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

Chapter 476 Establishment of the "Youth Night Talk" column

Liu Yimin never expected that Lu Yao would come to Yanjing so close to the Chinese New Year. Even if it was to revise the manuscript, he wouldn't have invited him during this time.

Lu Yao was covered in dust and grime, the loess soil of the Northwest meeting the sandstorm of Yanjing. Many black specks could be seen between his fingers, and Liu Yimin immediately judged that he had been to a coal mine.

The smell on Lu Yao was also very familiar to him; it was the smell of a coal mine bathhouse, a mixture of hot water, coal slag, urine, and sewage.

"You've been to the coal mine?"

Lu Yao asked with a look of surprise, "How did you know?"

Liu Yimin smiled without saying a word, while Yang Xiuyun, who was standing next to him, said, "His older brother used to work in the coal mines, and he always smells like this when he comes home."

Lu Yao patted Liu Yimin on the shoulder and said, "You have a really good nose. I went to the coal mine last autumn to gather material. I said I wanted to write a great novel, but the more I write, the more confused I become."

Liu Yimin led Lu Yao inside, introduced him to Yang Xiuyun and the two little ones, and then asked Ximei to make Lu Yao a bowl of soup to warm him up.

Entering the study, Lu Yao looked at Liu Yimin's living environment and said enviously, "It's so comfortable in here, not cold in winter and not hot in summer."

When did you arrive in Yanjing?

“I just arrived and came straight here to find you. I listened to your interview on the train last night, and all the young people in the carriage were applauding. I’d give you a thousand rounds of applause; that’s a really powerful statement. I could feel the enthusiastic atmosphere even while I was on the train.”

Liu Yimin poured Lu Yao a cup of tea. Lu Yao was talking very enthusiastically, and Liu Yimin listened quietly to him.

"It points out a path for confused young people. In an era of change, there is much to be done no matter what you do. People used to say that writers earned a lot, but now, you can earn more by going south to trade clothes, pants, or even underwear than we do." Lu Yao paused, quickly excluding Liu Yimin.

If the peddlers who traded underwear in the north and south were making more money than Liu Yimin, he would simply throw down his pen and go trade underwear.

Lu Yao was so hungry that Liu Yimin suspected he hadn't eaten on the train. When Xi Mei brought him some fish soup to warm him up, Liu Yimin also asked Xi Mei to bring in two sesame seed cakes. In less than ten minutes, he ate them all up.

Lu Yao let out a burp, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his wrinkled sleeve, and said to Liu Yimin, "To be honest, I really haven't eaten."

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, Lu Yao finally revealed the purpose of his trip to Yanjing. He took out a manuscript from his briefcase and asked Liu Yimin to help him with it.

This manuscript is the draft of the first part of "Ordinary World".

"It's very well written, with a strong sense of the Loess Plateau. What are you feeling lost about?" Liu Yimin asked curiously.

When Lu Yao heard that Liu Yimin thought it was good, he immediately got excited and said that some people had read his novel and thought it wasn't very good, that it was too corny.

"So what if it's rustic? Rustic means it's well-written. These people are blinded by Western writing techniques and wish they could lick the boots of Western writers," Liu Yimin bluntly retorted.

After a brief moment of surprise, Lu Yao smiled and said, "Yes, I love what you said. When they said that, I was so nervous that I was afraid I wouldn't write well."

"Yimin, you're now a leader in realist literature, so I've bought a ticket and come to Beijing to see you. If you don't like it, I'll tear it up right now; if you like it, I'll keep writing no matter what."

At the end, Lu Yao angrily uttered several swear words unique to Northwest China.

Lu Yao's "Ordinary World" was published and became famous through a very bumpy process. The first part was rejected by the editor of "Contemporary" magazine in a way that was so blunt that even Zhou Changyi's colleagues felt it was too direct and that it should have been rejected by the leadership in a more tactful way.

When it was turned to other publishers, they also thought it was too rustic and belonged to the "rustic" group, so it was finally published in "Huacheng".

After its publication, it was met with overwhelming criticism from the literary community, which led Huacheng magazine to hesitate to publish a second part. As a result, the second part was never published in any magazine.

Lu Yao no longer dared to submit his third book to well-known magazines, and instead had it published in the Yellow River magazine.

It wasn't until the third volume was published that the Central People's Broadcasting Station broadcast "Ordinary World," which made the book a huge hit, broadcasting it three times and reaching 300 million listeners.

