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

Chapter 401 Zhu Lin Wins Another Award
As May arrived, the weather gradually warmed up. Liu Yimin, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, first arrived at the courtyard house. He pushed open the heavy wooden door, where the bamboo grove in front of the screen wall was crooked and twisted, and the crabapple and ginkgo trees in the courtyard had already sprouted green leaves.

Although he hasn't been living here recently, Liu Yimin still comes to visit from time to time, mainly to take care of the apple trees planted in the three courtyards.

The low-lying apple tree has blossomed after careful watering. A circular base of bricks has been built around the base of the tree, and the soil inside still shows traces of the last watering.

After seeing this, Liu Yimin stopped watering the trees. Too much moisture in the soil is also bad; if the soil is too wet, the apple trees will grow too "watery" and their roots won't be firmly established.

After looking at the apple tree, I checked the doors and windows in the yard one by one. Only after confirming that the doors and windows were intact as before I left did I feel relieved. Then I picked up a broom and started cleaning.

Sweeping from the front of the yard to the back was exhausting for Liu Yimin. The winds are strong between winter and spring, bringing in a lot of dirt.

After sweeping, Liu Yimin sprinkled water on the yard again. The pleasant feeling of late spring and early summer immediately filled the yard.

After resting in the rocking chair for a while, I got up and went to the screen wall to tidy up the bamboo grove. I pulled out the withered and dead bamboo, straightened the fallen bamboo, and trimmed the ones that didn't look good.

The yard was almost cleaned up. Wang Yijun, accompanied by a cook and an apprentice, came into the yard and said, looking at the freshly cleaned area, "Comrade Yimin, if I had known we needed to clean, I would have told you. Many hands make light work."

Your hands, so adept at writing and painting, are hardly suited for cleaning!

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "I used to use this to hold a hoe."

Liu Yimin led them to the kitchen and let the three of them tour the kitchen to see how the dishes were cooked.

"I'll have to trouble you to prepare more dishes then. They said there would be about fifteen people. It would be bad if we ran out of food if more people came."

Before Wang Yijun arrived, Liu Yimin explained to them in advance that they must be paid for the materials.

Wang Yijun glanced at the kitchen and said, "The kitchen is big enough, but the stove is too small. How about this, we'll cook in the third courtyard and have someone build a few earthen stoves, while everyone eats in the second courtyard or the main room."

"Okay, whatever you say!"

After looking at the layout of the courtyard, Wang Yijun found several skilled stove builders in the afternoon and had them build two stoves in the back using mud and bricks.

Liu Yimin gave each of the three stove builders a red envelope, which they accepted with smiles after initially declining.

On May 10th, Liu Fuqing, along with his elder brother Liu Yiguo and sister-in-law Gu Ping, arrived in Yanjing with their child. Liu Yimin arranged for them to stay in a courtyard house.

Liu Yimin held his nephew Liu An and teased him a few times. Instead of being shy, Liu An giggled non-stop.

Sister-in-law Gu Ping said, "Fortunately, the timing was staggered. An'an is five months old and has no problem going out. If the timing had been too close, we really wouldn't have been able to bring her to Yanjing."

"Sister-in-law, you've taken such good care of Xiao Liu, he's so chubby," Liu Yimin said.

Gu Ping laughed and said, "What's there to raise? This child was chubby from birth. How much did Liu Yu and Liu Lin weigh?"

“Both weigh four and a half pounds!” Liu Yimin said.

"I can understand, they're twins!"

Liu Fuqing said anxiously, "Take us to the west to take a look. It's a waste of time to chat here. We can talk on the way. Let An'an meet the two siblings."

Liu Yimin led them onto a bus to the Overseas Chinese Apartment. Just like when Yang Xiuyun came to Yanjing, the three of them were shocked by the place they were staying in.

Yang Xiuyun and Zhu's mother stood on the balcony with their child and waved to everyone. Upon seeing this, Liu Fuqing immediately doubled his pace.

