Literary Master 1978

Someone stood in the bell pavilion and was about to read a poem, while others sat around and listened quietly.

"I will recite to you a poem I wrote to Van Gogh. The poem is called "Love Till Death":

Dip in the first ray of light on the painting plate at dawn

Every touch of color is the yearning of the heart

The stars under the night guide, the flame of love is everlasting

I fight darkness with splendor and ignite extraordinary dreams

…”

The students who stood and recited poems had full voices, full of surging enthusiasm.

After he finished reciting, the people around him burst into warm applause, and Lin Chaoyang also applauded very proudly.

It was fine when he was reciting just now, but now facing the applause of the crowd, the student's face turned red and he bowed sincerely to everyone, obviously feeling flattered by this recognition.

After he stood up, he looked at Lin Chaoyang and said: "I wrote this poem mainly because of the influence of "The Death of Van Gogh" and "Longing for Life"."

Everyone here knew Lin Chaoyang. After hearing what he said, everyone's eyes turned towards Lin Chaoyang involuntarily, and the applause became even more enthusiastic.

Lin Chaoyang smiled at everyone, and after everyone's applause stopped, he chatted with Zha Haisheng for a few words.

A few months ago, Zha Haisheng's song "Al's Sun" was published in "Yanjing Literature", which seemed to ignite his creative enthusiasm. He wrote many more poems one after another, but he was unable to do so again. published.

However, these poems were quite popular among students, making him a well-known campus poet in Yandali.

The student who was studying just now mentioned the book "Longing for Life - The Biography of Van Gogh", and Zha Haisheng has also been reading it recently.

In the past six months, due to the promotion of "The Death of Van Gogh", Van Gogh has become a Western artist familiar to many Chinese readers. Readers who have read the novel are all attracted by the Van Gogh who is full of love and passion for art in the novel. Impressed.

Because of this, "Longing for Life - The Biography of Van Gogh" published by Yanjing Publishing House has been enthusiastically sought after by many readers since its release.

As a biographical work, Yanjing Publishing House took a certain risk by deciding to print 50,000 copies for the first time.

However, the enthusiastic response from readers and the rapid feedback from the market proved that the publisher's decision was actually conservative.

The first printing of "Longing for Life - Van Gogh's Biography" was 50,000 copies, and it was sold out less than half a month after it was released. The publishing house urgently printed an additional 100,000 copies and sent them to various places. The supply is still in short supply.

In just one month, the total number of copies of the novel printed has reached 250,000. Excluding some of the inventory that is still being digested, the sales volume of 200,000 copies in a month is definitely there.

The popularity of "Longing for Life - The Biography of Van Gogh" is naturally inseparable from the novel "The Death of Van Gogh", which also proves the appeal and influence of this novel among readers.

There are eight or nine people in Zhongting, all from the May 4th Literary Club, but there are not many students in the 77th grade. The students in the 78th, 79th and 80th grades are the main force.

The eighth-level students have just entered school these days and have not had time to participate in club activities.

There are five classes of undergraduates on one campus, and they only existed during the special period of the early 1980s. Of course, except for five-year college majors.

Looking at the students' reactions to him, Lin Chaoyang seemed to be able to feel the passage of time.

Among the student groups of Yan University, the ones he has the most contact with are the students in the seventh and seventh grades. Now this group of students is about to graduate. Many of them are busy with their own affairs. The number of people who were originally active in various campus activities has become more and more... There are no more, replaced by these junior students in front of me.

Because of the lack of contact, these students no longer seemed to look at him as kindly and level-headedly as the students from the 1977 and 1978 classes. Instead, their eyes gradually turned upward and turned into looking up at him.

Of course this has a lot to do with his growing fame.

After get off work in the evening, Lin Chaoyang just came home and saw Zhang Dening sitting on the sofa chatting with Tao Yushu.

After saying hello, Lin Chaoyang asked Zhang Dening why he was here.

"What else can you do? Let's see how your manuscript is going. It's been so long since the pen meeting, so it's time to start writing, right?"

