Literary Master 1983

Chapter 342 Relationship Breakdown and Substitute Teaching (Revised)
Schulz came to Yanjing before the Lunar New Year and stayed for about a month.

During this period, he conducted extensive research on China's agricultural situation and, drawing on the development experiences of other developing countries, offered some solutions for the Chinese people.

At that time, China had 800 million farmers. To help these people escape poverty, there were two main opinions:
On the one hand, there is the idea that "agriculturalization means mechanization and tractor-based production, so developing industry is to save agriculture."

On the other hand, it's about abandoning agriculture and directly purchasing from abroad. Because China has a large population and limited land, there's no point in pursuing land ownership.

Schultz's ideas differ from those above. He believes that the former two neglect the importance of human capital and that farmers' intrinsic qualities should be improved, as there is still much potential to be tapped.

Simply put, directly instructing farmers on how to do things is ineffective; you can only provide assistance. Farmers themselves will make the most of the available resources.

This has sparked a long-standing debate in the economic community.

Yang Zhenning and others founded the "Science & Technology Review," which, although founded in the United States, was aimed at all Chinese scientific researchers.

So economists with differing opinions clashed in the Science & Technology Review, and in the end, the foreign doctor Schultz won.

There's no other reason than that mechanization is impossible, and purchasing from outside is even more out of the question.

Have these economists ever farmed? Do they even know about rural incomes? How could they propose such an absurd policy as agricultural mechanization?

If agriculture can be mechanized here, fertilizer will be plentiful, bricks will fly, and what will be the point of economists?
Schultz's view may not be correct, but at least there is a chance to try it.

Schultz was thus very well received; he gave lectures at top economics universities across China and was received by leaders. Schultz himself was very proud, believing that the "Chicago School" was far from over.

"MCGA! Let the Chicago School shine again!"

If these methods can succeed in emerging countries, they could potentially create an academic powerhouse that spans over a century. The failures of those "Chicago students" in Latin America are now in the past.

He would be willing to die.

After all, at this stage of life, ordinary honors can no longer excite him; only things that will be praised after death can motivate him to continue doing them.

But now there is hope for this matter.

His disciple Lin Yifu was entrusted with an important task, and his collaborator Yu Qie had an even more impressive background.

Wouldn't this wave just take off directly?
When scholar Becker heard about Schultz's experiences in China, he called to congratulate him: "Mr. Schultz, it's unbelievable that you received such a warm welcome in China!"

"A dragon's scales are hard, but there are also some soft spots. You are in one of those spots now."

Schultz was pleased to hear this.

Because Becker has been nominated for the Nobel Prize multiple times, being praised by someone like him is incredibly satisfying.

Schultz deliberately showed off: "Are Metro collector's editions popular in the United States?"

“Of course!” Becker replied without hesitation. “The two superpowers are currently locked in a fierce debate over the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and the whole world is filled with the shadow of nuclear war. The nuclear wasteland world created by Metro has attracted many imitators, but none of them are as good as the original. I really want to buy a set.”

Becker could not hide his frustration.

Schultz knew why, because Becker was a big fan of Yuche. He was one of Yuche's fans.

Becker was an eccentric genius. He liked to study economics through everyday phenomena, and his academic works were captivating. He liked to abstract these phenomena into straightforward economic questions:

For example, in "Criminal Economics," why do criminals commit crimes repeatedly? From an economic perspective, is it because stealing, cheating, and robbing are more cost-effective than working?
"An Economic Analysis of Family Behavior" - Why do some people divorce? Is it due to a lack of passion or a redistribution of assets?

"On the Family" - If having children is considered an investment, how many children is worthwhile? Can two people achieve great success in their middle and old age by having a large number of children and pushing them to excel academically?
Given Becker's personality, it's hard for him not to like Yu Che. Furthermore, the wasteland economic system depicted in *Metro* is quite interesting, and Becker wants to engage with Yu Che.

Schultz casually remarked, "Oh? Yu gave me a collector's edition of Metro..."

Becker's voice rose noticeably, carrying a genuine sense of anticipation:
"Is it that collector's edition with mysterious runes, genuine leather binding, gold-embossed cover, gold-plated edges on three sides, and 22k gold...?"

Schultz seemed to have heard Becker spitting.

"Yes, Yu Qie delivered it personally."

Schultz told a little lie, but it didn't matter.

These words completely won over Becker: "I really hope to come to China, or for Yu Qie to come to the University of Chicago again. There were too many people last time, and I didn't get to say more than a few words."

"Maybe it's because you didn't win the award?" Schultz casually reminded them again of "the subtle differences between them."

