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

Chapter 294 A Phenomenal Novel of the 1980s (One Update Today)
Originally, they only planned to stay in Beidaihe for one day. Wang Yan and Li Jun told Zhu Lin not to rush back to the film set, as the crew would film other scenes first.

So Liu Yimin took everyone to Beidaihe for three days. Apart from going swimming, Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin spent the rest of the time with their families and taking photos of everyone.

These past few days, Mr. and Mrs. Zhu and Mr. and Mrs. Liu have been all smiles, and the two families are getting along just like one big family.

There are also fewer covert confrontations and underhanded tactics to test each other's strengths and weaknesses.

When Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin were legally in bed at night, they would first have a chat, talking about the changes in their two families.

Three days passed quickly, and the two families reluctantly returned to Yanjing. Liu Fuqing, Yang Xiuyun, and their elder brother and sister-in-law did not stay long before boarding the train home.

The golden wheat field at home is a place that Liu Fuqing and Yang Xiuyun will never forget.

Besides the Liu family, Li Lanyong also went home!
Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin threw themselves into their busy work.

The crew is almost done filming their scenes in Yanjing, and next they will move on to the front lines for filming.

Aside from staying on set and occasionally discussing the script with the director, Liu Yimin spent his time communicating with magazines and publishing houses.

The first print run of "Triumphant at Midnight" was 800,000 copies, which almost sold out in the time it took for Liu Yimin to get married.

When Li Shu brought this data to Liu Yimin, Liu Yimin punched Li Shu hard before realizing that it was actually true.

Wei Junyi, president of People's Literature Publishing House, called it "a miracle in the history of literary sales!"

A huge banner was stretched in front of the People's Literature Publishing House building, displaying the real-time sales figures for "Triumphant at Midnight," attracting newspapers throughout Beijing to come and interview the author. The news report was reprinted by Beijing newspapers to various local newspapers, with simple and clear headlines.

The words "Triumphant at Midnight" are followed by a long string of numbers.

The second batch of books published by People's Literature Publishing House has already begun emergency printing. Calls to bookstores across the country are pouring in like urgent messages. After printing, the books are not stored in warehouses but loaded directly onto trucks and sent to various locations.

Even so, the market is still experiencing a supply shortage, and bookstores are frequently unable to obtain stock.

The Commercial Press and several other publishing houses in Yenching University approached People's Literature Publishing House and Liu Yimin, expressing their desire to publish together.

Inside the conference room of People's Literature Publishing House, representatives from four publishing houses—Commercial Press, Yenching Press, People's Publishing House, and Tianjin People's Publishing House—gathered, with the lowest-ranking attendee being a vice president.

The four organizations started discussing animatedly in the conference room, while Liu Yimin and President Wei Junyi were in the office next door.

Wei Junyi also knew that with such sales figures, the efforts of a single publishing house were simply insufficient to meet market demand.

The higher-ups also have high hopes for it, and if they disagree with the joint publication at this time, it will definitely give others a handle to use against them.

“Yimin, we originally planned to publish the comic book version of ‘Triumph at Midnight’ and the minority language versions of your other ‘Homeland Trilogy’. Now it seems that we have to put them on hold. All the machines in the printing plant, except for some that cannot be used, are all printing ‘Triumph at Midnight’.”

Wei Junyi stood by the window, holding a teacup in her hand. She spoke with an excited expression, pacing back and forth.

Li Shu, thanks to the sales of "Triumph at Midnight," can now do whatever he wants at People's Literature Publishing House. Even if he's arrogant, people will still praise him for his ability to look upwards.

"President Wei, we have to thank the publishing house for its help in achieving such excellent results," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Hey, no need for thanks. We'd love to be the ones carrying your sedan chair, but alas, yours can move without us having to carry it! Come on, let's go see my old friends!"

Wei Junyi and Liu Yimin entered the conference room one after the other, with Liu Yimin holding a sample copy of "Triumphant at Midnight".

After a while, Li Shu also walked in, his face glowing red, almost as if he were sitting right on the table.

"Sister Wei, Yimin, hello, I'm Chen Yuan from The Commercial Press!" Chen Yuan, the general manager of The Commercial Press, extended both hands to Liu Yimin.

“General Manager Chen!” Liu Yimin looked Chen Yuan up and down; Chen Yuan was one of the leading figures in the domestic publishing industry.

