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

Chapter 411 Featured in Time Magazine
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics pioneered various ticketing methods, such as phased sales, seat allocation, sales commissions, and charity sales, which greatly enhanced the commercial value of the Olympics.

Salespeople in major supermarkets and shopping malls receive a 10% commission for every ticket sold. Buying tickets is relatively easy in the US, but not in China. Yuan Weimin remembered himself even during the intense preparations, which deeply moved Liu Yimin.

While the delegation was winning gold in Los Angeles, two pandas also arrived in Los Angeles, earning the country $300,000 in foreign exchange in just half a month.

Upon hearing Zhu Lin's voice, Yuan Weimin smiled and congratulated him, saying, "Comrade Zhu Lin, congratulations on the birth of your twins!"

"Coach Yuan, I wish you all the best in winning the championship in Los Angeles. I'll be here celebrating with you on TV!" Zhu Lin said loudly from the side.

“We will definitely work hard to prepare for the war. I will take Comrade Yimin away from you for a while.”

"no problem!"

After hanging up the phone, Yuan Weimin's relaxed expression disappeared. He took a deep breath and walked towards the training ground, where the team members were undergoing intensive and targeted training. During breaks, they were analyzing the opponents' tactics and techniques through video recordings.

The peaceful courtyard was ignited by Yuan Weimin's invitation. Zhu Lin told Yang Xiuyun about Liu Yimin's trip to the Olympics, and the two of them, holding their child, were filled with excitement once again.

Liu Yimin took a watermelon from the refrigerator in the kitchen, cut it open, and brought it to the ginkgo tree in the yard. The three of them ate watermelon and chatted. After Yang Xiuyun finished eating the watermelon, she immediately picked up a palm-leaf fan to drive away the mosquitoes for the two little ones.

After the two little ones fell asleep, Yang Xiuyun picked up the children and said, "It's getting late, let's go to sleep!"

Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin tidied up the stone table and returned to the bedroom hand in hand with smiles.

“If Mom weren’t in Yanjing, we’d have a really tough time raising two kids.” Zhu Lin pushed Liu Yimin into the bedroom.

Liu Yimin said helplessly, "It's just that she's a bit tired taking care of the child by herself, and she wanted to find a nanny to help her, but our mother is unwilling."

Yang Xiuyun believed that nannies were outsiders, and it was very inconvenient to have an outsider living in the house. Secondly, like Zhu Lin had thought before, wouldn't hiring a "housekeeper" make them an exploitative class?

The following weekend, in the early morning, the courtyard was filled with the fresh air and the aroma of food and flatbread.

Zhu's parents arrived in the yard early in the morning, carrying many things, including a toy made by Zhu's father—a small windmill made from hollowed-out walnuts and popsicle sticks.

“One for each of the eldest and second sons, put them in front of Grandma,” Father Zhu said kindly, then made a funny face to amuse his grandson.

Zhu's mother said with a smile, "After your dad started his vacation, he stopped thinking about writing his lousy novel and spent all his time thinking about how to make some little gadgets for the two little ones."

"Dad, thank you for your trouble." Liu Yimin bent down and looked at Zhu's father, who was squatting on the ground playing with the child.

"Anyway, I have nothing better to do, so maybe I can even develop wood carving skills in the future," Mr. Zhu said cheerfully.

Yang Xiuyun sat to the side with a smile, watching Zhu's father play with the child. Suddenly remembering what happened last night, she said smugly, "In-law, Yimin is going to watch the Olympics in a while."

"Really?" Both Zhu's mother and father looked up at Liu Yimin.

Zhu Lin chimed in, "Mom and Dad, Coach Yuan Weimin from the volleyball team called last night, inviting Yimin to the US to watch a game. Yimin has done a lot for the volleyball team, so this is just him returning the favor!"

"Great news, great news! Watching it live will definitely be more exciting than watching it on TV." Mr. Zhu stood up with a smile and shared his predictions for the Olympics: "In this Olympics, volleyball is the most certain sport for us to win gold medals. As for the others, it depends on the athletes' performance. But winning just one gold medal will be a breakthrough, a victory that will go down in history."

