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

Chapter 367 Huang Yongyu's Gift of Painting

Liu Yimin didn't spend much time exchanging pleasantries in the Chinese Department office before several professors rushed in to talk to him about literary creation, subtly inquiring about how he wrote his works.

Zhu Guangqian slammed his hand on the table and said, "This is the Chinese Department, not a vegetable market. Ask what you should ask, and don't pry into things you shouldn't. You're all senior members of the department, do you act like senior members? Be more mature in front of the younger generation!"

Wu Zuxiang and the others chuckled awkwardly, but still gathered around the desk, chattering about how much they missed each other during the summer vacation.

“I’ve never seen you think of him like this before!” Zhu Guangqian said again.

"Professor Zhu, this is a treasure of our Chinese department. I've been thinking about it day and night during the summer vacation," Wu Zuxiang said with a smile.

Liu Yimin glanced at Wu Zuxiang, who "cherished" him, and chuckled, "What do you think? Professors, I've already written my true feelings into the book. Aren't you all best at writing book reviews and analyzing sentences? You can all read and ponder as you go."

"How can that be the same? Did you see Miss Qiu?"

"It exploded! Where am I supposed to look? I'm not a nuclear bomb observer. It's just that the weather over there is very hot and dry, there are more mosquitoes than here, and the living conditions aren't as good as in Yanjing. The comrades are working very hard and enduring a lot."

Liu Yimin spoke in a very general way, but everyone listened very attentively.

Yan Jiayan had arrived at the office at some point. Seeing that Liu Yimin had noticed him, he coughed and said to the professors, "Professors, the department needs to speak with Yimin about something."

Several senior professors gave Yan Jiayan a disapproving look, and Yan Jiayan reluctantly led Liu Yimin to his office.

Liu Yimin had just said, "Thank you, Professor Yan, for getting me out of that predicament," when Yan Jiayan immediately asked, "Is there anything I can tell you but not them?"

"Professor Yan, there really isn't any left!" Liu Yimin said.

Yan Jiayan didn't press further, but poured Liu Yimin a cup of tea instead: "Keep it a secret, then keep it a secret. You'd better keep it a secret. School starts on September 2nd, and nearly two hundred new students have arrived in our Chinese department. These guys have been clamoring to see you as soon as they got to school, wanting to see what you look like. This year, many students in our Chinese department came specifically because of you."

"Please don't say that. It makes me feel like you're taking over the work of our department's admissions office. According to the principle of distribution according to work, I should get a share of the admissions office's salary."

Yan Jiayan said leisurely, "You are our living advertisement for recruitment, but there are also quite a few freshmen who think that entering the Chinese Department will make them become writers. We need to bring this up in the department meeting and ask the teachers to suppress their ideas."

The main reason I called you here today isn't about that. The Academic Affairs Office is discussing the curriculum for first-year students, and they asked if I should include your course on modern foreign literary thought in the first-year curriculum. I've thought about it carefully, and I need to get your opinion.

Liu Yimin's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Professor Yan, let me clarify first, I'm not being lazy. I just think that freshmen should lay a solid foundation. We should learn Chinese literary thought well, and then study foreign literary thought in sophomore year. If we don't learn our own, and then start learning foreign ones, won't that just make things complicated?"

Yan Jiayan leaned his head back on the sofa and thought for a while: "Then I'll listen to you. It'll be tiring if you teach too many classes. With the freshman classes included, you'll become one of the professors with the most classes."

"That's it!"

"You, don't I know you too well? Alright, go do other things. 'The Birth of a Nation' really brings honor to our Chinese Department!"

Yan Jiayan praised Liu Yimin, and after Liu Yimin left the office, Yan Jiayan started singing inside the office.

During the summer vacation, I met with the department heads of other universities in Beijing, and their smiles almost reached their eyes.

Back in the office, the other senior professors had already been dismissed by Zhu Guangqian. Liu Yimin exclaimed, "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure!"

"These guys are so annoying. You wouldn't believe it, they keep running into the office even during the holidays. Otherwise, I could have accelerated the progress of compiling the textbooks quite a bit." Zhu Guangqian's tone was quite impatient.

"Haha, Professor Zhu, it's because they don't have any textbooks to write!"

"makes sense!"

During the two-month summer vacation, these retired professors had nothing to do. Apart from writing papers at home, they would definitely spend the rest of their time wandering around.

In the past, Zhu Guangqian often strolled around Yandong Garden and Yannan Garden in his spare time.

Liu Yimin sighed as he sat down, and Zhu Guangqian asked him why he sighed.

