Literary Master 1978

The dialogue between Zhou Yang and Lin Chaoyang at the National Excellent Short Story Award Dinner quickly spread throughout the Yenching literary world in the next two days and attracted widespread attention from their peers.

Compared with many southern writers, northern writers, especially those in Yenching, are very politically savvy and will unconsciously reflect this tendency in their works.

Root-seeking literature is now in full swing. In addition to the emergence of a large number of fans, it is also bound to face opposition and criticism from the literary, cultural and ideological circles.

The official mouthpieces that have not yet spoken out have an unclear attitude, and Zhou Yang's attitude also represents the official attitude to a certain extent.

In this way, the public opinion pressure that root-seeking literature has to face is probably still very great!

The speculation and discussion of peers will not change anything.

On the third day after the dinner, Lin Chaoyang's family held the annual cultural salon as usual. All 20 award-winning writers of this year attended, and many Yenching writers also showed up, and the scene was very lively.

Lin Chaoyang's cultural salon has been held since the second year of the National Excellent Short Film Award. Five years have passed, and it has gradually formed its own history and tradition.

After several cultural salons were held, many award-winning writers have mentioned the unofficial cultural salon in magazines when they recalled their award-winning experiences.

Compared with the official itinerary, the atmosphere of the cultural salon is more relaxed, comfortable and casual, and it is deeply loved by many writers.

Therefore, the cultural salon after the award ceremony every year has not only become one of the activities that every award-winning writer looks forward to after winning the honor, but also a widely circulated allusion among people in the literary world.

This year's cultural salon is more lively than in previous years. In addition to "root-seeking literature", the most talked about is Lin Chaoyang's "Crossing Guandong".

This novel has not yet been published, but the discussion and attention it has aroused in the literary world is greater than many published works.

There is really a sense of mystery of "coming out after being called for a long time, still holding the pipa and half covering her face".

Several of Lin Chaoyang's friends had borrowed the manuscript to read it, so he felt a sense of superiority when discussing with everyone.

Those writers from other places learned from them that Lin Chaoyang actually had a manuscript at home, and they couldn't help but ask to see it.

Everyone was so eager to look forward to it, and Lin Chaoyang couldn't go against everyone's wishes, so he had to take out the manuscript.

But there was only one manuscript, and how to divide it among so many people was also a problem.

Li Tuo showed up again at this time, "This is simple. Everyone plays rock-paper-scissors, and the winner looks at two first, and then passes it in order."

This method seems to be a joke, but it is very practical. Everyone followed suit and started the "flowing reading" operation.

Their "flowing reading" sounds ideal, but everyone's reading efficiency is different. Some are fast and some are slow. After reading for a while, everyone started to quarrel.

Those who read fast urged those who read slowly, and those who read slowly complained about those who read fast.

After a while of quarreling, everyone compromised with each other and returned to silence to continue reading.

Such noise and silence, repeated over and over, also invisibly trained everyone's tacit understanding and cultivated some feelings.

The originally lively gathering suddenly became serious and quiet because of a manuscript. Lin Chaoyang couldn't help but laugh and cry.

This situation continued until the evening when the sun was about to set, and someone woke up.

Lu Wenfu said with a tangled face: "The time is too short. I haven't even read one-tenth of it."

Everyone came to Beijing to receive the award. The official activities have ended. Today is the last day for many people to stay in Beijing, including him.

But he saw the manuscript of "Crossing Guandong" at this time. It was like a beautiful woman in his arms. How could he let it go?

Lu Wenfu's complaint made everyone feel the same, but this matter had nothing to do with others.

Lin Chaoyang smiled and said, "It will be published in more than 20 days anyway, so it doesn't matter if you read it then."

Lu Wenfu frowned and said, "It's okay if you only heard of it before, but now you've read it. It's so uncomfortable if you don't finish it!"

"That's right! Chaoyang's novel is really extraordinary. I can't bear to let it go!"

"It would be better if it was shorter. It's so long that I can't finish it in one night."

...

Everyone was talking at once, and finally complained that Lin Chaoyang shouldn't have taken out the manuscript, which made them feel uneasy and confused.

Lin Chaoyang complained, "You blame me for this? It's not like I want to show it to you."

He thought about it and said helplessly, "How about this, those who are willing to stay and read can stay, and they will be provided with food and accommodation. Is that okay?"

"How can I be embarrassed!"

Lin Chaoyang's attitude was very sincere, and everyone couldn't make trouble anymore.

It's a good idea to stay in Yanjing for a few more days to read novels, but most people don't have the time and strong desire.

Finally, after much discussion, only three writers had requested too many days off and had no family affairs, so they decided to stay.

There were also two other writers, Zhang Jie and Shi Tiesheng, who were in Yanjing and could come to read books at any time.

After some discussion, seeing that the time was almost up, everyone said goodbye to Lin Chaoyang and his wife.

After everyone left, Lin Chaoyang arranged rooms for the remaining few people.

The courtyard of Xiaoliubukou Hutong was so large that fifty or sixty people could live there at the same time without seeming crowded, so it was not a problem to have a few more people.

These people stayed at Lin Chaoyang's house for another three or four days, and finally finished reading the entire text of "Crossing Guandong", and they were amazed and praised it.

Then he said goodbye to Lin Chaoyang and his wife. After they left, Tao Yushu prepared to clean up the wing room they were staying in. The room was as clean as before they moved in.

Lin Chaoyang and his wife warmly entertained everyone. They cleaned the room before leaving. Tao Yushu also found a stack of food coupons and RMB on the table.

Those people didn't mention it when they left. I think it should be collected by everyone. They were afraid that the couple would not accept it, so they simply left it in the room and waited for them to find it.

Tao Yushu gave the food coupons and RMB to Lin Chaoyang, "What should I do?"

