The manuscript has been approved

“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. It was just a casual piece; I thought I’d send it in to try, and I didn’t expect it to actually be accepted!” Zhao Dongchan quickly said modestly.

“You’re being too humble, Comrade! From what I know, there have been at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, submissions over the years, and none of them were accepted. You’re the first!” The postman, being well-informed, knew the value of this achievement.

“Postman Comrade, have some tea. Last time you came, you didn’t even get a chance to drink any.” Zhao Dongchan hurried back inside to pour tea.

“I must properly taste the tea of this great writer and absorb some of his literary aura.”

The postman didn’t stay long; he drank a bowl of tea and left, as he still had many letters to deliver.

Zhao Dongchan also went to work as usual and didn’t mention this matter to anyone.

He planned to go to the Commune in a couple of days to get a letter of introduction so he could visit the provincial capital, meet with the Chief Editor to discuss further publication, and also see what the provincial capital was like and broaden his horizons.

However, before going, he had to think about which work would be suitable for publication. (Uh, it’s not plagiarism, it’s drawing inspiration. Yes, that’s right! It’s drawing inspiration!)

Before Zhao Dongchan could even go to the Commune, Commune Director Bai Mingchuan had already brought people to find him.

Commune Director Bai Mingchuan had been extremely busy these days. Recently, people from various villages had been arrested for various “trivial” matters and sent to labor reform. Not only did they have to do heavy labor, but they also didn’t get work points and had to bring their own food. Incidents of assault and injury were frequent, causing many problems.

He had to complete the tasks assigned by County Head Feng Shikuan for the Commune, while also trying his best to withstand the pressure and not excessively harm the farmers.

However, Deputy Director Xu Zhigong constantly opposed him, adopting aggressive methods that completely disregarded the farmers’ feelings.

Because of this, Bai Mingchuan’s heart was in agony. As a farmer’s son, he deeply understood the farmers’ difficulties, but circumstances forced him to do things that went against his original intentions.

“Ring, ring, ring!”

“Ring, ring, ring!”

The Commune phone rang!

“Hello, I am Bai Mingchuan of Shigangjie Commune. Who are you looking for?”

“Hello, Comrade Bai, I am Jia Bing from the Regional Culture Center. I would like to inquire about someone.”

“Jia Bing? Is that the great poet from our Yuanxi County? Teacher Jia, I often read your works and admire them greatly!”

“Who do you want to inquire about? I will tell you everything I know, without reservation!”

“It’s like this, I want to ask if there’s someone named Zhao Dongchan in your Shuangshui Village, Shigangjie Commune.” Jia Bing was a bit anxious and didn’t bother with Bai Mingchuan’s “flattery.”

“Hmm, let me think. I seem to have some impression. Shuangshui Village settled an educated youth a while ago, with that name. Director Ma from the County Educated Youth Resettlement Office sent him over, and I arranged for Shuangshui Village to receive him.” Bai Mingchuan tried hard to recall and remembered.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! I’ll take a car over immediately. Wait for me, and I’ll have to trouble you to take me to see him.” Before Bai Mingchuan could inquire, Jia Bing had already hung up the phone.

Bai Mingchuan was also puzzled at this moment, unable to understand how an educated youth could be connected with the regional poet Jia.

Only after getting into Jia Bing’s car did Bai Mingchuan understand the whole story.

It turned out to be because of a poem.

Jia Bing had seen the current month’s advance copy of the provincial magazine “Yan River” from its Chief Editor. Inside, there was a deeply moving poem, and the author’s name was Zhao Dongchan from Shuangshui Village.

This truly was a golden phoenix flying out of a chicken coop, Bai Mingchuan couldn’t help but exclaim.

Not only was Bai Mingchuan moved, but Jia Bing himself was also quite moved when he first found out. As an artist from the Jia Family Gully in Liucha Commune, Yuanxi County, he knew the harshness of the rural environment at the time and how much effort and perseverance were required to create art in such conditions. (No, you don’t know. For a cheater, it’s too simple!!!)

Today, at an art world seminar in the provincial capital, Jia Bing met the Chief Editor of “Yan River.” During a casual conversation about some “newcomers” in the Huangyuan region, the Chief Editor mentioned that Jia Bing’s Hometown, Yuanxi County, had produced a “peasant writer” who wrote a deeply moving poem, which left Jia Bing himself utterly confused and bewildered.

When the Chief Editor took out the advance copy of “Yan River” to be published at the end of the month and pointed it out to him, he was greatly shaken.

“'Love of Life'”

“I do not consider”

“Whether success will be mine”

“Since I have chosen the distant path”

“I will face the wind and rain without faltering”

“…”

“Just bravely speak your truth”

“…”

“Everything is as expected”

He unconsciously read it aloud, his eyes slightly reddening. For a moment, he felt the entire venue quiet down, as if everyone was silently listening to him read the poem.

Jia Bing was deeply moved. More precisely, artists with sensitive hearts were all deeply moved at this moment. Under the great current of the era, amidst this catastrophe, everyone was experiencing their own storms, and only those who had lived through it truly understood the taste of it.

Under such a catastrophe, this poet still chose “love of life.” Life kissed him with pain, yet he responded with a song.

Finally, this advance copy was passed around among everyone present. Besides being deeply moved, they were all curious about the author of this poem.

Author: “Zhao Dongchan, Shigangjie Commune, Yuanxi County”

Everyone was very surprised. They knew Yuanxi County, but they had never heard of any poet in Shigangjie Commune.

Jia Bing was also very confused. He had never heard of such a person in Shigangjie Commune. He often returned to his Hometown but had never seen any “young man” with such talent.

Immediately, Jia Bing called Shigangjie Commune and learned from Commune Director Bai Mingchuan that the author was an educated youth from the city who had settled in Shuangshui Village, Shigangjie Commune.

This was both unexpected and reasonable.

Among the educated youth, there were many who loved poetry and had also experienced hardship during this catastrophe. Such experiences could foster the spiritual sublimation of “Life kisses me with pain, yet I respond with a song.”

So, Jia Bing immediately reported to the Director of the Regional Culture Center. The Director arranged a car for him, insisting that he find Zhao Dongchan, offer condolences, and at the same time see if any appropriate arrangements could be made so that such talent would not be buried.

The driver drove the car, hurrying non-stop to Shigangjie Commune, then picked up Bai Mingchuan, and drove towards Shuangshui Village.

By the time they arrived, it was already evening. At this time, the village was in the midst of collective work ending, and everyone curiously watched the iron contraption enter the village, wondering which important leader had come to inspect work.

Secretary Tian, hearing the villagers’ report, immediately rushed from his home, followed by his henchman Sun Yuting, and Deputy Secretary Jin Junshan, who had a leg disability from an injury years ago.

“Director Bai, are there any new directives from above? If there are new directives, you can just hold a meeting at the Commune to convey them to us; there’s no need for Director Bai to make a personal trip,” Tian Futang said with a smile.

“Secretary Tian, this is Teacher Jia from the Regional Culture Center. He wants to find Zhao Dongchan from your village,” Bai Mingchuan introduced.

“Zhao Dongchan? That educated youth from the city?” Tian Futang looked confused.

“Yes, yes, yes, that’s him. Please introduce me to him,” Jia Bing said to Tian Futang.