Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 87 (Second update) I’ve had enough of youth literature
Watching the news while eating dinner has been a habit of Zhang Chao's parents for 20 years. If they have nothing else to do, they usually wait until the weather forecast is over before turning off the TV.

That night, Zhang Chao's father lowered his head while eating his meal, complaining: "Since your son went to college, your cooking skills have been getting worse day by day. Today's braised pork ribs are too salty..."

After waiting for a while, I didn't hear my wife throw down her chopsticks and yell, "Eat it if you want, or not. If you don't want to eat it, forget it!"

If she didn't throw the chopsticks, how could he apologize and coax his wife to finish the meal... If he didn't follow this procedure, Zhang Chao's father would always feel empty...

So he couldn't help but look up at his wife, but she didn't even look at him, just pointed at the TV. He turned his head and looked over, only to see his beloved son on TV, smiling, holding an agreement, shaking hands with a big shot who looked quite impressive, and reporters crowded below...

The CCTV host's standard broadcasting voice is reporting:

"…This Shanghai Book Fair attracted publishers from more than 30 countries and regions…Two of the four largest publishers in Japan, President Kadokawa Koyomi of Kadokawa Bookstore and President Taniyama Naoyoshi of Shueisha, also came to the book fair. They came here specifically to sign a book publishing agreement with our young writer Zhang Chao. This is a fruitful result of our implementation of the 'going out' strategy in the cultural field…

Writer Zhang Chao is one of the outstanding young literary and artistic workers who have emerged in the cultural field in recent years. He is currently studying in the Chinese Department of Yenching University..."

The news was very short, less than 40 seconds, and was broadcast at the end of the broadcast, but it had already given Zhang Chao's parents a little shock for their rebellious son.

Zhang Chao's mother asked anxiously, "When will this news be rebroadcast? Where is our VCR?"

Zhang Chao's father was confused and replied, "How can we have a video recorder at home?"

"If I don't have it, I won't go borrow it! Who has it?"

"Oh oh, I'll go now!"

"Hurry up. This damn kid didn't even bother to inform someone about such a big thing."

Before he finished speaking, his cell phone rang. Zhang Chao's mother picked up the phone and soon smiled broadly, saying into the receiver, "Oh, it's nothing... Actually, it's just because of the Shanghai Book Fair... Oh, there's not even an interview, not counting the news broadcast... Okay, tomorrow, I'll go tomorrow if I'm free..."

The news broadcast is a barometer of domestic public opinion, which means that reports on the Shanghai Book Fair basically revolve around Zhang Chao.

That evening, the book fair prepared a high-level media meeting for Zhang Chao alone, and also invited Shanghai writer Ge Fei, who happened to be releasing his new book "Human Face and Peach Blossom" at the book fair, to have a conversation with Zhang Chao.

Ge Fei is a writer who likes to play with the structure of his novels and create a maze-like narrative. So he was particularly interested in Zhang Chao's "Young Babylon". The two discussed the techniques of the novel for a long time, but it made the reporters in the audience drowsy...

Finally, the reporter couldn't help asking Zhang Chao during the questioning session: "At the signing ceremony with you this afternoon, Chunfeng Press revealed that your new novel "Dwelling Narrowness" will be a departure from the previous youth campus and love themes and will be a work with a strong realistic style. What is the purpose of this change? Aren't you worried that it will lead to a decline in sales of the new book?"

After hearing this question, Ge Fei also added with interest: "You don't want to be a campus writer, aren't you afraid of losing your readers?"

Zhang Chao thought for a while before picking up the microphone and answering, "We have heard that some writers can always keep a childlike heart, and we have also heard that some writers can always stay young in their mentality - but who has ever heard of a writer who will always stay in 'adolescence'? This age group is really too special and too changeable. So whether it is 'Youth Campus' or 'Youth Love', it is essentially a hormonal resonance with readers of this age group.

