Chapter 926 So Proud
The once-grand first China Internet Conference has ended, but due to the various operations of Guowen Group, the aftermath of the conference will probably continue for some time.
After being busy for several days, Lin Weimin was just about to take a break when he unexpectedly received a call from Prime Minister Zhu.
There was nothing else to do, mainly just praising him in person.
The current domestic reform is still ongoing. There are many labor-intensive industries, but high-tech emerging industries such as the Internet are scarce. Guowen Group is now investing heavily in the Internet field, which can be regarded as a good example for the domestic business community.
After hearing all the praises but getting nothing in the end, Lin Weimin couldn't help but feel unhappy as soon as he got out of the sea.
Why are all leaders so stingy?
But no matter what, the move made by Guowen Group this time was big enough to rewrite the development history of China's Internet industry and also affected the domestic economic reform process to a certain extent.
As time passed, the aftermath of the Internet conference gradually passed, and Lin Weimin could finally have a good rest for a few days.
That afternoon, he was slacking off in his office and reading a book called "Drawing Sword", a new book published in March by the Buhuhu Book Series.
This novel has similar character creation to Xu Guixiang's "The Sky of History". It was warmly welcomed by readers as soon as it was released. The sales volume in the first month reached nearly 100,000 copies, and the sales volume in the second month climbed again to 145,000 copies. It is definitely another best-selling novel with sales exceeding one million copies.
However, compared with readers' popularity, the novel received poor reviews from critics.
After reading the novel, Lin Weimin naturally understood why the critics looked down on it: it was a bit too vulgar and crude.
Since the 1980s, domestic literary creation has flourished and has a large number of readers. Even after the golden age of the 1980s, the group of domestic literature enthusiasts has lost a lot, but the number is still very large. It’s just that they are no longer as fanatical as before and no longer occupy the mainstream of society.
Compared with the changes in the readership, the changes in the domestic critic circle, or the mainstream literary circle, are more obvious.
This circle has become more closed and more exclusive.
As an insider, Lin Weimin can clearly feel the current atmosphere in the literary world.
He couldn't help but think of the period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when domestic literary journals sprang up like mushrooms after a rain. Each journal would receive a large number of submissions from literary enthusiasts, but only a few would be accepted.
A large part of the reason is that the quality of the manuscripts is indeed poor, but another very important reason is that some old editors with narrow literary aesthetics and rigid thinking occupy key positions. They look down on the new styles and new techniques used by many young people and do not give young creators any chance at all.
There are not many senior writers and editors like Qin Chaoyang who are open-minded, have profound literary skills and are willing to support the younger generation. Many creators of Lin Weimin's generation suffered such treatment in the past.
Fortunately, the wind of reform and opening up not only opened the country's doors, but also blew open the old and conservative doors of the literary world, giving many outstanding literary creators the opportunity to come to the fore.
Now, more than 20 years have passed, and the young editors and writers back then have become the backbone of the industry. The industry's atmosphere has not become more open and inclusive. On the contrary, like the old editors who held the right to speak more than 20 years ago, they have also begun to define lofty terms such as "literature", "meaning" and "thought".
Just as he was sighing, the phone in the office rang. He picked up the phone with a surprised smile on his face.
After hanging up the phone, he walked out of the Chinese Literature Society building and saw Lu Yao.
Lu Yao was still a little plump as before, but he looked much more energetic than before. Lin Weimin walked up to him and hugged him warmly.
"How come you have time to come to Yanjing?"
Lu Yao smiled and said, "Bring your sister-in-law to Yanjing for a trip."
Lin Weimin was busy greeting Lu Yao just now, and only now did he greet Lin Dan, "Sister-in-law, long time no see."
Lin Dan responded to Lin Weimin with a smile.
"Far away?"
"I'm at school."
"You're in college, right?"
"It's not just about going to college, it's almost time to graduate."
Lin Weimin smiled and shook his head. "It's so fast. She's almost graduated from college, and our child is still in elementary school."
Lu Yao teased, "Who told you to get married and have children later?"
