Literary Master 1978

At the beginning of August, we caught up with the dog days of summer, and the sun hung high in the sky from the morning, sending warmth to the world like a scumbag.

So even if it was the weekend, Lin Chaoyang was too lazy to go out, so he might as well stay at home and cool off.

His house is transparent from north to south. Once the windows on both sides are opened, as long as there is a slight breeze outside, convection will form in the house, making it very cool. It is very comfortable to stay in the living room in summer.

Tao Yumo disappeared early in the morning. Lin Chaoyang thought she had gone out to play with her classmates. Unexpectedly, she came back around nine o'clock, with two people behind her.

Lin Chaoyang was a little surprised when he saw the two of them, and asked with a smile: "Zhenyun, you didn't go back to your hometown?"

Liu Zhenyun said with a smile: "No, the school has found some work to make extra money."

Liu Zhenyun's family situation is not good. Although he gets a monthly subsidy, he never dares to spend arbitrarily. He never dares to pay more than 10 cents for food in the canteen. He usually wears the uniforms he was issued when he was in the army. If he can save money, Province.

Most of the money he saves is used to buy books, magazines and attend performances. His consumption habits are not unique, everyone is like this.

Recently, he has another expense, and that is "fellow countryman" Guo Jianmei.

"Hello, classmate Jianmei!" Lin Chaoyang smiled and greeted Guo Jianmei.

Guo Jianmei responded a little shyly. She is a 79-level law major.

He and Tao Yumo are classmates. Except for the time on the basketball court, because of Tao Yumo, he and Lin Chaoyang have met several times before, but they have never spoken.

This time, I came to his home with Liu Zhenyun as a guest, which was equivalent to publicly acknowledging the relationship, and I was inevitably a little shy.

Guo Jianmei was admitted to Yanda University last year. Her family is in the next town to Liu Zhenyun's family. Because of this relationship, Liu Zhenyun took great care of her at school. After going back and forth, the two of them became what they are now.

After hearing Guo Jianmei's story about how he met and fell in love with Liu Zhenyun, Lin Chaoyang couldn't help but joked: "You were deceived by his honest and simple appearance. This kid is so clever that he fell in love with him accidentally. Dao'er!"

His words made Guo Jianmei feel shy again, and Liu Zhenyun was also embarrassed by what he said.

"I am still a very simple person!" Liu Zhenyun retorted.

Lin Chaoyang laughed.

Guo Jianmei also stayed at school this summer to work and study. Tao Yumo originally ran over to play with her, but then realized that he seemed a little redundant and wanted to go home.

However, Liu Zhenyun mentioned something that he had not found before when he came to Lin Chaoyang, so Tao Yumo brought the two of them over.

Liu Zhenyun had been to Lin Chaoyang's house before, but this was the first time for Guo Jianmei.

She secretly looked at the decoration of Lin Chaoyang's home, with a bit of timidity and envy hidden in her eyes.

I'm afraid this house is better than what the professors in the school live in, right?

"That day, I'll catch up with Li Tuo's move and go to their house to warm up a pot."

Lin Chaoyang explained to Liu Zhenyun, and the two started chatting.

Tao Yushu was about to go out to buy some groceries, but before he could go out, another wave of people came to the house.

It was my uncle, Chen Jiangong and Li Tuo, followed by a strange old man.

Several people exchanged greetings before entering, and then Chen Jiangong took out a copy of "Yanjing Literature and Art" and said to Lin Chaoyang: "Chaoyang, my brother's novel has been published!"

His latest short story "Pan Phoenix Eyes" was published in the August issue of "Yanjing Literature and Art". This novel took a lot of effort from him and had high hopes.

"Is this a celebration? Then you have to treat me!" Lin Chaoyang joked.

"It's not my turn to treat guests." Chen Jiangong said, looking at the person next to him with a bit of mystery.

Lin Chaoyang immediately understood what he meant. There must be a reason why they ran over together.

He asked: "What good thing is this?"

Li Tuo smiled and took out a magazine from his bag.

Lin Chaoyang took it and glanced at the cover. It was all in English. He subconsciously thought it was a foreign magazine.

After looking carefully at the words on the cover, I suddenly said: ""Chinese Literature"?"

"Have you heard of it?" Li Tuo asked.

Lin Chaoyang nodded, "Yanda Library has nothing else but periodicals and magazines."

The English version of "Chinese Literature" handed over by Li Tuo was founded in 1951. It is the only official publication in China that translates and introduces Chinese literature and culture to foreign countries. It is managed by the Foreign Languages ​​Publishing Administration.

