Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 176 Meeting an old friend in a foreign land

Stepping off the train, a station unlike Yanjing Station came into view; the platform appeared quite dilapidated and small. Chengdu Station was built in the 1950s. Unlike the Central Plains region, Sichuan Province only had its first railway after the 1950s.

Chengdu Station was built because of the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, the first railway independently constructed after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The station exits are very narrow and crowded.

Stepping out of the station, Liu Yimin was surrounded by people speaking with Sichuan accents. A row of low sidewalk trees in front of the station stood out prominently. Just as Liu Yimin was trying to find a contact person, a middle-aged man approached him, holding a photo and comparing it to Liu Yimin's before asking, "Hello, are you Comrade Liu Yimin?"

"I am, you are?"

The man immediately became excited: "Comrade Liu Yimin, I'm from the United Front Work Department, responsible for receiving you. We've been waiting here for a long time. The train has been delayed, and we were afraid we wouldn't be able to pick you up. Come on, let me take you to our guesthouse first to check you in, and I'll explain the details to you."

Comrades from the United Front Work Department helped Liu Yimin into a jeep. Through the car window, Liu Yimin waved to the man staring intently at him from a distance.

The man telling stories on the train spat: "Damn, he's got quite a background! Riding in a jeep, so flashy!"

Upon arriving at the guesthouse, Liu Yimin first washed up and then met with the comrade who had picked him up.

“Writer Liu, my surname is Sun, you can just call me Lao Sun. I’m in charge of reception. From today onwards, this jeep is yours to use. The driver is Wang Tianfu, Comrade Lao Wang. He’s an old comrade from Tibet. He used to be a soldier in the army and became a driver here after retiring. He’s also your guide. He’s very familiar with Aba. You can ask him anything.”

"Thank you for your support, comrades!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Writer Liu, we have to thank you for promoting us so much." After saying that, Old Sun asked Liu Yimin, "What kind of typical figure are you here to write about this time?"

"We're not here to write about any typical figures," Liu Yimin said helplessly. "We're here to take a look at the snow-covered area."

Old Sun muttered something to himself and then left. He figured that the higher-ups were going to such lengths to have Liu Yimin do the publicity work, write about good deeds, and set an example.

Liu Yimin's words made Lao Sun feel that he was not telling the truth.

That evening, Lao Sun came over and told him that the local Writers Association wanted to invite Liu Yimin to a welcome banquet, and Liu Yimin readily agreed. Since the inviter was Ma Shitu, the head of the Sichuan Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Writers Association, Liu Yimin naturally had to go.

The welcoming banquet was held in the Writers' Association's small restaurant, where Liu Yimin met Ma Shitu, one of the Five Elders of Sichuan, for the first time. Ma Shitu wore glasses, a white shirt, and trousers with very large waistbands, which were pulled up high because of his slightly overweight build.

“Yimin, we finally meet. Old Shen and Old Xia both wrote to me saying that our young literary figures are coming, and I have to meet you.” Ma Shitu said enthusiastically, holding Liu Yimin’s hand.

Unexpectedly, both Mao Dun and Xia Yan wrote letters to Ma Shitu, which moved Liu Yimin deeply once again.

At the banquet, Ma Shitu introduced the other people to Liu Yimin, including Bai Xing, the editor-in-chief of "Stars".

"How is your teacher?"

"The teacher is currently in France and has always been in good health."

"Our Sichuan Provincial Drama Theatre is currently rehearsing your play 'The Flames of War in Beiping,' but unfortunately, it always seems to lack something. Next time I go to Yenching University, I will definitely go to the Beijing People's Art Theatre to watch it in person."

Rehearsals? Hmm? Liu Yimin hadn't heard about this. Had the copyright fees been paid? And they've already started rehearsals?
"Really? This is the first time I've heard that the Sichuan Provincial Drama Theatre is also staging this play." Liu Yimin said with a smile. "Perhaps I haven't had a chance to tell your People's Art Theatre yet. Yimin, I really like your novella 'The Flames of War in Beiping.' I think it's the best novella from last year. I saw my own fate reflected in the ups and downs of the characters in it."

After all the dishes were served, Ma Shitu invited Liu Yimin to taste authentic Sichuan cuisine: "Twice-cooked pork, Dongpo pork knuckle, and Mapo tofu."

Liu Yimin tasted it and smiled, "Mr. Ba really likes Sichuan cuisine, it's a pity there aren't many good ones in Shanghai. Last year when he came back from France, he raved about the Sichuan food at the Yanjing Hotel..."

"Old Ba also spoke highly of your performance in France." Ma Shitu said a lot, praising you again and again, making Liu Yimin quite embarrassed.

Many people asked what France was really like, and Liu Yimin honestly told them.

"Recently, many people have been thinking about going abroad. I have some friends who have talked about how things are abroad." Someone mentioned that many people now want to settle abroad.

Some people criticize it, while others yearn for it.

Bai Xing, the editor-in-chief of "Stars," held Liu Yimin's hand and said, "Comrade Liu Yimin, I've been wanting to send someone to visit you for a long time, but I didn't expect you to come by yourself. What brings you here? Could you help out with 'Stars'? Do you have any poems you'd like to submit to us? We can't always submit to 'Poetry Journal,' we also need to consider literature from the Southwest region."

Seeing that Bai Xing had raised the issue to the perspective of literature from the Southwest region, Liu Yimin was both amused and exasperated: "Editor-in-Chief Bai, I came to Sichuan Province empty-handed, hoping to leave with a full harvest. Editor-in-Chief Bai, do you think I can leave with a full harvest?"

Bai Xing didn't believe it and said, "Comrade Yimin, although Poetry Journal is strong, our Stars is not weak either, and we have gathered a large number of excellent poets."

"Editor-in-Chief Bai, I really don't have any right now, but I'll definitely give them to you if I did. After all, you pay me for using my articles, and I can't go against the rules, can I?"

Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Bai Xing sighed and said, "When will you have it? You must give it to us. I heard that the Poetry Journal is holding some kind of poetry gathering. You're in Yanjing, have you heard about it? Do you know anything about it? Can you tell me?"

"Editor-in-Chief Bai, are you trying to make me Fu Zhigao?!"

"No, you are Company Commander Li from 'Crossing the River to Reconnoiter,' who helped us with reconnaissance."

Liu Yimin thought for a moment and, finding nothing he couldn't say, began to explain. Ma Shitu listened attentively, occasionally commenting on the current debates in the poetry scene: "Old Ai is quite impatient; I think he's going to get scolded again."

Afterwards, Liu Yimin waved to the group of people pushing bicycles, got into his jeep, and left the Federation of Literary and Art Circles with a flourish.

The following day, the Starlight Poetry Society, a student literary society at a university in Sichuan Province, invited Liu Yimin to give a speech. He quickly declined, saying that he was there to gather inspiration, not to raise a glass and gossip.

When will we go to Aba?

"Comrade Liu Yimin, there's one more person who hasn't arrived yet, and he's an old friend of yours," Old Sun said with a smile.

"Old friend?"

During the conversation, a loud voice reached Liu Yimin's ears: "Yimin, are you surprised or delighted? This is like meeting an old friend in a foreign land!"

(End of this chapter)