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

Chapter 221 It’s better to leave the remaining brave men to chase the poor bandits

When Liu Yimin is dominating the public opinion battle, his every move attracts extra attention.

Such a large-scale public opinion campaign has already boosted sales of previously published individual volumes. Moreover, at this critical juncture, Liu Yimin's new poem has suddenly appeared.

Liu Yimin, who has been criticizing others for not being able to write poetry lately, has even made people who don't understand poetry curious to see how well he writes!
With the person becoming more popular than the poem, the sales of "Stars" were successfully boosted, and the positive reviews of "Once Upon a Time" then benefited Liu Yimin.

The sales of the standalone edition of "The Kite Runner" are putting a lot of people under pressure. And the long lines at Xinhua Bookstore to buy "Stars" are a testament to the public's support for him.

In parks, on campuses, in various organizations and factories, people are reciting "The Past Was Slow," because no one doesn't miss the old days!

People tend to romanticize their experiences; even the most painful times can be remembered with moments that move them and evoke nostalgia.

When Zou Huofan of Poetry Journal saw the three big characters "Liu Yimin" on the latest issue of Stars, his first reaction was that his home had been hacked!

I hurriedly turned to the page for "Once Upon a Time, Things Were Slower," looked at it for a long time, and said regretfully, "How did such a good poem end up in 'Stars'!"

Yan Chen walked over with the magazine and said, "I heard that Bai Xing is going to show us what's what. Before the Yanjing 'Stars' poetry journal was even released, he had already stocked up on it. This 'Slowly in the Past' is 'Stars' heavy weapon for conquering territory!"

Seeing that Yan Chen was even more agitated than himself, Zou Huofan quickly pulled him down to sit and let him try the chrysanthemums that Ge Luo had given him!

“Yi Min went to Sichuan Province, so he must have met with Xingxing. Knowing Bai Xing as I do, his method of soliciting articles is usually to pester him relentlessly. It’s understandable that Comrade Yi Min would be annoyed by it and send him an article!”

"Persistently pestering? If Bai Xing were here, they'd definitely exchange a few words to see who was truly persistently pestering them!"

"However, the fact that this poem is so popular with readers is a good thing for Yimin!" Yan Chen took a sip of the bitter wild chrysanthemum tea. He usually found it too bitter, but today, after feeling bitter, he didn't feel like he couldn't drink it anymore.

"Yes, persuading people with reason and with their works—that's what a true poet should do. Yimin's recent poems have become much more nuanced in their emotions, showing a finer touch beneath the rougher surface!"

Zou Huofan took a sip of chrysanthemum tea.

An editor nearby remarked, "You think he's some kind of rough-around-the-edges Zhang Fei? He's all bark and no bite!"

The unpleasant atmosphere in the entire editorial department was instantly dispelled by a few jokes.

Zou Huofan looked at "Slowly in the Past" and began to analyze it with great satisfaction, even considering writing a poetry review. Unfortunately, thinking of the smug smiles on the faces of the editors at "Stars" magazine, he decided against it.

"I remember when I was young,

Smoke signals rose across the land of China
You alone, me alone,
Using the body as cover.

The sirens wailed and the planes roared.
Black smoke billowed from the charred roof beams.

Zou Huofan wrote a piece titled "The Past Was Slow," reflecting on his past life and reminiscing about his own past.

“We’ve always done it this way! Old Zou, write this down and give it to Comrade Liu Yimin to see!”

With the popularity of the poetry journal "Stars", "Slowly in the Past" has become a hot topic of discussion in major newspapers and underground forums, with both official and underground forces working together.

Many readers praised it, saying, "This is true poetry! This is a true poet!"

Amidst the overwhelming praise, no harsh criticisms could be heard. The debates and counterattacks that had previously taken place vanished under the pressure of the artwork; only the remaining words on the wall told everyone that a fierce argument had taken place.

Under the powerful combination of attacks, the opponent finally admitted defeat.

At Yanda University, Liu Yimin was strolling around the campus with his roommates Lu Yao, Jiang Zilong, and Liu Zhenyun when Liu Yu, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, found him.

Accompanying her was another person, whom Liu Yimin recognized: the famous director Tian Zhuangzhuang. She was dark-skinned and thin, with a long face, and rarely smiled. She was dressed rather elegantly, though her collar was stained with a lot of ink.

"Yimin, it's been a long time!" Liu Yu said with a complicated expression.

"Comrade Liu Yu, it really has been a long time. What brings you here today?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile. Liu Yimin had a good impression of Liu Yu from their first meeting at the editorial office of *Today* magazine.

She's not aloof at all; she's enthusiastic, lively, and the kind of person who's very sociable.

"Come on, let's find a place to talk! It's been a long time. Who are these gentlemen?" Liu Yu asked.

"These are Comrade Lu Yao, Comrade Jiang Zilong, and my roommate Comrade Liu Zhenyun," Liu Yimin introduced them one by one.

