The first part of the "Earth" trilogy about rural China, Pearl Race had already begun to write the first part at this time. www.biquge.info Her father was a missionary and took her to preach in rural China since she was a child, and her husband was a professor of agriculture and often took her to the countryside to investigate and research.

Pearl Sai and his wife originally lived in the apartment assigned by Jinling University, but the xenophobic riot of the Northern Expedition soldiers suddenly occurred, and the couple fled in a hurry, carrying only the first draft of "The Earth", and the translation of "Water Margin" was left in the small western-style building.

"Mr. Zhou, this is a novel I wrote, please correct it." Pearl Sai speaks completely Chinese, even with some Zhenjiang dialect accents. She took out the manuscript of "The Earth", and her attitude was very sincere, and it was completely inquisitive.

Pearl Sai's situation is very embarrassing now, the novels she writes are not of interest to Chinese, and they are often rejected when sent to the United States, and they belong to the kind of small writers who have failed.

Zhou Hexuan had read "The Earth" before crossing over, and it was the same when he read the first draft at this time, and after roughly reading twenty or thirty chapters, he closed the manuscript and said, "Do you want to listen to my objective evaluation?" ”

"Of course." Pearl nodded.

Zhou Hexuan said unceremoniously: "The writing skills are very ordinary, and the writing is not brilliant, but it is better to be plain and sincere." ”

"That's all?" Pearl Race was a little disappointed.

Zhou Hexuan said: "Your book, Chinese will not like it, Americans may be interested." ”

Pearl Sai was puzzled: "Why? ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled: "Because you are from the perspective of an American, to show rural China." The tone of the whole novel is warm, full of sympathy for Chinese farmers and love for rural China, and at the same time it also exposes the darkness of rural Chinese society. However, if you are an American, you will inevitably be suspected of watching the fire from the other side, and your views on real problems only stay on the surface, like a glimpse of the light, and it is difficult to go deeper. This novel has no reading value for Chinese. ”

"Perhaps." Pearl nodded.

Zhou Hexuan changed his words and continued: "However, if there is a publisher to help run it, "Earth" may sell well in Europe and the United States. Because your position is American, Americans don't have dyslexia about it, and at the same time you can feel an unknown mystery from the East. This book can be used as a window for the Western world to understand China. ”

Pearl Sai was relieved: "That's enough. ”

"But the book also deepens the misunderstanding of China in the West," Mr. Zhou said, "because you're describing a deformed rural Chinese society, and it's just rural China as you see it." ”

The future Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Nobel Prize for Literature were criticized by Zhou Hexuan for nothing.

Pearl Sai smiled bitterly, shook his head and said, "Zhou, I really shouldn't let you evaluate "Earth", you have dampened my creative enthusiasm. ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled and comforted: "Don't be too disappointed, it's still very good, it's just that I'm too picky." ”

"I think Zhou's point is accurate," Booker said suddenly, "after all, we are outsiders, and it is difficult to understand the thinking of Chinese, and it is difficult to understand the real China." On the contrary, Mr. Zhou is a true scholar, and his "The Rise of Great Powers" is breathtaking, a comprehensive and profound analysis of the rise and fall of the world's great powers. ”

"Mr. Booker has also watched "The Rise of Great Powers"?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

Booker said: "Of course, 'The Rise of Great Powers' has already caused a sensation in European historiography and has a certain influence in the United States. However, for the time being, it is limited to the academic community, and the general public does not know about it, and they have not even heard of this masterpiece of historiography. ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled: "This is normal, ordinary people prefer popular reading. ”

"That's what amazes me," Mr. Booker said, "Chinese students and intellectuals seem to be more interested in learning about the world than Westerners, and that academic works like 'The Rise of Great Powers' can sell well in China." ”

Zhou Hexuan lamented: "The Chinese have been closed and backward for too long, and if they don't open their eyes to the world, they will be completely helpless." ”

"So I'm very optimistic about the future of China, I've lived in the U.S. and Europe, and I've been to Japan and India," Booker laughs. It seems that only the Japanese have such a fanaticism for knowledge and culture as the Chinese. And India is bad, and the intellectuals there are somewhat ...... How to put it, some are not enterprising. ”

"Mr. Booker studied agronomy?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

"Yes," Booker said, "China's agriculture is still very backward, and there are no conditions for mechanized farming, like the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River and in the mountainous areas of the southwest." I've been visiting rural China for years, and I've never even seen a farm tractor. ”

Zhou Hexuan said: "That's because the tractor uses diesel, which is not only expensive for the machine, but also unaffordable. The big landowners were rich, but they would rather hire a few more long-term laborers than use machines. ”

"That's true." Booker smiled wryly.

Zhou Hexuan asked: "Why not make a machine with the main structure made of wood, supplemented by a small number of steel fittings, and powered by manpower?" For example, small rice harvesters, corn threshers. ”

Booker was thoughtful: "Your idea seems to be feasible. ”

Zhou Hexuan immediately took out a pen and paper, drew a manpower harvester with his impression, pointed to the machine and said: "This is a manpower pedal, press the pedal with your foot to drive the track to run the machine." Farmers can easily harvest the paddy by simply placing the ears on the threshing wheels. And this machine is so light that two adults can lift it, which is very suitable for China, which is a small-scale peasant economy. ”

"Genius idea!" Booker's eyes lit up at the sight.

Zhou Hexuan suddenly fell silent, because he thought of the current situation in rural China today. Once the human harvester is promoted, the work that used to take six long-term workers can now be done by two people. The landlords saved money and time, but the poor peasants became even poorer, because the use of machinery inevitably led to the loss of livelihoods for some people.

In the long run, this is in the throes of social development. But when you really put yourself in your shoes, it's shocking.

Take the handicraft industry of the Republic of China as an example, due to the impact of Western industrial products, a large number of handicraft workers have become poor, which is a very serious social problem.

Booker didn't care so much, and grabbed Zhou Hexuan to ask about the details of the human thresher.

Zhou Hexuan just relied on the gourd to draw the scoop, only knew the general working principle, specific details and accessories, and needed to ask mechanical experts for help. Especially in the design of the threshing wheel, the iron ring installation is too thin, which will lead to the inexhaustible removal of the rice ear, the installation is too dense, and the machine may be stuck, and it must be modulated through trial and error.

For the next three days, Zhou Hexuan stayed in the hotel. They discussed agriculture with Booker and literature with Pearl Race until the riots in the city had completely subsided before they took the train back to Shanghai.