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

Chapter 407 A Letter from Márquez

As Zhu Lin and Gong Xue received their awards and stepped off the stage, the atmosphere at the Jinan Gymnasium became even more enthusiastic.

After Zhi went on stage to accept the Best Supporting Actor award, Liu Yimin's appearance on stage brought the awards ceremony to a climax.

Liu Yimin won the Best Screenplay Award for "Triumph at Midnight". After taking the stage, the host asked Liu Yimin with a smile how he felt.

"Winning the screenwriting award is thanks to the director's filming and the actors' hard work. The commanders and soldiers on the front lines made huge sacrifices for the film. We thank them for their contributions to the film and even more so for their contributions to the country. We can celebrate the Hundred Flowers Award and the Golden Rooster Award here because of their steadfast service on the border."

At the front-line camps and on hilltops where conditions allowed, soldiers wore thin summer clothes, some even wrapping their shirts around their waists, and squatted by the radios to listen to Liu Yimin's speech.

"According to the comrades who were relocated, the filming was taken right here on this hill!" The soldiers rested their rifles on their shoulders and talked excitedly.

The border defense regiment where the film crew had once served was relocated to the rear. Before the awards ceremony began, everyone watched the movie "Triumph at Midnight" on the playground and then listened to the radio.

A soldier who participated in the filming recounted the story to others: "The roasted mutton at the farewell dinner—I still dream about it, it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I even have a photo with Comrade Liu Yimin; he was so young then, just married. Hey, he has kids now."

"Platoon Leader Chen often tells stories about Comrade Liu Yimin. I don't know if they will be able to meet this time when I go to Yanjing to participate in the military parade."

"Xizi, given that guy's personality, he'll definitely go if he has the time. But organizational discipline is there, so he probably won't have the time."

In 84, during the grand military parade, Chen Qiuxi, as a meritorious individual, successfully passed the selection process and went to Yanjing.

At Jinan Stadium, the host asked Liu Yimin with ill intent whether his play "The Stage" could be adapted into a film.

"This isn't about me, it's about all the directors," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"It seems like a lot of people are dissatisfied lately?"

Liu Yimin said calmly, "Who are these 'many people'? Everyone around me is satisfied!"

"Comrade Liu Yimin's friends must be satisfied, which reminds me of the old saying, 'One-sided listening leads to darkness, while listening to both sides leads to enlightenment.' What do you think?" the host pressed.

"Are the people next to you dissatisfied? If they are, I suggest you think about why. There's an old saying that birds of a feather flock together."

The host was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond. Liu Yimin raised the trophy with his right hand, looked at the audience below, and asked loudly, "Are you all satisfied?"

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted, and shouts of "satisfaction" echoed throughout the venue.

Liu Yimin nodded slightly to the host and walked off the stage. Finally, he presented special awards to films such as "Crossing the Chishui River Four Times," and many other colleagues in the fields of technology, photography, and props also received corresponding awards.

From this perspective, the Golden Rooster Awards are more comprehensive than the Hundred Flowers Awards.

"Next, we will present the awards for the 7th Hundred Flowers Film Awards. The winners of the Best Feature Film Award are 'Triumph at Midnight,' 'Acacia Tree in the Minefield,' 'Our Cowherd,' 'Ward No. 16,' 'The Story That Shouldn't Have Happened,' 'Under the Bridge,' and 'Blood Is Always Hot.'"

The Hundred Flowers Awards have more winners in each category than the Golden Rooster Awards, with a total of seven films winning the Best Feature Film award.

Li Jun and Wang Yan were practically laughing so hard their jaws dropped. They placed the trophies in their hands into Liu Yimin's arms and said, "Yimin, you sit here. We'll go and bring back two more trophies for you!"

Wei Lian, the assistant director of "The Acacia Tree in the Minefield," also joined them. Their voices were filled with heroic fervor; one might mistake them for Jing Ke, who was about to assassinate the King of Qin.

Liu Yimin listened to their acceptance speeches and laughed, "You don't have to mention my name every time!"

"Yimin, when 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven' wins a drama award, I'll also say a few words of praise for you," Yu Shizhi said with a smile.

Next, it was almost Zhu Lin's turn to receive the Hundred Flowers Award, but her mind was no longer on the event.

Yang Xiuyun stayed at the guesthouse with her two children, and Zhu Lin was afraid that if the children started making a fuss, Yang Xiuyun wouldn't be able to control them.

