Literary Master 1983

Chapter 337 It’s a matter of course
Chen Xiaoxu chuckled inwardly upon hearing Yu Xian's words.

Yu Qie, his younger sister, appears to dislike him, but in reality, she protects him very much.

Yes, who wouldn't admire Yu Qie?
In a place like the "Dream of the Red Chamber" film crew, where women congregate, comparisons are commonplace. The girls were initially quite surprised that Zhang Li had a writer boyfriend, and a little envious. But when they heard that Zhang Li came from a cadre family, they didn't think it was so surprising.

Things changed after Yu Qie returned from Laoshan. Director Wang tried every means to bring Yu Qie into the advisory group; later, Yu Qie's novels were all over the market, and the whole crew treated Zhang Li with great respect... Then came the Akutagawa Prize, that American award, and when the documentary came out... It felt like this person was so close, yet so far away.

Several years have passed, and tremendous changes have taken place.

Chen Xiaoxu and Yu Xian laughed and said, "I know. Although Yu Qie likes to joke, he is definitely a reliable person."

Yu Xuan nodded, a little embarrassed, and said, "This isn't me praising my brother; he really is quite good. Since I started university, many people have asked me about him, some of them very excited and eager to get to know him, but he always ignores them. He also tells us not to bother with them."

Chen Xiaoxu said, "Yu Qie is quite strange. He doesn't like to interact with others. You see him doing so many things, it seems like he has a lot of energy, but he doesn't really like being busy... It's very contradictory."

"You noticed that too?" Yu Xian said. "Let me tell you, my brother is very lazy. He's just very smart."

Yu Xian continued, still savoring the moment: "Sometimes, just being there makes others feel very wronged."

"For example, the school called on everyone to learn from Yu Qie, to study the story of Yu Qie by hanging their heads from the rafters and pricking their thighs with awls... We math students were also asked to research Yu Qie's deeds. I wrote a note and said that Yu Qie wasn't like that at all! The teacher said, 'Who are you! Have you even met Yu Qie? How can you just talk about him like that?'"

"I said, I'm Yu Qie's younger sister. My name is Yu Xian. Yu Qie, Yu Xian, can't you tell?"

"But the teacher still didn't believe it. Guess what happened?"

Chen Xiaoxu leaned closer to listen.

Yu Xian said, “My teacher’s surname is Wang. He had a daughter this year, also named Wang Yu Xian; he also plans to have a son, and is going to name him Wang Yu Qie. A bunch of people in the math department have the same name. I said, why don’t you just name your son Yu Qie? Forget about the surname. He didn’t care about acknowledging his ancestors. Instead, he said, Mr. Yu is still alive. How could I offend his name?”

"But I'm alive too. I'm even younger than Yuqie."

Chen Xiaoxu laughed heartily. "Yu Qie is so annoying. He doesn't know anything, but he makes us feel so wronged."

Yu Xian nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes. We always have to give in to him. He makes me feel so wronged. So, we should eat his food, use his things... Don't feel guilty. I'm mentally prepared for this."

On the other side, Yu's mother was also comforting Zhang Li.

He assumed Yu Qie was lustful and unwilling to let go. But Zhang Li's explanation revealed the whole story, which turned out to be quite different.

They made their own decision.

This left Mrs. Yu completely bewildered and unsure of what to do.

My hometown, Wanxian, is a small county town. It retains many feudal remnants, both in its early days and now, and has produced quite a few extraordinary people. For example, the now-wealthy Mou Qizhong—his mother had bound feet.

When Mu Qizhong was in prison, his mother walked a long way through the mountains to bring him food. Mu Qizhong cried bitterly after receiving the food. In prison, he made vows such as "There's only one mother in the world who is good" and "Great mother."

As a result, as soon as Mu Qizhong was released from prison, he immediately abandoned his wife who raised their two children and his mother, and instead found a successful businesswoman who was also working hard in Beijing.

Aunt Yu is a worldly woman.

It's not that I wasn't mentally prepared.

But good heavens, what's going on here?
"I'm sorry you had to go through this, child. I've always been on your side." That was all Yu's mother could say.

Zhang Li, however, took it in stride: "Chen Xiaoxu is also on my side."

Yu's mother was taken aback for a moment, "So you've all united now. Don't bully Yu Qie too much in the future."

Zhang Li smiled and said, "I'll listen to you."

The day before the Lunar New Year, the Yu family went shopping.

Most shops in Beijing had already closed, but some Friendship Stores were still doing brisk business. Perhaps foreigners don't respond well to the Spring Festival tradition? The entrance to the Friendship Store was unusually crowded.

From the twelfth lunar month to the morning of New Year's Eve, the Friendship Store was open, and citizens gathered there to buy goods.

Many trendy items can still only be bought at the Friendship Store. In Shanghai, there is a brand of milk candy called "Ami" that attracts people to rush to buy it, and the counter is packed with people.

