1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 125 Qingping Bay and the Wish to Become a Teacher
The next morning, a man with a short flat head came to Wutong Courtyard, carrying a painting on his back.

"Kai Yan! Kai Yan!"

A hoarse voice was heard in the yard, and almost everyone in the yard leaned out and slammed their doors and windows.

"Don't shout, can't you see everyone is sleeping?"

Cheng Kaiyan pushed open the window and said unhappily.

It was just a little after seven o'clock and he had just woken up when he was woken up by Chen Danqing's shouting.

"..."

The guy with the flat head immediately fell silent, thinking that today was the weekend and everyone was resting at home.

He then relaxed his shoulders, took the painting behind him and handed it to Cheng Kaiyan, "Your painting is dry, I sent it to you, and it's painted with oil. You can just find a frame and hang it on the wall. After all, it's an oil painting painted by me, Chen Danqing, so it's worth hanging."

The tone was so arrogant.

Cheng Kaiyan took it and nodded, "Thank you for your help."

"Brothers, why are you talking about this? Have you eaten yet? Let's go out and have something to eat."

Chen Danqing waved his hand and didn't take it seriously. He was an oil painting teacher at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and his salary was quite high, more than 80 yuan a month.

Although oil painting materials are so expensive, the school actually supplies them with a certain quota of painting materials. Every teacher has their own quota and can use them freely within the quota. If they exceed the quota, they have to buy them themselves.

"Not yet. Why did you come all the way here just for this?"

Cheng Kaiyan led him in. It had been a while since they last met. Both of them were teachers at universities, so they definitely had no time for each other on weekdays. They would only invite each other out to play on weekends.

"Of course not. Didn't I say before that I wanted to draw a picture for Tie Sheng? I thought that everyone has to work on weekdays and has no time, so I have time to draw this weekend. What do you think?"

Having said that, Chen Danqing looked at Cheng Kaiyan with a somewhat vague look.

"You can go by yourself. Are you afraid to go? Are you afraid of embarrassment?"

Cheng Kaiyan looked him up and down and joked.

He had a hunch that Chen Danqing would be too embarrassed to go to Lama Temple Street alone to look for Shi Tiesheng.

Although the three of them had a good chat last time and even had dinner together, they were not that close to each other and, in the final analysis, they had only met once.

But Shi Tiesheng and Cheng Kaiyan are both writers, so it would be more natural and harmonious with him around.

"Just say whether you want to go or not."

The flat-headed brother's eyes bulged and he asked with a stern face.

"Go, go, go."

……

The two of them went out, and this time Chen Danqing finally rode a bicycle out, so he didn't need Cheng Kaiyan to lead him anymore.

Go straight to Lama Temple Street, which is very close. Except for Xiaowei Hutong, walk north from Dengshikou until you see the red walls of Lama Temple.

"Tiesheng! Tiesheng!"

The two arrived at the gate of the small courtyard at No. 26 Lama Temple Street, and the gate opened.

In the small courtyard, Shi Tiesheng was sitting in a wheelchair with his back against the red door frame, wearing a black cotton jacket and a saddle bag over his legs, basking in the sun in the yard.

Before Cheng Kaiyan and the other person entered the house, they started shouting outside the yard.

"Chen Danqing! Cheng Kaiyan! Why are you here? You are a rare guest. Please come in, please come in!"

Shi Tiesheng was stunned for a moment, as if he did not expect that Cheng Kaiyan and the other person would come to see him a week later. He shouted in surprise.

Cheng Kaiyan entered the room, followed closely by Chen Danqing.

Since it was her first visit, Cheng Kaiyan took a look around.

The yard is relatively small. There is a jujube tree on the east side and a well under the tree.

The door behind Shi Tiesheng has glass, which is blocked by a black and white cloth curtain. Next to the door is a large window with five or six potted plants on the window sill. They are all green in the spring, and emit green light in the sun.

Seeing a few small stools neatly placed against the gray wall in the yard, Cheng Kaiyan casually moved two of them and sat down.

"What a rare guest! Chen Danqing was worried about disturbing you. He came to paint your portrait and insisted that I come along."

Cheng Kaiyan patted Chen Danqing, who was carrying painting supplies, and teased.

Hearing this, Chen Danqing rolled his eyes.

"How could that be? I am so happy that I can't wait to paint. Last time Danqing painted for Kaiyan, I was very curious. This time I want to see Danqing's painting skills."

Knowing that the two people came to him to paint, Shi Tiesheng showed great enthusiasm.

His father usually goes out to work and his sister is in school.

