hehe, wasn't trying to put you on the spot. Just for augument sa

I think the stress is on write poem in "English" that Mei Hong in the novel was furious about. Your comment was a bit different from hers.  I shouldn't say "just" because he  wants to "penetrate ... and rise...".

大山学相声，I think it is not just for fun either. People's motivations of doing things are far complicated than that, let alone that of a protaganist from a novel.