My era, 1979!

Chapter 116 Hopes to Write a Letter to Uncle Siyuan (6.6k words, requesting monthly votes)

As I wrote,

Xu Chengjun discovered something: it seemed that "Red Silk" was not yet finished.

He frowned, then steeled his resolve.

Forget it, forget it!

Great authors often write two books simultaneously!
Early the next morning.

Su Manshu then dragged Xu Xiaomei to Nanjing Road, saying she wanted to take her younger sister "shopping".

Xu Chengjun had no choice but to halt his creative plans.

I didn't go shopping with them.

I have a lot to do today. I need to visit Zhu Dongrun first, and then report to the Chinese Department.

On the way to the professor's house, there were students carrying large and small bags all along the way, and the entire Fudan campus was filled with a lively and bustling atmosphere.

As soon as the wooden door of Zhu Dongrun's house was pushed open a crack, a tea aroma mixed with the scent of ink wafted out.

The aged white tea was bubbling in the rough earthenware pot. Old Zhu was sitting in a rattan chair, flipping through a thread-bound copy of "The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons". His silver hair hung down on the pages, and he was holding a fountain pen in his hand, the nib hovering over the annotation column.

"Teacher, I've come to mooch some tea!"

Xu Chengjun shook the cloth bag in his hand, which was full of Fengyang red bean cakes and other local specialties. "I brought you some local specialties from home, please have a look."

"Find a seat yourself!"

Old Zhu looked up and smiled, putting down his pen and moving his rattan chair closer to the table: "You little rascal, you always bring things when you come. Are you afraid I'll find fault with you when school starts?"

He was overjoyed to see his closed-door disciple come to visit. The old man now lives alone, his son and daughter work in different parts of the country, and his granddaughter Zhu Bangwei, who used to be around him all the time, has also started her own family and visits less often. He is quite lonely these days.

It is rare for someone to live to seventy.

Which elderly person doesn't want to be surrounded by their younger relatives when they get old?
There is no greater joy than family bliss.

It was a great pleasure for him that his two youngest disciples, Xu Chengjun and Chen Shangjun, would frequently visit him to seek his advice.

"No way! A teacher pointing out students' flaws is the greatest encouragement for them!"

Old Zhu poured Xu Chengjun a cup of tea with a smile, and Xu Chengjun quickly accepted it with both hands.

"How was your trip home? Are your parents still well?"

"My parents are doing well, thank you for your concern. A lot happened when I got home, and I'd like to tell you about it."

"Then let's play chess, drink tea, and chat."

Old Zhu is fond of playing chess, and he has a basic understanding of both Go and Chinese chess.

Xu Chengjun also happened to have a little knowledge of both. He had been practicing Go since childhood in his previous life and had reached a professional level. Chess was the favorite game of his direct superior in his previous life, so as a subordinate, he naturally had to take the lead.

"It's all up to you."

Old Zhu pulled out an ebony Go board from the cabinet. There were still some pieces left from his last game with Jia Zhifang on the board. He put the white pieces into a porcelain jar, making a clinking sound. "Your senior brother Chen played with me last time. He lost but still complained that I was 'taking advantage of my age.' Don't follow his example."

Xu Chengjun quickly waved his hand, picked up a black stone and twirled it between his fingers: "How could I dare? You're the teacher. Even if I win, I have to say 'you let me win'."

As soon as he finished speaking, he placed the black piece on the star position with a "snap," but deliberately off by half an inch.

Old Zhu, with his sharp eyes, paused in his teacup-holding hand: "Stop with this fake politeness. I won't buy into Zhang Peiheng's 'superficial respect' act."

He picked up a white piece and placed it precisely on the small eye. "You went home and saw your brother? I heard you were badly injured."

Xu Chengjun's move was a beat slow, the black piece between his fingers brushing against the chessboard: "I saw him, his left arm is still wrapped in gauze, he said he was cut by shrapnel while on a mission."

"Being a soldier is tough."

Old Zhu gently placed his piece, the white piece forming a small circle around the black piece. "When I was young, I saw many separations, but seeing you brothers like this now makes me feel at ease."