If the author is of the same age as me and is familiar with their daily life, language habits, interests and hobbies, then the work will be fresh. I will grow up, my works will grow up, and my readers will grow up too. All my experiences, feelings and thoughts about youth, campus and love at the age of 17 or 18 are written in the three works "Youth Like You", "Young Babylon" and "Your Name".

If younger readers want to understand what youth is like in my writings, they only need to read these three books. I don’t want to repeat myself over and over again, and force my thoughts and emotions to stay in ‘adolescence’. Maybe people won’t notice when I write like this at 20, but what about when I’m 25? What about when I’m 30? What if I’m still writing ‘youth literature’ at 40? This will only turn me into a pimple that keeps growing bigger and bigger. No matter how red or bright a pimple is, it’s full of pus.”

When this last metaphor came out, there was an uproar in the audience. Ge Fei looked at Zhang Chao with amusement and joked: "You will offend a lot of people if you say that."

Zhang Chao smiled bitterly. What happened this morning might have offended quite a few people.

The third day of the book fair is the much-anticipated author meeting and book signing event.

Zhang Chao sat on a chair early in the morning and began to sign autographs and take photos with readers with a smile. His "booth" also had the most reporters. In addition to the news effect yesterday, the key point was that the number of readers who wanted his autograph was too exaggerated. It was hard not to notice it.

The queue stretched from Zhang Chao's booth to the outside of the book fair, and then piled up on the roadside, which looked like the rush for tickets during the Spring Festival travel rush. The book fair had to send more than a dozen staff members to work with Huacheng Publishing House to maintain order.

There is no other way. It happens to be Saturday, and there is the dual blessing of the news broadcast and Shanghai local news. Even if Shanghai citizens did not know who Zhang Chao was before, they would take advantage of the weekend to join in the fun. By spending ten or twenty yuan to buy a book, they can see the real person on the news broadcast, and maybe get an autograph and take a photo with him. They can also put the signed book on the bookshelf at home to show off.

Besides, the boy is "Ma Xiang Man Hao" (looks good), but he is a little dark...

Reporters keenly discovered that unlike other youth literature writers whose booths were mostly attended by 17 or 18-year-olds, or even middle school students aged 16, 17, 14 or 15, Zhang Chao's readers included readers of all ages, and there were even white-haired old men queuing up with books in their hands.

It's really a knife in the butt, and it opened my eyes.

At the end of the day, Zhang Chao only drank a few sips of water and ate two pieces of bread at noon. His face was stiff from smiling and his hands were numb from signing. When he finished signing the last reader, he found that the surroundings were empty. There were no staff at other booths, only the cleaning lady was sweeping the floor.

Zhang Chao stretched himself and tried to stand up, but stumbled - his legs were numb from sitting. Xiao Jianguo, who had been waiting nearby, quickly helped him up and said, "Your readers are really too enthusiastic. Fortunately, we cut off the queue in advance, otherwise you would have to sign in at night. Let's go eat together."

Zhang Chao waved his hand and said, "You guys go ahead. I just want to go back to the hotel and take a nap. I'll order food when I wake up. Also, book me an early flight to Yanjing tomorrow. I won't participate in any activities."

Xiao Jianguo was anxious and said, "Tomorrow is the closing ceremony of the book fair, and the leader wants you to give a speech on stage."

Zhang Chao firmly refused: "No. If you don't book, I will take a taxi to the airport and buy my own ticket back."

Xiao Jianguo had no choice but to say, "Okay, I'll take you back to the hotel. Xiao Zhu, call Zhang Chao to book a ticket."

The next morning, Zhang Chao took a flight back to Yanjing, and fell asleep again after arriving home. He just wanted to start classes early so that he could have a reasonable excuse to get rid of all the hard work.

While he was sleeping, an online post titled "Zhang Chao: I leave youth literature to you, I've had enough of it" was reprinted by many media outlets. The metaphor Zhang Chao used in the interview, "No matter how red and bright the acne is, it's actually a bag of pus inside," became a label.

Xiao Si and other “youth literature writers” suddenly began to be called “acne writers”.

(End of this chapter)