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

Chapter 232 American Media: Who is Liu?

After finishing their meal in the courtyard, Zhu Lin pestered Liu Yimin to teach her a foreign language. Liu Yimin always felt a little awkward teaching a foreign language in the study, but later he realized that the place just wasn't right.

After learning the foreign language, he accompanied Zhu Lin to the Beijing People's Art Theatre. It was several directors who asked Zhu Lin to call out to them.

The two walked into the Beijing People's Art Theatre building side by side. Now that everyone knows, there's no point in hiding it anymore.

"Dean Shanzun, is this your name?" Liu Yimin asked.

“Can’t I call you if there’s nothing else? Let you enjoy ‘Red River Valley’ with us. You’ve practiced enough. Anyway, you’re bored in the courtyard. It’s much more lively here,” Ouyang Shanzun said nonchalantly.

Su Min pulled Liu Yimin aside and said:
"Don't listen to his nonsense. It's the leaders from the Ministry of Culture and the United Front Work Department who want to come and watch the rehearsal together. Both departments attach great importance to it. It is said that the central leaders know about these two plays and have given instructions that they must be rehearsed well. They will come to the Beijing People's Art Theatre to watch them in person and record them into a program to be broadcast on television, or even made into a movie to be shown in various ethnic minority areas."

"My people, our burden has become even heavier!"

"But there's no need to worry too much. The higher-ups have said not to interfere excessively with artistic creation." Although Lan Tianye said this, his face was very serious, and he didn't look relaxed at all.

Liu Yimin nodded, so that's what it was about: "When are they coming?"

"Old Wan told us to get ready, in a week!" Ouyang Shanzun said.

"There shouldn't be any problem with the Ministry of Culture!" Liu Yimin thought about Xia Yan and Zhou Yang's attitudes and felt that the problem was still with the United Front Work Department.

"Anyway, that's the gist of it. Let's take a good look at it, and if there are any problems, we can make some changes!" Lan Tianye said.

"Row!"

"Mountains High and Rivers Long" and "Red River Valley" were rehearsed in turn. While "Red River Valley" was being rehearsed, "Mountains High and Rivers Long" was not completely neglected; it was rehearsed every few days.

This time, when the group watched the rehearsal, they were completely different from their usual nonchalant demeanor. They were almost all staring at the stage, and no one spoke.

Cao Yu walked in and sat down quietly to watch.

Some actors performed in both plays during the two rehearsals, and were exhausted after performing two shows in a row.

A few hours later, Cao Yu let out a sigh of relief and spoke first: "Don't be nervous. We at the Beijing People's Art Theatre have been through this kind of thing more than once or twice. It's just a matter of pointing out some problems, and we'll fix them! If we feel that it's not suitable for us to change, we'll talk about it later!"

“Master Jiabao, we are relieved to hear you say that!” Lan Tianye said.

The pressure is on Cao Yu. If they really offer some inappropriate suggestions, Cao Yu will not be able to withstand the pressure, and they will naturally have to change.

"Comrades Xia Yan and Zhou Yang will also be coming then!"

While Ouyang Shanzun, Lan Tianye, and Su Min were still giving instructions, Cao Yu called Liu Yimin out and said:
"This is a common occurrence when writing scripts; you'll get used to it. A big play, of course, will attract a lot of attention. A small pebble thrown into a lake leaves no ripples, but a big rock makes a splash, and if it's a bomb, the waves can surge dozens of meters high."

"Teacher, I understand. With you here, I feel at ease!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

When the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!

After finishing rehearsal that evening, Liu Yimin dropped Zhu Lin off and then returned to school.

The second semester of junior year has fewer classes, but it's not like there are no classes at all.

Liu Yimin walked into the dormitory, looked at the three of them, and asked with a smile, "Have you three been eating too much good food? Why are you all so inflamed? You all have blisters on your lips?"

"It's urgent!" Liu Zhenyun said.

"In a hurry? Don't be in such a hurry. With those big blisters, if you go to see Guo Jianmei again, she might not even recognize you!"

Li Xueqin and Chen Dazhi both smiled at Liu Zhenyun. Liu Yimin glanced at the two bachelors who didn't even have a target, wondering what they were laughing about.

At the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Liu Yimin sat opposite a group of international students, just as before. Ke Lifu and Li Congren, who were next to him, were not there. No one knew why, but the former activists had become laggards.

Mulatu from Ethiopia said with a dark face, "Li Congren said that Chinese people give gifts during the New Year, and he brought you a gift too. He'll be here in a bit!"

