Reborn in 1977

Chapter 512: Listen to Instructions

Old Ba also liked to wear metaphorical vests (use pen names).

His real name was Li Yaotang, courtesy name Feigan. Besides Ba Jin, he also published articles under the pen names Wang Wenhui, Ouyang Jingrong, Huang Shuhui, Yu Yi, and others.

Born in Chengdu, his ancestral home was Jiaxing, Zhejiang. He now resides in Shanghai, where he is the person in charge of the Shanghai Writers Association and the editor-in-chief of the three magazines under the Shanghai Writers Association.

However, "Meng Ya" (Sprouts) and "Harvest" have not yet resumed publication, and only "Shanghai Literature" is being edited and published.

Therefore, Chen Fan's submission under a pen name was also sent to Old Ba.

Chen Fan's new home was very close to Old Ba's house, only 1.2 kilometers away. He rode his bicycle like lightning. Jiang Tiantian was still immersed in the shock of those two words when they arrived.

After Chen Fan parked the bike, Jiang Tiantian jumped off the back seat and looked at the gate with reverence. "Is this Old Ba's house?"

Chen Fan parked the bike by the side and rang the doorbell. "You'll be meeting a true god soon. Can you believe it?"

In today's literary and art circles—yes, the literary and art circles, not just the literary world—Old Ba firmly holds the second position among living figures.

The first is Mr. Shen Yanbing.

Originally, there was another person whose literary achievements were above both of them, but at this time, he was caught in a huge storm. He would die in depression in a few months and was therefore ignored.

Jiang Tiantian, as an ordinary literature enthusiast, was about to meet the number two figure in the national literary and art circles. Her excitement was imaginable.

She couldn't even remember how she walked into the living room and sat down.

Chen Fan sighed at the fact that such a giant lived in a place similar to his own house. Then, he took out the letter of introduction from Chairman He of the Jiangnan Writers Association from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

"Hello, Old Ba. This is a letter from Chairman He of our Jiangnan Writers Association branch."

He not only asked Chairman He for a letter of introduction but also a work letter that allowed him to take a plane. Chairman He even scolded him on the phone for not understanding the rules, going to Shanghai to find Old Ba without him. Then, he hung up the phone.

Old Ba took it and glanced at it. After a few seconds, he put it aside, looked at him with a smile, and said, "I heard that you came to Shanghai on the 15th and have been waiting for you to come over. If you hadn't written me a letter the day before yesterday saying you were coming, I would have gone to find you."

Chen Fan widened his eyes. "How did you know?"

After coming to Shanghai, he had never contacted any writers, let alone notified the local writers association. Old Ba was so busy; how could he know his whereabouts so clearly?

Old Ba raised his head and laughed. "The first night you stayed at the Health Bureau Guesthouse. The deputy director of the Health Bureau in charge of publicity is a member of the Shanghai Writers Association. He told me the next day that you had come to Shanghai. However, because you were on a business trip representing the production team and had a mission, we didn't disturb you. I didn't expect that as soon as the mission was completed, you ran away without even saying hello. He's still complaining about it today, saying that you're not a kind fellow."

Chen Fan smiled sheepishly. "I was also afraid of causing trouble for the Health Bureau, so I changed places after finding a suitable guesthouse."

After a pause, he asked curiously, "Does he know I'm Chen Dong?"

Chen Fan is Chen Fan, and Chen Dong is Chen Dong. No one else would know except for the editorial department of "Shanghai Literature" magazine. When an author uses a pen name, the editorial department will also assume that the author does not want to reveal their identity and will automatically keep it secret and not actively spread it. How did he know?

Old Ba shook his head with a smile. "He doesn't know, but he said Chen Fan from Jiangnan came over, and I knew it myself."

He looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile. "You would rather stay in an expensive room at the Jinjiang Hotel than stay in a free room at the Cultural Guesthouse. Do you have some prejudice in your heart?"

Chen Fan clicked his tongue. As expected of a big shot, he says what he thinks and doesn't hold back.

At the same time, he also knew that there should also be members of the Writers Association in the Jinjiang Hotel.

This is a freaking intelligence agency!

Then, he quickly smiled and said, "No, no. Because what I'm going to deal with next is a private matter, I didn't dare to disturb you, let alone take advantage of public resources."

If this sentence were said a few decades later, it would obviously be fooling someone, but at this time, it was a very legitimate reason.

Old Ba believed it and nodded with a serious face. "I'm very happy that you can think this way and even do it."

Then, he smiled at him again. "But next time you come, you can come directly to me. I have many rooms here, so you don't need to stay in guesthouses outside."

