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

Chapter 546 Heroes Should Not Remain Anonymous

Liu Yimin reached out and shook Miller's hand. This guy's skin is getting thicker and thicker.

Miller, you're here too?

“Liu, of course I should come over. I’m a well-known playwright in America!” Miller whispered in Liu Yimin’s ear.

"Miller, I didn't see you on Broadway yesterday."

"I went south. Winter came, and it was a bit cold in New York."

The villa is a two-story building, and you can see directly from the living room to the second floor, where a huge chandelier hangs. It can even be a bit dazzling if you're not used to it.

The hosts of the banquet, Alice and Sam, have not yet appeared; they should be on the second floor at this time.

Many people came over to shake hands with Liu Yimin and asked him if he had any new works recently, or if there were any opportunities for collaboration.

It was clear that Huang Zumo, Jiao Huang, and the other two were not comfortable in this environment, so Liu Yimin told them to sit on the sofa and not move around, and to just chat normally if someone struck up a conversation with them.

Miller laughed and said, "Liu, now that you're in Hollywood, you're a guest of honor for countless directors. Your screenplays are just too good. Steven has told me more than once that he's sorry to you, that he shouldn't have resorted to such underhanded tactics. Liu, art shouldn't have contradictions."

"Miller, I know why you two are so close."

"What do you mean?"

“You were all very arrogant when we first met,” Liu Yimin said bluntly.

Miller grasped Liu Yimin's hand again: "Liu, let bygones be bygones. There's a Chinese saying: 'No fight, no friendship.'"

"Mr. Miller, you can't keep monopolizing Liu all the time, we'd like to have a chat too," someone nearby said, dissatisfied.

Just then, footsteps sounded on the second floor, and an old man in a simple jacket appeared at the top of the stairs. Alice Walton then appeared behind him and gently took the old man's arm.

Liu Yimin immediately understood that the old man was Sam Walton. He wasn't dressed fancy, but he moved very nimbly and had sharp eyes.

Sam had worked for the U.S. Army intelligence service and served in World War II.

As the two appeared at the top of the stairs, applause immediately erupted in the living room. Sam waved his hands to greet everyone, his gaze lingering briefly on Liu Yimin before turning to the others.

Alice whispered a few words in his ear, and after the two walked down the stairs, Sam extended his hand and smiled, "Welcome, guest from afar. Liu, this is a welcome party for you. Welcome to America."

"for me?"

"I like your work. It has a power that can inspire us to love life. In 'The Flames of War in Beiping,' I saw how the Chinese people survived. I worked in the intelligence department, and I know that the Chinese people suffered a lot at that time."

Reading "The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" also made me reflect on my own life, looking back on a past filled with both twists and turns and joys.

Sam's eyes gleamed with a strange light when he spoke, conveying excitement and respect to those who met his gaze.

Liu Yimin thought to himself that he should learn from him.

"Thank you for your hospitality, and thank you for liking my work."

After Sam finished speaking, he walked to the center of the crowd with a smile and addressed everyone, mainly talking about his respect for literature and art, Walmart's social responsibility, and so on.

Upon hearing this, someone immediately praised, "Mr. Sam has provided Americans with more shopping and product choices. Even after becoming wealthy, Mr. Sam has maintained a simple lifestyle and donated hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarships to American students. This is truly touching."

Liu Yimin rolled his eyes. Miller, who was standing in front, couldn't help but laugh. He quickly turned around and covered his face with his hand, which made eye contact with Liu Yimin.

Sam humbly stated, "Contributing to American education is something we should do."

He then glanced at the crowd below, as if waiting for applause. The crowd immediately understood, and Sam continued speaking only after the applause began.

Then they talked about environmental protection, how Walmart values ​​environmental protection, and Alice's donation of one million dollars was also mentioned.

"Art and literature are used to depict social phenomena and help people cope with social problems. Liu, a writer from the East, has done a great job. Walmart will definitely continue to contribute to environmental protection. After the movie 'Hachi: A Dog' was released, I watched it and I cried."

Liu Yimin finally understood that Walmart wanted to use this group of people to exonerate Walmart from accusations in the environmental field and to create public opinion for Walmart.

He subconsciously observed the living room and soon saw someone in the corner taking notes of Sam's speech, which he estimated would be circulated as "rumors" the next day.