In the early years, the publication promoted some obviously revolutionary works and works of great leaders. In the past two years, the atmosphere in the domestic literary world has changed, and the literary works recommended by "Chinese Literature" have also become more diverse. New trends in domestic literary circles such as scar literature and reform literature are introduced.

Since its establishment, "Chinese Literature" has a history of nearly 30 years. It is not well-known in China. However, because it is the only domestic magazine that translates and promotes Chinese literary works to foreign countries, it has always had its own unique status in the domestic literary circle. .

At this time, Tao Yucheng finally spoke and introduced the old man who had been following them and had been silent since entering the door to Lin Chaoyang.

"This is Mr. Yang Xianyi from the Foreign Publishing House, deputy editor-in-chief of "Chinese Literature". I am here to communicate with you and translate "Lai Zi's Summer" and publish it in "Chinese Literature" to introduce it to foreign readers. "

Listening to his uncle's introduction, Lin Chaoyang looked surprised and held the old man's hand, "Mr. Yang, I have long admired you!"

"Hello, Comrade Chaoyang, I have heard your name for a long time!"

Yang Xianyi shook hands with Lin Chaoyang and laughed heartily.

He is one of the famous translators in my country, but unlike many translators who translate foreign works into Chinese, Yang Xianyi is determined to translate Chinese literary works into English and spread Chinese culture to the world.

The most amazing thing about the old man is that he and his wife spent more than ten years translating the epic "Dream of Red Mansions". Because it spanned the period of buzzing buzzing, the process of translating "Dream of Red Mansions" was full of twists and turns.

Finally, the English version of "Dream of Red Mansions" was successfully published by the Foreign Languages ​​​​Press and was widely praised in the field of Sinology research abroad.

The two chatted for a while, and Lin Chaoyang learned that "Lai Zi's Summer" had a great impact in the literary world recently, which aroused the interest of "Chinese Literature" in this novel.

It happened that Zhu Guangqian and Yang Xianyi knew each other. When the two chatted, they accidentally mentioned it. Yang Xianyi learned that the author of the novel was actually the son-in-law of Professor Tao Jingfa of Yenching University. He asked Zhu Guangqian to help introduce him, so Tao Yucheng brought Yang Xianyi here today.

"Chinese Literature" is committed to promoting Chinese literary works abroad, with the aim of promoting and shaping the image of China and showing Chinese history, culture and social outlook to foreign readers.

Yang Xianyi had a brief exchange with Lin Chaoyang and said: "Your latest work "Lai Zi's Summer" is very well written. It not only inherits the advantages of stream-of-consciousness literature, but also integrates Chinese culture in a pioneering way. It is a rare good work. Our magazine plans to serialize it."

"Chinese Literature" is a monthly magazine. Each issue will recommend many Chinese literary works to overseas readers, but most of them are brief introductions. Only heavyweight works will be recommended in the form of serialization.

What Li Tuo handed to Lin Chaoyang just now was the eighth issue of "Chinese Literature" this year. In this issue, the short story "Xiao Xiao" by Shen Congwen was translated and recommended.

"Chinese Literature" wanted to promote his works overseas, so Lin Chaoyang naturally had no reason to refuse. He also specifically asked about the manuscript fee. Yang Xianyi said it was eight yuan per thousand words.

Normally, the author gets the royalties for publishing a work, but the Chinese Literature magazine pays double the royalties. They not only have to pay the original author, but also the translator.

The price of 8 yuan per thousand words is already very high, because it is actually equivalent to reprinting.

"Lai Zi's Summer" has 200,000 words, and 8 yuan per thousand words is 1,600 yuan.

The people around were almost drooling when they heard it. This money is too easy to make.

It's not the brothers' fault that they have never seen the world. Liu Zhenyun is now an amateur, and Li Tuo and Chen Jiangong's creations are mainly short stories. The royalties for publishing a work are at most 200 yuan.

Seeing that Lin Chaoyang received 1,600 yuan in royalties in one go, how could they not be envious?

After talking about business, Lin Chaoyang wanted to keep Yang Xianyi for dinner, but the old comrade was in a hurry to leave, saying that he had to go home to accompany his wife, so Lin Chaoyang had to see him out.

When Lin Chaoyang returned home, Li Tuo, Chen Jiangong and others started to prepare for dinner.

They were proud of bringing Yang Xianyi home today, and they had made great contributions. Li Tuo even brought a book of "Chinese Literature" before coming. Lin Chaoyang received such a large amount of royalties at once, so he had to treat everyone to a meal no matter what. The posture was almost as bad as a poor man coming to ask for money.