"The Class of '81 are all seniors now. I wonder how the three students I'm supervising are doing with their theses and novels. This is my first time supervising graduation theses. I hope none of them pass in the end."

Zhu Guangqian said nonchalantly, "You don't need to worry about undergraduate theses. You can just step on the ground and they'll pass."

Liu Yimin glanced at Zhu Guangqian and said, "Old man, you have quite the nerve!"
After listening, the graduate students maintained a nonchalant expression, but inwardly they were furiously criticizing the situation.

Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao will arrive.

Yan Zhen, along with two other students, found Liu Yimin. Yan Zhen had finished writing her novel, and the other two students had completed about 80% of their papers.

Liu Yimin first looked at Yan Zhen's novel, and after reading it, he commented: "The story is relatively smooth. Although the writing is not that brilliant, it basically meets the graduation requirements. The ending has problems. Can you tell me what you think about it?"

"Professor Liu, I wanted to write a perfect ending, but no matter how I wrote it, I always felt something was missing," Yan Zhen said, distressed.

"Stories don't need to strive for a perfect ending; the more you strive for it, the more flaws you'll find. If you add too many fragmented parts to make an ending look 'perfect,' I think the last few hundred words could be completely omitted."

After the previous improvement incident, Yan Zhen now listens to Liu Yimin's every word and readily crossed out the rest of the novel.

Next, Liu Yimin looked at the papers of two other students. They had received guidance from several professors last time and their progress was no slower than Yan Zhen's.

"When writing an essay on the literature of the seventeen years, you should not discuss the literature of this period in isolation, but rather within the overall context. The evidence is somewhat lacking, so you should enrich the evidence."

After the three people finished their comments, Liu Yimin waved them away.

"Your three students are relatively easy to manage. I've seen some young lecturers mentoring their graduates, and they're really patient and devoted," Zhu Guangqian said, watching the three of them leave.

“Yan Zhen, this student, has taken a lot of responsibility. He even brought me here when I came to see him.”

"Having a reliable assistant can make things much easier."

On September 7th, under the unified arrangement of the department, Liu Yimin met with the new students of the Chinese Department along with several professors.

Because Liu Yimin was coming, students from other departments also rushed over, each carrying the latest issue of "Harvest" magazine.

He was supposed to be giving a welcoming speech, but the students in the audience started jeering with copies of "Harvest" magazine, demanding that Liu Yimin tell the story of "The Birth of a Nation".

Taking the opportunity, Liu Yimin used characters from "The Birth of a Nation" to give all the students a lesson in patriotism.

When talking about the arduous journey of countless scientists and technologists, many emotional students shed tears.

You've been admitted to Yenching University and become students that everyone envies. But Yenching University can offer you not much—just some knowledge and principles of life. However, some principles cannot be acquired through education alone, nor are they something you won't know without going to university.

Many soldiers in the People's Liberation Army are illiterate, but they understand patriotism.

Since everyone insists that I teach the first lecture in the Chinese Literature Department, I hope that the first lecture for students of the Chinese Literature Department and Yenching University will be about patriotism, and that the last lecture they will receive upon graduating and leaving Yenching University will also be about patriotism.

As he was leaving, the students crowded around to get Liu Yimin's autograph. Several Chinese literature professors helped Liu Yimin clear a path so he could walk out first.

Yan Jiayan shouted at the top of his lungs, "Chinese literature students, don't worry, you will all be able to attend Professor Liu's classes in your second year."

Liu Yimin walked out of the teaching building and ran into Vice Principal Ji Xianlin. Ji Xianlin looked toward the noisy Chinese Department lecture hall and said, "What's going on in your Chinese Department? Ugh, as soon as you hold your freshman orientation, students from other departments all flock to your department. There are more teachers than students in the Spanish Department and a few other departments."

"Professor Ji, this isn't our Chinese Department's fault. It's just that other departments held their freshman orientation meetings on the same day as ours," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Ji Xianlin said helplessly, "Look how arrogant your Chinese department is! I read your speech at the comparative literature forum, and it was quite good. A comparative literature association is being established in China; you can join if you're interested."

"I understand, Principal Ji. I'll be going now; everyone's out."

Liu Yimin greeted everyone and returned to his office. Ji Xianlin watched the students run out, some even shouting, "Old comrade, don't block the way!"

Ji Xianlin stood silently by the roadside until the students had all left, and then he saw Yan Jiayan, Wu Zuxiang, and others following behind.