After a few jokes, Lin Weimin pulled Lu Yao and his wife into his office.
Lu Yao and Lin Weimin have not been communicating very often in recent years. In the past few years, they only wrote one or two letters a year. Later, as telephones became more and more convenient, they changed to phone calls, and the frequency remained the same.
Although the two have not seen each other for many years, their feelings have not changed. When they meet, they chat and laugh and are very warm.
Twelve years ago, Lu Yao completed the creation of "Ordinary World". This epic work took a huge toll on him. The long-term irregular life and the overdrawn creation caused Lu Yao to suffer from early liver cirrhosis.
Later, under Lin Weimin's advice, he gave up his creative work and focused on recuperating.
In recent years, due to health reasons, Lu Yao has not engaged in high-intensity writing. His works have mainly been short stories, essays and reviews. Since they are short in length, the influence of his works is very limited.
He is now the deputy leader of the Shaanxi Federation of Literary and Art Circles. He usually devotes some energy to participating in the work of the federation, and his work and life are fulfilling.
But every time when I talk about creation, I always feel a little lost.
"I see that I am in good health now, so it shouldn't be a problem for me to write some long novels, right?"
When Lin Weimin asked this question, he was glancing at Lin Dan. Lin Dan said, "Don't look at me like that. I didn't hinder him from writing."
Lu Yao waved his hand. "No, I can't keep up with the times. Now looking back at what I wrote a few years ago, I say it's realistic, but it's too simple. And from time to time, I have to mix in some of my own opinions and comments. To be honest, I really admire you for having the guts to publish your works."
"Hey, is there going to be a day when you admit that you are not good enough?" Lin Weimin joked.
Lu Yao's character was influenced by his poor childhood and he has an extremely low self-esteem. If someone else had an low self-esteem since childhood, they would probably be timid when they grow up. But it's just the opposite for Lu Yao. He has an outgoing personality and is sometimes even a little self-willed.
When Lin Weimin criticized him for his lavish lifestyle, he retorted with confidence that he did so to offset his inferiority complex.
Lu Yao, who was born in 1949, is now 50 years old. His temples have already turned gray, and he has a faint smile on his face.
"I am not young anymore, I don't have the energy. Alas, the best time is gone, if I force myself to write now, I am afraid it will just be a poor imitation and make people laugh."
His words seemed indifferent, but they revealed the desolation of a hero in his twilight years.
Lin Weimin knew Lu Yao. He was such a strong-willed person. He put all his heart and soul into every work and burned his life to create it.
But time changes everything, and the things he once took pride in have slowly fallen behind the times.
Rather than continuing to create mediocre works, it is better to let "Ordinary World" become a swan song.
The two chatted in the office for more than half an hour and agreed to have dinner at Lin Weimin's house in the evening. Lu Yao and his wife left first, strolled around the street, and then went to Lin Weimin's house before dinner.
That evening, Lu Yao and his wife visited Shizhu's courtyard. Lin Weimin's family prepared a sumptuous dinner, and both the guests and the hosts were delighted.
After the meal, Lu Yao was already drunk. Lin Weimin originally planned to let the couple stay overnight, but Lin Dan supported Lu Yao and said that they had already booked a hotel, so Lin Weimin could not try to keep them.
After sending Lu Yao and his wife back to the hotel, Lu Yao staggered after getting off the car, and Lin Weimin supported him with all his strength.
"Slow down, slow down."
Most of Lu Yao's body weight was concentrated on Lin Weimin. His eyes were blurry and his mouth was full of alcohol.
"You said it would be great if I could just finish writing "Ordinary World" and then disappear?"
Lin Weimin was stunned for a moment by Lu Yao's sudden drunken talk.
Lin Dan supported Lu Yao and gave Lin Weimin an apologetic smile, "This has been happening over the past few years when I've drunk too much. Don't take it personally."
Lin Weimin nodded, "It's okay."
Lin Weimin felt mixed emotions as he watched Lu Yao and his wife walk into the hotel.
