A widower's entertainment

Chapter 292 [Shocking Rumors] (Subscribe)
Beijing, Xinghua Hutong.

Inside the courtyard, Lin Youcheng was writing the manuscript of "Atonement" with a fountain pen on the grid paper. Light and shadow shone through the window onto the manuscript paper on the desk, writing the fate of the characters in the story word by word. The endings of those destinies were already determined from the beginning.

"... Luo Yang took out her letter from the pocket of his bloodstained and worn shirt. I'll wait for you. Come back. These words were not meaningless, but they did not move him.

One person waiting for another person is like an addition equation, as if there is no emotion in it - this is clear enough. Waiting, to put it simply, is when one person does nothing, letting time pass, and the other person slowly approaches.

Waiting is a heavy word. Luo Yang felt it pressing down on him, as heavy as a thick coat, making his body seem to hurt even more.

Everybody on the battlefield is waiting, everybody in the trenches is waiting.

She is waiting, yes, but what can she do? ..."

……

Lin Youcheng stopped writing and couldn't help feeling sad when he thought about the final ending of Luo Yang and Lin Yu. Such a pair of deeply in love lovers ended up being separated because of the girl's wrong testimony. In the cruel war, they both lost their precious lives one after another.

Even though the girl later fell into deep self-blame and guilt, she expressed her feelings about atonement and self-redemption at the end of the novel. As she grew older, she gradually realized the serious consequences of her impulsiveness and naivety, but there was no way to change the crime she had committed.

Some things have already happened. When Lin Xue became an adult, she became silent and often sat alone in front of the typewriter late at night, trying to atone for her sins with words, but that was only psychological redemption. In fact, she was not forgiven, because Lin Xue, who followed Lin Yu to the field hospital and worked hard, later wrote countless letters to her sister begging for forgiveness, but received no reply.

This is the answer to atonement, there is no reply.

In Lin Youcheng's opinion, Lin Yu, who had an awakened consciousness of a woman, would never forgive. Otherwise, she would not have completely broken with her family for Luo Yang, left that upper-class family, and went to the anti-Japanese battlefield to work as a nurse.

Lin Youcheng thought to himself, then stood up and stretched his body, rested for a while, sat back in his seat, and continued to write. His pen was still skillfully moving on the grid, telling this story about love, human nature, class and war stroke by stroke.

Lin Youcheng wrote for a while and thought to himself that Lin Xue eventually became a successful novelist and wrote novels on a typewriter. Should he also keep up with the times and start typing on a computer?

Lin Youcheng felt that typing on a computer keyboard would be faster for him.

Thinking of this, Lin Youcheng even thought about going to see tomorrow to see if there is a suitable one. After all, computers are not a rare gadget in Beijing now. Although ordinary families still don’t have computers, computers can still be seen in some places in the capital. After all, it is almost 1990 now.

Just when Lin Youcheng was writing the manuscript, there was a noise outside.

Lin Youcheng put down his pen, walked out, and saw Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua coming.

"Why are you here?"

Yu Hua smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I last saw you, so I came here specially to see you."

Xie Shuhua used to tutor Lin Zhaoxi in English and would come to Lin Youcheng's house from time to time. She is no rare guest now. Although she has such thoughts about Lin Youcheng in her heart, it is obvious that Lin Youcheng has not broken that window paper, but Xie Shuhua still can't let it go.

"We brought our work here and would like you to give us some comments."

Xie Shuhua handed the document wrapped in brown paper to Lin Youcheng and said, "I need your comments and scores."

Lin Youcheng was not surprised by Xie Shuhua's comments and scoring. After all, he was also a teacher who taught students like Yu Hua, so he could comment and score their works. Of course, it was impossible for one teacher to review all students' works. Most of them would have different senior authors to comment and score, such as Wei Xi's comments on Wang Hongjia, Li Guowen's comments on Bi Shumin's works, Qin Zhaoyang's comments on Liu Ke's works, and Wang Zengqi's comments on his student Wei Zhiyuan...

Now Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua are here to find Lin Youcheng.