A somewhat embarrassed expression appeared on Chen Fan's face. He rubbed his hands. "I don't need to now. I just bought a house not far from here, across from the former residence of Young Master Sun."

Upon hearing this, Old Ba was first stunned, and then he laughed again. "Originally, I only had 50% certainty, but now after hearing what you said, I have 90%. Otherwise, where did the manuscript fees for you to buy a house come from? The housing prices there are not cheap!"

Chen Fan blinked in confusion. What certainty?

Old Ba looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile. "This year, the national literary scene has gradually begun to recover, but the only one who has caught my eye is you. When I saw the May issue of "Jiangnan Literature," I sighed that it was indeed a place of outstanding talent, producing a writer with outstanding literary talent.

As a result, in October, magazines across the country resumed publication one after another, and there was a newcomer taking the lead in each of them. This is very surprising."

He leaned forward, smiled at Chen Fan, and said, "Chen Dong, do you know Potato, Tomato, Crow, Cuttlefish, Flower Again Bright, and others?"

Chen Fan, "Ha, haha, hahaha…"

He clasped his hands tightly, smiling very stiffly.

Jiang Tiantian, who was sitting next to him, opened her mouth slightly and turned to look at him blankly. Potato, Tomato? And Crow? What the heck is Flower Again Bright?

Is it a case of 'beyond the darkest clouds, there is always a silver lining?'

No, how many pen names do you actually have?!

Chen Fan gave her a look to calm down, smiled at Old Ba, and said, "I'm just learning from my predecessors. It's not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning."

Since Chairman He could guess his pen name through his writing style, Old Ba could naturally do the same.

But it's okay. He can still hold on.

As long as this matter is not made public, his pen name will still be effective.

It's enough to fool ordinary readers!

Old Ba suddenly let out a long breath, dispelling the doubts in his heart. His interest increased by another three points, and he chatted endlessly with Chen Fan about the works he had published before.

As a literary big shot, he naturally saw that Chen Fan's articles were somewhat immature and had a lot of room for improvement, but he shouldn't only look at the shortcomings. He should also look at the highlights so that he could promote the progress of new generations in the literary world.

He said to Chen Fan, "One of the characteristics I like most about your articles is that whether it's the educated youth going to the countryside, the cadres squatting at the grassroots level, the backward students learning, or the down-and-out children of high-ranking families, they always have hope when living in the countryside and never complain about themselves. This is very rare."

After catching his breath a few times, Old Ba picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued, "The events of the past few years have finally come to an end. This is a great thing. We engage in literary creation, all drawing nourishment from life. This event will definitely become one of the core points of literary creation in the next few years.

However, I am very worried about one thing, that is, many people who have experienced this incident have suffered trauma. When they write, they will inevitably bring some emotions. When emotions turn into words, they will be particularly heavy and biased.

As he spoke, he raised his head to look at Chen Fan, with a hint of gratification on his face, "Originally, I was a little worried, worried that this kind of heaviness would affect a generation. But your work made my eyes light up and I saw the direction of the development of this realistic literature.

Of course, we must objectively describe everything that happened in those years, but after the description? Should we reflect on it and use it as a mirror to avoid the recurrence of this situation? And further, through this reflection, to create a better light?!"

Chen Fan nodded as he listened. After Mr. Ba finished speaking, he blurted out instinctively, "Yes, reflection literature is more meaningful than scar literature."

Mr. Ba's eyes lit up immediately, "Scar? Reflection?"

He muttered silently, but his eyes became brighter and brighter. Finally, he clapped his hands, "Your summary is very good and has reference value. Our creation should not stay in the scars, but should go further and reflect through the scars!"

Chen Fan was stunned.

What did I say?

Wouldn't this wipe out scar literature with one flap of its wings?

He couldn't help but look at Jiang Tiantian. Lu Xinhua was still her classmate.

When Jiang Tiantian saw his eyes, she thought he was asking her to express her opinion, and her heart couldn't help but beat wildly.

The person I'm facing is Mr. Ba, do I have a say too? ? ?

But the opportunity is rare. From the time she entered the door until now, Mr. Ba hasn't said a word to her except for greeting her when they first met. If there is a chance to speak... Oh my, I'm so nervous.

But thinking of Chen Fan's eyes, a surge of courage welled up in her heart.

What's more, in this regard, she does have the right to speak.

Immediately, she took a deep breath and said softly, "I, I have had personal experience."

As soon as she spoke, she attracted the attention of Mr. Ba and Chen Fan.

Although Chen Fan was surprised that she would speak, he certainly wouldn't stop her from speaking.