“You know, Becker. We had so many Nobel laureates in Chicago that there wasn’t enough room for everyone to stand.”

Upon hearing this, Becker let out a long, melancholy sigh, lamenting his own lack of ambition.

"Maybe when I win the Nobel Prize, I'll be able to talk to Yu Qie."

Schultz was overjoyed.

They even wanted to go a step further and recruit Yu Qie to the University of Chicago. Unexpectedly, this seemed to have angered Yu Qie.

Before leaving, Schultz heard that Yuche was planning to find a university for his girlfriend.

When you're sleepy, a pillow is all you need!

Schultz immediately approached Lin Yifu, saying he could introduce "Yu Qie's partner" to study at the University of Chicago.

The target was certainly not the object of Yuqie's actions, but Yuqie himself.

Lin Yifu refused on Yu Qie's behalf: "The United States does not recognize Chinese academic qualifications. Moreover, Yu Qie's partner comes from a performing arts troupe, which is a special system in Soviet-era countries. I have already been rejected before."

“It doesn’t matter, I don’t care about his wife. I hope Yu Qie can come to the University of Chicago to pursue his doctorate, and it would be best if he could also join the Chicago School.”

Schultz said casually.

What does joining the Chicago School represent?
The Chicago School would help these two secure resources; it was a shortcut.

Of course, Yu Qie was also inevitably branded with the mark of the "Chicago School".

Judging solely from winning an award, it has value, but that's all there is to it.

Lin Yifu was taken aback. "Teacher, Yu Qie is a symbolic figure. You don't know his situation yet. His wife coming to study abroad is a world of difference from him going to study in the United States! This is a huge blow to Yu Qie's reputation!"

He added, “Many people here love him and can forgive his mistakes, but not this kind of mistake. This represents ‘whether Yuqie belongs to us or to someone else.’”

“What’s the difference?” Schultz asked.

Lin Yifu looked deeply at his teacher and then said, "I will convey your thoughts to Yu Qie, but I think... you will be disappointed."

A few days later, he received a call from Yu Qie, who politely declined the offer.

On the phone, Yu Qie's tone seemed to have turned very cold.

Is he in a bad mood?
Schultz was surprised, but didn't think much of it. He soon made another mistake: the embassy in China hosted a gathering for American scholars in Yenching, where several Chinese economists were also present.

Schultz learned that they were all from Yenching University. There was a scholar named Li Yining who had guided Yu Qie in writing his thesis.

"That's a thesis on yen loans to China... Oh, you actually know about it? You've been following him for quite a while, haven't you?"

"Yes...yes...Yu Qie's choice of thesis topic was first-rate, while mathematics was second-rate. Combined with his novel 'Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots,' it achieved a first-rate influence. But many people don't know that the novel was written because of the thesis."

"Hahaha! Yu Qie is indeed a talented young man from Yanda University. Dean Hu Daiguang likes him very much and always talks about him in private. He can't bear to part with him."

Upon learning that Li Yining was the director of the Department of Economics and Management at Yenching University, Schultz immediately joined the conversation and expressed his idea that Yu Qie could come to the United States to pursue a doctorate.

Unexpectedly, Li Yining's expression changed the moment she understood what he meant. "Yu Qie is from Peking University. Although foreign PhDs are important, domestic PhDs are also very important! You can't take him away, and he will never leave!"

“I’ve never studied in the United States for a single day, but that doesn’t stop me from doing academic work. You’re underestimating us.”

Well, there are always some stubborn people here, like his student Lin Yifu—who insists on coming back.

Schultz believed he had only made some constructive efforts and did not expect that this incident would damage his relationship with his disciple and Yuche.

In early February, Schultz left Beijing. Lin Yifu came to see him off, and Schultz discovered that his disciple Lin Yifu had suddenly developed a rebellious streak.

Lin Yifu came with Yu Qie. After meeting Schultz, he said, "Teacher, I plan to spend three years conducting a new survey across the country. I hope to visit every village."

three years?

Isn't this going to be too long?

Schultz said, "If I were still here then, I would have found a way to guide you."

Lin Yifu suddenly shook his head, then laughed, and then spoke as if saying goodbye:
"Your guidance has benefited me for life, but after I return to my home country, I may not be able to consult you in more detail."

Schultz was uneasy: "Justin, you mean..."

"This has nothing to do with academics; it's purely for confidentiality. In addition, the failure of the Chicago School in Latin America made me realize that we ultimately have to find our own path."

Lin Yifu's expression grew more and more relaxed as he spoke.

“Yu Che has been in Colombia for a long time. The Chilean government that is hunting him down, whose former finance minister was a disciple of the Chicago School, knows very well the current situation in Chile—a brief period of prosperity, followed by a longer period of darkness.”

