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

Chapter 545 We Sing "The East Is Red"

Inside the restaurant, Liu Yimin ate breakfast while explaining the contents of the novel to Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang.

George put a sandwich in his mouth: "Liu's novel has universality throughout Western politics."

The West has yet to recover from economic stagflation, and the United States continues to implement new economic policies to stimulate the economy. A sense of disillusionment with the government pervades society, making this novel all the more likely to resonate with readers across Western countries.

Liu brought the power games that played offstage to the forefront, allowing every person in the West to see what politicians are doing!

After George finished speaking, he looked at Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang: "Huang, Jiao, did you understand?"

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang nodded, though they didn't actually understand much. This was mainly because they were unfamiliar with Western political systems, or rather, they hadn't studied them in depth. They had only heard of things like two-party elections and the National Assembly.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "You'll understand after you finish reading the whole article. Let's eat, it's not easy to have a day off."

"Liu, where would you like to go? I can go with you." George was in a very good mood after making a significant discovery.

"I'll take a break this morning, meet with some overseas Chinese this afternoon, and meet with the founder of Walmart this evening."

"Walmart? Alice? Is this supermarket clinging to you again?" George asked, frowning. George understood Walmart's underlying business calculations and was disgusted by this behavior.

Huang Zumo told George that Alice's generous donation at the roadshow last night was equivalent to donating 500,000 yuan to the box office of "Hachi: A Dog's Tale".

George scoffed and said, "Five hundred thousand is nothing to them; they can earn it in the blink of an eye. Liu, I hate these businessmen the most. They've made Americans fall in love with shopping and consumption, and distanced them from books and culture."

George believes that it is the development of commerce and the prevalence of consumerism that have made Americans increasingly superficial and vulgar.

“We Americans used to be a nation that loved reading, Liu. Now literature is declining, and this is not a tragedy for literature, but a tragedy for America,” George said regretfully.

"George, thank you for your commitment to pure literature. Society is changing, and literature must change accordingly, as must your magazine."

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, he looked at Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang and asked, "You two don't like the food?"

Jiao Huang helplessly tossed the sandwich in his hand onto the plate: "Eating this stuff makes me feel so weak. Chinese food is so much better; it gives me so much energy afterward."

"I ate at the Liu family's for a while, and the Chinese food was just so delicious. I can't understand how the Chinese can make one dish taste so many different ways." George squinted, looking on with reminiscence.

Liu Yimin stuffed the last piece of bread into his mouth: "Because we Chinese love life and are willing to put more effort into the happiness of our daily lives."

Huang Zumo smiled upon hearing this, then lowered his head and drank the yogurt in his cup in one gulp. He didn't like drinking milk, but he always had a cup of this yogurt in the morning.

Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, Liu Yimin wiped his mouth and said, "Let's go back and rest for a while. We'll go check on Song Xilian later."

Song Xilian called a while ago, telling them that they must visit New York when they pass through, as he had a lot to say to them.

After the veterans were allowed to return to the mainland, Song Xilian felt he saw hope and has been actively working to help them.

Seeing that Liu Yimin didn't need his company, George left the hotel after finishing his meal.

Back in their room, the group rested on the bed for another hour before holding a meeting. The meeting mainly focused on summarizing the situations that arose during the roadshow, the shortcomings in handling certain issues, and how to respond to questions from the audience going forward.

"Most of the audience's questions were quite simple and easy to answer. The main questions came from the media, and these media outlets often didn't focus on the film itself, but rather on China's afforestation efforts."

Even worse, some provocative media outlets try to find flaws in our statements to imply to the US that the Chinese tree-planting campaign is fake and propaganda. Therefore, when you're unsure how to answer a tricky question, be sure to grasp the key words—'love, humans and animals, environmental protection, dedication, warmth, the Earth's environment, and the fate of humanity,' etc. Liu Yimin emphasized this again.

These are common tactics used by the US and the West; they like to use values ​​to answer specific questions.

If you think his answer is problematic or doesn't address the key points, then in their eyes it's your values ​​that are flawed.

In short, as long as my values ​​are correct, that's all that matters. My depravity lies in standing on a moral high ground.

"understand!"

Jiao Huang looked at Liu Yimin: "Comrade Yimin, what should we say to Song Xilian? He is..."

"Hey, just treat him as an ordinary Chinese person. His release from Gongdelin means that our Party believes he has abandoned evil and turned to good. What he is doing now is also on the positive side of history. The united front work is one of our three magic weapons for victory."

“Okay, then we won’t be nervous anymore,” Huang Zumo said.

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang were worried about potential negative political repercussions, and they were anxious for several days after hearing that they were going to meet Song Xilian.

Around 11 o'clock, the four of them drove to Song Xilian's residence, leaving the dog in the care of the agent, Jeep, and others.

Just like last time, Song Xilian, dressed in a suit and leaning on a cane, went to the door to welcome Liu Yimin and his entourage.

"Yimin, it's been a long time." Song Xilian's voice sounded even older.

Liu Yimin grasped Song Xilian's withered hand and said, "General Song, how have you been? Thank you for your invitation."

