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

Chapter 320 Returning to China
On that day, American environmental groups chanted slogans demanding the return of Chinese cultural relics in front of the city government building.

The cable TV station interviewed Joseph, who angrily stated that the Chinese are contributing to the environment and cleaning up our messes, while we are taking away the Chinese people's cultural relics.

In front of the camera, he shouted, "Shame on America!"

Patriotic Chinese groups in several major U.S. cities have taken action, raising their voices and chanting slogans for the return of cultural relics.

Some influential Chinese, including wealthy overseas Chinese businessmen and well-known scholars, also spoke out in American newspapers. For example, Wu Nasun, a Chinese professor at Yale University, contacted the delegation and called for the return of the cultural relics on television and in local newspapers.

Wu Nasun, whom Zhang Guangnian and others are quite familiar with, was from Yenching University. He studied at Southwest Associated University, worked as a teacher, and went to the United States in the 1950s, where he has remained ever since.

The novel "The Song of Unending Sorrow," which tells the story of the Southwest Associated University, is even considered by some to be on par with Ba Jin's "Human Trilogy" and Shen Congwen's "The Long River." When it was published on the island, it became an instant bestseller.

Within days, the Asian Art Museum found itself in the eye of the storm.

People from many Asian countries went there to protest, forcing them to close their museums and refuse visitors.

The embassy proposed to the US that they mutually pursue the return of cultural relics, hoping to encourage the return of cultural relics at the government level.

That's a pretty cunning suggestion. Does the US even have any cultural relics?
Officials in countries like Japan and South Korea are watching to see how their "American daddy" reacts and whether they can gain some advantage.

The matter caused quite a stir, and Liu Yimin and his team were about to return to China. They had written many articles, which they handed over to Li Congren to submit to the newspapers for publication.

December 25th was Christmas Day in the United States. The streets of America became lively that day, but the atmosphere was nothing like that of Chinese New Year.

When the group arrived at the consulate, Consul Hu was already waiting at the door.

The living room was filled with Chinese faces, including some elderly Chinese people, who were probably Chinese professors from a nearby university.

San Francisco is home to many universities, including Stanford. With so many universities, there are naturally many international students.

After they came in, everyone scrutinized Liu Yimin and his group. The international students shook hands warmly, but the Chinese students didn't seem very enthusiastic.

Consul Hu spoke first, followed by student representatives and members of the delegation.

With speeches come questions.

When it was Liu Yimin's turn to speak, he stood up and said, "The international students and Chinese students present here are all pillars of the Chinese nation. I hope that one day you will be able to return to build our motherland."

I know many international students, after seeing the prosperity of America, have considered staying there. But I believe that every country needs people to build it. The country sends you all here so that one day you can return and contribute to its development.

Liu Yimin had barely finished speaking when he was interrupted: "This is not a free choice. Everyone should have the autonomy to choose whether to stay or go back."

"Of course, now that you're out, you can make your own decisions. But remember, you are students whom the country has invested a great deal of money to cultivate."

“Professor Liu, as far as I know, Chinese students pay tuition fees. Essentially, this is a commodity transaction. Everyone pays tuition fees, and the school educates and nurtures students. This is a transaction,” a Chinese student said.

Liu Yimin smiled dismissively: "You may not know, but tuition fees in China are different from those in the United States. Let me give you some figures. Tuition and living expenses at Harvard University in the United States are $14,000 per year. Of course, this is not an exact figure and may have some error, but it is definitely more than $10,000. This is a negative for ordinary American families, let alone poor American families."

Because the federal minimum wage is only a little over $500 and the average wage is around $1,000, a year's income isn't even enough to cover tuition. When I was at Columbia and Iowa, some students told me they had to rely on loans to attend school, and it would take four or five years to pay them off after graduation. If they couldn't find a job, it was even worse.

In China, university students don't pay tuition; the government provides a monthly living allowance. High school, middle school, and primary school students pay tuition, ranging from a few cents to one or two yuan. Urban workers earn fifty or sixty yuan a month, though the situation is different in rural areas.

Therefore, the university students we cultivate are all funded by the state, while the international students here are on government scholarships. Even according to capitalist logic, this money should have to be repaid eventually.

But the government didn't; the government respects everyone's choice. I think I don't need to say anything more at this point. You can all weigh the options yourselves!

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, the audience fell silent. The delegation wanted to applaud Liu Yimin, but considering the atmosphere, they lowered their hands.

