Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 235 Broken Heart
"Wow!~" Exclamations rang out simultaneously at the scene and in front of the TV.

The contestants, reporters, spectators, and even the magazine editors who were not involved in the core work were all shocked by this grand “title”.

A cake like this would have no problem applying for a Guinness record, but the cost would probably be calculated in tens of thousands.

Everyone had only one thought in their mind: "Zhang Chao is the best at having fun."

He said he wanted to turn the semi-finals into a big party, and he really came up with such a big cake. Now there is only one question - how to make the cake?

At the scene, after the exclamations and blinding flashes ended, Zhang Chao said: "This cake is the result of the bakery chefs of Shanghai International Hotel working all night. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the bakery chefs of Shanghai International Hotel!"

The Shanghai International Hotel Bakery is truly a time-honored brand and second to none! "

After that, he started to applaud, and everyone else followed suit. Only Ma Boyong quietly gave Zhang Chao a thumbs up, thinking that the boss was really amazing, repeating the key information three times in three sentences, and this big cake was successfully obtained for free.

Then Zhang Chao said to the contestants: "Now everyone can take turns to go forward and observe in an orderly manner. Be careful not to get the cream stuck on you."

After that, the contestants, under the guidance of the staff, stepped forward to observe carefully.

I have to say that this cake is amazing from its huge size to its specific details. It is as exquisite as a work of art. The main body is a modern metropolis, and the towering cube shape is carefully drawn into high-rise buildings.

Many miniature figures made of chocolate and candy are placed in order between these high-rise buildings, as if they really live in them. The ground floor, which has the largest "area", even has a port, a pier and a beach.

Even the audience in front of the TV, after watching these details, couldn't help but murmur to themselves: "How much... will this cost?"

About 20 minutes later, all the contestants had observed each other. At this time, Zhang Chao said, "Masters, let's start."

Under the surprised gazes of the crowd, several pastry chefs who pushed out the cake took out long cake knives and began to cut and disassemble the cake from top to bottom. The cut cakes were placed on small plates and handed to the contestants by the staff.

"No!" a female contestant exclaimed. All eyes were focused on her, and the little girl blushed immediately, but she still plucked up the courage to say: "Such a beautiful cake, why cut it?"

This sentence also raises the inner doubts of many people - if we only talk about the "topic", this big cake placed here is not a very good "anchor" for thinking, why should we "destroy" it?
However, Zhang Chao thought this was a divine assist, but he remained calm and said, "No matter how beautiful the cake is, it still has to be cut in the end."

The chefs were all good at dividing cakes. In less than ten minutes, they divided the giant cake into more than 200 pieces. Not only each contestant on the scene received a piece, but also the reporters and staff.

A reporter looked at the sweet and fragrant cake in his hand and joked with Zhang Chao: "If you had told me earlier, I would have skipped breakfast."

Zhang Chao took a bite of the cake and smiled and said, "Wasn't that a 'leak' of questions?" Then he picked up the microphone and said to the contestants, "The questions are ready, and you can start writing now."

It was then that everyone understood that not only the "cake", but also the process of dividing it and even the results of what everyone eats are part of the question.

It is not new that the topic for the semi-final of the "New Concept Essay Contest" is performance art; however, it is the first time that such a large-scale performance art has been done, in which contestants participate in such in-depth interaction. It is also destined to be remembered for a long time.

Almost everyone began to applaud Zhang Chao's creativity.

The contestants murmured again, and the competition venue suddenly became a buzz. But everyone soon had their own preliminary ideas, returned to their seats with cakes in hand, and started writing.

The venue fell into silence again, with only the rustling sound of pen tips rubbing against paper and the footsteps of staff patrolling back and forth.

Zhang Chao also took the opportunity to leave the writing area and came to the periphery. Immediately, several reporters surrounded Zhang Chao and began to interview him.

The first question is undoubtedly related to the topic: "Student Zhang Chao, your topic this time is beyond everyone's expectations. How did you come up with it?"

Zhang Chao replied: "I was living in Hong Kong and thought of this when I was looking at the night view of Victoria Harbour outside the hotel window. Every time I go to Hong Kong, I feel that the city landscape there gives people an almost unreal feeling.

This prompted me to think, what kind of spiritual core is hidden under this bright and prosperous city? From this association, every city and every village should have its own core.

If we want to visualize this spiritual core, I think "taste" may be a better choice. In terms of presentation, I think "cake" may be easier to present than other foods, from shape to distribution, including the choice of taste.

The chef's analysis and everyone's tasting at the end are also part of the topic. However, I will not explain the specific symbolism of the "cake" and the various details on the "cake" and the process mentioned above.

Different people have different understandings, as long as it is related to the process or part of it. Although I am the one who sets the questions, I am not a judge, and I will not interfere with the judges' work.