"Haha, everyone come inside. Thank you for coming to see this old man. I am very happy to have people from my hometown visit me."

Upon entering the apartment, Song Xilian warmly had fruit and tea served to them, and inquired about their progress.

Liu Yimin said, "The results this time are very good. The film is expected to gross 20 million US dollars at the box office in the United States."

"Twenty million? That's already very good. Comrade Jiao Huang, Director Huang Zumo, you did a great job. It allows us, people from a foreign land, to feel that Chinese culture is always around us."

"Mr. Song, you flatter me. It's all thanks to Comrade Yimin's excellent writing and direction. Without his guidance, we wouldn't have been able to make this film," Huang Zumo said politely.

Everyone had lunch at Song Xilian's home. The nanny was also from China and could cook authentic Chinese dishes.

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang's eyes lit up when they heard about Chinese food. They would occasionally stop by Chinese restaurants to eat, but they basically never got to eat authentic Chinese food.

Song Xilian is from Hunan Province, and the nanny also cooks Hunan cuisine, only it's not as spicy.

Hearing that the others were craving the food, Song Xilian asked the nanny to make him a slightly lighter dish, while the rest would be made into authentic Hunan cuisine.

"Can Xiao Huang and Xiao Jiao eat spicy food?"

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang quickly replied, "We can eat some spicy food. We've lived in Shanghai for a long time, but our ancestral homes are in Hebei and Anhui provinces, respectively."

"Let's make it a little less spicy," Liu Yimin said to the nanny with a smile.

When talking about veterans returning home, Song Xilian praised the Veterans Homecoming Foundation established in Southeast Asia. Many people on the island wrote to him, and the foundation has helped many veterans living in poverty on the island.

For veterans who are too old to return to their hometowns, the foundation will help them communicate and send things to their relatives.

“Yimin, to be honest, I’m very worried. It’s been almost forty years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and we older generations really want to see reunification.” Song Xilian said, angrily striking the ground with his cane: “Is this power so hard to give up? I heard that Chiang Kai-shek’s health is not good either. I’m really worried about the future development.”

"Don't worry too much. The tide of history is in our hands, not on the island. We need to analyze the true nature of the GMD. Since the departure of some members of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, a portion of the essence of the GMD has essentially left. It is an extremely radical party, with too many people who worship foreign things. Some things cannot be changed by one person alone."

"But from a historical perspective, unification is an inevitable trend. When that time comes, even the most unwilling people will have to sing 'The East Is Red'," Liu Yimin said confidently.

There's something Liu Yimin didn't say: all those die-hards in Gongdelin eventually came out singing "The East Is Red."

“It’s always better to do it sooner rather than later. I really want to see that day,” Song Xilian said.

Yes, we are all working hard!

Song Xilian sighed. A while ago, Bai Chongxi's son, Bai Xianyong, came to visit him and mentioned the matter of returning to the mainland.

"Xianyong had some doubts, but after 'The Battle of Taierzhuang' aired, his sister Xianhui became more determined to return to China. Last year, she secretly returned to the mainland and stayed in Guangxi Province for a while. Xianyong told me that his sister is trying to persuade him to return to China. Yimin, I don't know if you know, but Pai Hsien-yung is also a writer. We are getting old, and these young people are someone we can win over. He is a writer, and he has a lot of influence."

"Does he still have doubts?"

"Kind of."

“After I return to China, I will extend an invitation to him in my own name. I think he will feel much more at ease,” Liu Yimin said.

Song Xilian said happily, "Is that so? Then you can have a good chat. The baton of the older generation will be passed on to you young people. Xianyong told me that you are very famous on the island now. Your books are selling like hotcakes all over the island, sweeping away the island's writers like autumn leaves."

"Mr. Bai is exaggerating, but I am still very happy to be liked by so many compatriots on the island. I feel that I have made a small contribution to cultural exchange."

When Liu Yimin saw that the nanny had prepared the meal, he immediately got up to help serve the dishes, and Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang followed suit.

Smelling the aroma of meat and chili peppers, Liu Yimin said to the nanny, "Thank you so much, my mouth is watering just smelling the meat."

"Professor Liu is joking. My skills are nothing compared to those of chefs in China."

Once all the food was served, Song Xilian told everyone not to be shy. Liu Yimin, seeing that Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang hadn't touched their chopsticks, smiled and picked them up.

As Song Xilian ate, he commented on the dishes on the table. When they had almost finished eating, Liu Yimin asked Song Xilian if he had heard of something.

"what's up?"

“Back then, when Nazi Germany imprisoned Taiwanese, a Chinese diplomat stationed in Austria issued visas, helping tens of thousands of Taiwanese leave Austria and come to China, and then from Shanghai to New York and other places,” Liu Yimin said.

Song Xilian frowned and asked in confusion, "Is that so? I pay more attention to military affairs than diplomacy at the time, especially things like Austria in Europe."

“I heard it from someone else. Once when I was in the United States, a passerby told me that this diplomat later settled in the United States.”

"You want to find him and write this down?" Song Xilian immediately understood Liu Yimin's intention.

