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

Chapter 525 National Screenplay Award

In the office, Liu Yimin explained his ideas and a portion of the plot he had written to Cao Yu in detail.

Upon hearing this, Cao Yu said, "If this were in the past, you would have been criticized to death before you even finished writing it. Our country's literary and artistic works have always portrayed political figures in a very serious manner. There is very little content about daily life, but I think yours is in line with the spirit of the literary and artistic circles. The writing style should be both serious and lively."

"So you have no worries now?" Liu Yimin asked with a grin.

Cao Yu glared at Liu Yimin, telling him to be serious: "Of course—there is. You have to maintain the balance. It's like jumping a tightrope. If you're too heavy or too light, you won't be able to maintain your balance. If you can't maintain the balance, it's dangerous."

"Okay, I'll definitely keep a good eye on things!"

Cao Yu was relieved and left his office to go home. But as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he stopped again: "Remember to visit your teacher's wife; it's been a long time since you've been there."

“Okay, we’ll definitely go and bother Master’s wife,” Liu Yimin said immediately.

"Ah."

After seeing Cao Yu off, Zhu Lin came out of the building and returned to the courtyard house with Liu Yimin.

Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin took Zhu's parents to stay in the courtyard house and didn't let them leave.

"Ximei, here are some tickets to a play at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Take them and relax for the next couple of days. Go see a movie or a play, or go on a date," Zhu Lin said with a smile.

Xi Mei took the theater tickets, glanced at them, and said happily, "Thank you, Sister Lin! Wow, these are all very popular plays from the Beijing People's Art Theatre. You can't even buy tickets if you want to."

"It's nothing, don't be shy. Here's a National Day red envelope, take it." Zhu Lin took out another red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Xi Mei's hand.

"Thank you, Sister Lin. Thank you, Professor Liu."

Liu Yimin held Liu Yu and played with her in the yard: "You should, you're so tired every day, remember to relax. If you don't have coupons to buy things, ask Sister Lin, her unit has given out a lot of coupons for supplies."

After taking a shower that night, Zhu Lin lay in bed without sleeping. Instead, she pulled Liu Yimin aside to analyze the expressive techniques of "The Overseas Chinese's Son" and its touching moments.

"The works directed by Shan Zun and Xia Chun are worth analyzing piece by piece. They not only know how to create characters, but also how to use light and shadow and music to express scenes, which is something I lack," Zhu Lin wrote quickly in his notebook.

Liu Yimin put his arm around Zhu Lin's shoulder: "Actors have to perform well, but plays are stage plays, and the movements need to be very exaggerated, otherwise the audience in the back rows won't be able to see them. It's different from movies. For example, if you're portraying a starving person and they weakly say 'I'm hungry,' it will be very relatable."

However, on stage, if your voice is too soft, people at the back won't hear you. This requires striking a balance: large movements and vocal range, but not so exaggerated as to seem over the top to the audience.

Many model operas were stage plays, and stage plays are inherently exaggerated. The movements in model operas were even more exaggerated, so much so that when later generations watched them on video, they felt that they were not only fake but also exaggerated to the point of being ridiculous.

In the office, Cao Yu talked to Liu Yimin about balance, and when they got home, Liu Yimin talked to Zhu Lin about balance.

Zhu Lin had analyzed half of "The Overseas Chinese Sons" when she got tired and had to put down her notebook, put down her pillow, and prepare to go to sleep.

Liu Yimin embraced Zhu Lin, and after a few seconds of anticipation, Zhu Lin became aroused again. The two made love on the bed until they were completely exhausted.

Zhu Lin rubbed his lower back and said, "Teacher Liu, stay away from me, ouch!"

Liu Yimin didn't respond, but after some comforting words, he finally fell asleep peacefully.

The next morning, both of them slept until nine o'clock before getting up for breakfast. Zhu's father and mother had already finished eating, and the leftovers were being kept warm in the pot.

Mr. Zhu wanted to wake them up, but Mrs. Zhu scolded him harshly, leaving him depressed all morning, not knowing what he had done wrong.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Zhu Lin asked with a smile.

