1979: Reopening Wenhao Road from the Village

Chen Weidong first tied up the ewe, then put the flour he had bought into the vat, and gathered up the other things.

He felt he had made a great deal to buy so many things for just over sixty yuan; money really is valuable these days.

If it were later, sixty yuan would only be enough for one person to eat a meal of spicy hot pot.

"What are we having for dinner?"

Su Man put the money away and asked Chen Weidong.

"I'll cook the lamb kidneys for you, and heat up some steamed buns too."

"Alright."

……

In Yanjing, in an old wooden building on Dongxinglong Street outside Chongwenmen, is the literary editing office of Yanjing Publishing House, and also the office of the October magazine.

Zhang Shouren walked into the office, rubbed his hands together, took off his hat, poured himself a cup of hot water and took a sip, then put his hat back on, rode his bicycle to the gatehouse of the gray brick building at No. 51 Dongxinglong Street, Chongwai, and dragged back the unsolicited manuscript about "October".

Opening envelopes, affixing registration slips, sorting by genre—novels, poems, theories…—all of this had to be done by the editors themselves; no one could do it for them.

Then he picked up the stack of novels, sat down at his desk, and took out a letter to read.

Despite the large number of submissions, the content is indeed disappointing. Some authors don't even know the basics of writing, and some submissions even contain many typos.

Some people rely solely on enthusiasm, while others are simply taking a gamble, all in an effort to transfer to a different job.

The Horseman!

Is this going to be another article about raising sheep?

Zhang Shouren was filled with doubt. He had just read several similar articles, about raising sheep, raising chickens, and farming. It was almost like a complete guide to agriculture and animal husbandry.

After the rain shower, the yellowing leaves looked even more withered, and drops of water dripped from the plane trees inside the wall. Barbed wire strung along the wall, and two fully armed guards stood at the gate, creating a somber and heavily guarded atmosphere. He stood at the gate, feeling a little apprehensive, hesitating whether to approach and ask, yet fearing a cold reception or a reprimand.

……

Seeing this, Zhang Shouren perked up a bit; at least the beginning was good and it piqued his interest.

Late at night, Xu Lingjun squatted alone in the stable, broke the last piece of cornbread in half, gave one half to the old white horse that had also been labeled a "rightist", and swallowed the other half himself.

At that moment, both people and animals fell silent, yet they confirmed to each other: we are still alive, and we are still needed.

Later, Li Xiuzhi used an iron shovel to scoop up a handful of soil and placed it under his frostbitten feet, saying, "Stand on it, don't get cold."

There was not a single "I love you" or "I'll save you," only a handful of soil and the words "Don't get cold," yet Zhang Shouren remembered the character Li Xiuzhi, and his mind was immersed in the book.

When Zhang Zhong'e came out to fetch water again, he saw Zhang Shouren still engrossed in reading, and his curiosity was immediately piqued.

However, fearing to disturb Zhang Shouren, he did not alarm him. Zhang Zhong'e returned to his seat and kept glancing at him, wanting to find out what was going on.

……

In the distance, the old white horse snorted and lowered its head to nibble on a frosty blade of grass.

The wind grew stronger, but the sunset suddenly brightened, as if even the heavens couldn't bear to extinguish this tiny flame.

Xu Lingjun lowered his head and took a bite of potato, the scalding heat bringing tears to his eyes. He didn't let the tears fall, but simply slung the bag back over her shoulder and said, "Let's go home."

……

Seeing this, Zhang Shouren's eyes welled up with tears, reminding him of those days back then.

Zhang Shouren had already read the 25,000-word manuscript twice, and he was deeply moved by the pure and simple love story between Xu Lingjun and Li Xiuzhi.

I flipped back to the beginning and glanced at the author's name, "Chen Weidong." I hadn't heard of him before; he must be a newcomer.

However, the fact that a newcomer can write such a moving story shows that he has extraordinary talent.

There are many people who are better than Chen Weidong in terms of writing skills, but in terms of the emotional impact of the story, "The Herdsman" is definitely a leader in scar literature.

It is unlike other works such as Liu Xinwu's "The Class Teacher", Lu Xinhua's "The Scar", Jia Pingwa's "Full Moon", and Wang Meng's "The Most Precious"...

Instead, it depicts the story in a simple and understated way, without shouting or accusing. It simply opens up the wound to show you the still-pulsating blood inside, and finally heals the wound with the most sincere emotions such as love and family.

This kind of article absolutely has to be published!

Zhang Shouren stood up and immediately walked towards the editor-in-chief's room.

When Zhang Zhong'e saw that Zhang Shouren was making a move, he wanted to borrow the manuscript to take a look, but before he could speak, the other party went into the editor-in-chief's office.

"Editor-in-chief, I've found a great article here. It's different from the usual novels about trauma; it's quite moving."

As Zhang Shouren spoke, he handed over the manuscript in his hand.

Su Mao knew Zhang Shouren very well and knew that he was a very composed person. The fact that the latter recommended the article so strongly indicated that it had its own unique features.

"Please sit down first, let me take a look."

Su Mao took the manuscript, said something, and then glanced at the name.

"The Horse Herder" by Chen Weidong.

This author is unfamiliar; he must be a newcomer.

Around the 1980s, it was "common" for writers to submit their work under their real names, while using pen names was "a minority".

Su Mao quickly became immersed in the story of "The Herdsman." Perhaps because of her experience of being sent to the countryside, and because she was a woman, this delicate story moved her even more.

"Well written!"

"Isn't that going too far?"

Zhang Shouren immediately inquired, expressing his excitement at having unearthed such a pearl and his desire to share the story with more people.

"No rush, go and inform everyone, and we'll discuss it together."

Although Su Mao had the final say, she still chose to have a democratic discussion, and she believed that with the quality of "The Herdsman," passing the review would definitely not be a problem.

"I'll go and inform everyone right away."

Soon the editors of the October magazine gathered together. They looked at each other and finally focused their attention on Zhang Shouren and Su Mao.

"Comrade Zhang Shouren just found a good article. Let's all pass it around and read it, and then share our thoughts."

Su Mao handed the manuscript to Zhang Zhong'e, who immediately took it and started reading. He had been holding back all morning and was finally able to read it to see what kind of story this article that had captivated Zhang Shouren could tell, and how it could have such a profound effect on him.

Zhang Zhong'e initially felt sympathy for Xu Lingjun's hardships, but when he saw the question, "Old Xu, do you want a wife?"...

He burst out laughing instantly, which made the other editors who hadn't seen the article even more curious, and they were all scratching their heads in frustration.