Chapter 39: The Famished Belt

"Li Ye, don't be so headstrong. Maybe they really are just offering you some well-intentioned guidance?"

"Li Ye, think about it again! Dahe Publishing House is the best in our province. Being this stubborn... you're going to offend people."

"Li Ye, why don't you let us see the manuscript first? The teachers can put our heads together, give you some pointers, and help you identify areas for improvement..."

Inside the principal's office at County No. 2 High School, several teachers took turns trying to persuade Li Ye to change his mind and accept the publication offer from Dahe Publishing House. In their eyes, this kid was just being pretentious—a naive teenager who had never been toughened by the harsh realities of society and refused to swallow even a little bit of pride.

But Li Ye’s stance was exceptionally firm. I’m writing novels to get rich, not to be lectured.

Li Ye replied with a cool, detached tone: "Principal Chang, Teacher Luo, thank you for your concern, but I have already decided to take my work to another publisher. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back. I can handle this on my own."

"..."

Principal Chang looked at Li Ye and nodded slightly. "Alright, go back and think about it. Opportunities like this are rare; don't give it up rashly."

Once Li Ye left, Principal Chang turned to the exasperated teachers. "The boy has a firm mind. Don't meddle any further. I’ll notify his family and let them decide."

"This... it’s such a pity."

"Sigh, he really doesn't know how lucky he is!"

The teachers sighed and dispersed, none of them noticing the flicker of mockery in Principal Chang’s eyes. He picked up the phone and dialed the Grain Bureau.

"I need to speak with Director Li..."

***

When Li Zhongfa received the call from County No. 2 High School, he wondered if there was another issue with the supply of affordable grain they had just provided. But before he had heard more than a few sentences, he stood up so abruptly that he knocked his chair over.

"What did you say? Say that again!"

The sound of the chair hitting the floor and Li Zhongfa’s booming voice startled his colleagues at the Grain Bureau. They gathered quietly, peeking cautiously into his office. The door was open, and they saw their usually dignified and composed Director Li’s face shifting through a spectrum of colors—red, then white, filled with disbelief and shock.

"Don't worry, Principal Chang. You teachers are cultured people; it’s hard for you to discipline a rebellious child... I will discipline him myself today. He’s really overstepped this time."

"Understood, understood. No matter how talented he is, he’s still my grandson. I must teach him the meaning of humility..."

The staff at the Grain Bureau listened from a distance, exchanging glances as if they had uncovered a secret. About half a year ago, Li Zhongfa’s grandson had his engagement broken off by a college student, which had been the talk of the office for a while. It seemed that this handsome but seemingly hollow young man had gotten into trouble again.

But just as they thought this, they heard Li Zhongfa’s wild, unrestrained laughter.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

Everyone looked at each other, wondering what had gotten into their director.

***

Li Zhongfa laughed heartily for a long time before dialing the Fertilizer Plant.

"I need to speak to Li Kaijian... Who am I? I’m his father."

"Kaijian! Go to County No. 2 High School immediately and drag that brat home... Why? He’s getting too big for his britches; I need to take him down a peg."

Li Kaijian hung up the phone, utterly confused. He didn't understand what his father was playing at. However, he did agree that Li Ye was "getting too big for his britches." A few days ago, Li Ye had bought five pairs of trendy leather boots from the provincial capital. Every woman in the family got a pair, but there wasn't one for him or Li Zhongfa. When Li Zhongfa had cursed the "ungrateful brat," he had been fiercely scolded by his own wife, nearly losing face in front of everyone.

Since there was an opportunity today to "take him down a peg," he would definitely make the boy learn his lesson. Li Kaijian felt his leather duty belt itching to be used.

***

Two hours later, Li Ye and Li Dayong were dragged to the Li family courtyard by Li Kaijian. After Li Zhongfa explained the cause and effect, Li Ye and Li Dayong were left to be gawked at by the entire Li clan, much like monkeys in a city zoo.

Li Kaijian’s leather belt, unsurprisingly, ended up in the hands of his mother—Li Ye’s grandmother. She gave Li Kaijian two sharp lashes across his backside.

"You brute! You think you have the right to hit my grandson?"