Mr. Zhu's excitement made everyone in the yard burst into laughter. Mrs. Zhu said that when Liu Yimin went to the United States, she would come here to help Yang Xiuyun take care of the children.

Liu Yimin went to the U.S. Embassy to apply for a visa and sent a telegram to Niki of the China Book and Periodical Publishing House to tell her that he was going to Los Angeles to participate in the Olympics. From the first event to the last, there was still a lot to do.

After arranging the work at the Institute of Literature and Art, Liu Yimin then focused his energy on adapting "The Stage," as he needed to hand over the script to the Beijing People's Art Theatre before setting off.

On July 20th, Liu Yimin visited the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Lan Tianye and Su Min had already completed the selection of actors for the play "Beloved". The actors were familiarizing themselves with their lines while conducting preliminary rehearsals.

The two invited Liu Yimin to check if the actors' costumes and styling were suitable, and if so, to notify the costume workshop to make changes as soon as possible.

After looking through them, Liu Yimin said, "The black slaves' clothes are too neat. Plantation slaves shouldn't be like this. They should be slovenly, even with bloodstains left from whippings. The men are only wearing shorts, and the women are wearing long white sleeves that are wide enough to cover their thighs."

After saying that, Liu Yimin looked at Yang Lixin, who was dressed in slave owner's clothes and cracking a small leather whip. Liu Yimin pointed and said, "This is too short. A slave owner's whip should be about three meters long."

"Three meters?" Yang Lixin said incredulously.

"In 1805, black slaves could only cultivate 5 hectares of cotton fields per year. After the use of whips, each person could cultivate 10 hectares per year. Can you do that with your 30-centimeter whip? There is also a nine-tailed whip, with nine ropes tied together. One whip is stronger than nine."

Liu Yimin took the whip from Yang Lixin and examined it. This thing was alright for slave owners to use in bed.

Yang Lixin stood there stunned: "The Americans are too ruthless!"

"The Anssa people have the genes of plunder and robbery in their blood. The backs of slaves are painted with bloodstains. They have been whipped for years, and the scars are long gone."

Liu Yimin commented on the makeup and styling of each actor, and many of them showed incredulous expressions.

"When I get to America, I'll find some of the original items and send them back to you so you can see them," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Lan Tianye said, "When we get to the competition in the United States, please give a shout-out to those of us who couldn't go."

"Write down how much you want to order, and I'll order it for you according to the bill later!"

"Hahaha."

Laughter filled the rehearsal space for "Beloved". Lan Tian and Su Min assured Liu Yimin that by the time he returned, the rehearsal of "Beloved" would be at least partially completed.

"Directors, there's no need to rush. Just keep your own pace."

After chatting with the two people, Liu Yimin went to check on Zhu Lin's rehearsal. Seeing that everything was normal, he watched the performance from the audience for a while.

After get off work, Zhu Lin didn't go home; she had a performance that evening.

"I'll come pick you up tonight," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Zhu Lin waved his hand and said, "No need, I can go back by myself. It's just a matter of twisting the accelerator."

On July 23, Liu Yimin handed over the adapted version of "The Stage" to Cao Yu, who in turn handed the play over to Ouyang Shanzun and director Gu Wei.

Ouyang Shanzun slapped the script in his hand: "These past two days, I've taken the workshop foreman to the Peking Opera troupe to check out the costumes for the actors in 'Farewell My Concubine,' and we'll quickly get the costumes and makeup made."

"Why not buy a set from the Peking Opera troupe? It might even save you money compared to making one yourself," Gu Wei suggested.

Cao Yu looked at the two of them and said, "Whether you make it yourself or buy it, it's up to you two. Use whichever option has a lower budget and decent quality!"

Gu Wei wanted to buy a set because the Peking Opera troupe was not doing well at the moment, and he was sure they would agree to buy the costumes, since their costume workshop was just sitting idle anyway.

Ouyang Shanzun and Gu Wei left the office happily. Cao Yu smiled and said, "Gu Wei, as a director, is capable of taking on a major role after Shanzun and the others."

