Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 43 The literary world of Yanjing eagerly awaits (Please continue reading)

The National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) is currently a hot topic of discussion in society, but there are still no works about it. Zhang Guangnian can already imagine how much discussion his book "NCEE 1977," which combines the experiences of educated youth sent to the countryside with the NCEE, will generate.

Students have always been one of the main readership groups for literary magazines, and with readers currently engaged in the intense college entrance examination, how could literature be absent?
"He wrote about the college entrance examination in the book, but he didn't write about it entirely. He wrote about the conflicts between the educated youth and the commune members when they first arrived, and about the help the commune members gave to the educated youth. This became a long-lost warmth that these city kids felt when they went to the countryside. In the years of hardship, there were always warm things happening around us."

Ultimately, through the college entrance examination, some leave, but others stay; the nation's overall situation and individual choices are intertwined. Regardless of the position, everyone is contributing to the country.

Cui Daoyi picked up the bowl of plain water on the table, as if he were savoring a cup of fine tea with an unforgettable aftertaste.

Zhang Guangnian's words pulled Cui Daoyi back to reality from the novel: "Old Cui, how's it going with the letter I wrote to invite Comrade Liu Yimin to Yanjing?"

Cui Daoyi put down his teacup and said seriously, "We haven't received Comrade Liu Yimin's reply yet, but I guess he's already seen it, and his reply should be on its way."

“Writing letters is too slow. In the future, we can choose to send telegrams to Comrade Liu Yimin! The round trip of letters takes too long, and all our time is wasted,” Zhang Guangnian pondered.

"Okay, I'll go check through the letters I've received in a bit. I've received so many letters these past few days, there are several bundles just for me personally, I can't keep up!"

"This is a good thing, it shows that everyone's enthusiasm for literature has returned!" Zhang Guangnian said happily.

Cui Daoyi nodded and left, but Zhang Guangnian called him back, a sly glint in his eyes: "Why don't we just tell him we need to revise the manuscript? We're sure he'll come!"

"Does this manuscript need to be revised? Old Zhang, I don't think it's necessary to revise it!" Cui Daoyi said in surprise.

Then he realized that Zhang Guangnian was trying to get Liu Yimin to come to Yanjing, but he said, "I'll go find the letter first!"

Liu Yimin's reply and manuscript actually arrived a few days ago, but they were buried under a pile of other submissions, and Cui Daoyi only found them today.

After a while, Cui Daoyi finally found Liu Yimin's reply among the sea of ​​letters, exhausted and covered in sweat. After reading Liu Yimin's reply, Cui Daoyi was dumbfounded!

So young? Just took the college entrance exam? A junior from Yenching University?
After accepting reality, Cui Daoyi smiled and thought, "Junior brother, it will be much easier to get manuscripts from now on. You have to give your senior brother face!"

Cui Daoyi reported the matter to Zhang Guangnian, who was also quite surprised. However, considering that Yanda University was about to start its semester, it wouldn't be too late to meet again then.

Inside the editorial office of Poetry Journal, Zou Huofan also received a letter from Liu Yimin. He sighed to the many editors in the office, "We still want Liu Yimin to attend the training course? What's the point? What training course is better than Yenching University!"

"Comrade Liu Yimin got into Yenching University?" The other editors turned to look at Zou Huofan in surprise.

"Yes, the letter said to come to Yenching after the start of the semester!"

"It's amazing! This year, many family members and children in our dormitory building took the college entrance examination, and some did quite well, but none of them have been able to get into Peking University!" an editor exclaimed.

"It's already good enough to get into university. But since the college entrance exam was just reinstated, many families haven't realized its importance yet. After graduating from junior high school, they weren't allowed to take the high school entrance exam; they had to go to a vocational school!"

“That’s normal. After graduating from junior high school, you can get a secure job at a vocational school. Going to high school doesn’t guarantee you’ll get into university. There’s nothing wrong with people considering practicality!” Zou Huofan said.

"It's a pity we couldn't meet Comrade Liu Yimin sooner. I really wanted to see what this young poet and writer is like!" An editor shook his head with regret, then turned to look at the manuscript in his hand.

The editorial department was about to conclude its discussion of Liu Yimin following his letter when the arrival of several uninvited guests disrupted the peace once again.

Zhao Zhenkai, Jiang Shiwei, and Shizhi arrived at the editorial office of Poetry Journal one after another. Zhao Zhenkai and Jiang Shiwei are Bei Dao and Mang Ke, respectively, and the two had just adopted these two pen names.

They brought the Poetry Journal to the editorial office because they had seen Liu Yimin's poems in the journal, were very interested in him, and wanted to learn more about him.

When they learned that Liu Yimin had been admitted to Yenching University, their interest grew even stronger, and they were eager to get to know Liu Yimin.

"I really want to meet the author who could write such a classic poem as 'A Generation'!" Bei Dao exclaimed. Most people prefer "My Motherland, My Beloved Motherland," but Bei Dao and Mang Ke felt that "A Generation" was better written.

Moreover, the two lines of poetry were extremely bold in style, which surprised them when they saw them. They thought, "Writing two lines is acceptable?"
After looking at it for a while, he laughed and said, "Writing two lines is really quite good!"

Mangke earnestly asked Bei Dao if he could write similar poems. Bei Dao did not answer directly, but only said that it would be a bit difficult for him to write one.
By indirectly admitting that he couldn't write it, Bei Dao, who had long been famous in the poetry world, naturally cared about his reputation!

"If Yenching University doesn't reopen, we won't be able to see Comrade Liu Yimin again?" Shizhi said sadly.

Zou Huofan glanced at his index finger. There's no need to be so sad about seeing each other again in October!
Shi Zhi's face was pale with a sickly pallor. Zou Huofan thought of the poem "Mad Dog" that Shi Zhi had just written and felt that this poet had a madness that was not of ordinary people, or that he had a kind of obsession that was not understood by the world.

After all, he is a man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia by Yenching University Hospital!
“Old Zou, send a telegram to Comrade Liu Yimin, saying that we all want to meet him and see if he can come to Beijing as soon as possible! Include my name in the telegram,” Bei Dao said.

Mango: "Me too!"

Index finger: "Include me!"

"It seems that the people's will is with us. Old Zou, send another telegram and call Cui Daoyi, adding his name. Let's say that the literary circles in Yanjing are looking forward to the arrival of Comrade Liu Yimin."

"Letting my fellow townsman come to Yanjing ahead of time will allow me to familiarize myself with the city," Ge Luo said with a smile.

Looking at the expectant crowd, Zou Huofan felt a sense of mission on his shoulders, so he nodded heavily: "I'll call Lao Cui right now. People's Literature and Art magazine definitely wants him to come too."

Zou Huofan called Cui Daoyi to convey the intentions of the editorial department and several poets. Cui Daoyi knew Bei Dao and the others, so he readily added his name to the telegram.

"Cui Daoyi, three characters, it costs two cents and one cent to send a telegram, remember to pay!" Zou Huofan joked.

Cui Daoyi quipped, "Is Poetry Journal so stingy? If not, People's Literature and Art will cover the whole cost!"

"Okay! Let me calculate how much it will cost, and I'll tell you in a bit!"

(End of this chapter)