Literary Master 1983

Chapter 49 Chinese Forrest Gump
Without further ado, after arriving at the office, Wang Shimin got straight to the point:
"Yu Qie, I want to hear your thoughts. We are all very enthusiastic about your new reality trilogy. Here, I want to tell you a story to tell you that the editors of our October magazine are capable..."

"In the spring of 82, Zhang Shouren, the editor of the fiction group, attended a symposium on military literature. A writer named Li Cunbao, knowing that he was the editor of October magazine, approached him. Li Cunbao had several novel themes and sought Zhang Shouren's opinion... One was about the self-defense counterattack war, but it was written in a stereotyped way; one was about love in the military camp, and the other was about the life of a Red Army hero. Guess what Zhang Shouren said?"

"He didn't choose anything?"

Wang Shimin was a little surprised. "You are right! Zhang Shouren said that our military literature is useless. It often uses a local bad guy as the opposite. It has absolutely no artistic power. If military literature wants to excite people, it must realistically describe the army, the cruelty and controversy of war, etc. Why is the atomic bomb so powerful? It is because the nucleus breaks inside and emits huge energy. The same is true for works of art!"

"So, we don't want those model operas, we want truly valuable works. Li Cunbao finally wrote "The Wreath under the Mountain". After it was published, more than 1981 publications across the country rushed to exchange publications with us. In , there were national novella awards, and October won five, and the first place also went to October."

"In 83, which is this year, the novella awards were judged by our Writers Association, with reference to the public vote. I already know that at least a few awards will be given."

"But The Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain is only a novella. Li Cunbao couldn't write any more later. What we hope for is a work that will set off a trend of the times, such as scar literature. We haven't been able to create one. Or, the author can write one, two, three, or four works by himself and set off a trend by himself. You might be such a person..."

I have high hopes for this October issue.

It seems that what caught Wang Shimin's attention was not just Yu Qie's novel, but his later novels. This grand conception touched Wang Shimin.

Yu Qie didn't keep the secret, but said directly:
"I call these novels the New Reality Trilogy. Of course, they imitate Ba Lao's Torrent Trilogy. I want to reflect the first decade after our reform and opening up from different aspects and relationships."

Wang Shimin listened very carefully, asked Luo Yihe to pour tea, sent Luo Yihe away, asked Luo Yihe to close the door, and then said: "How is it different?"

"The first part is about overseas students. There are two highly educated couples whose partners have decided to go abroad. The two who are left behind are Lin Zhouyun and Gu Yan. They have been waiting for no news from their partners, so they inquire through various channels and suspect that their partners have found new lovers in the United States..."

"So, you let Gu Yan and Lin Zhouyun get together again naturally?"

Yu Qie shook his head, "Together, and not together. Because Gu Yan still has feelings for her original partner, and doesn't believe that her partner is going to abandon her, so she can't get over it in her heart."

Wang Shimin asked: "What about the reality?"

"She actually abandoned him. Not long after, the remaining Lin Zhouyun was called by her boyfriend abroad and was also going abroad. Lin Zhouyun had already fallen in love with Gu Yan at this time. She gave Gu Yan many opportunities, hoping that Gu Yan would stay. In the name of teaching Gu Yan English, the two gradually became closer and closer."

Wang Shimin was gradually attracted, and he couldn't help but lean forward, "So, did Gu Yan keep Lin Zhouyun?"

"No, it will rain, my mother will get married, and those who want to leave will always leave."

Wang Shimin said: "It ends like this? This guy lost his girlfriend and then lost another one?"

"No, didn't I say that they were all highly educated? Only Gu Yan stayed in China. He continued his studies, practiced his spoken English, and later joined the foreign affairs department. Three years later, a German automobile company came to China to discuss the establishment of a joint venture, and Gu Yan participated in the negotiations as an interpreter."

"and then?"

"The negotiations were conducted in the United States. After the progress was made, everyone was very happy. We had dinner and drank together... In the bar, Gu Yan saw her former lover. She was working as a waitress in the bar and her life was not going well." "Lost lover! A classic plot!" Wang Shimin was impatient: "What did Gu Yan do when facing her former lover?"

"Gu Yan did nothing, nor did she recognize her lover, but left a two-dollar tip - this tip was also taken away by the Korean owner of the bar, because Chinese people did not have local identity and were not entitled to tips."

"Ah!" Wang Shimin sighed deeply, stroking his face with both hands, and relaxed for a while. "What about Lin Zhouyun?"

"Lin Zhouyun became a housewife, neither miserable nor happy. On TV, she saw Gu Yan on the local news: China's cooperation with General Motors broke down, and it turned to cooperate with Volkswagen..."

"She saw that Gu Yan translated the words of the Ministry of Commerce official in English, saying, 'We will negotiate with Volkswagen of Germany', and GM will not be allowed to enter the 'Chinese market' for the time being... and this local TV station was mocking and ridiculing the Chinese negotiation team."

Wang Shimin: "What did Lin Zhouyun say?"

"Lin Zhouyun said nothing. She was going to pick up her children. She lived in a Chinese community and worked in a laundry. Lin Zhouyun once taught Gu Yan English, but now she doesn't need to speak a word of English. Her Cantonese is more proficient. She has got what she wanted most - coming to the United States and settling down."

“A high-level intellectual ended up taking care of children in a laundry?”

"Yes. Only Gu Yan, who stayed in the country, was the luckiest. He didn't throw anything away, but everything was given to him."

Wang Shimin keenly noticed that the “Gu Yan” written by Yu Qie actually reflects a generation of Chinese men:
In such a changing era, people like Gu Yan have no other choice but to take the most difficult path and maintain hope for life.

When they finally came out of all the hardships, as outsiders, they only saw Gu Yan as a very lucky man who stayed in China, and felt that he had made a really good choice.

Is this really the reason for choice?

Gu Yan represents the most traditional man, who is hardworking, loyal to his family, and passionate about the collective - so he must get good results.

In the future, a bunch of intellectuals who benefited from the dividends of the 1980s will increasingly identify with this novel: Great Yu Qie, you are simply writing about us!
Gu Yan is the Chinese Forrest Gump—wait, the original Forrest Gump hasn’t been written in the United States yet!
From now on, Forrest Gump has to be America's patron!
"I like your story, but why do you write it like this?" Wang Shimin asked.

"Because all the gifts bestowed by fate have prices marked behind them, and all choices have a price to pay," said Yu Qie.

"Good, good, good!" Wang Shimin said three good words in a row, not only because of the novel, but also because of Yu Qi's answer.

At this time, Luo Yihe happened to come back and saw Wang Shimin's eyes shining, half leaning on the coffee table, obviously very excited. Luo Yihe said happily: "Editor-in-Chief Wang, I said that Teacher Yu's novel has ideas!"

Wang Shimin smiled and said, "I can't wait to see this novel published in the October issue."

(End of this chapter)