Chapter 42

Since Lin Qiangsheng had made up his mind to form the Xinda Translation Theory Study Group, he needed to plan and organize it well to avoid it becoming a mere formality, developing in a disorderly manner, and ultimately coming to nothing.

He specially invited guests to the cafeteria, ordering two meat stir-fries, a plate of braised pork, two cold dishes, and a large plate of peanuts.

Lin Qiangsheng, being generous, opened a beer and filled the glasses of Sun Ying and a girl named Guo Yingying.

Even if Sun Ying and Guo Yingying were reserved, they couldn't resist Lin Qiangsheng's generosity. This table of dishes and three bottles of beer were enough for their living expenses for over a month, and Lin Qiangsheng used them to treat them.

This is too extravagant, the two couldn't help but think.

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "Come, let's all raise a toast to the success of our Xinda Translation Theory Study Group!"

Sun Ying and Guo Yingying quickly and cautiously raised their glasses, careful not to spill a drop.

They looked at each other, and Guo Yingying asked, "Little Brother Lin, I'll call you that! I want to know, what exactly do you mean by success?"

In terms of age, Guo Yingying was 22, and Sun Ying was 21, both older than Lin Qiangsheng and Chen Yao, so naturally, Guo Yingying called Lin Qiangsheng "little brother," feeling it made her sound more affectionate.

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "Sister Guo, don't be so formal! Let's drink first, then we can talk!"

"Alright, I won't be formal!" Guo Yingying drank the beer in a few gulps, but drank too quickly, causing her to cover her mouth and hold her breath, even letting out a burp.

Guo Yingying laughed, and Lin Qiangsheng refilled her glass.

Sun Ying, not to be outdone, raised his glass and drank the beer in one go. After finishing, he inverted the glass to show it was empty.

Lin Qiangsheng smiled, raised a thumb, and said, "Good! You're a man of your word, little brother, I'll drink too!" Then he drank the beer in his large glass in one gulp.

"Chen Yao, you don't have to drink, we'll do it," Lin Qiangsheng said to Chen Yao, who was also about to drink.

Sun Ying quickly nodded and said, "Right, Chen Yao, you don't have to drink! You can't hold your liquor, it would be a waste!"

Guo Yingying watched, smiling at the two.

Chen Yao nodded and said, "Scared me! I thought you'd make me drink too. I'll just drink this much, you don't have to worry about me."

After the first toast, the group began to eat and chat, gradually becoming more familiar. Although Sun and Guo were more reserved at the table, the speed at which they ate the dishes showed they were quite hungry. They focused on the meat dishes, and by the time the second round of drinks was finished, the three meat dishes were almost gone.

Despite being a girl, Guo Yingying, a worker-peasant-soldier student, had worked in a factory before, so she was quite adept at eating and drinking, without any hesitation.

After they finished eating and cleared the table, Lin Qiangsheng took out a paper from his backpack and tore off a sheet.

"Brother Sun, Sister Guo, let's list the rules for the study group. As the saying goes, without rules, there can be no order. This is something everyone understands. Although our group is small, we need to set rules first, so it won't become chaotic when more people join," Lin Qiangsheng said, looking at Sun and Guo.

Guo Yingying said straightforwardly, "Of course, rules are important everywhere. Go ahead, Little Brother Lin!"

Sun Ying also nodded. As the saying goes, when you owe someone, you feel indebted. Since Sun Ying had eaten and drunk, he felt a bit indebted. Anyway, it's not a big deal, let's just hear what the rules are.

Lin Qiangsheng listed the rules: "First, real-name registration, with the option of a pen name. The benefit of real names is that we can find people when necessary. Using a pen name makes it easy to take the group lightly, so this is the first rule. Second, if we have activities, try to attend if you can.

Third, follow the group leader's arrangements. If you have different opinions, you can reserve them, but you can't sabotage the group behind the scenes!

Fourth, the group's expenses should have a detailed plan, with every expense recorded and discussed by the organizers."

Lin Qiangsheng looked at Sun and Guo and said, "For now, it's just us. Let's discuss and add any other rules you can think of."

Sun and Guo were a bit overwhelmed but understood the general idea, so they nodded.

