Writer 1979: Writing for the People

With so many letters from readers, let alone replying to them, Xu Lu would have a hard time even reading each and every one of them.

However, after finding all the envelopes containing cash and food coupons, Xu Lu carefully put away the rest.

As for the items that were found, he returned them.

It's not that he's pretending to be superior; it's just that everyone does the same thing in this situation.

He's doing alright now, so he doesn't plan to charge that money.

Just when Xu Lu thought the influence of the articles "Receiving the Precepts" and "My Distant Qingping Bay" was about to fade, another piece of news brought by Zhang Dameng the next day made him realize once again that he had underestimated the influence of these two articles.

"Your work, 'My Distant Qingping Bay,' is very well written. The leaders above were very satisfied after reading it, so they decided to let you leave agricultural production and focus on literary creation."

I've asked carefully, and you don't need to report to any other place. You can do whatever you want. It's called something like "field research," right?

Then, every now and then, I would write some articles and submit them to the commune's cultural center...

At this point, Zhang Dameng lowered his voice slightly.

"The manuscripts submitted to the cultural center should ideally be positive and constructive, to facilitate subsequent publicity!"

As for the other magazines you usually submit to, that's up to you.

The documentary "Yanhe" not only depicts the lives of educated youth sent to the countryside, but also showcases the local customs and traditions of this land...

Given the scarcity of artistic talent, the higher-ups were very pleased after reading "My Distant Qingping Bay" and subsequently made adjustments to Xu Lu's work assignment.

  

Xu Lu was quite happy when he first heard the news, but after thinking about it carefully, he hesitated.

"Actually, my job as a scorekeeper is not bad. I was thinking that maybe I should keep my job and see if the commune could arrange an easier job for Xiuzhi."

Seeing Li Xiuzhi working in the fields under the sun and wind every day, Xu Lu felt quite sorry for her. He thought that if he could help her find an easier job, he could continue to keep up with the work of keeping score and writing at the same time!

"Oh my, you love your wife so much!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dameng first made a few teasing remarks with a mischievous grin before speaking.

"Don't worry, there just happened to be a job doing odd jobs at Qiaoqiao's school, so the commune transferred Xiuzhi there, but she can only be a temporary worker."

Next, we'll pair them up; one can go to school, and the other to work.

Xu Lu was overjoyed; good things had come in pairs!

But upon closer reflection, he realized that Zhang Dameng must have helped him a lot behind the scenes.

The higher-ups would be more than willing to give him a different job; they certainly wouldn't think of giving Li Xiuzhi an easy job as well.

Therefore, Xu Lu also sincerely thanked Zhang Dameng.

"Hey, let's skip the formalities."

Zhang Dameng waved his hand, not wanting to make the scene too emotional.

"Okay, let's not talk about anything else. Come over to my place tonight, and we'll have something to eat together."

"That works! On the hour!"

……

The other educated youth in Zhangjia Village were somewhat surprised when they heard that Xu Lu had been arranged to leave agricultural production and begin to devote himself to creative writing.

However, upon closer reflection, a writer who can have two articles published in Yanhe at once does indeed deserve such special treatment.

It just feels like only a short time has passed, yet Xu Lu's life has changed so much.

First he married a beautiful woman, then he published articles in the Yanhe magazine, and now he's become a "full-time writer" in Zhangjia Village...

Life is getting better and better!

Lin Xiaocong, whose jealousy was written all over his face, could only continue to work in the field, looking dejected.

The only thing that could make him happy at this moment was that he was about to return to the city.

His father was planning to retire early and wanted him to return to the city to take over his job!

As for Xu Lu, since he's having such a good time here, let him continue being his "full-time writer"!

He's going back to the city to get his government-subsidized grain rations!

Lin Xiaocong knew, of course, that as long as Xu Lu could write better articles in the future, he would have a chance to return to the city.

But the key point is that he has to be able to write it!

In his view, these two articles were enough to render the other party's talentless!

He's quite pleased with himself now, but who knows if he'll still be able to laugh when his glory days are over.

It's a pity he won't be able to see that scene!

As for Xu Lu at this moment, he has also begun his journey as a "full-time writer"!

After watching Li Xiuzhi and Zhang Qiaoqiao go to the middle school in the commune together in the morning, he returned to his cave dwelling, took out paper and pen, and began to "create".

He first wrote a "positive" short story to submit to the commune's cultural center, which was a fitting tribute to his current status as a "full-time writer." Then he took out new paper to prepare a new manuscript to submit to Yanhe.

"Wheat Harvester"

It was still dark, only the east was beginning to lighten.

This is the only street in Qianyang County, Shaanxi Province, where the market and pawnshops are all located.

The street gradually came into view. What were those things? They looked like stone lions and stone rollers that used to be in front of wealthy families' doors, a dark, indistinct pile. As we got closer, we saw that they were all curled up and bent over, lying here and there.

What do they do? They're "field couriers." Oh, the "wheat harvesters" of Zhuanglang!

……

"Wheat Harvesters" is a short story with approximately 1.8 words.

The article employs a dual narrative structure, depicting the lives of a father and son from Zhuanglang, Gansu, who travel to Guanzhong, Shaanxi, to work as wheat harvesters in the early days of China's reform and opening up. It tells the story of their struggles for survival and the moral dilemmas they face while selling their labor during the summer harvest.

The storyline of the father, Wu Hedong, tells the tale of Wu Hedong, an honest and upright old wheat harvester who has been honest and upright all his life. His wife is seriously ill and he is in debt, and he is also in a hurry to raise money for his son's wedding dowry.

While working odd jobs for Zhang Genfa, a wealthy family in Nanchuan, he was caught up in the pressure of survival and, in a moment of weakness, stole a watch from his employer.

Enraged, the landlord Zhang Genfa wanted to search Wu Hedong in public, but his elderly father stopped him. Overwhelmed with shame and self-torture, Wu Hedong voluntarily handed over the watch.

The storyline of the son, Wu Shunchang, tells the story of how the young Wu Shunchang worked for a family in Linyou. The wife, Shuixiang, had a husband who suffered from Kashin-Beck disease and had long lost his ability to work and live independently.

The two young people gradually developed feelings for each other while working together for several days, and Shuixiang bravely confessed her feelings to Shunchang.

Shunchang was deeply moved, yet he was torn between moral and ethical considerations. He also knew that he was just a migrant worker who came and went in a hurry and could not give the other party a stable future. In the end, he could only choose to leave quietly.

Shuixiang caught up with him on the mountain path, gave him a brand new pair of rubber shoes and some dry food, and the two said goodbye in silence.

The two clues eventually converged, and after the wheat harvest, the father and son embarked on their journey home, returning to their still impoverished hometown, exhausted and with meager wages.

The story lacks intense dramatic conflict and is written entirely close to the survival texture of farmers at the bottom of society. It not only records the turbulent and laborious life of the "wheat harvesters," a traditional farming group, but also portrays the glimmer of humanity, struggles, and helplessness in the face of poverty.

Therefore, in the original historical account, this novel won the National Excellent Short Story Award in 1984...