Back to 80: My Literary Life

"Brother Jia, you have taken care of everything." Fang Minghua joked.

"Look at this day, the crisp autumn air, sitting in the yard of Zhongshi's hometown, smoking cigarettes and drinking tea. The ancients talked about wine and mulberry, and we rubbed mulberry circles a few times. This is also life."

The other two laughed after hearing this.

Jia Pingwa got into the car and sat in the back seat, then picked up another plastic bag.

"This is the new chestnut produced in our hometown this year. Let Zhongshi try it. Hey, Lu Yao, what's in your newspaper?"

"The legs of lamb are also sent from my hometown."

"Oh. Then I'm in for a treat today. I want Zhongshi to open a bottle of wine!" Jia Pingwa said with a smile. "Now, Lu Yao, you are trading a shotgun for a cannon. Things are different now."

Lu Yao's family situation has changed so much that Jia Pingwa was a little confused at first. Both of them are vice presidents of the Provincial Writers Association and their salaries are about the same. How can he be so rich?

Royalties?

To be honest, among several people in the past two years, he has written the most novels!

Last year I wrote a book called "Impotence", and this year I wrote a novel called "Shangzhou"!

In terms of manuscript fees, he should have earned more than Lu Yao. Later, when the two of them were chatting, Lu Yao revealed the truth to him: He got the copyright income from the book "The Ordinary World" he wrote!

This made Jia Pingwa extremely envious.

But he was envious, so he didn't go to Shengshi Book Publishing Company.

Although his book "Shangzhou" has good reviews in the literary circles, from the perspective of reader feedback, it cannot be compared with Lu Yao's "The Ordinary World".

I heard that the private book publishing company mainly publishes martial arts, romance and other popular publications under a book number, and focuses on economic benefits. "The Ordinary World" is a special case.

From this perspective, my novel is a bit far behind.

But the next novel must be a sensational one!

We also want copyright income!

The car left Xijing City and headed east along the Bahe River. It took about forty minutes to arrive at Jiangxi Village, Chen Zhongshi's hometown. It drove along the dirt road all the way to the door of Chen Zhongshi's house.

The branches and leaves of the French plane tree in front of the door are still very thick, but the door of the small courtyard is closed tightly.

"Zhongshi! Zhongshi!" Jia Pingwa shouted at the door as soon as she got off the car.

Within a few minutes, the door creaked open, and a middle-aged woman came out. It was Wang Cuiying, Chen Zhongshi's wife.

Of course Wang Cuiying knew a few of them and greeted them with a smile: "Come in, Zhongshi is in the study."

Fang Minghua parked the car and followed everyone into the yard with his things. He saw Chen Zhongshi coming out of the study on the west side with a homemade old dry cigarette in his hand.

"What are you doing today?" Chen Zhongshi was a little surprised to see the three of them coming together.

"It's not good that I haven't seen you for a long time. Lu Yao and I thought about it for a while and decided to come see you. We also brought Minghua with us."

Chen Zhongshi laughed after hearing this and saw the mahjong box in his hand.

"What? Are you ready to play mahjong?"

"That's... what do you think men are doing together? Isn't it just drinking, bragging, playing mahjong and talking about women? Tell me, Lu Yao also brought a leg of lamb today!"

"Okay, then let Cuiying cook it for us and have a nice meal with a bottle of wine. Lu Yao, you can't drink." Chen Zhongshi also warned.

"I'm not going to drink. Is it okay to watch you drink?"

Lu Yao's words made everyone laugh.

Several people handed all the things they carried to Wang Cuiying, and then those who moved tables and chairs moved tables and chairs, and those who made tea made tea. It didn't take long for a mahjong table to be set up in the middle of the yard.

The rules of mahjong in Qin Province are simple. There are no plums, orchids, bamboos and chrysanthemums. There are no missing doors. You can only touch but not eat, so you don’t need to use too much brains when playing. Everyone chats while playing.

Jia Pingwa held a cigarette in her mouth, numbered the cards, and played a "red" card, and asked Chen Zhongshi: "Zhongshi, what are you doing hiding in your hometown recently? I heard that you are preparing a long novel?"

"Yes." Chen Zhongshi didn't hide anything. He threw out a "Fa Cai" card and said, "Look at you three, Minghua's novel has won the Mao Dun Award. The sales of "The Ordinary World" written by Lu Yao are booming this year. You Pingwa, you wrote two full-length novels in succession last year, and that one, "The Impetuous", was still published in the United States. Do you know what it is called in the literary world now?"

Jia Pingwa laughed: "The Qin Army marches eastward!"

"Yes, the Qin Army is marching eastward! You have all marched eastward, and now I am the only one left. Do you think I can take my time?"

Everyone laughed again.

In history, there was a time when the Qin army went to the east.

But that was in the early 1990s. Five writers from Qin Province, including Gao Jianqun, Jia Pingwa, Chen Zhongshi, Jingfu and Cheng Hai, each wrote a novel that shocked the literary world.

Chen Zhongshi completed "White Deer Plain", Jia Pingwa created "Abandoned Capital", Jingfu revised "Eight Miles of Love", Cheng Hai came up with "Love of Destiny", and Gao Jianqun wrote "The Last Huns".

At the symposium held by Writers Publishing House for "The Last Huns", a critic from Yanjing said that "several novelists from Qin Province have successively launched their novels in various publishing houses in the capital." I added word by word, jokingly saying, "The people of Qin Province are going to march eastwards."

The Qin army got its name from the Eastern Expedition

In 1993, a reporter from Guangming Daily also published an article titled ""Qin Army's Eastern Expedition" Sets the Capital ablaze," introducing several sensational novels and the inside story of the writers' creations in Qin Province.

However, Fang Minghua came to this era and wrote "Crossing Guandong" and won the Mao Dun Award. Lu Yao's "Ordinary World" became popular earlier than before. In addition, Jia Pingwa published two novels in a row. So now in 1987, This title already exists in the literary world.

As another big figure in Qin Province's literary world, Chen Zhongshi naturally couldn't sit still.

"Teacher Chen, don't worry, you are a general in the army. If you want to make the final appearance, you will be a blockbuster in the future." Fang Minghua comforted with a smile.

"I hope so, but this time I have decided to write a book that can be used as a pillow after death!"

Chen Zhongshi's tone was firm.

"bump!"

Another card was played casually.

Lu Yao, who had been silent just now, spoke; "Zhongshi, what did you write?"

"On the land under my feet - Bailuyuan, I want to write about the rise and fall of a family." Chen Zhongshi didn't hide anything.

"Writing a family history novel? Is it the same genre as Minghua's "Enter Guandong"? Don't tell me, I also want to write one." Lu Yao said.

"you?"

The three people all looked at him and almost said the same thing.

"rest!"

Lu Yao suddenly became depressed.

It’s been almost a year since I took a break, and I still want to take a break?

There is no way, the doctor said I still can’t write.

Just wait for next spring.

The mahjong is still going on, and the chat is also going on, and they are still talking about things in the literary world.

"Minghua, it's very interesting that you recently published the novel in "Yanhe"." Chen Zhongshi said.