1979: Literary Master, Starting from the Return of Educated Youth

Chapter 68: The Highest Award! (Please read on, there is an Easter egg at the end of the chapter!)
They found out nothing.

The confidentiality of this award ceremony was very well maintained.

"First Prize for Short Stories: "Class Teacher", Winning Writer: Liu Xinwu!"

On the stage, Wang Chaoyin announced loudly.

Liu Xinwu walked from the audience to the stage, waving to everyone along the way.

Next, there are the second and third prizes.

"What about Lao Xu's "The Horse Herder"?"

Liu Zhenyun was a little anxious when he saw that Xu Yuexin's name was not on the list of winners. "You wrote so well, why wasn't you selected?"

"Maybe it's because he won first prize?"

Chen Jiangong speculated, and also spoke up for Xu Yuexin, "Anyway, I think this rule setting is not very reasonable."

“Maybe it was published too late.”

Xu Yuexin had anticipated this. He calmly ate melon seeds and comforted his two friends, saying, "It was already June when The Shepherd was published."

“It’s a pity after all.”

Chen Jiangong said with some regret.

On the stage, Wang Chaoyin was still holding the microphone and was full of passion, with no intention of ending: "Dear writers, guests and friends, the awards for reportage, novels, novellas and short stories have been presented at this awards ceremony."

"The next step will be the final event, the People's Literature Award Ceremony!"

People's Literature Award?
The mood of everyone in the auditorium was immediately aroused.

The award named after the magazine was given at the last minute, so you can imagine how valuable it is!

“It’s quite interesting to break the distinction between novel genres.”

Wang Meng whispered to Li Ji beside him, "It's even more eye-catching."

"Well, Chao Yin reported to me at that time, and I thought that a grand prize should be established above all other awards."

Li Ji showed a mysterious smile on his weathered face and said, "Let's see who wins the prize."

As soon as the words fell, Wang Chaoyin at the top raised his voice to reveal the answer to everyone: "I announce that the winner of the first People's Literature Award is: The Horse Herder, and the winning writer is Xu Yuexin!"

"Next, please invite our comrade Xu Yuexin to come on stage to receive the award!"

The audience in the audience suddenly became lively.

"I've read Xu Yuexin's The Horse Herder. He deserves the People's Literature Award!"

"One won the first prize for novella and the other won the People's Literature Award. He is truly a man of great talent."

"It's amazing that you can achieve such success at the age of 20!"

Amid the constant voices of praise, the audience applauded continuously and cast admiring glances at Xu Yuexin.

"Lao Xu, the prize is yours!"

Chen Jiangong pushed Xu Yuexin excitedly.

"Yeah, I heard that."

Xu Yuexin threw down a handful of melon seeds in his hand, patted his shirt and trousers, left his seat and strode towards the stage.

Won the grand prize.

Xu Yuexin took a deep breath and felt that the lights above his head had never been as bright as at this moment.

What should I say later?

On the way to the stage, he kept thinking about his acceptance speech.

After he came on stage, Wang Chaoyin held the microphone and congratulated him in an emotional voice: "Comrade Xu Yuexin, congratulations on stepping onto our podium again and holding the crown."

"The People's Literature Award is an award given by our company to break the genre restrictions and select works of all types. How do you feel after receiving this precious award?"

After saying that, Wang Chaoyin handed the microphone to him.

“Excitement and emotion.”

"The People's Literature Award is a high recognition of my work, and I am very excited about it." "I am touched because in the past two or three years when my motherland has undergone tremendous changes, I have thought about the fate, values ​​and life path choices of intellectuals more than once based on my own experiences. Every time I think about it, I gain something."

"Especially after The Horse Herders won the People's Literature Prize just now, all these gains came together and turned into feelings."

Xu Yuexin said slowly.

He clearly saw that the literary giants in the front row were listening attentively, as if they were trying to find out something from his next words.

It is obvious that they must have thought about the issues they mentioned in their daily lives and may even be confused about them.

Next to Xu Yuexin, Wang Chaoyin also looked thoughtful.

“Can you share your feelings with everyone?”

Wang Chaoyin paused for a moment, came back to his senses from a brief thought, and asked Xu Yuexin.

"My feeling is that in the new era, intellectuals can do more and more. And the necessary condition for achieving something is to be rooted in the land under your feet."

"The final choice made by Xu Lingjun in The Horse Herder is a reflection of this feeling."

Xu Yuexin said calmly and slowly, "After Xu Lingjun was stripped of his title, he was able to return to teaching and spread his knowledge on the plateau."

"In order to carry on this career and let the seeds of knowledge continue to blossom and bear fruit, he chose to reject the temptations of the world and continue to stick to the three-foot podium at the border of the motherland."

"It is conceivable that if he chooses to go abroad, there will only be one more mediocre businessman on the other side of the ocean. But if he chooses to stay, the country will have one more outstanding teacher."

"Of course, teaching is only one of the many options for intellectuals. Apart from that, devoting oneself to cultural undertakings, scientific research, or fighting hard in the ocean of commodity economy are all good ways out."

“The prerequisite is to choose to stay on this land. Because this is still a blank sheet of paper, there is plenty of room for us to act.”

Xu Yuexin's words made the whole audience fall into silence, and every listener was trying hard to chew and think about what he said.

Including Wang Chaoyin, who was also thinking quietly, trying to savor the meaning contained in Xu Yuexin's words.

Rooted in the land, engaged in commodity economy, a blank sheet of paper...

The words uttered by Xu Yuexin made them go through a brainstorming and ideological baptism.

"Congratulations, you won the first prize and the final grand prize."

"You spoke very well. I can see that you love thinking."

Mao Dun smiled and handed the People's Literature Award certificate to Xu Yuexin. "Intellectuals can indeed devote themselves to the commodity economy. Your ideas are very forward-looking."

At last year's conference, the great man proposed the term commodity economy. At present, there are indeed some brave people who have responded to the call and started to run individual businesses and small processing factories.

However, there are currently very few intellectuals engaged in the commodity economy, and the vast majority still work in public institutions.

In this environment, Mao Dun believed that Xu Yuexin's ideas were very visionary and bold.

"Mr. Mao, you are too kind. From my personal point of view, I think literature does not have to exclude business, and only by combining the two can we go further."

Xu Yuexin said frankly.

As time went by, the relationship between literature and the market became more and more inseparable. Many successful writers in later generations, such as Zheng Yuanjie, were also successful businessmen.

Next to him, Wang Chaoyin finished his conversation with the other two and turned on the microphone again: "Dear friends, let us once again applaud and congratulate the winner of this year's People's Literature Award and the first prize winner of the novella, Comrade Xu Yuexin!"

Before he finished speaking, thunderous applause and exclamations rang out in the auditorium.

……

After the award ceremony, Xu Yuexin's seat was surrounded by a huge crowd of people, including people from the arts and cultural circles who wanted to say hello and get to know him. They crowded in three layers inside and outside.

Xu Yuexin was a little overwhelmed. He could only see one face after another flashing in front of him and couldn't remember who was who.

Fortunately, Wang Meng, Chen Jiangong and Liu Zhenyun were there to help him open a passage through the crowd and rush out of the auditorium.

"Lao Wang, there is a chance to resolve the matter we talked about last time."

At No. 166 Chaonei, in a corner of the courtyard, Xu Yuexin spoke to Wang Meng with full of fighting spirit.

That thing? Do you mean publishing in Hong Kong and overseas?
Wang Meng's mind moved, and a strong interest appeared in his eyes: "What's the solution?"

"Go find Mr. Mao."

Xu Yuexin said in a decisive tone.

(End of this chapter)