Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 167 Academic Consensus
In the 1980s, material wealth was not as abundant as in later generations, and treating people to a meal was a luxury for most families.

Rice, flour, oil and meat are rationed every month, and no family has any excess. Treating guests to a meal means setting aside a considerable portion of the family's food for the guests.

Not only that, inviting guests to dinner at this time also tests the host's cooking skills and thoughtfulness.

There were only so many ingredients, and seasonings were not as abundant and readily available as they are in later generations. How to put together a table of rich and delicious dishes was a difficult problem for most people.

Lin Chaoyang's cooking skills were recognized by the foodie Wang Zengqi, not to mention the other two. Zhang Dening ate too much and was now half-slumped on the sofa, his eyes blank, having entered a mysterious state.

Wang Zengqi praised Lin Chaoyang's cooking skills and exchanged some experiences about food with him.

When it comes to food, Wang Zengqi is a wild person with a varied diet. He cooks everything on his own, and he is addicted to cooking. He often spends a whole day cooking a single dish.

The two talked about today's pig's trotters, and Wang Zengqi taught Lin Chaoyang a dish called Zhenjiang Pig's Trotters.

The method is similar to that of bacon in the south. It is salted and saltpetered, then placed in a container and pressed down with stones. When the meat is firm, it is taken out and cooked, and then dried to remove the moisture, and then it can be eaten.

"The pig's trotters made in this way have a deep red lean meat and white fat like sheep fat, which is not greasy when eaten. Adding some Zhenjiang vinegar and shredded ginger is a perfect match."

Lin Chaoyang was so excited by what Wang Zengqi said that he said, "Next time I will make it according to this method, and you come over to help me taste it and see if it tastes right."

Zhang Dening, who was in a daze, suddenly said, "Take me with you."

"You're everywhere. Bring your food coupons next time you come." Lin Chaoyang said unhappily.

Zhang Dening wanted to say to Lin Chaoyang, "I don't even want to come here," but when the words came to her lips, her tongue recalled the delicious food she had just eaten, and she changed them to, "If you bring food coupons, bring food coupons!"

No backbone at all.

Wang Zengqi and the other two had a hearty meal at Lin Chaoyang's house, which fully verified that what Li Tuo said was not false, and they were reluctant to leave.

Especially Wang Zengqi, it can be said that he and Lin Chaoyang hit it off at first sight.

Finally, he did not forget to invite her: "Come to my house when you have time and try the food I cook."

"it is good."

Two days later, the work seminar for "Lai Zi's Summer" organized by Renwen Publishing House was held as scheduled in the conference room at No. 166 Chaonei Street.

Renwen Press sent a heavyweight lineup, led by editor-in-chief Wei Junyi and Contemporary editor-in-chief Qin Chaoyang, as well as Contemporary editors Rong Shihui and Zhu Changsheng.

The writers invited included Wang Zengqi, Liu Xinwu, Lin Jinlan and Wang Meng. Wang Zengqi and Liu Xinwu are acquaintances of Lin Chaoyang, and Wang Meng also met Lin Chaoyang at the National Excellent Short Story Award Ceremony.

Wang Meng's creative ideas and style have always been considered relatively fashionable among domestic writers, so it is not surprising that she was invited to participate in Lin Chaoyang's work seminar today.

As for critics, Renwen Press invited Yan Gang, who has always praised Lin Chaoyang's works. His previous review article "Lai Zi's Summer: The Pioneer of Chinese Stream-of-Consciousness Literature" caused widespread discussion in the literary world as soon as it was published.

He creatively proposed the concept of "Chinese stream-of-consciousness literature", which has been unanimously recognized by critics and academia.

In addition to guests from the literary and critical circles, two scholars from universities also attended today's seminar, one of whom is an acquaintance of Lin Chaoyang.

"Brother Zicheng, I didn't expect you to come today." When Lin Chaoyang saw Hong Zicheng, he came up and shook his hand.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Wang Zengqi introduced Lin Jinlan to Lin Chaoyang.