Some people have asked Liu Yimin why he has been speaking out in the media so frequently these past few days, demanding that the United States return the cultural relics. Many of these relics were bought by collectors with real money, and returning them would not be fair.

"Because they originally belonged to China. Illegally obtained cultural relics will not become legally obtained over time!"

As the party drew to a close, Liu Yimin suggested that the Chinese students studying abroad sing "Graduation Song" to boost their spirits.

"Chinese students can't be ignorant, but everyone can appreciate it!"

“Professor Liu, I know it. My father taught me this song; it’s a song he used to sing.”

"Okay, let's do it together then!"

Liu Yimin started it:
"Students, everyone stand up!"

Shoulder the rise and fall of the nation
Listen, all I hear are the sighs of the masses.

Look, year after year, our territory is being lost.

Should we choose to fight or surrender?
We must be masters and fight to the death on the battlefield.
We refuse to be slaves and strive for advancement.

"

Zhang Guangnian conducted the performance, and Xu Chi, Wei Junyi, and others sang with great passion. By the end, two streams of turbid tears had flowed down their cheeks.

"Students, young people dared to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives during wartime, so how can we be bystanders in the construction of our motherland during peacetime?"

Around nine o'clock, the gathering ended, and one of the international students walked up to Liu Yimin and said, "Comrade Liu Yimin, I will definitely return to China after graduation."

"Your motherland will definitely welcome you!"

Consul Hu watched the group of young students walk away and sighed, "I wonder how many of these young people will be able to go back."

"Someone will go back!"

"Yes, someone will always go back."

Consul Hu smiled and said, "I wish you a safe return home tomorrow. The Ministry of Culture sent a message to the consulate today. Officials from the National Museum of China and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage will be coming to the United States to exchange ideas with major American museums and private collectors to see if they can recover some of the cultural relics."

"You can go back without worry. By the time you arrive in Yanjing, they should have already landed in San Francisco!"

Zhang Guangnian said "good" several times in a row, hoping to hear good news before the Spring Festival.

The following day at noon, the delegation members boarded a plane to Beijing, watching the Pacific Ocean with great interest during the flight.

Some passengers and flight attendants recognized them, mainly because they've been so high-profile in the US lately, with television and newspapers reporting on them repeatedly, making it hard not to recognize them.

"Comrade Liu Yimin, I heard that Harvard University offered you $150,000 to stay, but you didn't? Why?" a Chinese person asked.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "I'm a bit of a country bumpkin, I can't get used to this foreign place!" Hearing this analogy, everyone smiled.

While resting during his layover in Tokyo, an American who was also traveling to China approached Liu Yimin and said, "Liu, I'm planning to go and explore China. You've made it sound so promising; perhaps China will be the spring of my second career!"

Liu Yimin asked a few simple questions about what industry he worked in, and the other party told him that he was in the footwear and apparel manufacturing industry.

Hearing that it was a low-end industry, Liu Yimin sighed inwardly. But that was all he could do; at least it could create jobs.

“Labor costs in the US are too high, and we barely make any money. If costs in China can be reduced by 30%, we can invest.”

"I believe you can succeed. Your Nike products started production in China last year."

“Nike is a big company, and we are a small company, so we are often at a disadvantage when negotiating with the government.”

"I believe your company will become a big company in China."

"God, Liu, if this project can be launched, I will personally deliver the first product to you once it is produced."

"That's it!"

The plane took off from Tokyo and flew directly to Shanghai. Xu Chi planned to return directly to Hubei Province from Shanghai, and Zhang Guangnian readily approved it.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "More than three thousand US dollars. If you buy duty-free products at the Overseas Personnel Service Center, including a refrigerator and washing machine, you can still have more than a thousand US dollars left. Comrade Lao Xu, why don't you buy a motorcycle too?"

"I'm too old to ride properly, and besides, it's too flashy. I'll just keep it; if I ever go abroad, I won't need to exchange it again," Xu Chi said with a smile in a low voice.

After thinking about it for a moment, I realized that over three thousand US dollars, at the current exchange rate, was equivalent to five or six years' salary. I didn't know much about the black market, but I estimated that exchanging it there would cost me an extra year or two's salary.

"For someone of your level, the refrigerator and washing machine need to be double-door and a large drum type!" Liu Yimin said, putting his arm around Xu Chi's shoulder.

Xu Chi frowned and said, "Didn't you say that the Freon in refrigerators causes global warming? I think we shouldn't buy one. What if sea levels rise?"

