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

Chapter 253 French Publishers
Li Lanyong looked at his empty sleeves and finally chose to become a gatekeeper at Yenching University.

"I can audit classes at Yenching University, so I can go to university without taking the college entrance exam. I guess I'm actually getting a good deal. Everyone's talking about reform these days, so maybe if I learn something, I can do something for our brigade!"

Li Lanyong understood very well that he couldn't stay in Yanjing like Liu Yimin. He would eventually have to return to Maiji Brigade. Rather than living an ordinary life, he would rather do something for the brigade and its members.

If you want to do something, you need to learn some cultural knowledge and calm down to understand what reform and opening up means.

“I’ll wait until summer vacation to do odd jobs with Comrade Liu Zi and learn from him. I think he’s very quick-witted and would be good at business!” Li Lanyong said.

“Come on, let’s have a drink together to celebrate a different Li Lanyong!” Liu Yimin said, raising his glass.

"Damn it, this is a different Li Lanyong! Yes, so what if I, Li Lanyong, am missing an arm? Damn it, I'll still carry on the revolution!"

After Li Lanyong finished drinking, he smashed the wine glass on the ground.

Without hesitation, Liu Yimin also smashed the cup on the ground. Only after Liu Yimin smashed it did Li Lanyong awkwardly say, "I forgot, I thought this was a farewell drink!"

"It's a farewell toast, a farewell toast for the rest of your life, Li Lanyong!" Liu Yimin said nonchalantly.

Liu Yimin took Li Lanyong to meet the head of the security department. Upon seeing him, the head of the security department smiled and said, "Our job is simple: to protect the school and students and maintain order!"

Knowing that Li Lanyong wanted to sit in on the proceedings, the head of the security department specially adjusted his shift to the first half of the night.

The security department's dormitory was quite crowded, so Liu Yimin said, "Lan Yong, if you don't like it, there's another place for you to stay!"

"It's crowded and lively here; I wouldn't feel comfortable staying here if there were fewer people. This large dormitory-style dormitory is similar to the barracks in the army, and I sleep soundly!"

Li Lanyong greeted his roommates with a smile. Liu Yimin knew several of the security guards, as they often stood outside the gatehouse and he had chatted with them before.

Upon learning that Li Lanyong was Liu Yimin's friend, everyone was very welcoming. After making up the bed, Liu Yimin showed Li Lanyong around Yenching University.

Li Lanyong looked at the flowers and plants of Yenching University with envy, and memorized the location of each building.

"Yimin, go ahead and do your work, don't worry about me!" Li Lanyong said.

"Call me if you need anything!"

"Stop being so wishy-washy! You're a college graduate and a great writer now, and your personality hasn't changed at all!" Li Lanyong said in his old tone, but the smile on his face was no longer as bright as it used to be!
When Li Lanyong returned to his dormitory, several security guards surrounded him and asked him what his relationship was with Liu Yimin.

Li Lanyong was happy to get to know more people: "We grew up naked, from the same brigade."

"What was Writer Liu like when he was a child? Comrade Li Lanyong, please tell us!"

Li Lanyong smoothly took the cigarette, took a puff, and said, "Yimin, he was a good person when he was a child, and he's still just as good now that he's grown up! He did well in elementary and middle school. If he could take the college entrance exam back then, he would have gone to university long ago."

Standing by Weiming Lake, Liu Yimin wondered whether he should tell Li Lanyong's father, Li Dashan, about the situation beforehand.

Li Lanyong's father was unaware of his situation. Liu Yimin sent a telegram to his classmate Tian Qingping in the commune, inquiring whether the People's Armed Forces Department had received any notification of Li Lanyong's injury, to which Tian replied no.

In the end, Liu Yimin still didn't send a telegram to Li Dashan, deciding to let Li Lanyong go back and tell him in person!
From then on, Li Lanyong worked night shifts and stood guard, and during the day he went to various departments to teach classes. Eventually, he found a department he liked and attended classes with economics students every day.

Economics students and professors were used to having such a student listen to their lectures, and after learning about his experiences, they even offered him thoughtful guidance.

Occasionally, when he didn't have classes in the economics department, he would go to a Chinese literature class and sit with Liu Yimin to listen to the lecture. Liu Yimin said that this reminded him of the days when they took classes together in junior high school.

Liu Zhenyun also became good friends with Li Lanyong, and sometimes even invited Li Lanyong to stay in his dormitory.

Chen Dazhi got a bed board from a teacher in the office of students staying at home through Liu Yimin, and Li Lanyong then frequently went from the gatekeeper's dormitory to Liu Yimin's dormitory to stay.