When they got inside and were about to hold the child, Yang Xiuyun chased them to the bathroom to wash their hands and face.

In the bathroom, Yang Xiuyun taught Liu Fuqing how to use the faucet and the toilet, and how to lather his hands with soap twice.

Liu Fuqing said, "I haven't been in Yanjing for long, but I've already become just as particular as people in the city."

“My in-laws are doctors at the hospital, so what she says must be correct.”

After washing up, she went to the living room, picked up her eldest grandson, and played with both her grandson and granddaughter.

"Father-in-laws, you've been helping take care of the two children all this time. It's really been hard on you. This should have been our job as an old couple," Liu Fuqing said warmly and sincerely.

Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Zhu quickly declined with smiles, saying that Yang Xiuyun deserved more credit, and that they themselves hadn't contributed much during their regular workdays.

Zhu's parents hugged Liu An and praised him, saying they had raised the child well.

The two families met in a harmonious atmosphere. The elder sister-in-law held Zhu Lin's hand and exchanged parenting experiences and health information.

"Father-in-laws, you must be tired from your long train journey. Let's start eating!" Zhu's father called out.

Yang Xiuyun said regretfully, "Oh right, I forgot about that. We need to eat quickly; it's all still warm in the pot!"

Yang Xiuyun and Zhu's mother cooked many dishes together, some of which were kept warm in the pot, and others were covered with plates.

On the table were cold dishes such as shredded bamboo shoots, cold vermicelli, and wood ear mushrooms with tofu skin, as well as a number of hearty dishes such as braised pork ribs, pig's trotters, and stir-fried fish.

Because there were so many people, they also made noodles and other staple foods.

Liu Fuqing was exhausted from the journey, but he forgot his fatigue and hunger while holding the child. He ate and laughed as he played with little Liu Lin.

Zhu's father chatted with his eldest brother, Liu Yiguo, mainly about issues related to the coal industry. After listening to Liu Yiguo's explanation, Zhu's father said, "Our coal mine production methods are still very primitive. With so many small coal mines, if supervision is inadequate, the safety of workers cannot be guaranteed."

Upon hearing this, Liu Fuqing immediately looked up and recounted the “mining accident” that had happened to Liu Yiguo.

Liu Yiguo said, "Therefore, I am deeply aware of the importance of coal mine safety. Accidents can occur even in national coal mines, let alone these small coal mines. We are extremely cautious when we are conducting inspections."

But as you know, water flows quickly, and local economic development requires effective supervision. Fortunately, the leadership of the mining bureau is very supportive of my work.

"Is Director Yang still the leader of the mining bureau?" Liu Yimin asked.

"Now Director Yang holds both Party and government positions!"

"It seems that Director Yang is quite responsible."

Zhu's father, a professor of science and engineering, spoke eloquently about the development of the coal mining industry and coal mining technology, and even suggested that the country should support the research and development of coal mining equipment.

Since Liu Yiguo became a leader, he has become more talkative. He doesn't quite understand some of the technical things Zhu's father says, but he can easily respond to them.

“You have ideas, and you’re not bureaucratic. I think you should study more and climb the ranks,” Zhu’s father praised.

Liu Yiguo honestly said, "I never thought about becoming a cadre before; I was just a coal miner. I just wanted to earn more money with my shovel and plow to improve my family's situation. I was able to get out of the mine thanks to Yimin. Back then, Yimin became a writer and was admitted to Yenching University. Director Yang wanted Yimin to tutor her daughter, so she transferred me out of the mine."

"No matter how you got out, opportunity is important, but ability is also important. If you don't have the ability and can't get to the position of deputy section chief, Yimin's influence in the mining bureau will ultimately be limited."

Zhu's father earnestly told Liu Yiguo that if he wanted to do more, he had to make progress. If there were things he didn't like, he could gradually change them as he rose through the ranks.

"Now there are self-study exams, right? You can take the self-study exams and get a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is enough for a unit like the Mining Bureau."

Liu Yiguo happily raised his glass and said, "Uncle, that's what I think too. I haven't thought that far ahead. I just want to get a degree and fulfill my dream of going to university."

