Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 165 You are a screenwriter, what do you know about scripts? (Monthly ticket plus more)

It took more than half a month for Lin Chaoyang to work with Li Hanxiang to complete the scripts of "The Burning of the Old Summer Palace" and "The Behind-the-Curtain Ruling".

During this period, the two had many arguments over the content of the script. Li Hanxiang was completely annoyed by Lin Chaoyang, and Lin Chaoyang also accommodated him and changed a lot of the script.

After all, both of them are trying to create better scripts.

As the saying goes, there is no acquaintance without fighting. The two of them developed feelings for each other during such quarrels and became close friends.

Now that the script has been finalized, Lin Chaoyang's work is considered complete. He may briefly participate in the preparation and shooting stages of the crew.

On the day the script was finalized, Li Hanxiang specially invited Lin Chaoyang to have a meal at Tan’s Restaurant on the seventh floor of Yanjing Hotel.

Tan's cuisine originated from the family banquets of Tan Zongjun, a bureaucrat in the late Qing Dynasty. It is one of the most famous official cuisines in China. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was invited by Comrade Wu Hao to join the catering system of the Yanjing Hotel to receive foreign guests and showcase the profound Chinese food culture.

Li Hanxiang invited everyone to dinner, and not only were Shi Kuan and Zhao Wei from the co-production company there, but also Ding Qiao, deputy director of the Film Bureau, came.

The higher-ups attached great importance to Li Hanxiang's plan to make movies in the mainland. Since Li Hanxiang revealed this idea in 1978, government officials have been in frequent contact with Li Hanxiang.

As the deputy director of the Film Bureau, Ding Qiao has always been an important channel for Li Hanxiang to communicate with government departments.

He heard today that the film script had been finalized and came to congratulate Li Hanxiang.

After two years of going back and forth and the subject matter of the filming has changed several times, the script has finally been finalized, which is indeed something worth celebrating.

During the dinner, Ding Qiao talked to Li Hanxiang about film investment. The two film studios that the Ministry of Culture had found for Li Hanxiang were unable to invest in such a large-scale film due to their own reasons. The co-production company would indeed contribute part of the investment, but they could only contribute a small part. Their more important role was to act as a matchmaker.

The film’s funding has not yet been resolved, which is always a big problem for both parties involved in the co-production.

"Now that the script is finished, I will go to Haojiang after a few days of rest."

Li Hanxiang also wanted to solve the investment problem as soon as possible. He had been working hard for two or three years for this movie, and it could be said that he had gone through a lot of hardships. How could he not hope that the movie could be made quickly?
"Then I would like to wish Director Li all the best in his trip to Macau!" said Ding Qiao.

At the end of the dinner, Li Hanxiang held Lin Chaoyang and said earnestly: "When you work with others in the future, you have to curb your arrogance. A screenwriter is a screenwriter, how can you also be the director's boss..."

I wrote the script, so can't I say a few words?

In front of so many people, Lin Chaoyang couldn't refute Li Hanxiang and could only complain in his heart.

"You are a person who has talent, but you are too arrogant. It's because you meet a director like me who has a good temper..."

Do you have a good temper?

At this age, I still don’t have a clear understanding of myself.

Seeing that Li Hanxiang was getting more and more excited, Lin Chaoyang couldn't help but want to hit him: "You, you are used to making erotic films. If you want to make an orthodox historical film, you have to change your mindset and have a better vision!"

Listening to his words, Li Hanxiang was unhappy, "Why do I have no vision?"

"If you have a vision, do you only focus on the trivial matters of love between men and women? If you have a vision, do you only modify those dramas about the secret history of the imperial palace?"

Li Hanxiang was so angry at Lin Chaoyang's retort, "You are a screenwriter, what do you know about scripts?"

"I don't understand, do you?"

"伱......"

Seeing the two people arguing, Ding Qiao immediately wanted to stand up and dissuade them, but was stopped by Shi Kuan.

"It's okay, let them quarrel, it will be fine after they're done."

During this time he has already gotten used to the way the two of them get along. It looks like a clash of the two, but in reality it's a case of one willing to fight and the other willing to be beaten, and it takes two to tango.

The banquet was over, Ding Qiao was about to leave, Lin Chaoyang also checked out of the hotel, and Li Hanxiang saw them off downstairs.

After Ding Qiao left, Li Hanxiang looked at Lin Chaoyang, thinking back to the past half month they had spent together, his expression slightly melancholy.

"Chaoyang, I'll treat you to a drink next time I come back!"

"You can't drink." Lin Chaoyang said quietly.

Li Hanxiang glared at Lin Chaoyang and said, "You are such a spoiler, you keep bringing up things that are not relevant to the topic."

He has heart problems and can't drink alcohol.

"By the way, think about paying me the royalties." Lin Chaoyang added.

Li Hanxiang's good mood was ruined by his two words. He was annoyed and pushed fiercely, "Go, go, go! Go quickly!"

Lin Chaoyang was pushed by him, and he did not forget to remind him, "Don't forget it!"

"roll!"

Li Hanxiang was really afraid that if he didn't drive this kid away, he would not be able to resist and take action.

Lin Chaoyang was driven a few steps away by him, then turned around and waved to Li Hanxiang.

"Let's go, Lao Li!"

The anger on Li Hanxiang's face turned into a helpless smile. This guy really makes people love and hate him!

After returning home and resting for a night, Lin Chaoyang went to work as usual the next day.

More than half a month later, he appeared in the library again, which attracted ridicule from his colleagues at the lending desk.