The winners of the Best Actress award are: Zhu Lin (Triumphant at Midnight), Gong Xue (Under the Bridge), Li Ling (Under the Bridge), and Hong Xuemin (Sweet Girl).

The film "Under the Bridge" produced two actresses who won the Best Actress award, a feat that has made many directors and actors envious.

When Zhu Lin walked onto the stage this time, the host didn't ask her any more questions. Zhu Lin smiled as she held up the Hundred Flowers Award trophy and smoothly delivered her acceptance speech.

In response to the host, Zhu Lin smiled and extended an invitation to the audience to watch the play "The Stage"—"I am a drama director at Beijing People's Art Theatre. I believe that this play will be another classic play after 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven'. The chattering will not make 'The Stage' lose the love of readers and audiences. On the contrary, it will highlight the value of 'The Stage'."

The host turned his head backstage, regretting asking that stupid question.

After Zhu Lin stepped down from the stage, Gong Xue expressed her support for "The Stage" and talked about the actors' reactions to "The Stage" on set.

At this time, Chen Peisi had not yet experienced a series of changes and could not feel a spiritual connection to "The Stage." He and Zhu Shimao simply felt that the "comedy" truly touched their hearts.

With Gong Xue leading the way, the subsequent award winners all intentionally or unintentionally mentioned their support for "The Stage".

The awards ceremonies for the Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards came to a close amidst the sound of music.

Those holding trophies stood in one group chatting, while those without trophies stood in another group, glaring at the first group with envy.

After Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin greeted everyone, they were about to leave when Gong Xue came over and handed Liu Yimin a letter: "Comrade Liu Yimin, this is what Director Huang asked me to give you. There are also buttons that Comrade Zhang Huamei gave you inside."

"Thank you, Comrade Gong Xue, for your remarks."

Gong Xue hugged the two trophies to her chest and laughed, "It's about speaking up for justice! Besides, we all thought it was great after watching it, and everyone was laughing non-stop. Comrade Chen Peisi said that when he returns to Yanjing, he wants to learn your humorous comedic style!"

"How's the filming going?"

"Filming will be finished in about a month," Gong Xue said, then, seeing Liu Yimin about to leave, added, "Comrade Zhang Huamei would like to ask you for an autograph, would you like that?"

Liu Yimin signed his name on the standalone edition of "Buttons" and wrote four words for Zhang Huamei: "Reform Pioneer".

Several directors tried to approach Liu Yimin, but were entangled by Wang Yan, Li Jun, and Wei Lian. Liu Yimin, Zhu Lin, and Yu Shizhi quickly left the venue and returned to the guesthouse.

Walking back into the guesthouse corridor, Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the two little ones giggling inside.

Yang Xiuyun usually takes care of them. Although Zhu Lin is not around, the two little ones don't make a fuss as long as they are not hungry.

Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin knocked on the door, and the moment they saw the two of them, they burst into tears.

The two placed the trophies on the table and each hugged one, coaxing it to itself.

So, he used his trophy to amuse the two children until they laughed, then said goodbye to Liu Yimin and went back to his room to rest.

"This is the trophy? It looks exactly like the one at home." Yang Xiuyun held the trophy up to the light bulb and examined it curiously.

“Mom, the ones at home are the ones Linlin won last time. They’re all the same prizes, so of course they’re identical,” Liu Yimin said.

Yang Xiuyun weighed it in her hand and said regretfully, "It would be better if it were gold."

Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin exchanged a smile, and Zhu Lin said, "If this were gold, it would cost a lot of money!"

The following day, the organizing committees of the Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards held a tea party. Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin did not attend. Instead, they took their child and Yang Xiuyun to visit Daming Lake and Baotu Spring in Jinan.

In Daming Lake, Liu Yimin couldn't help but recite the poem by the "Poet Saint" Zhang Zongchang: "Daming Lake, Daming Lake is big, there are lotus flowers in Daming Lake, and there are toads on the lotus flowers."

“There are no lotus flowers in the river in my hometown, but there are frogs!” Yang Xiuyun said with a smile.

Holding a child makes it difficult to walk for long, and the hot weather further dampens the mood for sightseeing at Daming Lake.

Liu Yimin took a few photos, and in the afternoon he took the train back to Yanjing with Yu Shizhi, Li Jun, Wang Yan and others.

