A widower's entertainment

Chapter 396 [The Winter of Literature] (Please Subscribe)
Winter still arrives swiftly in the north. With heavy snowfall, the entire capital city is unknowingly draped in a white coat, a vast expanse of silver and white.

The alleyways of Xinghua Hutong were covered in snow, and the eaves of the courtyard houses were also covered with thick snow, but the interiors were warm and cozy.

Lin Youcheng handed the roasted sweet potato that Song Ma had given him to Xie Shuhua and couldn't help but ask, "I'm planning to renovate those two alleys next door in the spring. How about we move to the courtyard house next door?"

The two courtyard houses next door that Lin Youcheng mentioned were the two adjacent courtyard houses that Lin Youcheng bought in Xinghua Hutong in the beginning. Although the front of them had been opened up and renovated, they were all vacant. At most, they were used as guest rooms or places for children to play. Lin Zhaohuan's piano room was also in that courtyard house.

Xie Shuhua was somewhat surprised. While peeling a sweet potato, she looked at Lin Youcheng and asked, "Why did you decide to move over there?"

"I don't think it's too far. We can renovate those two courtyard houses and make them bigger than the current one."

Upon hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Xie Shuhua couldn't help but say, "I think this place is quite big and nice."

Hearing Xie Shuhua's words, Lin Youcheng glanced outside. Through the window, he could see the white in the yard, and the pomegranate tree was covered with white snow. He nodded and said, "This place is quite nice. We'll ask the children for their opinions later and see if we want to move here."

Lin Youcheng felt that after the two courtyard houses next door were combined, the space would definitely be much more spacious than the one he was currently living in. He could also renovate the two courtyard houses to make the living space more comfortable, since he was not short of money at all.

Of course, we've lived in this courtyard house for so many years now, and it's still very good.

Hearing Lin Youcheng say this, Xie Shuhua nodded and said, "Yes, let's listen to their opinion. But if we really move there, it's only a few steps away, it's actually very close."

As Lin Youcheng and Xie Shuhua were talking, Lin Zhaomei carried a plate of freshly roasted sweet potatoes into the house. She had some snowflakes on her head and said with a smile, "Dad, Mom, these are sweet potatoes I roasted myself. Please try them."

Lin Youcheng knew that the children were in the kitchen, playing with Song Ma roasting sweet potatoes. When he saw Lin Zhaomei bringing him roasted sweet potatoes, he was very happy. He accepted the sweet potatoes from Lin Zhaomei with a smile and said, "Okay, but you should wear a hat when you go out, so you don't catch a cold."

"I know!"

Lin Zhaomei said with a smile, "Dad, you've published another novel in People's Literature magazine?"

Xie Shuhua was somewhat surprised to hear this and asked, "Have you seen it?"

If possible, Xie Shuhua would not want Lin Zhaomei and her children to read Lin Youcheng's short story "Hunting," since the story was too sensitive and unusual for children to read.

Lin Zhaomei shook her head and said, "No, I just heard a teacher mention in the school office that my father's novel was published in People's Literature."

Lin Youcheng didn't deliberately hide "The Hunt," but changed the subject and said with a smile, "Not only was the novel published in People's Literature, but the screenplay was also sold to a company in the United States."

As expected, Lin Zhaomei's eyes lit up when she heard what Lin Youcheng said next. It was clear that Lin Zhaomei now knew that her father, Lin Youcheng, had spent a lot of money on the movie script he wrote for the United States. Even though Lin Youcheng hadn't told his children about this, they had all heard about it before, since the movie rights to the novel "The Time Traveler's Wife" had cost a staggering million dollars.

Lin Zhaomei opened her eyes wide, looked at Lin Youcheng, and asked, "Dad, did you make a lot of money again?"

Hearing Lin Zhaomei's direct words, Lin Youcheng smiled and shook his head, saying, "Dad will naturally get royalties for writing scripts."

