Writer 1979: Writing for the People

Chen Zhongshi's problem novels are generally set in rural areas. For example, his story "Trust" is set in Luoxi Brigade!

Therefore, he basically knows what kind of articles will be written in this area.

He had guessed that Xu Lu might write something new, like the two articles from last time, but he didn't know what that new idea would be!

It wasn't until he read the text himself that he realized that Xu Lu's "local literature" was actually genuine local literature.

He did not use the rural setting as a vehicle to reflect so-called historical trauma, the repair of relations between cadres and the masses, or the ideological conflicts surrounding reform...

Instead, it was a story actually written about "wheat harvesters"!

And the story was so well written that he was completely engrossed in it and read it in one go!

When Chen Zhongshi realized just how remarkable this article was, he couldn't help but admire Xu Lu's talent.

Although it was clear from the previous letter that the other party was definitely a person with great literary talent and unique insights.

Yet this piece, "The Wheat Harvester," still serves as a reminder to Chen Zhongshi that his talent is far more terrifying than he realizes.

This article, for example, uses realistic writing to depict the hardships faced by farmers from the lower classes in Longzhong as they migrate across provinces to work as migrant wheat harvesters, resulting in a strong sense of realism.

Secondly, it does not shy away from the moral dilemmas of ordinary people, such as a father stealing a watch and the emotional entanglement between a son and his employer. At the same time, it portrays the dignity and kindness of humanity, making the characters three-dimensional and not stereotypical.

Third, the descriptions of dialects and local customs are authentic, full of the rugged texture of life on the Loess Plateau.

The entire article is flawless, from its characters and plot to its core ideas and even its reading difficulty.

How many writers in the entire Shaanxi literary scene could produce an article like this?

Seeing those two articles in the Shaanxi Daily again now, Chen Zhongshi just found it funny.

All criticisms will crumble before this article, "Wheat Harvester"!

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In this "springtime of literary development," the influence of an excellent article is astonishing, with magazine circulation being the most direct and obvious example.

Within two or three days of the magazine's publication, the official postal service called the editorial department of "Yanhe" magazine, saying that bookstores across the country had sold out and requesting a reprint!

Upon receiving the call, Wang Pixiang readily agreed and then called the printing factory, asking them to go all out and print an additional 3 copies!

The circulation of a single issue of the magazine "Yanhe" is currently around 80,000 copies. Occasionally, there will be masterpieces, but at most, it will only reach 90,000 or 100,000 copies...

But this time the popularity far exceeds that of the past. Judging from the current situation, the circulation of this issue of "Yanhe" is very likely to exceed 15 copies, or even more!

"Maike" is becoming a focus of discussion throughout Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, and even the whole country!

Wu Shunchang, Wu Hedong, Shui Xiang... and other names began to appear in the mouths of readers all over the country overnight!

On July 3, the first commentary on "Maike" appeared in the Shaanxi Daily.

The article is titled "People and Hearts Deep in the Loess Plateau: A Review of Xu Lu's Short Story 'Wheat Harvester'".

The author is Wang Yu!

Indeed, Wang Yu, who was the first to criticize "Receiving the Precepts" and "My Distant Qingping Bay" after they were published in Yanhe, has once again published a commentary at the first opportunity.

This time, however, he highly praised the article "Wheat Harvester" in his article and analyzed it from multiple perspectives.

"The Wheat Harvester" is a poignant yet heartwarming little poem. It depicts suffering, but does not wallow in it; it portrays the weakness of human nature, but ultimately returns to the light of humanity.

Those migrant workers toiling on the Loess Plateau are not abstract symbols of the "lower class," but living, breathing people with flesh and blood, shame and desires. This is precisely the quality that realist literature should possess.

After reading the original article of "Wheat Harvester" at the editorial office last time, Wang Yu immediately started writing. After several days of pondering, he finally wrote this commentary.

On the same day that the article was published in Yanhe, he submitted it to Shaanxi Daily.

As a prominent figure in Shaanxi's literary criticism circles, Wang Yu's article received a smooth approval process and finally appeared before everyone on July 3.

After reading its contents, anyone who hasn't read the original text of "Wheat Harvester" would probably suspect that Wang Yu was paid to elevate a short story to such a high level.

Is this novel really that amazing?

But anyone who has read the original text knows that although Wang Yu's article seems exaggerated, what he said is actually true.

This piece, "Wheat Harvester," certainly deserves such praise!

This also marks the first time a prominent figure in the literary world has publicly endorsed this article!

But he will certainly not be the last one!

Many people are also submitting articles to various magazines and newspapers, wanting to express their opinions and views.

As for Li Xin, Chang Guangyuan, and the others who were the most vocal and vocal in their criticisms a while ago, they have all disappeared in the past few days.

Even in real life, they keep a low profile!

With the emergence of "Maike", all readers have grown extremely disgusted with these individuals!

They didn't know what grudge these people held against Xu Lu, but as critics, they had caused everyone to misunderstand such an excellent writer...

Fortunately, it was Comrade Xu Lu who, with his exceptional talent, silenced the doubters.

What if other writers who have been attacked and framed don't have this ability?

Wouldn't that mean being wrongly accused for life?

What right does someone like that have to be so condescending and criticize other writers?

As for Chen Zhongshi, the situation he worried about a few days ago did not happen at all!

Instead of dwelling on his past mistakes, people have developed a much better impression of him because he stood up for Xu Lu this time!

Of course, there are also people he knows who have been asking him about Xu Lu's situation lately.

Who exactly is this Comrade Xu Lu?

Could he really be an imposter of some literary bigwig?

If that's true, how come there hasn't been a single rumor about it until now?

Chen Zhongshi, who was being questioned, was just as bewildered as they were.

Although he knew Xu Lu's address and knew that he was probably not some big shot's sockpuppet account, he didn't actually know Xu Lu's true identity.

The two have only communicated once so far. After reading "Maike" magazine, he sent another letter to express his appreciation for the article, but judging from the timeline, the letter probably hasn't even reached the recipient yet!

Therefore, he truly doesn't understand the other person!

But if possible, he would love to meet the other person in person and have a chat!

He felt that the other person had a very high level of understanding of literature, and if he could talk to him, he would definitely learn a lot from him!

As for what Xu Lu is doing right now?

He's trying to figure out how to appease his wife!