Literary Master 1983

Chapter 222 But it can never become a co-tangent

"We often say that Chinese people need to reflect, but Yu Qie's is a true reflection!" Guan Moye was so excited that he almost cried. "He has reached the state of being natural and ingenious. He actually used a pair of shoes to unfold such a huge trauma. He is a true genius! He is writing about a very sad thing, but he praises truth, goodness and beauty."

"I met with Su Tong privately. Isn't he an editor? He commented on my novel, saying that the descriptions were too meticulous and a bit artificial. I was not convinced. If I were to write about polio, what would I write about? I might have to write about the miserable condition of Ali's sister after she became ill, from beginning to end! But I never expected that Yu Qie would actually write about a goldfish kissing Ali's feet..."

"When I read this ending, I cried. I really cried. I think I will never be able to write such an ending... Compared with others, I am not willing to admit that I am too artificial! Ordinary people are not qualified to judge me, but compared with Yu Qie, I may indeed be not as good as him."

Guan Moye couldn't stop talking when he talked about Yu Qie. He talked about the dispute he had with others over Yu Qie's position in the literary world at the Hangzhou meeting, and also talked about how when his mentor Xu Huaizhong mentioned Yu Qie to him, he didn't take it seriously at first, and then he saw "The Letter from My Fiancée" in "Military Literature and Art", and he was so excited that he trembled all over...

So Xu Chi asked him again: "Comrade, let me ask you again, do you have a literary idol?"

The whole class looked over, and Guan Moye was completely dumbfounded. You said you were impartial, but you asked me twice and I couldn't give the same answer.

I've already said this much? Who is my idol? Do I need to say more?
I shouldn't have said anything, really! How could I not remember it!

Yu Hua came over and hugged Guan Moye and said, "Don't pretend, just admit it. It's not shameful. Not only do I admire Yu Qie, I also want to surpass him, but I can't do it even if I die. I know you think so too."

Guan Moye finally nodded, which meant he acknowledged it.

Xu Chi wrote this scene in his report, corresponding to the evaluation of Yu Qie by young authors in the circle. At this point, he had basically completed the report on Yu Qie and was just waiting for the final result.
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Chen Xiaoxu and Zhang Li came back from Ancheng. They stayed in Yanjing for one night and were about to go to Zhengding Studio. Yu Qie went to the train station to pick them up.

After this time, the two had to go their separate ways, one out of the province, the other out of the country. Yu Qi actually started a "long-distance relationship" in the 1980s!
Hey! That's really bland.

He was tall and strong with good eyesight, so he didn't even need to put up a sign. He would just wave to the two of them as soon as he saw them coming out from a distance.

Zhang Li ran to Yu Qie, hugged him gently, and said, "Do you remember that we had an agreement? We were going to Ancheng to buy motorcycle helmets, but we didn't buy such a helmet."

Zhang Li was very disappointed.

It’s not available to buy anyway.

Although Ancheng was quite developed at that time, where could we buy foreign motorcycle helmets? They were carbon fiber helmets, lightweight materials used in fighter jets and launch vehicles. In the 1980s, only a few Japanese manufacturers were able to produce them. No one in the entire city of Ancheng bought one.

Zhang Li continued, "We searched all over Ancheng, but couldn't find anything like it. Finally, when we went to Chen Xiaoxu's home for the New Year, his father asked for help from the Ancheng Troupe. There were a few old comrades who had visited abroad before and told Xiaoxu's father... In some places abroad, motorcycles are actually a sport. Not only do the motorcycles cost tens of thousands, but the helmets also cost thousands! It's not an exaggeration that your helmet costs hundreds of dollars!"

Yu Qie laughed and said, “You don’t think I made it up!”

"Of course not!" Zhang Li said, "I believe whatever you say, but I didn't expect there would be more expensive ones. How much did you pay for the helmet you gave us?"

"Eight hundred yuan?" Yu Qi couldn't remember it clearly.

Zhang Li said: "It's only 800 yuan. Now I think about it, you really are willing to buy it for us. Three helmets cost more than 2,000 yuan. You spend money like this."

This way of squandering money was extremely shocking to the two women. I'm afraid they talked about it for a long time on the train.

They haven't seen Yu Che's new Bridgestone bicycle yet.

There were not enough helmets, so they couldn't take two people on a motorcycle. Plus, the ground was slippery, so two wheels could easily cause an accident. Yu Qie prepared to take a taxi.

There are two types of taxis outside the train station. One is the sedans for foreign guests and senior officials, Ford and Warsaw 20; the other is the yellow van, which costs one yuan per kilometer, with a minimum of ten yuan.

