1980 My literary era

Arthur Miller was eagerly looking forward to Lin Weimin's arrival. Lin Weimin previously said that he would contact him after April to determine the specific time to go to America. Arthur Miller had already sent the invitation letter at the beginning of the month.

It is estimated that it will arrive in a few days, and Lin Weimin can apply for a visa to the United States.

Before Lin Weimin and Arthur Miller discussed the details of going to the United States, he thought he had to say hello to his unit in advance.

In the editorial department of "Contemporary", Qin Chaoyang is a retired salted fish, and Lin Weimin is the pillar. This is a recognized fact.

Lin Weimin will be away from his job for a long time, which will have a huge impact on the operation of "Contemporary".

Comrade Lao Qin was furious when he heard that Lin Weimin planned to take two months' leave.

"I'm a retired old comrade, you can't cheat me like this!" Tan Chaoyang said with a bitter look on his face.

"What do you mean by tricking you? Comrade Lao Qin, I have to say a few words to you. How can you still cheat and cheat when you are doing revolutionary work?

It’s true that I am the editor-in-chief of the editorial department, but you are also the director of the editorial department!

It doesn’t matter that I usually do a lot, who keeps me young? But you can’t let your guard down at the critical moment! "

Tan Chaoyang was speechless by Lin Weimin and made a silent protest. Lin Weimin went directly to the front building to ask for leave from Meng Weizai.

After Meng Weizai heard about it, he was silent for a while and asked, "Do I have to go?"

"My friends over there have been waiting for a long time. It would be inappropriate not to go again."

Meng Weizai nodded. He had heard about the popularity of Lin Weimin's works in the United States.

"Then arrange the work and say hello in advance before leaving."

"good!"

Lin Weimin took a leave of absence and happily left the office.

Meng Weizai looked at his back with a melancholy expression.

In less than half a day, the news that Lin Weimin was going to take two months off to go to the United States topped the "Chinese Literature Society Hot Search List" and triggered a lunch tea party in the cafeteria.

Colleagues asked Lin Weimin to confirm the news, but Lin Weimin could only admit it helplessly.

In the past few years, the Chinese Literature Society has occasionally had opportunities to go abroad, but mostly the leaders go there for inspections and visits, and they are not in close contact with most of the soldiers.

Lin Weimin's situation this time is different from that of the leaders. I heard that he went to the United States at the invitation of a friend.

Everyone knows that Lin Weimin's works have been well received in the United States. This kind of utilitarian overseas trip is more enviable than those that go abroad for purely political or cultural reasons.

This is a country that relies on strength!

Unlike the last time I went to Xiangjiang, where everyone enthusiastically asked him to help carry things, this time few colleagues asked Lin Weimin to help with shopping.

Xiangjiang has close ties with the country. Even if you have never used many products, you have heard about them and said that the products in Xiangjiang are good. If you can afford them, you will naturally want to purchase them.

The United States is different from Xiangjiang. It is too far away from China. People don’t even know what they can bring from the United States. Anyway, Lin Weimin would definitely not dare to bring back those things advertised in the media.

A few days later, Arthur Miller's invitation letter arrived, and Lin Weimin took the information to the embassy to apply for a visa.

Lao Mi was too late to welcome cultural celebrities like Lin Weimin to the United States, and the visa application went smoothly.

After getting the visa, Lin Weimin's time to go to the United States was also determined.

Before leaving, Lin Weimin prepared a meal.

In late April in Yanjing, spring is warm and flowers are blooming.

The leaves in the Shichahai courtyard are green, the bonsais are becoming more and more beautiful, and the goldfish in the fish tank are jumping around.

The child of Qu Xiaowei's family was standing on a small bench, grabbing the edge of the fish tank and reaching for the goldfish in the tank. Yao Shuzhi found the child and picked up the child, "You can't fish for goldfish, how dangerous it is!"

Liu Haiyan, who was busy in the kitchen, heard the sound, came out and slapped the child's butt a few times, "Let you be naughty! Let you be naughty!"

"Wow wow wow!" The child cried heartbreakingly.

Lin Weimin was eating melon seeds and gloating about his misfortune, that's right! Let you harm my fish!

The others didn't notice at all and were still chatting.

The Shichahai courtyard, which has been silent for a long time, is particularly lively today. The nephew and his wife, Qu Xiaowei's family, Zheng Guo's family, Shi Tiesheng's family, Yu Hua, Mo Yan, Wang Shuo and his wife, Tong Zhonggui...

Almost all the friends from Yanjing who could come came. Everyone heard that Lin Weimin was going to the United States to stay for a while, so they came to see him off happily.

"Two months is not a long time, not a short time. It is enough for the people to see the colorful world of capitalism." Qu Xiaowei joked.

"For the people, please remember that you can eat the sugar coating of the old rice, but the cannonballs must be sent back!" Zheng Guo agreed.

"Haha!" Everyone laughed.

Seven or eight gay men were sitting in the yard chatting. Shi Tiesheng was sitting in a wheelchair. Lin Weimin was holding the handle of the wheelchair with one hand. The others were sitting or standing, and Mo Yan was squatting next to Wang Shuo.

There were a variety of chat topics. Apart from teasing Lin Weimin, the most talked about topics were naturally literature and creation.

Shi Tiesheng has recently finished writing the novella "The Story of Queue Jumping". The manuscript has been handed over to Lin Weimin. The editorial department has reviewed it and it has been approved. It is expected to be released to readers in July.

