1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 72 Company-Level Cadres
"Promotion?" Zhou Xu looked at them, completely bewildered.

"Of course it's a promotion! What else could it be?"

Bai Hua continued, "You should continue to rest for the next few days. The application for your promotion should be approved soon."

The system of levels one through nine, which is well-known to later generations, as well as the special-level creative staff, was also established in the 1980s.

The current creative staff of performing arts troupes are only at levels one to four, and they are not called "civilian staff." They are just professional art levels one to four, from level one screenwriter to level four screenwriter.

Zhou Xu's professional title is Level 4 Screenwriter.

The qualifications for appointment required review and approval by the corresponding arts level review committee, followed by appointment or hiring by the administrative head. At that time, the review authority was divided as follows: Level 4 and Level 3 were reviewed and assessed by an organization equivalent to a county-level arts unit; Level 2 was reviewed and assessed by an organization equivalent to a prefectural-level review committee; and Level 1 was reviewed, assessed, and balanced by an organization equivalent to a high-ranking official.

Of course, a level four screenwriter only receives the treatment of a platoon leader, deputy platoon leader, or platoon leader...

As for Level 3, that's equivalent to the treatment of a battalion commander.

It's impossible to directly promote Zhou Xu to level three, because level three is at least the deputy battalion commander level. If he were transferred to the army... he could become a deputy battalion commander.

Therefore, Zhou Xu was simply promoted from a fourth-level screenwriter to a full-fledged employee.

He'd made it to the rank of company commander in just one year! Zhou Xu was quite pleased with himself.

However, like special forces, those in cultural positions rise quickly but have limited career ceilings. Transferring to the military as a political commissar is also very difficult.

Of course, Zhou Xu had no intention of becoming a leader in the military.

"Thank you, Comrade Bai Hua," Zhou Xu said.

"Okay, let Xiao Zhang from the creative team handle the reports about the troops later on. You can continue with your writing," Bai Hua continued to give instructions.

After giving these instructions, the studio returned to its usual quiet and boring state.

Zhou Xu's incident was like a ripple in the midst of a mundane life; before long, time would wash everything away.

These past few days, Zhou Xu has been waiting for news of his new professional title to be released.

After all, even someone like me who isn't obsessed with power and wealth... never mind, who doesn't like those two things? Zhou Xu likes them too.

A week later, Bai Hua walked into the room and said to Zhou Xu, "Comrade Zhou Xu, the approval from above has been granted. Now you are a formal fourth-level screenwriter in our creative studio, a company-level cadre!"

"Clap clap clap!" A group of people clapped and congratulated each other.

Lei Yuansheng immediately said, "Comrade Zhou Xu, you've been promoted and received a raise, you have to treat us to a meal!"

"Yes, yes, the big spender is treating us to dinner."

Zhou Xu said, "Okay, okay, of course I'll treat you to dinner. Where should we eat?"

"How about lunch? Let's go to the cafeteria! I'll arrange it for the auntie, but of course, you'll have to pay for the meals," Gao Ruxing said.

Zhou Xu had no objections: "Then you guys go order the food, and I'll cover the cost of the meals."

The military canteen can arrange meals, but the cost will be a bit higher. Generally, family members who come to the military base for meals arrange their own meals, although the military will provide subsidies.

The group in the studio didn't really stand on ceremony with Zhou Xu and immediately went to the cafeteria to order food.

By afternoon, the food was ready.

Zhou Xu went and called Political Commissar Huang over.

A group of five or six people sat around a table. Bai Hua even took out a bottle of Wuliangye liquor: "This is what I brought back from the last meeting in the capital. I'm having a good meal with Comrade Zhou Xu today, so I can't be stingy with it."

Political Commissar Huang chimed in merrily, "Is the director targeting me? Alright, let's have some cigarettes! Xiao Xu's getting promoted today, so it'll be a pack of Peony cigarettes for everyone!"

Peonies are not cheap now, costing one yuan per pack.

One of them took a pack of cigarettes from Political Commissar Huang. The dishes were served shortly afterward.

There was braised pork belly, stir-fried pork with chili peppers, stir-fried cured pork with dried chili peppers (chili flakes), and twice-cooked pork. There was also a pot of pork rib and lotus root soup, a pot of old hen soup, and cold dishes including wood ear mushrooms and braised beef. The main ingredients were cabbage and shredded potatoes.
Ten dishes!
It is indeed rare in this day and age.

Zhou Xu felt this was the best meal he had eaten since his rebirth. He had never seen such a meal at home, and even though he had money, he never had the chance to eat it while he was in the army.

"Wow, this is really lavish! You're really ripping us off! You're not treating Xiaoxu like an outsider at all," Bai Hua complained.

Lei Yuansheng said, "Old leader, we used to fight the landlords, now we're going to take advantage of the big shots too! Comrade Zhou Xu sent back seven or eight hundred yuan in royalties last time!"

That was the royalties from the standalone edition of "PLA Literature and Art." Zhou Xu only signed for it after he returned, but this group of people had seen it long before.

“…Yes, even if this meal costs ten yuan, it’s just a drop in the ocean!” Gao Ruxing immediately agreed.

Zhou Xu added, "Everyone is right. Since we're eating, let's just enjoy the meal and not worry about how much it costs."

Political Commissar Huang poured a few glasses of wine, holding chopsticks in his hand: "Let's start eating!"

"Good! Drink up!" The political commissar drank a glass with him.

Zhou Xu then continued eating.

The food cooked in large pots may not taste very good, but the small-pot dishes served in this cafeteria are indeed quite delicious.

Zhou Xu sipped his wine, took a bite of braised beef, and felt refreshed. He then ate a bite of pork ribs, which were tender, juicy, and flavorful.

Finally, there was stir-fried cured pork: "This cured pork really tastes like home cooking."

The political commissar looked up and said, "Speaking of which, let me know when you're going home! I'll apply for family visit leave for you."

Zhou Xu took a sip: "Thank you, Political Commissar."

After the meal, Bai Hua said, "By the way, Comrade Zhou Xu, when you went to the front line, the cultural troupe's salary was still paid. Remember to go and collect your salary."

"Get paid? I get paid in the press office too, right?" Zhou Xu was surprised.

Bai Hua continued, "You're on temporary assignment, not transferred. It's different."

"Oh!"

This was certainly not surprising to Zhou Xu, because that's how fixed salaries were in those days.

For example, when he went to the capital to revise manuscripts, he was still paid. In later generations, primary school teachers also received a basic salary during summer vacation. It was the same thing.

For example, when Zhang Li, who played Xue Baochai in "Dream of the Red Chamber," went to the film crew, the Zhanqi Art Troupe kept paying her salary and kept urging her to return to the army.

Although Zhang Li eventually retired from the military.

Zhou Xu also has this affiliation; as long as his work unit remains unchanged, his salary will continue to be paid.

He quickly went to the finance department: "I'm Zhou Xu from the creative studio!"

"Zhou Xu, right? I'll fill out the forms for you."

I received my salary for the past three months, and since I was a company commander, I applied for it according to the company commander's standards.

The current company commander's monthly salary is 54.5 yuan. Of course, Zhou Xu got a good deal, but the army also got a good deal. Even if he didn't eat, he still had to pay 14.5 yuan for living expenses every month, so it was 40 yuan a month.

My salary for three months is 120 yuan.

The soldier's allowance is still six yuan.

Zhou Xu sighed, "It's still good to have a professional title."

(End of this chapter)