Liu Yimin originally wanted to take a plane, but later gave up the idea because he thought his child was too young.

After getting off the train, the family first went back to the courtyard house to sleep for the night before returning to the Overseas Chinese Apartment. The newspapers in Yanjing carried news of the winners of the Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards. Photos of Zhu Lin and Gong Xue on the same stage were printed in the newspapers, and their appearances became a topic of discussion among readers, eventually leading to the consensus that "Zhu Lin in the North and Gong Xue in the South".

Zhu Lin publicly revealed her relationship with Liu Yimin at the awards ceremony, a move that made many people envious.

"Liu Yimin, I will never read your novels again!" The angry reader tore up Liu Yimin's standalone book, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it.

"Ah, the hatred of having one's wife stolen is irreconcilable!" On the radio, Zhu Lin's words "my husband" pierced the hearts of countless movie fans, and her gentle voice echoed in their minds again and again.

"what!"

Liu Yimin declined to comment.

Inside Fengzeyuan Restaurant, Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin hosted a banquet for Zhu's parents, Cao Yu and his wife, and Xia Yan. Zhu Lin's latest award brought Zhu's parents back into the limelight at their workplace.

Xia Yan said with a smile, "Actually, there was a lot of controversy surrounding this year's awards. There were many more good works than in previous years. You can see that from the winners of the Hundred Flowers Awards. There were too many good feature films, which is also the result of the efforts of the arts and literature industry in the past two years."

However, there was no dispute about "Triumph at Midnight" winning awards; it ranked first in both the Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards, demonstrating its immense influence. The film is still being shown enthusiastically at the county-level screening stations. The number of viewers is immeasurable, at least over two billion.

"Alright, Lao Shen, it's just a meal today, not an awards ceremony. If you were at an awards ceremony, this speech would definitely be useful," Cao Yu said cheerfully.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and Xia Yan inquired about the progress of the script for "The Stage".

"It's being written now, it will take some more time."

"I'll see when the time comes. Comrade Zhu Lin is right, some people are just chattering away," Xia Yan said dismissively.

Holding Liu Lin, Li Yuru looked at his pouting little mouth and couldn't help but say, "The little guy is practicing his mouth. When he grows up, he'll probably have a mouth as sharp as Yimin's. No one will be able to gain the upper hand."

Everyone knew about the little incident Li Yuru was talking about during the award ceremony.

"Yimin, did you conduct any targeted research on the dumping of foreign animated films that you mentioned last time?" Xia Yan asked.

"We plan to invite the director and directors of the animation studio under the Shanghai Film Studio to join the research. We have put forward several ideas. First, prohibit dumping; second, learn from the industrialized production process of foreign animation; third, provide special funds to support original domestic animation themes."

These are just a few ideas; further research is needed to develop them.

Xia Yan nodded after hearing this and said, "The ministry has reviewed several of your projects and is preparing to approve a budget of 100,000 yuan for the first time. What do you think?"

"Is it from this year?"

"This year's."

Liu Yimin felt it was alright; there were only six months left in the year, and new funding would be allocated next year.

Funding for social science projects is generally not very high. In later years, the funding for national-level social science projects was generally around 15 yuan, with only particularly important projects receiving more funding.

"You can allocate the funds gradually. Ask me if you don't understand anything. If anyone complains that the project funding is too little, tell them to come to me," Xia Yan said.

Seeing that the two had finished their conversation, Cao Yu said, "Come on, let's eat. Let's stop talking about work."

Zhu's parents also chimed in, urging everyone to start eating. Shen Yun, sitting next to Xia Yan, had already begun to eat impatiently.

Thanks to Xia Yan's efforts, the funds allocated by the ministry quickly reached the Institute of Literature. Liu Yimin allocated approximately 30,000 yuan in research funding to each research group based on their respective projects.

They also invited renowned directors such as Dai Tielang from the Shanghai Animation Film Studio to join the "Cultural Industry Group," allowing them to offer their insights on the film and animation industry.

These directors can't write academic papers, but they can provide research materials and ideas.

Director Dai Tielang's "Black Cat Detective" influenced a generation. After "Black Cat Detective", it should have been a peak period for creation, but unfortunately, due to various reasons, not many animated films were made.

In mid-June, as the controversy surrounding "The Stage" largely subsided, it was also time for the school holidays to begin.

