A widower's entertainment

The science fiction film "Source Code" was released in the United States and caused a huge sensation on the North American box office charts, with both critical acclaim and box office success.

Although Lin Youcheng was in China, he learned from Paramount that "Source Code" was performing well at the box office, which naturally made him very happy, because he would also receive a share of the net profit from the box office.

Even though the percentage is low, Lin Youcheng had already received a script copyright fee, so this subsequent share of net profit is undoubtedly icing on the cake.

Compared to Lin Youcheng's joy, Paramount Pictures was ecstatic. After all, the box office disaster of Universal Pictures' "Waterworld" was truly shocking, and now "Source Code" once again proved that Lin Youcheng's scripts as an Eastern screenwriter were definitely worth the desperate pursuit of many film and television companies.

Lin Youcheng's film "Source Code" was a huge hit overseas, but the domestic film market was even more dismal than "Waterworld" due to the impact of video arcades, DVDs, and television.

Although some Chinese films do win awards at international film festivals, they are a minority. Most domestic film studios are struggling and on the verge of collapse.

Of course, these things don't really matter to Lin Youcheng, since he hasn't rashly invested in film production; his company is still producing TV series.

The filming of "The Great Song Dynasty Forensic Examiner" is now nearing its end. Lin Youcheng, as the investor and producer of the series, naturally visited the set.

Without a doubt, under the guidance of film director Tian Zhuangzhuang, the TV series "The Great Song Dynasty Forensic Examiner" was completed to a very high standard.

Lin Youcheng is now looking forward to the broadcast of this period detective drama. He believes it will definitely generate a lot of discussion and may very well become another "Crossing the Guandong" series.

Of course, we'll have to wait for the TV series to air to find out.

It might suffer the same blow as "Waterworld," where everyone had high hopes for the big-budget film, only to have it flop.

Lin Youcheng was naturally quite relaxed. Firstly, he had ample capital, so even if the show flopped, it wouldn't matter. Secondly, Lin Youcheng was well aware of the brilliance of the drama "The Great Song Dynasty Forensic Examiner," which was undoubtedly a classic.

Besides visiting the set of "The Great Song Dynasty Forensic Examiner," I also went to watch my daughter Lin Zhaomei's short film shoot.

Lin Youcheng was also somewhat surprised, not expecting that Section Chief Jia was actually in his daughter's short film shooting team.

Although Lin Youcheng knew that Section Chief Jia was still making short films, it was still an unexpected thing that he was able to help his daughter Lin Zhaomei make the short film "Destiny".

"Teacher Lin, I especially love your novels, particularly your 'The Devotion of Suspect X'."

Section Chief Jia hadn't expected to meet Lin Youcheng either. Although he had known for a while that he might have a chance to meet Lin Youcheng through Lin Zhaomei, he was still a little flustered when he actually saw Lin Youcheng.

Not only was Section Chief Jia unsettled, but everyone else was too.

After all, Lin Youcheng was a literary writer before, and Section Chief Jia and others were literary youths from that era who liked to read literary works. Even after Lin Youcheng started writing scripts and making movies, Section Chief Jia and others still followed him.

After all, Lin Youcheng's status in the film industry is indeed quite high.

Lin Youcheng couldn't help but laugh when he heard what Section Chief Jia said. He found Section Chief Jia amusing, as he didn't mention any of his other works, but only that film, "The Devotion of Suspect X".

"I also watched Hou Hsiao-hsien's film 'The Devotion of Suspect X' from Taiwan, which was also very well made, but the most brilliant story is the one you wrote, it's amazing!"

Lin Youcheng could tell that Section Chief Jia really liked the movie "The Devotion of Suspect X".

"Teacher Lin, I love your novels 'Love Letters' and 'Strange Tales of the Human World' the most. I especially like those two. A passage in them has had a great influence on me."

Another student, Zhou Fan, from the photography department, blurted out those words with passion: "Be the person you want to be."

There is no time limit for this matter.

"You can start anytime you want, as long as you're willing."

