Chapter 13: Finally Letting You Drive the Land Rover

Page 1 of 3

Zhou Yanru understood what Li Yousi meant and asked, “I see. You still need to apply to the Cultural Troupe for leave, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes. That’s right, Teacher!”

As the two discussed the matter of leave, Wang Hai cleared his throat and immediately came over.

“As for the leave, Comrade Li, you needn’t worry. I’ll apply for a month’s leave on your behalf.”

Well now, the entire Cultural Troupe had produced only one writer. How could they possibly allow him to be buried in obscurity?

Besides, in this era, thanks to the influence of pioneers such as Lu Xun, as well as the later immense popularity of writers like Wang Zengqi and Lu Yao, people possessed an instinctive respect for writers.

Wang Hai was certainly considerate.

“Can I really take leave?” Li Yousi asked, putting on an innocent expression.

“Of course. You’re bringing honor to the Cultural Troupe! Going to the magazine to write is a good thing.” Wang Hai nodded at once.

Li Yousi smiled and continued, “All right, Editor Zhou. Now that the matter of leave is settled, shall I set off for the Beiping Literature editorial office tomorrow morning?”

“Yes. Once you arrive at the editorial office, your travel expenses will be reimbursed, and the magazine will arrange a guesthouse for you.”

Zhou Yanru was a veteran editor who had worked at the magazine for more than a decade. She was also a remarkably gentle elderly woman.

This put Li Yousi somewhat at ease. After all, his supervising editor seemed to be someone with whom it would be easy to communicate.

“Thank you, Editor Zhou.”

When Li Yousi heard that his travel expenses would be reimbursed, his face lit up with excitement and delight. Although he had saved quite a bit of money by then, spending the magazine’s money and spending his own were two entirely different matters.

Zhou Yanru then discussed some revisions with him and reminded him to leave early the next morning before ending the call.

Zhu Chunsheng had been listening for a long while. At last, he understood. “You’re going to Beiping?”

“That’s right. Comrade Li’s novel has been accepted, so naturally he has to go to the editorial office to revise it!” Wang Hai took a sip of tea and smiled with satisfaction.

Zhu Chunsheng asked in surprise, “What? You’re leaving tomorrow morning?”

“But the folk music ensemble is supposed to perform at the Municipal Party Committee the day after tomorrow. What will we do without you?”

Wang Hai shook his head helplessly and grumbled, “You really are too rigid, Comrade Zhu. When can’t a performance be held? Comrade Li absolutely has to finish revising his manuscript this month. Time is tight!”

“Oh.” Zhu Chunsheng nodded blankly. The ensemble had only just lost one suona horn player, and now the second one was leaving as well?

Page 1 of 3

Was there some kind of poisonous curse on suona horn players? Why could none of them ever stay with the troupe in peace?

“All right, then. I’ll find another comrade to take over.”

Zhu Chunsheng walked over and patted Li Yousi on the shoulder. With considerable emotion, he said, “Little Zhou, now that you’re going to Beiping, whether you’re writing novels or doing anything else, you must work at it seriously!”

Li Yousi nodded firmly. “I understand, Teacher Zhu.”

After roughly learning the whole story, Zhu Chunsheng left.

Only Wang Hai and Li Yousi remained. Wang Hai gave Li Yousi a few more instructions about revising his manuscript before saying, “Comrade Li, the cafeteria is closed now. Let me take you out to eat.”

“That doesn’t seem right, does it?”

Although he said it was inappropriate, Li Yousi was perfectly honest in practice and followed him out at once.

~

Before long, everyone in the instrumental ensemble learned that Wang Hai had summoned Li Yousi.

The people in the Cultural Troupe might not have excelled at everything else, but when it came to spreading information, they were second to none.

After finishing dinner, the members of the instrumental ensemble returned to their dormitory.

“I just heard that Wang Hai, the head of the Publicity Section, went to see Li Yousi. He looked awfully hurried, too!”

“Even Captain Zhu went along. I wonder what it was about.”

“Could Li Yousi be getting promoted?”

“How could that be? He’s an orphan, and his father isn’t even a department director. How could he become a captain so quickly?”

A group of people gathered together and speculated about what had just happened.

It was a large dormitory shared by more than a dozen people. The crew-cut young man from the Publicity Section was there as well.

Because he had received a little more education and managed to enter the Publicity Section, he was usually rather arrogant. Everyone often called him Crew Cut.

For once, Crew Cut spoke up. “It should be a call from Beiping Literature.”

He had been standing nearby when Wang Hai received the call that morning.

“What?”

Crew Cut replied flatly, “The Beiping Literature editorial office.”

For old comrades like Zhu Chunsheng, who were not particularly fond of reading novels or magazines, the reputation of such publishing houses was not especially familiar.

Page 2 of 3

But most members of the instrumental ensemble—or rather, the Cultural Troupe—were young people in their early twenties.

These young people formed the main force of the era’s literary-minded youth. Besides, as members of the Cultural Troupe, they often held various magazines in their hands and read the novels inside them.

Naturally, they all knew of Beiping Literature.

“What do you mean? Explain it properly!”

“Exactly. Why did the editorial office contact him?”

Everyone’s curiosity was stirred by Crew Cut. The trouble was, whenever he spoke, he did so in broken fragments. He held a book and read it leisurely, occasionally answering with a sentence or two.

Crew Cut shook his head helplessly. “What else could it mean? Comrade Li wrote a novel and submitted it to them. Beiping Literature called him.”

Naturally, they had called to inform him that the novel had been accepted.

Crew Cut had no doubts whatsoever about the strength of Li Yousi’s story. After all, he had read it together with Section Chief Wang Hai and knew perfectly well that Li Yousi’s submission would be accepted.

“So does that mean Comrade Li Yousi has become a writer?”

“Well, isn’t that something!”

The others opened copies of Beiping Literature they had read before and flipped through the stories. The magazine’s quality was clearly impressive, so they were able to form a rough estimate of Li Yousi’s ability.

“From now on, we’ll be able to see Comrade Li Yousi’s work published in the magazine? He can really write pieces that good?”

“Please. He’s always been educated, all right? At least he finished high school. He’s not like you illiterates.”

Someone in the crowd added that remark.

Li Yousi had always been even-tempered and mild-mannered in the Cultural Troupe, so most people liked him.

Naturally, the majority envied him for being able to write novels, while relatively few felt jealous.

The group continued discussing Li Yousi’s writing. Then they remembered how, over the past month, he had returned to the dormitory and shut himself away after every training session. He had probably been writing his novel all that time.

Just then, Liu Feng walked in through the door.

He immediately heard what everyone was discussing and asked in bewilderment, “What are you all talking about?”

“It’s about Li Yousi writing a novel. His submission to the magazine was accepted!”

Page 3 of 3