Chapter 108 Dawn is Coming
Chapter 108 Dawn is Coming
The red Audi was running on the G101 highway. Its wheels rolled over the jerky speed bumps and climbed up the towering and crisscrossed interchanges. The flat alluvial plain came into view. The azure blue sky was like an inverted bowl, covering this piece of world. White clouds like a flock of sheep floated on the bottom of the bowl.
The navigation system had reminded him of speeding several times, and the speedometer needle was always hovering around 120. Wang Zixu didn't like driving fast, but today he was always very anxious for some reason. Anxiety makes people like speeding more, so he drove faster and faster.
He felt something black invading his life, like a dense black forest of arms emerging from the ground and gradually closing in around him. Before being strangled by the dark alliance, the first thing he had to do was to drive to the exit of the highway.
"Speaking of which, how did you get into literature? You are a science student, but now you want to rely on literature for everything you do. Even what we are doing now is relying on your literary skills. Even your way of thinking has become literary."
Ye Lan, who was beside him, was afraid that he was driving tired, so she kept trying to find topics to chat with him. Wang Zixu was very grateful for her thoughtfulness.
But I have to say that sometimes the questions she raises are too profound, so profound that they require serious thinking and will affect the coordination between oil and clutch.
"If there must be a reason, it should be that I have witnessed the power of words," said Wang Zixu.
After a pause, he threw an equally difficult question to Ye Lan: "Do you believe in the power of words?"
Ye Lan showed a worried expression: "What is the power of words? When I was in school, I was so tired of reciting "The Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the Capital" that I vomited. Is this the power of words?"
Cheng Xing, who was sitting in the back seat of the car, was somewhat interested in this topic, so he came to the front and said, "Teacher, I believe in the power of words. The book I published in college earned me my first pot of gold, and after graduation I rewarded myself with a gap year, and I haven't found a job until now."
The poet said: "I also believe that. After I earned a million in royalties, I bought a pre-sale property, but it was left unfinished. I have been stuck with it until now."
“The power of words is strong, the power of money is stronger, but the power of capital is the strongest.”
Wang Zixu shook his head: "The power you are talking about is very strong, but that is not the fault of the words. Who told you to buy a pre-sale property? The power I am talking about is much more profound than making money with words."
Cheng Xing asked: "What kind of power do you mean, teacher?"
"When I was young, I saw with my own eyes how a letter of less than 500 words could destroy a man in an instant," said Wang Zixu.
It was more like a piece of paper than a letter. On the day my mother left home forever, the piece of paper was placed on the dining table where the soup bowl was usually placed, like a substitute.
At that time, Wang Zixu knew the magical function of words: they can tell you what a person wants to say when he is not around, even if you are thousands of miles apart, even a thousand years apart.
If you think about it, isn't this like magic?
There was a period in history when a hard-working worker in the mainland could only earn single-digit RMB after working day's work from dawn to dusk. However, due to the influence of the exchange rate, any truck driver from other regions who came to the mainland could take out amounts of money that were unimaginable for hard-working workers, just like an immortal descending to earth.
After a long period of economic exchanges, this economic gap has been gradually filled. Today's young people can no longer imagine the inferiority complex that mainlanders once felt. Only some puzzling echoes of superiority remain.
This gap was closed after a generation of trade surpluses and deficits, inflation and the invisible hand of the market. But implicitly, many people lost their wives in the process. Comrade Wang Jianguo is one of them.
The cause of this tragedy was ultimately the economy. But what really destroyed a man was that letter of less than 500 words. It is true that it is right to attribute the failure of life to money, but what really crushes a person's will and strangles his soul is something that can kill his heart.
Wang Zixu has been thinking about this matter for many years. After years of sedimentation, it has become an unspeakable story that cannot be told to outsiders. He certainly won't tell others what kind of power it is. In the end, he only said:
“Life has taught me how words can destroy a person without any effort, but it has not taught me how to save them. But I still hope that I can write something that can save people.”