Chen Yuan initially didn't think it was a big deal that the library lost the publishing rights to "Triumphant at Midnight," but as the sales continued to rise, he felt increasingly uneasy.

Even so, Chen Yuan still did not criticize Huang Chunyu. It was already quite remarkable that this young man was able to snatch three novels from People's Literature Publishing House.

Chen Yuan and the other publishing house staff exchanged glances, then said to Wei Junyi, "Sister Wei, about this joint publication..."

"Yes, yes, yes. For the sake of the development of our publishing industry, as the leading company in the domestic publishing industry, we have this much magnanimity. For joint publications, we'll follow the format of People's Literature Publishing House, and we'll collect three percent of the print run as royalties."

Wei Junyi stated directly, without any hesitation. Since it was decided to give it, there was no need for any further attempts to play hard to get.

After hearing the price, several publishers felt it was acceptable and readily agreed.

The president of Tianjin People's Publishing House even urged them to sign the contract as soon as possible and have their subordinates or partner printing plants start printing immediately.

Together with People's Literature, Liu Yimin signed contracts with several other organizations, receiving the same amount of basic royalties and print run royalties.

With these five publishing houses, Liu Yimin is about to make a fortune.

After signing the contract, Wei Junyi looked at Chen Yuan and said, "We've allocated some of our best works from People's Literature to you for publication. You can't be stingy with them in the future."

“Sister Wei, of course, it’s all for the sake of the publishing industry!” Chen Yuan said cheerfully.

After the publishing company staff left, Wei Junyi pulled Liu Yimin aside and said, "Yimin, there's a student in your class named Zhang Manling, right? Have you read her novel, 'There Is a Beautiful Place'?"

“I read this novel when she first started writing it. Sister Wei, do you want to publish it?” Liu Yimin asked.

Wei Junyi asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

"You're asking this question? Besides publishing, what else can you do with it?" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

“I’ve read this novel, and I think it should be published.” Wei Junyi took out a copy of “Yanjing Literature” from the drawer; it was the issue that published “There is a Beautiful Place.”

Li Shu said, "Sister Wei, I'll have Yimin help me get the publishing rights for this novel!"

Upon hearing Li Shu's statement, Wei Junyi nodded in satisfaction.

At Yenching University, the Class of '78 has finally reached graduation time. Banners hang in front of the office buildings of each department, wishing the new graduates success in their respective fields.

The Chinese Department held a graduation ceremony for the Class of '78, where students received their diplomas from professors and listened to their final words of advice.

Yan Jiayan smiled and handed the graduation certificate to Liu Yimin, saying, "We'll have plenty of opportunities in the future, so I won't say any more!"

The girls in the Chinese Literature Department had tears welling up in their eyes. Even the usually carefree Liu Zhenyun was much more reserved.

Yan Jiayan and several senior professors gave each other words of encouragement, urging everyone to work hard in their new positions and contribute to the country's reform and opening up.

With this, Liu Yimin's university career officially came to an end.

As Liu Yimin walked out of the conference room, he saw Zhang Manling and mentioned to her that People's Literature Publishing House wanted to publish her novel.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Manling, who was initially feeling a bit sad about graduation, jumped for joy the next second.

"Sister Zhang, don't be scared! Anyone who didn't know better would think there was an earthquake!" Liu Zhenyun said in a cheeky tone.

Zhang Manling pretended to kick Liu Zhenyun, but he easily dodged it.

When Li Shu met Zhang Manling, he explained the relevant policies regarding the publication of standalone books and the royalty standards. Zhang Manling didn't listen attentively; to her, as long as it could be published, she didn't care about royalties!
"Comrade Li Shu, if it needs to be printed, when will it be ready?" Zhang Manling asked.

Li Shu thought for a moment and said apologetically, "If it's really going to be published, it'll probably be around October. The printing press is working day and night to print 'Triumphant at Midnight,' and many other books that aren't in a hurry are being delayed!"

Zhang Manling glanced at Liu Yimin and said helplessly, "I'm used to being in the same class as Yimin."

After saying that, Zhang Manling asked curiously, "How many copies of 'Triumph at Midnight' have been sold so far?"