Except for weekends, he is basically alone at home and feels very bored and lonely.

But he also has his own ways to relieve stress, such as basking in the sun, reading and writing.

"That's for sure."

The three of them chatted for a while, and then the younger sister Shi Lan heard the noise and came out, then went to make tea obediently.

"Have some tea, Brother Kaiyan, Uncle Danqing."

Cheng Kaiyan saw Shi Lan coming out with a kettle, and it seemed that he poured the tea leaves directly into the kettle.

Just for convenience.

She poured tea and called for help.

"Hmm? Uncle? Xiaolan, listen, I'm only 28!"

Chen Danqing's face darkened and he spoke to Shi Lan seriously.

"what?"

Shi Lan was startled and looked at it carefully again.

A short flat head, black-framed glasses, bulging eyes, and a stern face...

No matter how you look at her, she seems to be in her thirties!

"Hahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

Cheng Kaiyan and Shi Tiesheng burst into laughter. To be honest, Chen Danqing looked really old when he was young, but looked young again when he got older.

After a while of noise, they sat on small benches in the yard, drinking tea in the sun, and looking very leisurely.

Chen Danqing prepared the painting materials. Considering that Shi Tiesheng was a disabled person and did not make any movements, the business department asked her to fix the movement and remain still.

"Tiesheng, relax a little. Just chat casually. What we want is to be natural."

So Chen Danqing painted on one side while Shi Lan squatted on the side and watched the curiosity.

Cheng Kaiyan and Shi Tiesheng were chatting about recent events in the literary world.

"Hey! Kaiyan, have you been selected for the National Excellent Short Story Award this time? Judging from the quality and influence of "Fragrant Grass", it should be a sure thing."

Shi Tiesheng asked curiously, with excitement and excitement in his eyes.

None of the friends he knew had ever won this kind of award.

"No, I asked the editor-in-chief of People's Literature, Zhang Guangnian, and Wang Meng before, and they said Fangcao didn't make it in time and would have to wait until next year." Cheng Kaiyan shook her head and explained.

"So that's how it is. It will definitely work next year." Shi Tiesheng waved his fist and encouraged: "By the way, speaking of fragrant grass, I also wrote a fragment. Kaiyan, can you help me take a look and give me your opinion?" "Okay, but I can't really give you an opinion. At most, I can tell you how you feel."

When Cheng Kaiyan heard this, she quickly waved her hand.

But I am also a little curious, after all, it is "My Distant Qingping Bay", a very famous novel.

"You're being modest, aren't you? You're a great writer who writes about educated youth."

Shi Tiesheng laughed and felt a little emotional when he saw Cheng Kaiyan sitting on a simple wooden bench drinking tea and basking in the sun.

Although I have only known this friend for more than a week, he has a really good personality and is calm, gentle and peaceful.

He handed over a small stack of rough letter paper with red font printed on it: Beixinqiao Street Factory.

"Do you work in Beixinqiao?"

"I have been working there as a temporary worker since 74. The work is not tiring. I just paint some flower and bird patterns on furniture. But the salary is relatively low, only yuan a month. I have to write articles to supplement the family income." Shi Tiesheng said calmly.

"With a will as strong as yours, you will definitely become a great writer."

Cheng Kaiyan encouraged, then lowered her head to read the unfinished novel. In fact, this novel was more like an essay.

Cheng Kaiyan had never read this article in her previous life, but she had read "I and the Altar of Earth" many times.

The story is not finished, it is only about twenty pages long and took less than twenty minutes to read.

It mainly tells a story that takes place in a small mountain village in northern Shaanxi. Through the first-person narrative style, the novel recalls the experience of feeding cattle in Qingpingwan on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi, as well as the life of the shabby old man who worked with him and his granddaughter Liu Xiaoer.

Herding cattle, feeding grass, singing the high-pitched and positive Xintianyou on the Loess Plateau, and the enthusiastic and positive life of educated youth are filled with a large number of life details and local customs.

“It’s well written, the language is unpretentious, and the emotions are sincere and gentle.

It has a kind of narrative charm, just like when I was a child, curled up in bed in the winter, leaning against my mother and telling stories. "

Cheng Kaiyan thought for a moment and gave his own evaluation.

"Really? But I think it's more like a memoir. It's too scattered, and I write whatever comes to my mind. There's no main story, and that's what I'm struggling with."

Shi Tiesheng was a little surprised. He had never expected Cheng Kaiyan to give such an evaluation.

Moreover, this young man in front of him, who is several years younger than him, is a famous writer who has gained some fame recently. Although such an evaluation may not seem high, the following sentence is enough to prove that this article can indeed touch people's hearts.

