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

Chapter 496 Wang Yao: You are a hero of history
Urged by Zhu's mother, everyone quickly emptied the bowls, and Ximei hurriedly went to clean up the kitchen.

When Liu Yimin came out after taking a shower, the courtyard was already quiet. It wasn't time for Liu Yu and Liu Lin to go to sleep yet, so Zhu's mother and Ximei coaxed them to sleep together.

Walking back into the bedroom, Zhu Lin was listening to the weather forecast. When he saw Liu Yimin come in, he smiled and said, "Teacher Liu, it will still rain tomorrow. Remember to bring a raincoat if you go out."

"Sigh, the weather forecast isn't always accurate." Liu Yimin glanced at the calendar on the bedside table: "Today is Sunday. I wonder what Professor Wu talked about."

Zhu Lin changed the radio channel: "This is Tianjin Radio; they're rebroadcasting last Sunday's 'Youth Night Talk'."

Wu Zuxiang's voice came through the radio; he was explaining the reasons behind Jia Baoyu's personality development.

"Professor Wu's lectures on 'Dream of the Red Chamber' have a large audience at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Now, on Sunday nights after 10 p.m., you can hear Professor Wu talking eloquently in the dormitories on the third and fourth floors of the theatre." Zhu Lin said as he quickly changed his clothes.

Liu Yimin lay on the bed, smiling as he looked at Zhu Lin. Zhu Lin understood and said, "Teacher Liu, I'm going to take a shower first."

Liu Yimin gave a soft "hmm," and Zhu Lin walked briskly out of the bedroom. She was indeed quick to leave and quick to return, finishing her shower and coming back in just twenty minutes.

Zhu Lin, dressed in white pajamas, sat on the edge of the bed, while Liu Yimin sat cross-legged behind her, gently drying her hair.

Zhu Lin has always kept her hair short, reaching her shoulders, which makes her look more capable and suits her role as a director.

Short hair makes drying much easier. The scent of the hair tips wafted into Liu Yimin's nostrils, and his eyes involuntarily followed the fabric of his pajamas downwards.

"Teacher Liu, how's the wiping going?" Zhu Lin asked softly.

Liu Yimin patted Zhu Lin's hair: "That's about enough. Next time you go abroad, buy a hairdryer so your hair dries faster."

Zhu Lin reached back and gently grabbed Liu Yimin's crotch: "Teacher Liu, look how anxious you are, rub it a little longer."

After quickly rubbing the towel a few times, Liu Yimin tossed it into the air: "Come on, I can't wait any longer."

Zhu Lin, who was sitting, was pulled down onto the bed by Liu Yimin. Then Liu Yimin placed his hands on Zhu Lin's waist and gently lifted him up, bringing the two of them to the middle of the wooden bed.

Zhu Lin looked at Liu Yimin, who was baring his teeth and brandishing his arms, and used his hands and feet to block Liu Yimin's body, and said with a smile, "I'll go turn off the radio."

Liu Yimin chuckled: "I can't wait any longer. Professor Wu is going to talk about his 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' let's get down to business."

Zhu Lin stopped resisting with her feet, wrapped her arms around Liu Yimin's neck, and hugged him tightly: "Teacher Liu, I missed you so much."

The air in the room warmed up rapidly. Her half-undressed figure possessed a unique charm.

After putting Liu Yu and Liu Lin to sleep, Zhu's mother left the room and heard the radio coming from Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin's bedroom. She muttered, "What are these two kids listening to 'Dream of the Red Chamber' for so late at night!"

After pushing open his room door, he couldn't help but turn back again, a meaningful smile suddenly appearing on his face: "Tsk, these young people nowadays!"

At night, raindrops pattered against the eaves. Inside the room, Zhu Lin said weakly, "Is it raining?"

"Hmm." Liu Yimin closed his eyes, too tired to speak.

Hearing Liu Yimin's perfunctory words, Zhu Lin couldn't help but snort: "Teacher Liu, you really are someone who uses people when they need them and then discards them when they don't."

Liu Yimin opened his eyes and laughed, "You can still face backwards!"