The dignified veteran and workshop director looked at Li Ye with a pained expression. He looked at him from left to right—it was definitely his precious son, but how had he suddenly become so rebellious? A few days ago, he had brought home a large sum of money, which was unbelievable enough, but now this? Writing a novel? And he had rejected a publishing offer? Had he become a genius overnight?

"Ahem!"

Li Zhongfa coughed with great authority and said, "Li Ye, Grandpa knows you’re talented now, but in this society, talent alone isn't enough to get by. You need to use your head..."

"Since when does our little Ye not use his head? I think you two are the ones not using your heads!"

The stern speech was interrupted by Li Ye’s grandmother, leaving Li Zhongfa speechless. He had to get to the point.

"Little Ye, bowing your head for a moment doesn't make you a coward. They are the gatekeepers, and you are the one submitting work. Them saying a few words to you won't kill you. You can just let it go in one ear and out the other. Besides, didn't they call back later and agree to publish it?"

Li Ye sighed. "Grandpa, I want to publish smoothly and earn some royalties, but their attitude was too arrogant. I think it's better to switch to another publisher."

"What do you mean 'switch'?" Li Zhongfa asked, exasperated. "Do you think publishers are radishes in a field that you can just pull up whichever one you fancy? Look all over Qingshui County—who has managed to publish a novel in all these years? People show off for days just for having a paragraph the size of a tofu block published in the newspaper!"

Li Ye smiled sheepishly and pulled a slip of paper from his bag.

"I certainly wouldn't pull radishes from the ground, but in this case, the radish came to me on its own!"

***

Li Zhongfa didn't understand Li Ye’s metaphor, but he recognized the slip of paper. It was a telegram, the fastest means of transmitting text information in the eighties. Li Ye handed it to his grandfather, who quickly asked his wife for his reading glasses.

[Our publishing house has accepted your submission. We are sending editor Dong Yuejin to your location to discuss publication matters...]

There were only two lines of text on the telegram, but Li Zhongfa read it over and over, pondering its meaning.

"Hiss," Li Zhongfa took a breath. "Little Ye, when did you receive this?"

Li Ye said, "Just before school let out. I had just picked it up when my dad grabbed me with his belt."

"Clap!"

Li Zhongfa slammed the table and scolded Li Kaijian. "Who told you to use the belt? You’re in your forties; why are you acting like a street thug..."

Li Kaijian stood there mouth agape, full of grievances he couldn't express. *Weren't you the one who wanted to 'take him down a peg'? Now why are you taking me down? Haven't I been submissive enough all these years? You’ve forgotten your son for the sake of your grandson—you can't be this cold-hearted, can you?*

Li Kaijian didn't dare provoke his father, so he turned to Li Ye with a dark face. "Explain to me what this telegram is about."

Li Ye explained, "This is a telegram from the Blue Sea Publishing House in Island City. They accepted my submission and have already sent someone to Qingshui County to talk to me about publishing. Do you understand the difference between that and the provincial publisher?"

How could Li Kaijian not understand? One was acting high and mighty, forcing Li Ye to bring his manuscript to them and endure their attitude; the other was sending someone directly to the Li family's territory to negotiate terms. The difference was massive.

Looking at the smug Li Ye, Li Kaijian finally couldn't help but ask, "What exactly happened to you? How did you suddenly become so smart?"

"..."

Li Ye knew he couldn't avoid this question forever. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Li Dayong knows about this. That time I was suddenly ill, I had a high fever for two days... after I woke up, everything was different."

Li Kaijian hurriedly asked, "How was it different?"

Li Ye smiled enigmatically. "My back doesn't ache, my legs don't hurt, everything I eat tastes delicious, and my brain is sharp. Textbooks and test questions that I couldn't memorize after reading eight times, I can now memorize after reading them once..."

The Li family, old and young, listened as if to a fairy tale, their imaginations running wild as they heard the story of a prodigy reborn.

Li Dayong also chimed in, "Master, Uncle Kaijian, it’s really like that. Ever since Li Ye got better that day, he’s been supernatural... We’ve been working on the questions you brought for Li Ye lately. They’re better than the ones the teachers give us. We couldn't do them, only Li Ye could, and then he would explain them to us..."

Li Dayong went on and on. Li Zhongfa was confused at first, then became serious.

"Questions? What questions?"