Lin Chaoyang didn't mind treating everyone to dinner. He was practicing his cooking skills recently, and it was a good opportunity to practice with them.

Tao Yushu was going to buy vegetables, but Chen Jiangong took the initiative to go shopping.

Jokes aside, they didn't come to Lin Chaoyang's house to make a killing. Chen Jiangong had just received the royalties and was planning to have a good meal.

Lin Chaoyang didn't want Chen Jiangong to spend money, so he offered to go with him.

"Brother-in-law, please buy a mandarin fish." Tao Yumo told Lin Chaoyang before he left.

Ever since she had the fried mandarin fish made by Lin Chaoyang last time, she has been thinking about it.

She went out to buy vegetables for more than an hour, and Lin Chaoyang and Chen Jiangong came back at noon.

"Brother-in-law, why did you come back so late!" Tao Yumo said with a hungry face.

The vegetables had just been bought, and it would take another hour or two to cook, and it would be afternoon before we could eat.

Lin Chaoyang shook the vegetables in his hand at her, "Good food is never too late."

Tao Yumo saw the fish and meat in the bag and suddenly became energetic, "What are these?"

"Pork, mandarin fish, potatoes, radishes, rapeseed, mushrooms..."

Tao Yumo didn't wait for Lin Chaoyang to answer, and she turned over the bag herself. At the end, she saw a pig's stomach and kidneys. The main reason why Lin Chaoyang and the others came back late was because they lined up to buy this pig's stomach and kidneys.

"Go wash the vegetables!"

Lin Chaoyang scolded her, and Tao Yumo didn't dare to refute. Who told her to be so short-sighted?

There were many guests at home today, so of course more food had to be prepared.

Two pounds of pork was divided into two portions, one portion was braised pork with fat and lean meat.

The other portion was all fat. Lin Chaoyang boiled the fat until half cooked, cut it into large slices, boiled red beans and made red bean paste, put the meat in a bowl, spread it with rice mixed with brown sugar, and steamed it until it was soft. This was the meat with sand that he learned from the recipe.

The mandarin fish was still dry fried and served with pepper and salt.

He stewed the pork belly and pork kidneys with potatoes, radishes, and mushrooms, making a reduced version of the stew.

It took Lin Chaoyang more than two hours to make four dishes, all of which were meat dishes, which was a proper feast in this era.

The dishes were served on the table, and the aroma was fragrant. It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon, and everyone was already starving, and they wolfed down the food as soon as it came.

"Delicious! Really delicious!"

"Chaoyang's cooking skills are as good as those of a master chef!"

After eating for a while, most of the fried mandarin fish, braised pork, and stewed meat were eaten by everyone, but no one touched the meat with sand.

"Why don't you eat this dish?" Lin Chaoyang asked.

Seeing that no one moved, Lin Chaoyang pushed the meat with sand in front of Tao Yumo, "Yumo, eat!"

"Brother-in-law..." Others were embarrassed to start eating first, but Tao Yumo had been hungry recently.

The disadvantage of being short-sighted was clearly revealed at this moment. Her brother-in-law asked her to eat, could she not eat? If she didn't eat, would she still want to eat and drink for free in the future?

While she was hesitating, everyone saw Liu Zhenyun take the lead in picking up a piece of fat and stuffing it into his mouth.

Other people at the table had enough food, but Liu Zhenyun really did. He was reluctant to order even 1.5 yuan worth of dishes in the cafeteria.

Just now, everyone was hesitating, and no one started eating, so he was embarrassed to be the first to start eating.

Now that everyone was in trouble, he was naturally willing to be the first guinea pig.

His lips were full of oil as he chewed the meat. After tasting the flavor, his eyes half-closed, and he stretched out his chopsticks to pick up a piece for Guo Jianmei.

"Jianmei, try it!"

Although Liu Zhenyun didn't say anything, his attitude said it all.

This meat with sand tastes good.

"Add some sugar, it tastes better." Lin Chaoyang reminded Guo Jianmei.

Guo Jianmei's eyes lit up as she ate the meat.

Seeing this, the other people stretched out their chopsticks, and the unpopular meat with sand was snatched up.

There was not much meat with sand made from a pound of fat meat, and it seemed even less with so many people eating together.

Tao Yumo ate two pieces, and his expression was a little unsatisfied.

"Brother-in-law, you can make more of this dish in the future."

"Eat less!" Tao Yushu's eyes turned around his sister's face and said faintly.