Zhu Lin gently tapped Liu Yimin with a pillow, then got up, turned off the radio, and prepared to go to sleep.

After lying down, Zhu Lin spoke softly, and Liu Yimin responded intermittently until his consciousness became increasingly blurred.

Seeing that Liu Yimin didn't speak again, Zhu Lin gently probed him, and after confirming that he was asleep, she happily turned over and pulled the thin blanket up to her neck.

Liu Yimin slept until ten o'clock. When Zhu's mother saw that Liu Yimin was awake, she quickly asked Ximei to heat up the food left in the kitchen for Liu Yimin.

“Yimin, Yanda called you just now, but you weren’t awake, so I told them to call again this afternoon,” Zhu’s mother said.

Liu Yimin stretched and rubbed his right waist as he lowered his right hand: "Mom, I know, I roughly know what they're talking about."

Zhu's mother noticed Liu Yimin's movements and prepared to go to the market to buy some substantial vegetables in the afternoon.

Liu Yimin went to wash his face and brush his teeth, while Liu Yu and Liu Lin circled around him. After wiping his face clean, Liu Yimin picked up Liu Yu and Liu Lin and carried them to the ginkgo tree, letting them pick leaves to play with.

The two children gently brushed the leaves aside with their small hands; the leaves were still damp from the rain last night. However, judging from the sun shining in the sky, it seemed unlikely that it would rain again during the day.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling on their faces, and water droplets swayed and fell on them, eliciting gasps of surprise from both of them.

"Professor Liu, dinner is ready." Xi Mei came out carrying the food.

Liu Yimin put the two little ones down, who were still having too much fun: "Daddy's going to eat now, you two can play by yourselves!"

Zhu's mother opened her arms to the two of them and said with a kind smile, "Come to Grandma's. Don't disturb Dad's meal. Dad has been traveling all over the world and he's very tired."

Liu Yu chuckled and rushed into Zhu's mother's arms. Liu Lin, with his hands in his pockets, obediently sat in front of Liu Yimin and watched him eat.

"Aren't you full?" Liu Yimin asked.

"full."

Liu Yimin smiled and started eating his meal by himself. Just as he put down his bowl, Cui Daoyi walked into the courtyard.

"Senior brother, you're dressed so neatly today?" Liu Yimin teased.

Today, Choi Do-il was wearing a shirt and leather shoes, and unlike his usual wrinkled appearance, they were perfectly ironed.

“An old friend’s son is getting married today, and I’m going to the wedding in a bit. They’re in the alley behind here. I heard you were back, so I came to sit here for a while.” Cui Daoyi took two small trinkets out of his bag and handed them to Liu Yu and Liu Lin.

The two little ones squinted with joy, took the gift, and ran off to play elsewhere.

"Who?"

“You don’t know the senior from Peking University, and he wasn’t from the Chinese Literature Department,” Cui Daoyi said casually.

Cui Daoyi saw today's newspapers from major state media outlets such as the People's Daily and China Youth Daily, and enthusiastically inquired about his trip to Singapore. The conversation eventually turned to the publication of "Children of the South China Sea" in People's Literature and Art.

“Senior brother, a thief never leaves empty-handed. I knew you were here for this article; you could have just made a phone call.” Liu Yimin smiled at Cui Daoyi.

Cui Daoyi quickly said, "Yimin, you have a deep misunderstanding about your senior brother. I really wanted to come see you as soon as possible and see you, this great contributor. I heard that the delegation members all went to the Ministry of Culture, but you were taken directly to Zhonghai?"

"You're quite well-informed. Did you hear it from Comrade Wang Meng?" Liu Yimin asked curiously.

"More or less." Cui Daoyi did not deny it, but asked him who he had seen.

"Old Chief, Xia Yan, Teacher Cao Yu, and Gang Gong," Liu Yimin said in turn.

"Wow, that's quite a high-level reception. You're getting the treatment a leader receives after returning from an overseas visit," Cui Daoyi couldn't help but say.

"The leaders mainly want to hear my report on what happened," Liu Yimin said.

