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

Chapter 259 Yenching University Offers Him a Position as "Associate Professor" [Seeking Votes at the End of the Month]

Liu Yimin sat in Yan Jiayan's office, the words "Associate Professor" making his head spin.

First they paid people for not doing any work, and now they're offering associate professorships. This Chinese department is really willing to spend money on this.

"Professor Yan? Isn't this against the rules?" Liu Yimin asked cautiously.

"Rules are for ordinary people, not you. If the Chinese department wants to develop, it must recruit outstanding talents, and you are that talent. You have been abroad and have broad knowledge; you have many works and are capable; you also have strong theoretical abilities. This associate professorship is agreed upon by many professors in the Chinese department."

Especially Director Yang Hui, who believed that talent should be recruited without being bound by convention! Many organizations have been asking you about it lately, haven't they?

Yan Jiayan looked at Liu Yimin and asked with a smile, "The Chinese Department of Yenching University has given us everything it can."

"The Writers Association's People's Literature and Art, Beijing Film Studio, Shanghai Film Studio, and August First Film Studio have all talked about this matter."

"You agree?"

"No consent!"

Yan Jiayan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Yan Jiayan had not agreed.

"How about it? Stay at Peking University!"

Liu Yimin asked, "Professor Yan, you haven't taken off your 'deputy' post yet, have you?"

Yan Jiayan blushed and glared at Liu Yimin. He really knew how to bring up the most sensitive topic. Liu Yimin was indeed only an associate professor, but that wasn't his fault; it was the fault of the times.

During the ten years that followed, the granting of professorships was suspended, resulting in a large number of lecturers who were the main force of teaching at the university at that time.

Yan Jiayan had just shed his lecturer title two years ago and become an associate professor.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be taking off my 'pair' soon, I'll definitely do it before you do!" Yan Jiayan said with a smile.

"I'm just afraid that if I start out as an 'associate professor,' it will cause controversy, won't it?" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"If you have the ability, you have nothing to fear. Your English is good, and we will inevitably have to communicate with foreign universities in the future. You won't need to bring a translator when you go out, and the department will have a clear understanding of the travel expenses for the translator."

"Hey associate professor, just tell me if you're going to do it or not!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Liu Yimin quickly said, "However, I can't remove the word 'deputy,' mainly because it sounds awkward."

“We weren’t as shameless as you were back then!” Yan Jiayan said, then looked at Liu Yimin: “You mean do it?”

"Yes, how about I write you a written agreement?"

"Set it up now!"

"You really want me to stand up?" Liu Yimin protested.

"Haha, alright, as long as you agree to stay at the university. Oh dear, you don't know, I'm also having a headache. Professor Yang Hui is forcing me to do this, and the other senior professors all say that you have to stay at the university, otherwise our Chinese Department at Yenching University will have no successors. Look how much everyone values ​​you."

Even the principal joked that you're the "treasure" of our Chinese department, and a "treasure" should stay in the Chinese department. What's the point of you going to the Writers' Association to become a full-time writer?

Liu Yimin agreed to stay at the school, and Yan Jiayan happily took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

Liu Yimin took out a match and quickly lit it for Yan Jiayan. Yan Jiayan took a puff and said, "You've never lit one for me before!"

"From now on, you'll be my boss, so I have to try my best to please you!" Liu Yimin flicked the match to extinguish it and said with a grin.

"You rascal. Although you'll be an associate professor after graduation, you can't recruit graduate students!" Yan Jiayan said.

"Why would I hire that thing? It's already giving me a headache!"

Even when Professor Yuan talks about his graduate students, he scratches his head in anguish!
"That's not quite right. Graduate students are also a crucial part of the Chinese Department's development. We've already thought it through. The department will appoint Dean Wan as an adjunct professor, and you can ask Dean Wan to be your advisor. Write a graduate thesis, and in two years, you'll be promoted to graduate level, which will make it easier to become a professor. Then you can help the department mentor graduate students."

"You've already thought this through!"

"Of course. Dean Wan wanted to take a precious student from our Chinese Department, so he had to leave something behind for us. If Dean Wan hadn't taken you with him, Professor Yang Hui would have wanted you to be his student."