Liu Yimin said: "This is what I often say: the literary world's pursuit of expressive forms and the readers' love for realistic works have created a contradiction. Some people in the literary world always like to write something 'sophisticated' and when they see their own work, they think it is rustic or even hate it."

Readers will cheer for good works, Lu Yao. Hurry up and finish your first book; don't submit it to anything else, just submit it to *People's Literature and Art*, they'll publish it.

"It would be fine if they published it on their own initiative, but please don't go to People's Literature and Art magazine for my sake."

Seeing Lu Yao's hesitant yet stubborn expression, Liu Yimin smiled and said, "Don't worry, when People's Literature invited Comrade Zilong and me to be editorial board members, we said that People's Literature would adhere to the path of realist literature."

Liu Yimin planned to take Lu Yao to visit People's Literature and Art Publishing House. The Chinese Department hadn't started its summer break yet, but Liu Yimin had already arranged everything, so going to the school or not was fine.

When the manuscript arrived at People's Literature and Art, Lu Yao handed it to Cui Daoyi.

Cui Daoyi first greeted Lu Yao, then turned to Liu Yimin and said, "Yimin, your interview yesterday was absolutely fantastic, in our Northeastern dialect. You were a model of profound knowledge and a fusion of East and West, drawing historical materials from head to toe with ease. We're all waiting for CCTV to broadcast the live interview tonight."

“The radio station rebroadcast yesterday’s content, and on my way to work today, I even saw people listening to the radio,” Xu Yi added.

Wang Meng came out to greet Liu Yimin and asked him if he had any new novels.

"Comrade Wang Meng, take a look at Comrade Lu Yao's novel. As for mine, I'll keep it a secret for now." Liu Yimin pointed to Lu Yao's manuscript.

Wang Meng walked over to Cui Daoyi and patiently began reading Lu Yao's manuscript.

After reading it, Wang Meng didn't speak but asked Liu Yimin for his opinion. Liu Yimin said, "This homegrown domestic realist literature connects the era's reforms with the era's young people, depicting their confusion and their desire to make a name for themselves, thus inspiring young people who are confused about reality."

"It's grand in scale, capturing both the grand historical backdrop and the insignificance of individuals. The only shortcoming is that it doesn't capture the depth of life." Cui Daoyi also felt that this was a very good work.

Wang Meng pondered for a moment, then turned to Lu Yao and asked when he would finish writing so that it could be published in People's Literature as soon as possible: "No matter what other magazines are like, realist literature must have a place in People's Literature."

Wang Meng paid Lu Yao 18 yuan per thousand words. Lu Yao told Wang Meng that he could finish the first part of the story in a week.

Wang Meng felt there was no need to rush; as long as it was finished and sent to *People's Literature and Art* after the Spring Festival, it would be fine. The timing was too awkward; Lu Yao's completion and revisions would inevitably take place after the Spring Festival.

"I'll try to finish writing it in three days, leaving two days for revisions, and I'll definitely get it done before the Spring Festival," Lu Yao said impatiently.

Seeing Lu Yao's reaction, Wang Meng could only say, "No rush, we need to ensure quality."

Lu Yao was out of money. If she didn't receive her royalties, she would have to borrow money to get back home.

“All writers in China who uphold realism should thank Yimin. If it weren’t for his advocacy for realism on various occasions, the status of realism in China would be even more awkward.”

Wang Meng sincerely praised him, and Lu Yao agreed wholeheartedly, otherwise he wouldn't have come to find Liu Yimin.

Cui Daoyi found Lu Yao a room to stay in so he could write and revise his manuscript. Liu Yimin said to Cui Daoyi, "Senior brother, Comrade Lu Yao, let's go eat hot pot later. I'll call Liu Zhenyun."

Cui Daoyi said, "Sure! Anyway, I haven't had much to do lately, and I haven't eaten here in a long time."

Lu Yao hesitated for a moment before looking at the manuscript in her hand. Cui Daoyi said, "You're my editor, so just listen to me. Comrade Wang Meng is more of a guide. Even if you spend the whole New Year here revising the manuscript, I'll make sure you have food and drink."

"Really?" Lu Yao asked instinctively.

Looking at Lu Yao's expression, Cui Daoyi thought to himself that Lu Yao might not be serious, but he still braced himself and said, "Come to my house for the New Year."