“They can listen to indirect reports, or they can directly ask you to give a report, that’s also an exceptional treatment,” Cui Daoyi said, lighting a cigarette as he analyzed.

Zhu's mother and Ximei both opened their eyes wide, listening to Liu Yimin tell them some inside information.

Cui Daoyi listened with great interest, but unfortunately, time was running out, and the banquet would begin soon.

"I'll come see you again this afternoon," Cui Daoyi said, standing up.

"No, the rest of the delegates are leaving Beijing, and I have to go to the guesthouse to see them off. Also, I need to go to Yenching University this afternoon."

Cui Daoyi said regretfully, "Alright, I'll listen to you when I have time. Also, Professor Wu did a good job by coming to 'Youth Night Talk'. Even after thirty years, listening to Professor Wu talk about 'Dream of the Red Chamber' from beginning to end still gives me a lot of insights."

As he saw Cui Daoyi off, he recounted some of Wu Zuxiang's past lectures, noting that Wu Zuxiang's theories on *Dream of the Red Chamber* were now more mature than before.

"I didn't expect you to be Professor Wu's class representative?" Liu Yimin said in surprise.

“Surprised? Back then, your senior brother had excellent grades, otherwise I wouldn’t have been assigned to People’s Literature as an editor. Everyone in the Chinese department was scrambling to get into People’s Literature back then, but I was the only one in my year to receive an assignment notice,” Cui Daoyi said proudly.

Liu Yimin praised enthusiastically, "Senior brother is amazing!"

"I'm leaving now. If you have time, come visit People's Literature and Art magazine."

After seeing Cui Daoyi off, Liu Yimin did not stay in the courtyard any longer. Instead, he rode his motorcycle to the Ministry of Culture's guesthouse. Yao Xueyin and the others were preparing to leave Beijing, and the Ministry of Culture and the Writers Association sent people to see them off.

When Tang Dacheng, the secretary of the Writers Association, saw Liu Yimin, he smiled and said, "Comrade Yimin, thank you for your hard work. I was at the local writers association yesterday and didn't have time to attend your welcome party."

"It's alright, Secretary Tang," Liu Yimin said politely.

Tang Dacheng smiled and nodded at Yao Xueyin and the others who were coming downstairs, shaking hands with each of them and saying thank you for your hard work. Yao Xueyin walked to Liu Yimin's side, and Liu Yimin said, "Comrade Yao, Director Qin, Lao Zhang, Zilong and Anyi, please be careful on your way."

Qin Mu grasped Liu Yimin's hand and said, "This year, the Institute of Literature and Art should reserve one training spot for Jinan University. More would be better."

"I see."

After Yao Xueyin got on the bus, Liu Yimin handed him a letter: "Comrade Yao, please give this letter to Xu Chi."

"Okay, don't worry. Old Xu hasn't recovered from his wife's passing, but with your concern, I believe he'll get over it soon."

Liu Yimin waved his hand, and after they left, he chatted briefly with Tang Dacheng.

There are many things to do after returning from Singapore. First, there's Chen Liren's donation to the Yimin Academic Scholarship; second, I need to find someone to get some soil from the mainland that I promised to send to Xie Zhonghou.

After seeing the group off, Liu Yimin didn't return to the courtyard house but went directly to Yenching University.

A banner announcing Liu Yimin's literary award was still hanging at the entrance of Yenching University. Liu Yimin found a quiet path and returned to the Chinese Department of Yenching University.

When Yan Jiayan saw Liu Yimin appear at the office door, he asked in surprise, "How come you got in so easily today?"

“At noon, all the students were rushing to the cafeteria, so I found a less crowded route.” Liu Yimin then asked Yan Jiayan why he hadn’t gone home for lunch.

Yan Jiayan said irritably, "I'm waiting for your call here, afraid that you'll call me after I go back."

Liu Yimin explained to him that he had just returned and was also very busy.

“I know you’re busy, but the university can’t function without you. A donation of five hundred thousand US dollars is a huge sum for Yenching University, and the university is worried about potential problems. Is Mr. Chen Liren in Xiamen now?” Yan Jiayan asked.

