Literary Master 1983

Chapter 42 The Fifty Dollars

When she was happy, she called him "Brother Yu", and when she was happy, she called him "Yu Qie".

"What's the problem?" Yu Qie shook his head. "I heard that some writers often come here to revise their manuscripts and hold salons. They are all educated and prestigious people. You don't have to worry about others harming you... But you still have to be careful. If there is any problem, hide here."

Like... this afternoon? Zhang Li suddenly thought.

When the two were on the bus in the afternoon, their chests were almost pressed against each other's backs, with very little distance between them, but Zhang Li didn't feel embarrassed.

However, Yu Qie didn't think of these, but said: "Zhang Li, this is the book I brought you."

Yu Qie was afraid that Zhang Li would be bored, so he brought her some books, one of which was A Dream of Red Mansions. He put fifty yuan in it.

This is to pay back the money for the previous meal. I can’t let the girl treat me.

"Also, since you are an actor now, you can't neglect your studies. Dream of the Red Chamber is your book. You should consult some famous scholars more often."

Zhang Li asked: "I can't find it? What should I do?"

Yu Qie smiled and said, "You don't know how popular The Dream of Red Mansions is among writers. You will definitely be able to find it... It's just that you haven't arranged the roles yet. Since you are meeting Xue Baochai, you should watch more clips of Xue Baochai and try to figure out this character."

"It's Xio Baochai." Zhang Li said playfully.

Yu Qie didn't refute her, but smiled.

Zhang Li was like a quail drenched by the rain. She huddled in her bed pitifully and didn't dare to sit down. She agreed to whatever Yu Qi said.

When Yu Qie was about to leave, Zhang Li suddenly asked:
"Brother Yu, can I see you again in the next few days?"

"Of course I can."

Yu Qie walked in and tucked in the corner of Zhang Li's bedding, pressing it down, "In a couple of days, we'll go to the TV room at Yanda University to watch TV series."

"What TV?"

"It's an American film, 'The Man from Atlantis'."

Zhang Li's eyes widened. "This TV series hasn't even been aired yet... Yanda is the best, it can be aired in rotation. I've never watched a complete TV series..."

Yu Qie said: "If you have any questions, you can come to Yanda to find me, or ask the members of the New Reality Society. They probably know where I am."

"Yeah!" Zhang Li nodded heavily.

Yu Qie was relieved. He pointed at the copy of Dream of the Red Chamber and said, "You must read it carefully. I will test you later. Dream of the Red Chamber is a major event in your life. You must pass this test..."

Okay, Yu Qie left.

Zhang Li kept looking at Yu Qie's back as he disappeared.

In fact, Zhang Li really wanted to stay with Yu Qie for a while longer, but her personality and the atmosphere at the time prevented her from taking the initiative to speak.

When seventeen-year-old Zhang Li was still in Chengdu in the summer, she even wanted to play a trick on Yu Qie, because she was in her own Battle Flag Song and Dance Troupe and family compound, everything was familiar and safe.

Now, Zhang Li has come to the capital, and feels a bit cramped as if she were living under someone else's roof. Although it's not nice to say this, Yu Qi is helping to arrange everything.

Of course, I have to be careful and not to offend Teacher Yu... Ugh! It's Brother Yu!
Don't let him have a bad impression of you.

Zhang Li lay on the bed lost in thought for a while, then began to flip through books. The first one she picked up was "Dream of the Red Chamber".

When I opened it, I saw five pictures of "Great Unity" in the book.

This is the largest denomination banknote in the 65 edition of RMB, ten yuan per piece.

It was obvious that Yu Qie returned it to himself, and what's more, he returned much more.

Do writers get paid that much? This is fifty yuan. Zhang Li picked up all five big bills, put them together, and had a new question:

This money is too big, too hard, and prickly. Where should I put it?
The money was given by Yu Qie. I don’t know if he figured it out during lunch.
But the one who collected the money must have noticed it!
Ugh!
Zhang Li's eyes were focused on the fifty yuan bill rolled up in front of her. She was lost in thought...

She made the fifty-dollar ring very big, then small, and then big again.

Her confused and curious expression could be seen in the circles that changed in size, with her fingers inserted into them and her lips pursed.

As she was thinking, she suddenly punched herself, her face flushed:

Zhang Li, you can't let your imagination run wild!
------

"President? You're here." Luo Yihe was very enthusiastic.

"Luo Yihe, what's wrong with you? Aren't you a member of the May Fourth Literary Society?"

The next day, Yu Qie went to the New Reality Society and found that Luo Yihe was really there to sit in on the class.

Bro, are you serious? I was just kidding.

He also brought a guy with long hair, black beard, big-framed glasses. To be honest, he looked a bit sloppy and not very tall - isn't this Haizi?

[I have a house facing the sea, with flowers blooming in spring...]

Luo Yihe said: "I have figured it out. I was a member of the May Fourth Movement in May Fourth, and I am a member of the New Reality in New Reality."

"From now on, we will talk about our own things. You call me Yihe and I call you President."

Then he said, "Let me introduce you to someone, Cha Haisheng, he is my friend, I don't know if you have heard of him, he is a poet..."

Yu Qie stretched out his hand, "Nice to meet you, nice to meet you..."

"I know you. You're a poet. I've also read your book 'The Little Station'."

Cha Haisheng was very excited. He had not yet made a name for himself, but Yu Qie was no ordinary literature lover. "Yu Qie, have you really read my poems?"

Yu Qie recited a passage from “Small Station”, “I’m very young/I don’t need to say goodbye to anyone/I feel a little sad…”

Cha Haisheng was so excited that he was at a loss for words. "Thank you for reading my poem!"

Then, Cha Haisheng became depressed again, because Yu Qie already had a masterpiece, A Moment of Romance, and he didn't know when he would be able to write his own masterpiece.

Cha Haisheng is such a person, sensitive and fragile, and his emotions can switch quickly between two extremes.

This time, Cha Haisheng and Luo Yihe came to listen to Yu Qie’s weekly lecture on the New Reality.

It is called a lecture, but in fact it is a discussion and sharing of a literary nature. It has already gained some fame in Yanjing University, and many people from outside the society also come here to attend.

A lot of the time it wasn't Yu Qie who was talking, but everyone was chatting about their own literary views. It was very loose, and included conversations about everything under the sun, as well as love.

There is just one thing that Yu Qie does not allow you to talk about politics. He said, "Let literature be literature."

Yu Qi talked about "Why write new realist novels" today. He first pointed out that at our age, it is impossible for us to write scar literature, but we also cannot write the popular reform literature.

"Because we need to keep up with the times, but not too tightly, otherwise we will be eliminated by the next era."

It is difficult for young people to understand the meaning of this sentence, but those who are a little older will understand it.

Liu Zhenyun, a graduate student, asked, "Yu Qie, are you talking about Bu Xinsheng?"

(End of this chapter)