N-M Chapter 8 As expected of Shanghai
Chapter 8 As expected of Shanghai
Yu Zhen and Xiao Wu, the editors, have no foresight.
They had no idea that their departure would cause such a commotion near the station square.
They were even less aware that the news that Yu Zhen, a rising poet and writer from Shaanxi Province, had submitted 25 stories to "Story Club" had already spread like wildfire in Shanghai's cultural circles.
At 74 Shaoxing Road, the editorial departments of two other periodicals located in the same compound as "Story Club," namely "Harvest" and "Shanghai Literature and Art," received calls from well-informed individuals almost simultaneously.
Speaking of their two institutions being next to each other, such a groundbreaking event in the journal industry suddenly unfolded.
As the saying goes, "A person's name is like the shadow of a tree."
Yu Zhen is not well-known in the field of literary fiction writing.
But when it comes to the several excellent modern poems that were published one after another in Poetry Journal last winter...
That's absolutely something that everyone, both inside and outside cultural circles, knows like the back of their hand.
In particular, the poem "My Motherland, My Beloved Motherland" became an almost indispensable poem for recitation during the Spring Festival, when various enterprises and institutions across the country, including government agencies, factories, mines, military units, local governments, and civilian organizations, held cultural performances to celebrate the New Year.
Therefore, they were surprised to hear that their neighbor had gotten involved with the great poet Yu.
Moreover, in one fell swoop, he directly obtained 25 story submissions from the great poet Yu.
So, before Yu Zhen could even rush back to the office with Editor Wu...
The two sister publications, being geographically close, had already gathered a group of senior editors who rushed into the editorial department of "Story Club," clamoring to see the stories and works of the great poet Yu.
This is not only the case in the compound at No. 74 Shaoxing Road.
Not far away, at No. 54 Shaoxing Road, there's "Youth Generation"; a little further away, at No. 33, Lane 672, Changle Road, there's "Culture and Life" and "Tourism World"; at No. 7, Lane 622, Huaihai Middle Road, there's "Social Sciences" and "Academic Monthly"; at No. 595 Caoxi North Road, there's "New Films"; at No. 168 Yueyang Road, there's "Shanghai Drama"; at No. 351, Lane 351, Huashan Road, there's "Shanghai Artists"...
With the sudden arrival of the great poet Yu in Shanghai, and his 25 story submissions, which were described in increasingly exaggerated rumors, the topic quickly became the focus of discussion in the editorial departments of many periodicals and magazines in Shanghai.
1979 was the first year of reform.
The strength of the reform spring breeze is being discussed.
The literary and artistic circles in Shanghai actively and enthusiastically respond to the national "Double Hundred Policy" guiding ideology in the literary and artistic field, and are actively exploring and seeking truth in the field of innovative publication of literary journals, striving for new breakthroughs.
That's definitely a top-tier, nationwide-level group seeking transformation.
When Editor Wu learned that Yu Zhen was actually a year younger than her, her admiration and respect for the writer Yu rose even higher. In addition, since she was still just a trainee editor, she felt even less able to put on any airs of an editor in front of the writer Yu.
"Comrade Yu, shall we go straight back to the magazine office first, or should we arrange for you to stay at the guesthouse first?"
"I'm fine with anything, Editor Wu, you can arrange it as you see fit."
"Okay, sure, no problem. You must be exhausted from your long journey of over forty hours. Let's go to the guesthouse first and settle you in. After you've rested this afternoon, I'll go to the guesthouse and take you to the editorial department..."
"no problem."
These days, taxis aren't readily available.
Wu Ke arrived at the train station by bus. Writer Yu was carrying a large amount of luggage on a shoulder pole. She really wanted to arrange a car to pick her up and drop her off, but unfortunately, she was not capable enough to do so, which made her feel quite ashamed.
So he offered to help Yu Zhen carry the load along the way.
Yu Zhen was too embarrassed to ask for help carrying the load on the shoulder pole.
Actually, the carrying pole wasn't very heavy. One end carried various local specialties given to him by the villagers, while the other end held his luggage, bedding, and some changes of clothes.
After spending an entire winter after transmigrating, all that he had "accumulated" was this little bit of belongings, which he brought with him to Shanghai.
It was quite odd that a poet and writer invited to Shanghai would travel with a shoulder pole.
But thankfully, once you leave the train station and walk down the street, you'll see plenty of people carrying luggage on shoulder poles.
After changing buses several times and going through nearly two hours of travel, the two finally arrived at their destination.
After settling Yu Zhen in, Editor Wu took his leave, saying he needed to return to the office to report to the leaders.
The two parted ways. Yu Zhen found out that there was a public bathhouse near the guesthouse, so he quickly packed a change of clothes and went to take a bath to relieve his fatigue.
As a southerner, I spent an entire winter in Northwest China without ever having the chance to take a bath, and I felt incredibly uncomfortable all over.
Editor Xiao Wu quickly returned to the office.
As soon as she entered the compound at No. 74 Shaoxing Road, she sensed an unusual atmosphere. A group of unfamiliar faces were gathered there, and the moment she entered, they all cast eager glances at her.
"Editor Xiao Wu, where is the person you picked up? Where are Yu's family?" A stranger recognized her and rushed forward to ask.
Another figure was even more decisive, running straight out of the gate of compound number 74, but quickly turning back. "Hey, Editor Wu, you're really something, hiding Writer Yu beforehand so we wouldn't see him, huh?!"
Wu Ke was completely bewildered.
Soon, someone from their own editorial department rushed over upon hearing the news. "Xiao Wu, Writer Yu...didn't you receive the call at all??"
The visitor was Bao Fang, a veteran editor. He asked questions loudly while subtly giving Wu Ke a wink.
"Uh, oh right, writer Yu... I did get a call, but she's not available to come to the magazine office yet..."
"Went to visit relatives??"
"Yes, yes, Writer Yu came from his hometown carrying some local specialties on a shoulder pole to send to his relatives. It wasn't convenient for him to carry them all the way here, so he said goodbye and left first..."
Wu Ke and the editor Bao Fang understood each other perfectly and immediately began to fabricate lies in front of everyone.
Although Wu Ke was still unsure of the identities of the strange visitors who had suddenly appeared in the No. 74 compound, she had at least spent a winter in the industry, and she could immediately discern the professional aura emanating from them. She quickly made a guess in her mind and decisively tried to evade the question by talking to her editor, Bao Fang.
In fact, as early as two days ago, after reading Yu Zhen's 25 brilliant articles, the entire editorial team had already reached a preliminary decision.
The resolution was to acquire all 25 stories contributed by writer Yu as quickly and efficiently as possible, and to prevent other organizations from taking advantage of the situation.
It's truly a pity that the most brilliant of the 25 stories contributed by Yu Zhen, in terms of their completeness and the profound humanistic spirit they embody, were published in "Story Club."
Those stories, if submitted to "Harvest" or "Shanghai Literature and Art," could have been accepted without a single word being changed.
So, the current situation is that the news of Comrade Yu Zhen's trip to Shanghai has already been found out by all the other journals in the city...