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

Chapter 308 "The Acacia Tree in the Minefield"

A few days later, some so-called reader letters began to appear in the newspaper, most of which discussed the authenticity of the novel's content, with most believing that Liu Yimin had written it all up.

At work, Mr. and Mrs. Zhu often encountered people asking, "Is your son-in-law making things up? Is America really like that?"

Places like the workplaces of Zhu's father and mother, gathering places for intellectuals, are also the hardest-hit areas for the wave of people going abroad.

The two of them were at a loss for words, but every time they discussed it with others, they had to defend Liu Yimin.

"Come on, Yimin, try this pigeon soup!" Zhu's mother smiled and handed the pigeon soup to Liu Yimin.

Zhu's father, standing nearby, was incredibly envious of Liu Yimin's treatment. He used to be the third child in the family, but now he's the fourth.

The daughter favors outsiders, and so does his wife.

When Mr. Zhu visited the courtyard house, he inadvertently saw his long-dead asparagus fern and the artificial hill, and was so angry that he couldn't speak.

Zhu's father was furious for a moment, but after a few minutes he started talking again, making comments about the courtyard house, all with a smile on his face!
Liu Yimin pursed his lips slightly: "Mom, it tastes very good!"

The thought that I wanted to say, "But don't do it again," never came out of my mouth.

"If you like it, drink more. Come back tomorrow, and I'll cook you another pot!" Zhu's mother brought the rest of the food to the table.

Just as they finished setting the table, Zhu Lin returned. He glanced at the pigeon soup in Liu Yimin's hand and gave Liu Yimin a meaningful smile.

"Mom, what delicious food did you make today?"

"I learned how to make Yimin's favorite eggplant from your teacher's wife. And the twice-cooked pork too. Wash your hands before you eat. You're married now, why are you still being so clumsy!"

Zhu's mother stood beside her and nagged.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Lin quickly ran to the kitchen, washed his hands, scooped up a spoonful of pigeon soup, tasted it, and repeatedly said it was delicious.

"That was for Yimin to drink, you silly child!"

"No need, Teacher Liu!"

Zhu Lin casually revealed the truth, and it was unclear whether Zhu's mother understood but pretended not to or didn't understand at all, but she still smiled and invited them to come over tomorrow.

While eating, Zhu's father chatted with Liu Yimin about literature.

Then the conversation turned to "The Green Book," and Zhu's mother immediately became angry: "A bunch of people who know nothing are just talking nonsense."

He thought to himself that he needed to find a time to have a fight with someone, to make an example of them.

But choosing the right person is an art; should you choose someone who can argue or someone who is bad at talking?
Will it be ineffective to hire someone who is bad at speaking?

While eating, Zhu's mother was mentally considering potential candidates...

As they left the Zhu family home, Liu Yimin asked Zhu Lin in a low voice if he had told his mother not to give him any more supplements, since the young man was at the age where he should be howling and crying, and that giving him supplements would make him whine like a wolf.

"Next time. I said it today, and my mom definitely understood, she's just pretending not to!"

Zhu Lin grinned and put her arm around Liu Yimin's shoulder, resting her head against him. Liu Yimin's slight dissatisfaction vanished.

Liu Yimin was really afraid that if he kept buying these things every day, the Zhu family's neighbors would start looking at him with a "Oh - here to restock again?" look.

Once home, Liu Yimin went to the study and wrote a manuscript for a while, while Zhu Lin didn't watch TV but sat on the sofa reading.

She mostly read scripts, and as she read, she would think about how she would direct the script if she were the director.

Around ten o'clock, Zhu Lin turned his head to the study and saw Liu Yimin still concentrating on writing. He smiled and got up to take a shower.

Wearing her pajamas, she tiptoed to the desk and said softly, "Professor Liu, it's time to rest!"

Liu Yimin put his pen into the pen holder given to him by his colleagues at the Saihanba Forest Farm, stretched, and Zhu Lin walked up behind him, gently rubbing Liu Yimin's shoulder and playfully asking, "Professor Liu, how's that pressure?"

"You can push a little harder!"

"it is good!"

After massaging for about five or six minutes, I got up, took a shower, and carried Zhu Lin back to the room.

"I wonder how the medicinal effects of this pigeon soup compare to those of turtle soup?" Liu Yimin chuckled and gently untied the belt of his pajamas.

Suddenly, the spring-like light of late autumn bloomed inside the house.
Afterwards, Liu Yimin leaned against the headboard and clicked his tongue, savoring the taste: "The pigeon soup is a bit stronger than the turtle soup!"

"I'll go tell my mom tomorrow that we can't make up for it anymore!" Zhu Lin curled up in bed, too weak to even open her eyes.