"Hmm?" Liu Yimin couldn't help but chuckle, wondering how he had managed to fool Old Xu.

"Hey, millions of refrigerators are produced globally every year, what difference does one more make? The most important thing for us Chinese is to improve our lives. Why can Americans do it but we can't? Our per capita carbon emissions are almost negligible compared to those of the United States."

"If we're not going to eat meat, then the Americans should stop first, and they'll all be as fat as Pigsy from Journey to the West, while we'll be as skinny as sticks."

Liu Yimin patted Xu Chi on the shoulder, signaling him to relax.

Xu Chi thought about it and agreed, so he continued to include the refrigerator in his plans.

After getting off the plane, Xu Chi went straight to the Overseas Personnel Service Department, bought the largest refrigerator and the best washing machine, and found a way to get them transported back to Hubei Province.

When the plane landed safely in Yanjing, the members of the delegation could not contain their excitement and disembarked first, no longer showing deference.

The more I want to go home, the less I can go home.

The Ministry of Culture's car was already waiting here and took them directly to the Ministry of Culture.

In the jeep, Zhang Guangnian opened the letter in his hand and said, "When we came here, Mr. Ba Jin wrote a letter, telling us to live up to our mission. I think we have accomplished it."

The letter was passed around and read by everyone before finally returning to Zhang Guangnian's hands.

When they arrived at the Ministry of Culture, Zhou Yang and Xia Yan stood at the door to greet them.

"Comrades, you've all worked very hard. You've all completed your missions very well. We were supposed to let you go back and rest for the night before giving your reports. But we can't wait any longer. Thank you all for your hard work."

"Yimin, you are a great hero, you deserve to be recognized!" Zhou Yang said with a smile.

Liu Yimin politely stepped aside to let Zhang Guangnian go in first. On the stairs, Zhang Guangnian gave Zhou Yang a report, explaining the situation to everyone.

Upon arriving at the conference room, Xia Yan said, "The consulate has already sent the information about your situation back to China, and the comrades from the Cultural Relics Bureau also took it as a reference before their trip abroad."

We have also taken note of the international convention on cultural relics that you mentioned, and we are reporting to our superiors. We have been back in the United Nations for many years, and we should also have a presence in other organizations.

The loss of cultural relics is our responsibility; their return is our pursuit! As Yi Min once said, "Success doesn't have to be mine, but I will certainly contribute to it!"

After discussing the cultural relics, Zhou Yang and Xia Yan looked at Liu Yimin's O. Henry Award certificate.

The meeting lasted for more than an hour before it ended.

"I know everyone is in a hurry to go home, and I'm sorry for taking up your time. Please go back now!" Zhou Yang stood up and shook hands with everyone to say goodbye.

Seeing Liu Yimin's impetuous manner, Xia Yan teased, "Young man, be more careful, or you'll fall down!"

Amidst the laughter, Liu Yimin's face turned bright red.

After everyone left, Zhang Guangnian stayed behind alone to continue his report.

The Ministry of Culture's vehicles took everyone home one by one. Since the courtyard house was closest to the Ministry of Culture, Liu Yimin arrived home first.

Liu Yimin put his things in the courtyard and then rode his bicycle from the courtyard toward the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Both China and the United States experience winter, but Beijing is much colder than the United States; the northwest wind almost blew Liu Yimin's bicycle over.

It had probably just rained; the streets were wet and puddled. The bicycle wheels sped through the puddles, creating huge waves in the small pools.

At the entrance of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, Liang Sanhulu pulled Liu Yimin along to eat candied hawthorns: "Comrade Liu Yimin, it's been a long time!"

Liu Yimin took the candied hawthorn, stuffed a dollar into his hand, and without paying much attention to what was being said, strode into the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

"Comrade Liu Yimin? You've returned from the United States?" a staff member of the Beijing People's Art Theatre asked in surprise.

"You're back! What's the show today?"

"Comrade Zhu Lin is coming on stage for 'Triumph at Midnight'!"

Liu Yimin went to Cao Yu's office first, but couldn't find him. He then went to the rehearsal area, where Zhu Lin was sitting next to Lan Tianye, watching the actors rehearse.
The actors on stage saw him, and Liu Yimin raised his finger to tell them to be quiet. He then quietly sat behind Zhu Lin, listening to her conversation with Lan Tianye.

"Teacher Lan, wouldn't it be better if the actor changed his movements just now?"

(End of this chapter)