He suddenly laughed. "I heard from Pei Heng yesterday that you've written another novel?"

"Yes, thanks to you, I had some ideas and inspiration when I got home, and after nearly a month, I've almost finished writing it."

"What good fortune do I have?"

Zhu Dongrun shook his head.

They then inquired about Xu Chengjun's experiences in Xujiatun and all the way to the inaugural issue of "Qingming".

I then told him about some miscellaneous things that happened before and after his paper was published in the Fudan Journal.

Before the paper was published, several other members of the editorial board at Fudan University did not want to agree, after all, Xu Chengjun was too young and had not yet enrolled. It was Zhu Dongrun who strongly recommended him, and the paper was published smoothly.

As for the stories that followed the publication, there were even more. Fudan University was relatively okay, as there were few established writers in the entire Chinese department and among the professors. Most of the professors who studied literary theory focused on classical literature, so they found Xu Chengjun's ideas novel but not repulsive. However, some universities in the north had many professors and writers who studied Western theories, so there was a lot of heated debate surrounding Xu Chengjun's paper.

However, this unconventional paper unexpectedly received support from many veteran writers and professors.

It has initially made a name for itself in the field of literary theory research.

"Teacher, I finally beat you this time!"

"Who said that? It's not over yet, so no one can guarantee who will win or lose."

"Your dragon is about to be destroyed!"

"Speak less, focus on the game!"

"I finally beat you this time, so I have to say a few more words!"

"I'm not going to stop, I'm getting old! My energy can't keep up anymore~"

"go for meal!"

Old Zhu arrogantly pushed the chess pieces aside, leaving Xu Chengjun bewildered in the wind.

"Hey! You're taking back your move!"
-
I had lunch at Mr. Zhu's house.

In the afternoon, Xu Chengjun took his household registration information to register.

Due to the scarcity of teachers, the limited material conditions of students, and the fact that undergraduate graduates were still a rare resource in 1979, most of them were assigned to government agencies, key universities, and other "iron rice bowl" units. However, the master's program required three years, which meant that the job assignment would be postponed for three years.

Therefore, there are very few new master's students in the Chinese Department of Fudan University.

Including Xu Chengjun, there are only 8 people, scattered across a few professional fields.

The Chinese linguistics program under the tutelage of the linguistics master Zhang Shilu admitted three students, including Yang Jianqiao, who later became the backbone of phonological research.

In the field of classical literature, Professor Zhu Dongrun's research on Tang and Song literature includes two people: Chen Shangjun and Xu Chengjun.

In addition, there are 1 to 2 new students in each of the majors such as literary studies and modern and contemporary literature.

Although this graduating class was small in number, it became the cornerstone of Fudan University's Chinese Department for decades to come, with Yang Jianqiao and Chen Shangjun becoming leading figures in Chinese studies.

The reporting office is located in Room 103 of the Chinese Department teaching building.

The registration process for master's students is actually relatively simple.

All you need to do is take your letter of introduction and academic proposal to your advisor.

It's usually a harmonious and joyful academic family gathering.
The first step was completed at Zhu Dongrun's home, and the teacher and student also discussed their academic plans for the next few years.

In terms of academic direction.

His initial focus was on the modern transformation of traditional literature, a topic with few domestic researchers, requiring him to forge a new path.

Secondly, Mr. Zhu also asked him to choose a dynasty from classical literature for research.

At that time, Professor Zhu said with a smile: "If you want to do classical literature transformation, you can't be ignorant of classical literature. You still need to do some academic work in this area. I don't expect you to be like Chen Shangjun, who read through the history and literature of the Tang Dynasty, but at least you should be able to do well in classical literature research."

In this section, he leans towards Song Dynasty literature.

Finally, as a contemporary writer, Xu Chengjun also spends some time researching modern and contemporary works, which is his forte and hides his ambition.

People like Xu Chengjun, who did not complete an undergraduate degree or did not attend Fudan University for their undergraduate studies, also need to apply for household registration transfer and grain coupon transfer.

There weren't many people at the freshman registration area at this time.

