1980 My literary era

The twelfth lunar month passed quickly. After the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, Lin Weimin successively received feedback from Random House and Gallimard Publishing House on the novel "No matter what, life is beautiful".

Because the novel is in English, Random House can directly review and publish it, with an initial printing of 500,000 copies. Gallimard still needs time to translate, and the first printing volume has reached 300,000 copies.

The latest masterpiece of the new winner of the Goncourt Literary Prize must have this appearance.

"No matter what, life is beautiful" is about to be published, and Teacher Lin will make millions of dollars in tears again.

On the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhang Yimou, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, visited Lin Weimin's home.

The year 1987 was like a dream to Zhang Yimou.

In February, "Red Sorghum" won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival, and he suddenly became a proud and representative figure in the Chinese film industry.

There is almost no time for rest throughout the year, either when I am attending a film festival or on my way to one.

When chatting with Lin Weimin, Zhang Yimou lamented that winning an award and becoming famous is not necessarily a good thing. He had not thought about movies for a long time.

Others may be referring to Versailles when they say this, but Lin Weimin understands Zhang Yimou's words.

Looking back on future generations, when he was over 70 years old, he could still produce movies at the rate of one movie per year. If it weren't for his love for movies, who could do it? He has long since taken care of himself.

Almost half of the year was spent participating in film festivals and various activities. Even if he received some honors, it was indeed a waste for Zhang Yimou.

Are the awards at those film festivals higher than the Golden Bear?

It's just to give the official face. It's not easy for such an award-winning film to be produced in China, so naturally it needs to be flaunted, just like a poor man suddenly getting rich.

When Lin Weimin asked about his plans for his next film, Zhang Yimou shook his head blankly. He had been busy outside for a year, and it was all unrelated to film shooting. How could he have the time and energy to consider these things.

And he feels that in the year he didn't make a movie, his ideas for movies have almost come to a standstill.

There is also a burden in my heart. "Red Sorghum" won the Golden Bear Award, so the next movie can't be too bad, right?

Even if you don't win the Golden Bear, you have to go to a few film festivals and win a few awards, otherwise it's a failure.

This is the burden of success. Even if Zhang Yimou was already middle-aged when he became famous, it was still difficult to avoid being swayed by such emotions.

Lin Weimin understood his thoughts, shook his head and said, "You have to learn to refuse appropriately, otherwise how will people know you have a temper?"

As he spoke, he walked to the bookshelf, took out a copy of "Contemporary" and handed it to Zhang Yimou.

This operation is so familiar!

Zhang Yimou took over the magazine, which was published in the second half of the year and had just been published a few months ago.

"You haven't read many new novels this year, have you?" Lin Weimin asked.

A hint of shame flashed across Zhang Yimou's face, "Yeah."

"Take a good look, maybe you'll get some inspiration." Lin Weimin clicked on the magazine cover and said with some deep meaning.

Zhang Yimou nodded in conviction. The few times Teacher Lin clicked on the magazine were similar to the three times Bodhi Patriarch hit Wukong on the head.

With Teacher Lin's guidance, he somehow let go of the previous burdens and obsessions. He decided to read through this issue of "Contemporary" when he went back. Teacher Lin would never make a mistake.

In the evening, Tao Huimin came back from filming and talked to Lin Weimin about returning to Wenzhou for the New Year.

Lin Weimin had nothing to do during this period, but Tao Huimin had to film a movie and couldn't take a holiday until the 27th of the twelfth lunar month.

After a year and a half of filming, "Dream of Red Mansions" is already halfway through production and will be finished in another year.

It was the holiday on the 27th, and counting the time spent on the train, it was almost the New Year when the two of them arrived at Tao Huimin's house.

On the 23rd, the new year, Lin Weimin took Tao Huimin to Qizuo Hutong and had a dinner.

This year he won't be celebrating the New Year in Yanjing, so this meal will be regarded as an early New Year's Eve dinner.

The eldest daughter of Han Zhuangzhuang's family is now half a year old. Yin Geli has plenty of breast milk and the child is growing very happily. Tao Huimin teased her for a while and her eyes were full of love.

Occasionally glancing at Teacher Lin is very stressful.

The next day, Tao Huimin continued filming, while Lin Weimin began preparing the new year's goods to take home.

These days, unlike later generations, there is no online shopping, and there are not so many supermarkets. If you want to buy things, you really have to travel from place to place.

After a busy day, when she got home, Tao Huimin was a little worried when she saw so many things. "I bought too many things. I don't need so much."

"When a new son-in-law comes to visit, he must show his sincerity!" Lin Weimin said with a smile.

Tao Huimin's eyebrows showed a bit of joy.

Another day, the editorial department called Lin Weimin and asked him to go to the unit to collect bonuses and new year's gifts.

Lin Weimin drove to the Chinese Literature Society and said hello to Uncle Zhai.

"Hey, for the sake of the people, I feel a lot more energetic when I don't go to work!"

"That's right! Only when you don't go to work do you know how good it is to not go to work!"

As Lin Weimin was talking, he saw Cheng Wanchun coming down the stairs from the second floor.

He frowned as he listened to Lin Weimin's words. There was something wrong with this kid's state of mind!

"Weimin, how have you been at home recently? My colleagues at work miss you very much!"

Lin Weimin was flattered by the sudden condolences from the leader, "I miss you all, but the problem is that we have been suspended!"

Lin Weimin looked like an old hermaphrodite as soon as he opened his mouth, and his appearance instantly became hateful.

"I'm thinking about going to the finance department to collect the royalties, but the pile is almost getting hairy!"

Cheng Wanchun hummed and went out.

Lin Weimin said to Uncle Zhai: "This leader is hypocritical."

Arriving at the finance office, Lin Weimin immediately became the focus of everyone's attention.

