Chapter 00029: The Art of Persuasion
# The Art of Persuasion
Chapter 29
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 29: The Art of Persuasion
Ge You had finally made it.
He became a member of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Cultural Troupe's drama team.
Overwhelmed with joy, he cried tears of relief—no more going back to feed pigs, big or small.
His monthly salary was 18 yuan, equivalent to an apprentice's wage.
After a few years, it would rise to over 30 yuan.
If it weren’t for the reform and opening-up policy, he might have been stuck at that wage for half his life.
Back then, there was a saying, "Long live 36 yuan!"—a sarcastic remark about wages that never seemed to increase.
Ge You later became a big star, but his employment records remained with the cultural troupe.
They still paid him a monthly salary, and he occasionally participated in plays as a way to repay the troupe for taking him in back in the day.
Many stars came from the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Cultural Troupe, such as actress Sa Rina, the once-popular crosstalk performer Luosang, and Zeng Li, who joined the troupe after graduating from the Central Academy of Drama.
Regardless, Ge You now had a proper job and walked with his head held high.
He thought about treating Chen Qi and Liang Xiaosheng to a meal.
With a few pitifully scrounged-up meal tickets, he ordered a plate of vegetables at a small eatery and ate four steamed buns—two for himself.
…………
It was late May, and the weather was getting hotter by the day.
That morning, Chen Qi changed into a dacron shirt, cotton trousers, and his black cloth shoes with red soles.
He rode his bicycle to the area near Taoranting in Xuanwu District.
Dacron wasn’t the most comfortable fabric—it didn’t absorb sweat well and felt stuffy.
But with the poor textile technology at the time, cotton clothes were even rougher and equally uncomfortable.
So, dacron it was—at least it looked a bit sharper.
He parked his bike near a large willow tree, leaned against it, and waited with his hands in his pockets.
Soon, a bus pulled up nearby, and Yu Jiajia appeared, carrying a bag.
Since the publication of her article, "How Should One Walk the Path of Life?" she had sent him a few letters.
Over time, they had become acquainted.
This time, he had taken the initiative to invite her out.
She was both puzzled and excited.
As a young journalist, she rarely got to cover big stories, often stuck writing about trivial matters that bored her to no end.
"Reporter Yu, you’re as spirited as ever!"
"Comrade Chen, you’re still as charming as ever!"
They shook hands, their meeting akin to a weasel spotting a chicken—both eager and a little too enthusiastic.
"Do you think this plan will work?"
"What plan? This is already pretty rough, with no real finesse."
"What if the newspaper finds out?"
"You’re the lead reporter. You have the final say in how things are explained."
They rehearsed their lines, crossed the street, and entered a cluster of low-rise buildings.
A sign hung at the entrance: Beijing City Opera School!
The school was founded in 1952, initially as a private institution established by a group of opera masters.
Mei Lanfang served as the chairman, while Hao Shouchen and Ma Lianliang took turns as principals.
To fund the school, these masters performed benefit shows and volunteered as teachers.
Later, it became a public institution, funded by the government, and gradually stabilized.
Liu Shishi had studied ballet here as a child before being admitted to the Beijing Dance Academy.
Of course, at the time, the school didn’t offer a dance program—only Peking opera and local operas.
"Comrades, who are you here to see?"
"Hello, sir. I’m a reporter from the China Youth Daily!"
Yu Jiajia showed her press credentials.
This was her first time doing something on the side, and she was a bit nervous.
"Is your leader here?"
"Yes, yes! Let me fetch them for you!"
The gatekeeper, visibly excited upon seeing a reporter from the China Youth Daily, quickly returned with a teacher.
The teacher was even more enthusiastic, ushering them inside.
Chen Qi surveyed the school.
It was quite large, with dormitories, but the buildings were old, exuding a 1950s vibe.
"Our facilities are modest. Please forgive the simplicity."
"Would you like some tea… uh, some water…"
Inside, the teacher fumbled to make tea but couldn’t find any leaves, forcing an awkward smile.
Yu Jiajia waved her hand.
"No need to trouble yourself. Please, have a seat. Here’s the thing—this year, the city has set up several youth cooperatives. You’ve heard of them, right?"
"Yes, yes. My relative’s child is working in one."
"These young people work from dawn to dusk, facing social discrimination, but their cooperatives have made life easier for the public—buying water, getting clothes made, and so on. To show our appreciation, we’ve come up with a small event to encourage them. This comrade here is from the Dashilan Street Cooperative!"
Yu Jiajia introduced Chen Qi, who quickly greeted the teacher.
"You’ve probably heard of our cooperative—we sell tea at Qianmen."
"Yes, yes! I read the article about you. What a coincidence!"
"Our idea is to have a few students from your school perform at the cooperative to boost morale. We’ll cover travel expenses and provide lunch. Reporter Yu will also help promote your school."
"Promote? You mean…?"
"Publish an article!"
"Oh, you want us in the newspaper? Why didn’t you say so earlier…"
The teacher’s eyes lit up like lightbulbs.
"This is wonderful! Let me fetch the director for you!"
He hurried out and soon returned with a middle-aged man.
After hearing Yu Jiajia’s explanation, the director was equally pleased but asked, "Why not approach the opera troupes or the famous masters?"
"The cooperatives are run by young people. Imagine a group of young men and women on one side and a bunch of elderly artists on the other—it wouldn’t match. What we want is youthful energy. We’re calling this event ‘A Tribute to Youth, Honor in Labor.’"
"That makes sense. I understand—it’s a morale-boosting performance."
"Exactly!"
"How many days will this take?"
"I’ll publish an article first to gauge the response. If it goes well, we’ll write an internal report to submit to higher-ups. This is about the new generation of youth, setting a new trend…"
Yu Jiajia had a natural talent for persuasion, and by now, even she was convinced of her own story.
The China Youth Daily was a high-level publication under the Communist Youth League Central Committee.
Who would have thought a reporter would be doing side gigs?
The director agreed but couldn’t make the decision alone.
A meeting was needed.
So, the two left, had lunch, and returned in the afternoon to select students.
The school had an eight-year program, with students as young as eleven or twelve and as old as eighteen or nineteen.
The main programs were Peking opera, Pingju, Quju, and Hebei Bangzi.
Later, they collaborated with the Deyun Society and added a crosstalk program, taught by Gao Feng, a popular figure among the Deyun Girls fanbase.
"We don’t know the students well, so you pick. But they should have good appearances since we’ll be taking photos."
Yu Jiajia whispered her reminder, and the teacher nodded, carefully selecting a few older and younger students from various programs.
Then, he suddenly called out:
"Liu Bei!"
"Here!"
A girl around ten years old raised her hand high.
She had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and an eager expression.
Huh???
Chen Qi took a closer look, his expression turning subtle.
"Teacher, how old is this child? She looks too young."
"She entered the school at ten and is now twelve. She studies the Mei school of opera and has a great appearance."
"Alright, your choice."
Chen Qi fell silent, unconsciously touching his nose.
First Jiang Shan, now Liu Bei.
What’s next? Am I destined to raise kids in this lifetime?
(End of Chapter)