A widower's entertainment

Chapter 354 [The Son's Path] (Please Subscribe)
Xinghua Hutong, Beijing.

Lin Youcheng is currently writing the screenplay for the movie "Love". However, adapting this screenplay is not actually that difficult, because as Lin Youcheng and Hou Xiaoxian mentioned at the beginning, the story is actually very simple and the plot is not complicated. As for how to film this simple story, it requires more careful handling by the director and actors.

After all, the scene of the pillow killing the wife on screen is just a short sentence; how the actor acts and how the director films it are another matter entirely.

Lin Youcheng quickly wrote the script for the movie "Love" and handed it over to Hou Xiaoxian. Obviously, Hou Xiaoxian's payment for the script was different from that in mainland China. Hou Xiaoxian was also well aware of Lin Youcheng's status as a writer and that the screenwriter was not ordinary. Of course, more importantly, the script for the movie "Love" was not ordinary because it was funded by Era International Film and Television Company in Taiwan. Naturally, Lin Youcheng was paid 100,000 yuan for the script.

It must be said that the script fee of 100,000 yuan is an absolute astronomical price. You should know that when Zhang Yimou approached Su Tong to discuss the film adaptation rights of "Wives and Concubines" to make "Raise the Red Lantern", he only asked for 4000 yuan. Moreover, Su Tong was very satisfied and thought that he had squeezed a huge sum of money out of Zhang Yimou. 4,000 yuan was equivalent to his annual income.

Of course, this 100,000 yuan in royalties was nothing to Lin Youcheng, since the copyright fees offered by Hollywood in the United States were much higher.

However, Lin Youcheng was also well aware that the price offered by the Taiwanese side was undoubtedly very high. You should know that Hou Xiaoxian had only paid four thousand yuan for the copyright of the novel "The Devotion of Suspect X" several years ago. Of course, that was several years ago. Now it was 1991. Hou Xiaoxian and Era International Film and Television Company naturally knew that Lin Youcheng's current status as a screenwriter was not ordinary.

Several Hollywood movies currently being released overseas are related to screenwriter Lin Youcheng, so how could Hou Xiaoxian possibly offer a low price, especially since they've heard about the million-dollar copyright fee?

Although Lin Youcheng didn't care that Hou Xiaoxian's script fee was low, since the script fee for the movie "Atonement" was even lower, which is just the reality of the country, Lin Youcheng was still considering whether he should focus on exporting scripts and earning foreign exchange.

Just as Lin Youcheng, the father, was considering exporting scripts to earn foreign exchange, Lin Zhaoqing, a junior high school student, also took the high school entrance examination.

Compared to Lin Zhaoxi's high school entrance exam, Lin Zhaoqing's exam was undoubtedly of greater concern to the people in the courtyard, partly because Lin Zhaoqing's results were quite worrying.

However, with the high school entrance exam over, Lin Zhaoqing, who once said he wanted to be a scientist, can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Dad, thank you!"

Although Lin Zhaoqing's middle school entrance exam results haven't come out yet, Lin Youcheng still bought him a Phoenix brand bicycle, which cost nearly 200 yuan, as Lin Youcheng had promised Lin Zhaoqing beforehand.

Lin Zhaoqing touched his bicycle with a joyful smile and said, "Thank you so much, Dad!"

Seeing Lin Zhaoqing's happy expression, Lin Youcheng was naturally pleased as well. His gaze shifted to Lin Zhaoman, whose eyes held a hint of envy, and he couldn't help but pat Lin Zhaoman's head, asking, "Zhaoman, do you want a bicycle too?"

Lin Zhaoman looked up at Lin Youcheng, hesitated for a moment, shook his head, and said, "No need. Our schools are close by. I'll buy a bicycle when I live further away from home."

Clearly, Lin Zhaoman is quite sensible and knows that he doesn't need a bicycle right now, since the school is very close by.

Of course, neither Lin Zhaoman nor Lin Youcheng knew that Lin Zhaoman had just said he would buy a bicycle when he lived further away from home, but when he actually lived further away, he would be more than a thousand miles away from home, and he wouldn't need a bicycle at all.

Lin Youcheng certainly wouldn't be short of money to buy bicycles for his children, but as Lin Zhaoman said, the children live very close to school and don't usually need bicycles.

More importantly, most ordinary families nowadays own one bicycle, and sometimes children ride the old-fashioned bicycle that the family owns. It's rare for a family to prepare a bicycle specifically for their child, let alone two bicycles, since they can carry people in front and behind.