That evening, I chatted with Liu Zhenyun, Li Xueqin, and Chen Dazhi, and gradually forgot about my injuries.

"Comrade Yu Jiajia, the brigade in the south has taken the lead in starting a business?" Li Lanyong asked excitedly.

Yu Jiajia returned from the south, looking even darker and more tanned, truly becoming an iron lady!

He was dark-skinned and thin, and his short-sleeved shirt had become even looser.

"Yes, the farmers there are poor and have little land, so they are bold. Some brigades took the lead, and some individuals did it. There are many individual business owners in the city. In addition, I saw people on the train exchanging chicken feathers for sugar, and then selling the feathers. Some local feather factories have earned a lot of foreign exchange for the country!"

Yu Jiajia was even more excited than Li Lanyong. Without seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn't imagine how many ways people could come up with to make money.

These people who traded chicken feathers for sugar in Yiwu gradually contributed to the creation of Yiwu as a global small commodity market amidst the tides of the times.

Li Lanyong listened very attentively and painstakingly wrote down everything Yu Jiajia said with his right hand.

Yu Jiajia said, "Comrade Li Lanyong, you don't need to take notes. I'll publish a report about it later, so you can just read the newspaper!"

“The newspaper isn’t as detailed as you say. Besides, a bad pen is worse than a good memory!” Li Lanyong pressed down on the corner of the notebook with his elbow to make sure it didn’t move around. He started writing slowly, but then he wrote faster and faster.

Yu Jiajia answered many more questions from Li Lanyong before ending the question-and-answer session.

“Comrade Li Lanyong, there’s no rush for you to go back and do something big. Our policies in the North are not as flexible as those in the South. You can study at Yenching University before you go back.”

Li Lanyong nodded: "The professors at Yenching University also said that the main battlefield of reform and opening up is now in the south. Only when the policies in the south are effective will they gradually spread to the north!"

Yu Jiajia then showed Liu Yimin her report on the economic development of the South, as well as her initiative to encourage young people to "make a living on their own."

"Very well written!" Liu Yimin praised.

"If I can be praised by you, Writer Liu, then my trip wasn't in vain!" Yu Jiajia said with a smile, her brows relaxing.

Just as Liu Yimin was about to tease Yu Jiajia based on her tone, he saw her take out interview materials about Zhang Huamei and some information about the local area from her handbag.

Liu Yimin said with a grin, "Wait for me here!"

"Here you go, this is all you need. I've also collected some local newspaper materials from the past year, but I'm sending them back to you. The address is right here!"

"Okay, thank you. There will be plenty of lamb for hot pot tonight, and I'll reimburse you for the cost!"

Yu Jiajia immediately beamed and said it wasn't hard work at all.

“Yimin, when will you tell us your stories from the front lines?” Li Lanyong said, seizing the opportunity.

"Will do!"

"Then I'll wait!" "Me too!"

In the evening, a grand banquet was held in the courtyard house, and Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin, who had just finished get off work, ate with gusto.

"Luckily, I didn't have any scenes to film today, otherwise, I would have missed out on this good meat!" Zhu Lin laughed.

"Just sign here!" In front of the courtyard house, Liu Yimin received another two thousand yuan in script royalties from the Shanghai Film Studio.

With the addition of the 2,000 yuan script fee from Beijing Film Studio, Liu Yimin's savings officially surpassed the 20,000 yuan mark.

Having too much money can be a hassle. Where should you spend it? And there aren't that many vacant houses waiting for you to buy.

At this moment, Massey Dani from the French publishing house arrived, along with Pierre Assouri, a French journalist he had met at the time, who would later become a judge for the Prix Goncourt, a French literary prize, and had conducted an exclusive interview with Liu Yimin when he was in France.

This time, the two came together. In addition to Liu Yimin's works, Massey Dani also wanted to examine other works by Chinese writers.

Pierre had coordinated with the government to come to France for interviews and bring back information about the changes in China.

The foreign affairs department also contacted Liu Yimin in advance and told him some things to note.

Liu Yimin first led them on a tour of Yenching University and introduced them to students from Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. They spent time with these international students and asked them many questions about their experiences in China.

Liu Yimin stood by quietly without saying a word.

After they finished talking, Liu Yimin gave Marseille Dani a set of all the individual volumes of his books so that he could see which ones he wanted to publish in France.

Fernando, a French exchange student, worked as his translator, and Fernando also earned a translation fee from Dani Marseille.