Low-end taxis are also very expensive. A trip back home would cost an average person two or three days’ wages. Therefore, taxis only stop at hospitals, government office buildings, train stations and other places with large passenger flows and urgent need for taxis.

Yu Qie waved to call a Ford, Zhang Li was almost heartbroken, Chen Xiaoxu stepped forward first, led the three of them straight to the yellow taxi, and said: "How can I let Yu Qie pay every time, girl, I will treat you and your wife to a luxury car today!"

I regretted it as soon as I entered!

The space on this side of the car was very narrow, but the driver thought there weren't enough people, so he asked the three people to squeeze in. Three people sat in the seats for two people, and Yu Qi was forced to hug them on both sides. There was originally a pungent smell of sweat in the car, but Yu Qi was squeezed too close to them and actually smelled a faint fragrance.

The three of them were stunned. Especially Chen Xiaoxu, she felt that she couldn't move her hands and feet, and all she touched was Yu Qie's hot skin, but if she had to touch the body debris left by other passengers, she might as well fall into Yu Qie's arms.

What is Zhang Li thinking?

Is she going to blame me...

Chen Xiaoxu's eyes rolled around, and she leaned out to ask Zhang Li: "Zhang Li, what are you doing? Are you sitting still?"

"I'm fine." Zhang Li said weakly, "Actually I'm a little squeezed."

Chen Xiaoxu said without thinking: "Yu Qie, can't you move a little closer to me? You are crowding your wife!"

Yu Qie did as he was told, and moved his butt. Then Chen Xiaoxu was half pushed up by Yu Qie, and he held her in his arms very intimately, sitting on half of her thighs. She regretted it to death, and was panicked and scared: What if Zhang Li saw it? Wouldn't Zhang Li say anything about me? She stuck her head out of Yu Qie's arms, but it met Zhang Li's head. Chen Xiaoxu's braids were split, and Zhang Li was also hurriedly combing her hair, afraid that Yu Qi would see her ugly appearance.

The two were suddenly amused by each other's embarrassment and couldn't help laughing, which finally diluted the awkwardness.

Chen Xiaoxu turned to scold Yu Qie: "Why did you give someone such an expensive gift? Don't do this again. No matter how much money you have, you will squander it all."

Chen Xiaoxu took out another four hundred yuan. This action was very difficult in the narrow space, but she finally completed it and handed it to Yu Qie. In the end, although the money was given, after all this trouble, the space left for her became even smaller.

Chen Xiaoxu's face turned red instantly as he seemed to sense Yu Qi's breathing when he spoke.

"Chen Xiaoxu, why are you giving me money?"

"I'll give it back to you. You shouldn't give others such expensive gifts. I thought you were bragging and didn't believe you, but then I found out it was true! But I didn't save up 800 yuan, I only got together 400 yuan, and I owe you the other 400 yuan. Yu Qie, I can't accept such expensive gifts from others! I have principles." This was not done properly. Yu Qie thought that thing was "cheap", but Chen Xiaoxu, the future female billionaire, thought it was too expensive and she didn't deserve it. The difference in their values ​​made the small helmet inappropriate.

But Yu Qie said, "Why don't you return your helmet? Then you don't have to pay?"

Yes, isn't it because I don't want to give it back to you? Chen Xiaoxu thought to herself. She said, "I lost the helmet too. I don't know who took it."

Chen Xiaoxu’s helmet was also stolen?

Yu Qie pondered, is there a "helmet thief" in the capital? Do I need to put a lock on my helmet when I go out? Isn't this too abstract?
"Take it back, I don't want the money."

"Yu Qie, you must accept it!"

"I won't accept it."

"You have to..."

After much arguing, they finally decided to donate the money to UNICEF. Yu Qie said, "I don't lack these few hundred yuan, but the children do. And as actors, you will not make money by fixed salary in the future, but by fame."

"The Spring Rain Action donation campaign is very popular now, and many celebrities have donated enthusiastically. If you two can donate some money, it will be a good story in the future. Everyone will know that Chen Xiaoxu and Zhang Li are not only kind and talented in the TV series... but also not weak in real life."

His words were quite lofty, and both girls were moved. Zhang Li said, "Then I will donate money too. This was originally an activity advocated by Yu Qie, so how can I not support him?"

Back home, Chen Xiaoxu and Zhang Li admired the conditions of the courtyard house. Yu Qie's courtyard house has been constantly renovated and purchased, and now it is close to the appearance of later generations, and is not worse than the conditions of middle-class families in developed countries in the 1990s.