"Another thing he said also struck me. He said, if the Soviets were wrong, why are the Americans right? Is it really a choice between the two?"

This made Schultz dizzy!
He immediately regretted saying to Lin Yifu that Americans might not necessarily be better off living in the Soviet Union.

She also regretted telling Lin Yifu that he and Yu Qielai should cooperate.

Yu Qie has a very strong personality. Yu Qie is already a well-known writer. Although he's a newcomer to economics, he still holds a certain status.

It's unrealistic to expect him to contribute to the Chicago School.

Schultz probed, "Is it because you can't tolerate the Chicago School?"

Yu Qie admitted: "I have a Spanish editor named Carmen. She likes to play papal games and has appointed me as a cardinal, second only to the emperor."

“I used to play these kinds of games with her all the time, but later I realized that she was actually testing me. She thought I had given in to her. She always thought that she deserved a lot of credit for my achievements, while I thought the exact opposite.”

"After that, I became very wary of any such claims."

How could the Chicago School be associated with it?
Lin Yifu's greatest achievements later stemmed from his departure from the "Chicago School." This school consisted entirely of scholars obsessed with freedom, a veritable constellation of geniuses, with the renowned Hayek being a prime example.

Learning technical skills is fine, but getting certifications is not.

Schultz regretted it.

Why did I suddenly bring this up?
Was it because of the gift Yu Qie gave? Or is it just that it's so popular in China?
Schultz used the word "sorry," while Yu Qie wanted to hear "apology," but given Schultz's position, he certainly couldn't say that.

Yu said, "There's no need to feel regretful; nothing happened between us."

This made the farewell quite awkward. Schultz had a premonition that this was their last meeting. Schultz was 85 years old, and his disciple, Lin Yifu, would be staying in the country for several more years... As if it were a final goodbye, Schultz quickly said everything he could think of.

He really regrets it.

On the way to the airport, Schultz talked three times about what the two of them should do in the future.

In the car, Schultz said, "Scholars should not touch power, but they should not be ignorant either."

Lin Yifu said, "I know. Therefore, I will not become a Western imitator; I will do very well."

Upon arriving at the airport, Schultz remarked, "Publicity is more important than research."

This time it wasn't Lin Yifu who spoke, but Yu Qie: "When I think a study is important, I will write a suitable novel. You don't need to worry about that."

Before boarding, Schultz concluded by saying, "The Chinese, at certain times, are in a certain state of mind, and I wholeheartedly agree..."

These are Yu Qie's original words when he spoke at the University of Chicago.

At the time, this was used for American students who took out loans to attend school, but Schultz, in his context, is referring to researchers from developing countries. They all faced enormous disadvantages, yet set themselves extremely high goals.

They are proud and ambitious, but sometimes they feel exhausted. Only a few can complete the transformation.

Schultz said, "I want to give you a shortcut. To be honest, I don't have any bad intentions."

These words touched Lin Yifu, who sighed and said, "I would rather take the most difficult path, and that would be enough."

Yu Qieze said, "We are each other's shortcut."

Schultz gave his disciple a final hug, quite gracefully, while Lin Yifu cried.

The plane taxied on the runway, then soared into the sky, arriving in Chicago a dozen hours later. Considering Schultz's age, this was indeed likely the last time the mentor and student would meet.

Lin Yifu stood there in a daze, and Yu Qie asked him, "Do you regret it?"

“No regrets,” Lin Yifu said. “The Chicago School opposes Keynes, which means it opposes large organizations. This is a paradox for domestic scholars: to achieve results, one must discard the Chicago School’s theories, but discarding the Chicago School’s theories makes it impossible to achieve results. I understood this long ago.”

Yu Qie patted him on the shoulder: "Schultz is a good man, but he also has his principles. Speaking of which, I've met Yang Zhenning... Mr. Yang stayed in the United States for many years without changing his nationality. Later, he changed it and rose to a higher position, but he never dared to tell his father. Isn't that a regret?"

Lin Yifu asked, "Did you ask him? Did Old Yang feel regret?"

"It's a pity! Because his name 'Zhenning' means to revitalize his hometown Huaining. This was his father's expectation of him. I have to say 'sorry'. This is not the fault of a theoretical physicist who will go down in history."

“Sorry?” Lin Yifu repeated the word several times. “This word is really appropriate here.”

……

Although Schultz has left, his invitation to Yu Qie to study in Chicago is not yet over.

Many people heard about it that day, and it caused quite a stir in their small circle. Li Yining even invited Yu Qie to study for his doctorate under him, a gesture that can be described as three visits to a thatched cottage. Subsequently, scholars from the neighboring Tsinghua University also extended invitations, all of which Yu Qie politely declined.

