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

Chapter 353 Zhu Lin is Pregnant

At the Tianjin Writers Association, Jiang Zilong sat idly by the window, listening to the faint breeze and cicada chirping from the grove, hoping to find some inspiration.

Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with anything.

"Where did Yimin get his inspiration? It's really weird." Jiang Zilong muttered to himself, then stopped thinking about it and picked up a palm-leaf fan to fan himself.

Just then, a voice rang out from outside the office: "Comrade Zilong, you have a phone call."

"Where did it come from?"

"Yanjing!"

Jiang Zilong got up and walked towards the gatehouse. His beige vest and shorts made him look nothing like a writer.

"Hello, who is this? This is Jiang Zilong!"

"Comrade Zilong, it's me!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Yimin, I thought it was someone else calling me. Why did you remember me?" Jiang Zilong quickly sat down on the stool and listened attentively.

Liu Yimin said directly, "Let's skip the pleasantries and get down to business first. We can exchange pleasantries after that. I'm here today on someone's behalf. Comrade Zhang Guangnian told me that he intends to transfer you to 'People's Literature' as deputy editor-in-chief. He asked me if I would still like to come to 'People's Literature'."

“Yimin, I’m personally willing to do this, but unfortunately the city of Jincheng won’t release me, so I can’t do anything about it. The temporary transfer can’t be completed,” Jiang Zilong said.

Liu Yimin said "Oh," realizing that's how it is: "I thought it was because you didn't want to come."

“Yimin, it is indeed a wise choice for you to work at the university. Working in the Writers Association is far less pure than working in a university. In addition to teaching and educating people, you can also write books. We have a lot to consider.”

After Jiang Zilong finished speaking, he stopped discussing the topic, and Liu Yimin thought about it for a moment and also stopped discussing it.

Jiang Zilong and Liu Yimin discussed their writing ideas and talked for about half an hour before hanging up.

"Yimin, next time I come to Yanjing, I'll bring you Tianjin-style fried dough twists."

"You might as well go to the beach and catch some shrimp for me and bring them over," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"A word is settled!"

After hanging up the phone, Liu Yimin called Zhang Guangnian of People's Literature and Art. Zhang Guangnian said exhaustedly, "Forget it, the situation is beyond our control. Let it be. It's good enough to have Wang Meng. Thank you for your hard work."

In the afternoon, Cui Daoyi ran to the courtyard house, where Liu Yimin offered him a watermelon.

"Senior brother, what are you doing here?"

"I overheard you talking to Lao Zhang on the phone, so I took the opportunity to sneak over here," Cui Daoyi said with a smile while eating watermelon.

Liu Yimin thought he was just slacking off, but little did he know that Cui Daoyi actually had something to ask him.

"Let me tell you some inside information. Things aren't going well at the Writers' Association and the Federation of Literary and Art Circles lately. Zhou Yang got criticized, and I bet it's related to Jiang Zilong's inability to transfer. Once Zhou Yang was criticized, other departments naturally started giving the Writers' Association the cold shoulder, and they stopped honoring their promises!" Cui Daoyi said mysteriously.

"No wonder Zilong said something inexplicable just now."

"What?"

He said working at a university is great!

Liu Yimin often saw Zhou Yang and Xia Yan, but he wasn't actually familiar with Zhou Yang, though he was quite familiar with Xia Yan.

Liu Yimin didn't want to know about the affairs of the Writers' Association and the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, so he changed the subject.

"I don't know if Wang Meng's transfer to People's Literature and Art is a good thing or a bad thing for us," Cui Daoyi said worriedly.

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "Senior brother, I reckon you'll be promoted to deputy editor-in-chief soon once Wang Meng arrives."

"Whether you're the deputy editor-in-chief or not, it's all the same."

Liu Yimin felt quite sorry that Cui Daoyi didn't become the editor-in-chief, but Cui Daoyi took it in stride.

Cui Daoyi said, "For a major publication like ours, it's rare to have a professional editor as editor-in-chief. We prefer those with certain achievements in the literary field. Writers often have much wider connections in the Writers' Association and the Federation of Literary and Art Circles than editors. They have fame and can bring a certain number of readers and authors to the magazine."

Like with *People's Literature and Art*, Comrade Zhang really had to balance things out, and take care of both the North and the South. When Wang Meng confirmed he could come, he told me, "I've been hoarse for a year, and this is all I've accomplished."

The two played chess for a while, then Cui Daoyi said he had to go back.