"What can I do if everyone is gone? Keep it."

March passed like this. At the beginning of a new month, the outside world's discussion on "root-seeking literature" became more and more heated.

"The Roots of Literature" has been published for more than half a month, and its influence continues to ferment. There are also highly inflammatory articles such as "The Shocking Voice of Chinese Literature-Remembering the Birth of the "Zhuo County Declaration"" to add fuel to the flames, and more and more people are paying attention.

The number of people paying attention to this topic is getting bigger and bigger. As more people support it, more people oppose it. Since April, newspapers and magazines around the country have begun to publish articles opposing root-seeking literature.

In addition, official mouthpieces in various places have also begun to speak out, and the evaluation of root-seeking literature is also polarized, with both praise and criticism.

This situation was normal in the 1980s. The whole country was crossing the river by feeling the stones. Except for the top leaders who made the final decision on certain key matters, no one could kill all new things.

This is not only a question of courage, but also a check and balance of reality.

In such an era, there will be various voices coexisting. It may not be a good thing, but it is not bad either.

After returning to his hometown, Li Hangyu submitted his article "Sorting Out Our Roots" to "Shanghai Literature" and it was successfully published, which caused quite a stir.

This article is another powerful article on root-seeking literature after "The Roots of Literature". To a certain extent, it enriches the richness of root-seeking literature and adds fuel to the current lively situation of root-seeking literature.

The trend of root-seeking literature is still blowing. Lin Chaoyang, the initiator, has been praised and slandered. For the time being, it has no impact on him, and his life is as peaceful as ever.

On the Sunday after Qingming Festival, he took his wife and children to play in the Old Summer Palace, and then went to Tao's house for dinner.

During the meal, the family members inevitably asked about the recent voices from the outside world. Lin Chaoyang was very calm and was not affected at all.

Tao Yucheng said enviously: "Your influence is so great now. You just published an article and it can cause such a big discussion. If it develops further, I think it will be no less influential than Zhang Hua's rescue of the old farmer two years ago."

Lin Chaoyang shook his head, "You can't compare it that way. Zhang Hua's incident had a social impact and was related to social ethics. Our discussion is actually still concentrated in the cultural circle."

Tao's father has always admired Lin Chaoyang's calmness in the face of adversity, but when he heard Lin Chaoyang's words, he still smiled and said: "You don't have to be modest. It's already a great thing to be able to influence a certain field in this society."

The family was chatting, and there was a noise at the door. It was Tao Yumo who came back.

When Tao's mother saw her, her face suddenly fell, "You still remember to come back!"

Tao Yumo saw that everyone had already eaten, and smiled. After she sat down, Tao Yushu asked her: "Where did you go to play? Why did you come back so late?"

Listening to Tao Yushu's question, Tao Yumo said awkwardly: "Sister, I'm in my twenties, can you stop controlling me like this?"

"Is it not okay for me to ask?"

Tao Yumo opened her mouth, and seeing her mother looking at her with an unsuspecting expression, she replied helplessly: "I went to the movies."

"Du Feng?"

"Yeah."

Tao's mother couldn't help but say: "He's doing business, why do you always take advantage of him?"

"I'm not not paying." Tao Yumo retorted.

Tao's mother sneered, "You paid?"

Tao Yumo's expression was a little guilty, "I did pay."

She did pay, but Du Feng didn't ask for it.

How could Du Feng have the nerve to ask for money when his sister came to watch a movie?

It's not that Tao Yumo doesn't understand the situation, but those movies are so good, and they can't be seen anywhere else for the time being, so she can only shamelessly go to watch movies.

Recently, whenever she has time, she will rush to Du Feng's video hall, and watch it all day long. She has almost watched all the videotapes that Du Feng brought back, and she never gets tired of it.

Because of Tao Yumo's return, the topic at the dinner table turned to Du Feng's video hall.

After everyone chatted for a while, Tao Yucheng suddenly asked Lin Chaoyang, "Chaoyang, Yumo said that Du Feng's video hall is now doing a booming business. You said that you said before that this business can't last for two years?"

"It's not that it can't last for two years, but the period of huge profits won't be too long."

Lin Chaoyang observed the expression of his brother-in-law, and seeing that he was a little eager to make a move, he knew that he must have seen that the video hall business was booming and his mind was active.

Sure enough, Tao Yucheng said, "You think if we open a video hall in our area, the business should be very good, right?"

Lin Chaoyang nodded, "Of course. There are so many universities around, and the students don't have much money, but they are willing to spend money to try new things."

Tao Yucheng said again, "This month, a young man in our unit resigned and went into business. He said he was going to the south to do business."

Zhao Li objected immediately after hearing this: "Don't think that it's easy to do business. What if you lose money?"

"The video hall business is now a stage of making money with your eyes closed, right?"

When Tao Yucheng said this, he looked at Lin Chaoyang, obviously asking for his opinion.

Lin Chaoyang said truthfully: "Indeed."

Listening to his words, Tao Yucheng suddenly became motivated and felt a little proud of his excellent vision.

He was about to continue to explain his entrepreneurial ideas, but his father spoke.

"You can't do the video hall business."

Tao Yucheng was originally excited, but when he heard his father's words, his face suddenly fell.

"Why, Dad?"

"You want to open a video hall, do you have money?"

Tao Yucheng looked embarrassed and shook his head.

"You need to borrow the capital from me and your mother, ask Chaoyang for advice, and then ask Du Feng to help you buy equipment.

It is easy for you to start your business, but you are borrowing the power of others.

What's more, Du Feng is now running a video hall, and you are taking advantage of him.

Your mother and I have no objection if you want to start a business, but the premise is that you can support yourself."

Father Tao said with a serious expression.