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

Chapter 55 I Really Don't Love Money (Please Read On)

On October 2, 1978, Liu Yimin stood on Chang'an Avenue, occasionally pressing the shutter button. People came and went on Chang'an Avenue, and workers in gray-blue overalls were sweeping the streets with brooms. Military green jeeps and black luxury cars, which were not commonly seen in other places, were not uncommon here.

Many people stood at the gate of the city tower, their faces filled with admiration as they looked at the portrait of the leader on the red city wall.

The photographers at the entrance to Tiananmen Square were extremely busy, with long queues of people waiting to have their pictures taken. They were all photographers from state-run photo studios, and their daily work consisted of taking pictures here. Liu Yimin waited in line for a very long time before it was his turn.

"Hello, comrade, could you take a few photos of me with my camera? I'll pay the same price!" Liu Yimin asked with a smile.

If we use the camera from the state-run photo studio, we'll have to wait several days to pick up the photos, which is too much trouble.

The photographer glanced at Liu Yimin, then looked at the equipment he carried. Anyone who owned a camera wasn't an ordinary person. But after a moment's look, the photographer asked suspiciously, "From the Writers' Association?"

"How did you figure that out? I borrowed it from the Writers' Association." Liu Yimin hesitated for a moment before saying, "I am a writer."

"Writer?" The photographer's voice immediately rose several decibels. Seeing Liu Yimin's affirmative look and the words "Writers Association" on the camera, he readily agreed to Liu Yimin's request.

Liu Yimin didn't forget to take out Li Lanyong's photo from his bag and have him take a picture with Tiananmen Square, capturing the classic background angle.

"Thanks, comrade!"

"You're welcome!" After handing the camera back to Liu Yimin, the photographer began taking pictures of the people in line behind him.

"By the way, comrade writer, what's your name?"

After Liu Yimin had walked a dozen steps, the photographer realized he hadn't asked his name yet, and shouted from a distance behind him.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yimin turned around and waved to the photographer: "Liu Yimin!"

The photographer nodded upon hearing this and then bent down to continue taking photos of other customers: "Okay, next one!"

"Comrade, the person who just asked you to take a picture should be a poet. The author of 'A Generation' and 'Motherland, My Beloved Motherland' is Liu Yimin!"

"Yes, a recent novel in People's Literature and Art magazine about the college entrance examination was also written by Liu Yimin."

“I read the one about the college entrance exam. I still have this issue of People’s Literature in my bag. When I came from Qianmen, there were still quite a few people queuing up to buy the magazine at the newsstand, and some people who had bought it were discussing the novel with each other.”

Hearing the murmurs, the photographer quickly looked towards the city gate tower, only to find that Liu Yimin had already gone inside the Forbidden City.

"Why didn't you say so sooner? If I had known, I would have taken a picture with him to remember the occasion!"

"I...I regret it too. Who knew he was so young? I just realized it!"

"Too young!"

Liu Yimin walked along the Jinshui Bridge, through Tiananmen and Duanmen, all the way to the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, where he bought a ticket for one yuan and went inside for a visit.

Unfortunately, only a small portion of the Forbidden City was open to the public at that time, and some halls were still under renovation. Workers and tourists did not disturb each other. After walking around, I exited the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate.

After half a day, I was so tired and thirsty that I was almost dehydrated. It was a pity that Chen Qi hadn't started selling big bowls of tea at Qianmen Tower yet, otherwise I would have definitely gone over to mooch a bowl.

The novel "The College Entrance Examination in 1977" sparked heated discussions as soon as it was published in People's Literature and Art. Some newspapers also began to publish book reviews of the novel.

The China Youth Daily was the first to publish a book review titled "Chinese Youth Striving Upwards: Spiritual Nourishment for Countless College Entrance Examination Candidates." Furthermore, it interviewed several college entrance examination candidates, inquiring about their experiences and feelings about the novel. The reporter asked, "Do you think it's true that the farm cadres initially rejected educated youth taking the college entrance examination, as depicted in the novel?"

One of the educated youth thought for a moment and said, "We were educated youth sent to the countryside. The brigade was quite supportive of our college entrance examination because if we returned to the city, the brigade could save us a portion of food."

But my friend did encounter this situation on some farms. My friend told me he was glad someone had brought this to light, and that many test-takers highly praised the author of this novel.

Reporter: "What were your thoughts after reading this novel?"

"Infinite spiritual strength, a positive and optimistic attitude, and a thirst for knowledge. Most importantly, the choice made by Pan Zhiyou, a male educated youth in the book, gives us an inspiration: each of us has a different role to play, and we don't necessarily have to go to university. Going to university is contributing to the construction of the motherland, and staying on the farm as an educated youth is also contributing to the construction of the motherland."

At the end of the newspaper article, the reporter wrote: "A journey to take the college entrance examination amidst wind and snow, fraught with difficulties but unwavering in their resolve, a group of young people have proven through their actions that the great decision to reinstate the college entrance examination was successful and supported by the people. The hearts of these young people have been opened, and so has their future."

We must uphold the great decision of the college entrance examination, select outstanding talents through fair means, and use the wisdom of young people to build the future of China.

Some parents couldn't help but shed tears when they saw how difficult it was for their children to take the college entrance examination in the countryside. The hardships they endured—combining manual labor with staying up late to study—are unimaginable.

But soon I was touched by the warmth of the educated youth and local commune members helping each other in the book. They encouraged each other during the difficult years and felt the kindness between people.

Old Chi, who was initially seen as a despicable figure, later became a pillar of support for the educated youth. After seeing his past experiences, people felt admiration for this veteran comrade who had fought on many battlefields.

It tells the story of the hardships these children faced in taking the college entrance examination, without excessive embellishment, allowing readers to feel a deep sense of despair through this novel.

In short, after reading this novel, readers did not complain, but were filled with confidence!

At the guesthouse, Zou Huofan told Liu Yimin that Zhou Yanru from Yanjing Literature and Art had come by in the afternoon, but he had asked her to leave.

"Old Zou, what's going on?" Liu Yimin was very curious. The competition between Poetry Journal and Yanjing Literature and Art was not that big; Yanjing Literature and Art and People's Literature and Art were the real rivals.

"When Lao Zhou came to you to commission an article, I asked her what kind of standards 'Yanjing Literature' could offer. Do you know how she answered me?"

Zou Huofan became very angry at the end.

"What standard?"

"Five yuan per thousand words! Isn't that disrespectful? Although I know you write for literature, not for money, the standard of payment is a matter of respect. There's no reason why the more you write, the lower the standard of payment should be."

Liu Yimin blushed, coughed, and puffed out his chest, saying, "Yes, I really don't love money!"

Seeing Liu Yimin's expression, Zou Huofan nodded in satisfaction: "I told her then and there, take care, there's a threshold to the left when you go out, be careful not to fall!"

"Comrade Zou, you've offended someone because of me!"

"Don't worry, even though we've known each other for a long time, our bond is still the strongest!"

Seeing Liu Yimin's moved expression, Zou Huofan was even more satisfied. Wasn't this the effect we wanted after saying all this?

Thank you everyone for the monthly tickets, thank you to reader 浩瀚3393 for the 100-point reward, and thank you to reader 20180612083652658 for the 500-point reward.

(End of this chapter)