"Now that you put it that way, it's a bit like a combination of lyrical prose and first-person novel. It still needs some polishing..."

The two chatted and drank tea, and their sister Shi Lan added new tea from time to time, and the atmosphere was quiet.

Before I knew it, the sun had gradually moved overhead and it was already past eleven o'clock.

"It's getting late. I have to go back to eat. I won't stay any longer. See you next week, Tiesheng."

Cheng Kaiyan glanced at Chen Danqing who was still painting, did not disturb him, and said goodbye to Shi Tiesheng and his sister before leaving.

"See you next week, Brother Kaiyan!"

"Goodbye."

The yard became quiet, and the only sound was the sound of the brushes brushing on the canvas.

Shi Tiesheng looked at the words written in his hand. These were all recorded when he and Cheng Kaiyan chatted. He smiled and said, "As expected of a great writer, he has a keen sense of words."

"Yes, Brother Kaiyan is a great writer!"

Shi Lan said with a smile.

……

After riding his bike out of the door, Cheng Kaiyan walked back and passed by a familiar alley entrance.

"Hmm? It seems that I have finished my Da Hong Pao, and I haven't seen the old man for a while."

The dragon head turned and entered No. 71, Dongsi th Street.

Walking into the alley, the ancient courtyard is still standing there.

The vines that grew out of the corners of the gray brick walls painted with white putty looked dying years ago, but now they have grown and flourished, covering a large area of ​​the courtyard wall. Pink and blue petals hang from the wall, swaying in the breeze in the alley.

The leaves of the crabapple trees on both sides of the yard are forming buds, which will bloom soon.

"Old man!"

I have been here many times, and Cheng Kaiyan is so familiar with me that she started calling out before I even entered the door.

"Kaiyan, are you willing to come here?"

Before I entered the yard, old man Ye Shengtao was sitting in the yard eating lunch.

It has been almost twenty days since Cheng Kaiyan last came.

"Hey, I'm here to see you, an empty-nester."

Cheng Kaiyan walked into the courtyard, sat down next to the old man, and said with a smile.

"You kid, you're full of new words. You're an empty nester, aren't you?"

Ye Shengtao shook his head and sighed. Although he had never heard of this term, he could still understand the meaning of "empty nest".

After a few days of brief and lively New Year celebrations at home, the two sons, Ye Zhicheng and Ye Zhishan, left Beijing to go back to work. Only two people were left in the Ye family in Beijing, and his daughter-in-law Yao Cheng was the only one taking care of his daily life in Beijing.

"Speaking of your last comment, I haven't thanked you yet. China Youth Daily is a well-known organization."

Cheng Kaiyan skillfully poured herself a cup of tea and drank it in one gulp. After riding her bike for a while, she felt a little thirsty.

"That's not even as good as the People's Daily. You almost caused a disaster, don't you know?"

Ye Shengtao's face suddenly became serious and he said in a deep voice.

"What do you mean by that?"

Cheng Kaiyan was shocked and asked quickly.

"You also know that it is only open now. If some things go too far and get caught, it's a small matter. If it involves the above..."

Ye Shengtao explained it to him.

What happened after Fang Cao was published shocked even an old man who had experienced many ups and downs. The widespread reaction was so intense that it even caused suicide.

If it weren't for the endorsement of the People's Daily and the higher-ups, Cheng Kaiyan's book might have been held accountable and banned, or even had more serious consequences.

"I see……"

Cheng Kaiyan digested the news silently. On reflection, he still underestimated the importance placed on cultural tendencies in this era.

Fortunately, it is 1980, not 1983...

If someone really wants to make a fuss, then he cannot escape responsibility for the educated youth's suicide no matter how much he says.

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. It's all in the past, and you don't have to worry about the follow-up. Before the People's Daily interviewed you, a leader from the Secretariat asked me... This matter has been put to rest."

Ye Shengtao patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile.

Hearing this, Cheng Kaiyan stood up, took a deep breath, bowed, clasped his fists, and said in a deep voice: "Old man, you have taken good care of me since the beginning.

Whether it is the reviews of his debut novel "Submarine at Night" or the tens of thousands of words of revision suggestions for "Fragrant Grass", every word is precious and the author has put in a lot of effort.

Kaiyan has no way to repay you! I am willing to serve you as my teacher..."

Old Master Ye was holding a bowl of tea. He seemed very satisfied at first, but when he heard the last sentence, he couldn't hold it anymore and almost choked.

Is this how you repay me, kid?
(End of this chapter)