I would like to thank the International Hotel Bakery for their great support. This cake took a lot of manpower and material resources. But it is really impressive. If any friends want to give guests a surprise at a wedding or birthday party, they might as well order it from them. "

Zhang Chao once again advertised the International Hotel Bakery without blushing or beating his heart. This time, not only did they make the cake on time and with high quality, but they even exceeded Zhang Chao's expectations in every detail, so it was only right to give them some publicity.

The key is that just a few words saved tens of thousands of dollars, which can be considered a win-win situation to some extent.

After answering a few more questions, Zhang Chao suddenly had an idea and said to the camera: "TV viewers, although you didn't get to eat this cake, if you are interested, you can also write about this topic.

We will also select outstanding works and publish them in Youth Magazine, but the time may be a little later.”

He then told the reporter: "I think you should pay close attention to the contestants. Some of them will shine in literature in the future!"

After saying that, he hurriedly left the scene and came to the monitoring room backstage, where he began to observe the players' movements through the live broadcast screen.

At this point, the competition had already started for nearly 20 minutes, and most of the contestants were not sitting in their seats and writing hard.

The 5-hour writing time was too relaxed and the on-site environment was so novel, so everyone gradually let go of their competitive tension and began to show their own personalities.

Some contestants picked some books from the bookshelf, flipped through them, and started making excerpts;

Some contestants left their seats and gathered in small groups of three or five at the round table to start the discussion;
Some contestants ate the cakes with gusto, looking extremely happy;
Some contestants seemed to have not slept well the night before, and simply ran to the sofa, pulled over a blanket and began to take a nap;
Only a small number of contestants were thinking hard while biting their pens.

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "It seems that everyone has relaxed - but don't relax too much. Tell the staff to remind the students who are sleeping every half an hour.

Otherwise, the young man would sleep all day and night, and when he opened his eyes, the game would be over, which would not be fun. "

At this time, the chairman of the jury, Alai, also came to the monitoring room with several judges. Looking at the status of the students on the screen, he sighed and said, "Is this the effect you want to achieve?"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "Writing is of course a hard job. But this hardship should be more due to the writer's own demands, rather than the constraints of the external environment.

I don’t like to work without hardship. After I earned my own royalties, I have been working to improve my creative work and environment.”

Su Tong, who was listening nearby, laughed and said, "If someone hears you saying this, they will accuse you of being extravagant and debauched."

Zhang Chao said casually, "Too many lice don't itch, too many debts don't worry. I have given up on maintaining my personal image." The two female writers Chi Li and Chi Zijian who came with him laughed at the same time, and Zhang Chao looked at them in surprise. Chi Zijian and Zhang Chao had established a good relationship at the University of Iowa, and seeing this, she explained, "We talked about you last night, saying that you were really brave and admitted directly that you dated a female star. You just said that you admitted that you were 'extravagant and debauched'..."

Seeing the two female seniors smiling like aunts, Zhang Chao blushed and said quickly, "Isn't this the right time?"

Han Shaogong said half enviously and half jokingly: "Times have changed. Female stars don't like directors, they like pens. If this happened 20 years ago, it would be like filming Red Sorghum. The actress Gong Da didn't like Director Zhang, she liked Mo Yan..."

This caused everyone at the scene to burst into laughter. A female writer of the same generation even spat and cursed, "You rascal! I'll tell Yu Li when I get home that you'll have to kneel on the washboard!"

The reporters at the scene were also very excited. In the past, they could only wait for the results of such competitions, but now they can participate in the whole process. Moreover, among the more than 200 people at the scene, who knows who will be the big star of the literary world in the future, and who knows if another Zhang Chao will pop up.

Soon a reporter found a pretty girl who was curled up on the sofa reading a book. She was wearing a white dress, long hair and light makeup, looking fresh, elegant and reserved. She had the cake she had just received by her hand, and her demeanor looked lazy and ethereal.

The experienced director naturally tactfully cut the live camera to this girl and even gave her a close-up of her delicate face.

The reporter asked: "Student, what do you think about today's semi-final topic?"

The girl looked blank for a while before she said, "Too sweet..."

Reporter: “Hmm?”

The girl went on to explain: "The cake is too sweet. I like desserts, but I don't like them so sweet... It's just like the relationship between people."

The reporter's eyes lit up, thinking there was something behind this, and he quickly asked, "Excuse me, what's your name? Can you tell me in detail?"

The girl then sat up straight, but quickly hugged a pillow and replied: "My name is Zhou Linnan, I am 18 years old and from Shanghai. I think the topic of this semi-final symbolizes the inner world of human beings.

People are like that piece of cake. Everyone can only see the smooth and flawless side of you, but when you cut it open, you will find that the inside is actually full of tiny holes..."

Zhang Chao looked at the girl in front of him and felt that she was familiar, but he couldn't remember who she was. However, the girl who gave him this feeling must have become a writer in the future, and she was quite famous.

