Back to 80: My Literary Life

Fang Minghua took the train to Yanjing at noon. He originally said that he could take the bus to the station, but Song Tangtang insisted on using the company's Lada to take him to the train station.

"Minghua, don't you want to buy a courtyard house in Yanjing? My grandpa said not long ago that he heard that someone was selling it, near Houhai. You can take a look when you go to Yanjing this time." Song Tangtang said.

"Okay, I'll go take a look and buy if it suits me."

"Also, don't drink with grandpa when you arrive in Yanjing this time! He is getting older, and you should drink less too!"

"Okay, okay, I know." Fang Minghua agreed. "Go back quickly."

Fang Minghua said goodbye to Song Tangtang and entered the waiting hall with his luggage bag. Just as he was about to go up to the second floor and go east to the waiting hall, he was suddenly stopped by a young man.

"Hello, are you the writer Minghua?"

Fang Minghua turned around and looked at the strange young man. He was holding an old travel bag and seemed to be preparing to catch the train.

Probably a fan.

These days, Fang Minghua is often recognized by fans outside, but fortunately, chasing stars is not as fanatical as in later generations. At most, he can just sign a small book or something.

"Hello, I'm Fang Minghua." Fang Minghua replied with a smile.

"Are you going to Rongcheng to attend the Galaxy Awards ceremony? Great! I'm going to attend the Galaxy Awards ceremony too."

The young man excitedly told Fang Minghua that his name was Sun Jianguo, and he worked in a factory in Xijing. He was a science fiction enthusiast. He heard that Science and Literature magazine was going to hold the first Galaxy Award, so he specifically asked for leave from his boss and took three days off to rush to Chengdu. Meet some friends who share the same interests as you.

After listening to the young man's words, Fang Minghua said: "Sorry, I'm not going to Rongcheng, but to Yanjing to attend the Mao Dun Literature Award Ceremony."

"Oh." The young man had a look of disappointment on his face.

Only then did I remember that I heard that she also won this year’s Mao Dun Literature Award.

The Mao Dun Award is of course more important than the Galaxy Award.

Fang Minghua waved goodbye to the young man, and soon he lined up to enter the station and got on the train, which was naturally a sleeper berth.

Sitting on the lower bunk, looking at the village flying past outside the window, Fang Minghua couldn't help but think of the disappointed expression of the young man he met at the station just now, and Fang Minghua sighed slightly.

The train arrived at Yanjing Station the next morning, and Fang Minghua moved directly into the home of Song Tangtang's grandfather and grandmother in the General Political Courtyard.

The prospective grandson-in-law will win the Mao Dun Literature Award. My grandma has already prepared lunch and specially took out the copper hot pot and had a meal of mutton-shabu at home.

Originally, grandpa wanted to take out Moutai and drink two glasses of wine, but Fang Minghua declined: "Grandpa, I am going to the Great Hall of the People to attend the award ceremony in the afternoon. It is not good to smell like alcohol. When I come back in the evening, I will have two glasses of wine with you!"

"Okay, I'll wait for you tonight."

The two of them had long forgotten Song Tangtang's instructions.

On December 9, 1985, the second "Mao Dun Literature Award" was held in the Great Hall of the People in the capital. Leaders of relevant departments in the capital and hundreds of people from the literary circle gathered together to celebrate this grand event in the literary world.

Zhang Jie, the author of "Heavy Wings", Li Yan, the author of "The Bell and Drum Tower", the author of "The Yellow River Flows East", and Fang Minghua, the author of "Crossing the Guandong", stood on the podium one after another, and received awards from the leaders of the Ministry of Culture, **** Leaders of the **, Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Writers Association leaders received bright red certificates with gilded letters in their hands, and lined them up. Flash lights flashed around them, and thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

At the same time, thousands of miles away in Chengdu, a literary awards ceremony was also taking place, but it was much shabbier.

In the simple conference room of "Science and Literature" magazine, dozens of science fiction authors and science fiction enthusiasts from all over the country were sitting. A small podium was temporarily set up, and a banner was hung: " The First China Science Fiction Galaxy Awards Ceremony"

There were no flowers, no concierge, and award-giving guests were sitting behind a row of tables temporarily placed on the stage.

In addition to Yang Xiao, the president of "Science Literature and Art" magazine, there were two older men, Zhou Mengpu, then chairman of the Sichuan Science Popularization Creation Association, and Tong Enzheng, vice chairman, who were the only official representatives attending the ceremony.

There is another thin, middle-aged man with glasses whom Fang Minghua would recognize if he came - Osamu Iwakami, president of the Japanese Chinese Science Fiction Research Association.

Osamu Iwagami took the initiative when he heard in Japan that China was going to host the first Galaxy Awards, and Yang Xiao also warmly welcomed it.

As the award presenters called out the names of the award-winning authors, the authors looked excited amid warm applause.

The first person to take the stage was a man wearing black glasses who looked a little shy and looked like a college student.

"Comrade Liu Cixin, the author of "The Wandering Earth" who won first prize in the Galaxy Cup!"

He is the author of "The Wandering Earth"!

The audience exclaimed.

This science fiction novel came out of nowhere and directly ignited the entire science fiction world. It is so creative and majestic that it is hard to imagine that it was written by a college student who had just graduated.

Liu Cixin stood on the podium with an excited expression: "Here I would like to thank the editors of "Science and Literature" magazine for their patient guidance and repeated communication. At the same time, I would also like to thank "Yanhe" magazine Fang Minghua, editor-in-chief of Fang Minghua News Agency, whose science fiction novels opened up my thinking and horizons and ignited the fire of science fiction in my heart."

At this time, Fang Minghua had already received the certificate and was being interviewed by a female reporter from Guangming Daily.

"Comrade Fang Minghua, how do you feel when you receive the Mao Dun Award?"

"I am very excited. I would like to thank my leaders, colleagues, friends and family for their encouragement and support. I will turn their encouragement and support into motivation to write better works in the future."

Fang Minghua talked eloquently to reporters.

"I heard that the article "Country Teacher" written by you won the American Science Fiction Nebula Award? This is also bringing glory to the country." The female reporter changed the topic and asked again.

"Yes. At the same time, I feel honored to be awarded the first prize in the first domestic science fiction Galaxy Award."

"Is there any science fiction award in China? Why haven't I heard of it?" The female reporter was surprised.

"It was organized by the "Science and Literature" magazine in Chengdu. It is a pity that the award ceremony will be held in Chengdu today. Due to time conflicts, I cannot attend." Fang Minghua explained.

"Of course, how can the Galaxy Award be compared with the Mao Dun Award?" the female reporter finally said.

The corners of Fang Minghua's mouth moved, but he didn't say anything.

After accepting the reporter's interview, Fang Minghua returned to the General Political Courtyard, sat on the bus, looked at the busy traffic outside, and thought about his own business.

The award ceremony is over, and there are still things to do in Yanjing.

I'm going to visit Wang Meng, Shi Tiesheng, and Zhu Lin. I also have a dinner date with friends from the literary and art circles.

The courtyard house for sale in Houhai that Tangtang asked should also take time to go and have a look.

However, Fang Minghua was thinking about the reporter's words just now and the disappointed expression of the young man named Sun Jianguo at Xijing Station yesterday.

He suddenly decided to go to Rongcheng, right away.