“Yes, he’ll come over as soon as we finish the formalities. Xiamen University and Jimei University are the fruits of Mr. Tan Kah Kee’s labor, so it’s already very generous of him to give us $500,000 this time,” Liu Yimin said.

"Hey kid, let's go see Principal Ding, and then together with the school, submit a statement to the Ministry. This matter has already spread throughout the country through the newspapers, so the Ministry's approval will definitely be quick."

Liu Yimin followed Yan Jiayan out of the office and ran into Professor Wang Yao. Wang Yao came over and praised him, "Yimin, it's a pity we can't see the unity of the nine provinces. You have done a great thing for the unity of the nine provinces this time. Your name will be recorded in history. Five hundred thousand US dollars, you are also a great contributor to our Yanda University."

"Professor Wang, you flatter me. Aren't you going home for dinner?"

"I'll be right back. Have you eaten yet?"

"We've had brunch!"

What is brunch?

"We ate together this morning and at noon," Liu Yimin chuckled.

Wang Yao shook her head and smiled helplessly, "You, you."

Instead of going to the school office, Liu Yimin and Yan Jiayan went straight to Ding Shisun's house. Ding Shisun, who was eating, saw Liu Yimin and quickly put down his chopsticks: "Yimin, sit down! Professor Yan, you didn't have lunch, did you?"

"Principal Ding, Yimin and I haven't eaten yet. We'd like to try the food at Principal Ding's house," Yan Jiayan teased.

Ding Shisun laughed and said, "Come on, have a taste. It's not a very good meal."

Ding Shisun's wife got up and went to the kitchen to cook two more bowls of noodles. She then sat down and listened to Yan Jiayan and Liu Yimin talk about the $500,000.

"This money is a real lifesaver for our school. Five hundred thousand US dollars, and more importantly, it's foreign exchange. I plan to apply to the Ministry for our school to use this foreign exchange to purchase scientific research equipment." Ding Shisun looked at Yan Jiayan and Liu Yimin, seeking their opinions.

"Principal Ding, foreign exchange is fine, but this money won't be used for other purposes, will it?" Yan Jiayan couldn't help but ask.

"Would I dare to embezzle this money? After converting it to RMB, put it into the scholarship account." Ding Shisun's expression was very serious.

Yan Jiayan gave an awkward smile: "I was being petty."

Liu Yimin originally wanted to suggest that the scholarship be managed and generate revenue, similar to a foundation. However, considering that the domestic A-share market had not yet been established and that regulatory policies were not yet perfect, he worried about losing the money.

"Yimin, what are you thinking about?" Ding Shisun asked Liu Yimin.

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "I think the principal is right. We need foreign exchange in all aspects, especially in science and engineering. We should take advantage of our good relations with foreign countries and import more scientific instruments."

“Okay, let’s do it this way. You and the school office will jointly draft an application to prepare for securing funding from Mr. Chen Liren.”

In the afternoon, Liu Yimin and Yan Jiayan were busy in the school office. After the document was drafted, it was immediately sent to the Ministry of Education by the staff of the school office.

As soon as the documents arrived, the other party called, saying that they had been approved and that they should get in touch as soon as possible.

Ding Shisun hung up the phone and looked at Liu Yimin, asking when Chen Liren would arrive in Yanjing, since he had donated so much money and a ceremony should be held for him.

“It will take at least half a month. Xiamen University and Jimei University will also have to hold a ceremony, right? He also wants to visit Shenzhen. All of this will take time,” Liu Yimin said after thinking for a while.

“Yimin, you should know which hotel he’s staying at, right? Send him a telegram to set a time,” Ding Shisun said, already eager to receive the five hundred thousand dollars.

"Okay, I'll let you know once the specific time is confirmed."

Liu Yimin and Yan Jiayan left the school office. They had stayed there all afternoon. As it was almost time to get off work, Liu Yimin met with the teachers and students of the Institute of Literature and then returned to the courtyard house.