He searched his memory again, and a name flashed through his mind - "Xia Mingyou". If nothing unexpected happened, Zhou Linnan's pen name would be "Xia Mingyou".

Although she did not become a big-name youth literature star, she is also a prolific best-selling author. After winning the first prize in the "New Concept Competition", she has basically maintained the pace of publishing one novel per year, winning many fans.

So Zhang Chao sneaked out of the monitoring room, found Shuang Xuetao at the scene, and said, "This Zhou Linnan has great potential. The competition is over. You might as well contact her to see if she is interested in signing us."

Not every winner of the "New Concept Writing Competition" will eventually embark on a literary career, let alone become a best-selling author with continuous output, so it is important to seize good talents as early as possible.

Shuang Xuetao also noticed this girl, but he didn't expect Zhang Chao to take her so seriously and come out to explain, so he asked, "Is there anything special about her?"

Zhang Chao thought for a moment and said, "Look at her clothes, her conversation, and her calmness in front of the camera. It's obvious that she is a girl raised in a wealthy Shanghai family. And the position she chose, the way she read, and her series of reactions must have been designed."

Shuang Xuetao was a little confused, and then asked: "Rich upbringing... design... then, what?"

Zhang Chao looked at the young man from Northeast China who still had a strong literary and artistic temperament, and further explained helplessly: "This shows that she has a strong ambition in literary creation, and at the same time, she has a keen sense of smell for the media and the audience.

This kind of ambition and sense of smell can support her to continue to write works that are popular enough. Her family can also support her to go further on the literary path. It would be a pity if we don’t sign such a potential writer.”

Shuang Xuetao said: "This...you can see this too?"

Zhang Chao sighed and said: "The literary world is not just made up of serious writers and pure literature. Popular literature and bestsellers are an indispensable part of a healthy literary ecology.

It can even be said that they are the cornerstone of the literary ecology. As literary agents, we cannot just focus on literary quality. Literary works are the private property of the writer during the creation stage, but once they are published, they become a kind of cultural commodity. ..."

These "veterans" in "Tidal Culture" (let's change it to this, it's more catchy) are good in every way, except that the concentration of pure literature is a little too high. Ma Boyong is okay, but Shuang Xuetao is really the type who only reads books of sages.

If Zhang Chao hadn't brought in best-selling authors from time to time to "dilute" the culture, "Tidal Culture" would have been choked to death by literary idealists.

Zhang Chao was right. Zhou Linnan's interview quickly attracted the attention of the audience in front of the TV. Everyone was attracted by this beautiful figure full of youthful vitality.

"Wow, she's so pretty and writes well."

"Yes, yes. He wasn't panicking at all in front of the reporters. His voice was so pleasant."

"She speaks so logically! Which window did God close for her?"

“I’m really looking forward to what kind of article she can write.”

……

As various discussions became more and more popular in front of television and computer screens, the live broadcast of the rematch of the 8th "New Concept Composition Competition" also became more and more popular, reaching its first peak when interviewing Zhou Linnan.

Zhang Chao pushed for the live broadcast of the rematch because he saw the Chinese people's deep love for culture. Especially in 2006, when China's national strength was on the rise, people began to seek spiritual nourishment after they had achieved initial material prosperity.

This year, not only did Zhang Chao's own live broadcasts have extremely high ratings and click-through rates, but others like the "Youth Song Contest" which invited teacher Yu Qiuyu as a cultural mentor, and the "Lecture Room" which launched Yi Zhong Tianpin Three Kingdoms, also created ratings miracles.

Watching how the 200 most talented writers in the country create their works undoubtedly greatly satisfies the public's curiosity.

What's more, there are many handsome men and beautiful women here.

Just after the reporter finished interviewing Zhou Linnan, he spotted a tall, thin boy whose hair covered one eye. He neither discussed with others nor pretended to be deep with a book in his hand. He just sat in a corner in a daze.

This kind of melancholy "beautiful boy" is popular these days, and the reporter, knowing the taste of it, put the microphone in front of him without hesitation...

Zhang Chao frowned when he saw this situation, and then he reminded the director on the scene: "It is best not to keep the camera on the people in the discussion area, but also switch back to the internal examination room in time to pay attention to the students who are writing furiously.

Look at the student at camera No. 6, his posture is so good when he is writing, his back is so straight..."

Seeing the director still looking confused, Zhang Chao sighed again and patiently explained: "The audience watching our live broadcast is not only young people, but also students' parents. They pay close attention to these details. If our students cannot set an example, what will the public say?
Moreover, there are more than 200 contestants, and behind them are more than 200 families, and several times more parents, who all want to see their children's performance on camera. Our competition lasts for 5 hours, and every contestant should have the opportunity to be on camera..."

After all the explanations, Zhang Chao was not only thirsty, but also worried. Thinking about this crappy competition, whoever wants to host it in the future can do it!

(Two chapters in one)

(End of this chapter)