Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 128: The United States is a toilet. Will you suffocate to death if you don’t go there?
Zhang Chao waved his hand and said, "Let's not bother with that. I have a lot of things to do in my country anyway. The United States is not a toilet. Will I die of suffocation if I don't go there?"

This sentence made Xu Ruiya blush. Zhang Chao said embarrassedly: "It's a bit rough, don't mind. - Oh, if you need my help, just tell me, there's no need to beat around the bush."

Xu Ruiya asked in a low voice: "Are you really not going? I heard that those who are invited to the 'International Writing Program' are all great writers..."

Zhang Chao joked: "If the US Embassy came to my door and carried me in a sedan chair, I would go. The 'International Writing Project' is not that exaggerated - in its early days, IWP was a refugee shelter for writers from around the world. Many of the writers invited were from countries that were experiencing war or famine, or where the political situation was unstable.

Through this program, they can be provided with air tickets to seek asylum in the United States, and then provided with food and housing for three months, so that they can have a transition and apply for a green card later. It’s just that because the founder is Chinese, writers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been invited more since the 3s.”

Xu Ruiya was a little disappointed, but then asked again: "I said, can you really help me?"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "You tell me, I may not be able to help you with major matters, but I can still help you with minor matters."

Xu Ruiya said: "Then I said - the guy in your company, that Marberionius, is he still single now?"

Zhang Chao: “Who?”

That afternoon, Zhang Chao explained the situation to the Chinese Department of Yenching University and asked them to reply to IWP as soon as possible to inform him that he could not go due to visa issues and asked them to invite other Chinese writers.

Cao Wenxuan and others did not expect this to happen. In recent years, the United States has been relatively lenient in issuing visas to Chinese students, and visa refusals are rare.

But now that things have come to this, I can only send them a letter.

Zhang Chao quickly put the visa rejection behind him and focused on the final exams and homework. He finally successfully completed his first year of university in early July.

During this period, the IWP staff responsible for connecting with the domestic side called him from the United States and reminded him that he could try again for the visa this month and maybe it would be approved.

Zhang Chao refused impatiently, "I won't do anything that would put me in a cold position. Whoever wants to go can go." Then he hung up the phone.

He had already made a plan. He would go to Shanghai during the holidays to complete the application materials for the journal number of "Youth School" with "New Sprout" magazine. He would not feel at ease if he did not keep an eye on it.
Then I went back to Fuhai to stay with my parents for half a month, and returned to Yanjing in August.

Who has the time to waste on such a bullshit thing as queuing for 3 hours and getting a visa rejected for 1 minute? Wouldn’t it be better to go to Tiantongyuan twice more?
Just as he was packing his luggage, the doorbell rang. Zhang Chao went to open the door and saw two foreigners in suits and two Chinese standing at the door.

Zhang Chao was confused for a moment, but one of the foreigners who seemed to be the leader quickly introduced himself in fluent Chinese: "Hello, Mr. Zhang Chao, I am Smith Lee from the US Embassy in charge of visas, this is my colleague Daniel, this is Yang Yuzhe from the University of Iowa IWP, and this is Liu from the International Exchange Office of Yanda University."

Zhang Chao asked suspiciously, "Didn't you reject my visa? Why are you here again?"

Smith Lee said: "I'm really sorry, the rejection of your visa was a complete misunderstanding - uh, can we go in and talk?"

Zhang Chao thought about it, checked the IDs of several people first, then called Yan University's National Exchange Office to confirm the identity of Secretary Liu before letting the four people into the house.

After they sat down, Yang Yuzhe spoke first: "Since you refused to attend the IWP due to visa issues, we thought there must be some misunderstanding. So we came here specially this time to dispel your misunderstanding of us."

Smith Lee also said: "Your visa was rejected before because of improper operation. We also hope to make up for the mistake. My colleagues will re-process the visa procedures for you." (I checked specifically and found that there are indeed visa officers who provide door-to-door service, but don't even think about it if you are from the United States)

Zhang Chao looked at the two of them and suddenly smiled, "How do you know I will definitely accept it?"

The atmosphere was awkward. Liu, an officer from the National Exchange Office, said, "Student Zhang Chao, Yanda still hopes you can go. Not only can it allow you to..."

Zhang Chao interrupted him and asked, "Can I sell 100 or 200 million copies of my book? Or can I write a movie that sells 8000 million?" Secretary Liu was choked, and the two Americans looked at each other. Yang Yuzhe smiled awkwardly and said, "Of course not - but this is not about money..."

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "Then it seems that the US visa is not that magical? You guys suspect that I have the intention to immigrate, right? If I move to the US, the US must give me some benefits, right?"

That day, we were all talked to death.

They sat for a while, and seeing that Zhang Chao remained undeterred, they had to say goodbye. Before leaving, Smith Lee said to Zhang Chao, "If you want to apply for a visa to the United States in the future, please feel free to contact me." Then he left his phone number.

The next day, Zhang Chao called Xu Ruiya to meet him at Yan University. He suppressed his anger and said, "You really asked the American Embassy to come to my house and bring a sedan chair to carry me? I'm sorry, they returned empty-handed. So I don't recognize this favor! What happened between you and Ma Boyong is between the two of you. There's no need to thank me, and there's no need to make such a big fuss."

Xu Ruiya was puzzled and asked, "What American Embassy? What sedan chair?"

Seeing her bewildered look, Zhang Chao asked suspiciously, "Wasn't it your family who pushed those people to come to my place last night?" Then he gave her a brief account of what happened.

Xu Ruiya was even more confused after hearing this, but she firmly denied it: "How can my family have the power to move the people in the embassy? I am working hard for your visa, but it is another matter."

Zhang Chao was stunned and said, "Did I misunderstand you? Then last night..."

Xu Ruiya took out an envelope and said, "I don't know what happened last night. But read this letter yourself!"

Zhang Chao opened the envelope and found an invitation letter in both Chinese and English. The sender was a publisher called "Simon & Schuster", inviting him to the United States to discuss the publication of his works in the United States.

Zhang Chao asked: "What is this...?"

Xu Ruiya said, "Simon & Schuster is one of the largest publishers in the United States. I translated a few passages from your book The Great Physician and sent them, along with your introduction, to the person in charge of introducing their books. This is the reply email I received the day before yesterday. If you hadn't come to me today, I would have come to you."

Zhang Chao asked suspiciously, "You translated it? How old are you? How could you possibly attract their attention?"

Xu Ruiya raised her head and said, "Of course I can't, but I asked my grandfather to issue this in his name."

Zhang Chao asked, "Your grandfather? I remember you were also a day student. Where do you live?"

Xu Ruiya said: "Yan Da, Changchun Garden."

"Who is your grandfather?"

"Xu Yuanchong, have you heard of it?"

...How could Zhang Chao not have heard of him? A few years before he traveled through time, this great translator had just passed away at the age of 100. The media reported on it for a long time, and he was one of the popular characters for the college entrance examination essay that year.

Meanwhile, in the US Embassy, ​​Smith Lee was enduring the wrath from across the ocean:

"You idiot, do you know how much influence Zhang Chao has on young people in China? He is an important part of our plan! Only by making him yearn for the United States and come to the United States to breathe the air of freedom can he recognize and get close to us! You have messed up everything!"

Smith wanted to cry but had no tears. Who could have thought that the visa that was originally sure to be approved would be ruined because of Zhang Chao's own Fuhai household registration...

(End of this chapter)