Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 440 We are protecting Zhang Chao!
David Miller stood in a large office, the heavy oak doors tightly shut, isolating him from the bustling noise of the publishing house outside. Outside the window, the late autumn sky over New York was gray, and the outline of New Jersey across the Hudson River was faintly visible in the thin mist.

On the table in front of him lay the printed manuscript of Zhang Chao's novel "Running for Governor," the smell of ink still lingering; sitting opposite him was Jeremy Clark, the executive director and head of the book department at Simon & Schuster.

Jeremy Clark, his face flushed, loosened his tie to catch his breath, then stared into David Miller's eyes and said, "Listen, David, this isn't about literary merit anymore. If I'd known there was such a piece, I should have stopped you when you sent the other manuscripts to Brown and King!"
They were fighting tooth and nail with Pamuk over the preamble, and the board was ravenous like sharks smelling blood—and now you're showing me this "Governor's Election"? You know it's a ticking time bomb!

David Miller's hair was slightly disheveled, and his glasses had slipped down to his nose. His fingers tapped on the manuscript as he said excitedly, "Jeremy, you have to see this ending! A seven-year-old child, a child's words about his name, and an entire empire built on fanaticism, symbols, and lies collapsed in an instant!"
This is simply... Mark Twain in the 21st century! No, much more profound! It foretells the festering sores festering beneath the fabric of our society!

He suddenly stood up, paced around the cramped space, and exclaimed with exaggerated gestures, "'WEI IS THE WAY'? This slogan itself is a brilliant irony! When public opinion is hijacked by symbols, procedural justice becomes a stumbling block, and legal provisions are so fragile in the face of collective fanaticism!"
Zhang Chao… he was like a cold-blooded surgeon, using this scalpel called "Wei Laosan" to precisely dissect our proud "melting pot of multiculturalism," revealing the tumors that might grow within it in the future!

Jeremy Clark pressed his hands down, speaking with an undeniable air of authority: "David! Calm down! Put away your literary passion!"

He leaned forward, picked up the manuscript, and said, "Prophecy? Scalpel? Masterpiece? I only see a powerful bomb that could explode in our hands at any moment! Just three weeks ago, the whole country was cheering for Obama's historic victory!"
'Change!' 'Yes, We Can!' This is the prevailing theme now! It's hope! It's a brand new beginning! Everyone believes that a new era of a more inclusive, more equal, and more harmonious America has begun!

He stood up, walked to the window, and pointed outside. There were still election flags and traces on the street, and large victory posters were still hanging on the facades of many buildings: "Look at the atmosphere! Look how well 'The Audacity of Hope' (Obama's autobiography published in 08) is selling in bookstores! People yearn for reconciliation, yearn to mend the rifts!"

At a time like this, you tell me we're going to publish a collection of short stories by a Chinese author, set in 2020, and the most important new work in it depicts an absurd farce where, due to a ridiculous misunderstanding, an illegal Chinese worker who can't even speak English is propelled to the governorship of California by a combination of fervent public opinion, cunning politicians, and self-righteous intellectuals, only to have it completely collapse because of a most basic common sense?!

At this point, Jeremy suddenly turned around, his eyes sharp and serious, and said, "David, tell me, how would the average American reader, especially those African American, Latino, and Asian voters who were just moved to tears by Obama's 'American Dream,' as well as those young white voters who embrace diverse values, interpret this novel?"

Would they admire Zhang Chao's literary insight? No, they wouldn't! They would only be angry! They would feel offended and mocked! They would question—

'What gives this Chinese person the right to use such a dark, mean, and even malicious imagination to predict what kind of chaos will happen to us more than ten years from now, at a time when our country has just ushered in a historic turning point and embraced multiculturalism?'
Is he implying that our proud, diverse, and inclusive culture will ultimately lead to collective folly and fanaticism?

Is he mocking our country's system for being so fragile?

David Miller's face flushed red as he exclaimed, "Jeremy! You're twisting the facts! Zhang Chao isn't attacking multiculturalism itself! He's warning about the potential pitfalls that might be overlooked or even exploited within this socio-cultural wave!"
Look at the setting he set: 2020! This is not a denial of today's cultural trends! It is a reasonable deduction based on a profound insight into human nature, group psychology, media power, and the speculative nature of the world!

A non-binary person, Zelina, is harassed, and Wei Laosan's unintentional act of standing up for her is infinitely elevated to the status of a "silent saint"—isn't this itself a wonderful irony against the symbolic exploitation of the vulnerable?

Those politicians, Martha Brighton and Thomas Riggs, were quick to jump in and exploit this incident, using the phrase "Freedom is good"—a phrase even Wei himself didn't fully understand—to embellish their respective political platforms. Isn't this blatant political opportunism?