The two tables closest to the door were the most lively. On the left was a green wooden sign with white lettering that read "Accommodation Registration," and on the right was a tin box that read "Food Coupon Verification." In front of each table were freshmen carrying luggage, with the words "Shanghai," "BJ," and "Chengdu" on their canvas bags swaying with their movements.

As soon as Xu Chengjun entered, the sharp-eyed Academic Affairs Officer Sun spotted him: "Comrade Chengjun, are you here to report for duty today?"

"Brother Sun?"

"You'll have to help with the new student registration too."

"That's right. The school is short-staffed lately, and this year's freshmen are significantly more numerous than last year's. All the administrative staff in the Chinese department have been mobilized!"

While introducing the topic with a smile, Sun, the academic affairs officer, pulled Xu Chengjun inside.

"But you, you've really risen to fame lately! First, there was 'The Fitting Mirror,' then four poems in a row in 'Poetry Journal,' and then 'The Granary.' This year, among writers of all ages, you're the most influential!"

"It's all good luck, thanks to the help of the seniors?"

"Good luck? Why don't I have that kind of luck?"

"Believe it or not, if I yelled in the classroom right now, 'Look! Xu Chengjun, the singer of "Foxtail Grass," is here, you're definitely not leaving today!'"

Sun, the academic affairs officer, patted him on the shoulder and began to "threaten" and "intimidate" him.

You know what, it really scared him.

Xu Chengjun really didn't dare to gamble. "The Fitting Mirror" and "The Granary" were okay, but "Poetry Journal" would be a disaster.

These days, writing poetry in a poetry journal is basically equivalent to being nominated for a Golden Melody Award in the new millennium.

Its impact is roughly equivalent to Xu Song's release of "Plain Face" and "Rain on Qingming Festival", or Jay Chou's release of "Fantasy".

At this time, the Chinese literature department classrooms were like a fan base, and regardless of whether they were popular or not, they were all top-tier "fans".

One shout and the whole place will be in an uproar.

"Okay, okay, Brother Sun, please spare me! I'll treat you to dinner later!"

"That's more like it!" Sun, the academic affairs officer, smiled and squinted, then turned and called out into the corridor, "Lin Wei! Come over and help this senior with his registration procedures!"
This appearance is not much different from how the school's Party Secretary used to boss him around in his previous life.

wait?

Lin Wei?

Xu Chengjun's heart, which had just been at ease, tightened again.

"Wait, no, who's going to handle this?"

"Lin Wei, a freshman in the Chinese department last year, didn't go home this year, she's helping out in the department."

No sooner had she said that than Lin Wei, the "Little Chili," came over, swaying her signature single ponytail.

"Dean Sun, did you call me?"

"Yes, please help this senior with the procedures."

In front of Lin Wei, Academic Affairs Officer Sun still put on a teacher's airs.

Lin Wei was stunned when she looked up at Xu Chengjun.

"Comrade Chengjun?"

Senior?

A freshman becoming a sophomore?
She pointed at Xu Chengjun, looking confused: "Teacher Sun, is he my senior? Isn't he going to be a freshman this fall?"

"What freshman year?!"

Sun, the academic affairs officer, frowned, looking somewhat impatient.

"Let me introduce you. This is Comrade Xu Chengjun. His works include 'The Fitting Mirror' and 'The Granary.' He is a first-year graduate student at Fudan University this year."

"It must be your senior!"

Xu Chengjun shrugged: "One is indeed smaller than two."

Upon seeing that the two knew each other, Academic Affairs Officer Sun didn't say anything and simply turned and left.

The two were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

"You lied to me!"

"What did I lie to you about?"

"Then why didn't you refute me when I said you were a junior?"

Did you give me a chance to argue?!

Lin Wei rolled her eyes and dragged Xu Chengjun to handle the household registration and grain coupon transfer. The household registration process still caused a commotion at the Chinese Literature Department's registration office.

"Comrade, are you Xu Chengjun, the author of 'Foxtail Grass on the Hillside'?"

