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

Chapter 373 "Emerging from the Sky" Premiere

Yan Jiayan only overheard a few words from the moment he entered the office, but he already knew what it was about.

"So this duck isn't that tasty after all!" Yan Jiayan said casually.

Jiang Junxian said awkwardly, "I'm just offering Comrade Liu Yimin some inspiration. If he can actually write it, I'll treat all the professors in our Chinese department to Peking duck."

"So, you're just eating duck?" Yan Jiayan asked jokingly.

Liu Yimin said, "These are the leaders of our Chinese Department."

“Boss, everyone’s talking about advertising fees these days. If it’s actually published, I’ll sponsor our Chinese department with 10,000 yuan. What do you think? We should also do our part for the number one department in the world,” Jiang Junxian asked Yan Jiayan.

Yan Jiayan excitedly wiped the oil off his hands, grasped Jiang Junxian's hand, and said, "Wow, as expected of the number one restaurant in Yanjing, you have guts! Don't worry, if Professor Liu can't write it, I'll write it for you!"

Jiang Junxian thought to himself, "Who asked you to write this!"

After Jiang Junxian left, Yan Jiayan looked at Liu Yimin and said, "That guy is really generous!"

“Restaurants like Quanjude are highly profitable and never worry about customers. They’re even better than most state-owned factories, so naturally they have money,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Yan Jiayan patted Liu Yimin on the shoulder: "I was just joking with him, don't take it to heart. But this roast duck is really good, hurry up and go, it'll be gone in a bit."

When Liu Yimin arrived, all that was left was the duck skeleton.

"It's okay, I don't like roast duck, it's too greasy!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Zhu Guangqian pulled a duck leg out from under the table: "I saved this for you!"

"Professor Zhu is truly reliable." Liu Yimin took the duck leg and tasted it. He had been to Quanjude once before, but this was the first time he had eaten a whole duck leg.

Quanjude usually slices the meat into pieces, but this time it was sliced ​​from other parts of the meat, while the duck leg was left untouched.

However, Liu Yimin felt that the taste was just so-so. He wasn't a seasoned gourmet and couldn't taste the difference most of the time.

"Can you finish writing the textbook by the end of the month?" Yan Jiayan was clearly more concerned about the textbook than the 10,000 yuan sponsorship fee.

Liu Yimin picked up the documents on the table: "Professor Yan, is our internal textbook editing and review committee ready?"

"We're all ready. In addition to our school's professors, we've also invited Professor Qian Zhongshu from Tsinghua University and Professor Wang Zuoliang from the School of Foreign Languages. If our textbooks are to pass the ministry's review, we need to have them take a look beforehand. If the ministry holds an editorial review, I believe they will be among the editorial review members."

Zhu Guangqian wiped the grease from his mouth and said, "We are already wrapping things up, conducting the final internal audit. All the work will be completed around the 15th."

"Then we will hold the editing and review meeting on the 18th, and strive to send the textbooks to the ministry before December, and complete the ministry's review by the end of December."

Yan Jiayan's expression was very serious. He did not return to his office, but stayed to read the teaching materials they had compiled.

The members of the internal editorial committee included: Qian Zhongshu, Wang Zuoliang, and from Yenching University, Wang Yao, Wu Zuxiang, Ji Xianlin, and Yan Jiayan.

The overall work of several graduate students has been completed. In the last few days, they will mainly check the textbooks they have compiled for any typos.

After reviewing everything, Yan Jiayan raised several questions, which Liu Yimin explained to him one by one.

Zhu Guangqian added from the side: "We have prepared in advance for many points that may cause controversy. The information is very detailed and can withstand scrutiny."

"Good, Professor Zhu, I trust you to handle things!" Yan Jiayan said, standing up with satisfaction.

Liu Yimin said, "Professor Yan, the textbook we are currently compiling is suitable for the first and second semesters of the second year. For the third-year course on modern foreign literature and thought, I suggest that we teach some more in-depth content in the future."

Yan Jiayan stretched and said, "Let's take things one step at a time. Let's finish the textbooks first. We've been busy for half a year, it's time to reap the rewards. Your play 'The Birth of a Nation' is about to premiere, right?"

"Rehearsals for 'The Birth of a Nation' started in early September, and it's been two months by early November. It's time for the premiere. What, Professor Yan, would you like to go see it?" Liu Yimin got up and started preparing to leave work.

Yan Jiayan chuckled, holding his teacup: "Do you have any tickets?"

Yan Jiayan already knew the premiere date of "The Birth of a Nation," but he asked because he couldn't get tickets.

Liu Yimin took out the standalone copy of "The Birth of a Nation" from his bag, opened it, and took out two theater tickets tucked inside.