He grabbed the manuscript, flipped it to the middle, and pointed to a section of the text, saying, "Take another look at this 'Wei Zhilu Committee,' a group of elites—lawyers, scholars, activists—who exploited loopholes in the rules, filled out forms on behalf of others, and pushed a clueless, low-level laborer into the limelight."

Then they call themselves "the conscience of the people" and "trustees of the collective will"! Did they ever truly care about Wei Laosan's life, death, or wishes? All they cared about was the power in their hands and the pleasure of shaping "history"! When the truth was revealed by a child, they scattered like birds and beasts!

Isn't this a precise portrait of certain elite groups who, under the guise of 'progress' and 'diversity,' are actually manipulating and inciting others? Zhang Chao has exposed the emperor's new clothes, the power games and collective unconsciousness shrouded in flowery rhetoric!

Jeremy Clark scoffed, returned to his seat, and impatiently tapped his fingers on the table. He knew it would be difficult to persuade this editor, so he calmed himself and said patiently, "Portrait? Precision? David, you're too naive! Readers won't discern these subtle layers!"
In the current public discourse, especially as we have just experienced the failure of neoconservatism and are embracing a more 'progressive' future with hope, any discussion of the complex and potential risks that 'diversity and inclusion' may bring is simply and crudely labeled as 'fear of change' and 'a resurgence of racism'!

Look outside! Things are very sensitive right now! The symbolic representation of 'non-binary' individuals in "Running for Governor," the depiction of minorities being used as political tools, and the portrayal of fervent public opinion crushing legal procedures—

Especially since the protagonist is a pathetic and laughable Asian undocumented immigrant who's being used—it's like throwing a match into a powder keg!

At this point, he leaned forward, lowered his voice, but it was even more menacing: "Think about the consequences, David! Think about reality! We are not Random House! They made a fortune with 'Homeland' and can afford to take some public opinion risks."

We, Simon & Schuster, just suffered a setback with Zhang Chao, missing out on "Homeland"! The board is watching us closely, and the shareholders are waiting to see how we perform this time! We need "A Kind of Joke" to be a huge success to save face and prove that our decision to sign Zhang Chao's short story collection was the right one!
Instead of publishing a 'prophetic' novel that might spark huge controversy or even lead to a massive boycott!

Seeing David Miller's unwavering gaze, Jeremy Clark sighed, picked up his water glass, took a sip, and said, "Think about it, how would those radical affirmative action organizations, immigrant rights groups, gender queer organizations... view this novel?"

Will they think Zhang Chao is advocating for marginalized groups? No! They will think he is demonizing their demands and portraying a diverse and inclusive future as a farce driven by symbols, lies, and ignorance! They will organize protests, launch boycott campaigns on social media, and demand that bookstores remove the book from their shelves!
Would ordinary readers, basking in the joy of a presidential election victory and anticipating a new chapter for America, be willing to read such a pessimistic and bleak novel about America's future at such a hopeful time? They would feel like they'd been doused with cold water!

David Miller said indignantly, "So, just because we're afraid of potential controversy, we're going to emasculate a masterpiece that truly has intellectual depth and prophetic power? Just because hymns of 'hope' and 'change' are popular now, we can't allow a calm, even jarring, warning bell to exist?"

Jeremy, we are a publishing house! Not a politician's campaign team! Our mission is to discover and disseminate valuable literature, to present diverse voices and profound thoughts, even if those thoughts are disturbing!
Zhang Chao's novel possesses irreplaceable value precisely because it dares to confront the dark side beneath the political halo, and because it foresees the potential backlash from fanaticism and symbolism!

He walked to Jeremy's desk, placed his hands on the table, and looked his superior directly in the eye: "You say readers can't discern? That's underestimating the intelligence of readers! And underestimating Zhang Chao's storytelling ability! The power of this novel lies not in its conclusion, but in its convincing reasoning! It demonstrates a possibility—"

When identity politics becomes extreme, when group emotions are amplified and exploited by the media and elites, and when procedural justice is selectively ignored in the name of 'political correctness,' what absurd abyss might democracy slide into!
Wei Laosan's fate was tragic, but the real irony lies in the fanaticism, blind obedience, and forgetfulness of the elites and the masses who exploited him, praised him to death, and then abandoned him! Isn't this a resounding wake-up call for everyone, including those who champion diversity? A reminder that while pursuing inclusiveness, we must not lose our rationality, common sense, and genuine respect for the individual?

At this moment, David Miller's voice carried a hint of grief and indignation: "You're worried about offending the emerging groups? But the value of literature lies precisely in its complexity and challenges!"
George Orwell's *1984* offended countless people upon its publication! But it warned of the dangers of totalitarianism! Philip Roth's *American Pastoral* shattered the illusion of middle-class suburban life in America!
They all sparked controversy, but time has proven their greatness! If we now back down because of fear, or abandon "Running for Governor" because of business calculations, we will lose more than just a good novel; we will lose the backbone of publishers!
We are bowing to a new, invisible form of censorship—self-censorship and commercial censorship! This is stifling intellectual diversity!

