Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 133 Are you using this to test your cadres?

The first meeting did not produce any results. Zhang Chao's demands and the size of The Great Doctor completely exceeded David Miller's expectations.

Zhang Chao suggested that if his works were to be included in the series, then his old work "Young Like You" should be used. However, David said that this book was unlikely to cause a response in the American market. For Zhang Chao, such a "debut" was not very exciting and would easily be considered a mediocre writer by American readers, which would be detrimental to his future publication of other works in the United States.

This is David Miller's sincere opinion. As a top figure in the American editing industry, his judgment is still very reliable.

Zhang Chao thought about it and it was true. School violence in China and the United States are not on the same level in terms of equipment. The descriptions in "Better Days" that seem very extraordinary to domestic readers are not as stimulating as biubiubiu.

"Your Name" was also tacitly passed. Although the subject matter of this novel may attract some American teenage readers, the writing style is too oriental, and translating it is equivalent to rewriting it.

So the question comes back to The Great Doctor. David Miller believes that this novel has the elements of "foreign legend", "epic feeling" and "sacrifice spirit" that American mainstream readers are more interested in, and has the potential to become a bestseller.

But even a big company like Simon & Schuster would have some reservations about waiting another year for this novel, setting up a separate project for it, and investing resources in promotion.

The second round of talks was scheduled for three days later to allow both sides to readjust their plans and expectations.

Zhang Chao relaxed. Through the first meeting, he had made clear his bottom line, and the remaining details could be left to Huang Jiefu.

It doesn’t matter if the deal fails, because this matter was instigated by Xu Ruiya and was completely beyond his plan.

At 8 o'clock the next morning, Zhang Chao woke up on time in his hotel room. After making himself a cup of coffee, he started typing until 12 o'clock noon.

Now my literary debt has risen again. The Great Doctor has more than 2 words per month, and my drafts only last until October; and Joy of Life requires 10 words to be updated every day, which takes at least more than an hour.

There are other work tasks to be done in between, so Zhang Chao needs to be much more self-disciplined than people in China to complete it.

In the afternoon, he and Jeff Huang went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to see the Chinese cultural relics there.

The Chinese Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as the Sackler Wing, was built with funds donated by the then American entrepreneur Sackler.

The number of cultural relics in this exhibition hall reaches 1.2, covering all major categories of cultural relics such as calligraphy and painting, ceramics, bronzes, murals, sculptures, etc., and almost all of them are fine products.

What shocked Zhang Chao the most was the mural of "Medicine Buddha Sutra" from the Yuan Dynasty, which is 15.2 meters long, 7.5 meters high, and covers a total area of ​​196 square meters.

The Bodhisattvas in the murals have solemn appearances and the believers have pious expressions. They are top-level religious works of art.

Although Zhang Chao did not believe this, he was still deeply immersed in the grand and vicissitudes of aesthetic shock and could not extricate himself for a long time.

After a long while, he looked at Huang Jiefu beside him and found that he was also in a daze, so he asked softly: "Haven't you come to see it before?"

Huang Jiefu said: "I have been here and seen it before. But I didn't feel much at that time. However, I have stayed in Yanjing for a long time in recent years. When I saw it again this time, I felt completely different.

I seem to hear the people in the mural talking..."

Zhang Chao hummed, and after a long while he said, "It's not just the people in the murals who are talking, every ancient painting from the Song and Yuan dynasties, painted pottery from the Sui and Tang dynasties, porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties, bronze from the Shang and Zhou dynasties...are all talking.

If you listen more carefully, perhaps what you hear is their cry. "

Huang Jiefu asked in confusion: "Sorrowful cry?"

Zhang Chao said: "Yes, it is a sad cry - the country is destroyed, the family is ruined, the mountains and rivers are broken, and people are at the mercy of others... The fate of these cultural relics is a microcosm of a hundred years of history."

After visiting the Chinese Hall, Zhang Chao was not depressed, but he was indeed quite emotional, so he and Huang Jiefu found a random restaurant in the evening, had a simple meal and returned to the hotel. As soon as he returned to the hotel, Zhang Chao received a call from Yang Yuzhe, an IWP staff member he had met in Yanjing.

The other party asked Zhang Chao how the talks with Simon & Schuster went, and Zhang Chao casually answered with a few perfunctory words; Yang Yuzhe then asked Zhang Chao which hotel he was staying in, saying that he was also in New York and wanted to talk to Zhang Chao.

Zhang Chao thought about it and agreed, and told Yang Yuzhe the name of the hotel.

An hour later, the two sat face to face in a small cafe next to the hotel. Yang Yuzhe first introduced himself, which he didn't have the chance to do last time:

"I came to the United States to study in 92. After I received my doctorate, I went to work at the Creative Writing Center at the University of Iowa. In 2000, I joined IWP and was responsible for connecting with East Asian writers."

Zhang Chao was not interested in him, so he said directly: "Doesn't the 'International Writing Program' start in late August? There is still more than half a month left, and you came to see me so early."

Yang Yuzhe put on a sincere American fake smile and did not answer the question directly. Instead, he asked, "You've been here for almost a week. What's your impression of this place?"

Zhang Chao thought about it and answered truthfully: "Overall it's pretty good, and it's not exclusive. There are no other disadvantages except that the things are too expensive."

Yang Yuzhe smiled and said, "New York is unique in the United States for being expensive. Other places are much better, especially Iowa, where not only the environment is very good, the people are also very friendly, and the prices are low."

Zhang Chao nodded, drank the lemonade in front of him in one gulp, and said, "If there is nothing else, I will go back to my room first."

Yang Yuzhe said quickly, "I'm sorry, I was too long-winded. We at IWP attach great importance to the life and itinerary arrangements of writers after they come to the United States. After knowing that you came early, we arranged a special itinerary for you."

Zhang Chao: “Oh?”

Yang Yuzhe's eyes flickered with something strange, and he introduced enthusiastically: "It would be boring to fly directly from New York to Iowa. We have arranged a car for you, with a driver who is familiar with the road conditions. You will pass through the best areas of the East Coast of the United States and through the Great Lakes region... You will see the most prosperous and civilized side of the United States, and experience the diverse culture and warm and simple people of the United States."

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "To put it bluntly, it's just a self-driving tour. You're using this to test your cadres? Which cadre can't stand such a test?"

Yang Yuzhe naturally had not heard of this line that only appeared ten years later, and was a little confused, but he quickly reacted and explained: "You misunderstood, there is absolutely no other meaning. I just want you to see the customs and culture of the United States and taste the delicacies here..."

Zhang Chao asked: "Do all writers who participate in IWP have this treatment?"

Yang Yuzhe said awkwardly: "This...this...you are different."

"What's the difference? One more eye than other writers or one less leg?"

Yang Yuzhe was unable to answer.

Zhang Chao said, "Let's talk about this later. I don't know how many days my negotiation with Simon & Schuster will take, so I can't arrange any schedule in advance. If it doesn't go well, I might not even go to IWP and go back home directly."

Yang Yuzhe was anxious and said quickly: "Don't... I'll think of a way."

The next morning, Zhang Chao and Huang Jiefu went downstairs and just walked into the lobby, they saw a tall young girl with blond hair and blue eyes. She walked up to them and said to Zhang Chao in relatively unfamiliar Chinese:

"Hello, my name is Susan, a journalist and freelance writer. IWP hired me as your driver for the next three weeks. The car is parked outside."

Zhang Chao looked at the sweet-looking and bookish Susan in front of him, thinking that they were trying to challenge his weak spot...

(End of this chapter)