Fernando, a French student, said, "Liu, I saw in the newspaper that the total sales of 'The Brave Old Man and His Dog' last year reached 50,000 copies, ranking tenth on the French bestseller list. You are currently the most influential Chinese writer in France!"

"Surely not? There are so many senior figures among them!"

"Oh, I forgot, it's the most influential young Chinese writer!"

"..." Liu Yimin said to Fernando, "Comrade Fernando, please use his title when you speak in meetings in the future, and don't forget to use prefixes when you speak."

Among young Chinese writers, Liu Yimin is probably the only one whose work has been published in France. He has no rivals in terms of influence, and he doesn't violate any advertising laws at all.

After waiting a while, Li Congren and Kelifu came in carrying a suitcase.

"Liu, guess what I brought?" Li Congren said happily.

Fernando: "Please address each other by their titles during meetings!"

Li Congren opened the box, inside were several American newspapers and a dozen or so copies of *The Paris Review*: "Liu, many Americans read *The Green Book*, it sells very well. I bought quite a few newspapers and magazines to bring back for everyone to see. It's a pity I originally brought even more."

Foreign publications cannot be publicly distributed in China. When Li Congren tried to bring so many magazines into the country, he was stopped at the immigration checkpoint.

Customs officers were stunned when they saw the box full of foreign magazines. This foreigner was too audacious to try to smuggle foreign publications.

They dragged us into the house and asked if we wanted to engage in espionage.
Li Congren spent a long time explaining, and then the customs officer found a colleague who was fluent in foreign languages ​​to verify Li Congren's words. Looking at the author's name on the novel, the officer repeatedly asked if "Liu Yimin" was the famous Chinese writer Liu Yimin.

"Comrade, I am an international student in the History Department of Yenching University, from the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Liu is our president, and his novels are very popular in the United States. I would like to share this joy with him."

Customs called Yenching University's Office of Students to carefully verify the information. After confirming it was a misunderstanding, they released Li Congren, but confiscated most of the magazines, leaving only about a dozen.

"International students, please remember not to bring so much in the future, or better yet, don't bring any at all!"

Li Congren nodded obediently and followed the teacher from the Yenching University Overseas Students Office back to Yenching University. The teacher instructed Li Congren not to tell the American Embassy about this matter, so as to avoid causing foreign affairs disputes.

When the students from Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press saw the magazine, they all picked it up and started reading. Li Congren handed Liu Yimin a newspaper, The Washington Post, which highly praised Green Book and drew a conclusion through the protagonist's story.

"Love can bring people of different skin colors together, eliminate the boundaries of skin color, and allow them to bask in the American sun together!" Liu Yimin smiled contemptuously. These words really fit the hypocritical values ​​of white people.

Several other American newspapers offered varying degrees of commentary on the Green Book. One California newspaper even wrote, "WHO IS LIU?"

"Liu, I also wrote an article about you and submitted it to this newspaper. I wonder if they will publish it!" Li Congren said proudly.

Many students from the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press congratulated Liu Yimin. Japanese exchange student Xiaomei Hezi blinked her big eyes and bowed to Liu Yimin apologetically, saying, "Mr. Liu, I'm so sorry I didn't bring you a gift when I came back from Japan!"

"Just don't cause me any trouble!" Liu Yimin informed a dozen or so international students about something: "Comrades from the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, please be careful about your actions in China. Don't go to places you shouldn't go. Something happened among our Japanese students at Yenching University. One of them went to take pictures near a military base without permission and was almost sent away as a spy."

Let this serve as a warning to everyone, let's study Chinese culture diligently, and stop thinking about so many unnecessary things!

"Liu Jun, private Marseille!"

"He Zi, stop bowing. It's not you. But even if it isn't you, you better watch out!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

This was instructed by Liu Yimin from the Office of Overseas Students, to keep these people on high alert, because if they were to cause any espionage incidents, it would look bad for the school.

The Office for International Students is under increasing pressure, and with the growing number of international students at Yenching University, more and more problems are arising.

Last year, a case occurred where a male student married a Canadian international student. This sudden occurrence caught the international student affairs office off guard, but they were still able to obtain their marriage certificate in the HD district.

Two months later, the female Canadian student returned to China, and then the male student also successfully went to Canada to study.

Whether it's true love or not, no one dares to say!
As Liu Yimin watched the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press team grow larger and larger, he sighed and said that the team was becoming more and more difficult to manage!

