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

Chapter 261 Turn your elbows outward
In the conference room at Yenching University, most of the senior professors were quite supportive of Liu Yimin, and Yang Hui, unusually, also attended the meeting of the Chinese Department.

The dissatisfaction mainly stems from some young teachers, who are concerned not with scarcity but with inequality.

We're still working hard, and wow, when we look up, we have to call our former students associate professors.

Who could tolerate this?!

Of course, people generally acknowledge Liu Yimin's writing skills. Hence the saying—writing is writing, and lecturing is lecturing.

Yang Hui sat in his seat and said casually, "If you want to compete, then let's have a competition!"

"Director Yang, Yimin hasn't had his courses scheduled yet!" Yan Jiayan said in a low voice.

"Isn't our Chinese Department at Yenching University planning to start a new course? Let Associate Professor Liu come. Let this kid know that being an associate professor isn't easy. He's been to France and has exchanges with people in the US. Our Chinese Department happens to be lacking a professor who understands modern Western literary thought."

"Then let Associate Professor Liu teach a course on the comparison of modern Chinese and Western literary thought!" Yang Hui said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Yan Jiayan thought the course was brilliant. Most of the older professors had studied Chinese literature and classical novels extensively, or they had studied Western literary thought before, and had not discussed Western literature for decades. Many of them were not very familiar with modern Western literary thought.

Liu Yimin's paper also discussed Western modern literary thought, indicating that he had a fairly deep understanding of it. After inwardly marveling at his experience, he said to Yang Hui:

"I think this is exactly what he wants, as his thesis researches this very topic!"

"That's perfect, we can kill two birds with one stone!" Yang Hui said with a smile, coughing a few times to steady his breathing.

The other professors were also quite excited and wanted to attend the competition. Zhu Guangqian even discussed the timing of the competition.

The young teachers looked at each other, wondering who would be the speaker!
Many people have turned their attention to Cao Wenxuan. As the first person at Yenching University to retain a faculty member by offering him a salary, Cao Wenxuan has always been a celebrated figure among the university's young faculty.

In addition, he is quite famous among children thanks to his children's literature.

He was wearing a white shirt and had a humble smile on his face. Seeing everyone looking at him, he started to have some doubts.

He hadn't been listening to much of the discussion; in his mind, he was wondering if he would become an associate professor if he returned to the university with a large body of publications!

Unfortunately, his novels have only been published in the last two years, and they are currently considered rather low-brow children's literature. In the short term, there seems to be little hope for his future.

Cao Wenxuan knew he couldn't win the argument. Liu Yimin could just say a few words in the Triangle area and a group of students would surround him and challenge him to a lecture. Wasn't this just asking for humiliation?
So he half-closed his eyes and pretended to be dead.

Seeing that they couldn't count on him, a Cantonese voice rang out from the corner: "Come on, let's go!"

This is a teacher from Guangdong Province, surnamed Chen, a veteran lecturer. He stayed on at the university in 73, then worked as a teacher at a cadre school for a period, and was transferred back to the Chinese Department in 77, where he was promoted to lecturer!
"Teacher Chen, what are you talking about?"

"I've been teaching literature for seventeen years!"

"it is good!"

Teacher Chen looked at the group of young teachers: "We don't necessarily have to win the argument, but we must speak! We, the leaders of the Chinese Department, must dare to speak. Without confidence, we can't teach well!"

Yang Hui nodded to Professor Chen. After all, the Chinese Literature Department can't lose that wild spirit!
So the Chinese department agreed to wait until after National Day, when the two of them would start teaching at the same time and see whose classroom had more students.

As Zhu Lin walked out of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, basking in the scorching sun, she still hadn't quite grasped the situation and asked again, "Professor Liu, have you really become an associate professor?"

"Hey, that's not accurate. The accurate time is a year from now. Besides, if you can be an assistant director, why can't I be an associate professor?"

"That's not the same!" Zhu Lin patted his shoulder: "Associate Professor Liu, what do you want to eat tonight? I'll cook for you!"

"Stop, let me teach you how to pronounce it! Don't pronounce the '副' so heavily. Yes, pronounce it lightly like this, ideally, so that you can't hear it!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Haha, I've learned it, Professor Liu!"

"Ah—say it again, hmm—I've definitely learned it!"

The two joked around as they returned to the courtyard house. "The Button" wasn't a play with a tight rehearsal schedule, so there was no need for extra practice in the evenings. Plus, she didn't have any scenes to film, so they ate their meal slowly.

Later that evening, Xia Yan's granddaughter, Shen Yun, came over and stayed for a long time. When Zhu Lin left, she took her home.