Mr. Zhu glanced at Mrs. Zhu and shrank back, saying, "It's nothing, I just woke up too fast this morning and my head is a little dizzy."

"Grandma scolded Grandpa," Liu Lin said while playing.

Liu Yu chimed in, "Yes, Grandma scolded her for a long time."

"Why?" Liu Yimin looked at Zhu's mother and then said, "Mom, it's early in the morning, we should be happy."

Father Zhu immediately said, "See, Yimin is right. What are you doing so early in the morning? Yimin, I wanted to call you for breakfast, and this is what I got? I got scolded. Tell me if I'm wronged or not, you be the judge."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yimin slurped up a mouthful of porridge and buried his head in his food.

Demand an opinion? You got away with it by scolding them!
Zhu Lin just smiled and didn't reply. Instead, he scolded Liu Yu and Liu Lin, telling them to go play somewhere else and stop parroting what he was saying.

Liu Yu and Liu Lin held hands and quickly ran off to play somewhere else.

In the morning, Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin were relaxing in the courtyard, listening to the radio and reading the newspaper.

The Wenyi Bao and Guangming Bao commented on yesterday's article "The Overseas Chinese's Patriots," saying it was extremely moving and that everyone should forever remember the spirit of overseas Chinese who returned to serve their country.

The Farmers' Daily published an article featuring a true interview with the Nanyang Overseas Chinese mechanics. After being dismissed, some of the Nanyang Overseas Chinese mechanics returned to Southeast Asia, while others remained in China.

Around noon, Liu Yimin received many phone calls congratulating him on the successful performance of his work and its widespread popularity.

As evening approached, Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin brought Liu Yu and Liu Lin to Muxidi, where their master's wife Li Yuru and senior sister Wan Fang were present.

Li Yuru was performing, and Cao Yu was sitting in the living room listening intently. Liu Yimin walked in and teased, "Teacher's wife, Teacher really knows how to enjoy himself, having fun all by himself at home."

"You little rascal, your master's wife finally gets to sing a few words, and you're stirring up trouble here," Cao Yu said with a laugh.

Li Yuru stopped performing and instead carried Liu Yu and Liu Lin into a secondary bedroom, where she got them some food.

“Yimin, these two little ones are getting heavier and heavier. In two more years, I won’t be able to carry them anymore,” Li Yuru said with a smile.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "Master's wife, it's still early. In a few more years, you'll be able to carry them too." "You can't deny getting old. When you get old, you feel close to these little kids, and even closer to you two!" Li Yuru kept teasing Liu Yu and Liu Lin.

Zhu Lin went into the kitchen to help cook, and soon the living room was filled with the aroma of meat.

Cao Yu took out a document and handed it to Liu Yimin: "This is the list of winners of the National Excellent Screenplay Award. Take a look."

Liu Yimin opened the file, and his name was prominently listed first.

"Teacher, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"I'm fine with it. I excused myself when the judges were choosing, and unlike the other works, a secret ballot was used. All the judges present agreed that 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven' would win," Cao Yu said casually.

Cao Yu has tried his best to ensure that his personal actions do not affect the fairness of the award selection, but people's opinions are subjective; you can't just say whatever you want and expect others to believe it.

“Father, everyone knows Yimin’s abilities. If he doesn’t win an award, there must be something fishy going on.” Wan Fang came out carrying a plate of fragrant braised pig’s trotters.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "Actually, it doesn't matter whether I win this screenplay award or not, but I think the name Cao Yu in front of the screenplay award is very important."

"Okay, that's a good way to flatter him." Wan Fang gave Liu Yimin a thumbs up.

Liu Yu and Liu Lin smelled the aroma of braised pig's trotters and leaned over the table, drooling.

“We make pig’s trotters at home, but I don’t see either of you liking them,” Liu Yimin said.

Li Yuru prepared some food for the two of them first: "Kids like you, they don't like anything at home, but they want to try other people's poop."

