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

Chapter 382 Yimin Academic Scholarship
Quanjude donated 20,000 yuan to the Chinese Department, which was by no means a small donation. It was equivalent to donating the wealth of two people who had earned tens of thousands of yuan each, which would be worth millions in later generations.

Of course, in later generations, millions donated to a school like Yenching University would no longer be considered a lot of money.

Jiang Junxian hung up the phone, and his subordinate couldn't help but speak up again: "Manager Jiang, even in 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven,' our Quanjude restaurant isn't portrayed as a completely positive image like Luan Xuetang in 'The Legendary Shopkeeper.' Many things that happen in the show aren't honorable—such as the big restaurant bullying its customers and the practice of discarding customers after the birds are gone."

"Shall we reconsider?"

"The past is the past, and the present is the present. Quanjude is now a state-owned enterprise. What does what's written in the book have to do with us? Readers and viewers just need to remember the three words 'Quanjude' and that the roast duck is delicious. The rest has nothing to do with us," Jiang Junxian said slowly.

Seeing that his subordinates were still a little reluctant, he said, "Don't be reluctant to spend the money. We are a state-run restaurant, and supporting national education is something we should do."

After Jiang Junxian finished speaking, he dismissed his subordinates and left himself in the office to ponder how to make the "Quanjude" brand even more renowned.

As soon as Liu Yimin returned to the courtyard, Yan Jiayan called and asked him to go to the Chinese Department.

"Professor Yan, please let me rest for a while. I just got back from the airport by bus," Liu Yimin complained on the phone.

Yan Jiayan said with a smile, "Come here now, and I'll give you a massage myself."

"How could I dare!"

"Come on, just come to the Chinese department early tomorrow," Yan Jiayan instructed.

"okay!"

Liu Yimin hung up the phone while sitting in his study. Zhu Lin hadn't returned from work yet, and as usual, "People's Literature and Art" was placed on his desk.

Liu Yimin flipped through the book and glanced at it. "The Flames of War in Beiping" and "The Legendary Shopkeeper" were prominently featured inside.

Wang Meng personally wrote a recommendation in the book: "The Trilogy of the Times: Three books, one story. Open the cover, and you're immediately enveloped in the atmosphere of old Beijing in the early Republic of China. 'The Flames of War in Beiping' observes society from the perspective of a rickshaw puller, showcasing the diverse lives of ordinary people and the hidden front in a chaotic world."

Both "The Legendary Manager" and "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven" use the rise and fall of a restaurant as their main storyline, showcasing the business landscape of the catering industry in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, as well as the ups and downs of the people involved.

Liu Yimin returned to his bedroom and rested on the bed for a while, while Zhu Lin returned to the courtyard.

"Teacher Liu, I guess you should be home by now. You must be exhausted," Zhu Lin asked with concern.

Liu Yimin leaned against the headboard and said, "I dozed off for a while and I'm not sleepy anymore. How have you been feeling these past few days?"

The two sat on the edge of the bed and chatted for a while. Then Zhu's mother's voice came in. She had been taking care of Zhu Lin here for the past two days.

"Yimin is back?" Zhu's mother asked from the courtyard instead of going into the bedroom.

Liu Yimin put on his clothes and went out to greet Zhu's mother. Zhu's mother smiled and asked about her sister-in-law's health and the baby's condition, while carrying groceries she had bought on her way home from get off work.

"Liu An, that's a good name!" Zhu's mother said with a smile, then held up the dishes to show them off and asked Liu Yimin what he wanted to eat.

"Mom, thank you for your hard work these past few days," Liu Yimin said.

"It's nothing, it's not far. Besides, taking care of you is what we should do. You're both so busy with work, it's just a small favor!"

Zhu's mother asked Zhu Lin what he wanted to eat, and after receiving the answer, she happily went into the kitchen to prepare a meal.

"Teacher Liu, the script for 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven' hasn't even been written yet, but all the directors at the Beijing People's Art Theatre are already mobilized, vying for the directing rights. Teacher Liu, guess who will get it? Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin are both in the kitchen picking vegetables."

“I think Director Xia Chun is in it!” Liu Yimin said without hesitation.

Zhu Lin asked, "Why?"

"Because Director Xia Chun worked with Director Jiao Juyin on 'Teahouse' back then, he has a good grasp of Beijing-style drama. Teacher Wan takes this script very seriously, so he won't be casual when choosing actors. Besides, Director Xia Chun alone isn't enough; we need to find other people," Liu Yimin explained his analysis.