The following day, Yan Jiayan came to the Beijing People's Art Theatre and found Cao Yu. He discussed hiring Cao Yu as an adjunct professor, but he would not teach undergraduate classes, only graduate students. Moreover, whether or not to recruit students, and how many to recruit, would be entirely up to Cao Yu.

"Xiao Yan, you're really good at using the abacus. You're cut out for administrative work," Cao Yu said.

"Dean Wan, I'd much rather do teaching, but unfortunately, young teachers have to do more administrative work," Yan Jiayan said with a forced smile.

After a while, Cao Yu agreed. Liu Yimin walked into Cao Yu's office, and Yan Jiayan took the opportunity to bring up the matter of giving lectures.

Cao Yu chuckled: "I'll go listen to it then!"

"Dean Wan, you're quite far away, cough cough. I'll compile a copy of my lecture notes and give it to you later!"

Yan Jiayan said with a bitter face. "If Cao Yu goes to attend the lectures, wouldn't that be giving Liu Yimin a cheat code?"

Cao Yu was just teasing him. Seeing his expression, he laughed a few times and didn't continue the conversation.

Liu Yimin nodded in agreement. He would give a lecture, but there would still be more than a month to prepare for the lesson after the National Day holiday.

After their conversation, Liu Yimin saw Yan Jiayan off. Yan Jiayan said kindly to Liu Yimin, "Don't overthink it, trial lessons are a tradition!"

"Professor Yan, do you think I'm that kind of person? I'm just a brick in the Chinese department, you can tell me where to move me!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"That's a good attitude. I'll head back to school now. I'll let you know the specific time later!"

"I'll give you my home phone number!"

“Okay!” Yan Jiayan looked at him again and said, “Great, the home phone has been installed.”

"Well, it's mainly for easier communication!"

Just as Yan Jiayan was about to get on his bicycle, Liu Yimin pulled him down again.

"Anything else? Just say it all!"

"There are quite a few foreign professors at our school, and many of them live in the Overseas Chinese Apartments."

"You're eyeing the Overseas Chinese Apartments?"

"I hadn't planned to take a taxi, but now that I'm staying on campus, I'm not eligible for a housing allocation. I have to find a way myself. It's all for the sake of educating people, so these are minor issues that I can overcome. I'm thinking of moving into the Overseas Chinese Apartment to make do. It's close to Yenching University, so it's convenient for me to come to the university to give lectures."

"Could you ask around and see if anyone's willing to sell a house?" Yan Jiayan said with relief, "Okay, I'll ask for you. Which type of house, A, B, C, or D, would you like to buy?"

"Anything will do, I'm not picky! Of course, A-grade is even better!"

As for whether Yan Jiayan can get the information, Liu Yimin is taking a chance, even if it's not guaranteed, just in case he succeeds!
After spending a few days at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, Liu Yimin went to the Overseas Chinese Apartment in Huayuan Village, handed a cigarette to the security guard, flashed his student ID and school badge, and said he was there to find a foreign teacher.

The security guard happily let Liu Yimin through. The entrance to the Overseas Chinese Apartment was a large iron gate, the paint on which was polished to a gleaming shine.

Overseas Chinese Apartments was not only the first generation of commercial housing in my country, but its property management was also the first in the country, costing only four yuan a month.

Liu Yimin sighed, "They really treat these people like Japanese!"
However, this also aligns with the saying that for national development, those with money should contribute money, and those without should contribute their labor! High-income earners should contribute more!
The Overseas Chinese Apartment is a quiet and lush place, with children singing nursery rhymes under towering ancient trees.

The Overseas Chinese Apartments consist of only two buildings, facing each other from north to south, with pine and cypress trees growing between them. Many of the white pine trees inside were later included in the list of ancient trees.

Liu Yimin went to the front of the four-story building in the south and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, posted several flyers seeking buyers at each of the entrances. After he finished posting them, he ran to the north building and, after he finished posting them all, he left as if nothing had happened.

As he was leaving, the security guard greeted Liu Yimin and jokingly remarked that his time with his teacher was indeed quite short.

The price of the Overseas Chinese Apartments was only a little over 100 yuan per square meter when it went on sale, but many people were exaggerating that it cost more than 100 yuan per square meter and that buying a whole apartment would cost 200,000 to 300,000 yuan.

Liu Yimin did some quick calculations on his fingers. These people all learned math from his teacher's wife. Two or three hundred thousand? Are the overseas Chinese really stupid? Besides, two or three hundred thousand would buy a villa of several thousand square meters.

Before blowing on them one by one, they don't even bother to move them with their hands. Aren't they afraid of getting their tongues twisted by the strong wind?

I walked out of the Overseas Chinese Apartment and just waited for someone to call me.