Yan Jiayan said, "Professor Ji, look at this mess! Students are all coming to the Chinese Department. You need to talk to the other departments and tell them to control the students so they don't keep coming to our Chinese Department. The Chinese Department is attractive, but it can't accommodate so many people!"

Ji Xianlin gave Yan Jiayan a deep look, shook his head helplessly, and left with his hands behind his back.

On September 15th, Xu Chi called Liu Yimin to come to the Kochi Building. Liu Yimin rode his motorcycle directly from Yenching University to the Kochi Building, thinking that the translation of "Beloved" must have been completed.

Upon arrival, Liu Yimin also met the painter Huang Yongyu. Huang Yongyu also lived in the Gaozhi Building and greatly admired Qian Zhongshu; they had a close relationship. Huang Yongyu, dressed in a shirt and trousers, with a pipe in his mouth, made Liu Yimin frown, instinctively thinking of Miller, who had already returned to the United States.

"A student of Cao Xueqin? Comrade Yimin, why don't you welcome me?" Huang Yongyu asked in confusion.

Liu Yimin shook his head and explained, "No, I was just reminded of the American playwright Miller by the sight of the pipe."

"I thought I had offended you because of the letter I wrote to Cao Xueqin," Huang Yongyu said with a smile.

"The teacher values ​​your letter very much and has hung it in his study, reminding him day and night. Professor Wan himself is also under a lot of pressure. Professor Huang, you must also understand the difficulty of creating a work," Liu Yimin reminded him.

Cao Yu was already under immense pressure because he couldn't produce any works in the second half of his life. Huang Yongyu wrote a letter criticizing Cao Yu's later creative style, which Cao Yu accepted calmly, but he must have been extremely distressed inside.

Huang Yongyu exhaled a puff of smoke: "Master Jiabao has a good apprentice."

Qian Zhongshu walked over and said, "Yimin, take a look at the translation of 'Beloved' by Xu Chi and me. Yongyu also really likes your novel and even painted a picture to give to you."

Huang Yongyu spread the painting out on the table: "Comrade Yimin, what do you think?"

Liu Yimin went over and looked at the painting. It was a black mist, and he could vaguely see the baby's hand, but he couldn't see anything else.

Huang Yongyu is skilled in printmaking and has also painted monkey stamps. His paintings are in the traditional Chinese style, but they are more abstract compared to traditional Chinese paintings.

Liu Yimin couldn't understand it, but that didn't stop him from praising the painting. The painting was stamped with a seal that read "Presented to Liu Yimin by Huang Yongyu".

"Thank you, I really like it!" Liu Yimin said.

Huang Yongyu said nonchalantly, "If you like it, that's good. Consider it a royalty payment for the novel."

Xu Chi said, "This is Professor Huang's one-of-a-kind painting."

Liu Yimin sat in Qian Zhongshu's study and read through the translation from beginning to end. He stood up and said, "Professor Qian, Ms. Yang Jiang, and Comrade Xu Chi, thank you for your hard work these past few months."

After saying that, he took out three envelopes from his pocket and placed them on the desk: "This is the translation fee I paid."

Qian Zhongshu wanted to refuse, but Liu Yimin said, "The translation fee is a service fee, there's no reason not to pay it. Please, all three of you, accept it."

Yang Jiang picked up the envelopes, looked at them, counted them, and returned one of them to Liu Yimin: "One envelope is enough; it far exceeds the regulations of our country."

"Ms. Yang Jiang, the translation fees for different translators are naturally different."

Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang now live in seclusion and refuse to see visitors. Even if you hire them to translate works at several times their current translation standards, they won't do so if they don't think the work is good.

"That's enough for us. We love this novel, and we should thank you for giving us the opportunity to translate it."

Qian Zhongshu said, "Although my surname is Qian, I don't love money. If you insist on doing so, don't come to us for translations of your works in the future."

Thus, Liu Yimin had no choice but to give up and put the envelope away.

Qian Zhongshu asked with satisfaction, "Which American literary magazine are you planning to submit this novel to?"

"The Paris Review, my last novel was published by them. The Paris Review has a pretty high influence among American literary magazines right now."

Qian Zhongshu said, "The Paris Review is indeed a good choice, so we'll wait for your good news."

Before leaving, Liu Yimin invited Qian Zhongshu, Yang Jiang, and Huang Yongyu to a Mid-Autumn Festival gathering at the courtyard house, which the three gladly accepted.

