Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 131: He is a bit stupid, but he can still be saved
It was the first day of work after the Chinese New Year. Yanda had not yet started the school term and the library was still very idle. Lin Chaoyang started thinking about his new novel again.

With the purchase of the house, his creative motivation has been unusually abundant recently.

However, creation is something that cannot be rushed. He had previously finished a 200,000-word novel in less than half a month. Now, less than a month later, he felt a little empty in his mind when he wanted to pick up the pen again.

He was very familiar with this feeling, it was similar to the feeling he got every time he finished plowing the land.

So writers still need to accumulate materials, techniques, inspiration, monthly tickets... These things must be sufficient, only then can the writers' creative motivation be strong.

After holding the pen and turning around for a long time, he decided to read more books. He found a copy of "Les Miserables" on the bookshelf, picked it up and started reading.

He has read the novel "Les Miserables" more than once. In 77 and 78, Renwen Publishing House reprinted "famous works", including "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", "Don Quixote", "David Copperfield", "Old Goriot", and "Dead Souls"...

More than 40 foreign classics reappeared on the shelves of Xinhua Bookstores in major cities across the country after a long absence, triggering a rush to buy them among readers. There were even frequent scenes of readers queuing up all night to grab books.

It caused a sensation in the domestic literary circles and among readers, and also kicked off a reading craze in the country from the late 1970s to the 1980s.

"Les Miserables", as Hugo's representative work and the pinnacle of French literature, is naturally included in the list. It has touched and nourished millions of readers in the country.

As the saying goes, reading is beneficial. Even if it is a book you have read before, you can always find surprises that you have never discovered before when you read it again.

Lin Chaoyang was slacking off until the end of get off work, but he still hadn't read enough, so he borrowed a book and went home to continue reading.

When I got home, I saw Old Zhu sitting leisurely on a chair at home drinking tea.

As soon as he saw Lin Chaoyang coming back, he called out, "Come on, let's play some chess."

"No time, I have to read."

Zhu Guangqian glanced at the cover of the book and said, "Nowadays, people with only a junior high school education don't read this, right?"

When Old Zhu opens his mouth, it's still the same tone.

"Famous books are always new when you read them, and it's hard to explain to someone like you who has run out of ideas."

Lin Chaoyang responded without showing any weakness, this old man cannot be spoiled, the more you spoil him, the worse his temper will be.

"I've run out of ideas?" Zhu Guangqian looked at Lin Chaoyang with contempt, as if he had heard a huge joke. "Don't think you're great just because you've published a few novels. You're still far from that level!"

Lin Chaoyang said with a smile: "Just because I'm not very good doesn't mean you are!"

“Okay, okay!” Zhu Guangqian swung his crutch, and Lin Chaoyang was so scared that he almost thought the old man was angry and wanted to kill him, so he quickly took a step back.

"Come, come, I'll teach you a lesson today, so you know what it means to respect the elderly!"

It turned out that he was going to give himself a lesson. Lin Chaoyang felt relieved and happily ran to sit next to Old Zhu.

He was rude to Old Zhu, but that was because they were close friends.

He still admired Old Zhu's knowledge and talent.

The old man has a lot of titles, including aesthetician, literary theorist, educator, and translator, but there is another title that not many people know about: essayist.

His early works "Twelve Letters to Young People" and "On Beauty" can actually be regarded as essays in a broad sense, and another example is "Flower Party" written in his middle age.

It describes the grand flower show in Chengdu in March. The article writes that Chengdu people, regardless of gender, age or status, go out of the city in groups to enjoy the spring, "taking advantage of the warm weather to breathe out the foul air of the city."

The writing is fluent but not glib, elegant but not obscure. As the scene changes, the writer expresses his feelings through the scenery, which is a rare masterpiece of prose.

Unfortunately, the political climate became turbulent after the 50s, and a large number of poets, novelists, and essayists were affected by this and suspended their literary creation. Zhu Guangqian was among them, and instead focused more on professional research.

Zhu Guangqian pointed at the copy of Les Miserables that Lin Chaoyang had brought back and said, "Let me ask you, when you read these French novels, do you think they have any ideological or cultural significance?"

“Hmm…” The old man was trying to show him off. Lin Chaoyang pondered and replied, “It should be said that they provide motivation and nutrients for the knowledge structure and humanistic qualities of the new generation of domestic readers. This motivation and nutrients may eventually evolve into a trend of thought and culture, and many years later may affect all aspects of Chinese society.”

Lin Chaoyang thought he had answered well, but the old man sneered at him, "You are too general, empty talk, ambitious but incompetent!"

"Then tell me about it." Lin Chaoyang provoked.

The old man put down his cane and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

“When reading a book, one should not only look at the words, but also the author, the society and the culture behind it.

Whether in France or other European countries, people engaged in literature can be roughly divided into three categories: scholastics, newsprint, and genuine literati.

The scholastics were scholars whose greatest role was, first, to enable readers to have a deeper understanding of literary works; second, to maintain a country’s inherent traditions.

The newsprint school seeks to cater to the interests of the masses, and their role is to promote the prosperity of literature.

The authentic literati have the well-trainedness of the scholastics, but without their staleness; they have the novelty of the newsprint school, but without their slickness and superficiality. These talents are the most important force in the literary world.

This is exactly the kind of person China's literary world lacks.

The vitality of a nation is most directly revealed in its literature and general art. The ideological and cultural significance of French literature lies in that it fully reveals the cultural vitality of the Gallic nation.

In our country, young people read French classics and are naturally deeply influenced by them in their thinking. Behind this is the rise and fall of cultural vitality.