The dinner was very lavish. Zhu's mother pushed the red ginseng and turtle soup next to Liu Yimin: "Linlin, serve Yimin a bowl and let him try it. It's been a long time since I made it. I wonder how salty it is?"

"Mom, I can do it myself." Just as Liu Yimin was about to reach out, Zhu Lin picked up a spoon, smiled, scooped up two spoonfuls, and placed them next to Liu Yimin.

Previously, the turtle and pigeon were cooked separately, but today they were cooked together. Liu Yimin took a bite and thought it tasted good, but he didn't know if it would have a synergistic effect.

After dinner, Liu Yimin went into his study and called Zheng Dongguo to tell them about his agreement with Xie Zhonghou.

This matter could not be accomplished by Liu Yimin alone; we also had to rely on the Whampoa Military Academy Alumni Association. They successively established branches in various places, and a single telegram was enough to get someone to handle the matter.

"Yimin, come over tomorrow. The old folks all want to see you, but they didn't want to bother you since they know you're busy since you're back. Do you have time tomorrow?" Zheng Dongguo asked.

"Have."

"Okay, come over here. We saw your article, 'When will the veterans who went to the island see their parents again? The son longs for his mother, the mother longs for her son, but their graves are far apart!' Everyone was moved to tears."

"Okay, I'll arrive around nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

After hanging up the phone, Zheng Dongguo started contacting the others, asking them to come over to meet him the next day.

After hanging up the phone, Liu Yimin had no intention of writing anything. Instead, he beckoned to Zhu Lin, and the two of them yawned at the same time, signaling to Zhu's mother and the others that they were getting ready to go to sleep.

The next day, after having breakfast, Liu Yimin rode his motorcycle to Zheng Dongguo's house, where the members of the Whampoa Military Academy Alumni Association were waiting for him at the door.

Why aren't you all going in?

“Everyone wants to see you as soon as possible. You must have learned a lot from your interactions with the island. Tell us about it,” Zheng Dongguo said.

Liu Yimin parked his motorcycle: "Actually, it's nothing much. Everyone has read the general news in the newspapers, but they won't tell me the details. The main thing is to send some soil over to ease the veterans' longing for home."

"Any news about Lao Sun?" Zheng Dongguo asked.

Zheng Dongguo and Sun Liren did not have a particularly good relationship in the past. On the Northeast battlefield, he had privately criticized Sun Liren for being arrogant and conceited on several occasions.

However, the two are now worlds apart and have long since forgotten the grudges they once held.

Liu Yimin walked in and said, "I heard that we are more free than before. Now we can grow our own fruit trees, and after they ripen, Madam Sun will send them to the fruit market to sell."

"Oh, how pitiful! He's even more pitiful than me. I've been imprisoned for 27 years, while Sun Liren has been imprisoned for 30 years," Huang Wei sighed.

Zheng Dongguo said, "I'm sending some soil from my hometown to Old Sun. I wonder if it will grow into fruit that tastes like home."

"The key is whether we can get it in. We need to find the right time when Madam Sun leaves the house," Liu Yimin said.

Giving a cup of soil to other veterans is nothing unusual, but giving it to Sun Liren takes real courage.

A moment of silence fell over everyone. Zheng Tingji stepped in to lighten the mood: "At least General Sun is still alive. As long as he's alive, there's hope."

After everyone sat down, Liu Yimin, based on what Xie Zhonghou had said, focused on several regions and told them Xie Zhonghou's address in Hong Kong.

“When sending things, just write ‘hometown’ as the sender’s name. Don’t send too much, just one cup is enough. Too much is inconvenient for him to take back. Also, dig a separate cup from Xikou, Fenghua,” Liu Yimin said.

Those present carefully took notes of what Liu Yimin said. After writing it down, they laughed and talked about Liu Yimin's article, speculating when the other side would react.

"Jiang Da's reaction is too slow," Huang Wei complained.

P.S.: Sorry, I'm suddenly very tired today, so I'll only post one chapter. Thank you to Teddy's Wheel for the 1500 points reward.
(End of this chapter)