The person handling the household registration was a sophomore girl, clearly a fan of Xu Chengjun's poetry. Her voice was a bit loud, immediately drawing the attention of everyone around her.

Seeing this, Xu Chengjun nodded helplessly: "It's me."

There was a moment of silence at the registration area.

The freshmen who were filling out forms around the dormitory registration table stopped writing, their hands holding canvas bags hanging in mid-air.

The teacher checking the food coupons forgot to collect them, his eyes kept drifting this way.

Even the older students getting hot water in the corridor tiptoed to the household registration window, not even noticing the thermos stopper fall to the ground with a "clatter".

There really isn't anything new these days.

"Xu Chengjun? Is he the Xu Chengjun who wrote 'Walking Towards the Light'?"

"it's me."

The freshman who was standing closest to me, wearing glasses, was the first to react: "I copied your song 'Look' every day during the summer vacation. The line 'The amber light formed by scooping up light' made my mom think I was in a relationship!"

As soon as he said that, the crowd erupted in a buzz of excitement.

Xu Chengjun, a freshman at Fudan University, had already made a name for himself at the university with the publication of "The Fitting Mirror".

Not to mention that this time, four poems were published in the Poetry Journal at once.

This is truly unprecedented in the history of Chinese poetry.

Especially those few poems, which have a touch of the style of obscure poetry.

It is beautiful enough.

"My God, the lyric poet Xu Chengjun?"

Several girls crowded to the window. One of them, with pigtails, held up a notebook and said with a surprised voice, "Comrade Xu, can I get your autograph? I copied four of your poems into this notebook, and I even memorized the part in 'The Barn' where 'molten copper overflows the engravings'!"

The girl handling the household registration had trembling hands, and her pen drew a crooked line on the form. She quickly pulled out a blank sheet of paper from her drawer: "Senior Xu, I want your autograph too! Last time the department discussed 'The Fitting Mirror,' the teacher said you brought the 'mirror' to life. I even argued with my classmates, saying you must be a very gentle person. I didn't expect you to be so young!"

"Is the same person as Xu Xuechang, who wrote 'The Fitting Mirror,' and Xu Chengjun, whose poems were published in poetry journals?"

"That's for sure!"

Just as Xu Chengjun was about to take the pen, Lin Wei suddenly leaned over with her hands on her hips, her single ponytail swaying proudly: "You guys just found out? Not only does he write well, but the Fudan Journal also published his academic paper as its lead story!"

She deliberately emphasized the word "senior" and glanced at Xu Chengjun sideways. "I thought he was a freshman, but it turns out he skipped a year and went straight to graduate school. He's been keeping it a secret for a long time!"

Xu Chengjun shook his head helplessly.

You really hold grudges; you never let them linger overnight.

"Kenichi?!"

Another gasp rippled through the crowd.

A freshman carrying a "BJ" canvas bag widened his eyes: "I thought Comrade Xu was a freshman like us, so I specially copied the poem into my notebook to ask him for advice. I didn't expect him to be a senior!"

"It's not just graduate students!"

A student council member wearing a red armband squeezed in.

“A few days ago, our group used ‘Modern Transformation of Traditional Literary Theory’ as a case study, saying that Comrade Chengjun combined Fengyang Flower Drum with ‘metaphor and allegory’ in a more profound way than the old professor! At the time, we all guessed that the author was an old scholar, but we didn’t expect it to be such a young educated youth as Comrade Chengjun!”

Some people immediately took out a notebook and began to recite in a low voice with great emotion:
The moment the wind stopped on the branch

The fallen leaves forgot the distant place they were going.

You count the moonlight filtering through the window.
The moonlight outside the window shattered into stars.

"This poem is wonderful!"

"The poem is beautiful, and the person looks radiant too~" This is a female fan's comment.

"I think Xu Chengjun is the best poet from the South!"

"Liang Xiaobin would also be fine!"

"He's not as romantic as Xu Chengjun. Xu Chengjun's poems are just as romantic as Bei Dao's, touching people's hearts!"

“I think Xu Chengjun and Bei Dao are different. Bei Dao’s underlying tone is melancholy and hesitation; while Xu Chengjun’s poems are all positive and move towards the light!”