Lin Zhaoqing was naturally very excited to receive a bicycle. He couldn't wait to push it out of the courtyard and ride it around outside.

Lin Youcheng, of course, gave him a few words of advice to be careful.

However, seeing Lin Zhaoqing's excited expression, Lin Youcheng couldn't help but say, "I wonder how his middle school entrance exam results are."

"It shouldn't be bad."

Hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Xie Shuhua naturally spoke up for Lin Zhaoqing. Lin Zhaoqing's exam scores had improved, and his grades weren't so bad that he wouldn't get into high school. She added, "I just wonder what Zhaoqing wants to do in the future?"

"doing what?"

Lin Youcheng watched Lin Zhaoqing push his bicycle out of the hospital gate and said, "He said he wanted to be a scientist, but now it's obviously hopeless. His physical education teacher wanted him to go to a sports school to train, but I didn't agree. I don't know if that's holding him back."

"He could study a profession in the future; accounting would be a good option."

"Accounting?"

Hearing Xie Shuhua's words, Lin Youcheng raised an eyebrow. He wondered if Lin Zhaoqing would make any mistakes with the numbers since being an accountant was not a simple job. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Let's wait and see what he thinks later. I hope he can get into university."

In Lin Youcheng's view, even if vocational school students and junior college students in the future were not guaranteed job placement, the college students of the 1990s were still quite remarkable, and the vocational school students in the future would not be guaranteed job placement for another five years.

However, Lin Youcheng knew very well that universities had not yet expanded their enrollment at this time, and it was not easy to get into university. At this time, getting into university was truly like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge.

Thinking of this, Lin Youcheng couldn't help but start considering Lin Zhaoqing's future path. Although he, as a father, had prepared a good foundation for his child, he still hoped that his child would have a good future. He didn't expect his son to become a dragon, but he wanted him to have his own path.

Lin Youcheng also began to think that if Lin Zhaoqing went to high school but not university, and instead went to a junior college, then there would really be no job placement guarantee. You know, on January 9, 1996, the Ministry of Personnel issued the "Interim Measures for the Employment of Junior College Graduates Who Are Not Guaranteed by the State," which meant that the graduate employment system was changing from state-guaranteed job placement to independent job placement. This was the first time that it was clearly stated that junior college graduates should find employment through market channels. Even the job placement system for secondary vocational school graduates would be adjusted two years later.

"We should listen to his own ideas, and we hope he can get into a good university later." When Lin Youcheng heard Xie Shuhua's words, his thoughts disappeared. In the end, he still had to listen to Lin Zhaoqing's own ideas. At worst, he could become the family accountant and directly manage the rent collection.

Of course, this thought only flashed through Lin Youcheng's mind. He felt that Lin Zhaoqing was not bad either, and his grades had improved. If he continued to study hard in high school, he might improve even more. He said, "In high school, we can let him practice sports. His sports performance at school is usually excellent. If he can reach the level of a second-level athlete, he can get extra points."

This wasn't just something Lin Youcheng said casually. The policy of awarding bonus points actually existed quite early. In 1986, the Education Commission stipulated that candidates who obtained the title of National Second-Level Athlete could have their application score reduced by 4 points. Later, on April 27, 1987, the Education Commission issued the "Provisional Regulations on Enrollment in Regular Institutions of Higher Learning," which also included items and point values ​​eligible for bonus points.

Actually, this has been around for a long time. It's not just about sports. For example, when that poet and singer was in his senior year of high school, he studied folk songs for four months in order to get extra points on the college entrance exam. Then he participated in a winter camp held by Tsinghua University for art lovers across the country. He won first place in the country with his song "Let Me Tell You My Heartfelt Words" and was eventually admitted to the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University.

Although Lin Youcheng didn't think Lin Zhaoqing could get into Tsinghua University through singing, he thought that Lin Zhaoqing's physical education grades were very good in junior high school. If he continued to improve his physical fitness in high school, he might actually be able to become a second-level athlete.

Regardless of how much of a "second-level athlete" qualification might be questionable in the future, at least for now, they are genuine second-level athletes.

Hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Xie Shuhua knew that Lin Zhaoqing had always had excellent sports performance at school and often won awards in school sports meets. She smiled and said, "His sports are indeed quite good. He looks like he's grown taller recently. High school is definitely a good place to cultivate this aspect."

