Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 152 The Amusing Stories of an Honest Man's Blind Date

The snow fell for several days in a row, and Liu Yimin didn't return home until the eve of the Lunar New Year. During his time at the cultural center, Liu Yimin rediscovered the feeling he had when he first started writing.

Inside the literary creation group's office, a group of people were chatting and boasting. The topic always revolved around Liu Yimin, so Liu Yimin simply asked everyone to stop talking about him and instead listen to the trends at the cultural center.

Old Zhang recounted his experience attending the provincial literary and art congress: "The provincial literary and art congress? It was my first time attending. Otherwise, with a writer from our county, how would I be qualified to attend?"

Liu Yimin quickly waved his hand and said, "Old Zhang, you don't need to talk about me."

“I don’t have anything to say about you. At the literary and art congress, everyone was asking me about you. Even the leaders of our provincial literary and art federation asked me about you,” Old Zhang said helplessly.

Hey, so I'm social currency after all!
Everyone was talking about their own stories, some about how much they had published, others about interesting things that had happened to them. Old Zhang told him that none of the students he used to teach at the cultural center had gotten into university, not even a junior college.

"It's my fault for being an incompetent teacher!" Liu Yimin laughed, though he had expected this outcome.

Otherwise, the elderly people in the cultural center wouldn't have understood while they hadn't when I gave my lecture.

"I heard that Director Yang's daughter is taking the exam again this year, and if she fails again, she'll have to get married. Director Yang said that last year she was about ten points short of the junior college cutoff, so she still has a good chance."

After Old Zhang finished speaking, he arranged for Liu Yimin to give a report to the staff of the cultural center. Unlike the first time he came to the cultural center to give a report, no one made things difficult for Liu Yimin at first.

"Dad, Mom, how's my brother's girlfriend going?" Liu Yimin asked gossipily while making dumplings.

After arriving home, Liu Yimin overheard Liu Fuqing and Yang Xiuyun discussing Liu Yiguo's relationship.

“Yes, he has thick eyebrows and big eyes, is good-looking, kind-hearted, and doesn’t have many hidden agendas,” Yang Xiuyun said first.

Liu Fuqing nodded, indicating that he completely agreed with Yang Xiuyun's words.

Liu Yimin looked at Liu Yiguo, who hadn't spoken, and asked with a smile, "It's okay if you guys like it, but your older brother has to like it. Big brother, what do you think?"

Liu Yiguo remained silent for a moment, then said, "I think it's alright. It's good that she's not scheming, easily satisfied, and doesn't argue!"

"If you like it, that's fine. When are you getting married?" Liu Yimin asked.

Liu Yimin couldn't figure out whether Liu Yiguo's argument was about living together or about fearing future conflicts between the two families. Perhaps it was a combination of both.

The woman was a Chinese language teacher at a school for the children of employees of the mining bureau. They met through a matchmaker and went to a restaurant outside the mining bureau for their first blind date.

However, when they first met, Liu Yiguo's first impression of the female teacher was that he was too honest. Liu Yiguo told the female teacher everything about his family.

"There are four people in my family. My parents are farmers, and my second brother is a college student and writer. He writes very well. His name is Liu Yimin."

The female teacher smiled and said, "These matchmakers have all mentioned it, and I've read your brother's books too, almost every single one. Your brother is a writer? You look down on me?"

"No, what I meant was that there's a big gap between me and my second brother. If we get married, you can't be envious. I'm already getting a job at the mining bureau because of my brother, and I can't rely on him anymore. So, I might work in the mining bureau's office my whole life and never become a leader."

Liu Yiguo said honestly.

The female teacher paused for a moment before saying, "The job at the mining bureau is already very good; at least I'm not from a rural area. Being a leader isn't all that great. As long as the two of us are together peacefully and safely, that's enough." "And another thing..."

"you say?"

“My brother might not be home in the future, so I'll have to take care of our parents. He's destined for great things, so we can't let him worry about things at home. If we get married, we can't complain about taking care of our parents or say it's unfair.”

There are two brothers in the village who always quarrel, and our family can't. We never quarreled before, and we can't quarrel anymore.

“Taking care of parents is a duty, especially after marriage. I teach my students to be filial to their parents, and I have to do it myself first. It’s good to have parents.”

“If we really get married, I will treat you well. Within my ability, I will definitely not let you suffer any grievances. My brother is an educated man, reasonable, and he won’t argue.”

“If you won’t let me suffer, I won’t let your parents suffer either. I have to go see your parents and see what kind of people they are.”

On their first meeting, after dinner, Liu Yiguo took her straight to his home. Yang Xiuyun scolded him for being a blockhead, saying, "He went to all the trouble of introducing you to someone, and you just bring her home before you even know each other?"
Fortunately, Yang Xiuyun and Liu Fuqing were not difficult people to get along with. The two elders busied themselves preparing food and cooking, and got to know the female teacher a little.

After chatting, I learned that the female teacher and Liu Yiguo went to the same junior high school. She had even borrowed Liu Yiguo's notes when they were in school. She went to high school, while Liu Yiguo became a coal miner.

The person only remembered the name when they saw the photo and name handed over by the matchmaker, so they agreed to meet. When Liu Yiguo saw the person, he didn't even remember who it was.

"I've seen your brother before. When he was in junior high, your parents brought him to give you steamed buns and money. He was all dirty back then, like a monkey," the female teacher said.

Liu Yiguo said to Liu Yimin, "I really can't remember. Girls change a lot as they grow up. When I was in school, I think I often sat in the classroom alone without saying a word."

"Borrow my notebook, and then we can talk."

Liu Yimin's words made Liu Yiguo blush immediately. After the dumplings were wrapped for New Year's Eve, Yang Xiuyun immediately prepared to cook them. The aroma of the meat cooking in the pot, combined with the scent of star anise, wafted far and wide.

The production team raised several pigs, and after slaughtering the cow, each family received a considerable amount of meat.

Yang Xiuyun said, "She also comes from a poor background. Her mother died early, and her father, who worked in the mines, was also imprisoned. Now she's all alone; otherwise, at her age, her family would have been arranging her marriage long ago."

Now Liu Yimin knew that the job of the teacher at the mine was something that the man's father had risked his life for.

"Come on, Yimin, try these meat and egg dumplings." Yang Xiuyun handed a steaming bowl of dumplings to Liu Yimin, urging him to try them quickly.

Biting into the dumpling, the aroma of radish wafted out before the meat. Liu Yimin took a bite and asked, "Not bad, delicious. Big brother, when are you planning to get married? You're alone during the New Year, why don't you invite you over for a visit?"

"I called, but no one came!"

Liu Fuqing said, "How can a family celebrate the New Year if they're not married yet? This girl is pitiful. Once she's married, your older brother should treat her well."

After finishing their meal and chatting for a while, Liu Yimin let out a burp that smelled like radish and went back to his room.

(End of this chapter)