Literary Master 1983

Chapter 368 The Last Literary Giant (Part Two)
A large, single-level apartment is not a reward, but a gift to reconcile the two sides.

Carmen was like a warm-hearted Spanish woman, looking incredibly remorseful after making a mistake. She said simply, "Things can't wait any longer; we need to discuss the publication of your series of novels immediately."

“Deputy Prime Minister Gera asked me when a Spanish translation of ‘Infiltrator’ would be available. He didn’t want to read underground books anymore.”

"Dragging this out will only result in mutual destruction!"

Yu Qie reassured Carmen, had her sit opposite him on the sofa, and then calmly said:
"Sorry, no!"

This left Carmen speechless.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head in surprise: "Why?"

Yu Qie calmly explained, "I won't entrust all the copyrights of my works to the same person; it's not safe."

“Are you questioning my abilities?” Carmen said. “I’ve served nearly two hundred writers, and while some have indeed left, no one has said anything bad about me.”

Did Yu Qie turn his back on everyone as soon as he won the award?
At this point, Carmen seemed on the verge of tears. "Literature has never been a pure phenomenon; it's also a business... This means we are all links in the industrial chain. Although outsiders may think that Márquez deserves all the credit and is the only hero, we ourselves know that his translators, his publishers, and his public relations group have all made significant contributions!"

"During the years when Márquez was wanted, if it weren't for our efforts, he would have been killed by Mexican gunmen long ago! The Chilean government offered him an astronomical bounty!"

"He didn't even make it to the Nobel Prize... and even if he did, so what? Is there really no other Nobel laureate who was murdered?"

"besides……"

Yu Qie listened to Carmen's complaints without saying a word. Only when Carmen seemed tired of talking did Yu Qie ask, "Are you done?"

"I!!!" Carmen was on the verge of collapse.

Yu Qie also sincerely recounted what happened at the "Oracle World Congress." He realized that only those whose interests were completely aligned with his would never betray him.

Moreover, there can't be only one such person, otherwise it will be difficult to distinguish between primary and secondary matters.

Back then, Jin Jiepu, who was far away in the United States, went to great lengths to speak with Shen Congwen, becoming the most obsequious sycophant. However, after Shen Congwen died, Jin Jiepu began to criticize Shen Congwen's weak character and had conflicts with Shen Congwen's family.

If there had been a dozen or so Kim Jiepus, this tragedy would not have happened.

Old Jin is a good person, but even good people can change.

"Human nature cannot withstand the test, and I cannot give others such an opportunity. You did nothing wrong, it's just that my thinking has changed, and there is no personal grudge between us."

Carmen was so angry that she slammed the door and left.

She used to have to obtain the agency rights to all of an author's works in any region, which was a prerequisite for her negotiations with any author. Now she can only hold onto the Spanish-speaking region.

However, the key is still with Yuqie, so the house already belongs to Yuqie.

The two men, though at odds, continued to push forward on areas where they shared common ground. "2666," "Metro," and other novels by Yu Qie that were well-known in the West quickly spread throughout the Spanish-speaking world, and were also being localized in neighboring France and Germany.

However, Yu Qie did not grant Carmen worldwide copyright, and even Europe was divided into Western Europe and Eastern Europe, not including the British Isles.

Asia, North America... that's even more impossible.

After learning that the two had fallen out, Márquez came to mediate: "You are both the kindest angels, so who suddenly turned into Satan?"

Yu Qie said nothing, but patted Marquez on the shoulder: "Gabo, this matter is too complicated for you, you don't need to know."

Marquez was surprised to find a half-finished manuscript on the table. He cautiously asked, "Have you written a new piece?"

"An older work, *American Psycho*. When I wrote that book, I wasn't qualified. Am I qualified now?"

Márquez laughed loudly, "You're the only one qualified! Not only are you qualified to criticize Americans and give them a good scolding, but they'll also buy your books! Let them reflect on their actions!"

“Gabo, you absolutely must not reveal my book to Carmen.”

"I promise you, I will never do it."

After leaving, Márquez reported the news to Carmen—he was the kind of person who made many small mistakes but never made any big ones.

Carmen didn't think much of it: "He's putting pressure on me, but I won't give in."

