Chapter 00010: The Interview
# The Interview
Chapter 10
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 10: The Interview
"Creak!"
A red-and-white Skoda bus came to a halt near the front gate.
At this time, Czechoslovakia was still part of the Eastern Bloc, officially known as the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.
Many of the imported trucks and buses during this era came from Eastern Europe, and Skoda was later acquired by Volkswagen.
Sheng Yongzhi, a veteran reporter from the China Youth Daily, struggled to squeeze his way out of the bus.
He wiped the sweat off his brow, straightened his cotton shirt, and tried to make himself look more presentable.
He had been working at the China Youth Daily for years, returning to his post after the newspaper resumed publication.
However, he was nearing retirement, and the newspaper was keen on nurturing the next generation since there were few young people in the office.
"Xiao Yu, hurry up!"
"Coming, coming!"
Yu Jiajia, a young woman in her early twenties with a striking appearance, quickly caught up.
She had just taken over her father's position and was now a rookie reporter.
She carried a bag containing a precious camera.
"Xiao Yu, you should ask a few questions later," Sheng Yongzhi said.
"Ah? I don't know what to ask," Yu Jiajia replied nervously.
"How can you not know what to ask as a reporter? I brought you along to gain experience. Think carefully."
After walking for a while, they arrived at the east side of the Jianlou, where they spotted a tea stall.
A dozen or so people were bustling about, and the place was packed with customers.
Sheng Yongzhi didn't reveal his identity.
Instead, he queued up and said, "Two bowls of tea, please!"
"Coming right up!"
"That'll be four cents!"
Huang Zhanying, who was manning the stall, had become quite skilled at handling customers.
Sheng Yongzhi picked up the bowl, examined it, sniffed it, and then took a sip.
He smiled and said, "Is this jasmine tea?"
"Yes, it is!"
"The water quality in the capital isn't great, but jasmine tea isn't picky about water. It's perfect for a stall like this."
"Oh, you're quite the expert. Are you from the capital?" Huang Zhanying asked, engaging in small talk as usual.
"Yes, I am. Do you always have this many customers?"
"Pretty much. More and more people are finding out about us, and everyone has been very supportive."
After chatting for a while, Sheng Yongzhi extended his hand and said, "Hello, let me formally introduce myself. I'm Sheng Yongzhi, a reporter from the China Youth Daily. This is Comrade Xiao Yu. We're here to do an interview."
"An... an interview?!" Huang Zhanying was stunned and stammered, "Why are you interviewing us?"
"What interview?"
"Did something happen again?"
"Oh my, the China Youth Daily!"
The other workers at the stall overheard and quickly gathered around, excited and chattering.
In those days, print media held supreme authority, and being a reporter was a highly admired profession.
Sheng Yongzhi, with his wealth of experience, quickly took control of the situation.
"Excuse me, which one of you is Chen Qi?"
Whoosh!
Twelve pairs of eyes immediately turned to the right side of the stall, where a young man was squatting, counting money from a box.
Is he in charge of finances? Sheng Yongzhi thought to himself as he walked over and extended his hand again.
"Hello! Are you the one who wrote to the newspaper?"
"Hello, hello!"
"I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you earlier. I was just doing some accounting!"
Chen Qi quickly stood up, his face showing a mix of shyness and nervousness.
He was a handsome, bashful young man, scratching the back of his head as he said, "Yes, I wrote the letter. I never expected you to come for an interview."
"Your letter was excellent. Shall we have a casual chat?"
"Sure, sure!"
The customers nearby began to stir.
Oh, reporters!
Are we going to be in the newspaper? Does that mean we might get featured too?
More and more people gathered to watch.
Huang Zhanying, quick on her feet, brought over a few stools.
Sheng Yongzhi didn't stand on ceremony and sat down, asking, "Can you tell us more about the conflict that day?"
"It was on our first day of business, during the lunch break. I was eating when I suddenly heard some people laughing. When I went over to check, it was a group of workers from the Plastic Factory No. 2. They were mocking us for no reason and even sang a mocking song. Some of the girls were so upset they started crying."
"What happened next?"
"Thankfully, the police arrived in time and stopped them. We're all quite young—the oldest among us is only 21, and half of us are women. If the police hadn't come, I don't know what we would have done. Sigh..."
Chen Qi answered honestly, his face showing a hint of bitterness.
