The second volume is full of glory and splendor in the capital, and the spirit is full of vitality in the foggy city. Chapter 250 Being a Guest
Chapter Subtitle: NY of NY
"It is Sunday, May 22, 1921, and it is 11:00 AM Eastern Time."
"That's the hourly time signal from New York Public Radio. Next up is our Sunday guest talk..."
"Hello everyone, I'm your host, Adam. Last week, our guest was the greatest scientist of the 20th century—Albert Einstein. Today, we've invited a close friend of Einstein's and his most admired contemporary writer, our 'NY of NY'..."
"Mr. Neo Yuan!"
"Hello, Mr. Host. Hello, everyone ."
"Mr. Yuan... I'm sorry, I should be calling you Dr. Yuan now. I'd also like to congratulate you on receiving your Ph.D. from NYU."
"Hahaha... Mr. Host, you're too polite. Please call me Neo, and I'll call you Adam too."
"It's my pleasure. So, Neo, welcome to the show. My listeners and I have a lot of questions for you."
"Adam, everyone knows my greatest strength is my honesty. So please feel free to ask."
"Neo, let me ask you this. What the audience and I are most curious about is how you came back to life."
"Adam, resurrection is too much of an exaggeration. I'm just the son of an ordinary Chinese squire, not the son of a Nazarene carpenter. Didn't that famous expert from New York Presbyterian Church also say that I just went into shock due to a lung infection and looked like I was dead?"
"Neo, that's not what I'm asking. What I want to know is how you were able to recover so quickly from both acute tuberculosis and sepsis last time?"
"Adam, I've said this many times. I was able to escape death twice thanks to our Seres medicine! I know that the American people have some negative impressions of us Chinese. As an honest gentleman, I certainly don't deny that my country is indeed lagging behind modern civilization. But... ladies and gentlemen, you must also understand that our Chinese civilization has, after all, thousands of years of heritage..."
"Neo, do you mean your 'ZHONG YI'?"
"Adam, your pronunciation is very standard, 'ZHONG YI'! Medicine, like other sciences, relies on the inheritance of experience. So, which civilization in the world today has a continuous record of thousands of years? I think no one can deny that, and only China..."
"Dear listeners, you should know that the ancient Greeks and Romans, the source of Western civilization, already called us Seres. Think about it, our ancestors' medical experience has been passed down to this day. Even if it's not as 'scientific' as Western medicine, it definitely has its strengths..."
"And the proof is our 40 million people. We Seres lag behind in modern civilization, but why do we still have the largest population in the world? Isn't the answer the fruits of Seres medicine?"
"And I myself am another living proof!"
"Neo, you once said that you were able to recover from sepsis thanks to a tonic called 'WU JIA PI.' Is it the same thing with tuberculosis this time?"
"Adam, that's correct. But please be aware, listeners, there are too many unscrupulous merchants in America these days. If you want to drink the real 'WY JIA PI,' please look for the 'Baishuishan' trademark and, ideally, buy it at a designated specialty store."
"Neo, I was just about to say this. Many listeners have reported that they've been taking Wu Jia Pi from Baisui Mountain, but their health hasn't improved much. Why is that?"
"Adam, you mentioned 'persistence,' but the question is how long have they persisted? 'WU JIA PI' has only been on the market for six months. How can six months be considered persistence?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not accusing these friends of lying. This is the biggest difference between Seris medicine and Western medicine. Western medicine focuses on curing the disease, and once the patient's symptoms disappear, it's considered a cure. We in Seris medicine strive to eradicate the root cause of the disease, targeting the cause rather than the symptoms. Therefore, the effects are naturally slower..."
"Let me tell you a story about a famous doctor in Seris two thousand years ago. He had three brothers. Someone asked him, 'Who among you three is the best doctor?'"
"He said that my eldest brother treated patients by giving them medicine to eradicate the root cause of illness before they became ill, which made his medical skills difficult to be recognized, so he was not famous. My second brother treated patients at the onset of the disease, before the patients felt any pain, so everyone thought he was only good at treating minor illnesses. But I treat patients when the disease is very serious, when the patients are in great pain and their families are extremely anxious. At this time, they see me performing bloodletting and surgery, so I became famous all over the world..."
"I will use this story to answer everyone's questions."
"Neo, you Seres people really do have ancient wisdom."
"Adam, thank you. As we Seres say, the old man in the family never dies... That old man is a family heirloom. Having an ancient civilization like ours in the world today is a treasure, isn't it?"
"Neo, the next question everyone is concerned about is, will you stay in the United States? I heard that Professor John Bates Clark has invited you to become a lecturer in the Department of Economics at Columbia University. Is that true?"
"Adam, that's exactly what happened. A few days ago, Professor Clark, oh, and Professor Mitchell both extended this invitation to me. In fact, NYU also wanted me to stay on to teach. I'm very grateful for their respect and care, but I declined..."
"I've been away from my country, my hometown, and my family for a long time, and now I can't wait to see them..."
"Also, we Seres have an old saying: A son will not despise an ugly mother, just as a human's best friend will not despise poverty in their family. Although my homeland is a bit backward compared to America, that's no reason not to love it. When I return, I will pass on the knowledge I learned from America to my compatriots so that my homeland can keep pace with the civilized world."
"I think you and the audience can understand..."
"Neo, we understand and appreciate your patriotism. Could you please tell me whether you will be teaching or holding public office upon your return?"
"Adam, just because I'm interested in politics doesn't mean I'll join it. To be honest, I just received an offer yesterday from a school in our country called the China Public School, inviting me to be a professor in their economics department. I've already called back to confirm. In addition, I plan to open a charity school with Mr. Herbert Clark Hoover and his wife."