Unexpectedly, this deeply moved Hu Daiguang.

Early February.

Yenching University has already started the new semester, and Yu Qie returned to the school classroom after a long absence.

He was to take Hu Daiguang's place in teaching a class.

Since Hu Daiguang has retired, this is an elective course that specifically studies the current state of Western economics. Hu Daiguang was one of the earliest figures in China to introduce econometrics and compile textbooks on Western economics; his courses are very popular.

However, the academic atmosphere was very poor in the 1980s. Yenching University was no exception.

There is currently a trend of "studying is useless" ideology. This was already the case a couple of years ago, and now it's even more exaggerated. Campus grounds and student dormitories have become "trade centers" where students set up stalls to sell clothes, audio-visual products, magazines, and other things.

It is common for one-third of the students to be absent when teachers come to class. Sometimes, only a dozen or even a few students attend a class, and the first two rows of almost every classroom are "empty seats".

Yu Minhong—the same guy whose glasses were smashed in the Spanish department—now teaches at Yenching University. His English classes are almost always empty, sometimes with only two students. Because humanities majors have poor job prospects and limited opportunities for studying abroad, all humanities majors are notorious for truancy.

Hu Daiguang's class was better; there were 78 students, but only 32 of them skipped it.

Before class, many students joked, "They say Teresa Teng is coming to the mainland for a concert? Have you heard that?!"

"Where?"

"Guangzhou!"

A student who runs a cassette tape business said, "Then I need to find a way to go to Guangzhou. There are a lot of pirated cassette tapes there. I can resell them for several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan, which is not a problem."

When Teresa Teng's concert was mentioned, a classmate asked, "Is going into the entertainment industry a good career path? Is it true?"

"Hey! The former vice president of USTC was very dissatisfied with all the stalls on campus and kicked the students out. As a result, when he went on a business trip to Shanghai, he couldn't get his airfare reimbursed. One of the students who was setting up a stall said, 'Teacher, please let me set up a stall here, and I'll reimburse your airfare.'"

"Hahaha……"

The students at Yenching University burst into laughter.

This was the situation during those years.

"What other news is there? Tell me about it."

"And...and...that Schultz, the Nobel laureate. I heard he had a falling out with Yu Qie, and it even involved some researcher from the Agricultural Development Center."

"Ah!" Everyone was shocked.

"Don't believe me? My teacher said that Schultz wants Yuche to change his nationality and become an American. Do you think Yuche will do that? If he did, he wouldn't be Yuche anymore!"

Schultz was incredibly popular; the entire Yenching University mobilized to welcome him. Even Yu Qie, a legendary figure at Yenching University, was involved.

You've heard that this person studies at Yenching University, but you've never seen him.

Some people say they've seen him, others say they haven't. The last batch of Yuqie students graduated, and now Yuqie has become a legend.

A few days ago, Cui Jian held a concert at Yenching University, which was the first time a singer from China had been able to perform there.

Rock music, which is considered a "Western import" and "rebellious" genre, has become incredibly popular in China in recent years. Fans at Yenching University even formed a "Rock Support Group" for Cui Jian, which was the first fan club in China.

Cui Jian is so popular!

It turns out Cui Jian also has an idol! After finishing his song, Cui Jian suddenly asked uncontrollably, "Where is Mr. Yu? Where is Mr. Yu?"

No one answered.

Cui Jian then asked, "You all know who I'm talking about! If he could be here listening to the concert, it would be so worth it for me!"

Still, no one spoke. There was indeed no Yu Qie present.

Cui Jian was very saddened and said, "If anyone runs into Teacher Yu, please tell him. Like him, I studied Western bands, but I create Chinese rock!!!"

"One more question, is Mr. Yu Qie really not here?"

He's really not here! Cui Jianna's rendition of "Nothing to My Name" is truly excellent!

He felt like he had nothing left that day, completely lost and dejected.

As the students were giving their enthusiastic presentation, Yu Qie pushed open the door and entered. The elusive Yu Qie, the legendary senior alumnus, appeared before these undergraduates who were all dreaming of starting their own businesses.

It really is him! No doubt about it!

He's here!
He was tall and thick-armed, walked with a powerful stride, and spoke like a soldier issuing battle orders.

Only that smile—that smile belonged to a writer.

Tranquil and clear, like lake water, like sweet spring water.

At that moment, the students who had attended Cui Jian's concert suddenly felt an absurd sense of pride: what Cui Jian couldn't do, I can do sitting down and doing.

(End of this chapter)