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

Chapter 86 Watching a Play with Zhu Lin
Zhang Guangnian was very interested in the fact that the Beijing People's Art Theatre had invited Liu Yimin to write a script, and mentioned that he had inquired about Liu Yimin's situation with Cao Yu at the Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

"It seems Lao Wan had this plan in mind all along! If there's anything you don't understand, just go ask him. Young people shouldn't be shy; if you are, you'll easily miss out!"

As they were talking, a group of international students walked in. When they saw Liu Yimin, they warmly sat around him, leaving Zhang Guangnian and Cui Daoyi looking completely bewildered.

I wondered, have these international students taken the wrong medicine?
"Comrade Zhang, senior brother, let me introduce you. This is from our Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press!"

Zhang Guangnian pondered for a moment and asked, "I've never heard of this organization. Is it an agency under the foreign affairs department?"

"Haha, this is a club established by the school's international students office, the International Students' Chinese Culture Research Society!"

It was only because Zhang Guangnian and Cui Daoyi were well-mannered that they didn't open their mouths and curse. The three words "Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press" stunned them.

Since they happened to be there, Liu Yimin simply conscripted them and made them tell these international students stories about old Beiping.

Zhang Guangnian was delighted that these foreigners wanted to learn about Chinese culture, and he sat down and began to explain earnestly.

They only finished when the staff from the Long March canteen came over to urge them to close.

Watching their retreating figures, Klifu put his arm around Liu Yimin and said, "Liu, nothing to do today, perfect for a bath!"

Mulatu chimed in from the side, "Li Congren is treating, we're going to take advantage of this American!"

Inside a residential compound in Xidan, Zhu Lin entered the living room and hung her handbag behind the door. Her father was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, intently reading a newspaper.

During the recent conference, all sorts of news emerged one after another. For intellectuals like them, it is important to pay close attention to the news and judge the trend of domestic policies.

"Dad, are you still reading the newspaper?" Zhu Lin took off his blue cotton-padded coat, revealing a yellow sweater underneath. He wore a white shirt over the sweater, with the collar sticking out, making him look very capable.

"Of course we have to look into it, because it concerns the future direction of the country. Recent news in the newspapers makes me feel that the higher-ups have new ideas. They've signed a joint communiqué with the Americans, and in a few days it will be January 1, 1979, when we will officially establish diplomatic relations with the United States."

"Tell me, this action by both the East and the West is a major event for the whole world. Understanding national affairs is always beneficial. Come, sit here and read the newspaper with me for a while!"

"I'm not watching anymore, I'm going back to my room to rest for a while!" Zhu Lin said casually.

"I won't read it, this article by Liu Yimin."

Zhu Lin turned around to look at his father as if by reflex, only to see his father smiling at him with a hint of amusement on his face. Only then did Zhu Lin realize that he had been tricked.

"Oh, Dad, you—" Zhu Lin gently patted his father's back, then his eyes were fixed on the theater tickets on the table: "Where did you get these theater tickets?"

"It was given by the school's labor union. I plan to go see it with your mother in a couple of days!" Zhu's father glanced at Zhu Lin, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

Before her father could react, Zhu Lin snatched the two theater tickets and said, "What are you looking at? We've been married for so long, and I've never seen a play before. Give them to me so I can improve my artistic taste."

"You only need one ticket!"

"I have a friend!"

Mr. Zhu had no choice but to order Zhu Lin to sit on the sofa and read the newspaper with him for a while as compensation.

“Your reader’s letter last time was quite good. My colleagues were all praising you, saying it was a waste that you studied medicine, you should have studied literature.” Zhu’s father poured himself a cup of tea and then turned to the page in People’s Literature that published Zhu Lin’s reader’s letter.

"It's never too late to learn now. We invited Comrade Liu Yimin to our school for a party last time."

"Oh?" Mr. Zhu pulled down his glasses, carefully observing Zhu Lin's expression, and asked with interest, "So? Is it really as the newspapers say?" "More than that!"

"more than?"

"Yes, she's even better in person than described in the newspapers. She's young, polite, sincere, warm, and down-to-earth," Zhu Lin said, counting on her fingers.

After listening, Zhu's father said warily, "Linlin, you write well, but don't let your talent blind you. I think you still need to step back and observe a person objectively. Your father knows more about people in the arts than you do, especially those majoring in Chinese literature."

Mr. Zhu wanted to say that he understood all the messy things in the literary and artistic circles, and that most people with literary talent had a tangled mess of relationships.

But I'm too embarrassed to say it out loud, and besides, what if I wrongly accuse someone?
“Dad, he’s different. Besides, we just met.”

Mr. Zhu chuckled, feeling a sense of déjà vu about the words. He was different, yet he said he'd just met him—wasn't that a contradiction?
After sighing, he threw the People's Literature magazine under the table and stopped talking, focusing intently on reading the newspaper.

After waiting for a while, Zhu Lin took advantage of his father's inattention, slung his bag over his shoulder, and left home. He ran down the stairs, rode his bicycle to Yenching University, and found Liu Yimin.

"Comrade Liu Yimin, I happened to be passing by Yenching University and just happened to get two tickets to a play. Thank you for your guidance on my writing in your letter. These two tickets are a token of my gratitude!"

Liu Yimin took the theater ticket and glanced at it; it was for Lao Guo's play, "Cai Wenji".

"I'm watching a play by myself and I need two tickets?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile, rhythmically rubbing the two tickets in his hand.

Zhu Lin said, "If you can't watch it by yourself, you can ask your friend to watch it with you?"

"Friends!" Liu Yimin looked around hesitantly, as if trying to figure out who to give it to.

Zhu Lin pretended not to care, but in her heart she was screaming, "Am I not a friend?"
"How about this, two tickets, one for me and one for you, I'll treat you to see 'Cai Wenji', how about that?" Liu Yimin said.

"Thank you, Comrade Liu Yimin. If you want to go tonight, you'd better leave quickly!"

Liu Yimin went back to his dormitory to change his clothes. Liu Zhenyun and the other two were in the library. They left a note saying that they might not be back that night and that they didn't need to wait for him.

"Let's go, Comrade Zhu Lin!"

Liu Yimin flicked the bell on his bicycle, producing a melodious sound. The scene in "Cai Wenji" was scheduled to start at 7 o'clock. Zhu Lin had been riding for over an hour to get here, and his legs were sore on the way back that the two of them were much slower.

"I used to be in a sports school and even served in the army, so this distance is nothing to me. Comrade Liu Yimin, can you ice skate?"

"No, we don't have an ice rink there!"

"Swimming?"

"No way!"

"Hey, I'll teach you how to ice skate when I have time."

"I don't really like ice skating, I like swimming. When summer comes, will you teach me how to swim?"

"it is good!"

(End of this chapter)