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

Chapter 247, "Travels in Aba," was published.

After seeing off the leaders, Liu Yimin and Cao Yu returned to the backstage area. The actors were having a heated discussion. The backstage area was crowded and everyone was sweating profusely, but no one felt uncomfortable from the heat.

Instead, they all laughed and discussed the actions they had just taken, or that they had spotted a certain leader.

"Comrades, the Dean and Comrade Yimin are here!" someone shouted, and the backstage area fell silent.

The actors made way for them, and as they passed by, they reached out and gave the two a high-five.

Cao Yu, his face flushed with joy, stood in the middle and said loudly, "Comrades, you've worked hard today. Your performance was wonderful, and the leaders and the audience members all highly praised it."

The schedule will definitely be even fuller from now on, so please keep up the good work. The comrade from the Ministry of Culture just mentioned that they will allocate additional funds for performance subsidies. Also, the theater will give everyone a day off for the Dragon Boat Festival, so let's all celebrate!

Upon hearing this, the actors backstage jumped up excitedly and applauded. Of course, some of the veteran actors didn't jump, because they couldn't muster the energy to do so.

Ouyang Shanzun gave Liu Yimin a warm hug, and then everyone around him took the opportunity to open their arms to Liu Yimin.

Zhu Lin smiled and gave Liu Yimin a legitimate hug in front of everyone.

When the actors finished removing their makeup and walked out of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, there were still many people on both sides of the street who hadn't dispersed. They were all excitedly discussing the performance they had just watched, and how the veins on their necks and foreheads were throbbing because of the exertion.

The weather was already quite hot at the end of May, and since everyone had nothing to do at home, they had to have a good discussion!

Upon seeing the actors come out, some audience members who recognized them stood up and applauded with smiles.

Some actors who lived at the Beijing People's Art Theatre pretended to live outside and walked around the streets in order to get some applause.

Some actors playing minor roles will get excited and shake hands with the person they recognize if they are recognized, and then discuss the plot with them.

Ouyang Shanzun said to Liu Yimin, "Look, tomorrow's newspapers will be full of discussions about these two plays."

"Go back and get a good night's sleep. You don't know, I haven't had a good night's sleep in ages!" Su Min stretched his arms wearily.

"Okay, bye-bye, see you tomorrow!" Liu Yimin said.

After seeing off Ouyang Shanzun and the others, Zhu's father and mother walked over from under the streetlights and excitedly gave Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin a thumbs up.

"Linlin, Yimin, you two are amazing!" Zhu's mother said loudly, as if afraid that the people nearby wouldn't hear her.

Liu Yimin managed to get two theater tickets for Zhu's parents, seats just below the front row. Looking at the cheering audience around them, the two were incredibly proud, wishing they could point to the people in the theater and say that they were their daughter and son-in-law.

Seeing the performance's success, I felt that as a parent, I also had a part in this success, and I felt a strong sense of participation!
They both knew in advance that the leaders were watching, so they didn't shout or make a fuss, but they were secretly very pleased with themselves.

When people have access to information, especially confidential information, before others around them, they experience a sense of "high social status."

Just as everyone wondered why the ticket check was so slow today, the two knew it was because a leader was coming, and a sense of "high social status" arose spontaneously.

The two kept praising Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin, making Liu Yimin feel a little embarrassed.

“Yimin, it’s a long way to Peking University. Shall we take you there?” Zhu’s mother asked.

"No, no, I'll..."

“Teacher Liu rides fast, he’ll be there in no time!” Zhu Lin chimed in, almost letting slip that he lived nearby.

"You child, Yanda is too far away. What if something happens to you?" Zhu's mother complained.

Liu Yimin declined, saying, "Auntie, it's nothing, I'll be there in a bit."

"It's a pity there are only two rooms in the house, otherwise Yimin could stay at our house for one night!" said Zhu's father.

Liu Yimin counted on his fingers. Two rooms were just right. It seemed that the professor, who was in the science and engineering field, wasn't very good at math.

…………

After circling around, Liu Yimin finally returned to the courtyard house. From afar, he could see two people arguing under the streetlight at the entrance.

Liu Yimin cursed under his breath, "What the hell is this, arguing in front of my own courtyard house?!"

The occasional barking of dogs and the rattling of bicycles from inside the alley attracted the attention of the two people at the door.

As soon as Liu Yimin got out of the car, Xu Sangchu, one of the two men, came over and asked hurriedly, "Yimin, why are you so late?"

"This is what you are doing?"