"You can start changing now, or you can remain unchanged."

There are no rules in this matter.

"You can live your best life, or you can make a complete mess of it."

"I hope you can live your most wonderful life."

"I hope you will see things that will amaze you."

"I hope you can experience emotions you've never experienced before."

"I hope you can meet some people with different ideas."

"I hope you are proud of your life."

"If you find yourself not having done it yet,"

I hope you have the courage—

"Start over!"

Zhou Fan genuinely loves this passage from "Strange Tales of the Human World," a passage that deeply moved him and gave him great strength. He said, "I have always kept this passage in mind."

When Lin Youcheng heard Zhou Fan's words, he knew from the moment Zhou Fan uttered those words that "Strange Tales of the Human World" had truly had a great influence on Zhou Fan.

"I'm glad you liked that novel."

Lin Youcheng looked at Zhou Fan and said with a smile, "Thank you."

Besides Section Chief Jia and Zhou Fan, everyone else also expressed their appreciation for Lin Youcheng's work.

It could be "Strange Tales of the Human World", "Atonement", "The Message", or "The Heavenly Dog"...

It can be said that Lin Youcheng, the literary author and screenwriter, has a very large influence, especially since these people are also considered to be literary and artistic workers.

Lin Youcheng was surprised to receive so many students expressing their love for his work during his visit to the set. Although he had heard such words many times before, he was still quite happy to hear them again.

Lin Youcheng was just visiting the set. He watched his daughter, Lin Zhaomei, busy filming the short film and didn't disturb her too much.

However, Lin Youcheng himself was thinking that he should continue publishing novels and not just stop like this.

Not to mention that Zhang Wei from the People's Literature magazine has been urging him, Lin Youcheng should be publishing his novel now. Of course, both novels and screenplays are literary works, just with different forms of expression.

The science fiction movie "Source Code" is currently very popular overseas, and Lin Youcheng is actually thinking about writing a more realistic story.

In Lin Youcheng's view, science fiction and reality are just different shades of literature.

Literature should have different colors.

Lin Youcheng hasn't written manuscripts by hand for a long time now; he now types on a keyboard, which is undoubtedly much easier for him.

Of course, no matter how advanced technology becomes, some real-life stories should not be forgotten, especially those from 1995.

Lin Youcheng's gaze fell on the title of the novel—

"Hidden in the Dust and Smoke".

Ironically, the film was later taken off the air, supposedly because the story didn't reflect reality. But clearly, at this point in time, this inaccuracy is undoubtedly the real reality, or perhaps even more so.

The story is actually quite simple: in a rural area of ​​Northwest China, two lonely individuals abandoned by their families support each other as they work in the fields day after day, getting through difficult times together. They go from being strangers to becoming familiar with each other, and eventually develop a deep bond.

Lin Youcheng clearly remembers that the scenes in this movie were like ordinary oil paintings, with different colors. At that time, the movie may not have been particularly amazing, but there is no doubt that the whole story was absolutely real.

In Lin Youcheng's view, "Hidden in the Dust" is different from "Ordinary World". Although both are about remote and poor rural areas in Northwest China, about farmers who have worked hard for generations and are born and die in the land, "Hidden in the Dust" is about the true dust and smoke.

In the story, Ma Youtie, a poor man, lives with his elder brother and sister-in-law. He is simple-minded and honest, his only companion being his equally hardworking little donkey. Cao Guiying, who is disabled and unable to have children, has suffered constant scorn and bullying since childhood. These two lonely individuals, brought together by their families, seem to have shed a burden. Youtie cherishes this humble yet precious "home," carefully peeling off the large red "double happiness" character (symbol of happiness) and repainting it on the wall of their next dwelling. To collect debts owed by villagers, Youtie willingly sacrifices his rare rare blood type. To make their lives happier, they raise chickens, pigs, build houses, and farm…

Two insignificant and pitiful people, clumsily, humbly, yet stubbornly pursuing a distant and fragile happiness, until the end of the story is filled with sorrow.