"One is Li Bai, and the other is Du Fu!"

"I'm going to correspond with my classmate back home in a bit. He got into Peking University and said he'd get to meet Bei Dao, but I've already met Xu Chengjun and even got his autograph! I won this time!"

"Who would have thought that the poet Xu Chengjun went to the same school as me!"

Sun, the academic affairs officer, watched with amusement from afar and winked at Xu Chengjun.

The scene was even more lively than he had expected, and he was a little worried because with all this commotion, he would have to work overtime again.

The girl who was registering her household registration finally calmed down and handed over the completed form: "Senior Xu, please let us know if there are any lectures in the future! I will definitely go!"

Xu Chengjun was both amused and exasperated: "I'm a student too, why would I give a lecture!"

He smiled and took the form, signing it for the students gathered around him. He overheard someone behind him muttering, "If I'd known he was Xu Chengjun, I should have come over and talked to him sooner..."

Lin Wei tugged at his arm and lowered her voice: "Alright, alright, stop being such a celebrity. The grain coupon transfer hasn't been processed yet!"

Despite saying that, the corners of his mouth were turned up high, clearly showing some pride in being "watched".

After completing the formalities, Xu Chengjun went to greet Sun, the academic affairs officer.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, Brother Sun."

Sun, the academic affairs officer, waved his hand with a smile: "What's the trouble? We teachers are also hoping that the Chinese Department will produce a great writer or a big star. Peking University has freshmen like Luo Yihe and Shen Qun. We don't need many more. You, Xu Chengjun, are enough to clear away their influence. It's a great thing! We just hope there will be more of this kind of trouble."

This was actually one of the main reasons why Fudan University wanted to recruit Xu Chengjun at the time.

In 1979, the only well-known person in the Chinese Department of Fudan University was Lu Xinhua.

Even as a student of Fudan University, Xu Chengjun has to say that the Chinese Department of Peking University in 1979 was the source of literary enlightenment in the new era.

In literary creation, in 1979, Peking University had Luo Yihe, Shen Qun, Chen Jiangong, and others, and later there were well-known writers and poets such as Hai Zi and Xi Chuan, known as the "Three Poets of Peking University".

At this time, the Chinese Department of Peking University formed a unique literary field by relying on student publications such as "Weiminghu" and "Qimingxing".

Teachers and students interact through poetry recitals, literary seminars, and other forms, such as the precursor to the Weiming Lake Poetry Festival, which has already begun to take shape.

In contrast, Fudan University's Chinese Department appears to be slightly weaker.

In 1981, Xu Demin, an economics student, founded the Fudan Poetry Society and edited its journal, "Poetry Cultivation," which was published in its inaugural issue in June of the same year.

Fudan University does indeed produce more talented individuals in the political and economic fields.

Wu Shenyuan, Zhang Weiwei, Jin Canrong, Shen Yi.
And the Fudan students who will shine in the political arena in the future.

The freshmen of the Chinese Department of Fudan University were all assigned to dormitories in Dormitory No. 6 (Songzhuang) and Dormitory No. 4 (Jialing Village).

Xu Chengjun was assigned to dormitory 201 in Songzhuang.

Why not in Dormitory 4?
the reason is simple.

Jialing Village is the dormitory for female students in the Chinese Literature Department.

"Songzhuang" is a two-story brick and wood building steeped in the old charm of a Republican-era campus. It has no eye-catching decorations, but is full of the simplicity and solemnity unique to that era.

When Xu Chengjun walked down to the dormitory building, he truly felt that he had become a member of Fudan University in this era.

After all, he's going to move in.

The walls of Songzhuang are made of red bricks of varying shades, with old white lime still embedded in the brick joints.

The roof is sloping, covered with dark gray terracotta tiles, with slightly drooping eaves and a few foxtail grasses peeking out from the cracks in the tiles, swaying gently in the wind.

The windows of the small building are old-fashioned wooden-framed glass windows, with the frames painted off-white. In some places, the paint has peeled off, revealing the original wood color underneath.