Lin Youcheng smiled and said, "No matter what, it depends on his own thoughts."

Xie Shuhua nodded, then looked at Lin Zhaoman with a smile and asked, "Zhaoman, what do you want to do in the future?"

"When I grow up, I want to join the army and become a member of the People's Liberation Army!"

Upon hearing Xie Shuhua's words, Lin Zhaoman raised his head and said with a determined expression, "I want to join the army."

Lin Youcheng was alright; he had heard similar things when Lin Zhaoman was only six years old. Xie Shuhua, however, was quite surprised. She hadn't expected Lin Zhaoman to think about joining the army when he grew up. At that age, most children would say they wanted to be scientists, but of course, it wasn't uncommon for them to have the same dream of becoming soldiers.

Xie Shuhua was surprised to hear Lin Zhaoman say that he wanted to join the army, and couldn't help but ask, "Zhaoman, why do you want to join the army?"

Lin Zhaoman puffed out his little chest. Although he still looked childish, his eyes were very firm. He said with a smile, "Teacher said it's about protecting our country."

Upon hearing Lin Zhaoman's words, Xie Shuhua turned her gaze to Lin Youcheng.

Lin Youcheng smiled. Although he felt that Lin Zhaoman would suffer if he wanted to join the army, he would not stop him as a father if Lin Zhaoman still had this dream when he got older. Just like when Lin Youcheng asked Lin Zhaoqing if he wanted to go to a sports school to train, he would not stop him as a father if Lin Zhaoqing wanted to go.

In fact, Lin Youcheng didn't know how much of Lin Zhaoman's talk of joining the army in the future would actually lead him down that path.

When children are young, you can't say for sure what they want to do. For example, Lin Zhaoqing not only told his son that he wanted to be a scientist, but he also told others that he wanted to be a scientist.

Lin Youcheng vaguely remembered that it seemed like a long time ago when he first took the train to Shanghai, Lin Zhaoqing had told a soldier in the same carriage that he wanted to be a scientist and his younger brother wanted to be a member of the People's Liberation Army.

What was that soldier's name again? I think his surname was Gu?

Lin Youcheng didn't remember much about what happened a long time ago, but he still remembered the ideals and words his child had spoken.

Lin Youcheng looked at Xie Shuhua and said with a smile, "From now on, it depends on the children's own thoughts. If Zhaoman really wants to join the army, that's fine too."

Hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Xie Shuhua nodded, agreeing with him. Ultimately, the children's future depends on themselves. However, if Lin Zhaoman could truly become a soldier as he said today, Xie Shuhua would think that would be remarkable.

"Yes, it is remarkable to be a member of the People's Liberation Army."

Xie Shuhua said with a smile, "The teacher is right, the People's Liberation Army is there to protect our country."

Lin Zhaoman smiled and nodded. He had always wanted to become a member of the People's Liberation Army to protect his country. Even before he wore the bright red scarf, he had this idea. Whether it was the stories in TV dramas and movies, the articles in textbooks, or the PLA soldiers he saw, he wanted to become that kind of person.

Of course, Lin Zhaoman's thoughts at this time were just that simple and straightforward. He just wanted to become that kind of person. He didn't think about how much hardship he would have to endure to become that kind of person. Of course, even if he would have to endure hardship, he would not back down because he was an outstanding Young Pioneer. How could he choose to back down because of difficulties?

At least, that's what Lin Zhaoman thinks right now.

Lin Youcheng's gaze then fell upon Lin Zhaole, who was sitting in the room watching the animated series "Doraemon" on CCTV Children's Channel. Lin Zhaole looked innocent and was very focused on watching the cartoon, oblivious to Lin Zhaoqing's newly received bicycle or Lin Zhaoman's statement that he wanted to become a member of the People's Liberation Army. He was simply engrossed in watching the cartoon.

However, Lin Youcheng, the father, remembered that Lin Zhaole had said the same thing to Lin Zhaoqing, that he wanted to be a scientist when he grew up. Although he didn't know if Lin Zhaole would change his ideal in the future, they would eventually have their own paths to walk.

Of course, Lin Zhaoxi, Lin Zhaomei, and Lin Zhaohuan are the same; they will all have their own paths to walk.

As a father, all he was doing was providing for his children, ensuring they had a better future, but—

Lin Youcheng looked at Lin Zhaoman. If his child chose a more difficult path, he, as the father, could only support him.

(End of this chapter)