"I only have two tickets left. Professor Zhu, you take one, and Professor Yan, here you go!" Liu Yimin handed the tickets to the two people respectively.

Yan Jiayan reached into his bag to take out money, but Liu Yimin waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need it.

"That won't do. If I accept your ticket, I won't have the authority to speak to you as your boss. Here, here, one yuan. I paid extra for it." Yan Jiayan stuffed one yuan directly into Liu Yimin's wallet.

Zhu Guangqian took a sip of tea and said, "I'm not a leader, I can take it!"

"Hahaha!"

"Professor Liu, I heard that the tickets were basically sold out as soon as they came out. My boyfriend went to queue up on the day the tickets went on sale. He set off from Yenching University before dawn, and when he arrived, he found that there were already many people queuing up," a graduate student said enviously.

"Oh? Xiao Sun has made a friend? And is his boyfriend also from Peking University?" Liu Yimin asked.

Xiao Sun suddenly became speechless, stammering without specifying who it was.

Yan Jiayan's face darkened as he said, "You guys need to be careful. Undergraduates aren't allowed to date these days; it's very strict. There have already been several cases of students dropping out at the neighboring school. For their own good, please keep your distance at school."

"Okay, Professor Yan, I understand."

The other graduate students kept their heads down and dared not speak, as if afraid that Yan Jiayan would notice them.

"Rat tail juice!" Yan Jiayan left the office with a warning. If the relevant office of the school found out about this, even though he was the department head, he couldn't do much to help.

Liu Yimin pointed at Xiao Sun: "Things are getting tense lately, you guys be careful. Professor Yan is just looking out for you."

"Understood, Professor Liu."

Zhu Guangqian straightened his clothes, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

Liu Yimin shook his head; it's impossible to completely forbid teenage boys and girls from dating.

As Zhu Guangqian left the office, he pulled Liu Yimin aside, wanting to talk to him alone. Liu Yimin said, "Professor Zhu, we can talk about this tomorrow. I have to go back now."

"Alright, alright, we'll talk again tomorrow."

After Liu Yimin left, Zhu Guangqian shook his head and said, "Food and sex are human nature, how can we guard against this!"

After picking Zhu Lin up from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, instead of returning to the Overseas Chinese Apartment, they went to Zhu's parents' house for a meal. "Linlin, have you been busy lately?" Zhu's mother ladled a bowl of nutritious porridge for Zhu Lin.

"Mom, the final version of 'The Birth of a Nation' has been completed, so I'm not as busy anymore. Don't worry, we're usually in the rehearsal room where we're protected from the wind and rain."

Zhu Lin tasted a mouthful of porridge and thought it was delicious, so he quickly ladled a bowl for Liu Yimin.

"Don't push yourself. I know how tough it is when I was pregnant with you, working at my job, especially in the later stages of pregnancy when you have back pain and difficulty moving around," Zhu's mother advised.

Mr. Zhu said with concern, "It won't work. Wait a while, then let your mother come over to take care of you two. You're both at work, and Yimin is busy with classes and writing."

Zhu's mother nodded, thinking that since she usually had nothing to do after get off work, she could easily take on the task of grocery shopping and taking care of the children.

"Dad, Mom, let's talk about it later. We can both manage right now, and you're both very tired from work."

Zhu Lin waved his hand, disagreeing with his mother going to take care of him. Zhu's mother sighed helplessly and said she would see how things went.

Zhu's father and Liu Yimin started talking about "The Legendary Manager": "Fengzeyuan Restaurant was expensive. Back then, your mother and I had to save up for a long time before we could eat there. When we went there, Luan Xuetang was still alive. My colleagues all praised your writing, especially some of the older professors, saying it was very flavorful."

"Dad, the sales of *People's Literature* have reached 800,000 copies, most of which is thanks to *The Legendary Shopkeeper*. Also, from October to now, the standalone edition of *The Birth of a Hero* has sold 3.4 million copies, and the first print run of 6 million copies is almost sold out," Zhu Lin interjected.

The standalone edition of "The Birth of a Nation" is in ample supply, and there have been virtually no instances of stockouts lasting more than two days in various regions. In most cases, it sells out on the same night and is restocked the next morning.

Zhu's mother smiled and praised, "I think the sales will surpass 'Triumph at Midnight.' I wonder if this novel can be translated into foreign languages ​​and let foreigners see how we made the atomic bomb."

“Recently, in addition to the high sales of Yimin’s books, the sales of the standalone edition of ‘Garland Under the Mountain’ are also quite good. It has reached five million copies since its publication. The literary market is really booming lately.”

The situation after the publication of "Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain" was similar to that of "Triumphant at Midnight" at the beginning. Both sold out immediately upon release, and in some small cities, the shortage lasted for about half a month.

