1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 129 He's at least a division commander (Seeking monthly votes)

"Really don't want to?"

Zhou Xu shook his head again.

Seeing this, Zhang Rui gave up: "Fine, if you don't want to, I won't force you."

He glanced at Zhou Xu again, his eyes brimming with curiosity. How did the Victory Art Troupe manage to find such a treasure?

Now, his feeling of wanting but not getting is just like when Cao Cao asked Guan Yu for help; he couldn't get it no matter what, and that made him feel terrible!
Why don't you tell me why this kind of person isn't from Jiangsu? It wouldn't take much effort to get them transferred to the frontline song and dance troupe.

Political Commissar Ding coughed.

Zhang Rui stopped using threats and inducements. Cheng Guilan stepped forward and said, "Old Zhang, everyone in the troupe has gathered and started packing up the stage. Shouldn't you go back?"

"Okay, you can make the arrangements first." Zhang Rui waved his hand.

Zhou Xu glanced at it: "Reporting, sir? May I leave now?"

"...Let's go eat?"

"Mm." Zhou Xu nodded.

"No rush, come with me!"

After Zhang Rui left, Political Commissar Ding led Zhou Xu towards the canteen: "Hey? I have a question for you. Why did you refuse the frontline song and dance troupe? I can understand why they came to recruit you! But it's strange that you refused so quickly."

"The truth?" Zhou Xu asked.

"truth!"

Zhou Xu had a good impression of all the political commissars and spoke the truth: "Actually, if I go back to the Shengli Art Troupe, I can be promoted to director of the creative studio within a few years. Director Bai Hua is getting old... I'm not too worried."

Zhou Xu coughed.

Political Commissar Ding had an "I see" expression on his face.

"Is that so? But you have outstanding abilities, so you might be able to go to the General Political Department in the future."

“…I think I’ll go back to my original unit,” Zhou Xu replied.

"Well, let's go."

Zhou Xu left.

At the cafeteria, Song Zhipeng got food for Zhou Xu, and Ye Huawei asked while eating, "Are you trying to poach someone?"

"How did you know?" Zhou Xu looked over.

“That’s normal! Soldiers without connections are easily poached!” Ye Huawei nodded.

The "no connections" he referred to were soldiers with no powerful background: "Did you agree?"

"No!" Zhou Xu shook his head.

"That's true. In this situation, disagreeing is the best way to avoid offending either side!"

Yu Wenyong heard this and looked over in surprise, asking curiously, "Is it really to poach you? What are the conditions?"

Zhou Xu didn't hide anything; his roommates were all pretty nice. "To put it simply, they want me to go to a frontline song and dance troupe after graduation. They'll give me the salary of a battalion commander, and after a few years, I'll be promoted to deputy regimental commander..."

"Tsk? Skipped two grades?"

Anyway, Yu Wenyong didn't hear clearly how many years he had to wait! Does that mean he would be a regimental-level cadre in the past?

He thought about himself.

Most of those who pursue further education will likely return to their original units as battalion commanders, with only a very few who perform exceptionally well or whose original units have vacancies being directly promoted to deputy regimental commander.

I'll have to wait for my boss to retire before I can go back!
Zhou Xu went to the front-line regiment and was guaranteed a position as a deputy regimental commander? That's two promotions, even faster than me!

Currently, civilian and administrative positions are not separated. Although the power of cadres in the performing arts troupe is not as great as that of cadres in substantive positions, they are still deputy troupe leaders! Even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse! It's similar to the difference between the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council and the Bureau of Culture.

"I don't think so. We'll have to wait a few years!" Zhou Xu replied.

"Then why did you refuse? He's the deputy regimental commander, you know?!"

However, Ye Huawei seems to be at the same level.

However, advancing to the deputy regimental level is indeed quite difficult, about the same difficulty as advancing from a section-level to a division-level position. Yu Wenyong was genuinely surprised.

“I can’t possibly accept that, can I?” Zhou Xu shook his head: “The most important thing for a soldier is loyalty.”

Yu Wenyong nodded: "Then I still agree with you."

Yu Wenyong felt that he was absolutely unable to resist temptation.

In contrast, Deputy Commander Ye Huawei was much quieter: "Actually, it's normal. Xiao Zhou's potential is more than just deputy commander. Don't be blinded by temporary gains!"

At this point, Yu Wenyong looked over and asked curiously, "Old Ye, what stage do you think he can reach in the future?"

"Comrade Zhou Xu followed the path of the cultural troupe, while the rest of us started from the grassroots level. It's a bit different, but comparing the two, we're at least division commanders! Similar to the leaders of the General Political Department!" he said slowly while eating.

Yu Wenyong did not expect Ye Huawei to value Zhou Xu so much.

Most of these trainees are battalion commanders. After two years of training, their maximum potential upon returning home is mostly regimental commander! After all, there are only a few hundred division commanders now, and every year or two, one or two hundred people go on to military academies. It's impossible for everyone to become a division commander, right? There aren't enough positions!
Of course, Song Zhipeng was also somewhat surprised. His father was also a division commander, and his own potential was probably similar to his father's.

Judging from Ye Huawei's tone, could Zhou Xu possibly rise to the rank of division commander?

……

After dinner.

The group returned to their dormitory.

They felt that military academies and universities were pretty much the same; when everyone was studying together, there seemed to be no difference in rank!
However, after graduation, there will be a gap in terms of potential, resources, and level! Now, the group is feeling very anxious about the future.

"..."

December 8th. Nanjing had its first snowfall.