At this point, he suddenly thought that the power that was hanging over Comrade Wang Jianguo and was about to strangle his life was exactly the same as the darkness he was facing now. But the strange thing was that Comrade Wang Jianguo was unaware of it. He didn't even have time to use a fake bill to buy a fake gun to protect his life.
In fact, many people, like Comrade Wang Jianguo, had no time to discover the enemy before they had already encountered the collapse of the building, just like the geological collapse on the road they walked every day suddenly formed a sinkhole, and they stepped into it without paying attention. World War II has passed, and there is no longer a clear-cut evil organization like fascism in this era. It is fortunate to be able to discover the jackals and wolves surrounding us.
Wang Zixu stepped hard on the accelerator and drove towards the exit of the highway.
……
Ning Chunyan and Chen Qingluo leaned against the wall at the office door, like two bad students.
"Qingluo, I'm not criticizing you. Do you think I was a little reckless just now?"
Chen Qingluo glanced at Ning Chunyan and said, "Aren't you just criticizing me?"
"No, no, that's not what I meant. What I meant was that you could have used a more tactful way to make Professor Zhong understand you..."
Chen Qingluo said confidently, "If you keep beating around the bush, he'll be called home by his master's wife for dinner. Can you still sit at his dinner table and pester him to continue selling that guy's novel?"
Ning Chunyan rubbed his forehead: "But he seems angry..."
Just 20 minutes ago, Ning Chunyan was arguing with Professor Zhong Junmin. According to her expectations, she would try to shift the topic from the little prince to serious literature, and then introduce the rising star Wang Zixu in the literary world to leave a good first impression on Professor Zhong, and then gradually take out Wang Zixu's manuscript and ask him for his comments.
As a result, Chen Qingluo rushed out the manuscript and stabbed Zhong Junmin in the face, showing it aggressively. Everyone present was stunned. Chen Qingluo's attitude was not like that of a literati, but more like that of a literary bandit.
Professor Zhong is not an ordinary teacher. He was invited out first because of Ning Bingru's face, and then because of the face of the "Xihe Twins". It is very impolite to directly take out the manuscript of someone who came out of nowhere and ask him to read it.
It would be understandable if this person was a student at Nanjing University, but not only was he not from Nanjing University, he was not even a student. Instead, he was an unknown clerk in his thirties working in an unknown unit in a suburban city. Chen Qingluo's recklessness was truly outrageous, and the fact that the two of them were merely kicked out could only be attributed to Professor Zhong's deep knowledge and education.
Chen Qingluo put her hand on Ning Chunyan's shoulder: "Do you believe in the power of words?"
"Don't think you can fool me with this pyramid scheme chicken soup. Besides, it's useless to fool me. You have to fool Professor Zhong first."
Chen Qingluo said solemnly: "I believe it so deeply. Since we are all engaged in literature, we will definitely be attracted and inspired by literature."
Ning Chunyan pulled her hand off her shoulder and said, "It's hot, don't touch me. Qingluo, I believe in the power of words, but the power of words also depends on the situation. If we show it to Professor Zhong in such a chaotic situation, he may not agree with the power of words."
"At least he read it. If that person knew that his manuscript had been reviewed by so many people, even if he got nothing in the end, he would be able to rest in peace."
"Your bottom line thinking is too bottom line."
At this moment, the door next to him opened, and Zhao Peilin walked out and said, "Professor Zhong, please come in."
Ning Chunyan felt her stomach getting heavier and heavier. Now it was time to be judged. On the bright side, Professor Zhong at least used the word "please", which was much better than when he drove them out just now.
Chen Qingluo walked in first, and Ning Chunyan followed behind her. The room was exactly as it was when she left, except that there was a pile of Wang Zixu's manuscripts in front of Professor Zhong. In addition, he was wearing glasses.
The perceptive Ning Chunyan noticed that his eyes under the glasses were slightly red, as if he had just cried.
"I've finished reading the manuscript." Professor Zhong spoke with a nasal tone, "I can understand your feelings to some extent."
