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

Chapter 390 Visiting Old Man Ba

The next day, Liu Yimin went to the Overseas Chinese Apartment and brought out Huang Yongyu's painting "Beloved". Li Shu looked at it for a long time and said, "If it weren't for the three words at the bottom, I really wouldn't see what's so good about it. I think it's a bit abstract and not suitable for the cover. It's more suitable as an illustration in the preface."

Liu Yimin showed Li Shu the cover of The Paris Review for reference: "Show me your design first."

"Of course, I will never forget," Li Shu assured him.

Li Shu took out his camera and carefully photographed Huang Yongyu's painting "Beloved".

Feeling the warmth of the apartment, Li Shu smiled and said, "You guys should move back to the apartment soon, right?"

It got cold early this year, but it warmed up after the Spring Festival. The wind was also much weaker than in previous years, so there's no need to worry about ice on the roads making it difficult to get to work. It's definitely time to move back home.

Zhu Lin's due date is approaching, and staying at the Overseas Chinese Apartment is much more convenient.

When Liu Yimin got home that evening, he discussed the matter with Zhu Lin. Zhu Lin, holding his back, said, "Teacher Liu, let's move to the Overseas Chinese Apartment after you come back from Shanghai!"

“Okay, when I get back, you don’t need to go to work anymore. Take some time to rest. Anyway, we still have vacation days that we haven’t used. I wrote those words by word, so it’s a waste not to use them,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Teacher Liu. I’ll take a vacation after the premiere of ‘The Best Restaurant Under Heaven’.” Zhu Lin agreed, but then bargained with Liu Yimin.

The premiere of "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven" was on March 20th, and Liu Yimin would return from Shanghai no later than March 10th.

Seeing her stubbornness, Liu Yimin could only say, "Don't be stubborn."

Liu Yimin helped Zhu Lin sit down and went to the kitchen to cook. Zhu Lin hadn't been able to eat greasy food lately, so he could only cook more light and nutritious dishes.

Liu Yimin brought over some cuttlefish eggs from Fengzeyuan and made Zhu Lin a bowl of cuttlefish egg soup, which was light and nutritious.

The day before they set off from Yanjing for Shanghai, Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin visited Zhu's parents. The table was filled with food that Zhu Lin could eat at the moment.

"Dad, your complexion looks rosier than before these past few days," Zhu Lin asked with a smile.

Mr. Zhu touched his cheek and looked at Mrs. Zhu, asking, "Really?"

Zhu's mother said, "My child, isn't it a good thing that your father's complexion is rosy?"

Liu Yimin sat to the side, smiling without saying a word. Zhu's father said, "Yimin, you can go to Shanghai without worry. Your mother and I will take care of Linlin. After your mother gets off work, she will pick up Linlin from the People's Art Theatre first. I will buy groceries after get off work and we will meet at the courtyard house."

Like a general strategizing in the command tent, Zhu's father arranged things in an orderly manner.

Zhu Lin said, "Dad, you're talking like you're waging war."

"This is war, a protracted and arduous battle!" Zhu's mother interjected.

"I feel relieved to have my parents here. They've worked so hard lately."

Mr. Zhu said, “Go with peace of mind. The literary career is an important job and involves foreign literature education in universities. The whole family supports you. But you must come back as soon as you finish the meeting.”

Liu Yimin nodded in agreement. Zhu's father took out a wine glass and clinked it against Liu Yimin's tea glass, wishing him a smooth trip to Shanghai.

"Dad, do you still have any of this wine? I'll be back from Shanghai this time and can bring some back with me." Liu Yimin looked at the ginseng and cinnamon wine in Zhu's father's hand.

Father Zhu said seriously, "It's strange, isn't it? I can't drink much of other wines, but this wine is probably low in alcohol, so I can drink quite a lot at once."

They can drink quite a lot at once, so bring plenty!
"Understood!" Liu Yimin raised his teacup and clinked it together. Like Han Xin commanding troops, the more the merrier.

After finishing his meal, Liu Yimin rode his motorcycle away from the courtyard house.

March 1st was the day "The Era Trilogy" was published. Liu Yimin, Yan Jiayan, and Sun Yushi boarded a train and left Yanjing, the three of them carrying their luggage and sitting in a hard sleeper.

The travel allowance provided by the Chinese Department was only enough for a hard sleeper berth. Liu Yimin felt embarrassed to travel alone in a soft sleeper berth, let alone by plane.

The other senior professors in the Chinese department are too old to travel far with them.