The main reason is that the initial print run of "Garland at the Foot of the Mountain" was too small, and the later print runs could not keep up.

“I’ve met Comrade Li Cunbao. He’s a top writer in the military right now. It’s just that the ending is a little rough. If he writes it well, the sales could go up even further.”

The original novel of "Garland at the Foot of the Mountain" ends rather abruptly, concluding with several suicide notes and two family letters (to Liang Sanxi's mother and Zhao Mengsheng's mother).

“Indeed, the author must have had concerns, which led to this situation.” Zhu’s father nodded in agreement with Liu Yimin’s opinion.

After the meal, Zhu's mother took Zhu Lin's pulse and only allowed the two to leave after confirming that there was nothing wrong with Zhu Lin's body.

A few dim streetlights outside flickered under the branches swaying in the strong wind. Zhu's father draped a military overcoat over Zhu Lin and told the two of them to be careful on the road.

"Dad, Mom, we're leaving!" Liu Yimin said.

"Slow down on the road."

The roar of the motorcycles gradually faded away in the courtyard. Everyone else in the residential compound knew, even from the windows, that the Zhu family's son-in-law and daughter had left.

Back home, the two rushed to the heating pipes to check if there was any heat. Zhu Lin touched one and said, "It's a little warm, but not hot."

"Let's go back to the room and turn on the air conditioner," Liu Yimin said, rubbing Zhu Lin's ears, which were red from the cold.

"Once the air conditioning is on, the chill on my body is basically gone." Zhu Lin tightened his military coat and stamped his feet.

"That's true, but it's better to leave it on so we don't have to warm the bed when we go to sleep."

Liu Yimin went into the bedroom and turned on the air conditioner. The current air conditioner is not very effective at heating; the bedroom is large, and since the heat rises, it takes about an hour for the temperature to change down below.

"Are you confident about the premiere? Many leaders want to attend," Liu Yimin asked with a smile.

"Don't worry, it's absolutely foolproof! Teacher Wan even watched us perform it again today, saying that the actors acted very naturally and the set design was also good. It's a pity that the nuclear explosion scene cannot be recreated. We can only have someone record the explosion sound backstage."

"You really want it to explode?" Liu Yimin said, then went into his study to start writing.

Zhu Lin sat next to the study knitting shoes for children, and when she got tired, she would pick up a book and read.

Around 10:30, Zhu Lin was dozing off while reading. Liu Yimin put down his pen and said, "Let's go back to sleep."

"Teacher Liu, I'm doomed, I'm starting to feel sleepy." Zhu Lin put down his book, rubbed his eyes, and yawned.

Liu Yimin turned off the air conditioner in the study and helped Zhu Lin back to the bedroom: "You don't need to stay in the study with me anymore."

Before they even got off work on November 12th, Yan Jiayan and Zhu Guangqian were about to set off on their bicycles when Liu Yimin twisted the throttle on his motorcycle: "Professor Zhu, how about I give you a ride? I'll bring you back tonight?"

"No need, I can ride!" Zhu Guangqian stubbornly waved his hand.

Zhu Guangqian and Yan Jiayan looked at the motorcycles speeding away and suddenly felt that the bicycles they were riding were a bit difficult to ride.

"Professor Zhu, how was your ride?" Yan Jiayan asked.

"I'm in good health. Don't let my age fool you, I can ride a bicycle without any problem."

By the time the two arrived, the play at the Beijing People's Art Theatre was about to begin.

The inspection at the entrance of the Beijing People's Art Theatre was the same as the one for the play performance commemorating the 30th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet. Someone had already come here to check it out.

The old leader and some other leaders were sitting in the front row, ready to watch. Liu Yimin sat next to them and occasionally chatted with them.

"Comrade Yimin, do you have confidence in the play?" the old leader asked.

Liu Yimin continued, "Sir, the play by the Beijing People's Art Theatre is definitely fine, you can rest assured. Of course, we can't recreate the nuclear explosion scene."

"Hahaha."

As the bell rang, the play officially began.

[Comrade Lu Guangda, are you willing to live in anonymity for the rest of your life?] After the curtain rises, the scene immediately shows Lu Guangda receiving his appointment in his office.

Yang Lixin, who plays Lu Guangda, nodded without hesitation and began to take on the important task of developing nuclear weapons for the country.

The book's powerful dialogues were brought to life by the actors' performances, eliciting frequent bursts of enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Just as Feng Shi was about to utter the words "NO, go to hell," the entire audience roared out in unison.

With tears in his eyes, the old leader held Liu Yimin's hand and said, "These actors performed so well."

(End of this chapter)