In fact, Lin Zhaomei is already in the third year of junior high school and will take the high school entrance exam next year. She is not a child anymore, so she naturally knows that Lin Youcheng did not answer directly. However, she did not ask any further questions. Instead, she stepped forward, hugged Lin Youcheng's arm, and asked with a smile, "Dad, can you buy me some film? I've run out of film."

When Lin Youcheng saw Lin Zhaomei say this, he smiled and said, "Okay, but you must do well in your high school entrance exam next year. I'll even buy you a DV recorder then."

"really?"

Upon hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Lin Zhaomei became extremely excited. She had never even considered a DV camcorder, as she thought it was far too expensive, and she was already quite content with having a camera.

Lin Youcheng smiled and nodded, saying, "Really, but you must work hard."

Lin Zhaomei immediately patted her chest and assured him, "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely work hard."

As she spoke, Lin Zhaomei happily ran off to the kitchen.

When Xie Shuhua heard that Lin Youcheng wanted to buy a DV recorder for Lin Zhaomei, she didn't say anything. Although she felt that the item was very valuable to Lin Zhaomei, just like the piano Lin Youcheng bought for Lin Zhaohuan, the price of these items was really nothing. After all, Lin Youcheng had bought so many houses. Even if these items were expensive, they couldn't compare to the houses. Moreover, most of the expensive items Lin Youcheng bought were for his children, including houses.

Xie Shuhua was shocked to learn that Lin Youcheng's screenplay for the film "Hunting" had been sold to Paramount Pictures for $1.1 million. Even she was taken aback by the price. Although she knew this wasn't the first time, the price was still astonishing. The copyright price offered by the American company was simply unbelievable.

If Lin Youcheng hadn't already told her that such a price was nothing in Hollywood, the United States, Xie Shuhua would have found it hard to accept.

Xie Shuhua is considered the lady of the house, and Lin Youcheng has told her all this. As for Lin Youcheng wanting to buy Lin Zhaomei a DV recorder, she didn't say anything. Another reason is that the children are all very sensible and she doesn't worry that Lin Zhaomei's temperament will be affected by some expensive items.

Xie Shuhua didn't think much of it and instead mentioned Lin Youcheng's latest published novel, "Hunting".

"Youcheng, your novel 'Hunting' has been published in People's Literature magazine and has sparked quite a bit of discussion!"

Lin Youcheng couldn't help but laugh when he heard Xie Shuhua's words. He naturally knew how dangerous the novel "Hunting" really was, but controversy and discussion are inherent in literature, and these have never been unavoidable. "Discussion means that readers are reading it, which is a good thing."

This is similar to how being infamous is still being famous, not to mention that Lin Youcheng's novels are not just infamous, but are genuinely receiving a lot of attention.

……

The latest issue of People's Literature magazine published a chilling literary work by Lin Youcheng, which was unexpected by the entire literary world at the end of 1992.

That's right, it's a work that's extremely chilling, and it really made a group of literary workers shudder.

Literary professionals may not yet know that Lin Youcheng's novel "The Hunt" has been sold as a screenplay to a foreign company. It's not because of the astonishing price of the screenplay, but because what truly alarms them now is the story of "The Hunt" itself.

It's so oppressive and cruel!
The story written by author Lin Youcheng this time has nothing to do with love or war, but it is even more cruel and cold.

Inside the Seahorse Studio, Wang Shuo was flipping through Lin Youcheng's short story "Hunting" in People's Literature magazine, muttering, "Absolutely amazing, incredibly brilliant!"

"This story is amazing!"

Wang Shuo had always admired Lin Youcheng from the bottom of his heart. Even though he was proud and arrogant, he still respected Lin Youcheng. He paid attention to every work that Lin Youcheng published, and naturally he read Lin Youcheng's latest short story, "Hunting." It was a very simple story, but Lin Youcheng made it so amazing.

Ma Wei, who was sitting to the side, heard Wang Shuo's words and couldn't help but nod and say, "Yes, I didn't expect it to be such a story. I think it's even more desperate than his previous book, 'Love'."

Wang Shuo nodded, deeply moved, and said in complete agreement, "It is indeed despair. After all, once such a label is attached to someone, it would truly be a catastrophe!"