"Yes, as you know, due to the West's deliberate slander against China, Western people hold prejudices against China. Overcoming these prejudices is not something that can be done overnight; it requires sustained effort."

If we can find it, write it down, and film it, I think it will benefit China and the image of the Chinese people.

Asking Song Xilian for help is better than asking Frank, and it will probably be faster.

Song Xilian patted Liu Yimin's hand happily and said, "Yimin, I support you a hundred percent. I get angry when I see the image of Chinese people in American movies. In their eyes, we Chinese are backward and ignorant."

"If he were really in the US and still alive, he would definitely join some Chinese organizations. And as you know, there are many GMD veterans in the US. If he were a diplomat, he would definitely be active in groups like ours."

"Thank you." Liu Yimin shook hands with Song Xilian to express his gratitude.

Song Xilian put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth: "You're welcome. If I can find him, I'd like to meet this hero. He must have been under tremendous pressure back then. He's practically the Rabe of the East."

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang listened to the two men's conversation, pretending to eat, and occasionally exchanging glances.

In the afternoon, Song Xilian called over several members of the Unification Promotion Association and, under the guise of having tea, inquired about the matter from them.

“Everyone, think about it carefully. If you don’t know, you can ask your friends when you get back. This is a good thing, a virtuous thing, and more people should know about it.” Song Xilian put down his teacup.

One of the former military officers, surnamed Yang, said, “This matter seems familiar, like I’ve heard it somewhere before, but I can’t quite remember. Commander Song, I think we can inquire with our New York Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, or with local branches or Chinese groups.”

"Stop calling me Commander Song. Think about it, when did you first hear about this?"

“I forgot, it’s been a long time, but this person is definitely not in New York, he should be in the western region.”

Song Xilian wanted to hit the other person with his cane. How could he forget something so important? But it also indirectly confirmed that what Liu Yimin said was true.

Seeing that he couldn't get any more information from them, Song Xilian immediately sent someone to send a letter in the name of the association to inquire.

In the afternoon, they discussed some of China's opening-up policies. Besides cross-strait affairs, the Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification also promotes economic exchanges between China and the United States.

“Yimin, to be honest, I’m looking up to the Chinese in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia’s economy is not developed, but the Chinese in Southeast Asia have made far greater contributions to the mainland than the Chinese in the United States.”

Song Xilian lamented that some Chinese people, after arriving in the United States, think of forgetting their motherland as their first thought.

"As long as the general trend moves forward, these are not problems. One day they will sing 'The East Is Red.' The stronger you are, the more friends you will have, and the more people will like you," Liu Yimin said calmly.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Liu Yimin and the others returned to the hotel. Song Xilian told Liu Yimin to wait a moment, assuring him that he would be able to find the Chinese diplomat.

When we arrived at the hotel, Walmart's driver had already been waiting at the hotel entrance for quite some time.

"Professor Liu, our chairman is waiting for you," the driver said politely, reminding Liu Yimin that the dinner was about to begin.

Liu Yimin glanced at Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang: "Then let's set off!"

The founder of Walmart is Sam Walton, and you can tell from his name that he is associated with Sam's Club.

Walmart, a department store company without core technology, has firmly established itself as a giant in the world's retail industry.

As they passed through the neighborhoods of New York, they saw bricks scattered on the streets, and the municipal authorities were slowly cleaning them up.

Jiao Huang asked curiously, "What happened?"

The driver turned around and said, "There's a march here today, supposedly against racial discrimination."

"Did the people win?" Liu Yimin asked.

The driver shook his head: "The riot police have been deployed. Many people have been arrested, pepper-sprayed, and some have even been hit by rubber bullets."

The chaotic scene spread to several blocks, and after a while, they finally arrived at the wealthy area. Liu Yimin asked some questions about the details of the banquet, and the driver only told him what he knew: there were quite a few people there, including media, writers, actors, and artists.

"Your boss seems to really like art," Liu Yimin said casually.

"Our boss is a frugal, stingy old man. He doesn't own a mansion or a luxury car. This belongs to his daughter, Alice," the driver said, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang asked curiously, "He's so rich, yet he's still so frugal?"

"This is a tradition of our Walmart."

Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang looked at them with admiration. Liu Yimin shook his head as he looked at their expressions. The frugal side is what rich people want you to see. In reality, you can't imagine the happiness of the rich.

Upon arriving at the villa, numerous luxury cars were already parked along the roadside. The villa's lights shone through the glass, making the entire garden appear resplendent in gold.

"Professor Liu, you can just go in. Tell the butler at the door your name, and he will take you in immediately." The driver nodded slightly to Liu Yimin.

Liu Yimin walked to the door and said softly, "Liu Yimin."

"Oh, excellent writer, please come in. Chairman Sam and Miss Alice have been waiting for you for a long time."

As Liu Yimin entered the hall, he glanced around and realized that he had met most of the people there once before, having been present at a charity gala.

So Liu Yimin took the initiative to wave to them, and Arthur Miller walked over quickly with a smile: "Liu, my dear friend, long time no see!"

(End of this chapter)