"They were full of societal prejudice. That very day, some of our comrades wanted to quit. We had to persuade them to stay."
Ah!
Yu Jiajia was moved.
If she hadn't taken over her father's job, she might have ended up in a cooperative, doing odd jobs.
Sheng Yongzhi continued, "What do your parents do for work?"
"They work at the Xinhua Bookstore."
"That's a good place. Why didn't you take over their positions?"
"..."
Chen Qi hesitated for a moment before saying, "They wanted to retire early. On one hand, I knew it was a good opportunity for me, something that would greatly benefit my life. But on the other hand, I told myself that it would be a bit... unambitious."
"Unambitious?"
"Think about it. My parents are only in their forties. If they retire so early, what will they do? I'm only 19, healthy, educated, and my life is just beginning. I couldn't accept making my parents sacrifice for my own selfish gain."
Chen Qi's expression was resolute.
Sheng Yongzhi was deeply moved.
What a good kid!
"Most people have been very kind, especially those who come here on business trips. They all praise our tea stall for being convenient and serving the public well."
"On our first day, we sold over 2,000 bowls of tea!"
"There are too few commercial service points in the capital. I think cooperatives like ours can fill that gap. It's just that people's mindsets are hard to change, and it makes us feel a bit... inferior."
As the conversation went on, Chen Qi seemed to relax and began speaking more freely.
Sheng Yongzhi felt it was time to give Yu Jiajia a chance.
He gestured for her to ask a question.
After thinking for a moment, she asked, "What are your plans for the future?"
"Right now, I just want to run the tea stall well. I have a passion for literature and film, and I'd like to try writing something."
"Is that what you meant by a 'spiritual home' in your letter?"
"Yes, my spiritual home has saved me countless times during my darkest moments. I still have hope for the future. I believe that young people like me will be surrounded by flowers, and I believe our country will only get better!"
"Like the line you wrote—'facing the sea, with spring blossoms'?" Yu Jiajia teased.
"Uh, that was just something I scribbled!"
Chen Qi scratched the back of his head again.
Sheng Yongzhi was thoroughly impressed by this young man—humble, thoughtful, and grounded, with a bright future ahead of him.
As a traditional intellectual, Sheng Yongzhi was always willing to offer guidance to promising young people.
"We've read your letter and were deeply moved. We've decided to publish it, but the title isn't quite right. While you did write about some dark times, the overall tone is positive, and you expressed your determination to keep moving forward. So, the title 'The Road of Life, Why Does It Get Narrower?' doesn't quite fit. I suggest changing it to 'The Road of Life, How Should We Walk It?' This better reflects the content and shows a willingness to engage with readers."
"You're right. That makes sense!"
Chen Qi immediately agreed.
The title didn't matter much to him.
He had chosen the original one just for fun, as a nod to a famous article titled "The Road of Life, Why Does It Get Narrower?" which would be published in the China Youth magazine the following year.
That article, which discussed the author's struggles and near-suicide, sparked a nationwide debate about the meaning of life.
But Chen Qi hadn't copied it.
His letter was essentially a soft advertisement for the tea stall, the plastic factory, and himself—crafting an image of a positive, ambitious young man.
In short, he was building his personal brand!
"Alright, I'll discuss it with the editor when I get back."
Sheng Yongzhi nodded, pleased that Chen Qi was receptive to feedback.
A young person who listens to advice is a good young person.
He then asked, "Do you want to use a pen name?"
"A pen name? How about... 'Rainy Night with a Knife but No Umbrella'?"
"What?"
"Never mind, never mind. I can't think of a good pen name. I'll just use my real name."
"That works too."
Afterward, the two reporters interviewed the other members of the tea stall.
Their responses were less polished, with everyone talking over each other like a flock of noisy ducks.
There was a lot of chatter but little substance.
In the end, Sheng Yongzhi took several photos of the group and the tea stall before bidding them farewell.
As soon as the reporters left, the group swarmed around Chen Qi.
"Wow, we're going to be in the newspaper!"
"Chen Qi, I'm starting to idolize you!"
"You and Sister Huang are like the brains and the brawn. With you two leading us, we're bound to succeed!"
No one disagreed with that statement.
Without realizing it, everyone had already accepted Chen Qi and Huang Zhanying as their leaders.
(End of Chapter)