Ning Chunyan and Chen Qingluo looked at each other, and then Chen Qingluo said, "Professor Zhong, are you crying?"
Zhao Peilin explained expressionlessly, "Professor Zhong was watching very attentively. As we all know, when people are very emotionally engaged, they are often easily moved..."
"Don't talk."
"Oh."
After teaching his students, Professor Zhong turned around and said, "I don't know much about modern and contemporary literature. I am ashamed. I always believe that only the texts that can survive the test of time are truly profound. Texts that have a strong impact on people in a short period of time are inevitably influenced by the times, culture, and trends of thought, which makes it difficult for people to judge their value."
After finishing a long paragraph in one breath, he added: "But some works do have their value. For example, the piece you showed me shocked me. Of course, I haven't read much modern and contemporary literature, so what I say is not authoritative."
Professor Zhong said this out of modesty. The "not much" he said was compared with those scholars who specialize in modern and contemporary literature. If you really think he is not good at this, then you are just a fool's arrogance.
But Chen Qingluo said bluntly: "It's okay, Professor. I've read enough. If this work doesn't reach the golden line of literature, we wouldn't be embarrassed to bring it to you."
Zhong Junmin opened the manuscript and sighed, "Actually, I didn't take the Xihe Literary Society very seriously before. I'm very grateful that you brought this article to me. It can be regarded as promoting a relative. After reading this article, I believe what Xiao Ning said just now. It is indeed our responsibility to revitalize serious literature. But this makes it difficult for me."
Chen Qingluo asked: "How is it difficult?"
"Although the regulations do not stipulate the number of specially invited articles, according to the tacit understanding between us and Xihe over the years, we will only select one specially invited article. Because of our reputation as Nanjing University, they will definitely keep the article we selected for the final round. Whether we can get a ranking is another matter. There is no reason to add another article this year. If we really add one, they will call us to ask about the situation."
Ning Chunyan asked, "Have you decided on the manuscripts to be submitted this year?"
"It's settled. It's just that it hasn't been sent out yet. You guys came just in time. I will select the manuscript and send it out tomorrow."
"Can you tell me which manuscript it is?"
Zhao Peilin pushed his glasses aside and said, "It is just me, a humble person."
"..."
Zhong Junmin thought about it, and then said, "Then just delete Xiao Zhao's manuscript and put this one up instead."
"Professor Zhong!" Zhao Peilin shouted from the side, his voice sounding like tears.
Zhong Junmin took a sip of tea and continued, "If we really change it, then the manuscript we selected this year will be a manuscript from someone outside the school. I don't mind it, but if someone with ulterior motives finds out, I'm afraid it won't have a good impact."
Ning Chunyan could understand his dilemma.
The people in this room can be cheerful and open-minded, but this kind of thing is bound to cause some people to have narrow-minded ideas.
For example, if a Wang Zixu manuscript was really sent this year, someone would think that choosing an article from outside the school over one from within the school means that there is nothing worth reading in the school this year. Even if no one in the school thinks so, someone outside the school will think so. With fanning the flames, accidents can easily occur.
The Department of Literature at Nanjing University also has a long tradition of causing trouble. Although this group of people are engaged in literature, they are all young people in their early twenties, carrying hormone bombs in their bodies. Once they explode, who knows what will happen. Thinking of this, Ning Chunyan was also in trouble. She was really embarrassed to persuade Professor Zhong again. After all, he was the one who shouldered the responsibility and took the risk.
Chen Qingluo suddenly said: "Although this person is not a member of Nanjing University now, he will become a member of Nanjing University in the future."
Professor Zhong looked up at her: "Oh?"
Chen Qingluo said solemnly: "He has always been fascinated by Nanjing University. The reason why he did not apply to Nanjing University for undergraduate studies was because his scores were not high enough. Unfortunately, he missed the opportunity to study at our university. However, he has been planning to take the postgraduate entrance examination at our university to make up for his regrets."
Professor Zhong thought about it, smiled and nodded: "It's commendable. How old is he?"
