1980 My literary era

In the third week of March, Lin Weimin was reviewing manuscripts in his office. The door of the office was pushed open with a bang, which startled him.

Turning around, he saw Yu Hua standing at the door, his face full of joy, and he shouted excitedly: "Teacher Lin, let me come...!"

Before he finished speaking, he realized that there were two people in the office.

Tan Chaoyang and Lin Weimin looked at Yu Hua funny, and Lin Weimin said: "It's coming, why are you so excited?"

"Hey!" Yu Hua calmed down his expression and movements and walked into the office.

Lin Weimin asked: "How is it? Are you getting used to staying at the School of Liberal Arts?"

Upon hearing him talk about this topic, Yu Hua said: "It's so adaptable. Famous teachers give lectures every day, and there are many activities. I really want to continue studying here."

The 1985 short-term training class of the National College of Liberal Arts started on March 1. Yu Hua explained: "I should have come to the editorial office a long time ago, but I came late and had more studies and activities..."

"It's okay. Wouldn't it be the same now?"

Yu Hua stayed in the office for half a day. When he got off work, Lin Weimin invited him to dinner.

Sitting on the Crown Car, Yu Hua touched everywhere excitedly.

"Teacher Lin, how much did you pay for this car?"

"Teacher Lin, are the seats made of leather?"

"Teacher Lin, do you still have a radio in your car?"

…

Along the way, Lin Weimin was so noisy that his head hurt. When they arrived at Yonghegong Hutong, they picked up Shi Tiesheng, and Lin Weimin took the two of them to Yabowan.

The most famous place for eating mutton in old Yanjing is Donglaishun, which uses copper pots to cook mutton.

When it comes to eating beef, we have to mention the Zhizi BBQ of BBQ. The BBQ here is different from other places. They only roast beef. The beef is marinated with seasonings in advance and then grilled on an iron plate. The aroma is overflowing and the meat is fragrant. people.

Before they even entered the door, just getting out of the car and walking to the store aroused the greed in Shi Tiesheng and Yu Hua. They were so greedy that they almost cried out.

After entering the store, without further ado, Yu Hua ordered five kilograms of beef.

Teacher Lin is treating us today, so it’s okay to open the door and eat.

"Where do you think these rich people are?" Lin Weimin couldn't help but complain.

Yu Hua complained: "Teacher Lin, you don't know. The School of Liberal Arts gives 40 kilograms of food stamps a month, divided into rice stamps and face stamps. I eat up all the rice stamps in a few days and I can't have enough to eat." ah!"

Naturally, Lin Weimin wouldn't believe his lies. Yu Hua didn't lie about the treatment he received from the School of Liberal Arts, but he wouldn't believe it if he said that this kid would starve without food stamps, even if he was beaten to death.

Mentioning the School of Liberal Arts, Shi Tiesheng talked about his experience of meeting Lin Weimin, "It was Xiaowei who took me to the Qinmen School of Liberal Arts to take classes, and that's when I met Weimin."

Ever since Qu Xiaowei got married, his wife and children have been hot on the bed, and they haven't seen each other a few times a year.

As Yu Hua chatted, his mind unconsciously recalled the interesting stories that the teachers of the School of Liberal Arts told about when they were chatting with everyone in their spare time.

Compared with the tall, majestic and dazzling positive image of Teacher Lin today, hearing about the things Teacher Lin did at that time really makes people feel like the world is collapsing.

Of course, Yu Hua only dared to think about these things in his heart.

While chatting, Yu Hua heard Teacher Lin and Shi Tiesheng talking about their visit to Xiangjiang later this month.

He immediately became interested. It was a rare thing to go abroad these days.

He inquired for a long time, thinking that the people who went there were all famous writers like Teacher Lin, or writers like Shi Tiesheng whose representative works are famous all over the country, but he never expected that there was actually a Mo Yan mixed in.

Yu Hua thought about Mo Yan's small eyes as big as mung beans.

Is it appropriate for your boy to appear among these names?

"No, why should Mo Yan? If he can go, I can go too!" Yu Hua said jealously like a primary school student.

"Then you have to ask the people over there in Xiangjiang. They invited me." Lin Weimin joked.

