Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 62 (Additional Update) This kid knows more about "To Live" than I do

Yu Hua was the first student of the "Writer Graduate Class" jointly organized by Yanshi University and Lu Xun Academy. He enrolled in 1988, graduated in 1990 with a master's degree, and was an outstanding representative of this class.

This time, Yanshi University re-opened the "Writer Graduate Class" and specially invited him to be a creative writing professor in the School of Literature. This was the peak of Yu Hua's reputation at home and abroad. In August last year, he went to the United States to participate in the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa and was invited to give lectures at Princeton University, Yale University, Harvard University and other world-class universities.

Yu Hua also wanted to promote creative writing into university courses in the country, so he hit it off with Yanshi University.

Zhang Chao didn't expect Yanshi University to show such great sincerity, and he immediately felt flattered.

After sitting down, Yu Hua did not talk about the admission anymore, but talked about Zhang Chao's novel, and it was not the serious literature "Young Babylon", but the novel "Youth Name" which was just published in "Youth Literature".

"Your novel is very interesting. I finished reading it last night. How did you come up with this story?"

"Well... a classmate asked me if I could write a 'youth love story with a happy ending'..." Zhang Chao did not hide anything and told the reason for writing this novel.

"Haha, this classmate is a female classmate, right?"

Zhang Chao did not deny it and nodded with a smile.

"Then I know why you wrote it this way. This style of writing has never been seen before in China. The psychological descriptions of the characters have a bit of a 'stream of consciousness' flavor, but they are not trivial, but lively and delicate...

——Oh, your punctuation and paragraphing are also very clever. The whole thing reads a bit like a 'light novel' from an island country."

"You know 'light novel'?"

“When I was in the United States last year, I met a literature professor from an island country who introduced it to me and showed me some translated clips.”

"Maybe when I was writing it, I didn't think about it that complicatedly. I just wanted to write a story that students of our age can understand and enjoy reading. It just came out naturally like this."

"Then I envy your ability to change your style. I'm tired of being told 'realism' and 'realism' all the time. Next time I write a ghost story, I'll write about a person who died and returned to the world of the living after the seventh day. Scare them to death."

Zhang Chao's eyelids twitched as he listened, and he quickly changed the subject, talking about To Live, saying, "Your To Live has always been my favorite novel. It has changed my view of the sufferings of the world."

"You young people today are really weird. To Live describes life as so hard, yet you like to read it."

"Maybe it's because we see 'hope' from this novel."

"Oh?" Yu Hua suddenly became interested. Although there are many praises for "To Live", most of them are based on its critical nature or focus on the violent descriptions in it, but few people say that they can see hope in "To Live".

Zhang Chao hesitated for a moment, trying to suppress the joy of a certain prank that was about to succeed, and began to speak in a calm tone:
"I watched To Live for the first time when I was in the first year of high school. To be honest, I felt very uncomfortable after watching it, just like someone was hitting my back with a hammer while holding my breath...

Later, when I watched it again, I burst into tears. I felt like I had vented my emotions and felt relieved. Because this time, I saw a person who was constantly tortured by bad luck, but he was able to be open-minded in the end...

I think your works, whether it is "To Live" or "Xu Sanguan Selling Blood", have a commonality - that is, direct suffering is meaningless...

——Of course, they did not overcome the suffering. But they did not care anymore and let it go. Life is seldom perfect, and joy and sorrow are the norm... Life is like a pendulum, always swinging back and forth - as long as it swings, you win..."

The others at the scene were stunned. Only Yu Hua kept nodding and said:

"Yes." "Yes."

"Yes."

It was not until Zhang Chao finished speaking that Yu Hua said with emotion: “I heard that Professor Qian Liqun of Yanda University came to inspect you and said that your level of modern and contemporary literary theory is quite good, but I was a little skeptical.

Listening to your talk about "To Live" today, although it is more of an emotional understanding, it also allowed me to see your level and hear the voices of young people. It was really worthwhile for me to come here today!"

At this time, another admissions teacher from Yanshi University began to introduce the admission method for the "Writer Graduate Class".

This time, the "Writers Graduate Class" is still conducted by Luyuan entrusted to Yanshi University. First, students must become students of Luyuan's Young and Middle-aged Writers Advanced Seminar, and then enter Yanshi University's "Writers Graduate Class" for study, with a duration of 2 years.

Luyuan Academy had previously made it clear that it could admit Zhang Chao into the advanced seminar for young and middle-aged writers.

However, there is a small problem here - Zhang Chao is too young, and he just graduated from high school. How to determine whether he has "undergraduate level" requires an explanation to the higher authorities and public opinion.

Yanshi University said that Zhang Chao would have to come to the school for an interview, which would not be very difficult. Reference books and knowledge points would also be provided, and it should not be a problem if he studied hard for a month.

Yu Hua said: "For this year's 'Writers Class', I am both the teacher and your class teacher. Once you graduate, you will be a 'Master'. And the most important thing about the 'Writers Class' is that it can bring you a special life experience..."

After listening to the two people's introduction, Zhang Chao fell into deep thought. To be honest, the conditions offered by Yanshi University are very tempting and sincere. It would be a lie to say that he is not tempted. Speaking of the ranking of Chinese majors, it is only second to Yanda University.

However, Zhang Chao did have a very good impression of Yanda. Regardless of whether it was an undergraduate or a master's degree, academic qualifications were not particularly important to Zhang Chao now. What he cared more about was experiencing and enjoying the process.

So he could only say to Yu Hua and the others with full apology: "Teacher Yu Hua, I am very grateful to Yanshi University and you for your affirmation of me, but you also know that I had previously preferred Yanshi University. So I need to think about it for a while before I can reply to you."

Yu Hua was also quite relaxed and expressed his understanding, telling Zhang Chao to think it over carefully and it would not be too late to reply later.

Just before leaving, Zhang Chao suddenly asked, "Are you two leaving tonight?"

Yu Hua was stunned and said, "We booked a flight for tomorrow."

"Great! Can you tell me which hotel you're staying at? I'll bring some books over and you can sign them for me."

Yu Hua laughed and agreed, "Okay!"

Zhang Chao continued, "Can I bring another classmate with me? She is also your reader."

Yu Hua: "..."

On the way back to the hotel, Yu Hua kept thinking about what Zhang Chao said today, and suddenly said to the teacher accompanying him:

"Fuck, how come this kid seems to know more about 'To Live' than I do!"

(I suddenly felt that it would be more fun to write this chapter, so I just wrote it and posted it, so that my brothers can have fun together...)
(End of this chapter)