"You mean, I told you the news, which was within Yu Qie's expectations?"

“Yes, everything is going according to his plan. But you know, I will not give in,” Carmen declared loudly.

During the second half of the month, Yuche mainly visited various European countries. After winning the Cervantes Prize, his books experienced an explosive growth in the Western world.

Many programs invited him to do interviews, and Yu Qie selected some to participate in.

With his sharp language and Chinese identity, Yu Qie inexplicably became one of the representatives of the Third World. At times, he made the audience feel that he was the "true opinion" under the hegemony of American and Soviet media.

If you're talking about democracy and freedom, what in the world can compare to Yu Qie, who fought against secret agents to speak the truth?
Yu Qie is a party member, which is not scary to Western audiences; what is scary is a two-faced person.

The 1980s were the golden age of talk shows, with popular programs rivaling even the most popular TV dramas. Even domestic leaders would host talk shows during their visits to the West.

Wherever he went, Yuqie received a warm welcome.

A strange phenomenon is that many Westerners have never read Yu Qie's novels, but they know who he is.

This shows that Yu Qiezheng's work is indeed very useful.

With Harper's help, Yu Qie traveled to the UK. On the UK's national television network (BBC), Yu Qie had a conversation with Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times via satellite broadcast.

Michiko Kakutani commented on this matter: "I want to know if HarperCollins' market research is true? Are we going to produce a super writer in the future?"

“It’s true,” Yu Qie said, “but it’s not necessarily me. Theoretically, everyone has a chance.”

“But you are actually becoming a cultural icon, you are a living Great Wall… You know what? Many Americans think Columbia is a U.S. state, and that Márquez is more famous than his homeland. Their entire image of Columbia comes from Márquez.” Michiko Kakutani emphasized, “I used to think this was a media distortion, and you’re telling me this is just the beginning? This is going to be the norm?”

“That’s it, Michiko! It’s like we’re separated by an Atlantic Ocean, yet we can still communicate across the distance! The spread of information will become increasingly convenient until we cross that equilibrium point, exceeding humanity’s capacity to process it, and then…”

Yu Qie didn't finish his sentence, but the audience understood. By then, the media would have backfired, because readers would be overwhelmed just processing information from their own fields, making it difficult for them to spend time reading traditional literature.

"This is the most beautiful time, and the worst time." Michiko Kakutani imagined that era.

The interview attracted approximately 120 million viewers worldwide, with the live stream reaching 70 million viewers.

This clearly demonstrates Yu Qie's popularity; he truly deserves to be called a world-class writer.

The BBC acted swiftly, deciding to produce a roughly 40-minute Colombian documentary about Yu Qie's literary journey. They sent a reporter to China, and upon arriving in Yu Qie's hometown of Wanxian, the BBC requested that Yu Qie record an opening statement for the program.

Yu Qie did indeed record it. He started by saying, "The last time Wanxian welcomed so many British people was during the September 5th Massacre, which shocked China and the world. British warships bombarded Wanxian, causing more than 600 deaths..."

The production team was dumbfounded; this wasn't what they wanted to record! Someone stepped forward and said, "Professor Yu, this matter may have shocked the Chinese, but it hasn't shocked the British. Therefore, it can't be considered a shock to both China and the world."

Yu Qie said, "I can soon shock the British! All it takes is a pen and a piece of paper."

"Why do you harbor such hostility towards us? Mr. Yu, we respect you; you are a great writer. But there is always an inextinguishable fire burning in your heart. Will this fire one day consume you?"

Yu Qie laughed instead: "Since you're going to introduce my literary journey, you have to explain why I'm a nationalist. I wasn't born this way; it's precisely because I grew up and learned about history that I chose to become a nationalist."

"If there's any fire in this, it's a fire I deliberately brought upon myself. I also want to tell you, either record it completely, or don't record it at all. That's my stance."

Finally, the production team, under pressure, spent a significant amount of time researching this tragedy before proceeding to the next step, only after Yu Qie's confirmation. Because they wanted to create a deep and insightful program, they had to explore the subtle details that influenced Yu Qie's thinking, gradually explaining things to the audience:
Why is the Yu Qie you see like this?