Liu Yimin lowered his head and chuckled, "Again!"

The following day, several more reviews of "Green Book" appeared in the newspaper. Liu Yimin did not refute them directly, but instead published an article in the newspaper about the sales of "Green Book" in the United States and excerpts from some American newspaper reviews.

In the latest issue of Flower City magazine, I also took the opportunity to contact friends in the United States and obtained several articles about American newspapers, which were published in the magazine.

Among them were articles from The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, which discussed the attention the Green Book has garnered since its publication in the United States.

Since its publication as a standalone book, it has been one of the best-selling books in the United States.

[A real historical Green Book]

[The Green Book is like a beam of light, illuminating the future from the past: How can racial divisions be healed?]

The future of our race lies in love and redemption...

These comments all agree that the racial discrimination Liu Yimin wrote about is real. However, this overwhelming evidence is of no use to those who are pro-American.

Holding the magazine, he angrily denounced it as fake news, fabricated domestically.

Walking on the campus of Yenching University, many students whispered to Liu Yimin.

Upon arriving at the Chinese Department, Yan Jiayan handed Liu Yimin an envelope and said, "This is an invitation letter from Shandong University."

"What content?"

"Shandong University established an American Literature Research Association in 78, right? They want you to go to the association and give a lecture." Yan Jiayan explained the origins of this association to Liu Yimin.

This society was the earliest association in China to study American literature. When it was founded, the Ministry of Culture and some well-known universities sent people to participate, including Yenching University.

“American literature? Apart from Hemingway, I don’t really know much about American literature. So there’s not much to say, and besides, I don’t have time right now!” Liu Yimin said.

Yan Jiayan said, "This letter was sent by Comrade Wu Fuheng, the president of Shandong University. He is an old comrade, so wouldn't it be inappropriate to refuse? Comrade Wu Fuheng received an honorary doctorate in law from Harvard University in June of this year. He is the first scholar in our country to receive this title."

Liu Yimin glanced at the date on the envelope, which was the end of November, and refused again, saying, "Professor Yan, I really don't have time. I need to prepare for my trip to the United States. If I'm not prepared, I'll embarrass Yenching University, and that would be an international embarrassment!" Hearing this, Yan Jiayan didn't insist. Instead, he smiled and told Liu Yimin to prepare for his trip abroad and to let Yenching University know if he needed anything.

"It really does!"

"What? If it's something the department can handle, I'll definitely take care of it!"

"I need the school to help me exchange some US dollars, otherwise how will I go abroad?" Liu Yimin rummaged through his empty pockets.

Yan Jiayan felt a headache coming on when he heard this, but he still said he would help talk to the school and then the school would contact the bank to ask him to exchange some US dollars.

"A writer who earns foreign exchange for our country has to exchange it for US dollars when he goes abroad. What kind of nonsense is this!" Yan Jiayan said helplessly.

“When our country no longer lacks foreign exchange, exchanging currency won’t be so troublesome!” Liu Yimin said.

"That day must come quickly!"

Liu Yimin left Yan Jiayan's office and returned to the communal office. Wu Zuxiang smiled and pointed to the draft on Liu Yimin's desk: "Still not finished?"

"We were just about to wrap things up!" Liu Yimin said.

Upon hearing this, Wu Zuxiang became interested, moved a stool over to Liu Yimin's table, and asked, "May I take a look?"

"Professor Wu, if I say no, could you please carry the stool back with you?"

Wu Zuxiang crossed his legs and patted his old BJ cotton shoes: "Since we're already here, why would we take them back?"

"You see!"

Liu Yimin walked over and handed the manuscript to Wu Zuxiang. Wu Zuxiang took a sip of tea and calmly began to read it.

“This name is somewhat interesting!” Wu Zuxiang said, then fell silent and began to look down seriously.

Apart from Liu Yimin, everyone else in the house was an elderly professor. As they got older, they were sensitive to the cold, so the coal stove was lit early in the morning.

However, the ventilation would be turned on from time to time, so the smell inside the room wasn't too strong. When the room was filled with gas, Liu Yimin probably wouldn't be sitting here normally.

The smell of a coal stove is nowhere near as comfortable as central heating!
While Wu Zuxiang was reviewing the manuscript, Liu Yimin began writing the play script for "Green Book." Several hours later, Wu Zuxiang stood up from his seat, smiling, and said, "What a wonderful piece! Just as good as 'Triumph at Midnight.'"

The other professors, seeing this, were also eager to learn more and came over to ask what the artwork was.

"It's also about the front lines, but the theme of this character is very relevant to our university! Yimin, it seems like your ideas will never run dry!" Wu Zuxiang exclaimed.

