Chapter 135: Rave Reviews (2/10)

Southern Weekly is published every Thursday. As the domestic weekly with the largest circulation and greatest influence, it counts both students and office workers among its dedicated readership. The cover of this issue features Huang Youliang, a survivor of the "comfort women" system, but the content drawing the most attention is an exclusive interview with the burgeoning topical author Zhang Chu. A sub-headline on the cover directs readers to the A5 section to find it.

Although Zhang Chu is frequently in the news, people do not actually know much about him. This interview serves as a gateway, allowing the public to see what the real Zhang Chu is like.

Zhuang Moyun, a student preparing for the upcoming December graduate school entrance exams, walked out of the campus bookstore with the latest issue of Southern Weekly in hand. For him, every issue is essential reading to keep track of current events and critical commentary.

"Who is this Zhang Chu? How does he warrant a two-page interview? He looks so young."

As he walked and read, Zhuang Moyun realized that during the months he had spent buried in his studies, a young writer idolized by his peers had emerged. Top-scoring student, essay contest winner, participant in lawsuits, and featured in Poetry Periodical—his experiences were truly extensive.

"He’s been featured in Poetry Periodical, so why do some people say he can’t write poetry? This poem, 'Life,' is clearly excellent. It’s an absolute classic."

Zhuang Moyun was fond of this one-character poem by Zhang Chu. Indeed, life is like a web—intricate, complex, and impossible to untangle.

***

Ma Qiwei sat in his office, flipping through recently submitted manuscripts. Since the dawn of the new era, the number of people writing poetry had dwindled, and its influence among the youth—once the primary buyers and contributors to Poetry Periodical—had grown increasingly weak.

However, because of the publication of Zhang Chu’s "Facing the Sea, With Spring Blossoms" in the August issue, the magazine’s newfound youthful, reformist spirit had caught the attention of many young readers. Suddenly, all sorts of bizarre poetry began to pour in. Much of it was utter nonsense, as if people were treating Poetry Periodical as a shelter for strange verses. They gave no thought to the fact that Zhang Chu’s poem was not only high in quality but, more importantly, rich in substance rather than just form.

"What is all this drivel?"

Ma Qiwei was nearing retirement and wanted to finish his tenure strong, but good poems were scarce, and there was almost nothing that made his eyes light up. The September edition of Poetry Periodical for established poets had received a tepid response, and the youth edition for late September lacked any anchor piece.

Just as Ma was fretting over the lack of quality work, a young staff member burst into his office, exclaiming with delight, "Old Ma! You have to see this poem by Zhang Chu! This kid is incredible!"

"What has that boy written now? And why didn't he submit it to our magazine?" Ma Qiwei put on his reading glasses and took the magazine from He Jianwen.

He had always known Zhang Chu favored innovation, but he never expected this poem to be so incredibly concise. A single character—"Net"—possessed a profound depth, containing endless philosophical wisdom and mystery.

"Good!"

"Brilliantly written!"

Ma Qiwei rarely displayed such outward emotion, and he heaped praise upon the piece. The beauty of its form and structure, the brilliance of that single, evocative character, and its powerful, cautionary resonance made it the true essence of modern poetic art.

He Jianwen agreed, adding, "It's a pity. If only this poem had been published in our magazine. Putting it in Southern Weekly is a total waste of such a gem."

"That boy, he has a good poem and doesn't even send it to me." Ma Qiwei waved for He Jianwen to leave, then turned his full attention to the interview with Zhang Chu in Southern Weekly.

*That’s my magazine…* He Jianwen grumbled internally. He hadn't even finished reading it himself before Old Ma requisitioned it, yet he dared not ask for it back.

Meanwhile, Ma Qiwei pondered deeply. Zhang Chu’s poem seemed simple, yet it possessed a sense of encompassing everything—much like life itself; all-inclusive and inescapable. The interior of a net is tangled and interwoven, as complex as the mortal world, where people are trapped, unable to act on their own volition, just like life. We are shrouded in webs woven by others, while simultaneously weaving webs of our own.

"This is true modern poetry!" Ma Qiwei sighed again. If only all the submissions he received were of this caliber.

With that thought, he immediately pulled out his phone to call Zhang Chu and convince him to publish this poem in Poetry Periodical. Although Southern Weekly had a larger readership, Poetry Periodical was clearly the better fit for a short poem like "Life," where readers could truly appreciate its nuance. The two magazines had different focuses.

However, when he dialed the number, he was met with a busy signal: "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please check and try again."

"But this is the right number. Why isn't it working?" Ma Qiwei checked his phone. The call logs from August were still there. Could he have been blocked?

That was not the case; Zhang Chu simply wasn't using that number, as his phone didn't support dual SIM cards.

***

Millions across the country saw the content in Southern Weekly, and the magazine even posted the interview as a long-form Weibo update, allowing netizens to read it without buying the physical copy. The article, titled "The Unconventional Young Writer," told his story in detail.

Zhang Chu was already an internet celebrity with a massive following on Weibo. The interview garnered a staggering number of views, especially from those who were reluctant to spend money on the magazine.

"Damn, if they hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten that Zhang Chu is the top-scoring college entrance exam student from this year. I almost thought he was just some random guy."

"I just watched the video of him showing off his skills on Douyu. This writer is definitely not ordinary."

" 'Life' is a net. I think Zhang Chu wrote it perfectly. Those critics are just looking for trouble!"

" 'Facing the Sea, With Spring Blossoms' is great. Why do they call him a black sheep?"

"I didn't expect the interview to be so funny. He really hasn't lost his quirky nature."

"I was worried about the poetry recitation contest this week. Many thanks to Master Zhang Chu for saving my life!"

"I don't have to worry about being called on to recite poems anymore. This one is easy to remember."

"Are those people saying Zhang Chu's poetry is bad blind? A single character can express so much meaning."

"Respect. Although Zhang Chu is a total goofball, he is undeniably talented."

"Brilliant!"