"30."
“So big?”
Chen Qingluo waved her hand: "It's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep have been lost!"
Professor Zhong drank a sip of tea, thought for a long time, and said to her: "Then let him make up for it quickly."
"what do you mean?"
"Xiao Zhao, your manuscript will be taken down first, and this one will be put up instead," said Professor Zhong.
"Professor!" Zhao Peilin's eyes suddenly filled with tears, "I was hoping to show off when I go back to Xihe this time!"
"I'll take you there."
……
The sun was still high in the sky when Ning Chunyan and Chen Qingluo drove away from the Nanjing University campus. If they returned to Xihe now, they would still be able to make it in time for dinner.
Ning Chunyan was sitting in the car, finding it hard to believe that things would go so smoothly, and kept saying "Oh shit" in his heart all the way.
After calming down, Ning Chunyan asked, "By the way, how do you know that Wang Zixu wants to go to Nanjing University?"
Chen Qingluo said: "I just made it up. I don't know him."
Ning Chunyan glared, "Ah? You lied without thinking! I believed it! Professor Zhong must have believed it too. What should I do next?"
Chen Qingluo said: "We'll talk about the future later."
Ning Chunyan rubbed his hair and said, "Let's talk about it later. We'll talk about it later if it blows up. The Xihe Literary Festival will be held in a week. When people find out about 'Nanjing University's special guest author, loan graduate student Wang Zixu', what should we do?"
Chen Qingluo sighed: "Yeah. What should I do?"
After a while, she added, "But it's not 'what should we do', remove the 'we'. I don't know him, it's none of my business."
“Ahhhh! I’ll kill you!… Oh no, should I turn left or right when leaving the school gate? It’s all your fault. I didn’t hear the navigation! It’s too late. I’ve already turned right.”
"Humph, directionally challenged."
"People without a driver's license are not qualified to talk about me!"
Amid the fight and noise, the eye-catching Porsche turned right and drove in the wrong direction for two kilometers before turning around and going back to the right road.
While they were correcting the error, the red Audi slowly drove into the Nanjing University campus. If the Porsche had not driven in the wrong direction, the Audi and Porsche would have met face to face.
In the car, the pink-haired poet chewed gum and gave directions:
"Turn left, turn left, turn left again, turn right. That's right. The fun of our Nanjing University is that there is no straight road. It's a good thing you didn't go wrong the first time you came here."
Wang Zixu stopped the car, put on the parking brake, and said, "I'm pretty good at finding my way around."
"Who will go upstairs with the poet to get the things?" Ye Lan asked.
Wang Zixu loosened his seat belt and said, "I'm going to smoke a cigarette. Anyway, it's not me."
If you are 30 years old and still go to the girls’ dormitory, you will be kicked out.
He returned to the familiar campus life in an unexpected way, but he was no longer at the age where he would be excited about the opportunity to visit the girls' dormitory. It was more comfortable to sit on the curb and smoke the Big Harvest.
Sitting on the roadside flowerbed, looking at the layers of white clouds in the sky, the sunlight shining through the cracks, and the voices of people and birds in the distant playground, Wang Zixu felt a little familiar and a little strange. The atmosphere was familiar, and the environment was strange.
In fact, thinking about it now, his score at that time was good enough to apply for certain majors in Nanjing University, but unfortunately due to his father's stubbornness, he still applied to Beijing Institute of Technology.
If I had insisted on being myself, would my fate be different now? At least I would have had the chance to meet Chen Qingluo on this campus, right?
The past cannot withstand speculation. The past that has never happened is a mystery forever shrouded in a black hole. Poor three-dimensional humans cannot cross higher dimensions to understand possibilities that have never existed.
The sky was like an upside-down bowl, covering the prince who was sitting on the flower bed and smoking. The sky was high, the sun was warm, and the wind was gentle, which could easily make people lose their vigilance and think that they were not busy ants, powerless to fight against fate.