This is the first time I have met Lin Jinlan Lin Chaoyang, but his name is not unfamiliar to me. He started writing in the late 1940s and made his mark in the literary world with Spring Thunder and The Girl from the Bay Island.

He excels at writing short stories and is praised by critics as a "short story master." After the 1980s, he became even stronger as he aged, and was known as the "twin pillars of the literary world" together with Wang Zengqi.

Lin Jinlan and Wang Zengqi are good friends who have known each other since the 1950s and have a very close relationship.

After Wang Zengqi introduced the two parties, he did not forget to emphasize to Lin Jinlan: "Chaoyang's cooking skills are unique!"

Birds of a feather flock together.

Since Lin Jinlan can become friends with Wang Zengqi, she naturally has a great interest in food.

Listening to Wang Zengqi's words, he smiled and said, "Then I must try it if I have a chance."

"sure."

In an occasion like a work seminar, small talk like the one just now is inevitable.

After the seminar started, everyone expressed their opinions freely. Lin Chaoyang sat among them, looking serious and upright, but in fact he was daydreaming.

Holding a work seminar is a form of affirmation for writers and a means of publicity for publishing houses or editorial departments.

"Lai Zi's Summer" was first published by "Contemporary" and will be published next month. Renwen Press chose to hold a seminar on the work at this time, and publicity is a big reason.

It has been nearly seven months since the novel was published in April, and the response it caused in the domestic literary community has been sensational.

As the saying goes, everything turns into its opposite when it reaches its extreme. The long-term suppression of the literary world during the Buzz Buzz period has led to a surging trend of ideological liberation in the domestic literary world in recent years.

Under the impact of this surging trend of ideological liberation, many people embarked on a path of reflection, self-renewal and reconstruction.

But sometimes, too much is as bad as too little. Excessive reflection and pursuit of freedom may make some people lose confidence in our own culture, or even to the point of despising it.

So "worshiping foreign things" became a fashion.

Although Lin Chaoyang doesn't want to admit it, the sensational impact that "Lai Zi's Summer" caused in the literary world is indeed closely related to the creative techniques used in this novel.

For the current domestic literary world and literature lovers, stream-of-consciousness literature represents foreignness and fashion. Lin Chaoyang took the lead in creating such a high-quality stream-of-consciousness literary work with Chinese characteristics, which can be said to have given some people in the literary world great confidence, allowing them to see that Chinese people can also write excellent works of stream-of-consciousness literature.

This is somewhat similar to those athletes who won honors at the beginning of reform and opening up. They not only won honor for the country, but also inspired national self-confidence.

In addition to the literary world's rave reviews for "Lai Zi's Summer", there is another group that is also filled with joy at the birth of this novel, and that is the academic community.

Academic research is different from literary criticism. The academic community is more concerned about the value and significance that the birth of the novel "Lai Zi's Summer" has provided to contemporary Chinese literature.

In the domestic literary world where stream-of-consciousness literature is still in its infancy, a mature stream-of-consciousness literary work with strong Chinese characteristics, such as "Lai Zi's Summer", was suddenly born, which is of extraordinary significance to contemporary literature.

Because in the academic community's view, due to political reasons, there has always been a thick barrier between contemporary Chinese literature and world literature.

The birth of "Lai Zi's Summer" not only represents the emergence of a new genre in contemporary Chinese literature, but also invisibly narrows the gap between contemporary Chinese literature and world literature. This is undoubtedly a huge progress.

At the same time, the academic community has also noticed that, influenced by "Lai Zi's Summer", more and more creators have set their sights on the field of stream-of-consciousness literature in recent times, which has also played a positive role in promoting the development of contemporary literature.

Over this period of time, the academic community has reached a consensus that "Lai Zi's Summer" has played an irreplaceable pioneering role in the development of contemporary Chinese literature, especially stream-of-consciousness literature.

Hong Zicheng is a representative of the academic community. He has always admired Lin Chaoyang's talent. Today, when he came to attend the work seminar, he was full of praise for "Lai Zi's Summer".