Refrigerators, air conditioners, even various kinds of pots and different styles of knives are simply dazzling.

Chen Xiaoxu said: "Zhang Li, I finally understand why you are under pressure. He spends money like this, and even mountains of gold and silver are squandered."

Zhang Li shook her head: "Yu Qie likes to cook, so of course he has to be particular about the kitchen utensils."

"What will you do if you run out of money? Or he can no longer write novels. Zhang Li, I'm telling you the truth. You are now one of my closest people, but you don't understand literature as well as I do... I know many famous writers who always squander their money for no apparent reason in their middle and old age, and are not loyal to their relationships. Their lives suddenly become miserable. They are enjoying good times on the outside, but only they know about their hard times."

Chen Xiaoxu suddenly said such heavy words, which made Zhang Li stunned for a moment. Then she said: "I will just take on acting jobs. Every penny I earn is a penny. No matter how bad it is, can I still not have enough to eat? I am also saving money. Although I can't afford a house in Beijing, it is enough to go back to our hometown."

"I will act in a play when the time comes, and teach people to dance when I am old... And even if Yu Qie can't write novels anymore, he is still a student of Yanda University. He is a talent no matter where he goes. You speak too lowly of him!"

Zhang Li even got a little angry when she spoke the last part. Her panting was very obvious, and it was obvious that she was trying to control her emotions.

Chen Xiaoxu blinked her eyes and pursed her lips a little sadly. She took Zhang Li's hand and said, "I can't like others like you. I am very free. Sometimes I feel..." Chen Xiaoxu shook her head, "I feel that Yu Qie and I are the same type of people. We do our own things and only do what we like. But I can't find a man who loves me like you, accompanies me in everything, and helps me think of a way out. Yu Qie is lucky to have you."

Zhang Li comforted her: "Am I not your friend too?"

"You don't know," Chen Xiaoxu was even more sad, but she stopped talking here. "Friends and partners are still different!" She sighed, "I can never be him!"

They slept here. Chen Xiaoxu couldn't sleep at night and found that Yu Qi's room was still lit. After thinking about it and having some ideological struggle, Chen Xiaoxu ran to see what Yu Qi was doing.
She also asked: "Yu Qie, what are you doing? Aren't you going to sleep?"

Chen Xiaoxu leaned against the door, standing with his legs crossed, stirring his legs back and forth, looking a little nervous.

"I'm answering the letter."

Yu Qie showed Chen Xiaoxu the letters that the children had sent him. The money in them had been sent to the donation account, but the letters were still there, and Yu Qie wanted to pick some of them to reply to.

Some letters from "big customers" have to be replied to: for example, Xie Guomin's children, the daughter of Panasonic's president in China... The parents of these children have paid so much money, so of course they have to reply to them.

Moreover, the replies will be selected and published in some children's literature newspapers and magazines. There are many newspapers and magazines promoting "Spring Rain Operation" now, most of which are free. It is no exaggeration to say that the entire literary world is looking forward to this event being accomplished.

It has been many years since we have had such enthusiasm. Wang Meng said: "This reminds me of literature 80 years ago. We wanted to use it to change the world and the fate of our nation... It has participated in history again and again."

"This is crucial for literature to regain the public's trust!"

Ma Shi Tu called Yu Qie and told him: "Even if you didn't win any Japanese award, I am already very satisfied with this!"

So when Yu Qie replied to these letters, he felt a kind of energy in his heart supporting him. Not only did he not feel tired, but he felt very energetic.

Chen Xiaoxu read the reply letters written by Yu Qie for a while. These letters written by children made Chen Xiaoxu feel embarrassed. In the eyes of the children, "Friend Yu Qie" was simply their best friend and the person they trusted the most.

She thought again about the time when Yu Qi was still working, and suddenly felt that she shouldn't have said those words during the day. No wonder Zhang Li was angry, she had such a good temper.

"Yu Qie, I have something to tell you..."

Chen Xiaoxu guiltily told Yu Qie about how she had "slandered" him. Yu Qie laughed and said, "I haven't been misunderstood for a long time. If anyone dared to misunderstand me in the past, I would have taken revenge!"

Before he could finish, Chen Xiaoxu glared at him and said, "Yu Qie! This afternoon, you hugged me in the car!" She said as she stepped back, "I didn't say anything to you, and I didn't blame you! I was afraid that Zhang Li would find out!"

Isn't this car too crowded?

You only weigh 80 pounds, like a bag of bones, what else can you say?

Holding you is just like the time when I carried the bamboo curtain on my back in Laoshan that year, so flat that it’s outrageous!

(End of this chapter)