"Our first print run of 800,000 copies has sold out completely, and the second print run of 200,000 copies has been delivered to bookstores across the country and should be sold out by now. The other publishers are still printing, but the printed copies haven't been put on the shelves yet!" Li Shu said with a proud expression.

In less than a month, sales have reached one million copies. Several printing plants are operating at the same time. According to incomplete statistics, as many as 200,000 copies of "Triumphant at Midnight" are printed every day, and this number continues to rise.

"Yimin, congratulations!" Zhang Manling said with a smile. After signing the contract with Li Shu, Zhang Manling wanted to treat Liu Yimin and the others to dinner. Unfortunately, she couldn't get everyone together.

Chen Dazhi had already packed his bags and was ready to catch the train. His company was urging him to leave, and in order to make a good impression on his superiors, he wanted to leave Yanjing as soon as he received his graduation certificate.

Liu Yimin, Zhang Manling, Li Xueqin, and Liu Zhenyun were having dinner at the Changzheng Hotel. Liu Zhenyun and Li Xueqin kept congratulating Zhang Manling.

"He who takes a bribe is bound to be obligated to serve it," Liu Zhenyun said with a smile, flattering Liu.

Liu Yimin smiled and looked at Zhang Manling and Li Xueqin: "Aren't you two going to find partners?"

Zhang Manling and Li Xueqin exchanged a glance and said with a wry smile, "Finding a partner is not such a simple matter. We are not as talented as you, nor as shameless as Zhenyun. We can only wait a little longer."

Liu Zhenyun said with a dark face, "Don't wrong an innocent person! I won Jianmei over with my talent!"

"Luckily, they didn't say it was because of his looks; they're not that shameless!" Li Xueqin joked.

The four people were sitting there chatting and laughing when suddenly a pungent body odor filled their nostrils. When they looked up, they saw that seven or eight international students had surrounded them.

Li Congren, along with Kelifu, Mulatu, Xiaomei Hezi, and others, were all present. Li Congren stared wide-eyed and said, "Liu, you betrayed the organization!"

"Ha, this foreigner's words are infuriating!" Liu Zhenyun said with a chuckle, then added, "Yimin is Chinese, we are the organization!"

Li Congren said, "Our Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press is also an organization!" After saying that, he asked someone to find stools, and they began to sit around it.

These international students were also leaving, and they felt that they should have a proper farewell talk with Liu Yimin, the president of the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Unfortunately, he has never shown up.

"These foreigners are even jealous!" Li Xueqin said in a low voice.

"Liu, if you ever come to America, you must look for me. I'll be waiting for you there!" Li Congren hugged Liu Yimin tightly, the strong body odor almost suffocating him.

Then one by one, the international students took turns hugging each other, saying that they would definitely look for them when they went to their own countries.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "If you have a drink, I must have a bite to eat."

These international students are still a long way from truly maturing. It will be another twenty or thirty years before Klif becomes the ambassador to China, and another thirty years before Mulatu becomes the president of Ethiopia.

"There's an old Chinese poem that says, 'A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near.'" Li Congren's Chinese proficiency is probably the best among the international students.

The PLO students, after patting the pistol at their waists, said they would return to fight for national independence. Once the country was independent, they would invite Liu Yimin to visit.

Liu Zhenyun smiled and asked him what he would take back to fight. The guy pulled out Quotations and Sun Tzu's Art of War from his bag.

While Liu Yimin wasn't looking, Xiao Meihezi followed the example of the other international students and hugged him, smiling as she invited him to visit Japan, as she was already preparing to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A farewell dinner for Chinese literature majors turned into an international farewell party.

Several tables were pushed together, and a group of people were enjoying their meal.

Li Congren told Liu Yimin that after translating the few short stories he told last time into English, he submitted them to a small magazine in California, and they were actually accepted.

The editor contacted him, hoping he could collect more heartwarming stories to help Americans understand China and spread love and goodwill.

Li Congren has been wandering the streets of Yanjing lately, and through his own eyes, he has actually written several heartwarming little stories.

Liu Yimin grinned and said, "Li, you have an eye for beauty!"

Liu Zhenyun and the others were curious about what stories Liu Yimin had told before. Li Congren repeated them, and the three of them looked confused, wondering why they had never heard them before.
To save a deer, they sent people to search an entire mountain? Isn't that something only a tyrannical ruler would do?
After seeing the international students off, Liu Zhenyun asked in a low voice, and Liu Yimin replied with a smile, "Perhaps not before, but now we do!"