Yu Hua looked depressed and felt very hurt.

Even if I can't compare with writers like Teacher Lin and Shi Tiesheng who are already famous all over the country, how can I not even compare with Mo Yan?

Yu Hua's self-confidence suffered an unprecedented blow, and he could only turn his grief and anger into appetite.

Shi Tiesheng is a carnivore himself, and with Yu Hua here today, his appetite has also increased a lot.

After dinner, the three of them came out of the barbecue burping.

"Don't go back yet, let's take a walk to eat before leaving." Lin Weimin suggested.

Yu Hua and Shi Tiesheng deeply agreed.

It just so happens that there is a small park next to the barbecue restaurant, Nanlishi Road Park.

Lin Weimin pushed Shi Tiesheng, and Yu Hua walked beside them, chatting along the way.

Now that we have entered Nanlishi Road Park, it is natural to mention the Broadcasting Courtyard on Nanlishi Road, and then mention the Spring Festival Gala that just passed.

A few people were chatting and laughing. Yu Hua pointed to a few dilapidated tents in the park and asked, "How come there are still people living here? Are they blind?"

The term "blind flow" appeared after the founding of the People's Republic of China. It refers to those people who are unwilling to stay in the countryside and migrate to the city under the dual urban-rural household registration management system, but have no place to stay.

Shi Tiesheng is from Yanjing and explained to Yu Hua: "These should be foreigners who come to Yanjing to treat their children..."

He pointed to the hospital with lights on next to the park, "There is the Yanjing Children's Hospital affiliated with the Capital Medical University, the best children's hospital in the country. These people should be parents, bringing their children to see the doctor. You can go to the park and set up a tent to stay.”

After Shi Tiesheng finished explaining, Lin Weimin and Yu Hua looked at the tents in silence.

In the 1980s, it was almost impossible to see the colorful tents that were used for camping in later generations. The tents were all military green. I don’t know how many years they have been used and how many times they have been used. The color faded and the military green became mottled and worn, giving it a sense of fragmentation. .

After a while, Yu Hua moved. He walked to the door of a tent, squatted on the ground and chatted with the man sitting there with a sad face.

Looking at such a picture, Shi Tiesheng sighed: "Yu Hua would be a good writer."

"Yes, he has a soft and sensitive heart!"

"Weimin, do you remember Mingwa?" Shi Tiesheng asked again.

Lin Weimin nodded, "Remember."

Last year, Lin Weimin took Shi Tiesheng back to Guanjiazhuang, where he joined the team in northern Shaanxi. They stayed there for a day and heard him talk to the villagers about Mingwa.

When Shi Tiesheng and the others first joined the queue, they lived in an old cave dwelling of Mingwa's family. He was two years younger than Shi Tiesheng and had congenital heart disease.

Mingwa's mother, Yamato, worked day and night and saved some money to take him to Yanjing for medical treatment.

"That year, Mingwa came to Yanjing to see a doctor, but he couldn't be cured. We took him to see Tiananmen Square, took photos, and visited the Summer Palace, the Zoo, and Wangfujing. Mingwa's mother was willing to spend money to give Mingwa a wonderful stay in Yanjing. I played a few times, ate a few times, and bought some decent clothes. Mingwa is very happy..."

Shi Tiesheng murmured to himself, but he did not finish the next words.

When Mingwa returned to northern Shaanxi, his mother arranged a marriage for him, and the bride price was 600 yuan. When the child was more than one year old, Mingwa died in the mountains while he was digging the land.

"You said, if Mingwa was born in Yanjing City, she wouldn't have died so early, right?" Shi Tiesheng suddenly raised his head and asked Lin Weimin.

Lin Weimin remained silent and did not answer him. He thought Shi Tiesheng did not need his answer.

At the feet of the Emperor, the most benevolent place, human life seems to be more valuable, at least there is no need to suffer from a fatal illness and have to do heavy physical work.

The two stood there waiting for Yu Hua. He came back half an hour later and chatted with several people.

As Tolstoy said in the opening chapter of "Anna Karenina": Happy families are all alike, and every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

After Yu Hua came back, he looked sad and didn't speak. He was obviously depressed by the bad luck these families had suffered.