"Oh, you are finally here!"

The huge fee sheet was left in the office, but Lin Weimin didn't come to collect it. The finance team was worried all day long.

Now that the trend of the Goncourt Literary Prize has passed, the sales of Lin Weimin's works have also entered a stable stage.

In more than two months, the total print volume of many Lin Weimin's works published by the Chinese Literature Society exceeded 12 million copies. According to feedback from bookstores and post offices in various places, the vast majority of them have been sold out, leaving only a small amount of stock. , it is expected that it will be digested in half a year.

Among them, the most popular ones are "Farewell My Concubine" and "Ming Dynasty 1566", with sales exceeding one million each in two months. This is just two months of sales.

"Farewell My Concubine" has therefore become the first work among Lin Weimin's works to have a total sales volume of more than 5 million copies in China.

In the past two months, the benefits created by Lin Weimin's works accounted for almost a quarter of the Chinese Literature Society's entire year. If the sales of Lin Weimin's works in other times of the year are included, plus the sales of "Contemporary" hosted by Lin Weimin, Lin Weimin's The impact is nearly two-thirds of the benefits of the Chinese Literature Society.

It's absolutely terrifying!

Lin Weimin also received an astonishing 820,000 yuan in royalties from the printing of these two months, which is more than the total annual salary of all Chinese Literature Society employees combined.

Under the watchful eyes of the financial staff, Lin Weimin signed and received the manuscript payment slip, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The royalties have been sent away, and everyone can have a good New Year!

After receiving the royalties, Lin Weimin received his year-end bonus, totaling 242 yuan and 60 cents, which was almost two months' salary.

Lin Weimin was happier with the money than with the hundreds of thousands in royalties, "The benefits of the club this year are really good!"

"Isn't that thanks to you? All my colleagues in the company benefited from it."

Lin Weimin is a middle-level cadre in the company, and his salary is relatively high. After two months' salary, everyone should be about the same.

With two extra months of salary at once, you guys can have a good year this year.

"This is all the hard work of everyone!" Lin Weimin said with a smile.

After leaving finance, Lin Weimin went to the "Contemporary" editorial office in the back building and greeted his colleagues warmly.

After not seeing each other for a while, everyone was obviously a little haggard. Lin Weimin was in a good mood when he saw this.

"You guys, you should pay more attention to rest and don't exhaust your body."

Lin Weimin's earnest instructions fully reflected the leader's care and love for his subordinates.

Everyone looked at him with eyes full of disgust and contempt.

Suspension gives you a sense of superiority!

After being "sent off" from the office by everyone, Lin Weimin first went to the post office to collect his manuscript fee.

With such a large amount of royalties, the post office leaders were paralyzed when they saw it. If they were here, they would definitely not be able to finish it today.

No one would let Teacher Lin's situation be special. He took Lin Weimin directly to the Yanjing branch and withdrew the money.

It was almost dark after I finished handling the manuscript fees, but it was only just five o'clock.

Lin Weimin drove to the high-rise building of Muxidi and carried things from his unit upstairs.

After a while, Tao Huimin also drove up, and the two made an appointment to have dinner at Mr. Wan's house tonight.

"Huimin and I will go back to their hometown to meet his parents in two days." Lin Weimin told Mr. Wan.

Mr. Wan nodded happily after hearing this, "I should have gone to meet you a long time ago. Let's discuss the marriage at home. You are almost thirty now."

For the older generation, urging marriage seems to be a topic that must be mentioned every New Year, and even Mr. Wan is not exempt from it.

Lin Weimin now has no father or mother, and Mr. Wan is one of the few relatives he has.

"I know, it will definitely be settled this time."

On the last day before Tao Huimin's vacation, on the weekend, Lin Weimin organized another gathering of friends, and the venue was set at the small courtyard in Shichahai where Shi Tiesheng currently lives.

Shi Tiesheng's family, Qu Xiaowei's family, Zheng Guo's family, Wang Shuo's family, more than a dozen families gathered together.

"It's really different after getting married. Tiesheng looks much more energetic than before! It's all thanks to Ximi!"

After Liu Haiyan finished her praise, everyone agreed in unison.

This was indeed the case. During the year of their marriage, Cheng Ximi took good care of Shi Tiesheng. The key was that she was still working, which was particularly difficult.

Cheng Ximi was embarrassed to be praised by everyone for her hard work.

Qu Xiaowei asked: "Everyone comes here with their families and is serving the people. When will you and Teacher Tao do things?"

Lin Weimin smiled and said: "Don't worry, I'll discuss it with her parents first when we go back to Wenzhou. "Dream of Red Mansions" will have to be filmed for another year next year. No matter what, we have to wait until the movie is finished."

Yao Shuzhi joked: "Your teacher Tao made this movie just in time for the Red Army's 25,000-mile Long March. How many years has it been filming?"

"'A Dream of Red Mansions' is a huge production, and it is normal to take two or three years to film it. CCTV's TV series has been struggling for several years, let alone a movie." Zheng Guo said.

Everyone sat together and chatted, and the kitchen prepared meals. When it was almost noon, plates after plates of dishes were served on the table, which was extremely sumptuous.

While eating, Lin Weimin asked Zheng Guo: "Has your old man's matter been settled? It's been rumored for almost a year!"

"Soon, he will take office in the spring."

Qu Xiaowei sighed: "That's the minister."

"Hey, does your old man have to move to Shangshu Building?" Qu Xiaowei teased.

Shangshulou refers to the high-rise building in Muxidi.

Zheng Guo laughed and scolded: "Don't spread rumors!"

Lin Weimin watched the two bickering with a smile. The friends around him had benefited a lot from the old man of the Zheng family, and they wanted to repay them if they had the opportunity.