Back to 80: My Literary Life

"But. But."

Mom sighed.

My mother loves her eldest son very much. He has been sensible and good at academics since he was a child. Unfortunately, after graduating from junior high school, he joined a team and delayed his studies. After returning to the city, he was not admitted to college.

I have loved literature since I was a child and have always dreamed of being a writer and poet. Now I am setting up a bookstall just to make a living. This is so hurtful when word spreads out.

But at this time, Lei Xuecheng seemed to have figured it out, and he looked relaxed: "I have thought about it. Setting up a bookstall takes a long time, but it is not hard work. When I save money, I will rent a storefront and open a bookstore to sell books! Okay! We sell popular novels such as martial arts and romance, and we can even sell poems, songs, and serious literature!”

This is what he likes.

Lei Xuecheng became more and more excited as he talked. He now saw clearly the path he was going to take.

At first he was obsessed with literature and seemed a bit nerdy, but he was not stupid.

Early the next morning, Lei Xuecheng went out with the 300 yuan his mother secretly gave him. Three days later, there was another bookstall on the sidewalk not far from the gate of Western University.

"A book is rented for 20 cents a day, with a deposit of 5 yuan, and a magazine is 10 cents with a deposit of 2 yuan." Lei Xuecheng enthusiastically recruited past students: "And you can apply for a discount card for borrowing books from me."

"What is a discount card?" A boy was curious.

"It's like a library card in your university. You can pay 20 yuan in advance to get a card, and you can get a 20% discount on borrowing books and magazines."

"Is this a good thing? Okay, I'll do it!" A boy immediately took out two "Great Unity" cards from his pocket. Lei Xuecheng took out a neatly cut piece of kraft paper from his yellow satchel. In addition to the words "library card" on it, there was also his handwritten signature.

Lei Xuecheng has learned a good calligraphy, and his signature is so fast that most people can't imitate it, so he doesn't worry about someone pretending to sign his name.

Moreover, he also took out a small notebook to register the card holder's information and asked the other party to sign it, so whoever wanted to cheat could just take out his own notebook.

These are all the things he came up with after not sleeping well last night.

Since you want to do it, you have to use your brain more.

At the end of the day, 52 books and magazines were rented out, making a net profit of 18 yuan. However, including the deposit and card application, the income was as high as 650 yuan!

Oh my god.

Sure enough, as Fang Minghua said, this thing is very profitable.

Well, I'll ask my mom to help me look at the bookstall tomorrow, and I'll go and buy some more books.

It was already a week after Fang Minghua saw Lei Xuecheng again. His younger sister was a graduate student at Northwestern Polytechnical University. She was busy with her studies and often didn't come back on weekends, so her mother asked Fang Minghua to send some food there sometimes.

Today is the weekend. When Fang Minghua passed by the gate of Western University on his bicycle carrying a box of peach cakes, he saw the busy Lei Xuecheng, so he slowed down.

At this time, although Lei Xuecheng's complexion was a bit weathered and his skin was not as tender as the last time I saw him, he was in good spirits and was busy recommending a romance novel written by Qiong Yao to a female student:

"Classmate, I suggest you read this book "Several Degrees of Red Sunset". This is Qiong Yao's masterpiece. Its name comes from a poem written by Yang Shen, a writer in the Ming Dynasty: "Linjiang Immortal: The Rolling Water of the Yangtze River Passes East". One line: The green mountains remain the same. Here, the sunset turns red several times. This writing is as beautiful as this poem."

"But I like reading Sanmao's books," the girl said.

"Then read this collection of essays "Stories of the Sahara". Lei Xuecheng immediately picked up another book from the bookstall.

"This book tells the story of Sanmao walking into the desolate and monotonous Sahara Desert with his luggage on his back. It is very beautiful to find and experience the truth, goodness and beauty of life in the desert."

"Did you know? "Olive Tree" is the song Qi Yu sang. The lyrics were written by Sanmao based on her time in the Sahara Desert. Isn't it nice?"

After hearing this, the girl immediately rented the book and left happily.

When Fang Minghua saw this scene, he smiled and rode his bicycle past the bookstall without saying hello.

It's early March, and the grass is growing and the orioles are flying.

Today is Saturday, and Fang Minghua is riding with Song Tangtang back to her parents' house for dinner.

The young couple is busy at work, especially Song Tangtang's company, which has a lot of work, so they usually don't work together. At noon, Fang Minghua solves problems in his workplace canteen, while Song Tangtang eats at a restaurant on the street, and in the evening he rides to Fang Minghua's parents' place for dinner.

But on Saturday night, I usually go back to Song Tangtang's parents' place, have a meal, and the two of them talk together.

It was the same today. The two rode into the military compound. When they entered the yard, they saw a man wearing an 85-style military uniform.

Song Tangtang's brother Song Yuemin usually comes back with his wife and son on weekends.

The family was having dinner lively, and Song Tangtang’s father would open a bottle of Moutai at this time and ask his son and son-in-law to have a few drinks with him.

My son is not good at drinking, but my son-in-law is.

However, starting from the second day after the wedding, Fang Minghua was prohibited from drinking, euphemistically calling it: "Closing the mountains to cultivate forests."

For the sake of the next generation, and in order to have a good grandson, Song Tangtang's father had no choice but to endure the pain and stop drinking, and drink some Jianlibao, which has been very popular in the past two years.

Everyone chatted while eating, usually Song Tangtang's father and Song Yuemin talking about the army. Fang Minghua listened quietly.

"Dad, I heard that the military rank system is about to be restored?" Song Yuemin asked.

"Yes, the Central Military Commission has set up a special "Military Rank Office" group and has been planning for several years. It is estimated that it will be implemented within the next year."

Song Yuemin was a little excited after hearing this: "Dad, I am now a regiment-level cadre. At least I can be given a colonel, or a senior colonel!"

Unexpectedly, my father's eyes widened: "What a beautiful idea! You are a regiment-level cadre, and you are not the leader of a serious field force. You are a lieutenant colonel. You are a senior colonel?!"

Song Yuemin immediately became silent and buried his head in eating.

Fang Minghua laughed secretly in his heart.

My father-in-law treats me very well. After drinking too much, he dares to put his arm around his shoulders and call me brother, but he treats his son Song Yuemin very harshly.

Maybe it’s because of the high hopes?

Song Tangtang's father didn't seem to have said enough, and continued to scold: "Look at Minghua, he is now a cadre at the deputy department level, which is equivalent to the deputy division level in the army! He is much better than you!"

Song Yuemin felt very aggrieved after hearing this.

It's a false position. He has a rank that doesn't even provide salary. How can he compare with serious regimental-level cadres?

However, my brother-in-law is indeed very capable. He is only 26 years old and is the vice chairman of the Qin Provincial Writers Association. He will be co-opted as a director of the National Writers Association next year!

Tsk tsk

Suddenly, Song Yuemin thought of something and said to Fang Minghua: "Minghua, I heard that your magazine is going to reform? Are you going to compete for the editor-in-chief?"