Chapter 234: Seats for the Writers’ Congress!

The days after school started were still peaceful for Li Changhe, but not for the May Fourth Literary Society of Peking University.

The reason is that the cross-school joint magazine that they had been longing for finally made substantial progress.

Students from Jilin University, Sun Yat-sen University, Renmin University, Beijing Normal University, and Wuhan University have all booked tickets to Beijing.

"Changhe, representatives from various schools will be here soon. You are the poster boy of our literature club and also the vice president of our literature club. You have to show up for this matter."

On the school playground, Chen Jiangong trotted after Li Changhe and pleaded.

Seeing that Chen Jiangong was already out of breath, Li Changhe stopped and followed him to the stone steps and sat down.

"Jian Gong, you should know that, to be honest, I don't think highly of your joint magazine at all."

"You don't have any political sensitivity. Can anyone do this kind of cross-school university student alliance?"

"I can't even hide from this, and you're still forcing me to get in!"

Li Changhe said it bluntly. He really didn't think highly of this United Magazine.

It's pure bullshit!
Chen Jiangong also sighed at this time.

"There's no way to deal with this now. The arrow has been put on the string and everyone's interest has been aroused. There's no way to stop it."

"Especially during the summer vacation, your book 'The Rise of Great Powers' became popular all over the country, and it drove people from other schools' literature clubs crazy."

"What they mean now is that the literature societies of thirteen schools are outshined by an economics society of Peking University."

"That's why they booked a date to come to the capital as soon as school started. With your encouragement, their desire to win has become even stronger."

"Well, since you don't want to get involved in the affairs of the joint society, then you don't have to get involved. But when they come, we will receive them in the name of the May Fourth Literary Society. How about you make an appearance then?"

"After all, you are the vice president of our literature club. You can't just stay away from people!"

At this time, Chen Jiangong tried every means to get Li Changhe to come forward.

After all, to put it bluntly, Li Changhe is now the face of the entire Peking University.

Li Changhe sighed when he heard this.

"Okay, I'll participate in our reception, but I won't be involved in your specific preparations."

"Row!"

After receiving Li Changhe's reply, Chen Jiangong immediately agreed with a smile on his face.

The two men had reached an agreement and were about to leave when a man on a bicycle came hurriedly towards them from a distance.

The visitor was also an acquaintance of Li Changhe, Liu Jianqing, the deputy editor-in-chief of People's Literature.

Seeing Li Changhe, Liu Jianqing waved to him, then quickly stopped in front of Li Changhe on his bicycle.

"Editor-in-Chief Liu, why are you here?"

After Liu Jianqing stopped his bicycle, Li Changhe asked him curiously.

"I just happened to be at Xijiao Hotel doing some business, and then I came to see you on the way!"

Xijiao Hotel is located on the east side of Tsinghua University, and is not far away from Peking University, which is on the east and west sides of Tsinghua University.

"Is it about the housing problem of the Writers' Congress?"

Li Changhe asked curiously.

When Liu Jianqing heard Li Changhe's question, he looked at him in surprise, then smiled and said, "It seems you know it."

"That's right. Our literary congress is divided into many groups this time, such as writers, film, opera, etc., and then divided by province, and each province has members."

"We are currently trying to find a place for them to live. I will be responsible for arranging the writers' group."

"Since you know about the Writers' Congress, I came to you to discuss this matter."

"Lao Zhang asked me to ask you if you are willing to participate in this year's Writers' Congress?"

"The Writers Association has direct recommendation quotas. With your current fame, you can be directly recommended to participate in this literary congress."

Liu Jianqing asked Li Changhe with a smile.

Li Changhe shook his head: "Forget it, Editor-in-Chief Liu, a junior like me is not qualified to participate in such a conference."

There are more than 3,000 participants in this Congress of Writers and Artists, most of whom are old GMs and comrades. Li Changhe is a young man in his twenties. Although he has gained some fame for his writing in the past two years, he is still not qualified to attend such a conference.

So Zhang Guangnian actually didn't want Li Changhe to participate.

If Liu Jianqing really wanted Li Changhe to participate, then he should have notified him directly instead of asking for his opinion.

The so-called solicitation of opinions actually depends on Li Changhe's wishes.

If Li Changhe has a strong desire to participate, Zhang Guangnian will probably agree. This is what Liu Jianqing said about the reserved recommendation quota of the Writers Association.

Sure enough, when Liu Jianqing heard Li Changhe's answer, he smiled.

"Old Zhang guessed correctly. He said that you, kid, definitely have no intention of participating. But let me see your willingness."

"In fact, you don't have to participate. This literary congress involves a lot of things. Although you are famous, it is only in the literary world. You are still a little lacking in other areas."

"Mr. Zhang actually has concerns."

During this session of the National Congress of Writers and Artists, criticism of the past was inevitable, especially of many important figures. There were too many things that happened in the past decade, from experiencing hardships to returning to the capital.

In this context, Li Changhe, a young man who only published an article in 77, has no status in this conference and may even be targeted by some older senior colleagues.

