Xue Chuqing froze.
She had never imagined that Secretary Zhou would be so familiar with Wen Mosheng's works that he could casually quote two passages from them.
The first passage came from Wen Mosheng's novel My Hometown. Xue Chuqing remembered a literary master's appraisal of it: through ridicule and satire, and descriptions that transcended taboos, the author skillfully exposed society's darkest side, vividly presenting readers with a world devoid of truth, common sense, or compassion.
The second passage came from one of Wen Mosheng's travel essays. In it, the author lavished praise on the local people's simplicity, kindness, dedication, and many other virtues, using extravagant expressions such as "a place I had long yearned to visit," "a sightseeing paradise," "industrious and humble," and "worthy of respect and admiration." Under his pen, every person, every landscape, and every little incident shone with a dazzling brilliance that left his compatriots feeling ashamed of their own shortcomings.
After a brief moment of distraction, indignation appeared on Xue Chuqing's face. "If I understand you correctly, you mean that Wen Mosheng treats his homeland and foreign countries in entirely different ways, and that he might be applying a double standard. Is that right?"
"I believe that flaws and shortcomings should, of course, be depicted. Precisely because it is his own home, his deep love makes him judge it harshly. What is wrong with that? As for Wen Mosheng's attitude toward other countries, that is simply courtesy and politeness. There is no need to read too much into it."
Zhou Yi asked impassively, "His deep love makes him judge it harshly? Relentless criticism, condemnation, and even slander-he can be tolerant and polite toward others, yet extremely harsh and rude toward his own people. I think any normal person would find that way of expressing 'love' difficult