When Lin Youcheng heard this, he took the document from Xie Shuhua, looked at Yu Hua, and said, "You should look for Lin Jinglan."

Yu Hua smiled and said, "He has seen it, so he wanted to show it to you and hear your opinion."

Xie Shuhua looked at Lin Youcheng and explained for Yu Hua: "He heard that I came to see you, so he came along. Cheng Hong was also planning to come, but he couldn't come because of something else."

When Lin Youcheng heard what Xie Shuhua said, he raised his eyebrows. He knew that if Cheng Hong also wanted to come here, it must be because of Yu Hua. He knew the relationship between Yu Hua and Cheng Hong. Yu Hua would divorce his original wife in Haiyan County and marry Cheng Hong later.

Lin Youcheng didn't say much. He took the manuscript from Yu Hua, thinking that he would have to take some time to look at the manuscripts of these two people later. Just as he was about to let Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua go in and sit down, he heard someone coming in outside the door. It was his old acquaintance.

Zhang Wei, Comrade Zhang Cuisheng, came again to ask about the progress of the new book.

"Oh, what a coincidence, there are quite a lot of people here!"

Zhang Wei was also a frequent visitor. He greeted Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua and asked with a smile, "Youcheng, how is your manuscript going?"

As expected, when Zhang Wei, the editor, came to visit, he asked directly about the manuscript without any reservation, and came straight to the point in one sentence.

When Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua heard what Zhang Wei said, their eyes lit up instantly. They came to Lin Youcheng with their works, but they didn't expect that Lin Youcheng was also writing a new manuscript. Naturally, they were quite surprised and delighted. You know, the two of them have always read Lin Youcheng's novels.

“You’re writing a new novel!”

Yu Hua asked in surprise: "Is it still a novel?"

Lin Youcheng nodded, then looked at Zhang Wei and said, "I'm still writing. I still have to read their works and give them comments and scores."

Zhang Wei got a little anxious when he heard this, and said hurriedly, "Don't rush to help them read the manuscript. Wait until you finish it. You should hurry up and write your own novel. I can't wait to read your novel."

When Yu Hua saw Zhang Wei's expression, he seemed to be quite looking forward to Lin Youcheng's novel and looked very anxious, so he couldn't help but ask curiously: "Is his novel also very good?" The word "also" is enough to show that Lin Youcheng's works have always been very good, and each one is recognized to be quite wonderful.

“Very impressive!”

Zhang Wei looked serious, with even a gleam in his eyes, like a shark seeing blood. He was quite excited and gave a four-word evaluation with great certainty.

Especially powerful?

This naturally made Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua present very curious. They wondered what kind of novel it was that would make Zhang Wei so excited.

"Is it still about spy wars?"

Yu Hua asked curiously.

Zhang Wei shook his head. Although he had not read the final draft of Lin Youcheng's novel, he had been here several times before and had heard Lin Youcheng mention his ideas for the next novel. Just based on the general idea of ​​the story he heard from Lin Youcheng, he felt that this story titled "Atonement" was quite impressive.

As a literary editor, he still has his own sensitivity to words and content.

Xie Shuhua saw Zhang Wei shaking his head, and looked at Lin Youcheng curiously, and asked, "Is that about love?"

It is obvious that the writer Lin Youcheng is best at writing romance novels. This is a recognized fact in the literary circle. There are even people in the literary circle who have always called Lin Youcheng a love-sick man like the third brother in his first novel "Under the Hawthorn Tree". Although he is a widower, he has always written love stories.

Of course, the literary circle is also well aware that Lin Youcheng, a widower writer, does more than just write love stories. After all, the Mao Dun Literature Prize is not that easy to win.

When Lin Youcheng heard what Xie Shuhua said, he smiled and said, "It's more than just love."

More than just love?
This means that there is no denial that the new work will also be about love, so what kind of love story will it be?
Xie Shuhua instantly became very much looking forward to Lin Youcheng's unfinished novel.