Zhu Lin thinks he would choose Lin Zhaohua or Ouyang Shanzun, while Liu Yimin thinks there are many candidates for the second director, and it's not certain who it will be.

"As soon as this novel came out, your dad read it all night, finishing all three parts without sleeping. He kept praising how well you wrote it," Zhu's mother interjected.

Zhu's mother cooked several dishes, and left after the meal, saying she didn't want to disturb the young couple's private conversation.

Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin stood at the door, telling Zhu's mother to ride her bicycle slowly on the way home and to call when she got home.

"Don't worry, things aren't so chaotic these days!" said Zhu's mother.

The two stood at the alley entrance, only closing the gate after watching the bicycle turn and disappear. Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin sat in the study and talked for a while, mainly discussing their reactions to the premiere of "The Legendary Shopkeeper".

The premiere happened to be on the day Liu Yimin returned home, and for the first time, he did not appear at the premiere of his own work.

"The actors' performances and the audience's response were both very good, but it was definitely not as good as 'The Birth of a Nation,' which is still in high demand and hard to get tickets for."

The two chatted in the study for an hour, then went back to the bedroom and chatted in each other's arms for a while before finally drifting off to sleep.

The next day, after dropping Zhu Lin off at the entrance of Beijing People's Art Theatre, Liu Yimin didn't go inside but rode his motorcycle directly to Yenching University.

If you were to get into the Beijing People's Art Theatre, you'd be surrounded by several directors, and it wouldn't be easy to get away for a while.

Upon arriving at the Chinese Literature Department, the entire department was filled with a cheerful atmosphere. Wang Yao, seeing Liu Yimin, exclaimed with a smile, "Oh, isn't this Wen Liangwan back!"

"Hmm?" Liu Yimin frowned, looking puzzled.

Wang Yao said smugly, "An article is worth 20,000, so isn't that 20,000 for an article?"

Wang Yao wore a black woolen hat, with a book tucked under his arm, looking like a kind old man. In his youth, Wang Yao was a dashing young man, but now his white hair is so thick that even the hat can't hide it.

"Professor Wang, I think our Chinese Department at Yenching University should learn from the Chinese Department at Beijing Normal University. The senior professors at Beijing Normal University aren't as knowledgeable as you."

"They don't have my level of education!"

Liu Yimin laughed: "I don't know anyone as playful as you!"

"What do they know? They just bury their heads in books." Wang Yao dusted off her clothes, exuding an air of superiority.

As I entered the office, several senior professors kept repeating "20,000 for literature" to me. The young lecturer from the Chinese department heard this in the corridor and tried hard to suppress the corners of his mouth.

"Professor Wu, I'd like to ask, who gave you this nickname?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile.

Wu Zuxiang waved his hand and said, "It cannot be said, it cannot be said. How can a gentleman betray others!"

“I think it must have been you who said it,” Liu Yimin said.

Sitting opposite Liu Yimin, Wu Zuxiang looked up, stared at him for a long time, and said, "You have no evidence, so you can't just make things up!"

He then changed the subject with a smile, saying, "Although you have no evidence, you guessed right!"

In the office, several senior professors burst into laughter upon hearing this. They glanced around, and Sun Yushi was the one laughing the loudest.

This Chinese literature department is so unprofessional!

"What are you laughing at?" Yan Jiayan asked, pushing open the door.

Sun Yushi said, "We are talking about the relationship between evidence and facts, and how to get the right answer even without evidence."

Yan Jiayan looked bewildered, but he didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he pulled Liu Yimin into his office.

"I didn't expect the manager of Quanjude to be such a considerate person. He took it seriously even though it was just a joke, and not only that, he also donated double the amount by 20,000 yuan."

Yan Jiayan felt that 10,000 yuan was already quite a lot, so Jiang Junxian's 20,000 yuan made him uneasy. He even wondered if Manager Jiang had some kind of leverage over the Chinese Department. Liu Yimin comforted him, "Professor Yan, didn't he say that this is support for higher education? They won't lose money with 20,000 yuan. If you feel it's inappropriate, just take 10,000 yuan from him."

Yan Jiayan raised an eyebrow and quickly said, "How can that be? The department can't dampen Manager Jiang's enthusiasm for donations!"