"Hongtashan cigarettes, Moutai liquor, imported coffee... gold-plated imported watches? Are things from the capital really that valuable or just popular?"

“Is it too expensive?”

"Sigh, I'll buy it."

Following the list, Yu's mother bought double portions of everything. Now both were her children, and she couldn't leave either out.

Yu's mother asked her daughter, "What did you and that girl say last night?"

“I told her she was wronged. My brother is a real jerk.”

"Does this girl like Xiao Zhang or Yu Qie? Something doesn't seem right to me."

"Don't talk nonsense! Chen Xiaoxu is clearly protecting Yu Qie."

"Is it really not just me overthinking?"

Yu Xian said, "From what I've observed, that's impossible. Mom, you're really willing to spend money, two gold watches?"

"Pah! What can we do? It's all Yu Qie's money anyway."

Then I asked Mr. Yu, who had been silent.

"Why is our son so quick to understand things? Could he have been switched at birth? I've thought about him achieving great things, and I've even considered giving up his studies to join the army, but I never imagined this would happen?"

Mr. Yu also expressed his bewilderment.

Back then, Yu Qie was an honest boy.

How could things have changed so much?
There are beautiful women in books, but I've never heard of Lin Daiyu in books.

“He is definitely a member of the Yu family, there is no doubt about that,” said Mr. Yu.

"Nonsense! I gave birth to him, how could I not know? I'm saying, how come he's changed so much?"

After much thought, Mr. Yu finally came up with the idea of ​​continuing the Yu family's glorious legacy.

“Well… our Yu family has been on the path of opposing imperialism since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, sometimes opposing Soviet revisionism, sometimes opposing the United States. My brothers include translators, scientists, and soldiers in the Korean War… it all depends on him!”

As Yu's father spoke, he became more and more energetic, transforming into a detective: "He has all the good qualities, haven't you noticed? Although I am his father, he is also like my brother. This is just a small side effect."

Yu's mother was both angry and amused: "Pah! You men shouldn't be asking for your opinions on things like this!"

New Year's Eve.

Zhang Shouren, the editor of "October," came to visit Yu Qie. Because "A Cultural Journey" was to be published after the New Year, and this book also involved the co-publication of "October" and Taiwan's "United Literature," it couldn't be delayed any longer.

This is a non-fiction novel specifically depicting Yu Qie's journey to America. It was written by Zhang Shouren and reviewed by Su Yulai.

Zhang Shouren wrote a biography of Turgenev and was a professional biographer.

I quickly skimmed through the manuscript: I provided details where necessary and brief details where appropriate.

It basically records his situation from April of last year until he boarded the plane this year. Some of the information is unbelievably detailed, such as Yu Qie and Momadi complaining about the US government and "suspecting" that Hemingway was killed by secret agents... These things were even written in.

"You were lying under the bed listening? How did you know I said something like that?" Yu Qie asked, puzzled.

Zhang Shouren said, "In order to write this biography, I went to CCTV to get your videotapes. You filmed everything except going to the toilet."

"You know that it's Gong Xue too?"

Zhang Shouren said, "Don't worry, I didn't write it here."

Zhang Shouren had once advised Yu Qie not to "make a mistake," and Yu Qie vaguely remembered it. Old Zhang was a man who kept quiet while others were alive, but after they died, he began writing his memoir, *Eternal October*, revealing many secrets within the circle. Yu Qie certainly didn't want to become the subject of big news in Old Zhang's memoir.

It's not that I'm afraid to accept the honor, but rather that I don't want my private life to be discussed by the public outside of academics.

"When are you planning to write about Gong Xue? Also, Lao Zhang, you're one of the people I trust most; you're like an elder to me. To be honest, I have another one now, but this situation is different from Gong Xue's. It's a natural progression, and I've fully accepted it."

“I can’t write it,” Zhang Shouren said.

"The sun rose in the west?" Yu Qie was truly astonished. Why was Zhang Shouren so adept at writing scathing criticisms of Zhang Xian, yet so reticent about Yu Qie?
“I only write after others have died, and you will surely be after me.”

At this point, Zhang Shouren continued, “I used to tell you not to make mistakes. Now that you have, don’t be afraid. What I hate most about Zhang Xian is not that he seeks inspiration from women everywhere, but that he has never been truly kind to anyone. All these people have been let down.”

“We have some very traditional, wonderful lesbians. They are all very good.”

These words resonated deeply with Yu Qie.

Hesitation is not his nature.

What kind of person is Gong Xue?

She would have retired from acting entirely because of the hooliganism case, ending her acting career which she had pursued since childhood. She was China's first double Best Actress winner, yet she is not well-known in later generations.

If it weren't for a group of people who were fed up with the ugly children of capitalists and tried to exonerate the actors of the 1980s, Gong Xue might not have been remembered by Generation Z.

Gong Xue made two comebacks later, which shows that she still wanted to act.

Chen Xiaoxu? Forget about her.

The tragedy was beyond description.

