Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 105: Change your past mistakes?

After returning from Professor Qian's house, Zhang Chao was in a state of unrest.

Although the distraction of his energy during this period made him feel a little stuck, but since it has come to this point, he can only bear it on his own.

However, since Wang Meng said she wanted to take a look at her own script, there is no point in delaying it any longer and we need to finish "Wotou Guild Hall" as soon as possible.

After New Year's Day, Yan University and Yan Normal University officially entered the final semester. Some courses required exams and some courses required writing papers. Zhang Chao was so busy that he was busy.

If I hadn’t studied Chinese in my previous life, I would have probably failed all the courses at the final exam.

Quan Yongxian also came to him with the novella "The Cliff" and the scripts for the first three episodes.

This novel and script took more than a month to write, with a total of more than 1 words. Although different from the TV series Zhang Chao had seen in many details, because he would communicate with Quan Yongxian almost every time he went to Yanshi University for classes, the overall atmosphere still maintained a suspenseful, highly tense and depressing atmosphere.

Zhang Chao read the novel and the script carefully, slapped his hand on the table and said, "It's so well written! Lao Quan, you wrote a great play!"

Compared to "Snow Wolf", "The Cliff" is undoubtedly more restrained, profound, and even gloomy, but it is precisely this temperament that gives "The Cliff" a special temperament that is difficult to match by other spy war dramas.

Quan Yongxian said: "I also became more and more excited the more I wrote. Many times, I felt that the character Zhou Yi was standing behind me, watching me write his story."

Zhang Chao asked, "Where are you going to send the novel to?"

Quan Yongxian said, "I am familiar with the editors of October and People's Literature, and have published works in both of them. I think it is better to submit to one of them."

Zhang Chao said: "October is a bimonthly magazine, published on odd days. The manuscripts for March are usually queued up in January, so it is difficult to jump the queue, so it may be delayed to May or even July. It would be better to submit to People's Literature, which can be published in March if it is fast.

If it’s rejected, we’ll try October or Huacheng.”

Quan Yongxian said, "Okay then. We will submit it to People's Literature!"

Zhang Chao said, "I'll put the script aside for now. After I finish my final exams, I'll deliver it to Huayi myself."

Quan Yongxian smiled and said, "How does it feel to study in two schools?"

Zhang Chao waved the manuscript in his hand and joked, "If I hadn't just finished writing Dwelling Narrowness, I would have used your manuscript to cover for the novel writing class."

Quan Yongxian smiled and said, "Use it. It has your signature on it anyway."

After seeing Quan Yongxian off, Zhang Chao threw himself into the creation of Wotou Guild Hall. He did not finish the manuscript until January 1, when the school was about to close for the holiday.

Zhang Chao first sent the electronic file to Cheng Xin, Cong Zhichen and others, and then he took the printed copy to find Wang Meng.

Wang Meng has already retired and lives in a residential area on the fourth ring road of Yanjing East, where she enjoys a quiet spot amidst the hustle and bustle.

Zhang Chao found Wang Meng's home according to the building and room number he told him on the phone. After ringing the doorbell, Wang Meng came out and opened the door.

As Wang Meng led Zhang Chao into the house, she said, "Ever since I heard you tell me the story of Wotou Guild Hall, I've been itching to write it. I thought you would have to wait until after the Chinese New Year, but I didn't expect you to finish it so quickly."

Zhang Chao said: "The students are in a hurry to participate in the college student drama festival in August this year, and the repertoire must be determined before May. If it is not finished before the Spring Festival, they will not have time to memorize the script and rehearse."

Wang Meng said: "You are a 'multi-talented person'! But you still have to focus on creation. Too many other things can easily distract you. I heard that you started your own company?"

Zhang Chao said: "Yes. I mainly want to try some copyright and derivative products of my works. But I am also reflecting on whether my identity has become a businessman? Has my original intention been changed?" Wang Meng said: "The two identities are not contradictory. Many businessmen are also writing, and some writers also make investments when they have money. I read a novel called "Everything Grows" a few years ago. It was very well written. The author was a doctor. Later he went to the United States to study business and became a big boss of a foreign company. I heard that he is still writing.