Chinese literature has been undergoing a drastic transformation since modern times. The classical prose and regulated verse that have been cultivated by literati for more than a thousand years have become withered and decayed, and the destruction done in recent years has also been profound enough.

Some time ago, the Chinese Department wrote a book called "Overview of Contemporary Literature", in which there was a term used very accurately - New Era Literature.

After more than half a century of destruction and damage, we should make our new era literature closer to folk literature and draw vitality from it..."

Zhu Guangqian spoke eloquently and enthusiastically, but at the end he frowned and looked at Lin Chaoyang with a bit of disdain. "You literary creators are so good, you don't study how to strengthen the cultural vitality of local literature all day long, but blindly praise foreign literature and imitate it everywhere.

Don’t forget that the style and form of literature is rooted in the thoughts, habits and character of a nation. If you blindly admire the West, you will only be incompatible with the outside and make yourself a laughing stock. "

The old man talked for a long time, and Lin Chaoyang thought about it carefully. Isn't this the same as what he said? He suspected that the old man was just taking the opportunity to curse.

"I didn't realize that if you were sixty years younger, you would also be an angry young man." Lin Chaoyang teased.

He went on to say, "You are just saying this after the fact. If you say so, then vernacular Chinese is not right from the very beginning."

The old man glared and said, "Are you trying to argue? I'm telling you not to blindly imitate Western literature. That's a narrow path."

Lin Chaoyang laughed again. His words just now were a bit joking, but now he said seriously: "I understand. Literature must be appreciated by both the elite and the masses. In the West, it should be like Homer and Shakespeare, and in China, it should be like Cao Xueqin and Tang Xianzu. Oh, and there are also people like you."

Lin Chaoyang did not forget to flatter the old man at the end of his speech, but unfortunately the flattery was a little too stiff and ironic, which made Old Zhu glare at him fiercely.

However, the old man was still very pleased with Lin Chaoyang's cleverness and insights. The fact that he could name Homer, Shakespeare, Cao Xueqin and Tang Xianzu proved that he had a clear understanding of the essence of literature.

"He's a little stupid, but he can still be saved!"

Such an evaluation is already considered high praise by Old Zhu.

However, although the old man has a sharp tongue, his attainments in literary theory and aesthetics are first-class, so you can ask him for more advice.

He was even considering whether he could stop smoking Old Wu's cigarette first and give this one to Old Zhu.

Tao Yushu, who had been listening for a while, said at this time: "Uncle Zhu, he just reads books all day long. You should talk to him carefully when you have time, so that he won't go astray."

Lin Chaoyang silently gave his wife a thumbs up.

But Zhu Guangqian looked disdainful and said, "His level is too low. It's worse to teach those undergraduates than to teach him."

"You are looking down on me. In a few days, I will also be an undergraduate student at Yanda University."

Zhu Guangqian glanced at him sideways again, "You mean the correspondence course? They are also called college students?"

"What's wrong with correspondence courses? I have a certificate!" Lin Chaoyang said confidently.

Tao Yushu added, "Uncle Zhu, Chaoyang's level is definitely better than that of ordinary undergraduates. The term 'New Era Literature' that you just mentioned was proposed by him."

Hearing this, Zhu Guangqian looked a little surprised, "Really?"

He glanced at Lin Chaoyang and said, "He's quite knowledgeable."

"Let's play two games of chess!" the old man invited again.

Two days later, Lin Chaoyang came to the Overseas Chinese Apartment in Huayuan Village again.

Before the New Year, Du Feng helped arrange a meeting with Lin Fugui to discuss the house, but Lin Chaoyang had to go back to Northeast China for the New Year, so the meeting was postponed to after the New Year.

When they met again, Lin Fugui's attitude was much softer than before, but Lin Chaoyang quoted a price of eight thousand yuan right away, which almost made him overturn the table.

"How can you bargain like that? I'm not selling cabbages!" Lin Fugui said angrily.

“The price of a house is not based on the price when you buy it, but on the market price.

I heard from Du Feng that you have been looking all over the city for siheyuan houses for sale. I believe you also know that with 12,000 yuan, you can buy a house with three entrances if you add a little more money.

I'll give you 8,000 yuan, and it won't be difficult to buy two houses with one entrance."

Lin Fugui caught the loophole in Lin Chaoyang's words and said, "Didn't you buy a courtyard house? The living conditions of my house are first-class in Yanjing."

"Do you think I don't want to buy it? It's not that I just haven't found the right one!" Lin Chaoyang said half-truthfully.

Hearing this, Lin Fugui suddenly became suspicious. He had heard from Du Feng that Lin Chaoyang had considered buying a courtyard house before.

He finally met a potential buyer and he didn't want to let Lin Chaoyang run away.

Negotiation is a psychological game. Lin Fugui wants to exchange the property, so his mentality is naturally more urgent than Lin Chaoyang.

The two sides talked for a long time and were stuck on the price of 10,500 yuan. Lin Fugui refused to make any more concessions, as this had reached his psychological bottom line.

Lin Chaoyang observed his expression and felt that the time was right.

"Okay, then it's 10,500. In installments, I'll give you 4,000 first. Then 3,500 in half a year, and the last 3,000 in a year and a half."

Lin Fugui said bitterly, "It's already 1,500 yuan cheaper. The last payment won't be made for another year and a half. It will be this time next year."

Lin Chaoyang pondered and said, "That's fine."

No matter how tense the negotiation process is, everyone will always feel better after the results come out.

When he returned home in the evening, Lin Chaoyang told Tao Yushu about the situation. She jumped into Lin Chaoyang's arms with joy.

He asked Tao Yushu: "Shouldn't you tell your parents about the house?"

Tao Yushu thought, "I should really tell them about it."

(End of this chapter)