After Sam finished speaking, everyone swirled their wine glasses and chatted, their brows furrowed, expressing their deep concern for environmental protection.

Sam walked over to Liu Yimin and started chatting with him, mainly about "The Pilgrimage of One".

"Liu, do you know why I like reading this book?"

"I guess you've lived more than half your life. In this experience, there has been warmth, cruelty, loyalty, and betrayal. Friends have become enemies, and enemies have become friends. Of course, I think that successful businessmen, especially those at the top of the world, have hearts as cold as iron."

Sam looked at Liu Yimin, stared at him for a long time, and slowly said, "Liu, everyone has a soft spot."

"Mr. Sam, I wonder if your tenderness comes from regret or from beauty?"

"Liu, I can't tell you that. Everyone has their own secrets, right?" Sam smiled as he looked at Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang.

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang nodded to Sam, who smiled and said, "Huang, Jiao, please eat and drink to your heart's content. Your work is excellent."

At this moment, Alice walked over, and it seemed that the father and daughter had a good relationship. Alice recounted the scene of the charity auction to Sam, and the two chatted back and forth, while Liu Yimin was only concerned about whether there would be any charity donations that night.

“Mr. Sam, I felt your concern for environmental protection tonight. As China’s forests continue to expand, we need people like you who care about the environment,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Sam chuckled and said, "Liu, how much do you think we should donate?"

“Mr. Sam, even if I offered to donate a hundred million dollars, you wouldn’t agree,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Sam paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "If one day there's an environmental project that needs a hundred million dollars, I think I'll consider it."

"Thank you, Mr. Sam and Walmart, for your continued donation to the tree planting project in China." Liu Yimin's clapping immediately attracted the attention of those around him, and then the others followed suit, with applause instantly filling the entire living room.

Miller leaned closer curiously: "Mr. Sam, how much money did you donate? You're so kind."

"Five million dollars!" Sam reacted quickly.

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang were surprised, and then they applauded loudly again.

"Mr. Sam, thank you for your kindness."

"Liu, you're really cunning," Sam whispered in Liu Yimin's ear.

Liu Yimin pursed his lips and said a few more nice words.

After the dinner ended, Sam went upstairs first, while Alice stood by the garden and said goodbye to Liu Yimin: "Liu, the five million dollars will be transferred soon. You caught us off guard." "Is that so? Ms. Alice, it seems I misunderstood. I mistakenly took what you said on Broadway yesterday as a second promise of donation," Liu Yimin said with a faint smile.

“No, no, no, my father is indeed planning to donate, but in this way.” Alice pouted.

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "Ms. Alice, don't you think the atmosphere here and the amount of donations are particularly suitable for reporters hiding in the shadows to write news?"

"Oh, Liu, are you mistaken?" Alice said awkwardly.

Seeing that the car had arrived, Liu Yimin waved and said, "Goodbye, Ms. Alice!"

Alice shook her head as she watched the car drive away. She'd have to find a different reporter next time; this one was way too obvious.

Back at the hotel, Jiao Huang asked curiously, "Comrade Yimin, it seems you had a disagreement with Alice earlier."

"It's nothing, just mutual benefit. Old Jiao, making money isn't easy!" Liu Yimin patted Jiao Huang's arm, telling them to go to sleep quickly, as they still had to participate in the roadshow tomorrow.

The hype created by newspapers and television has reached its peak, and the roadshow will soon come to an end.

The next day, after waking up, the group hurriedly set off, first going to Washington, then passing through several major cities in the southern United States, before returning to San Francisco.

Perhaps because it was coming to an end, Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang felt a mix of reluctance and excitement about returning home.

The small badges made by San Francisco environmental groups became coveted gifts at every roadshow, and the adorable image of the Chinese rural dog gradually began to resonate with the public.

Some people have also associated the badge with environmental protection; San Francisco environmental groups have made many and sent them to various environmental associations.

Back in San Francisco, Jim pulled out four envelopes and handed them to them: "Liu, thank you all very much for your cooperation. This is the fee for the roadshow. Liu, I will remember this unforgettable experience. The movie 'Brotherhood of Blades' will be released in the United States around January 20th. I hope it will be a success."