After the meeting, Liu Yimin left the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Li Congren, Klifu, and Mulatu took Liu Yimin to the international student dormitory for a Western meal, saying they wanted to celebrate.

So, Liu Yimin came to the international student restaurant on the top floor of the international student building for the first time. The appearance of a Chinese student here was quite eye-catching, but seeing so many international students surrounding him like stars around the moon, he shrank back and did not express any objection.

Klif said to the students of Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, "You still have to try the food in the Chinese student cafeteria. You have to eat Chinese food to truly experience China."

"Liu, how well-done would you like your steak?" Li Congren asked.

Liu Yimin said calmly, "Fully cooked!"

"Fully cooked?"

“That’s right! We Chinese have long since moved beyond the era of eating raw meat and drinking blood!” Liu Yimin joked.

Unfortunately, they didn't understand what it meant to eat raw meat and drink blood!

When Liu Yimin came out of the international student building, he took a few copies of "The Paris Review" with him, intending to send one to Xu Chi. However, seeing the dense English letters, the post office dared not send it, so Liu Yimin could only wait until Xu Chi came to Yanjing again to give it to him.

The other book was given to Cao Yu for his collection. Cao Yu exclaimed that his role as president of the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press had not been in vain, as it had become a bridge connecting China and the world.

Cao Yu placed the magazine on his desk: "Let's go, they'll be here soon!"

Outside the Beijing People's Art Theatre, several cars were parked on the roadside. Cao Yu and Ouyang Shanzun and a few others were there to greet them, while Liu Yimin stood at the very back.

"Old Wan, it's so windy, what are you doing out here?" Xia Yan said to Cao Yu.

Cao Yu laughed and said, "Come out and feel how strong the wind is!"

Zhou Yang said, "I don't think the wind is very strong today!"

The others walked over and said to Cao Yu, "Thank you all for your help today. We have to take this seriously!"

"Understand, understand!"

After shaking hands with each other, Xia Yan said to Liu Yimin, "Good lad, all I heard about in February was your name. Those two novels are really well written!"

"Publishing two articles in a month, you're the fastest young writer in our literary world right now," Zhou Yang said, patting Liu Yimin on the shoulder.

"This is Comrade Liu Yimin? He's indeed young. I'm a student of Wu Laowan from the United Front Work Department. I haven't let your teacher down. You've worked hard in Aba!"

“Yi Min, this is Comrade Wu, the person in charge of the United Front Work Department!” Cao Yu said.

Liu Yimin straightened up and maintained a suitable smile: "Hello, leader, welcome to give your guidance!"

Upon arriving at the rehearsal room, the leaders of the two departments sat in the middle, while Liu Yimin and Lan Tianye, along with three others, sat on either side, ready to offer excuses and explanations at any moment!

Liu Yimin sat down next to Xia Yan. Xia Yan gently patted Liu Yimin's hand on his lap and joked, "You haven't been to my place lately, and Xiao Yun'er has been clamoring to see you!"

Several people from the United Front Work Department, including Zhou Yang, looked at Xia Yan in surprise. How could the two of them have such a good relationship?
As the bell rang, the actors officially took the stage, and the rehearsal room fell silent as a group of people watched the performance intently.

Xia Yan and Zhou Yang nodded slightly from time to time, indicating their agreement.

Several actors on stage made mistakes in their movements, perhaps due to a lack of rehearsal familiarity or pressure. Fortunately, the review focused on the plot and lines, not the actions.

Even if something unexpected happens, it won't be a big deal.

After the performance of "Mountains High and Rivers Long", Zhou Yangxian said, "I think this play is very good. The spirit of bravely fighting against the invaders and not being afraid of death is very moving!"

The people in the United Front Work Department exchanged glances, and one of them said, "When we charge into battle, it's okay to shout slogans like 'For the nation and the country,' but 'For the emperor' seems a bit inappropriate!"

Liu Yimin was about to speak when Xia Yan stopped him. Cao Yu said, "A stage play must also conform to historical facts. If it's changed, it won't be historically accurate. We can't look at the past with modern eyes!"

"We're not saying we'll change everything, but there should be some emphasis!"

Xia Yan said, "It's not omitted from the script! Even the emperor's scenes are very few. I think it's very balanced. National consciousness was just emerging at that time. Our theme is to express that since ancient times, people of all ethnic groups have been fighting for our common homeland."

After a few words of debate, the person in charge of the United Front Work Department waved his hand and said, "Let's take our time and watch 'Red River Valley' first. We can discuss it in the meeting room later!"

(End of this chapter)