The entrance is on the side of the building, consisting of two heavy wooden doors that open outwards. Above the doors hangs a wooden plaque with the words "Songzhuang" written in regular script.

In front of the building was a small open space with a gravel path. Several old camphor trees were planted on both sides of the path. The trunks were so thick that it would take two people to hug them. In Shanghai in 1979, the dense shade of the camphor trees could cover half of the building entrance. There were often two stone blocks with peeling paint under the trees.

Many Chinese literature students were chatting and reciting their lessons.

Xu Chengjun followed the wooden stairs up to the second floor.

The corridor runs north-south, with a light gray cement floor. Some areas are worn shiny from years of foot traffic and even have tiny cracks.

The corridor is lined with dorm rooms, each with a door made of thin wooden planks painted the same off-white as the window frames. The doorknobs are made of cloth ropes woven by the students themselves for easy opening and closing.

Occasionally, a small note would be pasted on the lintel, with words like "Studying in progress, knock gently" written on it. The handwriting was mostly pen-written, with a youthful and unpolished style.

"It's true that people from every era have their own methods."

In his previous life, when he was in college, he hung a custom-made wooden sign from Taobao on the door of his dormitory: "There is a fierce tiger inside, knock on the door and you'll be killed."

Pushing open the dormitory door, the room was about 15 or 16 square meters, with 6 pairs of bunk beds facing each other.

The railings of the iron bunk bed are made of thin, round iron pipes painted with silver-gray paint, but in some places the paint has peeled off, revealing rust.

Upon closer inspection, there are strips of cloth wrapped around the railing, probably left by previous students to prevent their hands from getting hurt.

At this time, only one bed in dormitory 201, located on the right side near the window, was occupied, and the bed was already neatly made.

Since he wasn't there, Xu Chengjun guessed he'd gone out to study or buy something.

He quickly made the bed; the sheets, mattress, and quilt cover were all prepared by Lu Xiulan day and night.

It carries the scent of my mother everywhere.

A long wooden table was placed in the middle of the dormitory.

Xu Chengjun immediately sat down, took out some paper, and began to organize his thoughts.

no way.

The inspiration for this novel about the bonds of time and space came in a torrent.

"2024, Harbin."

Hopefully, he will be 8 years old and in the second grade of elementary school.

His surname is Xin, so his name is Xin Xiwang (meaning "Xin Hope").

Because her mother said she was her parents' hope.

But Hope has never seen her father. Her mother says, "Your father is a soldier, protecting our country and protecting little Hope. If Hope misses your father, look up at the night sky; the brightest star there is your father's eye."

I wish I had a small box from childhood, with a long, thin hole on it, and it was dark.

Mom said this box was a birthday gift from Dad. If you put a letter in it on your birthday, you're sure to get a reply, especially from Dad.

He hopes that starting from age 4, he will ask his mother to write him a letter every birthday.

A letter to my father.

The box is real; every time a letter is dropped in, a reply from Dad will appear the next morning.

In his letters, Dad would always talk about his daily life and tell interesting stories about the army. At the end of each letter, he would tell Hope to listen to Mom and grow up to be a man. Hope was Dad's hope.

Every time my mother finished reading the letter, she was always in tears.

I hope she doesn't understand much, and she might cry along with her mother when something happens.

Sometimes he'll say: "Mom, I hope I'll grow up to be a man! Mom, don't cry! I hope I'll listen to you."

But for some reason, Mom always cried even harder at this point.

Does it mean you're hoping you've said something wrong?
He wanted to ask his best friend why his mother would cry the next day.
Tomorrow he'll say he's an idiot, and that his mother was lying to him.

There's no such thing as a box that automatically replies to messages. That's just something to fool children.

I hope you don't believe me.

In the afternoon, the First Hope Primary School of Harbin organized a movie screening, which told the story of an uncle named Huang Siyuan who bravely sacrificed his life in the Sino-Japanese War.

In the movie, Uncle Siyuan is just as brave as his father.

Therefore, I have decided to write a letter to Uncle Siyuan.

(End of this chapter)