As he spoke, Wang Shuo couldn't help but shudder, not daring to imagine what he would do if he encountered such a thing.

This kind of thing is truly terrifying and chilling.

Clearly, just as Wang Shuo had thought, Lin Youcheng's "Hunting" truly sent chills down the spines of all readers, leaving them feeling utterly cold from beginning to end.

Because such a story is truly terrifying, and to slap such a label on someone is truly terrifying!

Readers never expected that Lin Youcheng would write such a story about the power of rumors. The extreme conflict of human nature in the story made readers' scalps tingle.

Not only the literary circles in Beijing, but the entire literary world was surprised that Lin Youcheng would bring such a passionate literary work as "Hunting" after "Love".

That's right, it's intense!
Because the work is so intense, it naturally sparks intense discussions among readers. Such a story is truly terrifying. This work, which appeared during the cold winter season, is like a cold knife stabbing directly into the reader's heart, freezing their entire heart and blood.

It can be said that for a time, the discussion about Lin Youcheng's latest short story "Hunting" spread throughout the literary circle, or rather, not only the literary circle. It was a rather fierce and chilling impact, like a biting cold current that swept over people, making them tremble.

Literary circles across the country are discussing Lin Youcheng's rather dangerous and highly sensitive novel, "The Hunt." Numerous literary journals reprinted it immediately, with "Selected Short Stories" featuring it as a lead story and "Literary Review" publishing it right away…

There's no way around it; the impact and influence of Lin Youcheng's novel are simply too great. You know, the literary world used to be quite adept at labeling people, but Lin Youcheng's story about labeling people is even more biting, because it's a story that starts with a child's lie and then leads to being besieged and hunted down by adults.

That's right, this is a story of a group and an individual being hunted down because of lies.

On November 5th, the literary journal *Literary Review* published a review article by critic Zhang Hui on *The Hunt*. The review stated: "A novel that sent shivers down my spine. It shocked me that Lin Youcheng's writing could express that unspeakable, hidden psychological fear. When hypocritical and secretive malice appears, it is truly unbearable to look at directly. But the complexity of human nature is such a fact. Looking at the descriptions in the text, it is hard to imagine how powerless all of this is. If I were in that situation, I would not even dare to admit that I was also that evil hunter, using an invisible net of language to strangle the innocence of others."

"The most shocking thing about Lin Youcheng's story is the silent yet powerful counterattack, using a silent language to deliver the most intense blow to everyone. When he was hunted by everyone and attacked by the masses, he still moved forward, saying, 'I want to take back what is mine...' A person, a person who thinks he is unique, is constantly being shaped by the outside world without realizing it. He is being coerced into speaking out, stubbornly thinking in a circle of deception, forgetting that he has never truly belonged to himself. He is still in the group, coldly watching everything around him, using his innate hunting aggression to tear apart and vent his frustration on the excluded prey. He is clearly the prey himself, yet he thinks he will always hold the sacred hunting gun of morality, forever forgetting his own resistance."

"Lin Youcheng's writing remains calm and restrained as always, never criticizing anyone. The little girl who lied to the point of being wrong, the emotion that couldn't suppress reason, the masses who made wild guesses—all of these things built a high wall that besieged and defeated a person who was extremely virtuous..."

This commentary undoubtedly resonated with many readers, reflecting their own thoughts, but their opinions went beyond that.

Many literary journals have reprinted and published related commentaries, some of which are quite vehement.

Of course, this is all because Lin Youcheng's "Hunting" is a very intense story. Beneath the seemingly calm and restrained words lies a fierce hunting rifle. The rumors, spread by three men, are like a bloody mess, and the hunt begins.

Such stories are cold and oppressive, and their appearance, especially during this cold winter, seems even more chilling.

The literary world was fiercely discussing Lin Youcheng's cold story and cold literature, but winter in the courtyard of Xinghua Hutong in Beijing was not cold at all. The courtyard was warm and cozy, with a stove and steaming hot sweet potatoes emitting a fragrant aroma.

And of course, there were the children's warm smiles.

(End of this chapter)