"It's no use urging me. You can't publish my novel."

Hearing this, Zhang Dening immediately became unhappy, "I ate, drank, and played. You don't want to default on your debt, do you?"

"What do you mean by deadbeat! You invited me to the PEN Conference, and there is no rule that I have to hand in my manuscript to you if I go to the PEN Conference!"

Zhang Dening looked anxious, "Why are you like this?"

Tao Yushu explained with a smile: "Don't listen to his nonsense. He has just started writing the novel, but the plan is to be a full-length novel, and he won't be able to publish it to magazines like you."

Limited by the magazine's layout, "Yanjing Literature and Art" has always published short stories, and is barely able to publish novellas, let alone full-length novels.

Listening to Tao Yushu's explanation, Zhang Dening's anxiety eased a little, but she still couldn't let go of this work. She said: "Knowing that we can only publish short and medium stories, you still want to write a long one. I think you did it on purpose. "

When she couldn't get the manuscript, she muttered a few words and Lin Chaoyang didn't take it to heart. On the contrary, she stuffed her mouth full during dinner, which made Lin Chaoyang feel a little distressed.

"I need to mention it to your work unit in the future. Even if you come to our house, it is considered a business trip, and the meal must be reimbursed."

Zhang Dening felt very happy after listening to Lin Chaoyang's words, "Reimbursement? If you think so, I'll take it!"

Lin Chaoyang shook his head, "No wonder you can't get any manuscripts. With your appetite, which writer's home would welcome you?"

His words were heartbreaking. He could say anything about an editor, but saying that she couldn't get any manuscripts was definitely the biggest insult to her.

That night, Zhang Dening was so angry that she ate two more bowls of rice!

It has been two weeks since the start of school. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather is getting cooler, especially in the morning and evening. Lin Chaoyang felt it particularly clearly when he rode his bicycle to work.

On this day at work, Lin Chaoyang took the time to write a letter to his parents.

It is almost autumn harvest. If Lin Chaoyang doesn't write a letter to urge them, the old couple will be busy until winter. The courtyard in Mianhua Hutong will be empty for several months.

After writing the letter, Lin Chaoyang, who was slacking off, heard Du Rong and others discussing the upcoming meeting in the library.

At the end of this month, the Chinese Library Association will jointly hold a library business seminar with the United States International Exchange Agency. The venue of the meeting is at the Yanda Library.

"I heard that we are going to establish a book and information exchange relationship with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in the United States!"

Yanshan University used to have book and information exchange relationships with dozens of universities at home and abroad, but due to political reasons in the past few years, exchanges with foreign universities have almost stagnated. This exchange relationship with Stanford University can be said to be the beginning of Yanshan University's reintegration into the international community to some extent.

"It would be great if the library had the opportunity to send people abroad." Du Rong fantasized.

Hu Wenqiong laughed out loud, "Oh! You are so bold, and you want to send people abroad? It will take a hundred years for a unit like our library to get a chance. Besides, even if you really want to send people abroad, it won't be your turn."

"Is it not okay for me to think about it?"

"You can think about it, but you can't let your imagination run wild."

"Sister Hu~"

Du Rong complained, and Hu Wenqiong stopped laughing.

Lin Chaoyang listened to the conversation between the two and smiled.

With the introduction of various news and information from abroad into China since the reform and opening up, many people have a yearning for foreign countries, especially developed countries.

This yearning cannot be regarded as worshipping foreign things, but is human nature. Who doesn't yearn for a better life? In the final analysis, the gap between the material level and that of developed countries is too large.

In the evening, while eating, Tao Yushu talked about buying a color TV.

"The color TV of the TV factory rolled off the production line some time ago."

Tao Yushu has been talking about buying a color TV since last year. He finally waited for the domestic color TV produced by Yanjing TV Factory to be launched.

Yanjing TV Factory was established in the 1970s, and the Peony brand TVs it produced became popular all over the country within a few years.

