Chapter 28: The Publication of "Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots"

Despite the others trying to persuade him, Li Yousi finally lowered his head and said, "I only wrote the beginning today..."

Wang Hai asked eagerly, "Is it for this novel?"

"More or less, it's the same story, but this is the complete version. What I told you was just a fragment." Li Yousi inhaled the remaining noodles in his bowl in one go.

"That was just a fragment..."

Wang Hai seemed to be witnessing the birth of a grand military epic. He quickly said, "Alright, since you're ready to write it, our Art Troupe will definitely support you with everything we've got!"

"Huh?"

...

As Wang Hai had promised:

The next day, as soon as work started, Wang Hai stood at the doorway and began directing: "Hurry, hurry, put it here! Yes, that's right!"

He commanded two soldiers to place a stack of documents in front of Li Yousi's desk. It contained almost all the Art Troupe's records regarding the War of Resistance, excluding only the classified ones.

As Li Yousi just walked into the office, Wang Hai smiled and said, "Comrade Li, these are the archives of our Art Troupe. If you need anything, feel free to open them and take a look!"

Li Yousi nodded repeatedly. With these materials, any military novel he wrote would seem perfectly grounded in reality. After all, he was covered by the mantle of the Art Troupe, specifically the Creative Writing Department.

"Thank you, Director Wang."

"By the way, I forgot to tell you—the ones I’ve marked are records from Sichuan and Chongqing, and these are from Western Yunnan..." He pointed to the stack and introduced them to Li Yousi. "However, Comrade Li, one thing to keep in mind is..."

Before he could finish, Li Yousi immediately replied, "I know, I must maintain strict confidentiality!"

"Exactly. If you need anything else, just let me know."

Wang Hai felt that this novel would be no less impressive than "Wreaths at the Foot of the Mountain," which had appeared in *October* last year. Moreover, Li Yousi's talent was not to be underestimated; perhaps he could truly surpass it.

After Wang Hai left, Li Yousi sat at his desk and began to write.

...

Time flew by.

December 20th.

*Beiping Literature* was released on schedule.

This novel was a 100,000-character novella that occupied a large portion of *Beiping Literature*, even taking up the entirety of the fiction section. The key was that the author's name was completely unknown.

Therefore, at first, the novel did not attract much attention, and the sales of *Beiping Literature* remained much the same as usual.

At the Anshan Drama Troupe, Haiyan walked into a bookstore, picked up a random magazine, and left. She saw the title was *Beiping Literature*.

She soon returned to her dormitory with the magazine. On the way, she began reading the first story, "Falling Leaves Return to Roots." It not only occupied the largest space in the December issue but also held the prime spot.

Soon, she was completely engrossed.

Back at the dormitory, she remained hunched over the desk reading. Suddenly, a beautiful girl with willow-leaf eyebrows and phoenix eyes walked in. She leaned over and asked, "Haiyan, what are you reading?"

Haiyan looked back and smiled, "Xiaoxu, it's a new novel in *Beiping Literature* called 'Falling Leaves Return to Roots'! I feel like it's really interesting."

"Do you want to read it?"

After finishing it, Haiyan pushed the magazine into Chen Xiaoxu's hands.

Chen Xiaoxu scanned the first page: Old Wang died—and Old Zhao wants to take him home?

Transporting a corpse home? Isn't this story a bit too bizarre?

Naturally, that was her first impression: "This? Could it be a horror story?"

"Horror? It's very heartwarming, isn't it?"

For a moment, Chen Xiaoxu wondered if she had misread it. Is a story that begins with a death really heartwarming? Still, she took Haiyan's recommendation and dove into the story.

—

In 1966, twenty-five-year-old youths Xiao Zhao and Xiao Wang were sent down to the countryside.

However, they were unlucky and were assigned to Yunnan, which was not a pleasant place at the time.

Thirteen years later, now nearing forty, they received news that they could return home. Because of more than a decade of hardship, Old Wang fell gravely ill.

Just days before the educated youth were to return home, Old Wang suddenly passed away.

Old Zhao and Old Wang were from the same hometown. Thinking of their decade-long brotherhood, Old Zhao decided to carry his body back home to fulfill the wish of "falling leaves returning to their roots" in Hubei.

The commune, feeling pity for them, pooled together about ten yuan to help.

The two boarded a bus for returning youths! Along the way, they encountered robbers, but the honorable bandits, hearing their story, did not make things difficult for them. Instead, it was the other youths on the bus who, disgusted by the corpse, drove them off.

Old Zhao had no choice but to carry Old Wang on his back and continue the journey home.

Along the way, he encountered truck drivers, young men on motorcycles, a female long-distance bus driver, backpackers, thieves—a series of good people and bad people.

Finally, after overcoming countless hardships, Old Zhao was about to reach Hubei. However, on the way, he learned that Old Wang's family had moved away due to the destruction during the chaotic years.

Old Zhao felt completely lost, but he did not give up. With the help of kind-hearted people, he eventually found Old Wang's family and fulfilled his wish of "falling leaves returning to their roots."

—

This novel was Li Yousi's adaptation of Zhao Benshan's film *Getting Home*. Many have praised it as the best road movie in China. Li Yousi changed the background from the migrant worker wave to the educated youth era to fit the period. He didn't change the story or the theme too much, as he didn't think he could perform a miracle and turn it into a masterpiece.

...

After finishing the story, Chen Xiaoxu let out a deep sigh: "Wow, it's written so well. Those educated youths are truly heartless; if it weren't for Old Zhao, they wouldn't have even gotten their money back..."

She then sighed, "Old Zhao is such an honorable man!"

Beside her, Haiyan looked pleased. After all, her recommendation had been recognized, and she felt a small sense of joy.

"Didn't I tell you it was good?" Haiyan looked at the author's name: "Li Yousi? This pen name sounds so nice. Is it actually a person's name?"

Chen Xiaoxu pushed her love-struck friend and laughed, "What kind of fool uses their real name as a pen name?"

Chen Xiaoxu then fantasized for a moment: "An author who can write such an excellent piece must be mature and experienced. He might be a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties, just like Old Zhao!"

However, she clearly couldn't imagine how handsome this author might be.

Haiyan shook her head: "Stereotypical. This author is as heroic and handsome as his name sounds, just you wait."

Chen Xiaoxu shook her head helplessly: "Stop daydreaming. Someone who can write such a great book is someone we'll never get to meet."

"But aren't you going to Beiping?"

After seeing the recruitment advertisement for actors by CCTV in *Popular Cinema*, Chen Xiaoxu had submitted her photos and bio. A few days ago, she received a reply saying they wanted her to come for an audition after the Lunar New Year.

"That's still a long way off," she said, though she secretly longed to pass the screening.