Including this time, this is the second time he has taken a long vacation this year. The last time was to revise the script for director Xie Jin.

If Lin Chaoyang had worked for a capitalist in the future, he would have been fired. It was just November, the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, and the Yanda campus was experiencing a change from the bright colors of orange, yellow, tangerine and green to the sad sound of falling leaves, adding a sense of desolation.

The library was as busy as usual. Lin Chaoyang was guarding the library and had to get up from time to time to look for books for the students who were borrowing books downstairs.

The library was much quieter in the afternoon, and Lin Chaoyang resumed writing his new novel, which he had stopped doing in order to write a script.

The afternoon passed in a flash. After work, Lin Chaoyang rode his bicycle to Langrun Lake Apartment. Today is Saturday.

After entering the door, Lin Chaoyang saw Zhu Guangqian sitting there talking and laughing with Tao's father. The old man seemed particularly energetic today.

After asking around, I found out that a major project had been completed.

Long before the Buzz Buzz, Zhu Guangqian had been devoted to translating classic works of Western aesthetics. Before the Buzz Buzz, he was translating Hegel's three-volume Aesthetics, which was the most difficult, but he had to interrupt it.

78 years later, without the shackles on his shoulders, he once again took up the translation work of "Aesthetics". Until recently, he finally completed the translation of this magnum opus and handed the manuscript to Yenching University Press.

At Zhu Guangqian's age, completing the translation of such a work is certainly a great thing and should be celebrated.

Lin Chaoyang was also very clear that in the 1980s, which was about to begin, there would be a new wave of aesthetics in the Chinese cultural circle, and Zhu Guangqian, who was in his 80s and was a leading figure in contemporary aesthetics, would also be highly respected during this period.

During the meal, Father Tao asked when Lin Chaoyang's parents would come to Yanjing.

Lin Chaoyang said, "It will take a few more days. The old couple are worried about their family, so they have to arrange everything before coming."

Father Tao nodded slightly and said, "Let's all get together then."

"it is good."

After dinner, Tao's mother took Tao Yumo aside and told her, "Your brother-in-law's parents will be here in a few days, so you don't have to live there anymore."

Tao Yumo said reluctantly, "I understand."

On the way home by bicycle in the evening, Tao Yushu told Lin Chaoyang that he would treat Zhang Dening to dinner the next day.

In the past six months, Tao Yushu has published two consecutive review articles in "Yenching Literature", and Zhang Dening is her editor.

Because he was going to treat everyone, Lin Chaoyang went out to buy groceries early the next morning, and he did not forget to take Tao Yumo, the little tough guy, with him.

Early in the morning, Tao Yumo was sleeping soundly in bed when Lin Chaoyang pulled her out, feeling full of resentment.

After buying vegetables, I came back shivering and kept complaining about the cold weather.

Tao Yushu couldn't help but sneer, "You've gained so much weight, how can you still be cold?"

Listening to her sister's words, Tao Yumo was angry but dared not say anything.

In the past six months, she has been living in Lin Chaoyang's house most of the time. She feels like a duck in water in the Overseas Chinese Apartment, not to mention the hardware conditions of the house.

Lin Chaoyang and his wife have a small family with a high income. They are never stingy when it comes to food. Their food standards are much higher than those of the Tao family. Most importantly, the Tao Xiwen brothers have not competed with them for food.

The improvement in food conditions caused her weight to increase at a visible rate. She was originally a sunny girl full of energy, but in just a few months, she became plump and plump.

"Sister, why are you like this?"

"What's wrong with me? Did I say something wrong about you? Look at how round your face is!"

Tao Yushu was not satisfied with what he said, so he took action and pinched the flesh on his sister's face, which felt chewy and elastic.

"Oh!" Tao Yumo struggled to get rid of her clutches and said angrily: "I won't eat lunch!"

"Okay, if you have the guts, don't eat it." Tao Yushu said nonchalantly.

After saying this, Tao Yumo regretted it.

She went out with her brother-in-law to buy groceries in the morning, so today's meal was very rich.

If you don't let me eat, I won't eat? I'm going to eat it, Tao Yumo muttered to himself.

Before the guests arrived, Lin Chaoyang started doing "desk" work, washing vegetables, cutting vegetables, preparing ingredients...

While he was busy, the phone at home rang.

Tao Yushu went out to meet someone, and after a while, she brought the guest into the house.

Contrary to expectations, there were three people coming.

In addition to Zhang Dening mentioned by Tao Yushu, there are also Zhou Yanru and Wang Zengqi.

Zhang Dening entered the house and saw Lin Chaoyang busy in the kitchen wearing an apron. He said jokingly, "Oh, I never knew that the great writer Lin had such a skill."

"Why are you pretending? Didn't you tell Yu Shu yesterday that you wanted to try the food I cooked?"

Zhang Dening chuckled and said, "I heard it from Li Tuo as well. So, I specially called Lao Zhou and Lao Wang here today. I tell you, Lao Wang is a big eater, you can't fool us, otherwise you will ruin your own reputation."

Lin Chaoyang didn't take Zhang Dening's threat seriously at all, "What's my signboard?"

"Master Xunweizhai! Just listen to the name, you sound quite arrogant."

He mentioned the name "Xunweizhai" casually when he was drinking with Li Tuo and Feng Jicai.

Li Tuo had a wide range of friends in the literary circles of Yanjing, but no one expected that he would really spread the name of "Xunweizhai".

When Lin Chaoyang thought of Li Tuo's character as a "literary socialite", he couldn't help but have a headache. Wouldn't there be more and more friends asking to come to his house for dinner in the future?

(End of this chapter)