Liu Yu warmly shook hands with everyone, while Tian Zhuangzhuang, with his hands in his pockets, simply nodded slightly at them.

"This is Tianzhuangzhuang. The first tea we ever drank was from his father!"

"Hello, Comrade Liu Yimin!" Tian Zhuangzhuang extended her hand, feeling very happy inside, but still maintaining a reserved demeanor, only offering a faint smile.

Liu Yu took them out to eat. After ordering, Liu Yu didn't bring up the important matter, but instead kept talking about when she met Liu Yimin.

“Yimin, you didn’t join Today back then, and I left later too. To be honest, we young people always want to do something different, but sometimes I can tell what we should do and what we shouldn’t do. It was right of you not to join back then.”

"Old Tian, ​​don't look at me like that. Even if Chen Kaige were here, I'd say the same thing: some poems really aren't poems. Yimin, Chen Kaige is a good friend of ours, the agent for *Today* at the Beijing Film Academy. Because your poems are good, *Today*'s sales have been declining, and he's very unhappy about it!"

Tian Zhuangzhuang lit a cigarette and stopped talking.

"Comrade Liu Yu, let's not talk about this over dinner today!" Liu Yimin said.

“We have to talk, Yimin. We’re here on a mission today. This is a letter from Huang Xiang of the Enlightenment Poetry Society, and we also have a few movie tickets for ‘Romance on Lushan Mountain’.”

Liu Yu handed the letter and movie tickets to Liu Yimin, but Liu Yimin didn't open them!

Liu Yu said in surprise, "Yimin, aren't you going to open it and take a look?"

"We won't dismantle it. We know the general contents, so there's no need to look at it!" Liu Yimin said casually.

Sending a few movie tickets adapted from Liu Yimin's novel already explains the contents of the letter; the request for reconciliation has arrived!

Tian Zhuangzhuang suddenly looked at Liu Yimin and felt that this action was very cinematic. She thought that if she filmed it, it would be very exciting.

He stubbed out his cigarette and began staring at Liu Yimin.

"I don't like Huang Xiang and his gang cursing and swearing, but they found me, so I had no choice but to come. What do you think, Yimin?"

"Comrade Liu Yu, what can I think? I'm on the defensive!"

"Hahaha, your defense is practically all the way to Delhi!"

"Let's eat first. To put it bluntly, we can't just tolerate them biting this and that!" After finishing their meal, Liu Yu couldn't help but ask, "Yimin, are you still writing commentaries? After all, Huang Xiang and the others have already submitted their surrender letter, according to the rules..."

“We’ve already written it, so we have to publish it. It’s the responsibility of every poet and writer to purify the atmosphere of the poetry scene. However, as long as they stop spouting nonsense, I certainly don’t have the energy to care,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"When you came here, many people said that the poetry circle spoke highly of you as a magnanimous person who was easy to get along with. I think they have already realized their mistake, so let's not talk about it anymore," Tian Zhuangzhuang finally couldn't help but say.

Liu Yimin grinned at him: "Do good people deserve to have guns pointed at them?"

Liu Zhenyun, standing next to him, was instantly energized; it was that smile that he would never forget!
“Alright, we’ll tell them, Yimin, we wish you even better works. Beijing Film Studio is also filming your ‘Mr. Donkey.’ As a fellow student of Beijing Film Studio, I sincerely hope that the cooperation between the two sides will get better and better, and that we can make good movies for the audience. Next time you come to Beijing Film Studio, look for me. I’m in the logistics department, and I’ll treat you to a meal!” Liu Yu said, putting his arm around Liu Yimin’s shoulder.

After they parted, Liu Yu patted Tian Zhuangzhuang on the shoulder: "What? Did you get rejected? Do you feel embarrassed? Comrade Liu Yimin is like that. He looks gentle and refined, but he's actually very tough. He won't offend others unless they offend him. Otherwise, how could he write such good works?"
You might need to collaborate with them when you make movies in the future!

Seeing that Tian Zhuangzhuang still hadn't reacted, Liu Yu waved her hand in front of him again, and he finally came to his senses.

"That's so powerful!" Tian Zhuangzhuang exclaimed.

"what?"

"Don't you think Comrade Liu Yimin's words just now were very domineering?" Tian Zhuangzhuang said, mimicking Liu Yimin's tone: "Knowing the general content, so there's no need to read that good people should be held at gunpoint?"

Doesn't it look like a negotiation scene from a movie?

Seeing his good friend thinking about this, Liu Yu shook his head and rode his bicycle towards the city without looking back.

Behind them, Tian Zhuangzhuang was still shouting, "Should good people be allowed to have guns pointed at them?"

On the campus of Yenching University, Liu Zhenyun, Li Xueqin, and Chen Dazhi were also marveling at how inspiring Liu Yimin's words had been!
Lu Yao and Jiang Zilong, being more composed, looked at Liu Yimin and asked, "Yimin, are you still going to publish what you've written?"