Goodbye, Jim.

Jim escorted Liu Yimin and his group to the hotel: "Liu, you can stay here comfortably and leave at any time. Our company will cover the expenses."

"it is good."

Back at the hotel, Liu Yimin glanced at the three of them and said with a smile, "Get some rest for a few days, then we'll head back to China."

Liu Yimin didn't rest; instead, he went to a reader meet-and-greet with Niki.

While he was busy, he tried to wait for news from Song Xilian, but when he couldn't get any before Song Xilian appeared, he had no choice but to leave.

After the Spring Festival, the delegation from the Writers Association will depart for South America. The specific time for this exchange has not yet been set, but the members of the delegation are already being selected.

"Where did you guys go today?" Liu Yimin asked curiously.

Huang Zumo said, "We went to the nearby beach for a walk, but found there wasn't much to do, so we came back."

"Yimin, when are we leaving?" Jiao Huang asked, hands on his hips.

"The day after tomorrow!"

With the Spring Festival just around the corner, the group was getting anxious. Jiao Huang turned on the TV, looked at the news, and said, "It's been five days, and they're still reporting on the five million dollar figure!"

"Let it be. We got the money, so it wasn't a waste of time to carry their sedan chair," Liu Yimin said calmly.

Huang Zumo said, "If we hadn't given them the money, we would have really lost out. We went to Walmart today and I saw that the supermarket had posters about donations upside down, right next to the plastic bags."

The fee for this roadshow ranges from three thousand to one thousand per person, so they don't have to worry about being short of money when they go shopping at the supermarket.

Translator Chen Sheng said, "No wonder Comrade Yimin is dissatisfied; the purpose of this banquet is not pure."

On television, Sam is being interviewed by a reporter, claiming that it was originally a private donation, but he doesn't know how it got exposed by the media, and he hopes the media will not bother him.

"You media outlets should have more to do!"

"It was installed for him."

Liu Yimin got up, threw the newspaper aside, picked up the phone, and called Song Xilian to ask if there was any progress.

Upon hearing that it was Liu Yimin, Song Xilian exclaimed with delight, "Yimin, it's you! I was just about to call the China Publishing House to ask for your contact information. We've found him, and he's in San Francisco!"

San Francisco?

“Yes, he’s in San Francisco. His name is He Fengshan, and he’s over eighty years old now. I have his address. I’ll give it to you. If you want to visit, you can come and pay him a visit. He’s from my hometown!” Song Xilian said happily.

"Okay, go ahead and tell me, I'll write it down."

After noting down the address and phone number, Liu Yimin exchanged a few pleasantries with Song Xilian and then hung up. Liu Yimin then called He Fengshan, but his daughter answered.

"Professor Liu Yimin, hello, hello."

Liu Yimin asked when would be a good time to visit, and He Manli replied, "Anytime is fine. If it's inconvenient for you to come over, we can visit you in person. My father was very happy to hear that you were coming."

"Thank you, we've come to visit."

He Fengshan is already 85 years old, and it's not convenient for him to come to our home.

Liu Yimin walked out of the room, called Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang, and the four of them took a car straight to He Fengshan's house.

Upon arriving at He Fengshan's home, Liu Yimin met the octogenarian diplomat, who, despite his advanced age, was in good spirits.

He Fengshan grasped Liu Yimin's hand excitedly and said, "Liu Yimin, the country's great writer, welcome, welcome! We don't know each other, but I actually went back to the country last year."

If we had met earlier, we should have met in Yanjing.

How are you feeling?

"Okay, please sit down. You're amazing! You're currently the most famous writer in China and in the world. I've read all your works. Thank you so much. I'm so glad you came to see me."

"Mr. He, I was very moved when I heard about your deeds. You are a person with great love."

He Fengshan waved his hand: "We Chinese are compassionate. Although we didn't do it, from a human perspective, we should help out."

He Fengshan led them into the study and brought Liu Yimin a stack of manuscripts, his autobiography "Forty Years of Diplomatic Career," which recorded this event.

"Yimin, what made you think of this?" He Fengshan asked.

"Mr. He, heroes should not remain unknown!"

P.S.: I still owe two more chapters, I'll make up for them tomorrow or the day after.
(End of this chapter)