Before a few people left the park, they couldn't help but glance at the tents set up in the park.

Yu Hua said: "Teacher Lin, I want to write a novel."

"What novel are you writing?"

If it can be described as "part", it must be a long novel. Yu Hua raised his head and looked at the moon in the sky, "Let's write about the suffering of the Chinese people!"

Lin Weimin's heart skipped a beat. Some novels are not something you can write at your age. Failure to write them well will not only damage your creative confidence, but also destroy rare inspiration and materials.

Listen to Teacher Lin’s advice, you are too young to grasp it.

"Your current age and experience are not enough. Don't rush to write about too heavy subjects. Let yourself settle for a few years until you feel that you can control this subject before writing. Look at Brother Cheng and Lu Yao. They are both in their 40s. Most of the time, I only started writing big books when I was in my thirties. You are only in your twenties, and it is too early to write such a work at your age."

Facing Teacher Lin's advice, Yu Hua wanted to ask, Teacher Lin, weren't you in your early twenties when you wrote novels like "The Horse Trapper"?

But he didn't ask this question after all. Reason told him that a writer like Teacher Lin might not be able to come out in decades. How could he compare with him?

"Yes!" Yu Hua nodded heavily, and he decided to listen to Teacher Lin.

Don't rush to write now, let yourself settle down.

Two days later, people from the Cultural Association came to inform Lin Weimin that all the matters for the visit had been settled, and explained to him what to pay attention to during the visit.

On March 22, I first went to Junyi to pick up Mo Yan, and then I picked up Shi Tiesheng.

Driving to the Capital Airport, Zhang Guangnian, Liu Xinwu, and Cheng Jiangong had just arrived. This trip was led by Zhang Guangnian, the leader of the Cultural Association, and there was also a comrade named Liu from the relevant department.

After waiting for an hour, I boarded the plane and flew to Shanghai.

After arriving in Shanghai, several people were arranged to the guest house of the Shanghai Literary and Art Association.

Several writers from Yanjing were the first to arrive. After waiting for a long time, several other writers also arrived in Shanghai.

In the evening, the leaders of the Shanghai Literary and Art Association arranged a meal. Lin Weimin met Huang Anyi, who was from Shanghai.

"An Yi!" Lin Weimin greeted Huang Anyi.

Huang Anyi responded to him with a hint of alienation in her politeness.

"Why do you feel like you don't know each other when you meet old classmates?" Lin Weimin said enthusiastically, holding Huang Anyi's hand.

Huang Anyi took out her hand and couldn't help but give him a roll of her eyes.

This man has really not changed at all!

After resting one night at the guest house, the group set off for the airport again early the next morning, flying from Shanghai to Xiangjiang.

Nowadays, there are not many flights from Yanjing and Shanghai to Xiangjiang. The four cities of Yanjing, Shanghai, Yangcheng and Hangcheng combined have only 59 flights per week.

After struggling for a long time, the plane finally arrived at Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport.

There were three people who picked me up at the airport, one was Jun Lin, deputy editor-in-chief of Ta Kung Pao, one was Pan Yaoming from Sanlian Bookstore, and the other was a comrade named Chen from the Yangcheng Office in Xiangjiang.

Sanlian Bookstore is the organizer of this invitational visit, and "Ta Kung Pao" is also a Z-sect media. The former editor-in-chief is Mr. Luofu who previously contacted Lin Weimin to publish works for "Bafang".

After a brief communication between Comrade Chen of the Yangcheng Office in Xiangjiang and Comrade Chen and Zhang Guangnian of the relevant departments, everyone boarded the bus smoothly.

After getting in the car, everyone really started to chat.

After Zhang Guangnian introduced himself, he introduced these writers to Junlin and Pan Yaoming one by one. When they heard Lin Weimin's name, Junlin and Pan Yaoming's reactions were much greater than when they heard the other people's names.

For more than a year, Lin Weimin's works have frequently appeared in newspapers and periodicals in Hong Kong, and are quite popular. He can be regarded as one of the few mainland writers in recent years who is familiar to the cultural circles and readers in Hong Kong.