"Director Gu is also a good actor. He acted very well in 'Death of a Salesman'."

"Only by coming from among the actors can one go among the actors and know how to guide them in rehearsing," Cao Yu commented with satisfaction, then inquired about Liu Yimin's preparations for going to the United States.

"There's nothing to prepare. I'll go alone and come back alone," Liu Yimin said calmly. "You'll probably be quite busy in America this time, so take good care of yourself," Cao Yu advised with concern.

"Teacher, don't worry!"

Back in the courtyard, Liu Yimin packed his clothes, which contained several books, to show to the people from the China Book and Periodical Publishing House later.

On July 24, Liu Yimin packed his bags and boarded a plane to the United States. By then, the Olympic delegation and the press corps had already arrived in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles welcomed China's pandas and Olympic delegation in the summer. The Chinese pandas were the talk of the town. In the 41-degree weather, a group of Los Angeles city officials, oil company president Hammer, and members of public groups waited anxiously at Los Angeles Airport.

Zookeepers at the Los Angeles Zoo drew lots to secure a spot to care for the pandas, and long lines formed in Los Angeles and across America to see them.

Even the Olympic delegation couldn't outshine the panda. Amidst the enthusiastic atmosphere, a news item from the China Publishing House added fuel to the fire—renowned Eastern writer Liu Yimin would be arriving in the United States again.

As news of Liu Yimin's arrival was confirmed, newspapers and television stations dug up information about his previous visit to the United States.

The New York Times took a different approach, publishing an article titled "Eastern Writer Gains Global Publishing Opportunities," reporting on Liu Yimin signing publishing agreements with representatives of publishers from various European countries, and stating that Chinese writers will demonstrate their influence on the world stage.

In addition to describing "Beloved," the author also quotes many of Liu Yimin's novels, such as "The Flames of War in Beiping," "Triumphant Return at Midnight," and "The First Restaurant Under Heaven," arguing that Liu Yimin's novels are positively spreading traditional Chinese culture to the world and influencing people's understanding of the war between China and Vietnam.

In winning the support and sympathy of the world's people, Vietnam has undoubtedly lost. Chinese writers are using their literary works to declare to the world that their actions are just and their soldiers are brave. China has won not only a victory on the battlefield but also a victory in public opinion.

A CNN anchor is broadcasting on the television screen:

Currently, the most popular Chinese figures in the United States are: first, the panda from China, with people lining up in the sunshine, shouting "I want to see the panda! I want to see the panda!"; second, Liu, who brought wonderful literary works to our country, with countless readers cheering for him; and third, the Chinese Olympic delegation.

Many people are asking why the Olympic delegation isn't second; it's because they'll snatch the gold medal from our American team, so we've ranked them third.

After the male host finished speaking, the female host immediately said:
The 23rd Olympic Games held in Los Angeles marked China's first full return to the Olympic arena. They have no history of winning gold medals at the Olympics, and I believe they will not pose a threat to the American team.

Interestingly, the last time a Chinese person participated in the Los Angeles Olympics was fifty years ago, and that person was Liu from Changchun, China.

Members of the Olympic delegation who arrived in the United States early were furious when they saw the news on television; the Americans were simply too arrogant.

Yu Jiajia, a member of the press corps, was very happy to see the news that Liu Yimin was coming, but she was still surprised by the reaction of the American media. Judging from the media's reaction, she thought it was in China.

When Liu Yimin's plane landed in San Francisco, the airport was packed with people. Niki from China Book and Periodical Press mobilized readers and media from San Francisco to come and greet him. Niki came up and gave Liu Yimin a hug, and the sound of cameras clicking incessantly filled the air.

Readers held copies of "Beloved" in their hands, displaying signs with slogans such as "Anti-oppression, Anti-racism" and "World Peace," while Black people took the opportunity to shout slogans for human rights inside.

Looking at the scene, Liu Yimin said in a low voice, "Ms. Niki, you are indeed a successful businesswoman."

“Liu, that’s how it is in America. Even the best books and authors need marketing. But as for businessmen, if you were a businessman, I believe you could achieve even greater success.” After saying that, Niki took Liu Yimin’s hand and waved to the media.