"Professor Yan, the journey is long, how about we play a few rounds of cards?" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Sun Yushi said, "Yimin, you really have a lot of free time. Aren't you going to think about your speech?"

Yan Jiayan said, "Come on, let's have a couple of rounds!"

The old man next to them looked at the three of them curiously and laughed, "You three are really interesting. The student and the teacher get along like buddies."

Yan Jiayan and Sun Yushi exchanged a smile, and Sun Yushi said, "Don't let his youth fool you, he's also a professor at our school."

The old man adjusted his reading glasses, looked at the three faces, and rolled over: "Don't be silly, he looks like a student."

The three sat down and played cards, while Yan Jiayan quietly explained the agenda. Yan Jiayan said to Sun Yushi, "Old Sun, you should take on more administrative roles in the next two years. You're young; you can't always focus your energy on teaching."

Sun Yushi said, "It's as if I'm more than ten years younger than you, when I'm only two years younger."

After Yan Jiayan became the head of the Chinese Department, he had to slowly select the next head. Sun Yushi was the next head of the Chinese Department after Yan Jiayan.

Yan Jiayan said, "Being two years younger is still being young. And you, stop squinting at my cards while grinning like that. You'll be graduating with your master's degree next year."

"A pair of 2s!" Liu Yimin threw the cards onto the bed and said with dissatisfaction, "Professor Yan, that's a personal attack."

Sun Yushi looked at the cards and shook his head, saying "No," but then laughed and said, "We should transfer Yi Min to the Department of Modern Literature. He would be more than qualified to be the deputy director."

“I was even planning to have him set up his own teaching and research office,” Yan Jiayan said.

When they heard the old man snoring from the upper bunk, the three of them stopped playing cards and quietly returned to their own beds.

On the train to Shanghai, you can often hear people complaining about lost wallets. The train police and announcers repeatedly remind everyone to be careful with their wallets.

It seems that the "underwear" brand wallet is not very popular yet, otherwise this kind of thing wouldn't have happened.

However, when the three got off the train, they saw two railway police officers escorting a young man off the train. The railway police station then handed the man over and took him away.

According to word of mouth among passengers, while others were stealing, this guy was robbing.

Sun Yushi shook his head and said, "The world is going to the dogs! The world is going to the dogs!"

When the three arrived at the train station, people from Fudan University were already waiting for them at the entrance, holding up signs.

"Hello, Professor Yan, Professor Sun, Professor Liu, I am Wang Yu, who is in charge of hospitality at the Chinese Department of Fudan University. I will take you to the guesthouse first."

"Excuse me."

"You're welcome. We also think it's a good thing that we can hold this meeting at Fudan University. The university leaders are very supportive."

Yan Jiayan asked, "How many people have come?"

"You are the first to arrive. The meeting doesn't start until the day after tomorrow. Those who live nearby will arrive later. Tonight and tomorrow are expected to be the busiest time. We have contacted several guesthouses and the city bus company to arrange bus transportation during the meeting."

Wang Yu enthusiastically introduced the conference arrangements and the scenery along the Huangpu River to them: Our campus is right by the Huangpu River. If you have time during the conference, you can go to the Huangpu River to enjoy the breeze.

Three professors from the department will be visiting this afternoon.

Fudan University's guesthouse is located on the Handan Road campus. The car entered through the old gate of Fudan University. Its simple and unadorned style cannot compare to the royal grandeur of Yenching University, but it still exudes a strong humanistic atmosphere.

Once inside the school, Wang Yu became even more enthusiastic, explaining each building they passed to everyone, as if he wanted to piece together a complete history of Fudan University.

The Chinese Department of Beijing Normal University had eighteen Arhats, and the Chinese Department of Fudan University had fourteen elders, but many of them have already passed away.

Even more famous than the Fourteenth Elder was the later "Eighteen Donkeys!"

Liu Yimin has been wondering why universities that teach the principles of being a good person produce so many sophisticated egoists.
Upon arriving at the guesthouse, Wang Yu helped everyone with their luggage, and the Chinese Department had a conference service staff member on hand to register them.

There were many people attending the meeting, and accommodation was in short supply, so only two people could share a room. Liu Yimin and Yan Jiayan shared a room, while Sun Yushi shared a room with someone else.

The layout of the guesthouse was similar to other guesthouses. The desks in the rooms were even discarded student desks, with revolutionary slogans painted on them.

