Chapter 23: Guidance from Wang Zengqi

He was genuinely curious about Li Yousi’s novel. After all, if a veteran editor like Zhou Yanru praised it, the quality had to be far superior to the vast majority of manuscripts submitted to the magazine.

Wang Zengqi finished the first page quickly. He immediately flipped to the second, sighing to himself: He really is a young talent; it is written quite well.

However, Li Yousi clearly had his shortcomings—the same ones common in many authors' first works: his command of prose was not yet deep enough, and his grasp of narrative pacing was slightly lacking. Still, the story itself was compelling enough, and the writing was strong, which compensated for those two issues.

Through this piece, Wang Zengqi had a rough measure of Li Yousi’s ability. He might not be a top-tier writer yet, but he was more than qualified to be considered a second-tier one—that was no exaggeration. With some effort, it was highly likely he could reach the top tier in the future. Given that this was the young man’s first attempt, Wang was naturally a bit surprised.

Closing the manuscript, Wang said, "Old Zhou, look at what you’ve done. He’s written this so well, what kind of advice do you expect me to give? I can’t find any faults." Wang rarely wrote mid-to-long-form fiction, so guiding Li Yousi on a novella was hitting the very edge of his own expertise.

"Alright, Old Wang, stop being so modest. Are we really going to stand on ceremony? It’s fine to praise him, but you must offer something useful!" Zhou Yanru said with a helpless smile.

Wang nodded. "Shall I offer a few words, then?" He opened the manuscript and pointed to a marked section. "In this passage, I can tell it’s your first time writing. It’s a bit unpolished; you used nearly two hundred characters for something that could have been stated clearly in fifty. While it might increase your manuscript fee slightly, it ruins the rhythm and aesthetic of the narrative. You should cut the excessive adjectives and the long-winded introductions."

Li Yousi looked over. This was something he and Zhou Yanru had missed. Wang Zengqi was clearly a master of the short story, and his editorial instincts were sharp. Li quickly replied, "I understand. Thank you, Teacher Wang."

"Hmm," Wang nodded in appreciation. The young man could actually take direction. He had encountered plenty of newcomers who acted as if their seniority exceeded his own, so he much preferred the humble and reserved ones. "And here..." After pointing out a few more obvious issues, Wang finally concluded:

"This novel is truly excellent. It is a type I have never encountered before. Beyond the rustic charm within, I seem to see a layer of profound philosophy. It’s as if..." He paused, unable to find the right word immediately.

Zhou Yanru chimed in, "It’s like searching for 'roots'—the roots of Chinese culture. That is the extended implication of this story."

Wang lit a cigarette and said slowly, "Exactly. It is a very evocative piece. In my view, *Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots* might achieve even greater success than I have."

Li Yousi replied, "Teacher Wang, you are far too generous. If *Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots* could achieve even one-tenth of your influence, it would be a stroke of luck."

After finishing the critique, Wang checked his watch. "Time’s up. I was originally supposed to meet the Chairman at the Writers' Association." Halfway out the door, he turned back and added, "By the way, I live in Puhuangyu. If you have any more questions, young comrade, feel free to come find me. I’ll help where I can."

Li Yousi nodded quickly. Once Wang had left, the two looked at the manuscript on the table. "Shall I start with the old master's revisions?" Li asked. He immediately hunched over the desk and began to work. His pen flew across the paper, and in little more than half an hour, he had revised the draft.

Zhou Yanru was slightly surprised. "Done already?"

"Just about. That covers everything Teacher Wang mentioned. Teacher Zhou, would you like to take a look?" Li handed her the pages.

Zhou Yanru took them. After reading the revisions, she realized the boy was incredibly intuitive. Having been guided by Old Wang just once, he had corrected the text quickly and well. A sliver of doubt crossed her mind—could he have finished these revisions long ago and just been milking the hostel allowance for all these days? It was common enough at the hostel. She chuckled, "Very well, this is excellent! We’ll stick to the previous arrangement—come collect your payment on the first."

Following this brief interlude, Zhou Yanru departed. Li Yousi returned to his dorm and wrote a letter to Zhang Li, informing her of his upcoming return to Jincheng.

"How did the revisions go?" Yu Hua asked from his bed, curious.

"How else? They passed. I’ll be leaving in a few days once I get my pay," Li said with a smile.

Yu Hua continued to look at him. "You’re from Jincheng? I’m from Haiyan. It’s quite a distance, or else I’d suggest we meet up later." Having shared a room for over a month, Yu Hua had developed a sense of camaraderie for Li, viewing him as a friend.

Li Yousi was quite open-minded. "There will be plenty of opportunities! Since we’ve both chosen this path of writing, don't you think we’ll all end up in Beiping eventually?" Beiping was the cultural center, home to most contemporary best-selling authors, though many had made names for themselves elsewhere, such as Ba Jin, who was still supporting his magazine, *Harvest*, in Shanghai.

"Sigh! If I ever make it to Beiping, who knows how much sweat it will take. Given my current ability, I shouldn't even think about it."

"No need to wallow in self-pity," Li said with a smile. "Maybe you’ll be the nation’s best-selling novelist in the future?"

"Haha, I’ll take your word for it!"

Yu Hua climbed out of bed and looked at the weather outside. The midday sun was bright, and the winter light was quite warm. "Since you’re leaving, let me treat you to a meal. You’ve been paying for us these last few times! My manuscript fee should be coming in soon, too."

Li Yousi didn't refuse. Yu Hua’s family was well-off; a meal wouldn't break the bank. "Rare indeed! If Comrade Yu wants to treat me, I certainly won't say no."

He stood up, and Yu Hua followed. After tidying up, they headed to a state-run restaurant nearby. Yu Hua generously ordered four dishes—two meat and two vegetable.