Yan Jiayan revealed a sly smile, thinking that from now on, he could say that Cao Yu was a professor in the Chinese Department of Yenching University.

"Besides, you're not eligible for housing allocation. We can provide accommodation for young teachers, though. But places like Yannan Garden and Yandong Garden don't offer you any housing!" Yan Jiayan said helplessly.

“That’s no problem!” Liu Yimin said. As for houses, the last thing he lacked was houses.

However, the houses in Yannan Garden and Yandong Garden are really nice. They are independent villas with gardens, and you can hear the sound of children reading aloud as soon as you open the window. They are good places.

As for where the young teachers live, it was converted from a student dormitory.

It's so crowded, you can say something risqué while doing business here, and maybe you can chat with someone over there. Liu Yimin almost said that even dogs don't live here anymore.

Liu Yimin waved happily to Yan Jiayan and walked out of the office, feeling light on his feet.

This door, once you go in and out, you could become an "associate professor"—it's truly a magical door.

For Liu Yimin, becoming an associate professor was an unexpected surprise. Lecturers had too many courses and little free time.

Professors have fewer courses and more free time.

When they arrived at the building entrance, Liu Zhenyun and the others were still chatting happily under the tree!
Upon seeing Liu Yimin, Liu Zhenyun waved to him and stuffed twenty yuan into Liu Yimin's pocket, saying with a smile, "During the summer vacation, I published an article in the family newspaper and received some royalties. I'm returning the money to you!"

Liu Yimin didn't stand on ceremony with him and congratulated him with a smile.

Chen Dazhi and Li Xueqin asked him enviously what he had written. Liu Zhenyun said shyly, "I wrote an article to encourage students to study hard and take the college entrance examination!"

"Hey, did you pay tribute to Yimin's speech at the school?" Chen Dazhi laughed.

Liu Zhenyun blushed and said, "Of course not, don't slander good people for no reason!"

Zhang Manling laughed wildly a few times and told them that her novel would be finished soon, and that everyone should take a good look at it to see what a novel really is.

After not seeing each other for a summer vacation, they've all become even more active.

Chen Dazhi asked, "Where are you planning to work? We should be busy with job assignments in the second half of the year."

“I might go to the Tianjin Writers Association; they’ve sent someone to contact me!” Zhang Manling said.

Liu Zhenyun asked, "You're from Yunnan Province, why are you at the Tianjin Writers Association?" "Hey, both the North and the South are in China, what's the big deal? Are you going back to Henan Province, Zhenyun?" Zhang Manling said casually.

"I'm planning to contact magazines and newspapers in Yanjing and stay here!" Liu Zhenyun said.

Chen Dazhi plans to return to Shanxi Province and work in the provincial cultural department. Li Xueqin, on the other hand, plans to take the postgraduate entrance examination and does not intend to consider job assignment.

"Yimin, what about you?"

"I'm going to stay at the university!"

"Stay at the university? I haven't heard of any lecturer positions available for staying at the university this year!" Zhang Manling asked in confusion.

"There are no lecturers, but there are associate professors!" Liu Yimin said with a faint smile.

"What? Associate professor? You *****!" Zhang Manling swore several times.

Liu Yimin said disdainfully, "Zhang Manling, you're a woman, and I've taught you writing before. What? Am I not good enough to be an associate professor?"

Liu Zhenyun, Chen Dazhi, and Li Xueqin stood blankly under the tree, each remaining silent.

This seems to be a bit beyond their comprehension!

After a while, Liu Zhenyun said quietly, "Xueqin, what's the point of you even taking the postgraduate entrance exam? You should just become a student of Yimin! Dean Wan's second-generation disciple, a descendant of a prestigious family!"

"Get lost!" Li Xueqin shoved Liu Zhenyun. "Yimin is my roommate. How can I be his student? But I can be a graduate student. Yimin, look at me, am I graduate student material?"

Chen Dazhi said disdainfully, "First be a roommate, then a student. Hey, you're so diligent. So, once you get to the dorm in college, you're just looking for a teacher for yourself."