Because Liu Yiguo was going back to the courtyard house, he wasn't allowed to drink too much. That evening, Liu Yimin escorted them back to the courtyard house. Liu Fuqing was still immersed in joy and hadn't quite shaken off the mood, humming a Henan opera tune.

Liu Yimin told his sister-in-law and brother about the location of the rice, flour, and oil in the courtyard kitchen, so that they could cook for themselves the next day.

"If you really don't want to, there's a new restaurant that just opened at the entrance of the alley. Try the braised pork offal from old Yanjing."

Sister-in-law Gu Ping said with a look of disapproval, "I'm not Yano from 'The Legendary Shopkeeper,' who likes to eat that pungent stuff. But I saw on TV that the Yanjing douzhi and jiaoquan looked pretty good, I can try them tomorrow."

Douzhi (fermented mung bean juice)? You're so confused, sister-in-law! That stuff is several times more dangerous than braised pork offal!

Liu Yimin didn't say anything, but instead said with a smile, "There's braised pork and fermented bean juice at the entrance, you can eat whatever you want."

The next day, after tasting the fermented mung bean juice, the sister-in-law came to the Overseas Chinese Apartment and never said she liked fermented mung bean juice again. She said that some things are best enjoyed only once, and if it's fermented mung bean juice, one sip is enough.

The eldest brother, Liu Yiguo, laughed and said, "On the way here, your sister-in-law said that people in Yanjing have such heavy tastes. They've eaten too much good food, so they've started to try strange and unusual things."

On May 12th, the courtyard gradually became lively as Mr. Wang Yijun, the patriarch of the third courtyard, led the chef to prepare ingredients and cook.

Around 10 o'clock, Cao Yu and his wife, along with Wan Fang, were the first to arrive in the courtyard, stuffing red envelopes into the small cotton quilts of Liu Yu and Liu Lin. The eldest brother and sister-in-law's son was also not left out.

After a while, Xia Yan led Shen Yun into the courtyard. Shen Yun kept teasing Liu Yu and Liu Lin, using candy to entice the two little ones.

"Brother Yimin, Sister Zhulin, my parents said you two are amazing for having two children."

Shen Yun's words amused everyone, but also left Xia Yan feeling a bit helpless, thinking to herself why her son and daughter-in-law said all sorts of things in front of the child.

"From now on, you'll help your older brother take care of the younger brothers and sisters!" Liu Yimin said with a smile, grabbing another handful of candy for Shen Yun.

"When they get older, I'll tell them stories."

"it is good."

Li Yuru laughed and said, "Shen Yun's tongue is really smooth!"

Cao Yu and Xia Yan went to the third courtyard to meet Wang Yijun; the three of them had met before.

Cao Yu said, "Comrade Yijun, thank you. We are in for a treat today."

"Dean Wan, Vice Chairman Shen (Literary Federation), don't worry, I, Old Wang, will make sure you enjoy this meal to the fullest," Wang Yijun said happily.

When Cao Yu and Xia Yan came out, the apprentices and students curiously looked at their backs. Wang Yijun said, "Cooking good food is our duty. Comrade Yimin said it was a family banquet, and Dean Wan came because he is a teacher. Why is Comrade Xia Yan here too?"

Afterwards, Cui Daoyi and Zhang Guangnian also arrived. The two had asked Liu Yimin yesterday when the baby's one-month celebration would be held, and Liu Yimin had no choice but to tell them.

When it was almost time to eat, Liu Yimin invited Wang Yijun to come out and eat as well, but Wang Yijun declined, saying, "Comrade Yimin, there are rules for chefs. We can just eat in the back."

As the two entered the third, second, and first courtyards, the sound of firecrackers rang out. Senior Brother Cui Daoyi acted as the firecracker operator, setting off the firecrackers with great enthusiasm.

Wang Yijun's apprentice and another apprentice were in charge of serving the dishes. Liu Yimin came out from the third courtyard and was stunned when he saw the green military uniform with red collar tabs in the courtyard: "Old commander, what brings you here?"