So the key is whether you will sell out your personality as a writer for commercial gain. Works can be commercialized, but the personality of a writer cannot be commercialized."

Zhang Chao was silent after listening to this. Wang Meng joked: "Do you want to 'reform your past'? No need. As long as you handle the relationship between your works and products well, you are still a writer at heart. Okay, let me see your Wotou Guild Hall."

Zhang Chao quickly took out a thick stack of printed manuscripts and handed them to Wang Meng. Wang Meng took it and looked at it, then smiled and said, "You are so thoughtful that you even enlarged the words."

It takes most people just over an hour to finish a 5-word manuscript, let alone an experienced writer like Wang Meng. But this time, he read for more than two hours, and when he looked up, tears welled up in his eyes.

Wang Meng took off his glasses, wiped his eyes with a handkerchief, and pondered for a long time before speaking: "You wrote a good play, Zhang Chao."

Then he flipped through the manuscript and said, "You must have spent a lot of time looking up information to write this play. And the use of Beijing dialect here doesn't show that you are from the south at all. As I read it, it's like I went back to the turbulent times more than 50 years ago..."

After listening to Wang Meng's recollections, Zhang Chao asked sincerely, "Do you think there is anything you want to change about this play?"

Wang Meng adjusted her mood and said with a smile: "Although there are almost no writers who don't want to write scripts, there are very few writers who can write good scripts. I can't give you any advice in this regard. I myself have completely failed in script writing. I wanted to watch "Wotou Guild Hall" mainly because I was worried that you would have problems with the local customs and dialect of Yanjing, but now it seems that I was worrying too much."

Zhang Chao said: "Mr. Lao She's works, especially Four Generations Under One Roof, are the key to understanding the living and psychological state of the old Yanjing people in the turbulent situation; and writers like Liu Yida provide very rich and vivid language materials..."

After listening to Zhang Chao's story, Wang Meng agreed: "Mr. Lao She's portrayal of the old Yenching people is indeed very detailed and exquisite. It seems a pity to let college students perform your play."

Zhang Chao said: "You mean..."

Wang Meng said: "I am familiar with President Liu of the People's Art Theatre. Your play is tailor-made for the People's Art Theatre!"

Zhang Chao thought about it and refused, "I appreciate your kindness. But I have already given this play to the Yanda Drama Club. It would be better if they can perform it exclusively until the end of the College Students' Drama Festival."

After returning to Yanda from Wang Meng's home, Zhang Chao soon received a call from the Yanda Drama Club, asking him to go backstage at the theater.

When Zhang Chao arrived at the theater, in addition to a few classmates he knew, the core members of other drama clubs were also there. However, the drama club was not composed entirely of students from the Chinese Department, so Zhang Chao didn't know much about the others.

A boy who looked quite mature came over and shook hands with Zhang Chao and said, "I am Cui Wenqin, the president of the drama club." Then he pointed to the people around him and said, "This is the screenwriter and director He Ye, this is Fan Jialing, the assistant director; this is Yan Bing, the props and costumes..."

Although the Yanda Drama Club is just a student club, its organizational structure is no different from that of a regular drama troupe. It has a complete range of categories and is also a club that the school pays special attention to. It has no shortage of venues and funds.

Last year at the College Students Drama Festival, they performed Sartre's famous work "The Flies", which was well received by the industry and the public. This year, they originally prepared the play "The Marriage of Figaro" by French playwright Beaumarchais, which is similar to Qinghua's "Sifan: Double Going Down the Mountain" and is about love, but it is obviously better in content and form.

Cui Wenqin said: "Members of our drama club stayed up almost all night last night, reading your script, and we even had a whole morning meeting this morning. Your play is so well written!"

He Ye also said: "Members of the drama club have decided to apply for a delayed departure from school, and to use the winter break to roughly rehearse "Wotou Guild Hall" at school. We will try to achieve a performance in March or April!"

Cui Wenqin said, "We hurriedly asked you to come here today because we were afraid that you would be busy and leave school as soon as the holiday came. We still have many things to ask you about the script!"

Zhang Chao asked: "So now is...?"

"Script reading session!"

(End of this chapter)