As Yu Qie said, this kind of thing is unavoidable and is one of the key memories that influence his way of thinking.

"Teacher Yu is so popular! His recent interviews have all had great ratings!" Shao Qi, who was accompanying the interview, exclaimed.

Liu Xiangcheng analyzed, "In fact, among these audience members, overseas Chinese account for millions. And there are countless more in China! Professor Yu's main stage is still with his compatriots, who can support him at any cost, just like a literary gathering movement."

In any major city, Yu Qie can be met with Chinese people calling his name, regardless of age or profession... Most of them spontaneously show Yu Qie respect.

The two people who followed up, Shao Qi and Liu Xiangcheng, accumulated a lot of material.

"Yu Qie is widely loved by the people; he is a people's artist," Shao Qi said.

Liu Xiangcheng continued to discuss this matter from a religious perspective: "Back then, when the Beatles performed in England, the streets were packed with people. John Lennon said that he was more popular than God. I used to think that was an exaggeration, but now I know it's true."

God?

Shao Qi suddenly said, "I've heard that phrase before, but where...where?"

"Please make sure you remember!" Liu Xiangcheng said excitedly.

“Oh, right!” Shao Qi said, “I remember now. When Yu Qie was looking at the composition of your photograph ‘The Handshake of the Century,’ he said that from this angle, he is God.”

Liu Xiangcheng was so shocked that his scalp tingled.

He suddenly wondered whether he had taken the photo himself, or whether Yu Qie had consciously arranged the scene.

Moreover, this sentence has too many hidden meanings. If Yu Qie fails in the future, it will become a top-notch boomerang in the literary world. If Yu Qie reaches an even higher level, it will be even more legendary.

I am God!
Son of the beach! Is there a more concise and powerful literary quote?
University of Iowa, Iowa.

The annual "International Writing Exchange" has started accepting applications again, but this year it is deserted. Not only are mainland Chinese no longer coming, but writers from Taiwan are also afraid of being attacked by extreme book fans and have declined Nie Hualing's invitation.

Nie Hualing's hair was falling out in clumps.

She is also writing an apology letter.

In fact, shortly after the release of "Metro" at the end of last year, Nie Hualing hoped that Shen Congwen could coordinate the matter and wrote a letter to Yu Qie. Nie Hualing had done Shen Congwen a favor; when Shen Congwen became famous overseas, Jin Jiepu was one of the driving forces, and Nie Hualing was Jin Jiepu's deputy.

She spared no effort in promoting Shen Congwen's novels among Chinese people all over the world, and even wrote a biography of Shen Congwen in English, depicting the growth of a reclusive genius boy... However, Shen Congwen disappointed her again.

According to Shen Congwen's reply, he insisted on meeting Yu Qie at the wrap party for "Dream of the Red Chamber" despite his illness. The sentimental Shen Congwen was then captivated by Yu Qie, believing that "Yu Qie must have his own reasons for doing things." You'd better apologize quickly.

What utter nonsense about profound meaning!

It's simply because they're afraid of offending others!
You're always afraid of offending others, so everyone tries to offend you! If you were like Yu Qie, vindictive and vengeful, how could you be bullied to death?
That being said, an apology letter still needs to be written.

Late at night, Nie Hualing wrote several letters but was not satisfied with any of them, so he wrote another one.

Nie Hualing's foreign husband, Paul, asked, "What exactly is making you so unsettled?"

Nie Hualing felt wronged after hearing this: "I'm begging for Yu Qie's forgiveness, but I feel so wronged. Can I not write it?"

Paul became serious: "You have to write it! Do you know what the Cervantes Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award mean? Even Liu Xiangcheng, who reported on him, won the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism!"

"I don't want all my hard work and achievements to be less famous than the one I made by offending Yu Qie. That would make all my accomplishments go to waste!"

Nie Hualing sighed, "Who could have known? The world changes too fast."

The two of them spent a long time finalizing the apology letter. Paul, fed up with this invisible pressure, came up with an idea to quickly win Yuche's truce:

"Where is that writer who defected back then? We should arrest him!"

"I don't know, that person might be dead. I haven't paid attention to him for a long time."

(End of this chapter)