After returning home, he sat alone in the study for a long time, then opened the document and continued to write the story of the man named Li Jianguo.
Over the past year, Lin Weimin has been busy with various things, and when he started writing again, he was already unfamiliar with the characters he was writing about. He wrote and deleted, and was busy all night, but the cursor was still at the starting point.
He sighed helplessly. There is a saying in the opera industry: If you don't practice for one day, you know it; if you don't practice for two days, your colleagues know it; if you don't practice for three days, outsiders know it.
I haven't written anything for more than a year, so it is naturally extremely difficult to pick up a pen again.
Although Lin Weimin was annoyed, he knew that this was the only way forward and he had to be patient to regain his creative touch.
Seeing Lu Yao again today should have been a very happy thing, but his drunken words when he sent Lu Yao back to the hotel made Lin Weimin feel extremely heavy.
“It would be great if I could just finish writing “Ordinary World” and then disappear!”
Lu Yao is certainly not a person who hates the world. He just hates his current mediocre self. Even though he has a healthy body, a virtuous wife and filial daughters, it still cannot make up for the regret in his heart.
Lin Weimin thought of the words Mr. Wan always said to him.
A creator’s golden age is so short. If you miss it, what you write in the future will be terrible.
Lu Yao is turning 50 this year, and Lin Weimin is also already in his forties. How long will his golden age last?
Lin Weimin didn't know, but he had to hurry.
A thought flashed through his mind and Lin Weimin felt a little pain in his shoulders. He stood up and walked in the yard to rest for a while.
Feeling much better, he returned to the study and continued studying late into the night.
Ten thousand years is too long, we must seize the day.
With his ideas flowing like a fountain and writing furiously, Teacher Lin has regained the passionate state of his youth.
The next morning, the father and daughter were both listless at the dining table.
One reason I was worried was that I hadn’t finished yesterday’s homework yet, and the other was that I slept too late last night and hadn’t recovered yet.
Tao Huimin nags: "Let me say something about you. You are already so old, but you don't take care of your body at all. Do you still think you are a young man?"
Lin Weimin was unconvinced and said, "How old? I'm only 40, and I'm in great shape!"
"Come on, don't I know whether you are in good health or not?"
Lin Weimin quickly covered his daughter's ears. The woman in her prime spoke such rude words. Teacher Lin was more or less dissatisfied. Was this still the little white flower he loved back then?
"After dinner, I'll send her to school. Neither the father nor the daughter is worry-free."
Tao Huimin finished her meal first, got up and left, and gave some instructions before leaving.
The father and daughter were left at the table. Xiao Doubao couldn't help but complain, "Why do you always provoke her?"
"What do you mean I provoke her? It's obvious that she dislikes me and both of us!"
Xiao Doubao took a sip of rice porridge from the bowl and said, "Hey, do you think my mom is in menopause?"
Lin Weimin was immediately unhappy, "Nonsense. Do you believe me, I'll tell your mother?"
Xiao Doubao drank up the porridge in the bowl, ignored her old father, picked up her schoolbag, ate a few mouthfuls of food and sent her to school.
A few days later, Lu Yao and his wife came to the Chinese Literature Society again.
This time, the couple came to say goodbye to Lin Weimin. They had been in Yanjing for almost a week, during which time they met many relatives and friends. Lin Dan was an educated youth in Yanjing, and marrying Lu Yao was considered a downgrade.
Now that there are flights between Yanjing and Xi'an, Lu Yao and his wife travel by plane.
Lin Weimin sent the two to the airport, and Lu Yao patted Lin Weimin on the shoulder.
"Goodbye, Weimin!"
"goodbye!"
Lin Weimin looked at the backs of Lu Yao and his wife and whispered, "Goodbye, Lu Yao!"
I originally wanted to call the title "Goodbye, Lu Yao", but after thinking about it, I feel that the current title is more in line with the Lu Yao that I know.
If there is an afterlife, I hope you can still write about the peach and apricot blossoms among the mountains, valleys and hills.
(End of this chapter)
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