Seeing Yan Jiayan like this, Liu Yimin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Yan Jiayan plans to divide the 20,000 yuan into four parts: one part will be used to upgrade the teaching conditions of the office building, such as installing electric fans in the offices; another part will be used to purchase materials, teaching equipment, etc.; and the remaining part will be used to give year-end subsidies to young teachers during the Spring Festival.

Young teachers have low salaries and life is not easy in Yenching University. Some are married, but their spouses are not yet employed, and they rely entirely on their salaries to support their families.

"I'm going to give you the other part as a reward. What do you think?" Yan Jiayan asked with a smile.

Seeing Liu Yimin's reaction, Yan Jiayan asked, "What? Are you surprised?"

"Professor Yan, I am indeed quite surprised."

"I've heard that some companies are now promoting the principle of 'the more you work, the more you earn,' and I think our Chinese literature department should follow suit. Twenty thousand yuan is no small sum. My salary is only a little over one hundred yuan a month; this is what I've earned in many years."

Yan Jiayan felt that it would be unreasonable and morally wrong not to give Liu Yimin some money.

According to Yan Jiayan's instructions, Liu Yimin should be given a "commission" of five thousand yuan. Liu Yimin thought about it while drinking tea. He didn't need the money now, so there was no point in taking it.

Moreover, once the five thousand yuan reaches Liu Yimin, it will inevitably undergo a financial audit or a debate over whether it is in accordance with regulations.

"Professor Yan, I won't take this money. If you really want to give it, I think it would be better to set up a scholarship in our Chinese department to help students from poor families and those who excel in their studies."

"This is five thousand yuan! You really don't want it?" Yan Jiayan asked again.

Liu Yimin smiled without saying a word, while Yan Jiayan took a deep breath and said, "Then let's do it this way. I thank you on behalf of those impoverished students."

In the 1980s, many students at Yenching University came from impoverished families, unlike in later years when the student body was increasingly composed of middle-class and wealthy families.

The day when higher education reforms will begin and tuition fees for university will soon arrive. If Daqiangzi had been born a few years earlier, he wouldn't have had to rely on the entire village to pool money and eggs to go to school.

On January 3, 1984, the Chinese Department of Yenching University held a donation ceremony, giving Quanjude the face it wanted. Quanjude even brought several newspaper reporters.

Inside the large classroom, festive banners hung, and a red tablecloth covered the front row of the stage. Not only the Chinese Department attended the ceremony, but also President Zhang Longxiang and Ji Xianlin.

In front of reporters, Jiang Junxian talked about the brilliance of "The Best Restaurant in the World" and the importance of education to the country, making quite a splash in front of the reporters.

Zhang Longxiang, Ji Xianlin, and Yan Jiayan expressed their gratitude to Jiang Junxian and stated in front of the media that Yenching University will live up to the trust and support of all sectors of society and strive to cultivate more talents for the socialist modernization drive.

The reporter asked Liu Yimin several questions, including where the writing ideas for "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven" came from.

"Actually, after finishing 'The Legendary Manager,' I always felt that there was still much to write about regarding the food culture of Yanjing (Beijing). When I thought about Yanjing, everyone was talking about Quanjude's roast duck. This roast duck... Later, Manager Jiang approached me. Manager Jiang is a thoughtful person. Fearing that I might not be able to sort things out clearly, he compiled the history of Quanjude for me and gave it to me."
Later, as everyone saw, this book came to be.

Manager Jiang contributed 20,000 yuan, and Liu Yimin's few words of praise made him feel that the 20,000 yuan was well spent.

"Comrade Liu Yimin, some people say that if this novel were adapted into a stage play, it would be another classic work by the Beijing People's Art Theatre after 'Teahouse.' What do you think?" the reporter asked.

Liu Yimin said, "Thank you for your support. We'll have to wait and see how it turns out after the rehearsals. But I have faith in the talent of the directors and actors at Beijing People's Art Theatre. As for comparing it to 'Teahouse,' I would say that 'Teahouse' is a banner of old Beijing literature, something we should all strive to emulate."

The reporter asked again: "Teahouse is a banner of old Beijing literature. After Mr. Lao She passed away, this banner was put back in its place. Comrade Liu Yimin, do you think you have carried this banner?"

"Comrade, do I have a flag on me right now?" Liu Yimin pretended to look up, which amused the reporters and many professors.

"Comrade Liu Yimin, this is an invisible flag!"

