1980 My Literary Era

Chapter 48 Reviewing Articles

"Contemporary" was founded in 1979. In the first two issues of the publication, the director of the editorial department was the founder Meng Weizai.Later, because Meng Weizai was busy with work, the Guowen Society appointed old writer Qin Chaoyang to be in charge of the editorial department.

After Lin Weimin left, in Meng Weizai's office, Tan Chaoyang was communicating with him about the conversation with Lin Weimin just now.

"Generally speaking, Comrade Weimin is a talented person with ideas and has made great achievements in literature. It will be a good thing for us if he can join the editorial department of "Contemporary"." Tan Chaoyang concluded.

Meng Weizai put down the teacup in his hand, "It seems that Lin Weimin is indeed a talent."

"Yeah, talents are rare, and our editorial staff is already lacking."

"But..." Meng Weizai hesitated for a moment, "There is no such precedent! If he was a member of the literature training class that our Humanities Society ran before, he would be more or less the same."

Qin Chaoyang still wanted to fight for it, but Meng Weizai waved his hand, "I know you love talents, I will report to Lao Yan and Junyi later, and see if I can accommodate you."

Lao Yan is Yan Wenjing, the current president of the Humanities Society, and Junyi is Wei Junyi, the editor-in-chief of the Humanities Society.

Seeing this, Qin Chaoyang didn't say anything more.

After he left, Meng Weizai sighed, "It's really a headache!"

The weather in Yanjing in July was extremely hot. On a weekend morning, Lin Weimin rode his bicycle to No. 26 Lama Temple Street, sweating profusely.

Pushing the bicycle into the yard, Lin Weimin shouted: "Tiesheng! Tiesheng!"

Shi Tiesheng was unable to move, and it wasn't until Lin Weimin pushed open the door that he just walked to the door in a wheelchair.

He saw the bicycle parked under the window at a glance, his eyes were full of envy, "You bought a bicycle?"

Just as Lin Weimin wanted to show a smile, he suddenly realized that something was wrong, so he nodded lightly, "It's a holiday to run all over Yanjing, it's more convenient to have a bicycle."

Shi Tiesheng was keenly aware of the subtle changes in his expression, and felt apologetic in his heart, but he still showed a smile on his face, "Having a bicycle is much more convenient. Look, isn't my family here whenever you want?"

Only then did Lin Weimin laugh, "That's right!"

He tugged at his collar, "It's early in the morning, it's not even ten o'clock, people who are so hot want to pass out!"

"Let's cool off in the room first." Shi Tiesheng let him into the room.

Lin Weimin saw the paper and pens spread out on the table, and he saw that Shi Tiesheng was just creating.

"What are you writing?"

"I just finished writing a short story. I'm not going to work today, so I'm going to revise and revise it. It just so happens that you're here to help me read it."

Shi Tiesheng had difficulty moving, so Lin Weimin went to pick up the manuscript by himself.

This is a novel, which describes various situations during the lunch time of the street factory, and describes the leisure time of the workers after work in a casual manner.

Lin Weimin found it very interesting when he first read it. He was extremely unfamiliar with factory life in this era.

In today's literary world where scar literature is still the trend, the style of "Half an Hour for Lunch" is too special.

The most rare thing is the emotion in this novel, every stroke seems to be spontaneous, but also a little erratic.Here you can't see the turmoil and ups and downs of the great era, but only fragments of life that can be seen everywhere in daily life.

Lin Weimin immediately realized that this might also be a shortcoming, too scattered.

But when he thought about it carefully, this happened to be an advantage.

He especially likes the depiction that when lunch time arrives, those old and dull faces at work glow with moving expressions, as if they were instantly resurrected.

Even after 40 years, this kind of description is extremely accurate and full of meticulous observations of life and human nature.

"How about it?"

As Lin Weimin turned the manuscript to the last page, Shi Tiesheng asked with somewhat expectant eyes.

Lin Weimin put down the manuscript and praised: "It's well written."

"really?"

"of course."

Lin Weimin thought for a moment, and then said: "If you want to talk about shortcomings, of course this novel has some. It is too scattered and too bland, but I think this is exactly its strength. For this novel, I understand it through meticulous attention to details. Observation, to record the true colors of life. What you can see here is not only the description of daily life, but also a certain state of alienation between your heart and the world. Well, it’s not good to say that, it should be said to reflect A kind of nihilistic thought."

Shi Tiesheng quickly interrupted him, "Just talk about novels, don't analyze me."

"Hey!" Lin Weimin laughed triumphantly as he succeeded in playing a prank.

"Okay, let's talk about the novel. I personally think that this novel is an excellent work with great personal characteristics. It is good because it is completely different from the current trend of scar literature.

Today, I am still discussing this topic with Tan Chaoyang from "Contemporary". Of course, scar literature is good, but the literary world cannot only have scar literature, just like people cannot only eat white rice.

In your novel, there is no such strong contemporary worry and historical criticism as in the past. Instead, you replace these things with everyday narratives, but it is not thin and can stand up. It is a good work! "

If Lin Weimin was just boasting, Shi Tiesheng might not care. The key is that what he said was well-founded, and Shi Tiesheng couldn't help being a little bit elated, and couldn't believe that his work was really as good as he boasted.

"Is it too exaggerated? Are there no shortcomings?"

"Disadvantages? Didn't I just say that it's too loose and too weak."

Shi Tiesheng was convinced, "For the people, I don't see it, you still have the potential to be an editor."

"Coincidentally, I'm currently researching."

"Research what? Be an editor?"

"Yes. How is it? Do you want to hand over your novel to our magazine?"

Shi Tiesheng had a look of disbelief, "Is it true? Why didn't I hear you mention it before?"

"Hey, just kidding, there is no sign of horoscope yet."

"Then I wish you success first."

"thanks, thanks!"

The two were chatting without paying attention to the time, when Father Shi came in, "Let's have some water noodles at noon, it's hot, cool off!"

"Okay!" Shi Tiesheng agreed.

"I asked Shi Lan to buy sesame paste."

Lin Weimin stood up and said, "Uncle, don't call Shi Lan anymore, I'll go."

"Don't mind, you can talk to Tie Sheng."

Father Shi stopped Lin Weimin and asked Shi Lan to buy sesame paste, while he prepared noodles himself.

As a seasoning, people in many places like to eat sesame paste, but for Yanjing people, sesame paste has a special meaning.

Especially in the dog days like now, sesame paste is not a dispensable condiment, but a necessity of people's life.

In the 50s, Mr. Lao She, as the people's representative of Yanjing City, had a proposal. There was such a sentence in it: Yanjing people cannot do without sesame paste in summer!
(End of this chapter)