Literary Master 1983

Chapter 124 Going to the Meeting Alone
The night before the delegation left, Yu Qie attended the International PEN as a representative of Chinese writers and read Ba Lao's "Literature in the Nuclear Age" on his behalf:
"I would like to express my personal views on the relationship between literature and writers in the nuclear age. As I attend this grand event in Tokyo today...I cannot help but think of the tragedy that happened on this land thirty-nine years ago."

When he was reading some sentences, Yu Qie actually heard faintly someone shouting in a strange voice.

He didn't care, but continued reading for a while: "In Hiroshima alone, the death toll of the atomic bomb victims will eventually reach more than half a million. I heard many heartbreaking stories in those two cities..."

The strange screams started again.

Then—he suddenly realized that those strange screams were calling his name.

He looked down and found that the security guards were expelling some young people, and the young people jumped up and waved banners: "Welcome Yu Qie to Japan--"

He couldn't see what was behind him, so what was he going to do?
Why do I always encounter such accidents when I come to Tokyo?
After Yu Qie finished reading the speech, he walked off the stage amid applause from the audience. Then he found a break between speeches and asked, "Where are those young people?"

"He's a student from the University of Tokyo! The world is really going downhill. I'm sorry to cause you trouble."

The security personnel led him to the group of people.

Yu Qie said, "Why did you come to see me?"

“Come to the University of Tokyo to give a speech.”

"What do you want me to say?"

"Nuclear literature, literature of the nuclear age!"

"Are you not invited by the official Tokyo University? Are you a club organized by yourself?"

"The school has agreed!"

Since they have already been in contact, it is impossible to let this group of people go back like this. Yu Qie has always been kind to his fans who don't hold guns.

The head of the delegation was Ba Lao, who believed that anything could be discussed.

"Go ahead. I've been studying why Soviet literature has failed. I found that it's because they don't allow communication, so they can't write good things."

The ambassador was very cautious and positive about the invitation of writers to visit by students from the University of Tokyo: "This is no longer an ordinary school. We must strike hard against them! Bah! We must pay attention to them! They are the top group of Japanese students, and we should meet their requirements."

Yu Qie said: "Then I will go directly to Dongda and not attend the evening reception."

"You're not attending the reception?" The ambassador was surprised. "Yu Qie, Japanese wagyu beef, Australian lobster, French red wine... everything is available. Once you return to your country, you will never have the chance to taste them again."

"Also, there are so many media outlets here that come to interview, and they all get allowances, which they pay on the spot."

Yu Qie said: "Of course I like to make money, but I am first and foremost a writer. Now that readers are calling me, how can I not go?"

This statement is truly powerful.

Many writers felt ashamed after hearing this, but they were short of money and needed this subsidy, and no Southeast University students would invite them to give speeches.

"Go ahead! Yu Qie. We can't learn from you, but we support you."

Chen Xiru and Yu Qie went there together. Besides the two of them, there was also a soldier from the local embassy to protect their safety.

Taking advantage of the night, Yu Qie and the students from the University of Tokyo headed to their school. A student from the University of Tokyo with a good family background drove a luxury car and said, "Mr. Yu, please!"

Looking closely, I saw an angel logo. This is a Rolls-Royce!
Fuck.

Am I the first civilian in mainland China to ride in a Rolls-Royce?
As soon as Yu Qie got on the bus, the second-generation rich man said, "Down with imperialism, down with capitalism, you Chinese people are so good at saying it."

"If we Japanese don't stay vigilant against the unbridled spread of consumerism, our doom is nigh!"

About 600 elite celebrities from Japan's cultural, artistic, journalistic, political and economic circles attended the grand reception that evening.

There were more than a dozen TV stations, news agencies, magazines, and publishing houses, all trying to get more news from the writers' group in the final days. The female writer Kazuko Yoshisa walked up to the podium and said, "When we see that the material civilization of capitalism is highly developed, the relationship between people is also becoming more and more distant, becoming a serious social problem..."

"Today we are beginning to lose friends, we are losing our loved ones, we have lost hope, and we dare not tell the truth - fortunately, writers from neighboring countries have brought a 'whirlwind'. Young people, please wake up..."

When Yoshisa Kazuko said this, the whole audience burst into laughter. After intensive reporting, they certainly knew that they were talking about Yu Qie.

Yu Qie is becoming a "symbolic" individual, a kind of collection of Japanese people's dissatisfaction with social issues.

Here, the Chinese writers group was once again warmly welcomed. Ba Lao, who had just stood up from his wheelchair, was supported by his daughter. The two of them were the center of the vortex of people and the target of people's pursuit.

Ba Lao was surrounded by the crowd and could hardly move. He didn't even have time to drink a sip of water.

Other members of the delegation were also invited to exchange business cards, which had just become popular in China and were hastily printed without understanding the taboos of other countries.

For example, on business cards, translators, foreign affairs officials, etc., the title printed is "staff," but in Japanese, "staff" means "spy, agent."

So this visiting group actually had several "agents" who openly revealed their identities. You can imagine how funny it was for the Japanese when they saw this.

There was also an error on the writer’s business card, as it did not indicate any identity other than “writer”.

Ba Lao's business card only has his name and the words "Shanghai Stock Exchange of China". There is no such thing as a university, association, medal, etc. It is equivalent to not introducing himself.

Only awesome people can do this, but it would be a bit embarrassing for an ungrateful person to use such a simple business card.

Yu Qie was like this. His business card simply said "Yu Qie, Yenching University".

Knowing that it is easy to make a fool of oneself, people are generally reluctant to give out business cards.

Masao Shimizu, the director of the Matsuyama Ballet Company, and his wife, Kiko Matsuyama, wanted to take a photo with the Chinese writer. When they found that Yu Che was not there, they said in disappointment, "Can we have a business card of Yu Che? Let me hold it?"

Li Xiaolin said: "Yu Qie's brand name is very simple, I'm afraid you won't like it."

"It doesn't matter what the business card is, as long as it's a co-cut."

Li Xiaolin added: "It was really very simple. We hardly ever gave out a business card."

But Shimizu Masao and Matsuyama Kiyoko insisted on getting business cards, and when they were finally given the cards, they were overjoyed when they took them: "Just these few words, that's enough!"

Holding business cards with the words "Yu Qie" written on them, these Japanese celebrities and the visiting group of writers took one last group photo.

After the welcome reception, the Japanese writers organized a "family party" and went to the home of Yoshikichi Uchiyama, the founder of Uchiyama Bookstore at the time. They said, "You are about to leave, and we must let you feel the enthusiasm of the Japanese people."

The Chinese writers were all tired, literally. The nearly one-week hospitality was so meticulous that it was exhausting. This hospitality was far better than before, and many people's noodles were completely useless and they couldn't even eat a single bite.

For the first time, they experienced the feeling of eating and playing to their heart's content. The material gap between the two countries was already so huge, not to mention such a warm hospitality. It is conceivable that this had a huge impact on some of them.

But it was hard to refuse such a kind invitation, and on the night before their departure, the writers celebrated all night long.

In the car that was transporting the writer to the private residence of Yoshikichi Uchiyama, reporters surrounded the car and asked: "Please stay for another day. We still have many friends to meet, and there are many interviews and programs to be on - all of which are paid, you just need to show up."

The writers said, “We just can’t play anymore.”

"Where is Yu Qie, one of you?"

"He went to Southeast University!" said Li Xiaolin.

"What is Yu Qie doing at Dongda?"

"He seems to be giving a lecture."

So, the reporters found something to report. What kind of legend is this? The young writer refused the celebrity cocktail party and went to the university alone to meet readers?
(End of this chapter)