After finishing his meal and returning to his dormitory, Liu Yimin strapped his luggage to his motorcycle and sped away from Yanda University.

In the Overseas Chinese Apartment, Zhu Lin was taking a shower in the bathroom. He was covered in dust and dirt from training at the Yanjing Military Region.

Liu Yimin put his luggage in the living room, and Zhu Lin came out drying her hair, smiling as she asked, "Teacher Liu, what are we having for dinner?"

"I just ate!" Liu Yimin washed his face.

Zhu Lin wasn't hungry either, so the two of them sat on the sofa and watched TV.

"The Flames of War in Beiping" begins airing today on CCTV-1, with one episode broadcast daily. A total of eleven episodes have been filmed.

"The Flames of War in Beiping" was the only new domestic film during this period, and families with televisions had long been looking forward to it.

Zhu Lin lay in Liu Yimin's arms, gently picked a grape with her hand, and smiled as she fed it to Liu Yimin: "This TV station is really something, they might as well broadcast it all in one day, one episode a day, who's going to watch that!"

The key point is that after watching the first few episodes, they are about to board the train and depart.

On the television, Zhao Zhongxiang was delivering a fluent report in a professional announcer's voice.

[Recently, it was learned from People's Literature Publishing House that the standalone edition of "Triumph at Midnight" has sold 1.3 million copies. Currently, five printing plants are working overnight to print more copies, increasing the daily printing volume to 400,000 copies.]

The officers and soldiers on the front lines responded enthusiastically to this novel, and the Third Company of a certain unit held an activity called "I Write a Letter to Comrade Liu Yimin".

It is reported that this novel will soon be published in the United States. It is believed that peace-loving people around the world will find the truth in this novel.

We urge Vietnam to face up to history, sincerely repent, refrain from sending troops across the border to attack, and stop provoking trouble!

"Teacher Liu, 1.3 million copies! That breaks our country's novel sales record again. 1.3 million copies in a month, amazing!" Zhu Lin rested his head on his hand and shifted into a lazy posture.

"Sit properly, or you'll easily make mistakes!" Liu Yimin said with a grin.

Zhu Lin chuckled, popped a few more grapes into Liu Yimin's mouth, and then turned her attention back to the television.

These days, people can enjoy watching the news broadcast.

Shortly after the first episode of "The Flames of War in Beiping" aired, the phone rang in the living room. Li Yuru's voice came through: "Yimin, have you watched 'The Flames of War in Beiping'? It's really well made. Your teacher is watching it too. He just praised the August First Film Studio for making it so well."

After chatting and laughing for a few minutes, Li Yuru said, "I won't talk to you anymore. Your teacher and I need to study this carefully. Be careful when you go to the front lines, and remember to write to each other often."

Just as Liu Yimin was about to change the phone number, Cao Yu's voice rang out: "Yimin, this trip to the front lines isn't just about filming. Travel around and see more, and try to write a few more excellent novels. I see everyone is very interested in military novels about the front lines; it's a good educational approach that has inspired everyone's patriotism and love for the army!"

“Okay, teacher!” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

On June 1st, Liu Yimin's essay was published in People's Literature. He and Zhu Lin, along with the film crew, boarded a train to Yunnan Province.

The two of them boldly appeared together in front of the film crew, since they were legally married anyway.

On the train, Wang Yan and Li Jun told everyone about the situation at the front lines, and that the commanders of the front-line troops would become the military advisors for the film crew.

"Comrades, when you get to the front line to film, be sure to pay attention to safety and follow the main force! Of course, the border troops will send people to protect us."

We will try our best not to cause trouble for the troops and ensure the successful completion of the mission.

The creaking of the train and Wang Yan's hoarse voice mingled together as they headed towards Yunnan Province!

At this time, "Triumph at Midnight" had sold 1.8 million copies, with seven publishing houses cooperating, the main publisher being People's Literature Publishing House.

While it's easy to buy single volumes in major cities, they are often out of stock in county-level or remote areas.

This sales volume and growth trend made it the first phenomenal novel in my country in the early 1980s!

PS: The college entrance exam is over. Today I took my family to visit the two best universities in our province. I'll be home tomorrow morning, and then I'll resume normal updates.

(End of this chapter)