A group of people burst into laughter. Liu Yimin patted Li Xueqin on the shoulder: "Unfortunately, I don't have any graduate student slots!"

“Now that you’re an associate professor, you have to treat us!” Zhang Manling said.

"What 'associate professor'? That 'associate' title sounds awful. Drop it!" Liu Zhenyun said, putting his arm around Liu Yimin's shoulder. "Professor Liu! The youngest professor in the Chinese Department, the youngest professor at Yenching University, the youngest professor in China... well, I'm not entirely sure!"

"Zhenyun, not yet, graduation is!" Liu Yimin said modestly. However, it was unlikely that he would treat everyone to a meal today, as he still had to go to Cao Yu's house.

After chatting for a while, Liu Yimin left Yenching University.

Looking at the new generation of faces, Liu Yimin recalled that he himself had entered Yenching University in the same way three years ago.

A group of innocent yet naive college students curiously peered at the gates of Yenching University, and occasionally, some local accents could be heard among them.

In September, Yanjing is in the midst of sweltering heat. Liu Yimin bought an ice pop at the door and rode towards Muxidi.

When Liu Yimin arrived at Muxidi, he was covered in sweat. Li Yuru was at home reading a play script. When she saw Liu Yimin arrive, she said with concern, "Yimin, why did you come so early? It'll be cooler tonight!"

"Master's wife, it's nothing. What are you busy with at home?"

"There's nothing much going on, so I can only look at some old scripts. The more I look at them, the more I can see the skill behind them."

Li Yuru asked Liu Yimin to go to the restroom to wash his face and wipe his sweat.

"I'm still getting used to the weather in Yanjing after coming back from Beidaihe. That place is really great!"

"Of course, otherwise so many people wouldn't go there to escape the summer heat. Yanjing is just too hot; even the roof tiles of the courtyard houses are scorched by the sun."

Liu Yimin was thinking that he should buy a motorcycle; he was pedaling his bicycle so much that sparks were practically flying out of his head.

"I heard Linlin became an assistant director?"

"Hey, let's learn how to rehearse from Teacher Lan!"

“I think this girl has potential. She’s stubborn, just like in opera. It’s hard to learn from a young age. You can’t learn it to the end without that kind of drive.”

The two started cooking and waited for Cao Yu to return. During the meal, Cao Yu asked Liu Yimin about his work.

“Teacher, I’m going to stay at school!” Liu Yimin said.

"Stay at the university? Being a teacher is a good option. I started as a teacher myself."

Cao Yu believes that university teachers are within the system, but they are freer than institutional writers like those in the Writers' Association, and nothing affects them.

Furthermore, if you really want to work within the system in the future, the channel is actually quite smooth; a transfer order between different units can be completed with just one document.

"Yi Min has become a teacher too?" Li Yuru asked with a beaming smile, and began to ask all sorts of questions.

"Being a university teacher is both easy and difficult. Lecturers have a very tough time in the first few years."

"Professor, the Chinese Literature Department wants me to be an associate professor!"

"Well, being an associate professor is tough too. Take it slow, I did it back in my day."

“You graduated as a middle school English teacher!” Li Yuru chimed in.

"Hahaha!" Cao Yu laughed and told him to do a good job.

Li Yuru kept asking questions, and finally asked about the school housing. Liu Yimin told them that the school couldn't allocate housing.

An associate professor title is already enough to make people envious; if you also get a house, even the most mild-mannered professors will be restless!

“Yimin doesn’t lack houses!” Cao Yu said.

"Living in the city center is too far from my workplace!" Li Yuru said.

Cao Yu thought for a moment and said to Liu Yimin, "There are overseas Chinese apartments in Huayuan Village. It seems that the purchase restrictions have been lifted now. There are also some second-hand houses there. It's close to Yenching University, so you can live there!"

“That’s far from us!” Li Yuru said again.

Cao Yu chuckled helplessly a few times and then fell silent, unsure of what to say after Li Yuru's words.

“Apartments are more comfortable to live in than courtyard houses. It’s hard to even go to the toilet in a courtyard house!” Li Yuru said to herself.

Liu Yimin nodded. It seemed like it was time to buy another house!
(End of this chapter)