Chapter 20: Cruise on Weiming Lake
The incident of "My Brothers and Sisters" made Liu Hongmin a little depressed.
Zou Shifang also felt guilty about the Crow's Mouth incident, so he invited his friends to take a boat trip on Weiming Lake on the weekend.
"Let's swing the oars and let the boat push away the waves..."
A group of adults in their twenties are actually singing a song that children like. It shows how scarce entertainment is these days. They are still singing this song while boating on the lake for so many years.
Liu Hongmin thought to himself: Not to mention now, even in forty years, this song will still be the magical song for lake cruises.
"Hongmin, don't be discouraged." Zou Shifang shouted loudly: "Didn't you say that as long as I write more, I will definitely succeed?"
Liu Hongmin was speechless. When did I get discouraged? I was just a little depressed, and I got better soon. I have already started thinking about what novel to write next, but I haven't told you yet.
Also, what do you think? Why did you let me and Zha Jianying share the same ship?
Cha Jianying, who was usually talkative, was unusually silent today. He didn't say a word after getting on the boat.
"That!" Liu Hongmin scratched his head. He knew that the current situation was a bit awkward, and this topic broke the silence.
"Senior, I heard that you are also writing a novel?"
Cha Jianying hummed softly, slightly regaining his cheerful personality.
"I also want to try the magazine outside of school."
Liu Hongmin was stunned for a moment. He remembered that Cha Jianying only thought about writing after studying abroad. She was thinking about writing now. Could it be the butterfly effect caused by his time travel?
Or maybe Cha Jianying had written it, but just like "My Brothers and Sisters", it didn't make much of a splash.
Liu Hongmin: "How's the progress?"
Cha Jianying said a little embarrassedly: "I have written the beginning and am still revising it."
Liu Hongmin comforted her, "Don't worry, senior sister. Your family has a talent for writing. Mr. Cha from Hong Kong made his fortune by writing, and now he has become a newspaper tycoon."
Mr. Cha is Mr. Jin Yong, who founded Ming Pao. He and Cha Jianying are distant relatives. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, cultural bans were lifted, and Mr. Jin Yong's martial arts novels could finally be read openly. Since 79, Mr. Jin Yong's reputation has grown day by day, and many young people admire him.
The two are relatives, and Cha Jianying heard about this from her father recently. It is precisely because of this relationship that her family has become a bridge for communication between China and Mr. Jin Yong.
Being able to go to Hong Kong has brought about earth-shaking changes in Cha Jianying's family. As long as you find a decent job in Hong Kong, you can earn tens of thousands of yuan a year, and your quality of life will be improved countless times. As a result, her family has become a pioneer in China to open their eyes to the world. Cha Jianying, influenced by this, also hopes to go abroad to see the world.
Cha Jianying forced a smile and said, "You're right. You have to be brave to write. If you don't write, you won't know your shortcomings. Others say that I'm good at writing, but when I really start writing, I find that my thoughts are too scattered. I want to write this and that, and I can't help but delete. As soon as I start, I fill it up and it becomes a mess."
"Senior, you need to make a writing outline and think about the storyline. Don't add anything that shouldn't be included."
“I realized this, but I was a little hesitant about whether to rewrite it.”
Liu Hongmin smiled and said, "You just fell into a misunderstanding. As long as you apply the knowledge you learned in class, you will know how to do it."
Cha Jianying nodded, "I will."
Cha Jianying had talked the topic to death, and Liu Hongmin didn't know how to respond. Cha Jianying also realized this and smiled embarrassedly. Soon, she regained her usual cheerfulness and started the topic again, "Hongmin, you don't seem to like scar literature very much."
Liu Hongmin spread his hands and said, "Life is already hard enough, why should I watch those depressing works?"
"Heal?" Cha Jianying looked at him puzzledly, "What did scar literature heal?"
"The cause is caused by Zhi, and the depression is caused by Yu."
"Depressed!!?" Cha Jianying was amused, "You are really interesting."
Liu Hongmin also laughed, "Maybe I am just optimistic by nature!"
After laughing for a while, Zha Jianying asked, "Don't you think we should reflect on that special period?"
"Of course we should reflect on it!" Liu Hongmin agreed with reflection, but he did not approve of scar literature's reflection. "Reflection is about understanding the causes and consequences. Scar literature's reflection on that special period only stays on the pain and consequences, but ignores the causes. This is wrong."
Cha Jianying asked in surprise: "Then how should we reflect on this?"
"Understanding the cause of the incident and how it went astray will help us reflect on it and prevent it from happening again."
Cha Jianying pondered for a moment, "What you said makes sense."
Liu Hongmin: "So, if I don't understand it, I won't write scar literature. My Brothers and Sisters is almost the limit of what I can write."
Cha Jianying looked at Liu Hongmin for a long time with burning eyes and asked an irrelevant question.
"Hongmin, have you ever thought about studying abroad?"
Liu Hongmin was stunned for a moment, "I am a history major, what should I study abroad?"
“Study history!”
Liu Hongmin couldn't help laughing. "Don't be ridiculous. Where is there any history to learn in foreign countries?"
Cha Jianying was stunned. "Why not? Doesn't your history department have world history?"
Liu Hongmin leaned back and said, "That world history is 80% made up by modern people. Anyone who believes it is a fool."
"How could it be?" Zha Jianying said in disbelief: "The four ancient civilizations, ancient Greece, ancient Rome..."
"Let's not talk about the four ancient civilizations and ancient Greece for now. Ancient Rome is recorded in our history books. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Chao sent Gan Ying to continue his mission to the west. Gan Ying reached the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. He wanted to cross the sea to the west, but the locals said: 'The sea is wide and the water is salty and cannot be consumed. If there is a favorable wind, it will take three months to reach the other side; if there is an adverse wind, it will take three years to arrive.' Gan Ying turned back after hearing that the sea was dangerous. According to the current mainstream historical cognition, the territory of ancient Rome included the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. How could Gan Ying not know Rome?"
"Even if Gan Ying reached the Persian Gulf according to mainstream historians, why didn't he continue westward? Even if the Parthians tried to stop him and deceive him, would Gan Ying dare to disobey Ban Chao's order and turn back halfway? You know, Alexander's eastern expedition easily swept across West Asia. Gan Ying could attract the Parthians' attention, so it should be okay to send someone there, right?"
The series of questions confused Cha Jianying. How could she understand all this?
Looking at Cha Jianying's bewildered expression, Liu Hongmin quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Such a straight man's performance should make Cha Jianying back down, right?
(End of this chapter)