The snow was falling in the air, swish, swish, swish... The snow was light, and it only accumulated on the rooftops and eaves; it didn't accumulate much anywhere else.

Zhou Xu felt cold and put on more clothes.

Generally speaking, snow means that more than half of the school semester is over and the holidays are just around the corner!
Of course, snow is a beautiful scene. Zhou Xu felt that "Love Letter" had a huge impact on people; every time he saw a snowy scene, he would think of sweet romance! Pshaw!

Zhou Xu tidied himself up and left the military academy.

He called Li Xiaolin a couple of days ago, and Li Xiaolin didn't ask Zhou Xu to send it; instead, she took a car and came to pick it up herself.

Of course, it's not far from Shanghai to Nanjing. A regular green train takes nine hours, but a direct express train only takes four hours!
Compared to other options, it's indeed quite fast; you can pick up the manuscript in the morning and go back in the afternoon.

"Editor Li!" Zhou Xu was waiting for her at the state-run restaurant and quickly handed her the manuscript: "This is my new manuscript!"

Li Xiaolin snatched it, flipped through a few pages quickly, glanced at the quality of the novel, and immediately said, "The quality is alright, I haven't looked at it closely!"

"You're not going to reject my manuscript too, are you?" Zhou Xu asked with a smile.

Li Xiaolin smiled upon hearing this, after all, Zhou Xu's rejection by People's Literature had indeed become a well-known story in the editorial department.

At the time, many authors were searching through their rejection emails for their works, hoping to discover a great piece of writing that had been unexpectedly rejected. Of course, those were just wishful thinking.

"No, I guarantee it will be published in Harvest after I finish reading it!" Li Xiaolin said while drinking her milk.

Soon, Yao Fanghua walked in from outside and glanced at the hotel: "Are you having dinner here today?"

She walked up to the table where the two of them were sitting, her hair tied in a ponytail.

Zhou Xu introduced, "Friend, let's grab a bite together!"

Li Xiaolin's situation is not surprising; writers often have female confidantes.
The three sat down together, and soon the food began to be served.

Zhou Xu is currently in the military, so he can't afford to buy a house or a car, and he has to spend all his money on food!
Today we ate Cantonese food again.

Li Xiaolin eats very slowly.

After finishing their meal, the two parted ways at the door.

Li Xiaolin went directly from Nanjing back to Shanghai.

I arrived at the editorial department just before evening.

Although it's tiring, personally collecting the manuscript not only shows more respect for the author, but also prevents the manuscript from being lost during mailing.

We arrived at the editorial department.

Guo Zhuo looked at the exhausted Li Xiaolin and asked, "Has the manuscript arrived?"

"Hmm! I just got it!?" Li Xiaolin took out the precious manuscript from her bag: "This one is also good, it's a military novel too!"

"..." Guo Zhuo picked up the manuscript and glanced at it: "I have to say, Zhou Xu, this up-and-coming writer, is really amazing! This novel might even be more popular than 'The Boy in Striped Pajamas'."

"What manuscript?"

Cheng Depei, the editor of the neighboring Shanghai Literature magazine, came over after smelling the commotion: "Old Li, I saw you rushing out this morning, and now you're back in such a hurry with a manuscript? Whose masterpiece is it that made you so anxious?"

Wang Anyi also came to watch the play.

Li Xiaolin replied with a smile, "Zhou Xu's!"

"Huh? How come you guys got it again?" Cheng Depei asked in surprise.

After saying that, he came to stand in front of Guo Zhuo.

I "borrowed" the manuscript and started reading it.

After reading a few pages, Cheng Depei said, "Comrade Zhou Xu's skills have improved again; this is indeed a good manuscript! What do you want it for?"

"Don't we have a good relationship with the authors? You're all off work, why aren't you going home? What are you still doing here?" Li Xiaolin shooed them away.

They snatched the manuscript back from Cheng Depei.

Shanghai Literature could only watch helplessly.

Both are magazines supported by the Shanghai Writers Association, but there has always been a significant difference between them. However, Shanghai Literature has consistently been a more central provincial magazine due to its generous royalties.

Cheng Depei and Wang Anyi returned to the editorial department.

After Ru Zhijuan got off work, she asked, "What's going on? Why is it so noisy over there?"

“Nothing much? Li Xiaolin brought back another great manuscript. I read it, and it’s definitely Zhou Xu’s manuscript. The quality is even better than ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.’ She’s still showing it off!” Cheng Depei replied.

"Oh!" Ru Zhijuan nodded.

She was quite envious, to be honest. She said, "We at Shanghai Literature could ask Comrade Zhou Xu for a manuscript sometime!"

"When?"

"After the New Year!"

At this point, Wang Anyi raised her hand and said, "Mom, how about I go visit after the New Year? I've never been to Nanjing before!"

Wang Anyi was still a young woman in her early twenties. Her main purpose in seeking out Zhou Xu was to meet the writer, because she was curious about just how talented Zhou Xu was.

Although she was an unofficial staff member of "Shanghai Literature," everyone treated her as one of their own because she often spent time with her mother, Ru Zhijuan.

Ru Zhijuan thought for a while. Wang Anyi is not married now.

Wang Anyi isn't a great beauty, but she's good-looking and talented! She feels she's still attractive to many men.

What if Zhou Xu is attracted to talented women?

However, this was truly the only option left—or rather, the best option, if it involved marrying a wealthy man. Ru Zhijuan thought, "You're all young people; you can exchange ideas! And while you're at it, you can ask for manuscripts!"

(End of this chapter)