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

Chapter 187 The Praise Contest for "Stars"
After finishing their meal, Ma Shitu and his group took Liu Yimin and Xu Chi to No. 98 Zhengtong Street. Outside the gate, people were coming and going, and the laughter of many young and beautiful girls could be heard from the buildings on both sides of the street.

"Where is this place?" Xu Chi couldn't help but stop in his tracks.

Ma Shitu and the others next to him burst into laughter when they saw Xu Chi's expression: "Old Xu, this is a theater. But the troupe here is a military arts troupe, and their performance is outstanding."

The Zhanqi Song and Dance Troupe even gave a performance in Yanjing (Beijing).

Liu Yimin looked upstairs curiously, but could see nothing except the dim light and a slender figure behind the glass. It must be the rehearsal room; someone was practicing extra!
The Zhanqi Song and Dance Troupe is very famous among the national performing arts troupes. It has not only created many classic dances, but also produced some well-known movie stars.

Liu Xiaoqing, who is still being bombarded at the age of 70, came from the Zhanqi Song and Dance Troupe and should now be working as an actress at the Beijing Film Studio.

Ma Shitu said, "I specially found some tickets today because of you all, so you can feel the enthusiasm of our Federation of Literary and Art Circles."

A young man nearby said, "The pretty young girls are all in our army's cultural troupe."

In the cultural troupe, besides the General Political Department, there's our Zhanqi Song and Dance Troupe. You've all seen "The Great Wall of the South China Sea" and "Little Flower," right? Comrade Liu Xiaoqing came from our Zhanqi Troupe; she was such a beautiful girl, it's a pity she was married. Her husband is from Yanjing (Beijing), and we couldn't let the young couple live apart, so we had to release her."

"Beijing Film Studio really hit the jackpot!"

Who is her husband? Wang Li!

It seems that this group of people still harbors some resentment towards the Beijing Film Studio because of the personnel transfer issue.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Chi smiled and said, "That's not right. No matter how pretty she is, she can't be as pretty as Zhou Yun!"

"That's right, that's right. Zhou Yun is very popular now. Actor Zhu Lin said she's from the Beijing People's Art Theatre. The Beijing People's Art Theatre produces good actors too!"

"Nowadays, all the young girls want to be Zhou Yun. They imitate her hair, clothes, and even how she speaks!"

Xu Chi said with his hands behind his back, "You don't know, do you? Comrade Zhou Yun is Comrade Liu Yimin's girlfriend. They're a perfect match. Some of you young comrades, just give up on that idea!"

"Oh, really? Comrade Liu Yimin, congratulations! A beautiful woman and a talented man, what a lovely story!"

"A golden couple."

"I have always admired the jade carvers in the world. Yimin, you are the modern-day 'jade carver'!"

Liu Yimin chuckled, didn't reply, and walked into the theater amidst the envious glances of the young people.

Ma Shitu pointed to the side and said, "This is also the hometown of Comrade Ba Jin. He used to live here. Everyone also calls this place Li Family Courtyard, and that well is the one he often referred to as the Double-Eyed Well."

Ba Jin often said that as long as the Eyes Well remains, he can find traces of his childhood.

Looking at the buildings inside, Xu Chi laughed and said, "Comrade Ba Jin's home is also a family history and a history of the times!"

Liu Yimin carefully looked at the house that once housed forty or fifty servants and more than a hundred people, and was deeply moved: "When I went to France, Mr. Ba Jin said that his family had fallen into ruin at the time, and he was studying in France. It touched him greatly!"

"King Wen was imprisoned and wrote the Book of Changes; his suffering also shaped his first work." Ma Shitu nodded.

Entering the song and dance troupe's performance venue, a few people sat at the very front. As the lights came on and the music began, rows of female soldiers walked onto the stage and began their performance.

Today's performance is "Grassland Women Militia," a classic dance created by the Yanjing Zhan You Song and Dance Troupe. During the creation process, the Premier personally sent them to the grasslands to experience what the grasslands are like and how horses gallop across the vast expanse.

Xu Chi whispered to Ma Shitu, "If I didn't know you didn't go to collect folk songs, I would have thought you arranged it on purpose."

Ma Shitu: "What?"

"We just came down from the Aba Grassland!"

"Grassland Women Militia" blends various dance elements such as Mongolian dance, ballet, and classical dance. The female soldiers' performance, which combines strength and gentleness, drew rounds of enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Afterwards, Ma Shitu asked with a smile, "Yimin, Lao Xu, how did you feel?"

Liu Yimin nodded and said it was good.

