the manuscript with you as well."
"Why are you reading a manuscript on New Year's Day?"
"Aren't you afraid that my dad will ask you?"
Lin Weimin thought so too. Every time he went to see Mr. Wan, the topic of creation could not be avoided. This time, he brought his freshly-made works with him, and the old man had nothing to say.
He and Wan Fang rode their bicycles to Muxidi, and their ears were almost falling off from the cold.
"Hiss! It's so cold today!" Lin Weimin said as he entered the house, breathing heavily.
Mr. Wan was making dumplings with his wife in the kitchen. When he saw Lin Weimin coming, he said, "You're here? You're really hard to invite!"
Lin Weimin said jokingly: "Teacher, this is not my fault. I have been full of inspiration these past two days!"
Mr. Wan glanced at him, wondering if he was lying.
"Dad, Weimin said he just wrote a novel and brought the manuscript over." Wan Fang said.
Mr. Wan's expression finally showed some surprise. "How long did it take?"
"One week." Lin Weimin answered honestly.
The old gentleman began to grumble, "You can write a long article in just one week. Are you bragging too much?"
He didn't care about making dumplings at this moment, so he handed the job of rolling out the dough to Wan Fang, "Give me the manuscript."
Lin Weimin handed over the manuscript obediently and tried to get closer to the old man, but the old man pushed him away, "Go make your dumplings!"
He and Wan Fang got together, and Wan Fang asked, "What is the subject of your novel?"
"Well, if we have to classify it, it should be counted as scar literature." Lin Weimin said uncertainly.
"Scar literature? Isn't that a bit old-fashioned? It doesn't suit your style!"
"What's my style?"
Wan Fang stared at him and said, "You don't seem to have any style."
"Nonsense, I call this a style that changes all the time."
The two chatted and bickered, but they didn't stop working. Wan Fang rolled the dumpling wrappers, while Lin Weimin and his wife Li Yuru made the dumplings.
The three of them worked together and finished making the dumplings in less than half an hour.
Master's wife Li Yuru began to prepare the dishes, and Wan Fang and Lin Weimin helped her.
At this time, the sound of firecrackers outside became louder and louder.
The New Year’s Eve dinner in the north is usually held at noon on New Year’s Eve, and firecrackers are indispensable before the meal.
By the time the three of them had finished their work, it was almost one o'clock in the afternoon.
Lin Weimin thought of Mr. Wan who went to see the manuscript. He looked up and saw the old man sitting motionless on the sofa in the living room with his manuscript in his hand.
"Teacher's wife, I'll serve the dishes. You go and call the teacher." Lin Weimin said as he took the plate from Li Yuru.
Li Yuru walked to the living room and called Mr. Wan. He raised his head and seemed a little dazed. He calmed down before he came to his senses.
"Yuru!"
"The food is ready, come and eat."
"Oh, okay."
The old man stood up absent-mindedly, probably because he had been sitting for too long without any activity, so he was a little unsteady when he stood up. Fortunately, Li Yuru helped him up.
"What's going on?"
"It's okay. I've been sitting there for too long."
Mr. Wan came to the living room with the help of Li Yuru. Lin Weimin asked with concern: "Teacher, are you okay?"
Mr. Wan waved his hand and said, "It's okay, it's okay, sit down and eat first."
Everyone at the table noticed that the old man was not in good condition, but since he didn't want to talk more, no one asked any questions.
Li Yuru took out the freshly cooked dumplings and put them on the table. There were six other dishes on the table, two hot and four cold, three meat and three vegetarian. It was rich yet simple.
"Teacher, wouldn't you like to say a few words?" Lin Weimin asked.
Mr. Wan smiled and said, "We are all family, what is there to talk about? Let's just have a reunion dinner!"
After he said that, he signaled everyone to start eating.
Lin Weimin didn't hesitate to eat at his master's house.
He had been secluded in the dormitory these days and had indeed neglected his diet. When he suddenly tasted delicious home-cooked meals, his appetite was greatly stimulated and he kept picking up food with his chopsticks.
"Weimin, I think you are too fake, aren't you?" Wan Fang said.
Lin Weimin shook his head. "Senior sister, you are wrong. You don't know what kind of life I have been living these days."
(End of this chapter)
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