"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. After spending a few months on the front lines, I've bound to have some thoughts. Even though we've only had the college entrance examination for a few years, there are already many college students on the front lines!"

Liu Yimin got up, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and stood in the middle of the office as he spoke.

Wang Yao said, "Yes, young people are always the most passionate group in a country!"

"Teacher, I heard from the students that Yimin said something in class that I found quite interesting. During the period of reform and opening up, young people were the group that received external information the fastest, but at the same time, they were also the most confused group," Professor Sun Yushi said.

Professor Sun Yushi was a graduate student taught by Wang Yao in the 60s, and he always referred to Wang Yao as his teacher.

"That's interesting. Young people are passionate, but that doesn't stop them from feeling lost. A group is diverse."

After Wang Yao finished speaking, she began to read Liu Yimin's manuscript.

"The Acacia Tree in the Minefield—what a name that is both grand and graceful!"

The professors exchanged smiles, and one of them said, "This is a combination of Xin Qiji and Li Qingzhao!"

Wu Zuxiang continued, "Li Qingzhao's gentleness is imbued with masculinity; her tenderness contains a touch of wildness, and her elegance reveals a bold spirit. If she were a man, even if she couldn't become Yue Fei, she could still become a patriotic general."

The older professors would frequently draw inferences during their speeches. After Wu Zuxiang finished reading, he happily pulled Liu Yimin aside to chat about Song Dynasty poetry, while the others studied novels.

"The Acacia Tree in the Minefield" tells the story of five college students from different backgrounds who go to the front lines to fight. They come to the battlefield with a group of college students from all over the country, and after pre-battle training, they go to the front lines together.

The instructors for pre-battle training are different from others; they place great importance on the lives of soldiers and focus on honing everyone's survival skills on the battlefield.

After the pre-battle training, college student Qiu Yuan was left at the regimental command post, while the other four—singing prince Mo Tao, Ji Gang, Cong Peimin from the medical school, and Liu Guozheng from the agricultural college—went to the front lines.

Ji Gang, the most capable among them, was directly appointed as the reconnaissance platoon leader, a position with the highest mortality rate. The previous platoon leader was killed in less than three months.

Ji Gang felt that as long as he could gain command, even if it meant sacrificing himself for a platoon, he would do it. The rest of them were assigned to the nameless hill as trainee platoon leaders.

Like the high ground where Liu Yimin was located, this high ground made the transportation of living supplies extremely difficult, and people lived in damp and sweltering tunnels on a daily basis.

When heavy rains prevented the military production line from reaching the troops for extended periods, the soldiers had no choice but to eat rats to survive.

During the surprise attack on the high ground, our troops suffered heavy casualties due to manpower shortages. Only after artillery support was the position held.

Cong Peimin, who had just become a platoon leader, angrily vented his anger to the command post during a phone call: the deputy company commander had been killed, the military equipment couldn't be delivered, and the seriously wounded couldn't be carried down.

The young Cong Peimin became the supreme commander on the high ground, but was eventually injured and had his leg amputated.

In order to rescue the unnamed hill, the command sent Qiu Yuan, who had become a staff officer, to lead a team to attack Hill 359, and also sent Liu Guozheng's troops to attack at the same time, in order to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao.

Liu Guozheng, a graduate of the agricultural college, led his soldiers to clear mines. When they ran out of explosive cord, Liu Guozheng ran into the minefield in desperation and used his own body to clear a path for his comrades. He died a heroic death.

Liu Guozheng came from a rural background. He finally finished college and wanted to make his family proud, but he ultimately sacrificed his life on the battlefield.

Qiu Yuan and reconnaissance platoon leader Ji Gang captured Hill 359 together, and Mo Tao also rushed up at the same time.

In the tunnel, Mo Tao saw the guitar left behind by the ingrate. Mo Tao, who loved playing the guitar, was tempted and eventually triggered the tripwire mine.

A young man who loved singing and playing guitar gave his life for his country, dying on the battlefield, dying in front of his guitar.

The guitar symbolizes the young soldier's pursuit of a better life, but ultimately he takes up a gun because of the war.

Because Qiu, the regimental staff officer, was a college student and had made military contributions, the division ordered him to return to the command post to receive new orders.

Ji Gang personally escorted Qiu Yuan down the hill on the way back. Qiu Yuan remembered his comrades who had sacrificed their lives on the battlefield and desperately ran back to the battlefield, but Ji Gang caught up with him and brought him back.

As the night deepened and Lunar New Year's Eve arrived, people across the country lit firecrackers to celebrate the New Year, while rockets flew overhead.

This stark contrast brought the two to tears. Before them lay the battlefield, and behind them, the lights of countless homes shone.

This scene also makes everyone understand that it is because of them that every home is lit up with lights.

(End of this chapter)