What am I hesitating about?

Yu Qie has come to terms with it.

On the night of New Year's Eve.

Everyone gathered together to watch television. "Dear viewers, what you are watching now is the 1987 CCTV Spring Festival Gala..."

Panasonic's large color TVs have great sound quality, especially the audio, which is even stereo.

I didn't think it was anything special before, but I was shocked when the Yu family arrived.

"That sound is so loud!"

"No, it's very clear. There's no crackling or noise."

"Why isn't the TV at the Friendship Store as good as the one in Yuqie? It costs over two thousand yuan."

“This one costs four thousand yuan,” Yu Qie said. “I bought mine for two thousand yuan, but because of the appreciation of the yen, it now costs four thousand yuan. If you buy a Japanese TV now, you’re really ripping people off. For the same price, you can only buy a low-end one.”

CCTV specially created an opening sequence for this year's Spring Festival Gala, showcasing the magnificent scenery and modernization achievements of the motherland. The scene showed a large building suddenly emerging from fireworks, surrounded by sparse streetlights. Due to its strong sense of age, it resembled a scene from a tokusatsu (special effects) film.

"What is that building?" Yu Xian asked.

"A building in Pengcheng?" Yu Qie asked.

"—No!" Zhang Li and Chen Xiaoxu said in unison, "This is the CCTV building. Look again, it's a studio inside."

The building of CCTV?

Damn, all I remember is the big shorts.

Zhang Li said, "You forgot, you used to bring me to this area before."

Chen Xiaoxu said, "Oh, so you were down there back then? I should have come out and seen you sooner, then we could have met sooner."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Li smiled at Chen Xiaoxu. She felt truly content at that moment. Chen Xiaoxu's gaze shifted between Yu Qie and Zhang Li. Zhang Li was to Yu Qie's left. Yu Qie met Chen Xiaoxu's eyes and suddenly patted the sofa on his right.

"Squeeze it in," Yu Qie said.

Chen Xiaoxu stared blankly at Yu Qie.

"You don't watch TV where you are! Come to my place."

Yu Qie then gestured for Chen Xiaoxu to come over.

You said it's New Year's Eve, and Chen Xiaoxu insisted on staying here, but you made her sit to the side, far away. That's not how a man should act.

The whole family pretended not to see it. But in reality, they didn't even bother to watch TV, keeping an eye on Yu Qie out of the corner of their eyes.

Go ahead and go!

That's what I was shouting in my heart.

Chen Xiaoxu felt her heart pounding, and the few steps seemed to take an unusually long time. Just as she sat down next to Yu Qie, Yu Qie said, "This year's Spring Festival Gala features a poetry recitation by Mr. Yu Guangzhong, 'Nostalgia'! I am not very talented, but I did contribute a little bit to it."

“Prometheus!” Chen Xiaoxu said.

"You actually know?"

“I…sometimes read your news,” Chen Xiaoxu said.

"—Don't listen to her. She watches it every day, even more often than I do, and she even gives me advice. She's planning to start a media company, and she suggested she patent your gold-inlaid jade medal..."

Chen Xiaoxu's face turned bright red, and she felt like ants were crawling all over her body.

There was indeed a sense of relief at being known, but more than anything, there was embarrassment.

Yu Qie grasped her hand: "How did you come up with the idea of ​​registering a patent?"

He felt Chen Xiaoxu's hand twitching, not trying to break free, but a physiological reaction caused by tension.

It seemed like she was going too far to share her creative ideas with Yu Qie.

When you get close to Yu Qie, he seems like just a handsome novelist who also has to knead dough and get scolded like a son. But if you keep your distance and think about it carefully, you'll find that he really is the legendary figure in the newspapers.

Is this just like Director Lin from the Agricultural Development Center who came to visit?
Or perhaps it was the news that director Wang Fulin had learned that "East Wind Prevails West Wind" had sold for six figures?

They all showed extreme respect while working.

Chen Xiaoxu said, "In a few years, the Asian Games will be held in Beijing. The slogan has already been decided: Unity, Friendship, and Progress. We will not only invite other Asian countries, but also some Chinese communities. Your gold-inlaid jade medal is very fitting for this occasion, and it also has a story that is now known throughout the Chinese-speaking world."

“I think…” Chen Xiaoxu said, looking down, “you can register the design patent.”

"And then?" Yu Qie asked.

"Then it was given to the organizer free of charge."

The answer is completely correct.

No wonder Chen Xiaoxu's company's advertisements were broadcast on CCTV.

She is indeed a talented woman.

This involves a historical event related to the Asian Games. At that time, the national allocation was only 8.7 million yuan, while the funding gap reached 6 million yuan. In order to ensure the successful hosting of the Asian Games, people across the country made massive donations—far larger than the Spring Rain Campaign.

A total of 270 million yuan was raised nationwide, with more than 100 million people donating. This is an event that shapes the collective memory of the nation.

(End of this chapter)