Taking a deep breath, Wei Long revisited "The Death of a Small Civil Servant" from start to finish.
After finishing the second read-through, Wei Long's expression became somewhat complicated, and he muttered two words:
"Thought-provoking."
I underestimated Chu Kuang.
This isn't merely a lighthearted tale that elicits laughter upon reading. Chu Kuang's words carry a subtle humor on the surface, yet underneath lies a sharp edge of biting sarcasm.
The narrative portrays the plight of the powerless offending the powerful inadvertently. Even if the powerful express understanding, the powerless can't help but feel fear and anxiety, knowing the power the former holds over their fate.
This is the tragedy of being small in a world of giants.
Chu Kuang didn't delve into the story's background, but it's evidently set in an era where a general could dictate the life and death of lowly civil servants. The tale seems to critique the oppression of feudal autocracy on the lower rungs of society...
However, this interpretation is rather rudimentary.
Upon deeper reflection, one realizes that such dynamics aren't confined to the past. Similar power imbalances persist in the modern era we inhabit.
The subordinate often internalizes the thoughts of the superior, molding their own beliefs to align with what they perceive as correct;
Employees in the workplace constantly fret over the watchful gaze of their superiors, anxiously scrutinizing their every action for missteps;
If one accidentally crosses the leader, they're consumed by the fear of retribution.
It's reminiscent of the news Wei Long recently encountered:
A company's leader, wielding disproportionate power, compelled employees to grovel on the ground and subjected those who failed to meet performance standards to degrading punishment...
Wei Long found himself perplexed.
What's even more confounding is that the employees didn't resist; they complied obediently. Isn't this akin to the general's arbitrary decisions on the fate of civil servants?
Such phenomena are perennial.
This is why countless "little civil servants" meet their demise.
Understanding the superior's mindset might earn one their favor; however, misunderstanding it could spell trouble for the future.
Often, it's the small civil servants who ensnare themselves in the chains of servility.
Why did I find it amusing?
Why didn't I perceive the story as exaggerated?
Because such circumstances are all too common in modern society.
Chu Kuang's intent is profound.
This novel unmistakably uses the past to satirize the present!
Criticizing societal phenomena and articulating one's thoughts in just over a thousand words is a remarkably astute creative style.
This is the art of irony!
It's hard to fathom that while most short stories in the competition pursued narrative and amusement, Chu Kuang was already embedding his reflections into his words. That's what astonished Wei Long...
But will readers buy into this?
Wei Long is somewhat uncertain. Everyone's standards of appreciation vary. While "The Death of a Small Civil Servant" may boast the highest degree of conceptualization among all the entries, conceptualization alone doesn't make a novel.
"Impressive indeed," Wei Long murmured softly.
Regardless of whether readers embrace Chu Kuang's ideas, "The Death of a Small Civil Servant" is indispensable in this selection of works. Wei Long believes its inclusion elevates the competition's caliber and compelling nature.
In the ensuing days, Lin Yuan continued to frequent the painting club.
Drawing sketches for himself and teaching others, he amassed both wealth and prestige.
This enabled Lin Yuan to earn at least one thousand yuan daily, surpassing the basic salary of the Astral Composition Department. It was an entirely new avenue to prosperity!
Simultaneously, under Lin Yuan's one-on-one guidance, more and more students made significant strides in their sketching abilities.
The situation escalated to the point where even Qin Yi's art teacher caught wind of a remarkable talent in the painting club imparting sketching knowledge.
Curiosity piqued.
Every so often, a student's sketching prowess would undergo a sudden leap in class.
It was akin to a miraculous occurrence.
When teachers inquired about the phenomenon, students revealed that a sketching virtuoso had recently joined the painting department. These students attributed their improvement to this expert's tutelage.
Upon hearing this news, many teachers were dumbfounded.
Especially upon learning that this virtuoso was merely a sophomore in the composition department.
Nevertheless, teachers saw no reason to intervene.
Enhancing students' sketching abilities was commendable. Paying to acquire knowledge wasn't concerning; the real concern lay in the efficacy of the investment.
Given the remarkable teaching demonstrated by the sketching virtuoso, these paying students were undoubtedly getting their money's worth!
Some teachers even recommended students struggling with sketching to seek instruction from this virtuoso in the painting club.
Consequently.
A surge of art students sought to join the painting club, all drawn by the allure of the sketching virtuoso.
In response, Vice President Zheng Liang couldn't contain his glee.
Who knew Lin Yuan's presence in the club would yield such dividends? It was living proof of the club's appeal!
Lin Yuan remained indifferent to the attention, his demeanor unchanged.
Today.
As Lin Yuan entered the club after class, a drawing board, a small chair, a sharpened pencil, and his favorite beverage awaited him.
Indeed, such was Lin Yuan's treatment in the painting club now.
As Lin Yuan settled in, a crowd gathered around him. One of the girls eagerly raised her hand and exclaimed, "Great Master, it's my turn today!"
"Great Master, confirmed," Zhong Yu stated, checking the appointment record on her phone before nodding to Lin Yuan.
With Lin Yuan's popularity soaring, an appointment system had been implemented to manage the influx of eager students. Anyone seeking sketching instruction from Lin Yuan had to schedule in advance!
Lin Yuan agreed to the arrangement.
This system had been in place for a week now.
Yet, the demand for Lin Yuan's teaching remained unabated. Students lined up eagerly, waiting for their turn. Securing a spot in Lin Yuan's class was no easy feat.
Two hours later.
Lin Yuan concluded his session with the girl.
Zhong Yu promptly handed him a fresh cup of coffee with a warm smile. "Your previous cup went cold. Here's a fresh one. Enjoy."
"Thank you."
Lin Yuan gratefully accepted the perfectly timed beverage.
At that moment, a system prompt chimed in his ear: "Teacher, your guidance is a solution to karmic debt. By teaching continuously, you've permanently unlocked the Teacher achievement."
Lin Yuan was taken aback. "What does that entail?"
The system explained: "The Teacher achievement is special, typically unlocked after meeting certain undisclosed criteria set by the system. It enables all students taught by you to double their comprehension during their learning period. As you teach more students, your understanding of teaching will grow, enhancing the achievement's efficacy!"
Lin Yuan: ""
The system still had such mechanisms in place?
Was it suggesting he become an art teacher?