"The words may be rough, but the meaning is sound." Cao Yu said, holding Liu Lin as he sat on his lap.

While teasing Liu Lin, Cao Yu chatted with Liu Yimin about the rehearsals for "A Pilgrimage of One" and "Deng Jiaxian." The two plays are expected to premiere in early November.

"Speaking of which, there's something I forgot to tell you." Cao Yu gently put Liu Lin down, hurriedly went into the study, and handed him a manuscript.

"This is Tian Benxiang's textbook 'History of Chinese Spoken Drama.' I've included a separate chapter for you. This is the first draft. Please take a look and see if there are any problems."

When Tian Benxiang was preparing to write a textbook on the history of Chinese drama, he told him about it at a symposium on the "Number One Restaurant Under Heaven".

Liu Yimin opened the manuscript. In the last chapter, the title was "Realistic Style Drama Presents a Vigorous Vitality".

The article discusses how, under the influence of Western scripts, the Beijing People's Art Theatre began to explore new expressive techniques, and realism was no longer valued.

Liu Yimin's scripts have been widely praised, indicating a gradual return to realism, and Liu Yimin is hailed as the most well-known realist playwright of the new generation.

"Isn't this a bit exaggerated?" Liu Yimin looked at the evaluation above and thought that Tian Benxiang was giving a final verdict on him!
Cao Yu said with a smile, "When Tian Benxiang delivered the manuscript, I brought up this issue with him. He said that he was basing his assessment on the current state of scriptwriting in China and felt that it was in line with his evaluation of you."

Cao Yu appears in the first chapter, and Liu Yimin in the last chapter; the master and apprentice connect the entire book and the entire history of Chinese drama in a unique way.

Tian Benxiang also had a manuscript specifically studying Cao Yu, which was kept in Cao Yu's study.

"Eat, eat! Don't think about literature anymore!" Li Yuru said quickly when she saw that all the food had been served.

Liu Yu and Liu Lin had been eyeing this for a long time, and when they heard that they could eat as much as they wanted, they happily pointed to the food on the table and asked Zhu Lin to serve them.

Li Yuru kept serving food to the two little ones, and soon the small bowls were piled up like a mountain.

Liu Yimin quickly said, "Master's wife, please stop adding food. If you keep adding food, the two of us won't be able to finish it."

"Alright then, but give each of them one of these two chicken wings. Kids get smarter from eating them." Li Yuru placed the chicken wings in front of Liu Yu and Liu Lin.

After dinner, Liu Yimin and the others stayed in Muxidi until 9:30 before returning to the courtyard house.

Instead of cooking, Mr. and Mrs. Zhu boiled a few ears of corn and made do with a simple meal. The tender corn was a gift from someone, and it was mostly unripe ears; the plump ears of corn would have already ripened long ago.

"Mom and Dad, could you two cook something?" Zhu Lin said.

Zhu's mother threw away the corn cob in her hand: "We're old. We get indigestion if we eat even a little bit at night. We ate so much at noon, and we're not hungry now."

"Yes, yes, I'm not hungry," said Zhu's father.

Zhu's mother looked at Zhu's father: "What do you mean by this? Are you implying that I've been abusing you?"

"No, no!"

Liu Yimin suppressed a smile; now he looked even more like him.

Zhu Lin pushed Liu Yimin to stop laughing, and Liu Yimin almost suffered internal injuries from holding it in.

Liu Yu and Liu Lin wanted to eat corn, but they were already full.

Zhu's mother told them to drink some water from boiled corn, saying it was good for their health, clearing heat and detoxifying: "Zhu, you should drink more too, it can lower blood sugar and is also good for your prostate."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yimin, who hadn't intended to drink it, reluctantly took a couple of sips.

On October 3rd, the crew of "Hachiko: A Dog's Tale" finally returned from Saihanba. Their faces were chapped from the cold, and Jiao Huang even caught a cold.

"Yimin, you have lived up to expectations. After I returned, I handed the film over to the August First Film Studio. They are editing it and it should be almost finished by the end of the month."

(End of this chapter)