Guo Yingying said to Lin Qiangsheng, "No problem! I have one suggestion. Since you're paying, let Chen Yao manage the finances."

"I, I!" Chen Yao raised her hand, excitedly calling out.

Lin Qiangsheng glanced at Chen Yao, who was eager to participate. He smiled and shook his head, earning a glare from Chen Yao.

Lin Qiangsheng said, "I think I should manage the money myself. Chen Yao can record the expenses and report to me. I've thought about it, and it's not safe to let a young girl manage the money right now!"

Sun Ying and Guo Yingying nodded. Sun Ying smiled and said, "Good, you're thorough. Chen Yao is a girl, and it's not reassuring for her to handle money!"

Chen Yao secretly glared at Sun Ying, thinking: Well, Sun Ying is even worse at speaking than Lin Qiangsheng! Humph!

Lin Qiangsheng then wrote down the research direction. Just giving orders wasn't enough; people needed to know what they were doing. He said, "My idea is, Brother Sun and Sister Guo, you can gather some interested people to join our study group. We should visit places with books, like the library, city cultural center, and Xinhua Bookstore, to find translation works. Collect beautiful and concise language, and record the elegant and concise words and phrases. Create a directory to help everyone learn. Through these concise and beautiful words, we can develop a new translation theory, which I call 'Translation Aesthetics'!"

Sun Ying's eyes lit up. He quietly repeated the term a few times and exclaimed, "Translation Aesthetics! Good! Indeed good! Lin Qiangsheng, your research direction is very interesting! 'Translation Aesthetics' is a great term! This will help people learn foreign languages more effectively, allowing them to grasp the essence of the masters' language and quickly master translation skills. Excellent, really excellent!"

The more Sun Ying thought about it, the more he found the direction of studying translation through aesthetics profound. He looked at the younger Lin Qiangsheng, unsure whether to admire or envy him!

All of them were foreign language majors, with Guo Yingying specializing in Russian and the other three in English, so they had a lot to discuss.

When Sun and Guo talked about their majors, it was like opening a floodgate. Sun Ying was well-versed in both ancient and modern topics, showing his extensive reading. Guo Yingying could also bring up some topics, discussing some excellent translations she had read.

For example, Li Dan and Fang Yu's translation of "Les Misérables," which was grand and resonant. Guan Zhenhu's translation of "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame," which was elegant and romantic. Li Jianwu's translation of "Madame Bovary," which was refined and graceful. Zhu Shenghao's translation of "The Complete Works of Shakespeare," which was a classic that needed no explanation.

Sun Ying said reservedly, "Mu Dan's translation of 'Eugene Onegin,' I particularly like his translation of 'The Waste Land.' I consider him the best Chinese translator of poetry, and his own poetry is also excellent."

Guo Yingying said excitedly, "Chen Dongbiao's translations are also very beautiful. His translation of 'Rain' always leaves me with vivid imagery."

"Suddenly the dusk became bright

Because now the fine rain is falling.

Or has fallen. Rain

Is undoubtedly a thing of the past.

Whoever hears the rain falling, recalls

That time when a happy fate presented him

A flower called a rose

And its wondrous, vivid red color."

Guo Yingying's expression changed as she recited two passages from Chen Dongbiao's translation, causing the others and nearby students to hold their breath. They naturally imagined the red rose.

"Every time I think of this passage, it feels so profound. It leaves a deep impression on the heart," Guo Yingying said, her voice rising and falling.

At the table, the group was deeply engaged in their conversation. Sun and Guo, both in their early twenties, had rich and nuanced emotions. Whether mature or immature, their discussions captivated the inexperienced Chen Yao, who listened intently, as if to a captivating story.

On the way back to Chen Yao's dormitory, her mood was still unsettled.

Chen Yao said excitedly, "Qiangsheng, Brother Sun and Sister Guo know so much. I've never even heard of those books. How do they read so many books?"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "Reading is about reading what interests you, and you naturally remember it better. If you're not interested, you'll just skim through it. Reading many books is impressive, but not reading isn't a big deal!"

Lin Qiangsheng thought of a few remarks about reading made by a domestic tycoon in the future and summarized them.

Chen Yao nodded, the girl hugging her cloth bag, imagining herself swimming in a sea of books, which filled her with immense satisfaction!