"Let's go, it's on the way, I'll stop by the Beijing People's Art Theatre!"

The two parted ways at the entrance of the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Liu Yimin went to Cao Yu's office first. When Cao Yu saw Liu Yimin, he said, "It's been a while since you've been here."

"Really? Teacher, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"That's because I've been alone for too long. Sit down. Why did you suddenly think of that today?"

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "I came here specifically to have a chat with you."

Cao Yu sat down opposite Liu Yimin and they started talking about the recent events at the Beijing People's Art Theatre and in the literary world.

“Miller left a while ago, and judging from the way he left, he was still not satisfied. He said he was waiting for you in America.” After saying that, Cao Yu changed the subject and said, “The Beijing People’s Art Theatre doesn’t have any good scripts lately, so you need to hurry up and write at least two scripts this year.”

"Once 'The Birth of a Nation' is written, it can be adapted into a stage play. Speaking of which, 'The Acacia Tree in the Minefield' is also coming out this year," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Cao Yu retorted, "The Acacia Tree in Leichang doesn't count, since it wasn't given to us at the Beijing People's Art Theatre first."

"Teacher, you're cheating!"

"Well, that's what happens when I'm your teacher. When will you finish writing?"

"I'll go to the base at the end of June, take a look around, and have the basic details in my mind. It will be very fast to actually write it down!" Liu Yimin said, raising his teacup.

Cao Yu said with satisfaction, "If you calculate it this way, the time won't be long."

Then Cao Yu talked to Liu Yimin about things in the literary world. Because he was in a higher position, he saw more things.

“Yimin, I know you don’t want to get involved in these things, but sometimes getting involved in politics is one thing, understanding it is another. You can choose not to get involved, but sometimes you can’t be ignorant of it, especially since this involves ideological issues.”

Cao Yu recounted the entire incident to Liu Yimin from beginning to end, and only then did Liu Yimin understand the key points.

He came out of Cao Yu's office and watched Zhu Lin rehearse for a long time in the rehearsal room.

Su Min asked Liu Yimin to appreciate his production of "The Acacia Tree in the Minefield": "Shan Zun is suitable for directing big plays, and I, Su Min, am not bad either. The reason I haven't done it yet is because I haven't found the opportunity."

Zhu Lin, who was standing next to him, pursed his lips and remained silent.

After watching it, Liu Yimin said, "Director Su, you did a great job. You brought out the pride of the college student soldiers. However, you didn't quite capture their heroic spirit of facing death without fear."

"Really? I'll practice some more!" Su Min glanced at the stage and asked Liu Yimin if he had any other questions. "Nothing else."

"Alright, let's practice some more, and you'll see the final result!"

At noon on June 12, Liu Yimin was working at home when he received a call from Zhu Lin at the school.

"Teacher Liu, come back quickly, I have something to tell you!" Zhu Lin said excitedly on the other end of the phone.

Before Liu Yimin could say anything, Zhu Lin hung up the phone.

Liu Yimin hung up the phone, ran to the office and told Zhu Guangqian that something had come up, then rode his motorcycle back to the courtyard house.

Upon arriving at the courtyard house, the aroma of food was already wafting from the kitchen.

Zhu Lin sang as she cooked, and her voice grew louder when she heard Liu Yimin was back.

The east wind blows, the war drums beat.

Who is afraid of whom in this world now?

It's not that the people are afraid of American imperialism.
Rather, it's because the US is afraid of its people.

】

Liu Yimin lifted the bamboo curtain and walked into the kitchen, asking in confusion, "Zhu Lin, what's wrong? Is there some kind of revolution at home?"

Zhu Lin raised her chin and swayed her neck from side to side like she was doing a Xinjiang dance, without saying a word. Then she filled the plate with food, carried the plate to Liu Yimin, and continued singing:

Those who are virtuous will receive much help.
Those who act unjustly will find few supporters.
The laws of history are irresistible.
"Irresistible"

Seeing her like this, Liu Yimin asked again, puzzled, "What happened? Why are you so happy?"

Zhu Lin remained silent. After arranging the dishes and noodles, he smiled and looked at Liu Yimin, asking him to guess what had happened.

Liu Yimin laughed and started tickling her. Zhu Lin giggled for a while, then raised her hands in surrender, ran to the study, took a piece of paper out of her bag, handed it to Liu Yimin, and raised her snow-white chin, saying, "Teacher Liu, look!"