The old leader said, feigning seriousness, "If you don't welcome me, then I'll leave?"

"What are you saying? Of course you're welcome!"

At the dinner table, Liu Fuqing, Yang Xiuyun, and Zhu's parents had their hearts pounding, and none of them knew what to say.

The old leader took Liu Fuqing's hand and asked, "Comrade Fuqing, I heard you're the production team leader?"

"Yes, I am the captain," Liu Fuqing said, flattered.

How have the harvests been in recent years?

Yang Xiuyun quickly chimed in, "The harvest is good, and there's enough food to eat now. Everyone is working very hard. If there were more fertilizer, every household's granary wouldn't be able to hold it all."

"That's good, that's good. Let's eat our fill first, then we'll eat well, one step at a time! You've raised a good son who has made a lot of contributions to our country. You are also a revolutionary family. Yimin's uncle and Comrade Fuqing both made significant contributions to the founding of New China."

Liu Yimin really wanted to ask the old leader how he knew about the full moon celebration, but in the end he didn't ask.

When the chef and apprentice who were serving the dishes saw the old leader, their plates tilted and they almost slipped. They went back to tell Wang Yijun, who then quickly came out to greet the old leader.

"Comrade Yijun, it's been a long time since I've had your cooking."

"Old Chief, what would you like to eat? I'll make it again."

"That's fine. I'm just an uninvited guest. I'll eat whatever the host makes."

Liu Yimin quickly said, "Old Chief, it's not that I didn't want to invite you, it's just that I thought you were too busy."

"Haha, whether you invite me or not, I'm here anyway. Comrade Fuqing, I live not far away. If you ever come to Yanjing in the future, remember to visit me."

Liu Fuqing's head was buzzing. Such a high-ranking official invited me to visit? Not knowing what to say, he just nodded and said okay.

"Everyone, don't be shy, eat your meal. Don't let my presence ruin the meal."

After eating for a while, Xia Yan said, "I have some good news to tell Yimin and Comrade Zhu Lin today."

The old leader smiled and said, "Old Shen, what's the matter? Tell me about it."

"This year's Hundred Flowers Awards and Golden Rooster Awards have nominations for Yi Min's films, as well as for Comrade Zhu Lin's films. 'Triumph at Midnight' and 'Acacia Tree in the Minefield' both won awards!"

Zhu Lin exchanged a happy glance with Liu Yimin, and Cao Yu said, "Old Shen, I remember you were the one who told Xiao Lin the good news when he won his first award!"

"Haha, I went to the Beijing People's Art Theatre specifically back then."

The old commander said, "It is well-deserved, truly well-deserved. It has been more than a year since 'Triumph at Midnight' was released, and the troops still love this movie. Countless soldiers have watched it."

"Comrade Zhu Lin couldn't pick up the script last time because he was rehearsing 'Red River Valley,' so this time it's a relief," Xia Yan said.

"Red River Valley is also a good script. The plays 'Red River Valley' and 'Mountains High and Rivers Long' from the 'Homeland Trilogy' have been adapted into films and plays that have received a very good response in Sichuan and Tibet. Our excellent literary and artistic works should be able to educate people and inspire the spirit of the masses."

The old leader was in high spirits. During the meal, he hugged Liu Yu and Liu Lin, and even Liu An was not left out.

They also inquired about Liu Yiguo's work at the mining bureau, turning a one-month celebration into a large-scale investigation into the situation at the grassroots level.

Hearing Liu Yiguo's stuttering voice, Liu Fuqing cursed inwardly that this kid was not even as good as himself.

"Working at the grassroots level is very tiring. With various national reforms, there's always the possibility of negative consequences. Those working at the grassroots level must be able to withstand tests and temptations!"

Thank you to the generous donor, Hunshi Qilang, for the 2000 coins!
Thank you to the generous reader "自扰者忧天588" for the generous donation.

(End of this chapter)