When Zhang Wei heard Lin Youcheng say "more than love", he felt excited, because he knew that this story was about atonement, a story about a thirteen-year-old girl atonement for a couple's separation due to a misunderstanding or perhaps jealousy.

In fact, Zhang Wei is not clear about the specific plot, and does not know how Lin Youcheng will write this story, but he is already looking forward to the humanity and redemption in it. A misunderstanding or jealousy of a thirteen-year-old girl, this story is quite special. When Lin Youcheng talked to him, he did not give a direct definition, whether it was a misunderstanding or jealousy, obviously this point alone requires readers to think and discuss.

In particular, this girl has been reflecting on herself and wanting to atone her sins throughout her life. According to Lin Youcheng's description, the time span of this atonement is nearly sixty years. In Zhang Wei's opinion, such a time span is almost catching up with the movie "Wonderful Things in the World" that is popular everywhere.

Zhang Wei also easily realized that this story must be quite difficult to write.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have come here specially to see the part of the manuscript that Lin Youcheng had already written.

"Youcheng, can I take a look at the manuscript you wrote earlier?"

As an editor, Zhang Wei naturally hopes to see the manuscript as soon as possible, and the sooner the better.

When Lin Youcheng heard Zhang Wei ask this question, he thought for a moment and said, "I think it would be better if you watch it together later."

"Okay! Then hold on tight!"

Zhang Wei didn't say much. It was obvious that he respected Lin Youcheng very much and believed in him. He just said, "Our editorial department knows that you have written a new manuscript. I have told them that they are also looking forward to your new novel. You must give it to us in People's Literature!"

Obviously, Zhang Wei also really doesn't want Lin Youcheng's novel to be intercepted by other literary magazines. Not to mention "Harvest" and other literary magazines that are not in Beijing, you must know that there are many magazine editors in Beijing who have asked Lin Youcheng to write for them, such as "October" and "Contemporary", which are both in Beijing. There are also editors who come to him directly to ask for manuscripts. This is also because Lin Youcheng has published works in these magazines before, and he is also the author who has appeared on the Four Famous Dan Actresses.

If it was snatched away by other literary magazines in the capital, Zhang Wei would find it really hard to accept.

Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua stood aside. They could both see that Zhang Wei attached great importance to Lin Youcheng's novel. Naturally, they were extremely curious about what kind of love story it was that would make Zhang Wei so excited and even say something very impressive.

Yu Hua asked directly: "Youcheng, what exactly is your story about?"

Lin Youcheng smiled and said, "You will know when the novel is finished."

Yu Hua and Xie Shuhua looked at each other, and it was obvious that there was curiosity and anticipation in their eyes.

Rumors gradually spread in the literary circle that Lin Youcheng was writing an amazing novel, and Zhang Wei from People's Literature magazine attached great importance to it and was afraid that it would be snatched away by another editor.

Obviously, such rumors will gradually spread, and naturally many people in the circle will start to get curious. Lin Youcheng is writing a new novel, and it is so awesome, so what kind of story will it be? Is it another exciting spy novel like "The Hidden"? Or a love novel with a science fiction plot like "The Time Traveler's Wife", or a novel about war...

There are many rumors, some true and some false. Some say Lin Youcheng's novel is about love, some say it is about children, and some say it is about human nature...

When such rumors spread, they naturally made others more curious and expectant. After all, the words "humanity" and "love" are things that make literary workers excited.

Especially the two words "human nature" are enough to make many people in the literary circle climax, as if they have hit the excitement point. In particular, some literary critics are looking for the struggle and tearing of human nature. The name of the novel is also vaguely revealed, and the name of the novel is - "Atonement".

Although no one knows the details of "Atonement", it is clear that the literary community knows that the novel Lin Youcheng is writing is not simple. Even though there are always such rumors in the circle, some of them are even spread by the author himself, saying that he is going to write a big novel "Cruel Youth", which may be as bad as "Gone with the Wind" or "Dream of Red Mansions".

Although these rumors are just some words, the literary circle dare not ignore them. After all, the person who is writing now is——

Lin Youcheng!
(End of this chapter)