Back at the courtyard house, Liu Yimin received several letters from Lu Yao. In the letters, Lu Yao expressed that the enthusiastic feedback from readers after the publication of "Life" had overwhelmed him, and first thanked Liu Yimin for his help in writing the manuscript.

He was also told that the novel was about to be published and that he hoped the author could write a preface for it.

When requesting a preface, he affectionately addressed Liu Yimin as Brother Yimin.

The other letter came from home, expressing concern for Liu Yimin's current situation and also for Li Lanyong's.

They even revealed that Li Lanyong's father, Li Dashan, had found him a wife and was planning to marry him when he returned home.

Liu Yimin smiled when he saw it and put the letter aside.

After the publication of "Life", Lu Yao once again attracted the attention of countless readers, and a flood of letters from readers overwhelmed "People's Literature and Art".

Cui Daoyi was overjoyed. During the gap in Liu Yimin's publications, Lu Yao filled the void and carried the banner of "People's Literature and Art" sales, preventing the sales from falling.

With such sales figures, publication was to be expected.

Liu Yimin picked up his pen and wrote a preface for Lu Yao. He started by recounting how he first saw the manuscript of "That Heart-Stopping Scene" in the editorial office and suggested to the editor that it was well-written, as well as the process of getting to know and understand Lu Yao.

With Cao Yu's guidance, Liu Yimin now writes prefaces as easily as eating. He finished writing the preface for Lu Yao in half an hour.

I expect to write more and more prefaces in the future, and I'll try to finish them all within half an hour.

Next, he started writing other novels in his room.

When Zhu Lin's parents learned that Liu Yimin was staying at the university, they were overjoyed. With him working in Yanjing, Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin's relationship would be even more secure.

If Liu Yimin were to return to his work unit in Henan Province, both of them would be on tenterhooks.

Over the past few months, they have clearly seen that Zhu Lin's attitude towards Liu Yimin is one of complete obedience.

If they really go back to Henan Province, their daughter will probably have to leave them too.

The two men enthusiastically invited Zhu Lin to take Liu Yimin home to celebrate. When Zhu Lin's father heard that Liu Yimin was an associate professor, he thought to himself, "Luckily I was promoted to professor, otherwise I really wouldn't feel comfortable congratulating him."

But while he was happy, he was also alarmed. This guy was becoming more and more like Cao Yu. Cao Yu's second marriage happened right back in school!
Sigh, I hope Linlin hasn't misjudged him!
Zhu's mother is no longer worried about this matter, but Zhu's father is still worried.

The moment Zhu's father saw Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin appear at the door, he looked at each other and smiled happily, feeling a little relieved.

"Yimin, Linlin, come in and sit down quickly. The food is all ready and we're just waiting for you two!"

"Yimin, congratulations on staying on as a teacher at the school!"

"Uncle, Auntie, you're too kind!"

After sitting down, Zhu's father and mother would sometimes ask Zhu Lin about his rehearsals, and sometimes they would ask Liu Yimin about staying at the school.

After a period of practice, Zhu Lin is no longer timid when directing actors alone, although he is still not capable of making absolute decisions.

“Yimin, as the saying goes, ‘one should establish a family and a career.’ You have already established your career, shouldn’t you?” Zhu’s mother said tactfully.

"Auntie, don't worry, I will definitely get married, just like I would as your student."

Mr. Zhu got excited and sat up straight: "I'll go to the school tomorrow to inquire whether students can go through a special procedure to get married. I believe the organization won't be unreasonable, after all, so many students have reached the age where dating is not allowed on campus, but Linlin is not from Yanda University, and she's not a student anymore."

“Okay, then thank you, Uncle!” Liu Yimin said.

Zhu Lin happily picked up the cup, took out several bottles of cola from his bag, poured the cola into the cup, and let everyone have a taste.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhu had never drunk it before, but they swallowed the soda like they were drinking Chinese medicine, and they felt quite good after drinking it.

Zhu's mother knew that Zhu Lin was trying to shut her up, but she still said, "Yimin, your parents are in your hometown. In principle, Linlin should go and visit them, but unfortunately, it's too far away."

"Mom, I can go! I've never been to Henan Province before. Isn't it Professor Liu? I'll go see Uncle and Aunt when Professor Liu has his winter break!"

Zhu Lin said with a smile.

Seeing Zhu Lin say this, Zhu's mother didn't continue, but glared at Zhu's father and sighed, "You raised this daughter!"

"That's settled then. We'll have Linlin go to Henan Province to meet your parents!" said Zhu's mother.

After dinner, Zhu's father took Liu Yimin into his study, leaving only Zhu's mother and Zhu Lin in the living room.

Zhu's mother pointed at Zhu Lin with her finger and said in a low voice, "You're siding with outsiders!"

(End of this chapter)