"Yimin, we're here to discuss the script contracts for 'Mountains High and Rivers Long' and 'Red River Valley,' which we agreed on yesterday. I'm not here to sign the contracts. I don't know what Old Wang wants to see you so late at night; he probably couldn't sleep and just wandered over!"

Xu Sangchu said sarcastically.

Wang Yang snorted coldly: "Xu Sangchu, do you really think I'm a three-year-old? Do you think I don't know whether this contract is real or fake!"

It turns out that the two of them had seen a play today and both wanted the script; they just happened to bump into each other here.

Inviting the two into the study, Liu Yimin saw them still bickering and rubbed his temples in exasperation.

Neither of them showed any sign of backing down. Seeing Wang Yang's determined demeanor, they couldn't help but sneer:
"Who doesn't know that you, Old Wang, are powerful and domineering in the department and bureau, and the boss of fourteen film studio directors!"

"The August First Film Studio is a sister studio; how dare you steal their script!"

Wang Yang was so angry that Xu Sangchu had hit a nerve, and he said with a flushed face, "Sangchu, you can't say that! I really didn't know anything about what happened with the August First Film Studio!"

"Didn't you already understand after that?" Xu Sangchu said calmly.

"Old Xu, our colleagues in the factory have been preparing for so long, and everyone will complain if we don't film it!" Wang Yang knew that he had done something wrong, so his words softened.

However, no one has given any approval regarding Liu Yimin's two scripts.

Wang Yang rolled his eyes and said, "Old Xu, Yimin is tired too. Let's go and come back to discuss it tomorrow!"

“They’re all ancient foxes, are you trying to play a ghost story on me?! Yimin, do you believe me or not, I’ll leave and he’ll be back the next minute!” Xu Sangchu asked with a smile.

Having exhausted all other options, Wang Yang said, "How about one script per family?"

As the two were chatting, the phone in Liu Yimin's study rang. Both of them looked at the phone warily. Liu Yimin answered the phone, and an unfamiliar voice came from the other end.

"Comrade Yimin? I'm Liu Peiran, the deputy director of the August First Film Studio. I'd like to talk to you about the script. Where do you live? I'll come find you."

The August First Film Studio had no connection with Liu Yimin, so Liu Peiran made inquiries from various sources before finally finding Liu Yimin's phone number.

Upon hearing the voice, Xu Sangchu took the receiver and said, "Old Liu, don't even think about it. Comrade Wang Yang from Beijing Film Studio said he's bought them all!"

"Old Xu? Wang Yang!" The voice on the other end was practically cursing. Xu Sangchu laughed and hung up. Making things difficult for Wang Yang was fine, but she wouldn't actually call Liu Peiran over; that would create another competitor. Liu Peiran was in charge of feature film production at the August First Film Studio; he was the "Company Commander Zhang" in *Southward and Northward*. It was because of the role of "Company Commander Zhang" that he moved from the army's cultural troupe to the August First Film Studio, beginning his film career.

The directors of the August First Film Studio were even more impressive; they were all high-ranking military officers. The current director, Zhang, took time out of his busy schedule to fight a battle in the south in 79 while serving as the director.

Wang Yang was disgusted by Xu Sangchu's words, but there was nothing he could do.

Liu Yimin rubbed his temples and said, "How about this, let's do as Factory Director Wang said, one notebook per factory!"

Wang Yang and Xu Sangchu exchanged a glance, and Xu Sangchu said, "Two thousand yuan a script, let's give them all to Shanghai Film Studio!"

“We’ll have two thousand too!” Wang Yang said.

Two thousand is the highest price for a feature film.

Xu Sangchu's lips curled into a smile: "Alright then, one factory per factory, we'll take it."

They argued again about which studio would get two scripts, and in the end they drew lots. Beijing Film Studio got "Mountains High and Rivers Long" and Shanghai Film Studio got "Red River Valley".

The two scripts were distributed to two different companies in such a dramatic way.

Xu Sangchu suggested staying in a guest room that night, saying he was too lazy to go back to the guesthouse. Wang Yang was worried about him, so he also stayed in a guest room.

The two lay in a room, and Wang Yang said quietly, "Old Xu, why did you have to do this?"

"What's wrong?" Xu Sangchu rolled over and asked with a smile, "Old Wang, you're not going to go back and assemble another 'Red River Valley' production team, are you?"

"."

Wang Yang was so angry that he couldn't sleep well that night. The next day, after having people from the factory come and sign the contract, he said goodbye to Xu Sangchu and left the courtyard.

The courtyard finally quieted down. Liu Yimin lay casually in a chair and said to Xu Sangchu, "Thank you, Director Xu!"

"fine!"