As Fernando was making his introduction, Li Congren suddenly said, "You can definitely publish Liu's novel. I believe it will attract attention in France as well!"

"It's 'The Green Book'!" Fernando blurted out before Li Congren could even finish speaking.

Marcel Danny was puzzled: "Green Book?"

“He was telling a story about the relationship between Black and White people,” Fernando told Massey Dani in French.

Massey Danny picked up an English magazine and began to read, his brow furrowing and relaxing intermittently.

After hearing Fernando's brief explanation, Marcelo Dani felt that there must be a market for it in France.

The Black population in France is also rising rapidly, and in some large cities it may even reach 40 percent.

However, considering France's relationship with Africa, Marseille Dani hesitated. The US has racial tensions, doesn't France have them too? And France is practically leeching off the entire African continent!
As Massey Dani read, he became increasingly engrossed, feeling that if "The Green Book" wasn't included in this book release, it would be a complete failure of his trip to China.

Pierre, standing nearby, wondered how Liu Yimin could have written such a book. Liu Yimin pointed to the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press and said confidently, "Our Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press is like a mini United Nations. Here, regardless of skin color, we discuss all issues equally and bask in the sunshine together."

I have a dream: that regardless of skin color, we can communicate equally in the world.

Pierre laughed, "I can almost recite Martin's 'I Have a Dream' from memory, but I don't think anyone can. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press is, after all, just an ideal world!"

“Even if we can enjoy a moment of equality here, that’s enough!” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Oh, Liu, now I finally understand why you can get so many people from different countries to communicate here. You really are a charismatic person!"

Pierre added, "When I return to France, I will tell people that there is an ideal country here!"

"Perhaps we could say that there is an ideal land in the beautiful East!"

“Of course, Mr. Liu is a very charming man. Luckily, he was born in beautiful Asia!” Miko interjected.

Liu Yimin suppressed a laugh. Was this any different from that damn line, "Fortunately, weapons are in the hands of civilization"?

"Japanese?"

"I am a Japanese national!"

In the days that followed, Dani and Pierre often mingled with these international students, and Liu Yimin didn't really keep an eye on them; their actions were mostly handled by the foreign affairs department.

Liu Yimin didn't have much time to spend with them; he just needed to wait for Massey Dani to choose the books to be published.

When Liu Yimin met Massey Danny, he felt a little regretful. It would have been better if this guy had brought the royalties back to China and exchanged them for foreign exchange certificates to give to him.

After the book is published, he'll come back again; who knows how things will turn out.

However, Zhang Guangnian from the Writers' Association actively met with Massey Dani several times and inquired about many things related to publishing in France.

I recommended quite a few books to him, hoping he would consider them.

Zhang Guangnian was particularly interested in earning foreign exchange, but after meeting with the French publisher a few times, he felt that they wouldn't publish much, so he stopped paying attention to them and had his subordinates keep in touch.

In addition, they actively contacted other foreign publishers.

Time flew by and it was exam season again. Liu Yimin was busy preparing for the exams while also writing and revising his script.

Liu Peiran from the August First Film Studio approached Liu Yimin several times to inquire about the script's progress and offer his opinions.

“Yimin, we and the TV station will each contribute 800,000 yuan, for a total of 1.6 million yuan to produce this ‘Wolf Smoke in Beiping’. That’s an average of over 100,000 yuan per episode. That’s a considerable investment!”

Liu Peiran spoke with great enthusiasm about the filming, but upon calming down, she was also worried that so much money would be wasted.

He should bear the main responsibility for the failure. When a film is ruined, the first thing he should think about is not the director and the crew, but the decision made by the higher-ups.

Of course, he wouldn't take on too much specific responsibility; he was more upset about it.

"Director Liu, don't worry, this script will definitely be a hit, and the investment will definitely be recouped!"

What kind of situation is this? Not only do they have to provide the script, but they also have to provide emotional value!
"I believe in you, and I believe even more in your script! Luckily, this drama is mainly about Beiping, so there's no need to travel around, otherwise this million-plus yuan wouldn't even be enough to fill a tooth gap!"

The 1982 TV series "Journey to the West" had a total investment of six million yuan, with each episode costing 240,000 yuan. As a result, due to filming locations all over the country, most of the actors and other crew members suffered greatly.

Besides, Little White Dragon received a decent reward!
The budget for each episode of "Wolf Smoke in Beiping" was over 100,000 yuan. Although it wasn't filmed in a single courtyard, filming in one city was much better than filming across the whole country. That amount of money was definitely enough.

(End of this chapter)