The winter before last year, Lin Weimin took Shi Tiesheng to Shaanxi to pursue love, and by the way returned to Guanjiazhuang, where he had joined the team in northern Shaanxi.

After Shi Tiesheng returned to Yanjing, he always wanted to write a story about his time when he jumped in line. In fact, in the past few years, his works have successively mentioned his time as an educated youth, but the writing was not detailed enough to make Shi Tiesheng Comfort.

After more than a year of planning, he finally wrote "The Story of Queue Cutting".

"The Story of Queue Jumping" can be attributed to the educated youth literature based on its name. Going even further, it can also be called scar literature.

Much of the literature written by educated youth these days contains strong negative emotions and accusations. In a few years, it will be reduced to pornography.

Liang Xiaosheng's praise of the experience of educated youth is not particularly widespread.

Shi Tiesheng's description of the experience of educated youth is somewhat different from the two. In his novels, you can't see the joy, sorrow, passion or indifference. If forced to compare, Lin Weimin feels that his style is like Guanjiazhuang The Qingping River in front of me is quiet, warm and indifferent.

When talking about the manuscript, Yu Hua asked Shi Tiesheng about the manuscript fee.

"Eighteen yuan for a thousand words." Shi Tiesheng told the truth.

Yu Hua's eyes widened at that time, "So high?"

Mo Yan looked at Yu Hua in surprise, "You often go to the editorial office, don't you know? Now the remuneration standard has been raised!"

"I know, but a thousand words cost eighteen yuan..."

Yu Hua didn't finish what he said because he was a little offended.

Eighteen yuan per thousand words is too high!

Yu Hua didn't think that Shi Tiesheng shouldn't take this figure, but it was just that the price changed so much compared with the previous price that he was caught off guard.

Wang Shuo said with a smile on his face, "What's the big deal? The novella I gave to the editorial department was only fifteen thousand words long!"

At this point, he complained to Lin Weimin: "Everyone is a mid-level guy, why is Tiesheng three yuan more expensive than me?"

Yu Hua watched Wang Shuo shoot at Lin Weimin and thought, fifteen yuan for a thousand words is not enough?

"Just be content! It's good if you can publish it. Let me tell you first, you will be scolded by the editorial department after your article is published, and you won't get better either. No one will support you."

It is impossible to be rated as ruffian literature without being scolded.

Lin Weimin made the decision and agreed to publish Wang Shuo's article "The Stubborn Lord", and he was already prepared to be scolded.

Fortunately, he is going to the United States soon, so Lao Qin can bear the artillery fire alone.

Wang Shuo curled his lips. He knew that what Lin Weimin said was the truth, but he was not angry in his heart. "Why don't you listen to those people who are doing nothing but stop writing novels?"

Master Shuo has never convinced anyone when it comes to talking nonsense.

Even if someone beats him to the ground and calls him daddy, as long as you dare to let go of him, he will immediately turn into a grandpa.

Everyone was chatting and laughing, and Yu Hua secretly asked Mo Yan, "Did you get a small royalties for "The Red Sorghum Family"?"

Mo Yan said: "Yes, I published it last year, but I didn't catch up with the manuscript fee."

"That's a big loss!"

Yu Hua said this while thinking in his mind.

Mo Yan's "Red Sorghum Family" has 300,000 words. Three yuan for a thousand words is 900 yuan, which is more than the price of publishing a novella.

Just now Tiesheng said that his article "The Story of Queue Jumping" has more than 70,000 words and costs 18 yuan for 1,000 words, which is 1,300 to 400 yuan.

It’s just a novella with more than 70,000 words, which is almost as much as the price of a full-length novel in the past.

If we wait another year or two and the royalties increase again, it will be a net profit!

Yu Hua found another honest reason for delaying the manuscript.

There was noisy chatting in the courtyard, and when it was almost noon, the table was set up in the courtyard.

The wind is gentle and the sun is warm, and it is quite pleasant to eat in the yard.

There were so many people today that more than a dozen people could not sit at one table, so two tables were set up.

While eating, everyone chatted with Lin Weimin about the United States.

It's been two months since he left, and his friends are still very concerned about him.

However, Lin Weimin's trip to the United States this time is different from those who were invited to visit. To put it bluntly, he and Arthur Miller are partners, just like later generations of company bosses who go abroad for inspections. Can't the partner company entertain them with good food and drinks? ?

When Lin Weimin said that all the houses in the United States had been rented, everyone felt relieved.

After lunch, everyone packed up and left.

When the house became empty, Lin Weimin also started to pack his luggage.

Early the next morning, Lin Weimin took a taxi instead of driving.

In the past two years, Yanjing City imported a batch of crown taxis. These taxis usually only work at the airport and major hotels. Lin Weimin called to make an appointment yesterday.

The taxi arrived at the door of his house early in the morning, and Lin Weimin got into the car with his luggage.

Along the way, the driver chatted to Lin Weimin. These drivers usually pick up foreigners a lot. They boast that they are well-informed and talk arrogantly.

There are very few taxis in this era, and a taxi starts at five yuan. For example, when Lin Weimin went to the airport today, one trip was enough for an ordinary worker to earn half a month's salary.

This also makes the profession of taxi driver very popular, not to mention driving a Crown?

These drivers have to wear suits and ties to work, which is considered a proper gold collar nowadays, and many of them are even married to stewardesses.

After getting out of the car, Lin Weimin looked at the back of Crown Taxi.

I have to change my car next time I come back. I didn’t take a taxi before and I didn’t pay attention. Driving a car is just like other taxis. Teacher Lin can’t afford to embarrass this person!