Liu Yimin and Xu Chi walked out of the building for intellectuals, and Xu Chi stuffed the translation fee back into Liu Yimin's pocket: "Yimin, I don't need mine. I'm already very satisfied with being able to do the translation. You refused the vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and asked me to do the translation. Oh dear, we don't need this money because of our relationship."

"Comrade Xu, why are you doing this!"

"If you feel bad about it, treat me to a meal!"

Just the two of us?

"You can invite your sister-in-law too!" Xu Chi said with a smile.

Well, it seems Xu Chi is truly planning to treat Liu Yimin as an equal.

The two first parked their car at the courtyard house, and then Liu Yimin took Xu Chi, Xu Chi's wife Chen Song, and Xu Chi's sister Xu He by bus to Fengzeyuan.

"Yimin, isn't this a bit extravagant?" Chen Song asked hesitantly.

Xu Chi waved his sleeve: "Today we're ripping off a big customer; this kid has plenty of money."

Xu Chi's older sister, Xu He, glanced at Xu Chi and said helplessly to Liu Yimin, "My brother is just like that, young people. He calls you brother, so you can just call me sister."

"Sister Xu."

Xu He responded happily, and looking at the waiter's attitude towards Liu Yimin, Xu He asked, "Yimin, are you very familiar with this place?"

“I’ve been learning to cook here recently, and the waiters are very familiar with the kitchen,” Liu Yimin said.

Xu Chi glanced at Liu Yimin and scrutinized him, saying, "Yimin, why do you want to be a chef? Wait, are you writing something?"

"Comrade Zhu Lin is pregnant, and I'm cooking for her and taking care of her. Is that a sufficient reason?" Liu Yimin said.

Xu Chi didn't believe it, but didn't continue the conversation.

The four of them sampled famous dishes such as braised sea cucumber with scallions, cuttlefish egg soup, dry-fried yellow croaker, and sweet and sour fish slices.

Xu He said, "My husband has been talking about you, but unfortunately it's not the right time today. Otherwise, he would have kept asking you about 'The Birth of a Nation'."

"I'd like to see General Wu's demeanor; I'll visit him when I have time."

The meal cost Liu Yimin seventy yuan, and Xu He and Chen Song felt bad about it. Xu Chi chuckled and said, "We're all family!"

After escorting Xu He and Chen Song back to the courtyard house in Jiaodaokou, Xu Chi slipped out again and said to Liu Yimin, "Come on, take me to see the article you wrote!"

"What article?"

"Don't try to fool me, I know you too well, let's go."

Xu Chi got on the motorcycle and urged Liu Yimin to set off. Liu Yimin said, "Old Xu, you have a really good nose. The manuscript is at the Overseas Chinese Apartment. I'll take you there."

Upon arriving at the study, Liu Yimin opened a drawer and handed the manuscript to Xu Chi.

Xu Chi touched the thickness of the manuscript: "It's already this much? Didn't you just finish writing 'The Birth of a Nation'? The script won't be finished until the end of the month?"

"It's already the 10th, we have to hurry! I've made a promise to the Beijing People's Art Theatre that they'll provide three scripts this year!"

Liu Yimin is writing "The Legendary Shopkeeper" very quickly. He has already written 50,000 words since he started preparing to write it, and he will definitely finish the novel in September.

After reading the title, Xu Chi began to read it with great interest. When he saw "Luan Academy", he realized that this was the story of Fengzeyuan.

"You're really something, even thinking of a restaurant. But the opening already brings out the flavor of old Beijing and the sense of the nation's turmoil."

After reading the manuscript, Xu Chi stared at the paragraphs about Zhang Zuolin and Wu Peifu for a long time, and said with a complicated expression, "A restaurant, with Zhang Zuolin and Wu Peifu involved, it's quite a stretch! It seems a bit far-fetched, but it's really hard to put down, as if something is pushing me to keep reading."

Liu Yimin pushed his teacup next to Xu Chi and smiled slightly. Of course, this is how a satisfying story should be. The conflicts in "The Legendary Shopkeeper" are constant from beginning to end; everyone is eagerly anticipating Luan Xuetang's triumphant victory, making it utterly addictive!

"A small restaurant is a melting pot of all sorts of people. Through the ups and downs of the diners and Luan Xuetang, it stretches out a long timeline, revealing the big picture through the small. Compared with 'Teahouse' and 'Beijing Smoke and Fire', it has a strong flavor of Beiping."

However, unlike others, Luan Xuetang rose to prominence amidst the chaos of war, becoming a legendary manager who commands respect for his perseverance and wisdom. Xu Chi finished his tea and began to offer his comments.

(End of this chapter)