In Lin Youcheng's view, the film "Hidden in the Dust" is very symbolic, and its cinematic language is concise yet thought-provoking. The donkey becomes part of the Ma Youtie couple's family and also a symbol of life. After being enslaved for a long time, they lose the courage to make their own choices and live independently, and people become accustomed to treating them as tools rather than as living beings.

Even back then, some people said that the movie was unrealistic, that there was no such gentle old farmer.

Despite repeated skimming and exploitation, the fourth brother never got angry. Why didn't he fight back?
But this is reality. With the continuous development of the economy, who would have thought that sanitation workers, who were once honored for their labor, would be harassed by some leaders, and that those nameless people in the deeper recesses of society would also live such honest lives?

In Lin Youcheng's mind, the value of the film "Hidden in the Dust" lies in the fact that he gave his perspective to the unknown people.

Those who remain unknown should not bear the brunt of infamy, and donkeys should not be mercilessly whipped simply for accepting their fate.

Of course, this story is not just about those cold realities, but also about warmth. Although some people call that warmth love, in reality, Ma Youtie and his donkey were thrown out of a family as scrap tools.

Cao Guiying was considered a "plague" and a "dirty thing" by the villagers.

Their meeting began the night before Cao Guiying wet the bed but wasn't beaten or scolded.

He and she finally had the chance to be treated with affection.

This feeling is not romantic love, but rather the most basic care between people.

One person works while the other keeps them company.

When one person goes out, the other will worry.

One person loves watching TV, and the other wants to satisfy that love.

When one person is sad, another person feels the same way.

Even a donkey can eat corn.

Ma Youtie's small house was originally cramped and dark, but Guiying added coal on the night she came.

She seemed more content than ever before, able to fall asleep with her wet bottom against the stove.

Their cabin was lit up from time to time after that, and they felt that life had become brighter, even though they were sitting on the sand dunes, penniless and destitute.

Lin Youcheng knew very well that this was a love story, but it was more than just a love story.

Perhaps some people will see a rural love story in this tale, two dirty, suffering people, two people who don't know what love is, who are reborn because of each other's companionship, who are warmed by love after witnessing it, and who ultimately die because of love.

Their love is like "Here's a steamed bun for you, eat it," or "Get on the bus, I made you a steamed bun, it's not pretentious at all," but rather full of deep, simple, and profound emotions.

But that's how the real world is. There really were two people like that in this world, who loved each other so simply in some corner of the world.

In addition, Ma Youtie released the donkey in the desert, but the donkey did not move. Ma Youtie cursed the donkey, saying, "You worthless thing, you've been used by others your whole life, and you won't leave even if I let you go." Youtie wasn't cursing the donkey; he was cursing himself, who had also been used by others his whole life. This is about the relationship between man and himself.

That's how it is. Those who live honestly and work diligently realize that they seem to be meaningless, so they have nothing to miss and leave cleanly.

There are hundreds of millions of farmers like Ma Youtie in China who work hard to survive, but their circumstances are mostly unsatisfactory.

Who are the people who gain power and influence?

They are those ruthless relatives who boss people around at home, and those powerful figures who leech off the villagers and withhold grain. Iron, however, is the only one who sows seeds grain by grain and builds houses brick by brick, creating tangible goods and value with its own hands—the smallest foundation for a nation's strength. But the beautiful fruits are always easily snatched away by those clever and ruthless individuals, driving the true backbone to its complete collapse.

Lin Youcheng pondered the story of "Hidden in the Dust," his thoughts racing and his heart filled with complex emotions.

He felt that if he published this novel now, no one would say it was unrealistic, since even with economic development, it certainly hadn't developed to the point where a future reality didn't exist.

Literature has different colors, some warm and bright, others cold and cruel.

Those colors may be as vibrant as oil paintings, or as cold and desolate as ink wash paintings; they are the colors of literature.

Lin Youcheng didn't know whether he would be met with criticism, praise, or something else—

Denying the existence of this story? (End of Chapter)