Lu Yao handed Cui Daoyi a cigarette and said, "Editor Cui, I was just joking."

At five o'clock in the evening, before the office had closed, Liu Zhenyun sneaked over, intending to leap off his bicycle, but almost gave Liu Yimin a big bow.

"AUV, it's not Chinese New Year yet, we don't do that," Liu Yimin joked.

Liu Zhenyun said casually, "I'm just exploring a trendy way to ride a bicycle. Comrade Lu Yao, it's a pleasure to see you again."

In the end, Liu Yimin didn't take them to hot pot. Instead, they went to Fengzeyuan Restaurant. After all, this was Lu Yao's first visit to Yanjing in two years, and they needed to be given a high-level reception. Liu Zhenyun sat down, leaning against the wall for support. Liu Yimin joked again, "Seriously, is getting married this strenuous? You're even leaning against the wall to walk?"

“Yimin, I’m happy even if I have to lean against the wall.” Liu Zhenyun was not ashamed at all, and even quoted a line from “The Kite Runner”—I felt the gentleness of women for the first time: “So, I couldn’t wait to feel it every day.”

"Don't worry, I'll have someone buy you a few bottles of authentic Yangrong wine from Shanghai in a few days," Liu Yimin said generously.

Upon hearing this, Cui Daoyi coughed. Liu Yimin glanced at Cui Daoyi and Lu Yao, clearly indicating that they both shared the same sentiment.

"Alright, alright, I'll give you five bottles each."

During the meal, Lu Yao remarked on how delicious the food at Fengzeyuan was. Liu Zhenyun, on the other hand, asked why Liu Yimin always chose Fengzeyuan when both Fengzeyuan and Quanjude had invited him to eat there.

"Roast duck is too greasy, and with the sauce it's too sweet, so I don't really like eating that stuff. I also don't really like coming to Fengzeyuan. It's okay if I pay, but it feels a bit awkward if it's always free. I'll only come here once in a while if I'm treating you guys."

While they were eating, the sound of last night's interview came from the TV in the lobby, and the lobby of Fengzeyuan became lively. Liu Zhenyun ran out to see what was going on and came back to tell everyone that they were watching.

After finishing their meal, the group nodded to the waiter and quietly left Fengzeyuan.

Liu Zhenyun pointed to the lively scene inside: "It's so lively inside, but little do we know that the main character is standing right outside the door!"

Liu Yimin glanced back and smiled, "Let's go!"

After the group left, the waiter told the guests in the lobby that Liu Yimin had just walked out of there.

When Liu Yimin returned to the Overseas Chinese Apartment, the interview was still going on. Yesterday, they talked from 8:30 to 11:00, a full two and a half hours.

Liu Yimin felt there was still too much to say, and two and a half hours was ultimately too short.

On January 27th, Liu Yimin sat in the Institute of Literature and Art, watching Yan Zhen and others organize the final documents and materials.

"Have all the gifts and benefits for this year's Spring Festival been distributed?" Liu Yimin asked.

Yan Zhen handed the item list to Liu Yimin: "Teacher Liu, everything has been distributed. The institute's students received an extra month's allowance as a New Year's bonus."

"Okay, pack your things, you guys should get ready for your holiday too!" The phone next to the table rang, and Liu Yimin waved to Yan Zhen.

Yang Weiguang's happy voice came from the other end of the phone: "Comrade Yimin, in just two days, your interview has been listened to by nearly 100 million people, which means that one-tenth of the people in the country listened to your interview. Yesterday, the TV interview achieved a 30% viewership rating."

After reciting a series of figures, Yang Weiguang remarked over the phone that only Liu Yimin could have such influence among young people.

The figure of 100 million broadcasts must take into account that many people do not yet have radio receiving equipment. If all one billion people in the country had such equipment, the number of listeners would certainly be even higher.

Liu Yimin's interview also had a significant impact in Hong Kong, especially on Xie Zhonghou, whose mood became heavy when he heard Liu Yimin talk about veterans returning to their hometowns to visit relatives.

After listening to Yang Weiguang finish speaking, Liu Yimin said, "Director, how about we cooperate?"

"Oh? How do we cooperate?" Yang Weiguang suddenly became interested, but he still asked Liu Yimin to call him "Old Yang," which made the station director feel awkward.