However, the TVs produced before were all black and white. It was not until last year that the TV factory introduced foreign color TV production lines that it was finally able to produce color TVs.

Last month, the domestic color TV produced by Yanjing TV Factory was just launched and sold, and the products were in short supply.

"Then I'll go and see it this weekend!"

"I'll go with you."

In the era of planned economy, TVs were industrial products subject to unified purchase and sale. Like other industrial commodities, they could only be bought with TV tickets, and they were in short supply.

However, Lin Chaoyang had remittance vouchers and foreign exchange vouchers, both of which were hard currencies in those days and were much more popular than TV tickets. The couple did not go to the department store, but went directly to the Yanjing TV Factory.

Similar to the situation at the washing machine factory, the factory was full of large trucks, and the TVs that had just come off the production line were directly loaded and taken away.

Lin Chaoyang spent two remittance vouchers plus 1,040 yuan to buy a color TV. That afternoon, the couple carried this 14-inch Peony brand color TV back to the Overseas Chinese Apartment.

The color TV from the Yanjing TV Factory introduced the technology of Panasonic of Japan. It uses a gray plastic shell with metal wire drawing process in some parts. With a screen size that is one circle larger than the average 9-inch black and white TV, it looks full of high-end feeling.

Tao Yumo heard two days ago that her sister's family was going to buy a color TV. She has been squatting here for the past two days. When the color TV arrived at home, she was very excited. She turned around the color TV and touched it from time to time.

"Stop groping around and help your brother-in-law install the antenna." Tao Yushu ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

Tao Yumo responded and helped Lin Chaoyang install the antenna.

"Brother-in-law, got it! Got it, brother-in-law!"

As Tao Yumo's excited shout came, the snow on the TV screen disappeared, replaced by a colorful image.

For viewers who have always been accustomed to watching black and white screens, the shock of the color screen is self-evident.

Tao Yumo stared at the program on the screen, even if it was just a boring science program, but for her, it was more interesting than any entertainment activity.

"Why do I feel that this TV is bought for her?"

Tao Yushu looked at his sister's concentrated state and couldn't help saying something.

"Children are fresh when they see TV." Lin Chaoyang said with a smile.

That night, the TV in Lin Chaoyang's living room was turned on until 9:30, until all the programs were played and the screen was covered with snow, Tao Yumo reluctantly turned off the TV.

The next morning, when she was eating, Tao Yumo was scolded by her sister for this. If it was normal, she would definitely retort, but today she was surprisingly well-behaved.

When she came back in the evening, she was back to her old ways, watching TV endlessly.

Tao Yushu couldn't help but scold her again, but seeing that she was still in that "positive attitude, but stubborn" attitude, Tao Yushu was too lazy to scold her anymore.

After three or four days, even Lin Chaoyang couldn't help but ask Tao Yumo out of curiosity.

"There are only a few programs on TV, are they so good?"

In the eyes of Lin Chaoyang, a person from the later generations, today's TV programs are boring and unremarkable. It is difficult for him to understand Tao Yumo's enthusiasm.

"It's good, just like watching a movie." Tao Yumo replied.

Lin Chaoyang looked at his own color TV. Although it was in color, the fidelity was hard to describe. He felt tired when watching it.

"Be careful not to become nearsighted!"

"Brother-in-law, you are just scaring me. With such a big screen, I don't think the 9-inch one in our house has myopia."

Back in the house at night, Tao Yushu sighed and began to regret buying this color TV.

"Why didn't I notice before that this girl likes watching TV so much?"

"I guess her parents are watching her. Yumo told me that watching our TV is almost like watching a movie, it's exciting!"

Going to the cinema to watch a movie is one of the few opportunities for audiences of this era to see color pictures. Tao Yushu agrees with his sister's statement, "That can't be the view, don't you want your eyes?"

"She's so old, not a child, how can you control her?"

The couple looked at each other in silence, and there was a kind of melancholy that "a girl can't be kept at home when she grows up".