Yan Jiayan smiled and said, "Fudan University has put in a lot of effort and spent a lot of money this time!" The funding came jointly from the Chinese Department of Yenching University, the Chinese Department of Fudan University, and the American Literature Research Association (Shandong University), but the Chinese Department of Yenching University had real interests to pursue, while the other two parties were pursuing more intangible interests such as academic achievements and reputation.

In the afternoon, several professors from the Chinese Department of Fudan University came to visit them.

Yan Jiayan introduced Liu Yimin to each of them: "This is Liu Yimin, Yimin, this is Professor Zhu Dongrun, one of the fourteen elders, Professor Chen Zizhan, and this is Professor Chen Yunji."

After exchanging pleasantries, Professor Chen Zizhan said to Liu Yimin, "Yan Jiayan, your Baoshu seems quite shy!"

"Hahaha!"

Among the fourteen elders of Fudan University, Chen Zizhan offended many people with his directness. Once, the elder Qi Baishi was so angry because of Chen Zizhan's evaluation that he thought Chen Zizhan looked down on him. However, after the storm passed, Qi Baishi said that Chen Zizhan was honest.

Among these people in the Chinese Department of Fudan University, Chen Zizhan is the oldest.

Professor Chen Yunji from Fudan University said, "This is a grand gathering for all Chinese literature departments in China, and also a grand gathering for the comparative literature community. Let's go to the conference room to sort out the details. The comrades from the Shandong University Literature Research Association have also arrived, and should go directly to the conference room by now."

The group walked outside. The temperature in Shanghai in March was not high, and the damp cold made Liu Yimin feel a little uncomfortable.

Yan Jiayan thrived in this environment; he was a native of old Shanghai.

"The temperature difference is large in March, so if you go out in the morning or evening, remember to keep warm," Professor Chen Yunji said.

Chen Yunji is relatively young and holds an administrative position in the Chinese Department of Fudan University.

Liu Yimin secretly told Wang Yu, who was supposed to pick them up, to go to the Huangpu River for some fresh air. He said it would be crazy to actually go there in this weather.

Upon arriving at the conference room, the people from Shandong University were already sitting there waiting, with Shandong University President Wu Fuheng personally leading the team.

Wu Fuheng shook Liu Yimin's hand and said, "Professor Liu, I am very happy to meet you. I hope that one day you can come to Shandong University to give lectures!"

"Principal Wu, I have long admired your name."

"Oh? Why didn't you come when I invited you before?" Wu Fuheng said with a smile.

Yan Jiayan interjected, "Principal Wu, the Chinese Department really has a lot on its plate!"

"Haha, sit down, comrades. Jia Yan, don't worry, we won't poach anyone," Wu Fuheng said.

A group of people sat down to discuss the details of the comparative literature seminar. The seminar lasted two days, with keynote speeches in the morning, academic presentations in the afternoon, and discussions on comparative literature and foreign literary thought education on the second day.

"Comrades, this is a grand event. We must actively carry out relevant research. Some comrades have raised the issue of pollution control. Don't be afraid. I have repeatedly said that we are engaged in academic research, and academic research and pollution control are not mutually exclusive!"

Wu Fuheng reiterated the original intention of Shandong University in establishing the American Literature Research Institute in conjunction with various universities, which won rounds of applause.

After the three groups went over all the details, they left the meeting room. Liu Yimin looked around the Chinese Department of Fudan University but didn't see his roommate, Li Xueqin.

Back at the guesthouse, Yan Jiayan asked Liu Yimin if he had anything planned for the evening.

"I'm planning to visit Professor Ba. Professor Wan and his wife asked me to bring them some things. It would be impolite not to pay them a visit," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Yan Jiayan said, "We've got the same idea! I happen to have something I'd like Harvest magazine to do!"

"what's up?"

"You'll know when you arrive."

Fudan University's Handan Road campus is quite far from No. 113 Wukang Road, Xuhui District, where Ba Jin lived, so I borrowed a car from the Chinese Department of Fudan University to visit him.

Wang Yu couldn't contain his excitement along the way. When they passed by the park, they saw many women wearing cotton-padded coats walking around. Sun Yushi couldn't help but ask what they were doing.

"Slash the skirt!"

"Slit skirt?"

Wang Yu said, "It means comparing who dresses more beautifully. All the women want to outdo each other. Outdoing someone is called 'cutting down'. In summer, they compare skirts, and in winter, they can only compare cotton-padded coats."