Jeremy Clark finally lost his temper. His face turned ashen, and he slammed his fist on the table, shouting, "Enough, David! Put away your moral high ground and the air of a literary martyr! This isn't about stifling thought; this is business reality! This is risk management!"

He then took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions, and said in as gentle a tone as possible: "I didn't say I wanted to 'castrate' it! I said it might not be suitable to be included as the main new work in this collection titled 'A Joke,' which brings together his four previous prophetic stories about China and is being released globally simultaneously!"

Those four novels—"The Last Lesson," "Letter from an Unknown Woman," "Painted Skin," and "The Man in a Case"—while also contain warnings about the future, are set in China and their core critiques are relatively clear.

American readers can approach this book with a certain distance, even with a sense of superiority as 'the other'. But *Running for Governor* is different! It strikes directly at the heart of America! It targets the future we are experiencing and anticipating! It's too sharp! Too direct! Too 'out of step'!

Although his tone was no longer intense, it still carried an undeniable decisiveness as he said, "My opinion is—"

First, the American edition of *A Joke* will be published as planned, but it will only include the four previously published stories. Anyway, Zhang Chao has already signed the contract, and we already have the English translations of those four stories. The big question mark on the cover can be kept; it's eye-catching enough.

Second, the story "Running for Governor" will be temporarily shelved. We can communicate with Zhang Chao and his agency, "Tide Culture," to postpone its publication, citing reasons such as "the need for more in-depth editing" or "considering planning it as an independent novella."

Let's first observe the market reaction and public opinion surrounding "A Kind of Joke." If everything goes smoothly and things remain calm, perhaps next year, or the year after—after the 'Obama fever' has cooled down a bit, and after discussions about multiculturalism have entered a more rational phase…

We can find a suitable time, perhaps to coincide with a political event, or release it as a standalone piece of Zhang Chao's 'special political allegory.' We could even... create a limited-edition deluxe edition, exclusively for specific critics and seasoned readers.”

Seeing David's face instantly fall, Jeremy Clark added, "David, I understand your passion for this novel. It truly showcases Zhang Chao's extraordinary imagination and critical insight. But publishing isn't art appreciation in a vacuum."

We have a responsibility to the author—in the long run, this also protects him from being prematurely labeled as 'anti-American' or 'negativity' in the American market because of this novel. We also have a responsibility to the company's reputation and the jobs of hundreds of employees, and also to…

Yes, it's about taking responsibility for the fragile sense of hope that has finally been forged in American society. Sometimes, postponement is a strategic form of protection.

David Miller seemed drained of all his energy. He slumped back into his chair, took off his glasses, and wearily rubbed his temples. He looked at the manuscript on the table, a testament to Zhang Chao's hard work and his own passionate dedication, then gazed out the window at the gray New York sky.

The lights on the opposite bank of the river lit up one after another, their reflections shimmering in the dim water, like a vast and uncertain projection from the future. He remained silent for a long time, the only sounds in the office being the unconscious tapping of Jeremy's fingers on the desk and the distant, indistinct roar of the city.

“Protect?” David’s voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep disappointment and a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm. “Jeremy, who are you protecting? The publisher’s short-term profits? Or… the beautiful dream that none of us want to wake from?”

At the end of the novel, Zhang Chao writes, "The night sky outside the window, where the laser projection of 'WEI IS THE WAY' once occupied, is now only a silent, deep blue, as if nothing had ever happened."

At this point, he gave a bitter smile. "What an accurate prophecy. If we suppress it, as if it never existed, will this deep blue truly remain silent forever?"
Will the problems highlighted in the novel—the fanaticism of the masses, the incitement of the media, the opportunism of the elite, the annihilation of common sense—disappear because of our silence?

David Miller put his glasses back on, his gaze refocusing on Jeremy Clark's face. The burning within was no longer the flame of excitement, but a cold, world-weary sorrow. He said indifferently, "You win, Mr. Clark. Do as you say, lock 'Running for Governor' in the drawer."

Let "A Kind of Joke" be reduced to just those four alarm bells from the East. As for the fifth bell, the most piercing and directly pointing to ourselves... let it remain "a kind of joke" for now.

Hopefully, the future will prove that this was just a...ly far-fetched joke that Zhang Chao and we were playing.

David Miller picked up his pen and drew a heavy diagonal line across the first page of his manuscript, "Running for Governor." The sound of the pen nib scraping across the paper was particularly jarring in the suddenly deathly silent office.

Outside the window, New York City is bathed in the glow of streetlights, illuminating a new era brimming with hope, and also the storm brewing within the office.

Under the deep blue night sky, some sharp sounds were temporarily silenced.

Fifteen minutes later, David Miller dialed Zhang Chao's number from his office:
"Zhang Chao, I'm sorry..."

(End of this chapter)