"What's wrong? You seem so happy!" Liu Yimin opened the note, and after seeing the words on it, he suddenly looked up at Zhu Lin: "You're pregnant?"

"Hoo—" Zhu Lin sang, drawing out the tone for a long time, showing his happiness and pride.

"Oh my god, I'm really pregnant!"

Zhu Lin snatched the paper from Liu Yimin's hand and said with a grin, "Teacher Liu, you still think it's fake? It's true, really true. I felt unwell today and went to the hospital. After a checkup, the doctor said I'm pregnant."

Liu Yimin had Zhu Lin sit on the stone bench, looked at the paper again, and finally confirmed that Zhu Lin was indeed pregnant.

"Teacher Liu, as I said, I want everything, whether it's something I'm willing to do or not. As long as you're willing to work hard, you'll definitely reap the rewards." Zhu Lin patted his stomach and sighed, "If I hadn't been urging you day and night, I don't know how much longer I would have had to wait."

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "Yes, Zhu Lin is a great contributor."

Liu Yimin thought to himself that he was finally free, but then he thought again that something didn't seem right.

"I'll call my parents and tell them the good news." Liu Yimin got up to go to his study to make the call.

"Don't tell them yet. Tell them when we go to visit Mom and Dad for the Dragon Boat Festival," Zhu Lin quickly said.

The Dragon Boat Festival is actually on June 15th, but Zhu Lin started looking forward to it on the 12th.

In the afternoon, Liu Yimin returned to his office humming a tune. Zhu Guangqian asked Liu Yimin why he had left in such a hurry that morning.

Liu Yimin chuckled: "Professor Zhu, I'm going to be a father!"

After a two-second pause, Zhu Guangqian slapped his thigh happily, congratulated Liu Yimin for a few moments, and then sighed, "A few years ago, you were just a sallow-faced student, and now you're going to be a father. Time really flies!"

"Time, that wild donkey, never stops!"

Several graduate students nearby offered their congratulations, and Liu Yimin took out candy from his bag, grabbing a handful for each of them.

"Thank you, Professor Liu. I will definitely have a big, healthy son who will inherit your literary talent."

"You're so sweet-talking, I'll give you another handful!" Liu Yimin said generously.

The others quickly said some auspicious words, and Liu Yimin grabbed a handful from each of them.

With a candy in his mouth, Zhu Guangqian shared his experience in raising children with Liu Yimin. Zhu Guangqian has several children and is full of parenting experience.

Before long, all the teachers and professors in the Chinese department knew that Liu Yimin was going to be a father, and they all came over to congratulate him.

Yan Jiayan said with a smile, "Yimin, you and Comrade Zhu Lin are a perfect match, your child will surely be outstanding, possessing both beauty and wisdom."

"Professor Yan, please have some more." Liu Yimin said with a smile, unwrapping a White Rabbit milk candy and handing it to Yan Jiayan.

On June 15th, Liu Yimin rode his motorcycle with Zhu Lin to the Zhu family home, buying some fruit and other gifts along the way.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhu had finished cleaning the house early in the morning. Mugwort was hanging at the door, and the smell of mugwort and food wafted into their nostrils when they opened the door.

"Mom and Dad, have you finished cooking?"

"It's all done. Anyway, we two have nothing to do, so we've done all the work. You can just come and eat."

Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin sat at the dining table. Zhu's mother brought a bowl of nutritious soup to Liu Yimin's side: "Yimin, try this. This is the freshest turtle and pigeon soup, which is even more nutritious."

When Liu Yimin opened it, he saw that there were Chinese herbs of unknown ingredients sprinkled on top of the soup.

Zhu Lin glanced at Liu Yimin, his smug look telling Liu Yimin that he was about to make an announcement.

"Mom and Dad, I'm pregnant!"

After Zhu Lin finished speaking, his parents were first surprised, then overjoyed: "Linlin, when did this happen?"

"I found out by chance during a check-up at the hospital a couple of days ago," Zhu Lin said with a smile.

Mr. Zhu repeatedly agreed, while Mrs. Zhu suggested taking Zhu Lin's pulse to see if it was true.

"You're a Western doctor, why are you taking my pulse?" Mr. Zhu said.

"I'm a Western medicine doctor, but I can also take a pulse!"

Zhu Lin stretched out her arm, and Zhu's mother took her pulse with one hand while subtly pushing the turtle and pigeon soup in front of Zhu's father with the other.

(End of this chapter)