Chapter 34: Would Saying That Hurt Him Too Much?

As the authoritative core publication of the Chinese literary circle, "Literary Gazette" occupied a significant position in the cultural landscape during the early years of the Reform and Opening-up. Simply put, the "Literary Gazette" served two main purposes: publishing literary criticism to analyze works and reporting on major recent events in the arts and literature. It was the most essential weekly in the literary world.

Li Yousi opened the "Literary Gazette." Inside, there were two or three literary critiques concerning his work, "Falling Leaves Return to Roots." News traveled slowly in this era; his novel had been published a month ago, and it took time for critics to digest the work, organize their thoughts, write their reviews, and finally get them published in the magazine. A month was generally the time it took for a literary work to begin fermenting within the literary community. The presence of these reviews in the "Literary Gazette" meant that his novel was being widely discussed in Beijing.

Li Yousi returned to his seat and began to read. One piece in particular caught his eye—a critique by Yan Gang titled "Falling Leaves Return to Roots: An Absurd Journey."

" 'Falling Leaves Return to Roots' is a work of heterogeneous existence. It is neither a typical 'educated youth literature' nor a purely 'native narrative' or 'root-seeking allegory.' Instead, it employs a tone of black humor to dramatize a folk legend concerning promises, death, and final destinations. The absurd journey of Old Zhao carrying Old Wang’s corpse across a thousand miles is not only the ultimate interpretation of the traditional ethic of 'falling leaves returning to their roots,' but it also reflects the myriad states of human sentiment and the spiritual predicament of Chinese society during this transitional period."

The article meticulously dissected various character archetypes, such as the "benevolence and righteousness" of the robbers, the cold indifference of the "civilized people" (the other educated youths), and most importantly, the protagonist's personality—a timid yet simple and kind-hearted Old Zhao.

Yan Gang was not only a writer but also a prominent literary critic, having served as an editor for "People's Literature" and the "Literary Gazette." Now a key member of the editorial board for the "Literary Gazette," Yan Gang had long intended to write about "Falling Leaves Return to Roots" the moment he saw its influence. Once he started, he couldn't stop. A month after the novel's publication, he released his critique. He had witnessed the novel's impact firsthand, seeing readers everywhere clutching copies of the book. It was a groundbreaking influence—a second "Life," though certainly a different kind of "Life" within the "root-seeking" literature genre. Thus, Yan Gang’s critique was more like adding flowers to a brocade, allowing the already blazing success of "Falling Leaves Return to Roots" to receive even greater scrutiny. He knew that this work was about to spark a trend in the literary world and would become a rare classic—a work independent of mere fads.

"It’s actually a critique by Yan Gang!" He Dehua exclaimed upon seeing the magazine. As core members of the cultural troupe, they were all somewhat familiar with the top writers and critics in the literary world.

"What?" Chen Xiaotao leaned in and asked, "Who is Yan Gang?"

He Dehua scoffed, "You’ve read so many magazines and you don't even know Yan Gang? He’s a big shot in the world of literary criticism."

Mei Qijie glanced at it with a trace of curiosity, then quickly said with an arrogant air, "What a fuss over nothing!"

Seizing the opportunity, He Dehua launched a precise counterattack: "Pfft..." The laugh was filled with mockery directed at Mei Qijie.

"You..." Mei Qijie’s face flushed. "What are you laughing at?"

He Dehua covered his mouth and continued, "And you call yourself a writer? You don't even know Yan Gang?"

"When did I say I didn't know him?" Mei Qijie retorted.

He Dehua asked, "Then you don't know Yan Gang's status in the literary world?"

Mei Qijie dared to mock Li Yousi only because he relied on his seniority, having been in the literary scene longer. But he didn't dare hold such a stance toward Yan Gang. "Comrade Yan Gang is indeed a master of the literary world, just writing a review to encourage a newcomer! That's what masters do!"

He Dehua countered directly, "Then has anyone ever written a literary critique for the works you’ve written? Never mind Yan Gang—has anyone even written about you in the 'Literary Gazette'?"

The flush on Mei Qijie’s face deepened. "Boring."

Seeing his counterattack hit home, He Dehua felt a surge of satisfaction. The writers in the literature office were always acting superior, looking down on this and that; He Dehua had finally found a chance to strike back.

"Hey? There’s another review here by Li Tuo?"

Chen Xiaotao joined the fray. "Li Tuo? The Li Tuo from Beijing? I know him. I’ve read quite a few of his novels. I like his piece 'I Hope You Hear This Song' the best."

He Dehua read the review aloud: " 'Comrade Li is impressive. Li Tuo calls you the "forefather of root-seeking literature"!' "

Upon hearing the term, Mei Qijie suddenly laughed. "They’re just making things up now. Where did this 'root-seeking literature' come from? I’ve heard of 'educated youth literature,' 'reform literature,' 'scar literature'... 'root-seeking literature'? Did you make that up yourself?"

He Dehua didn't fall into the trap of trying to prove himself. "Heh, 'forefather.' You don't know? The first person to write it is the forefather. Ignorant! And you call yourself a writer!"

"You..." Mei Qijie stood up and walked over to He Dehua. "Let's see how you spin this now!" He snatched the magazine, looked down, and saw it was indeed "Beijing Literature." He continued reading: " 'Teacher Wang Zengqi and I discussed it, and in the end, I even sought out Han Shaogong to ask for his thoughts...' "

~Wait, is it actually real?

Lines of frustration appeared on Mei Qijie's face as he struggled to contain his temper. Seeing the words "forefather of root-seeking literature" in print, he tossed the magazine back.

He Dehua carefully observed the changes in his expression before laughing with satisfaction. "Was I teasing you earlier? I told you it was written by Li Tuo! You just didn't believe me."

Mei Qijie glared at He Dehua, feeling as though the literature office had become unbearable today, and stormed out.

Chen Xiaotao gave a thumbs up. "Old He, you really have a way of getting under people's skin! With Mei Qijie’s foul temper, I doubt he'll set foot in this office for at least half a month!"

He Dehua replied, "Heh, I still had a few tricks up my sleeve."

"But don't you think you were a bit too harsh on him?" Chen Xiaotao asked.

He Dehua retorted, "Harsh my foot!"

Li Yousi smiled helplessly. He felt a secret sense of satisfaction, too. Although his resentment toward Mei Qijie wasn't as deep as the other two, having someone else deal with the annoyance was quite pleasant.

"Comrade He, don't keep provoking him like that. He's in his forties; if he gets so angry he can't catch his breath, that wouldn't be good."

He Dehua shook his head. "You, you're just too kind!"