Liu Yimin was referring to Xu Sangchu helping him raise the price of the script to two thousand yuan. If Xu Sangchu hadn't offered two thousand, the script might not have been worth two thousand when it reached the Beijing Film Studio. Of course, it's also possible that Wang Yang could have offered it.

"Yimin, I regret it so much! I should have finalized the deal when I came to see you!"

"Director Xu, don't think you're the only one who regrets it; there are others who are even more regretful!"

"Who?"

"Director Wang, when Director Wang Yan went to Sichuan Province to film, he mentioned this matter to the Beijing Film Studio. I guess Director Wang also wanted to see the effect of the stage play."

"Old Wang, on one hand, he wants to see the results, and on the other hand, I think he wants to use the leaders' praise to ask the Ministry of Culture for a special fund!"

At this point, Xu Sangchu hurriedly stood up: "Oh no, I have to go to the ministry too!"

Xu Sangchu hurriedly borrowed Liu Yimin's bicycle and rode towards the department. Liu Yimin waved his hand, and finally, things quieted down.

Liu Yimin took a newspaper from the drop box by the door and carefully read today's news.

Major newspapers are reporting on the grand occasion of the Beijing People's Art Theatre yesterday, and some even published news of praise from higher-ups.

In the days that followed, in addition to direct reports, some media outlets also published commentaries written by leaders.

For example, Comrade Wu from the United Front Work Department wrote a piece titled "Two Plays, Generations of Efforts—Singing a Praise to National Unity."

In Liubukou Hutong, Liu Yimin arrived at Xia Yan's house with a book in his hand. The "Homeland Trilogy" had been printed, and Liu Yimin came over to give it to Xia Yan.

Xia Yan touched the exquisite cover and said with a smile, "This collection must be very expensive!"

"It's three yuan more expensive than the combined price of three novels!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

The cover is exquisite, with a complete map and national flag drawn on it, as well as reliefs of figures. You can even feel the raised reliefs on the cover when you touch it gently.

"The books printed by the Commercial Press are of such high quality. It's a pity that Lao Shen will never see such books again."

"Brother Yimin, did you bring me candy today?" Shen Yun asked, holding Liu Yimin's hand and staring intently at his pocket.

Liu Yimin was amused by Shen Yun's appearance and took out some candy from his pocket and put it in Shen Yun's palm.

Xia Yan laughed and scolded, "Still eating candy? You're eating too much; it's bad for your health!"

Shen Yun laughed and ran off, making a face at Xia Yan when she reached the door.

"The Beijing People's Art Theatre must be incredibly busy lately!" Xia Yan asked.

"I've been quite busy lately with those two stage plays scheduled, and I also have to coordinate with the TV station and film studio for filming, so I'm a bit busy, but I don't have much to do!" Liu Yimin said.

"Things will get better after this busy period. I went to see these two plays again, and the experience is completely different when there are many people watching them versus when they are being rehearsed. I'm also relieved that these two scripts have been handed over to Shanghai Film Studio and Beijing Film Studio for filming. I believe they can make good movies!"

After Xia Yan finished speaking, he added helplessly, "Xu Sangchu and Wang Yang came to my office one after the other asking for special funds, crying and pleading poverty!"

"You gave it to me?"

"Of course not. Their film studio has its own funding, but they still insist on asking for special funds. The ministry isn't some landlord or rich man; how can we tolerate their unreasonable demands!"

After chatting for a while, Liu Yimin got up to leave. Xia Yan and Shen Yun escorted Liu Yimin to the alley entrance, with Shen Yun calling out to Liu Yimin to come back and play again when he had time.

The Commercial Press initially thought that the collection of the "Homeland Trilogy" would be difficult to sell due to its high price, but once it hit the market, they found that it actually sold very well!

People would rather pay three yuan more than buy three books at a cheaper price.

Huang Chunyu was very puzzled when he brought up this matter, and Liu Yimin couldn't figure it out either.

When they met Cui Daoyi, he told them that the reason was that everyone wanted to buy a copy to collect, and the second reason was that it contained a preface written by Mr. Mao Dun.

Everyone regards this as the last text written by Mr. Mao Dun, so they cherish it very much and want to buy a copy as a memento.

"Yimin, your 'Travels in Aba' has been published. What do you think of this version? It even includes a picture of the grasslands you took in Aba!" Cui Daoyi asked with a smile.

Liu Yimin flipped through the magazine and saw the dark picture, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Don't be happy. I see quite a few readers reading your essays. When I pass by the bookstore, I hear readers saying that they can learn about a bigger world through your essays!"

(End of this chapter)