On the way back, a group of people started discussing dance. Liu Yimin felt that his artistic attainments were not high, he didn't understand ballet very well, and he didn't think it was beautiful.

On the contrary, Liu Yimin is very fond of ancient Chinese dance.

On the way back, Xu Chi asked about it, and Liu Yimin told him the same thing. Xu Chi smiled but didn't say anything.

Liu Yimin guessed that maybe at his age, he wouldn't care about dancing anymore, since even with a favorable wind, he might still wet his shoes!

On their way parting, Ma Shitu gave the two of them several books.

"Comrade Xu, when are you planning to set off?" Liu Yimin asked.

"What do you mean, 'set off'? I still want to see Chengdu and visit Du Fu Thatched Cottage. We've come all this way, why go back so early? You can't leave either, I still have so many things I want to ask you."

Xu Chi pulled Liu Yimin's arm and said with a smile.

The next day, before the two even left the house, they were stopped at the guesthouse by the editors of "Stars". Bai Xing came in person, followed by a young editor.

"Comrade Liu Yimin, what are your thoughts and feelings after arriving in Aba? Is there anything you want to write about?" Bai Xing asked with a smile.

Xu Chi said with a stern face, "Old Bai, you've come at a really bad time. We were just about to leave!"

Seeing Xu Chi's cold face, Bai Xing wasn't embarrassed at all. He put his arm around Xu Chi and said, "Comrade Xu, your poetry is pretty good too. Could you help out 'Stars' magazine? It just started publishing again recently, and we really don't have any good manuscripts!"

"Old Bai, you've just resumed publication, take your time, why are you in such a hurry!" Xu Chi said, squinting his eyes.

Bai Xing handed Xu Chi a cigarette, took a puff, and said with a troubled expression, "How can we not be anxious? Ten thousand years is too long; we must seize the day. We've finally started working, and we have to produce results. This year, Poetry Journal is on a roll; its sales in Chengdu have surpassed our Stars. They've even taken over our hometown. How can we not be anxious?"

Seeing his reaction, Xu Chi stopped rushing out and gave up the futile struggle: "Shut up."

"Ask Yimin. The impact of Yimin's poems on young people is explosive. 'Just Right' is like dropping a bomb in the hearts of young people, making them understand what love is like, innocent, romantic and sweet."

"The World" was like throwing an H-bomb into people's heads, blasting open the minds of young people and making them realize how vast the world is and how insignificant our daily lives are.

Bai Xing said excitedly.

"Yes, everything that happened from Alaska to the North and South Poles gave everyone endless room for imagination. What young person wouldn't like that? Not just young people, even I, after watching it, was wondering what the world is really like!"
As we discussed this in the guesthouse, we were unaware of what was happening in distant Alaska, along the Huangpu River, and in the Arctic Ocean—how many magnificent sights we had never witnessed! Just thinking about this made my soul and heart tremble and surge with emotion.

The young editor behind Bai Xing continued, picking up where Bai Xing left off.

Xu Chi glanced at it and said with a sneer, "What, is your 'Stars' poetry journal holding a commendation ceremony for Yimin?"

“We’re optimistic, but Comrade Liu Yimin has to give us a chance!” The young editor’s timely remark pleased Bai Xing greatly.

Bai Xing said, "Comrade Yimin, the poetry scene in the Southwest is waiting for your poem!"

Liu Yimin stood at the window looking at the pedestrians below, then turned around and said, "Comrade Bai Xing, talking about bombs and H-bombs is a bit of an exaggeration!"

"It's no exaggeration at all, Comrade Liu Yimin, your writing is truly excellent. It has both content and artistic conception, giving everyone endless room for imagination, and it's also grand and magnificent, with a global perspective. Now is the time for us to open up and expand outwards, and your poetry is a reflection of the world!"

Liu Yimin said helplessly, "If I keep talking, I'll become a poet who sees the world with his eyes open! Comrade Bai Xing, I really don't have any right now, but I'll send them to you when I do, okay?"

The herders on the grasslands also know that they can't keep milking the cows all the time!

"If only you were in Chengdu!" Bai Xing sighed, looking at his empty hands, feeling that he had come all this way for nothing.

"Old Bai, please understand Comrade Yimin. We're here to gather inspiration for our play, and your 'Stars' magazine can't publish plays! Besides, your 'Stars' magazine has a pretty good cast and has produced quite a few good poems!" Xu Chi said with a smile.

Bai Xing and his young editors left, their hands empty.

After the two of them left, Xu Chi turned around and said, "Hey, Yimin, when was 'The World' published? How come I didn't know?"