"Since it's an invisible flag, whether it exists or not isn't up to me. If you can see it, then it exists; if you can't see it, then it doesn't exist. Let the readers decide!"

Liu Yimin ended the interview with a joke.

After the reporter left, Yan Jiayan looked at Zhang Longxiang and Ji Xianlin, exchanged a glance, and then announced to the crowd: "Comrades, this money is for the Chinese Department. As you all probably know, it was brought from Quanjude by Professor Liu Yimin."

Professor Liu Yimin is a truly meritorious individual. This money can improve the conditions of our office building and buy a lot of teaching supplies. The department originally planned to award Professor Liu Yimin 5000 yuan, but he declined, deciding to set up the money as a scholarship to support the studies of students from impoverished families and those with outstanding academic performance.

A round of applause erupted from the audience. Zhu Guangqian said to Wu Zuxiang beside him, "Yimin did a good job. Five thousand yuan can help many students."

"Hey, you've done something big without making a sound," Wu Zuxiang chimed in.

Zhang Longxiang waved his hand to stop the discussion below: "Comrades, in order to thank Professor Liu Yimin for his contributions, the school has decided to set this scholarship as the Yimin Academic Scholarship. Every year, eight students from the first to third year of the Chinese Department will be selected for the scholarship. Three students with excellent academic performance will receive a scholarship of 100 yuan per year, and five students from impoverished families will receive a scholarship of 80 yuan per year."

In the future, the Chinese Department will continue to fund the Yimin Academic Scholarship through various means to support more students in completing their studies.

In addition to the original 5000 yuan that the Chinese Department was going to give Liu Yimin, it set up another 5000 yuan, for a total of 10,000 yuan to establish a scholarship.

Even if the department only has 10,000 yuan left, it's enough to install fans and issue subsidies, so they can only buy fewer teaching materials.

As soon as Zhang Longxiang finished speaking, Liu Yimin looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Ji Xianlin smiled and said, "Comrade Yimin doesn't know yet, but Comrade Yimin shouldn't refuse. I remember you published an article in the newspaper before, saying that naming a literary prize after a famous person can enhance the prize's influence."

We did this to encourage our classmates to learn from you. Comrades, let's give you a round of applause!

All eyes were fixed on Liu Yimin, and everyone was all smiles.

On January 3, 1984, the Yimin Academic Scholarship of the Chinese Department of Yenching University was officially established.

After the meeting was adjourned, the Chinese Department office quickly posted a notice – “Notice on the Establishment of the Yimin Academic Scholarship and the Selection of Scholarship Recipients in 1983”.

The notice detailed the selection criteria, and the selection process combined application and departmental evaluation.

Those with excellent grades are easy to select, but those who are poor are difficult because there are too many people.

The reporter left, but Jiang Junxian remained. Upon hearing that Yenching University had used the money to establish a scholarship, he immediately guaranteed that once Quanjude became profitable, it would continue to contribute to the scholarship.

"Comrade Yimin, thank you so much! It's wonderfully written. I've read it twice since it was published. No wonder everyone says you're the best in the literary world!" Jiang Junxian gave a thumbs up.

"Manager Jiang, please don't flatter me. Thank you for the 20,000 yuan."

Jiang Junxian patted his chest and declared that Liu Yimin could eat duck for free at Quanjude in the future, just like at Fengzeyuan, no matter how many people he brought or how much they ate: "Actually, we not only have delicious duck, but also many other dishes!"

Liu Yimin put his arm around Jiang Junxian's shoulder and stuffed some money into his pocket: "Manager Jiang, help me deliver a few ducks to the editorial department of People's Literature and Art. Don't take the money out of my pocket, just take it!"

After Manager Jiang left, the Chinese Department of Yenching University became incredibly lively. Students who were originally preparing for final exams were now excited upon seeing the scholarship announcement. Some were eager to apply for the academic excellence scholarship, while others were writing applications for financial aid.

The young teachers were also happy, as each of them would receive a year-end bonus of several tens of yuan. They all went to Liu Yimin's side to say thank you.

"Thank you, Professor Liu."

After hearing it so many times, Liu Yimin simply closed the door and forbade anyone to come in.

Wu Zuxiang said with a smile, "You closed the door, but we're still inside. We old folks have to thank you. Next summer, we'll all have fans to cool us down."

Sun Yushi turned around and said, "Thank you, Professor Liu."

"Hahaha!"

(End of this chapter)