“How about we collaborate on a program? We’ll provide the content, and we’ll split the profits 60/40. The program will be called ‘Youth Night Talk,’ and it will cover literature, current events, economic development, and help young people resolve their concerns.”

Yang Weiguang remained silent for a long time. He knew this model, which was called content outsourcing abroad. The production company provided the content, the radio station broadcast it, and the two parties split the revenue according to a certain ratio.

However, this outsourcing method is not yet available in China. CCTV is managed by the propaganda department, and its content management is very strict; higher-level departments may not necessarily approve it.

However, Yang Weiguang did not immediately refuse, but said that Liu Yimin's profit-sharing ratio was unreasonable.

“Comrade Yimin, your research institute provides personnel and content planning, while we provide equipment and hosts. As for profits, a 30/70 split is more appropriate for you.”

Liu Yimin, shameless as ever, asked, "What about us, the seven?"

"Comrade Yimin, you're joking. We are number seven."

“Inviting experts comes at a cost; it’s at least 50/50,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Yang Weiguang said helplessly, "Five or five is fine, but it won't matter if we say it or not, the higher-ups might not approve it."

Yang Weiguang and Liu Yimin decided to give it a try. Yang Weiguang went to find the leader of the propaganda department, while Liu Yimin went to find Xia Yan. The two went their separate ways.

Liu Yimin entered the Ministry of Culture. There were many people waiting to see Xia Yan. Upon seeing Liu Yimin, Xia Yan's secretary let him in directly.

Looking at Liu Yimin's back, many people felt indignant that Liu Yimin didn't have to queue.

The secretary casually explained, "It was booked a long time ago."

Xia Yan sat behind his desk, while Shen Yun sat on the sofa reading. Upon seeing Liu Yimin, Shen Yun asked first, "Brother Yimin, when will Blue Rabbit appear?"

Liu Yimin said with a faint smile, "You're almost graduating from junior high school, and you're still reading 'King of Fairy Tales'!"

"Many people in my class are watching it, but they only watch 'Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit Seven Heroes'."

"It'll be soon, Chapter 5 will be out soon."

Xia Yan leaned back in her chair and said, "After the winter break started, he kept bothering me, wanting to go to the Overseas Chinese Apartment to see your drafts."

Upon hearing his grandfather expose his shameful act, Shen Yun quickly covered his face with a book.

"You did a great job with that interview the day before yesterday. It helped many young people understand some things. Quite a few leaders listened to it and asked me to praise you."

Xia Yan took out a can of Longjing tea from the table and handed it to Liu Yimin: "This is Longjing tea that the leaders of Zhonghai gave you. They said you've talked a lot and your throat must be sore. Drink more tea to soothe your throat."

"Please thank the leader for me. Mr. Shen, I have something I'd like to discuss with you today. Based on the interview the day before yesterday, I feel that we should have a channel to connect with young people across the country, helping them understand major domestic and international events, national economic policies, share history, literature, and music, and enrich their spiritual lives."

When Xia Yan heard Liu Yimin say this, he immediately became interested and asked him what he wanted to do.

"I would like to co-host a radio program with CCTV called 'Youth Night Talk', to talk to young people during prime time about what I just said."

Liu Yimin always communicates with young people through newspapers and magazines. He feels that he needs a channel to regularly talk about his views and ideas and guide the thinking of young people.

"That's interesting. Have you already spoken to CCTV?"

"I had a pleasant conversation with Comrade Yang Weiguang, but as you know, this kind of program production model is unprecedented in China. The content produced by the Institute of Literature and Art is broadcast on CCTV radio channel."

"So you came to find me?" Xia Yan finally understood what Liu Yimin wanted to do.

"Yang Weiguang also went to see their leader."

Xia Yan said, "Based on the impact of your interviews, I believe that launching this column in the future will not be difficult. We should go with the flow and seize the opportunity."

Xia Yan planned to talk to the publicity department himself, and if that didn't work, he would go straight to his superiors, bypassing the publicity department. He was 80% confident that it would work.

Liu Yimin was sitting in his office when Xia Yan spoke to the publicity department in front of him. The publicity department not only did not obstruct the conversation, but cooperated fully.

"Professor Shen, we are also very interested in the program that Comrade Liu Yimin talked about. We have seen the influence of the interview. We are happy to have the Institute of Literature cooperate with us in publicity. Let's go and find the leaders together!"

(End of this chapter)