In fact, it was not just him. All the guests present gave high praise to the novel and fully affirmed the literary value and exemplary role of "Lai Zi's Summer".

After the seminar, Lin Chaoyang and Hong Zicheng chatted for a while and originally wanted to leave Renwen Press together, but the editor-in-chief of Renwen Press, Wei Junyi, stopped Lin Chaoyang.

Wei Junyi called Lin Chaoyang to her office, and also called Li Shuguang, and had a brief chat about the editing of "Lai Zi's Summer".

"Lai Zi's Summer" is Lin Chaoyang's first novel and has a huge influence, so Renwen Publishing House also attaches great importance to this novel. The editors, reviewers, proofreaders and illustrators are all the most professional people in the publishing house.

At the end of the conversation, Wei Junyi asked Lin Chaoyang, "Has your book "Parental Love" never been published?"

"Correct."

"Would you like to take this opportunity to publish a standalone book?"

Renwen Publishing House is going to publish a separate volume of "Parental Love", which is certainly a good thing, and Lin Chaoyang readily agreed.

Two days later, when it was almost noon, Lin Chaoyang planned to have a meal and then rush to the train station. Lin Erchun and his wife had left their hometown yesterday and got off the train at five o'clock this afternoon.

Just as he was about to leave the library, he saw Tao Yushu coming towards him, "Why are you here?"

"I'll go with you to pick up my parents."

Tao Yushu's face was red from the wind and his eyes were bright.

"It's such a long way back and forth, what are you going to do?"

"My parents finally came to Yanjing, how could I not go to pick them up?"

Lin Chaoyang couldn't persuade Tao Yushu, so the couple rode their bicycles back to the Overseas Chinese Apartment and then took the bus to the train station.

Yanjing Station is one of the top ten buildings in the capital built on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The station building faces south and has a four-sided bell tower with double eaves and pointed finials on the top of the stairs at both ends of the hall. In between is a transparent glass curtain wall. There are single-eaved corner towers on each side of the facade, which is magnificent.

When Lin Chaoyang and his wife arrived here, police officers and soldiers were everywhere in the square in front of the station. The atmosphere was solemn and depressing.

The square in front of Yanjing Station was heavily guarded by military and police, but the passengers and ordinary people seeing off or picking up passengers at the station were not worried, because everyone knew that it would be safer with this group of comrades around.

Lin Chaoyang and Tao Yushu waited at the exit for more than an hour. As the train was about to arrive, Lin Chaoyang looked at his watch from time to time.

"Should be arriving soon?"

"Almost there. They should be getting off the train."

As the flow of people at the exit suddenly surged, Lin Chaoyang and Tao Yushu kept looking inside the station.

Through many unfamiliar faces, Lin Chaoyang saw his father Lin Erchun. He and his mother Zhang Guiqin were carrying large and small bags and struggling to squeeze through the crowd.

Lin Chaoyang hurriedly waved to Tao Yushuo, and after a long while, Lin Erchun and his wife finally got out of the station.

Tao Yushu kindly took the things from Zhang Guiqin's hand and took her arm, "Dad, Mom, you have worked hard along the way."

"It's not that hard. I came here by sleeper, but the ticket is too expensive."

Lin Erchun felt a pang of pain when he mentioned the money he spent on train tickets.

"Why do you feel bad? It doesn't cost you any money." Lin Chaoyang said.

That day, Lin Chaoyang called home and asked Lin Erchun and his wife to come to Beijing to stay for a while. When the commune leaders learned about this, they specially helped Lin Erchun and his wife to get two hard sleeper tickets.

"Public money is not money?" Lin Erchun said, and then cursed: "You have no sense at all, don't you know how to take things?"

Lin Chaoyang took the things and complained, "I told you not to bring anything, why are you doing this?"

"If you don't bring so many things with you, it won't be cheap for you, right?"

The father and son chatted for a while, and Tao Yushu said, "Hurry up and wait for the bus."

(End of this chapter)