The media bombarded Liu Yimin with questions, regardless of whether he would respond. Amidst the media's hysterical outbursts, the microphones were practically shoved into Liu Yimin's mouth.

"Liu, can you tell us how you created 'Beloved'?"

Liu Yimin looked at the reporter and said, "History is the best source of material. The success of 'The Favourite' is not my success, but rather the reflection of the American and world people on the history of racial discrimination and their pursuit of racial equality, fairness and justice."

After saying that, he pointed to the Black people in the distance who were chanting slogans: "I feel sorry for what they have gone through."

"Liu, you have achieved success in magical realism. Will you continue to delve into writing magical realism works like Márquez?"

“Every topic has its own suitable way of expression, and I prefer the roots of magical realism—the way of writing realism.”

"Liu, I'm a reporter from The New York Times. Do you think the Chinese Olympic team can win an Olympic gold medal this time?"

"Without a doubt!"

"Liu, the Chinese women's volleyball team has made great strides in recent years. Do you think the Chinese women's volleyball team can defend their world championship title?"

"Without a doubt!"

The media wanted to conduct interviews, but were separated by the staff of China Publishing House led by Niki. Liu Yimin greeted the readers, and bouquets of flowers were forcefully stuffed into Liu Yimin's arms by the readers, who quickly took them from him.

Once in the car, Liu Yimin brushed the flower petals off his clothes and let out a long sigh. The driver from China Book Publishing House smiled and asked Liu Yimin how it felt to be a great writer.

"No matter how great a writer is, they all write for their readers!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the driver immediately wiped the smile off his face: "It's for international readers!"

Nikki followed closely behind and got into the car, which then drove towards the hotel. Nikki had prepared a high-end hotel for Liu Yimin this time, and after circling around a few times, they finally entered the hotel.

As Nikki stepped out of the car, she shook Liu Yimin's hand and said, "Liu, I am very happy that you came to America. I believe that China Publishing House, as your partner in America, will definitely achieve success with you."

"Thank you for your welcome," Liu Yimin said.

Seeing that Liu Yimin looked tired, Niki told him to rest in the room for a while.

After seeing Niki off, Liu Yimin took a shower and went straight to bed. Upon waking, Liu Yimin first called Li Congren.

Li Congren was so excited on the phone he almost shouted, "Liu, I knew you would call me after you got to America. Which hotel are you at now? I'll come find you."

Liu Yimin glanced outside; it was already getting dark. Unable to resist Li Congren's enthusiasm, and since he hadn't eaten yet, he gave Li Congren the hotel's address.

At the same time, the staff from China Book and Periodical Publishing House who were in charge of hospitality called, and Liu Yimin said with a smile, "You don't need to worry about me."

"Professor Liu, please feel free to contact us if you need anything," the staff member said.

"Okay, I understand." Liu Yimin said and hung up the phone.

When Li Congren arrived, the two found a Chinese hot pot restaurant and ate there. Li Congren excitedly said, "Can't you feel the warmth of the American people?"

I arrived at the airport at noon, and by the afternoon, Liu Yimin was already on TV in the United States, with the headline "Chinese writer full of confidence in the Chinese Olympic team!"

"Your media speed is truly impressive!" Liu Yimin exclaimed.

Li Congren said, "It's just a bit faster. In many cases, the media performs very poorly and is just a tool for the two parties to attack each other."

After discussing media matters, Li Congren handed the latest issue of "Thoughts" to Liu Yimin: "I've noticed that American students in their adolescence particularly enjoy reading love stories, especially sad ones."

Youth angst literature is popular with young men and women in every country. Thanks to these stories of youthful angst, the sales of *Thought* magazine in American high schools have further increased.

The two didn't chat for long. Seeing that Liu Yimin hadn't rested well, Li Congren returned to the hotel after dinner and specially booked a room next door.

The next day, before Liu Yimin had even woken up, Li Congren was banging on the door of the room, shouting that Liu Yimin had made it onto the cover of Time magazine.

(End of this chapter)