"Neo, this Mr. Hoover you're talking about is the current Secretary of Commerce, right?"
"Adam, that's right. I'm not here to praise America just because I live there, but America is indeed a beacon of democracy shining with the light of modern civilization. This great country has outstanding people like the Hoovers. They generously donated huge sums of money to help the people of Seres. My compatriots and I will always remember them, as well as America's help..."
"Speaking of America's assistance, I would also like to thank President Warren G. Harding and the current Secretary of State, Mr. Charles Evans Hughes. I personally make a bold prediction: the Washington Conference they called upon the nations to convene will undoubtedly surpass the Versailles Conference in history, because these two were great statesmen with a sense of justice, not the penny-pinching politicians at the Versailles Conference."
"Neo, we hope so too. So the next question is about your novels. What the audience and I want to know is how you were able to write so many, and so many excellent works, in just a few months?"
"Adam, I didn't actually write these novels in the last few months. A writer's most important tool is the brain. You can conceive of your novels all the time if you choose."
"For example, A Song of Ice and Fire . I started conceiving this novel after I learned a little about ancient English history and Western mythology. That's almost ten years ago. I also wrote many outlines and drafts, but it just happened to be published at this point in time."
"The same goes for novels like 'Chocolat,' 'Detective Dee,' 'All Quiet on the Western Front,' and the science fiction that 'My Friend Mr. Einstein' and 'My Friend Mr. Tesla' liked. I've already written countless beginnings, countless plots, and countless endings in my mind. In other words, I've built a lot of parts and am just waiting for the right opportunity to put them together."
"The two movie scripts I wrote took me a lot of time to think about because before I wrote them, I had never thought about writing a movie script."
"Neo, speaking of your movie script, we're all curious about when 'Orphan of Famine' will be released. It's been filming for over a month now."
"Adam, and everyone listening, I'm not bragging about this film just because I wrote it. But 'Orphans of Famine' isn't one of those shoddy productions that takes a month or even a few days to make these days. It's a groundbreaking masterpiece, so I implore you to give Mr. David Griffith and his crew some time. I guarantee you'll be treated to an unprecedented visual and auditory feast."
"Neo, what you said makes me a little impatient. But how can you guarantee it?"
"Adam, let's put it this way. If anyone is dissatisfied after watching the movie, I will personally refund their movie ticket."
"Hahaha... Dear listeners, please remember that when 'Famine Women' is released, you must keep your movie ticket stubs. If you are not satisfied, you can ask Dr. Yuan for a refund. Okay, let's take a break. After the commercial, we will start taking calls from our listeners..."
"Coca-Cola, drink till you die!"
"Ford's new Model T, drive it home for one dollar!"
"In the far east, there's a towering Hundred Years Mountain. On this mountain, a sweet, magical water flows. The mountain's herbs and the essence of the water, brewed using a five-thousand-year-old recipe, create 'Wu Jia Pi'. A sip of 'Wu Jia Pi' daily will keep you from needing a miracle doctor for the rest of your life."
"Listeners, we're back. This is the first call..."
"Hello, is that me?"
"Ma'am, this is you. What's your name? "
"Oh, you can call me Vivian. Can I talk to Dr. Yuan?"
"Hahaha, Neo, it seems this is a loyal reader of your Chocolate. Please..."
"Ainiuka, I'm Neo Yuan, glad to hear from you."
"Hello, hello, I'm so happy too! I love your film 'Chocolat' so much!! I've watched it five times already!!!"
"Thank you, Vivian. Do you have any questions?"
"Yes, yes, Dr. Yuan. I have a question for you. Do the characters in this novel really have prototypes?"
"Vian, there are indeed some. But they have all returned to Europe."
"That's such a shame! Dr. Yuan, can I have a signed copy of 'Chocolat'?"
"Vian, of course. You can leave your address at the front desk later and I'll send it to you."
"Thank you, Dr. Yuan. By the way, I'd also like to ask about your relationship with Ms. Lillian Gish..."
"I'm sorry, Vivian. We're taking the second call. Hello."
"Hello, my name is Andrew. I have a question for Dr. Yuan."
"Excuse me, Mr. Andrew."
"Dr. Yuan, I'm a railway engineer and I just returned from your homeland. I have to admit, the situation there is dire. Last year, two warlords in your country's north fought a war, and there was also a severe drought, leaving the land barren for thousands of miles. I'm not discriminating against you yellow people, but do you think an economics PhD like you can truly put your knowledge to good use in a country like this?"
"Mr. Andrew, thank you for your concern. I don't know if I can make use of my knowledge after returning home, nor do I know if I can help my compatriots in such distress. But no matter where I am on the earth, I know my motherland is there, and I will return to it!"
"Dr. Yuan, although I'm not optimistic, I still wish you success."
"Mr. Andrew, thank you for your blessing. I will succeed, for sure!"
"This is the third and final call. Hello."
"Hello, Dr. Yuan, I have a request."
"Miss, as long as I can do it, I will do it for you."
"Dr. Yuan, I want to have a baby for you!"
“Beep, beep, beep…”
"Neo, you're leaving New York and the United States next month. Is there anything else you'd like to say to our listeners?"
"My dear listeners, although I am not in New York, part of my heart is still here. Please rest assured that I will continue to publish my works in the United States."
"Listeners, let us thank 'NY's NY' for coming and wish him a safe journey."
"Thank you, Adam. Thank you, everyone who listens..."
"See you later!"