The reason he brought her here today was to introduce her to Mr. Ba.

As a newbie in the Chinese Department of Fudan University, getting to know a literary giant from the beginning can stimulate her ambition for literature. There are only advantages and no disadvantages.

At this time, she actually had the courage to speak, which made Chen Fan look at her with admiration.

Mr. Ba looked at her with interest and didn't interrupt her. Instead, he raised his hand to signal her to continue.

When Jiang Tiantian saw Mr. Ba's gesture, she instinctively turned to look at Chen Fan. Seeing his affirmative eyes and the smile on his face, her heart suddenly calmed down.

Although she was still a little nervous, it didn't affect her normal speech.

She coughed lightly, and at the same time sorted out her thoughts and continued, "Actually, our family has had such an experience. When we experienced everything at that time, especially when my 14-year-old sister was going to the countryside, we were really very panic-stricken and helpless. We felt that the whole world was dark.

But when it is dark, this world is not only darkness. The villagers and factory workers who my father had helped had all extended a helping hand. These hands are like lamps, illuminating our darkness and seeing the light..."

Speaking of this, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chen Fan.

If other people's help is a lamp, then he is the bright moon in the sky, illuminating the whole world!

After being stunned for several seconds, Chen Fan saw that she was still not speaking, so he couldn't help but feel a little anxious and couldn't help but glance at Mr. Ba.

But he found that the old man was looking down and thinking, so he pursed his lips and didn't say anything.

When Jiang Tiantian saw his expression, she suddenly came back to her senses, and her blood surged instantly, her face flushed red.

Fortunately, Mr. Ba didn't look at her, so she quickly took a deep breath, calmed her mind, and continued to express her feelings.

After she finished speaking, Mr. Ba raised his head, nodded with a serious face, "Little girl, your idea is very reasonable and has very high creative value. If you can create a story by literaryizing your own experience, it will definitely have high reading value.

People can be in the dark, but they can't only see the darkness. Instead, they should yearn for the light. This is not only the action of the revolutionary predecessors in those years, but also the guiding principle of our literary and artistic creators."

Chen Fan heard it in his ears, and a word was stuck in his mouth, almost burying Gu Cheng.

Comrade Gu is most famous for that sentence, if he said it, it would be gone!

Seeing that Mr. Ba actually expressed his affirmation to her, Jiang Tiantian's blood surged again in an instant, and her pretty face was so red that it was about to drip blood.

But at this time, there is no need to worry about being misunderstood.

Chen Fan smiled and said from the side, "It's a coincidence that she is a freshman in the Chinese Department of Fudan University and will embark on the road of literature in the future. When she returns to Shanghai to study and live, I will have to ask you to take care of her when you have time."

Mr. Ba looked at him with a smile, "If it weren't for this little girl, you wouldn't have come to me today?!"

When Jiang Tiantian heard this sentence, she couldn't wait for a crack in the ground to get in.

Does Mr. Ba also joke?

Chen Fan immediately shook his head seriously, "That's definitely not the case. If it wasn't to pick them up for school, I would have come to visit you long ago!"

That tone was so sincere that it was more sincere than Zheng Yaoxian saying that he was a Red Party member.

However, Mr. Ba didn't believe it.

He laughed twice and said to Jiang Tiantian, "There are several members of the Writers Association in your school. I will say hello to them. Usually on Sundays when there are no classes or student activities, you can come to the 'Shanghai Literature and Art' magazine to learn from several editors how to read and write articles."

Jiang Tiantian stood up abruptly and bowed deeply to Mr. Ba, "Thank you."

Mr. Ba waved his hand and motioned her to sit down. Then he said softly, "Literature needs fresh blood. After being barren for more than ten years, the old ones have grown old, but the new ones have not grown up."

As he spoke, he looked at Chen Fan, "Currently, Xiao Chen is the only young person who can be cultivated, but it is far from enough. What we hope is that all flowers bloom together, that there is a constant stream of new people joining, and that there are better creative ideas, so that the road of literature can go further and further, and Chinese culture can get better and better. I hope you will become one of them."

Jiang Tiantian felt her body trembling with excitement. She nodded vigorously, "I will definitely keep your teachings in mind and do my best for literature."

Mr. Ba smiled and turned to look at Chen Fan, "How about it, come to the Writers Association tomorrow and exchange ideas with the local writers?"

Chen Fan chuckled twice. He just asked you to take care of the new people. Why is it involved in a transaction? This doesn't seem like a big shot at all.

However, Mr. Ba has already stated his position and directly made a request. What else can he say?

He nodded decisively, "I just want to learn from the writers in Shanghai. I will listen to your instructions."