Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 40 Sudden Attack
As the weekend approached, just when Zhang Chao was about to finish writing Young Babylon, Lan Ting sent him a notice:

Student Zhang Chao:

Your work "I am one of the many events that make my parents old" won the first prize of the "First Southeast Morning News Cup Fuhai Middle School Student Composition Competition". The award ceremony of the competition is scheduled to be held at 2 am on February 8 at the Fuhai Culture and Art Center. Please be sure to attend on time. ……

"Isn't it Sunday? I have to go home." Zhang Chao frowned. So many things happened in these short 20 to 30 days that he forgot he had participated in such a competition. To be honest, he no longer cares about such a local student essay award.

If you have that much time, you might as well spend it in front of your computer typing more words. That's real money.

So he evaded the question, "Can I not go? Can I ask you to pick it up for me?"

Lan Ting raised her eyebrows and said, "Oh, great writers now look down on these small awards. No, you have to go. This time the Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Writers Association jointly present the awards. My uncle said that many people want to see you, the Monkey King who jumped out of a crack in the stone!"

Zhang Chao could only agree with a wry smile. He asked, "What prize did you win?"

"Don't tell you!"

Two days passed quickly. On the morning of February 2, Zhang Chao, Lan Ting, Pang Yun, and another award-winning girl, led by their respective instructors, sat in the back row of the auditorium of Fuhai Culture and Art Center on time.

The competition was indeed on a grand scale. Looking around, there were probably 70 or 80 winners, plus the instructors, filling up the entire auditorium. It could be considered a large-scale spoils-dividing scene.

Moreover, the judging panel was quite impressive for Fuhai. The host took quite a while to announce the names of the dishes:

"The chairman of the jury for this competition is Yan Ming, the chairman of the Fuhai Federation of Literary and Art Circles and a famous writer. The vice chairman is Chang Tian, ​​the chairman of the Fuhai Writers Association and a famous poet. The judges include... In addition, this competition has also received strong support from the Southeast Morning News. Ms. Pang Lijuan, the editor-in-chief of the Southeast Morning News, also came to our venue as a special judge for this competition..."

Zhang Chao noticed that there was a short, simple middle-aged man sitting in the front row of the guest seats. He was sitting in the middle seat side by side with Yan Ming and Chang Tian, ​​two gray-haired bigwigs in the Fuhai literary world, but he had never been introduced. He couldn't help but feel curious.

As expected, the host finally said, "For this competition's award ceremony, Southeast Morning Post has invited a heavyweight guest for us. He is the famous writer Alai, who won the Mao Dun Literature Prize for his work Dust Settles! Everyone, welcome him with applause!"

The dull atmosphere in the venue was swept away, and everyone applauded enthusiastically. As the youngest winner of the Mao Dun Literature Prize, Alai is definitely one of the most popular writers of our time. His book "Dust Settles" tells the story of life and death, sorrow and joy in Tibet.

Alai stood up, bowed, took the microphone handed to him by the host, and said, "I came to Fuhai to collect folk songs at the invitation of Southeast Morning News. It was a coincidence. In fact, I think it is a bit abrupt to come here without asking, but I couldn't resist the repeated persuasion of editor-in-chief Pang Lijuan, and the kind invitation of Chairman Yanming and Chairman Changtian, so I had to sit here shamelessly..."

The humorous words made all the teachers and students present laugh. They didn't expect that this great writer could be so kind and humble.

This episode passed quickly. The award ceremony officially began. This competition has 5 first prizes, 10 second prizes, 20 third prizes, and 40 finalists, a total of 75 prizes. It is guaranteed that everyone in Fuhai, whether in the urban area or in the counties under its jurisdiction, will have a chance to win.

The Third Middle School achieved great results this time, winning two first prizes, Zhang Chao and Pang Yun. Lan Ting won the second prize, and another girl won the finalist prize. The person in charge of awarding the first prize was the chairman of the jury, Yan Ming. When he handed the trophy to Zhang Chao, he looked at Zhang Chao deeply.

The teachers and students in the audience also fixed their eyes on Zhang Chao, sizing up this giant panda of Fuhai's literary world. Fortunately, Zhang Chao had recently gotten used to being the center of attention, so he remained calm.

After the award ceremony, Yan Ming, chairman of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, added meaningfully: "Recently, the literary world in Fuhai has not been peaceful, but I think this is a good thing. 'Literature is like a mountain, it does not like flatness,' and the same is true for the literary world. If it is too peaceful, there will be no vitality. I hope that there will be more young people in Fuhai who can make the literary world not peaceful. Now there is only one, which is not enough, we need one after another..."

After Yanming finished speaking, Pang Lijuan, editor-in-chief of Southeast Morning News, continued: "Today, we have the great honor of inviting Mr. Alai, and we cannot let him go! After discussing with the organizing committee of the competition, our newspaper has decided to temporarily add a link -

Teacher Alai will give everyone a composition topic and they will write on the spot within one hour to test their quick thinking. The judges will work overtime to select the best works. There will be no first, second or third prizes for this temporary on-site composition. As long as it is an excellent work, you will get a copy of "Dust Settles" signed by Teacher Alai, and the work will also be published by our "Southeast Morning News"! "

There was an uproar in the small auditorium. I didn't expect that there would be an unexpected surprise after the award ceremony. However, everyone was an expert in writing essays. Although the time was tight in 1 hour, it was still no problem to write a decent essay. What's more, it would be possible to show off in front of the Mao Dun Literature Prize winner. Why not?
Alai was also a little surprised. He was originally a Chinese teacher in a middle school, so it was not difficult for him to give students a composition topic, and signing a few books was even easier. But after all, it was a bit abrupt. He knew there must be a reason, so he just smiled and said to Pang Lijuan and Yan Ming: "You are making a surprise attack on me!"

Yan Ming, the chairman of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, laughed and responded, "Editor-in-Chief Pang just told me this proposal this morning. I was surprised at first, but the more I thought about it, the better it was. As the saying goes, writing is a natural thing, and it is created by a master's hand by chance. You came here by chance, and the students wrote by chance. In the midst of chance, perhaps a masterpiece can be created."

Pang Lijuan also explained: "I originally wanted to invite Teacher Alai to give a lecture, but think about it, Teacher Alai is a great writer, and these students are 'small writers', the hope for the future of our Fuhai literary world. It must be a good story for big and small writers to meet through writing..."

After hearing this, Alai just smiled and said nothing.

Under the organization of the staff, the students quickly gathered in a large classroom where the Cultural and Arts Center usually holds training, and were distributed manuscript paper and pens.

The question setter Alai pondered over what question to set, paced around the classroom, and then walked to the door. There was a full-length mirror next to the door, also known as a grooming mirror.

Alai asked the staff to move the mirror to the front of the podium and said, "This mirror is today's topic. Students, start writing. You can write anything you want."

This question is neither difficult nor easy. It is not difficult because the image of a mirror is very common, so it is not difficult to come up with the idea; it is not difficult because there is no prior limitation, which is too broad and easy to be superficial.

Several students from No. 3 Middle School, including Lan Ting and another girl, all frowned tightly, lost in deep thought.

Zhang Chao didn't even pick up the pen. Instead, he looked around, looking very idle.

Pang Yun sat behind Zhang Chao, staring at him closely, and in his mind came the words his aunt had said to him last night:

"With a time limit of one hour, even if you ask a professional writer to write, he may not be able to write well. As long as he starts writing, I will find a way to expose his true intentions!"

(End of this chapter)