Li Bai said, The road is as vast as the blue sky, but I alone cannot get out.
Du Fu said, "You are now in a net, how can you have wings?"
Wang Zixu knew that he could not fall into the pit of life like Comrade Wang Jianguo. He had to defend his life with literature, the "fake gun". This was the only firepower left in his life.
"From now on, no one can be allowed to arbitrarily control the fate of an individual." As the smoke rose, Wang Zixu looked at the clear blue sky and thought, "People should be independent of each other and equal to each other, and coexist with free and equal souls."
"I am not above anyone, and no one can be above me; I do not harm others to benefit myself, nor do I allow others to harm me to benefit others. I will defend my life with any form of weapon, defeat anyone who dares to step on me, and keep fighting until victory."
Looking at the azure sky, he suddenly found that it was a little dark. But he was not afraid. People should not be afraid when they have their own weapons. His weapon is the confidence in words. The dust of the times will either turn into a mountain and crush him for another five hundred years, or make him into an unbreakable tough guy. Whether it is the darkness of the last century or the darkness in front of him, it will never catch up with him.
Because dawn is coming.
……
May 5th, Youth Day.
The lunar calendar is Bingchen month and Renwu day. The almanac says that the dragon is in the north and the god of wealth is in the east. It is suitable for offering sacrifices and sweeping, but not for getting married.
The Xihe Literary Festival opened on this day.
Toss three coins, record the hexagram, shake them again, and record again... Do this six times, and you will finally get the Qian hexagram.
Qian Gua Jiuwu, flying dragon in the sky, good to see the great man. At this time, you should fly into the sky, freely and unrestrained, to become the supreme ruler.
Red flags are waving in People's Square.
Guo Ranran put her hands on her forehead to make a canopy, looked at the flowers and plants exposed to the sun, and said, "Is Wang Zixu still asking for leave?"
"Why do you care about him so much?" Song Yinglian said.
"If he doesn't come, wouldn't it be a waste of such a lively occasion? In the past few days, there have been criticism notices, concentrated study sessions, and three meetings. He was used as an example of mistakes twice. How can he not come to receive education?" Guo Ranran said, counting on his fingers.
Song Yinglian said, "He should come, right? He didn't come when we went to Qingfengju the other day, so it's really outrageous that he didn't come to such a big event today. In order to receive the guests, all the comrades in our unit have come out this time. Look, even Mr. Zhang has come out."
Zhang Cangnian fiddled with the water dispenser under the awning for a long time and finally got it powered on. He obviously heard the conversation between the young people behind him, he straightened up and laughed.
After laughing, he squinted his eyes again and looked into the distance with a little worry.
This Xihe Literary Festival was definitely the largest in history, with 107 municipal and public institutions and thousands of people organized to provide services at the literary festival. However, when they spread out on the square, they were like water disappearing into the sea and could not be seen at all.
Just because there are too many people.
There were stalls selling all kinds of snacks, cheap beer and free stage performances in the square. Several second-tier stars were invited. On the river bank at the other end of the square, there were dragon and lion dances, lantern riddles, couplets, and iron flower performances. Not only did the city's residents come, but there were also many tourists from surrounding cities including Donghai.
Of course, the highlight of the literary gathering is still "literature". The largest stage in the center of the square is reserved for the new stars of Xihe literary world. At this time, the stage is empty, but the bright red and green seats are already lined up.
It is said that the guest lineup this time is quite strong. Li Tingfang is needless to say, there are also the two pillars of Xihe. Shen Qingfeng, the walking hormone, will also be present, and even the world-famous Yanzishan has been invited.
Being able to perform on stage in such an occasion means more than just showing off your face, it means making a big splash.
Of course, at the same time, it is also a great loss of face.
"Xiao Wang, you'd better not come." Zhang Cangnian murmured.
"Xiao Diao!"
Song Yinglian waved at the side, and everyone looked over and saw Diao Yiwen, dressed in gorgeous clothes, walking towards them. Everyone's eyes lit up.
(End of this chapter)