The two of them did have some stock left, but not much.

Liu Yimin smiled faintly: "Comrade Lu Yao, Comrade Zilong, and Zhenyun, after the restoration of royalties, every word a writer writes will be charged. We've invested in manpower, paper, and ink; if we don't receive royalties, doesn't that mean we're losing money?"

Of course, I don't mean that writers should write solely for money. Writers should still have a social responsibility and write good articles for the people.

In addition, Liu Yimin grinned at them and said, "We should press on with our remaining strength and not be like Xiang Yu who sought only fame!"

Let him take his last breath and then we'll talk!
Liu Zhenyun muttered behind him, "That laugh proves that Yimin wasn't holding back any good news!"

"Huh?" Liu Yimin turned to look at Liu Zhenyun.

Liu Zhenyun hurriedly said, "I mean, we're both from Henan Province, how come there's such a big difference!"

The out-of-stock call from the distribution center proved that Bai Xing's estimate was conservative. Half a month later, the person in charge in Yanjing called to request that "Stars" magazine send extra copies, as the original three times the amount had already sold out and they requested that the same amount be sent over.

Bai Xing smirked and said smugly, "I told you what I said! You didn't believe me, now you're getting impatient, aren't you?"

"It's urgent! Editor-in-Chief Bai, please send it over quickly! All the major bookstores are in dire need of it, and the phone keeps ringing!"

"It's too late, just wait! There's a shortage everywhere, and our reprints aren't even finished yet!" Bai Xing hung up the phone immediately.

However, after hanging up the phone, Bai Xing still had the distribution office send the last of the warehouse's inventory to Yanjing.

After all, this is the hometown of "Poetry Journal". The more it sells, the more satisfied he will be. When he sees Yan Chen and Zou Huofan from the editorial department of "Poetry Journal" next time, he will have something to say.

Even though it's a newly revived magazine called "Stars," it's still "Stars"!
After publishing several reviews in Yanjing, Liu Yimin, seeing that the other party had not made any further moves, stopped paying attention to the developments in the poetry scene.

Having written reviews for so long, if I keep writing, I'll really become a literary critic.

Seeing the sun high in the sky and the northwest wind had stopped, Liu Yimin called out to Lu Yao and Jiang Zilong to ride towards Yonghe Temple. Last time he met Shi Tiesheng, he said that when Lu Yao came, he would take Lu Yao to meet Shi Tiesheng.

This is a good opportunity to relax and unwind!

"Yi Min? Who is that? You've known me for a long time? And you were sent to the countryside in northern Shaanxi? I've met all the famous people who were sent to the countryside!" Lu Yao asked in confusion.

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "Just you wait and see, you'll fall in love with him!"

“Comrade Lu Yao is married, Yimin, you can’t do anything reckless!” Jiang Zilong said cheerfully.

Liu Yimin didn't argue with them. After getting familiar with the place and asking some of the older women in the alley, he finally confirmed that it was Shi Tiesheng's house.

Like any other home, the wooden door is faded, with a light red top and the wood showing through where it meets the threshold.

Hearing the sound, Shi Lan ran over first: "Brother Yimin? What brings you here? Who are they?"

Liu Yimin smiled and said, "This is Comrade Lu Yao, the Comrade Lu Yao your brother mentioned last time. This is Comrade Jiang Zilong. And your brother?"

"Reading in the corner? The weather's nice today, sit in the yard and enjoy the sunshine!"

Shi Tiesheng's voice came from inside the courtyard. He tried to push the wheelchair, but the more he rushed, the more mistakes he made.

"This is Comrade Shi Tiesheng. Tiesheng, this is Lu Yao, and this is Jiang Zilong!"

Lu Yao didn't know much about him, but Jiang Zilong, who lived near Yanjing, knew him well. He smiled and said, "This is Comrade Shi Tiesheng. I've read your 'Half an Hour for Lunch'."

The four of them sat in the courtyard chatting. Shi Lan said from the side, "Brother Yimin, what you wrote is really satisfying. My brother keeps praising you, saying that your mouth is worth a whole regiment!"

"Hahaha!"

"Brother Yimin is a good person, he was just pushed to the limit!" Liu Yimin teased Shi Lan.

"Good people should be allowed to have guns pointed at them!"

"Hmm?" Liu Yimin looked at Shi Lan: "How did you know that?"

"Everyone's talking about it, what, Brother Yimin, you know about it too?"

Jiang Zilong pointed at Liu Yimin and said, "It was your brother Yimin who said it first!"

While the conversation was in full swing in the courtyard, Xu Chi, far away in Hubei Province, looked at the stack of manuscript papers in his hand, rubbed his temples, and said regretfully, "I thought I could make it in time to deliver a gift, but who knew it would be over so quickly!"

(End of this chapter)