"I wrote this as a gift for people when we set off for Aba. Zou Huofan saw it when he came to my place, thought it was good, and took it. I didn't expect it to sell so well!"

Xu Chi pursed his lips helplessly and pondered a sentence he had written as a gift: "Judging from Bai Xing's attitude, it's not just that the sales are not bad, he's so jealous that he's about to eat Zou Huofan alive. It's not surprising, after all, the southwest is geographically inferior to the Poetry Journal in Beijing."

Looking at the sun that was about to rise high in the sky, the two decided to take a short stroll and then return. The late August sun was so hot that Liu Yimin couldn't lift his head and couldn't help but miss the cool grassland.

Before setting off, Xu Chi insisted on going to the bookstore to buy a copy of "Poetry Journal" to take a look, only to find out that "Poetry Journal" was out of stock when he got to the queue.

"We're too far from Yanjing, so we only bring a small amount here to begin with. Plus, they sell out quickly. Come back tomorrow, or they might be gone again," the salesperson said.

Seeing that he couldn't buy it, Xu Chi could only ask Liu Yimin to read it to him. Liu Yimin didn't remember some parts very clearly either, so he said, "Let's ask when we get back to the guesthouse. Maybe the staff there will have some."

"You've reminded me, those girls definitely have some."

The two toured around Chengdu. Du Fu Thatched Cottage is located in what is now the city center, saving them a lot of trouble by not having to travel far. They had already returned the jeep to the United Front Work Department; they couldn't very well ride around in someone else's jeep every day.

Old Sun from the United Front Work Department said there was no rush and that it wouldn't be too late to return the money after leaving Chengdu, but Liu Yimin and Xu Chi refused.

Therefore, Xu Chi jokingly referred to Liu Yimin as an honest and upright writer.

The Du Fu Memorial Hall was established a long time ago, so the facilities inside the thatched cottage are still relatively good. Many young people and children were playing inside, and old men were strolling under the trees.

The weather was hot, so the two did not stay at the thatched cottage for long.

Back at the guesthouse, both men were soaked in sweat. A waiter handed them towels to wipe their sweat, saying, "Writer Liu, this is the hottest time of the year, not a good time to go out and play."

Xu Chi smiled and said, "I've learned my lesson," and then asked the other party if they had any Poetry Journal.

The waiter smiled and borrowed a book from someone, handing it to Xu Chi: "Writer Liu, we all really liked the poems in last month's Poetry Journal. You spoke for us young people, we all like you!"

"I like you all too, I like my readers!" Liu Yimin felt there was something wrong with the first sentence, so he immediately added the second.

"Exactly! It's so well written. I told my friend, 'You're so good to us. Some people are so arrogant, but you're different. You speak so gently and softly, without a trace of temper!'"

Xu Chi turned to the page of "The World" and said to the waiter, "Don't let his gentle demeanor fool you, he's a cold-blooded killer!"

"Kill assassins?" Xu Chi's words startled the other party.

"Yes!"

"Who are you going to kill? Don't talk nonsense, you old comrade!"

"He shot two wolves in Aba. Those two wolves were no ordinary creatures; they were the alpha wolves of two different packs. Don't you think he's a cold-blooded killer?"

"Wow, that's amazing! Writer Liu, you're incredible!"

Liu Yimin smiled slightly, "There are no Tyrannosaurus Rex in Sichuan and Chongqing either!"

After they left, the waiter immediately ran over to tell others: "You know what? Just now, Writer Xu told me that Comrade Liu Yimin shot and killed the wolf kings of two wolf packs in Aba!"

"Did you know? Writer Liu killed two packs of wolves in Aba!"

"Did you know that writer Liu attacks any wolf he sees in Aba?!"

"You probably don't know this yet! Writer Liu killed all the wolves in Aba!"

When the news finally reached the waitress who had initially heard it, she listened to her friend's exaggerated description and asked uncertainly, "Is that really how it is?"

Back in the room, Xu Chi kept praising Liu Yimin while looking at the poems. Liu Yimin was about to take a shower when he saw Xu Chi still in the room and said helplessly, "Old Xu, let's keep each other's privacy!"

"Don't worry, I'm not watching it. Let me tell you my thoughts!"

Liu Yimin thought to himself that this was terrible and he didn't want to hear any opinions at this moment. If he didn't go to wash, the temperature inside the room would be too high, and there would be no way to cool it down.

"You're acting all coy like a young lady. What, do I have to come in and scrub your back?" Xu Chi said, stroking his beard.

"Never mind, I'll take a shower first!"

Before the bathroom door was even closed, Xu Chi leaned against the doorframe and began discussing his thoughts.

(End of this chapter)