Liu Yimin handed the exam paper to Yan Zhen, asking him to carve the printing plate and mimeograph it when he had free time.

Yan Zhen readily agreed. After the administrative staff of the Institute of Literature and Art completed the allocation of funds, there was basically no other work to do.

"Professor Liu, this question seems more difficult than before," Yan Zhen said.

"Our students at Yenching University have a more solid foundation each year. So the difficulty of the questions will naturally increase accordingly. After printing them, lock them in the cabinet in the department office. Under no circumstances should the questions be leaked."

Upon hearing Liu Yimin's instructions, Yan Zhen readily agreed.

Back in the main office, Mr. Qi Gong was sitting at Liu Yimin's desk.

"Mr. Qi Gong, what brings you here?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile.

Mr. Qi Gong put down what he was holding and said, "If you won't come to Beijing Normal University to find me, am I not allowed to come to you?"

"I was afraid of bothering you," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

“Some people call it an intrusion, while others call it a distinguished guest.” After saying this, Mr. Qi Gong joked that he came to exchange ideas with his colleagues from the Chinese Department of Yenching University.

As the conversation progressed, the topic turned to "The Stage," and the professors exchanged their opinions.

Liu Yimin didn't say much; he mostly listened to their conversation. Some of their perspectives were quite novel, and he would clap and shout "brilliant!" after listening to them.

"I went to see the play 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven' four times. Students from the Beijing Normal University Drama Club also rehearsed it, but it can't compare to the Beijing People's Art Theatre."

Mr. Qi Gong was a member of the Eight Banners and a descendant of Emperor Yongzheng. However, as a member of the Eight Banners, he never had the opportunity to experience the extravagant and luxurious life of a nobleman.

Before he was even born, his family had already fallen on hard times. He also despised the lifestyle of the Manchu bannermen and declared, "I will not live off my ancestors' wealth, nor will I be a 'Manchu bannerman'."

As an old Beijing resident, watching "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven" felt like seeing his past experiences, and the depravity of the Manchu bannermen in the play disgusted him even more.

"No matter what kind of family it is, even royalty, it cannot escape the fate of decline. Ancestors are heroes, descendants are cowards," said Mr. Qi Gong.

After speaking, he took out a painting for everyone to appreciate. The painting was of "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven". Inside the restaurant, all kinds of people were in different poses, and their figures could be seen from both the front and the side.

Mr. Qi Gong's painting style is traditional Chinese style, and he is most skilled at landscape painting.

Wang Yao and Wu Zuxiang each praised him a few times, and Mr. Qi Gong looked at Liu Yimin and asked him what he thought.

“Your painting is naturally excellent,” Liu Yimin said.

"I heard that Huang Yongyu gifted you a painting, so I'll give you this one too," Mr. Qi Gong said generously.

Liu Yimin accepted the painting without hesitation. At noon, the professors from the Chinese department had lunch with Mr. Qi Gong before seeing him off.

At the end of June, when it was time for Zhu Lin to go back to work, Liu Yimin and she moved to a courtyard house so that Zhu Lin could come back whenever Yang Xiuyun was taking care of the child.

Liu Yimin installed an air conditioner in Yang Xiuyun's room, and also had someone renovate the yard, converting a room into a bathroom and temporarily digging a dry toilet.

Outside the courtyard house, staff from the Chinese PEN Center knocked on Liu Yimin's door and delivered a letter to him.

"This is a letter from the Latin American writer Gabriel García Márquez. After reading 'The Favourite,' he decided to write to you to chat. Unfortunately, he didn't have your contact address, so he could only send the letter through PEN International."

"Gabriel García Márquez?"

"It's him." After handing the letter to Liu Yimin, the staff member of the PEN Club craned his neck to see what Márquez had written to Liu Yimin.

Seeing Liu Yimin's gaze, the other party smiled awkwardly, said he wouldn't disturb him, and left. After Liu Yimin and Ba Jin returned from their visit to France, the Chinese PEN Center was established, modeled after foreign PEN centers, and Ba Jin was its first president.

While delivering the letter to Liu Yimin, the PEN Club deliberately informed the newspaper about the incident.

Major newspapers rushed to report on the letter written by the author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" to Liu Yimin, but none of the news reports contained specific details.

Reporters called Liu Yimin one after another to ask what he had written.

P.S. Thank you to the generous donor Teddy Spinner for the 1500 coins!

(End of this chapter)