After all, the educated youth literature he led was not recognized by everyone.

In fact, Zhang Guangnian also took this aspect into consideration, so he didn't really want Li Changhe to participate in this session of the National Congress of Writers and Artists.

"I know. I understand Editor-in-Chief Zhang's painstaking efforts. A junior like me will be easily educated if I go in."

"Besides, as far as I know, the Writers' Congress will last for more than ten days, and I don't have time, after all, I still have to go to classes!" Li Changhe really didn't have much idea about the Writers' Congress. Just as Liu Jianqing said, there are too many old seniors in this session, and all of them are big shots. It may not be a good thing for him to go.

It is better to have less trouble than more. It is better to stay quietly in Peking University.

"Okay, then I'll go back and talk to Lao Zhang and see if he can recommend other comrades."

"Oh, there's one more thing. I need to ask you to submit your manuscript!"

"You said that since National Treasure, how long has it been since you submitted a manuscript?"

Liu Jianqing then started to urge Li Changhe to submit his manuscript.

Li Changhe shook his head upon hearing this.

"I may be planning to start a novel soon, so I won't be writing the magazine for the time being."

Yes, that’s right, Li Changhe is planning to write a long novel after all.

For him, the short and medium-length stories in magazines are actually not very interesting, they are just some small stories.

There comes a time when one gets tired of chicken soup for the soul, and even he himself is too lazy to write it anymore.

However, it was a bit boring to do nothing, so Li Changhe finally decided to start writing.

But this time, he thought it would be better to write a long novel.

In the domestic literary world, if we really want to talk about influence, it has to be long novels.

"Are you really planning to write a long novel?"

Hearing Li Changhe's words, Liu Jianqing asked him in surprise.

Li Changhe nodded: "The main reason is that my time is too fragmented now. If you ask me to write a short story now, it would be better for me to write a long story slowly."

"Yeah, okay, then you prepare well, and when you're done, remember to tell me so I can take a look at it first!"

Liu Jianqing did not force Li Changhe to submit his manuscript. After all, there are actually a lot of submissions to People's Literature now.

However, as Li Changhe is a signature author launched by People's Literature, Liu Jianqing still hopes that Li Changhe can publish articles regularly in People's Literature magazine.

But now that Li Changhe wants to write a long novel, it doesn’t matter whether he submits the manuscript or not, as long as he doesn’t have to hand it over to other companies.

"No problem, I'll definitely ask you to review it when the time comes."

Li Changhe naturally agreed.

"Okay, I'll leave first!"

After Liu Jianqing finished speaking, he pushed his bicycle and prepared to leave.

Li Changhe was a little surprised: "Are you in such a hurry? How about I treat you to lunch before you leave?"

"No, I can't take care of it. I've been busy lately. I'll come to see you while I'm at Xijiao Hotel doing some work."

"We'll meet again when your manuscript is out. Let's go!"

Liu Jianqing waved his hand, got on his bike and left in a hurry.

After Liu Jianqing left, Chen Jiangong said enviously: "Changhe, the Writers' Congress, you don't even want to go!"

"As far as I know, many old gentlemen attended this literary congress."

"Mr. Ba Jin, Mr. Cao Yu, Mr. Mao Dun, Mr. Qian Zhongshu, they are all here"

At this time, Chen Jiangong excitedly said to Li Changhe.

Li Changhe smiled and shook his head: "I know that, but even if I see him, what's the use? Will he recognize who I am?"

"Besides, the little tofu articles we wrote are not worth mentioning in the eyes of these old gentlemen."

"We are indeed, but you are not now. Apart from anything else, just the book "The Rise of Great Powers" alone qualifies you to stand in front of these old gentlemen."

"But next, are you really planning to write a long novel?"

At this time, Chen Jiangong asked Li Changhe curiously.

Li Changhe nodded: "Indeed, I have this plan."

He had this plan, and he had to thank Lao Tao.

That day, Lao Tao mentioned Lu Yao's name, which reminded Li Changhe that this great man's masterpiece was the novel "Ordinary World"

What a pity he hasn’t seen it!

According to Li Changhe's memory, the representative figures of the domestic literary world thereafter basically focused on novels.

Lu Yao's "Ordinary World", Chen Zhongshi's "White Deer Plain", Yu Hua's "To Live", and the one who will win the Nobel Prize in Literature in the future.

Li Changhe is no longer short of money, and to be honest, his intention to use novels to earn royalties has disappeared.

Then, he felt that he could really make a difference in the literary world of the 1980s.

I will use the next bit of time to slowly work on a long novel and see what level I can reach.

"Have you thought of the subject matter?"

Chen Jiangong then asked seriously.

Li Changhe shook his head.

“Still considering it.”

However, although he said this, Li Changhe actually already had an idea in his mind.

(This is the only chapter for today. I went out to visit my wife's relatives this morning. It was a round trip of more than 200 kilometers. I hurried back in the afternoon. I have another day tomorrow. By the way, I'd like to take this opportunity to think about the subject matter of the protagonist's long story!)

(End of this chapter)