Sun Yushi looked at it carefully for a moment and then shook his head: "I don't understand. What's the point of comparing these things? Isn't this just petty-bourgeois behavior?"

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "We're so unsophisticated!"

“Shanghai’s culture was thoroughly transformed by the West in the past, and being on the coast, people’s thinking changes very quickly!” Yan Jiayan said, and then began to recount his past experiences.

No. 113 Wukang Road is a detached old villa in Shanghai. 55 years later, Ba Jin moved here, and this is the place where he lived the longest.

By the time they arrived outside the villa, it was already dark. The four of them gently knocked on the iron gate, and the gardener in the yard poked his head out to ask what they were doing there.

"Excuse me, we're from the Chinese Department of Yenching University. My name is Liu Yimin. We made an appointment with Professor Ba and Senior Sister Xiaolin," Liu Yimin said.

A happy expression appeared on the other side's face as they opened the door and said, "Mr. Ba Jin and Xiaolin are waiting for you on the first floor. Please come in!"

Passing the lawn, the group went into the villa. Ba Jin and Li Xiaolin stood up and said, "You've arrived. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's eat first."

"Master Ba, Senior Sister Xiaolin, these are gifts from our teacher, teacher's wife, Senior Sister Wanfang, and Linlin."

Just as the nanny was about to take it, Li Xiaolin took it first, smiling and saying, "Thank you for your trouble. Let me see if Wanfang brought what he asked me to bring."

Yan Jiayan held Grandpa Ba's hand and asked him about his health. Grandpa Ba smiled and said, "I'm still in good health. You guys are at the forefront of the arts, so you should also take care of yourselves and cultivate more successors in the arts."

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Ba Jin specially ordered Sichuan cuisine: "When you come to a Sichuanese home, you must eat Sichuan food. Try it, Yimin, it certainly can't compare to the Yanjing Hotel."

Li Xiaolin said, "Father, I will study hard and try to make it taste the same."

As they ate, they discussed comparative literature. Ba Jin rarely spoke, always listening first.

Li Xiaolin was discussing the novel "Beloved" with the others. They each had their own opinions, but all agreed that it was groundbreaking for domestic novels.

“Yimin, now that you’re here, you can take the literary award back with you. We won’t need to send it to you this time. It would be even better if you could come to the award ceremony,” Li Xiaolin said regretfully.

Ba Jin said with a smile, "Literary awards are secondary to writers, so there's no need to pay too much attention to them. However, they do serve as an incentive. The works that won awards in Harvest this year are all very substantial."

"For Yimin, it's all just a bonus. After all, these days every major magazine wants to set up a literary award, and Yimin has won far too many. And that's only if he only submits his works to 'People's Literature' and 'Harvest,' otherwise he'd win even more," Li Xiaolin joked.

Before leaving, Yan Jiayan finally revealed the purpose of his trip: to ask Li Xiaolin if the March issue of Harvest magazine had been printed.

"Not yet, what's wrong, Professor Yan?"

Yan Jiayan sighed and said, "I was thinking of giving everyone a copy of 'Harvest' on the forum so that my colleagues could study Yimin's novels."

The publication of "Beloved" will solidify Yenching University's leading position in modern literature at the academic conference. Li Xiaolin guessed Yan Jiayan's little scheme, but she was willing to help.

“Your meeting is the day after tomorrow, and you’ll only be discussing Western literature, thought, and education the next day. I’ll have someone print out some sample copies and send them to the meeting.”

"Thank you very much, Comrade Xiaolin."

"You're welcome. This is also a chance for our Harvest magazine to gain exposure."

Around 9:30, Liu Yimin and the others walked out of Wukang Road. After they came out, Wang Yu, who was driving, regretted not having said more to Ba Lao earlier.

"It's a rare opportunity to meet, and I'm just wasting it like this."

The three exchanged a smile and, enjoying the Shanghai night view, returned to the Fudan University Guesthouse. Upon arriving at the guesthouse, the receptionist immediately stood up and looked at Liu Yimin: "Professor Liu, someone came looking for you earlier, saying they were your classmate, but left when they saw you weren't there."

Yan Jiayan and Sun Yushi looked at Liu Yimin, who said, "Li Xueqin from the class of '78, who was in the same dormitory as me, is now pursuing a master's degree at Fudan University."

"That kid!"

"Okay, I understand," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

The receptionist waved to Liu Yimin: "Good night, Professor Liu. If you need anything, just let us know. We all love your work. We've read 'Triumph at Midnight' several times."

(End of this chapter)