Back to 80: My Literary Life

"That's great, it's just timely help!" Li Tuo suddenly raised his voice, and the people eating next to him turned their heads to look at him.

"Shhh" Fang Minghua made a gesture to keep quiet, continued to eat the rice in the bowl, and said:

"There is no need to make this matter known to everyone. Give me the bank account of the magazine later, and I will transfer it directly after returning to San Francisco."

"Haha, did you make money from your Harry Potter? This book is very popular in the market."

"I guess so." Fang Minghua answered ambiguously.

"Minghua, I really admire you."

"What do you admire?" Fang Minghua looked up at him.

"You switch between serious literature and best-selling novels with ease."

Fang Minghua smiled and said nothing.

After dinner, everyone said goodbye and left. Fang Minghua was about to go back to the hotel. At this time, Bei Dao came up and whispered to him, "Thank you, Minghua."

It is estimated that Li Tuo told him about the donation, so Fang Minghua smiled and said, "Teacher Bei Dao, you are welcome. The resumption of publication of "Today" is a very meaningful thing."

"Yes. This is why I insist, but I also think it is very meaningful, although it is very difficult." Bei Dao sighed.

"Teacher Bei Dao, I suggest you pay more attention to the Internet. In the future, you can publish the online version of "Today", so that more people will see it." Fang Minghua put forward his own opinion.

"Your idea is very good." Bei Dao nodded: "In the United States, the Internet is developing rapidly. I heard that the Internet in our country has started, and it will be like the United States in the future!"

Bei Dao became more and more excited as he spoke: "By then, although "Reader" is published in the United States, our Chinese readers can also see it through the Internet!"

Invisible

Fang Minghua sighed in his heart, but he did not say it out loud.

After taking a taxi back to the Hilton Garden Inn from Liu Junjie's villa, Song Tangtang had already returned. She was humming a song and watching TV in her pajamas after taking a shower.

"How was it? Did you gain a lot from going to Paramount Pictures?" Fang Minghua asked while taking off her down jacket.

"I did benefit a lot. I went to the headquarters of Paramount Pictures today, visited their operations and filming departments, talked with the director, and finally went to the filming site. Although it was a bit of a cursory visit, it was very shocking to me." Song Tangtang said excitedly.

"Oh?"

"Not only in Paramount Pictures, but even in Hollywood, movies are an industry - they call it industrialization. A commercial blockbuster movie has a set of standardized and systematic production processes from project establishment to production to post-production to publicity and distribution. This is simply unimaginable in our country!"

"Yes, the industrialization of movies, looking at the world, only Hollywood can do it now." Fang Minghua smiled.

"Then you say, can our country do it?" Song Tangtang asked.

"I think so, but it will take a long time."

"Yes, there is still a long way to go, but I should try." Song Tangtang looked at Fang Minghua with a firm tone.

Fang Minghua looked at his wife.

The first commercial blockbuster in Chinese film history that tried to use the Hollywood industrialization model should be Zhang Yimou's "Hero". Although it has mixed reviews, its historical significance in Chinese film history cannot be erased.

"Hero" was released in 2002, which is not a few years away from now!

Now that Song Tangtang has this idea, Fang Minghua certainly supports it.

"Okay. Didn't you say you wanted to shoot this "Harry Potter"?" Fang Minghua said with a smile.

Song Tangtang shook his head.

"I'm just talking. There is no experience in shooting such a grand fantasy novel in China. Don't waste such a good book. Oh, by the way, when I was interviewing at Paramount Pictures today, their vice president Justin showed great interest in this book and was interested in purchasing the rights to the film adaptation."

"Don't worry, put it aside for now." Fang Minghua said.

"Why?"

"Paramount Pictures is not the film company I want to shoot Harry Potter. More importantly, I am not like my previous novels, where I only earned the copyright of the novel, but the film company made a lot of money."

"Wow, you haven't made enough. When Lili said that the book surplus in your stock account was as high as 100 million US dollars, I was shocked! 100 million US dollars, equivalent to more than 800 million RMB, can't be spent in several lifetimes." Song Tangtang said.

"If you can't spend it, you can do something meaningful. Anyway, Hollywood can't make all the money." Fang Minghua said.

"Well, the copyright is in your hands, you decide." Song Tangtang replied, and then asked, "Hey, you went to the literary salon today, how was it?"

Fang Minghua briefly recounted the process of participating.

"Ah," Song Tangtang sighed suddenly, and said quietly while sitting on the sofa: "Poetry, which flourished ten years ago, has now declined like this."

"Aren't there still these people who are silently persisting? Poetry is originally a very niche literature, and it is normal now. Okay. Don't be sentimental." Fang Minghua comforted gently.

"Rest early, we still have to take a plane back to San Francisco tomorrow."

The next morning, the two took a flight back to San Francisco, and Fang Minghua immediately transferred 500,000 US dollars to the account provided by Li Tuo.

The Spring Festival of 1996 came soon. On New Year's Eve, Song Tangtang and Li Li sisters made dumplings and delicious food at home. Fang Minghua took the two children to post couplets outside the house, hung red lanterns, and set off fireworks at night.

It's a pity that I can't see this year's Spring Festival Gala abroad.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the whole family put on new clothes and drove to Chinatown, where they held a party at the Garden Corner Square. They watched the golden dragon dotting, dragon and lion dances, and firecrackers, and spent the Lunar New Year happily.

Unfortunately, in San Francisco, there is only one day off on the Lunar New Year. Li Li sometimes has to go to school, and Song Tangtang has to go to work at the publishing house again, which makes the two children very happy.

Without mom, they can go around with dad and eat whatever they want. There are also various video game arcades, and they have a lot of fun.

However, the good days will not last long. On the eighth day of the lunar calendar, the family will return to China.

Li Li will be sent to the airport.

"Auntie, I really can't bear to leave you."

In the car, Ruirui snuggled up to Li Li, looking very reluctant to leave.

"You can't bear to leave the delicious food and fun here? Humph!" Song Tangtang, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned his head and glanced at his daughter and said.

"I can't bear to leave my aunt. My aunt treats me the best." The little girl muttered.

"Miss your aunt, you and Lele can come and play again this summer vacation." Li Li stroked the little girl's hair and said gently.

"Aunt, I want to play Nintendo!" The little boy who had been silent just now immediately said what was in his heart.

"Play? If it's still like this time, don't even think about coming to see your aunt again in the future!" Song Tangtang played the role of a strict mother.

The two children immediately shut up.

In this situation, Fang Minghua just drove and generally didn't get involved.

When they arrived at the airport, the four of them carried their suitcases, said goodbye to Li Li, and entered the security check.

Fang Minghua bought a business class seat. He originally wanted to buy a first class seat, but he bought it too late and didn't buy it.

If you don't lack money, don't treat yourself badly.

The plane took off quickly and flew north along the coastline. Soon below was the vast Pacific Ocean. Long-term flights can easily make people drowsy.

The two children sitting in the front row had fallen asleep, and Fang Minghua was also half asleep. Song Tangtang, who was sitting next to him, suddenly leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"Lili is pregnant."