Back to 80: My Literary Life

Thinking of the sparse customers he saw outside, Fang Minghua understood what Lei Xuecheng meant, so he said:

"I've been shopping, and the business is good and bad. But now that online bookstores are popular in the United States, buying books online has a huge impact on traditional physical bookstores."

"Buy books online?" Lei Xuecheng heard something new.

"It is purchased through the Internet. There is a website in the United States called Amazon. Now its main business is selling books online."

Fang Minghua briefly described Amazon's online book purchasing model, and then said: "Although Amazon has only been established for six or seven years, it has grown rapidly and has defeated the more than 100-year-old Barnes \u0026 Noble bookstore in the United States, forcing the latter to also establish Online bookstores to cope.”

"Then there will be online bookstores like Amazon in our country in the future?" Lei Xuecheng asked again.

"Of course, you don't know? There has already been one in our country called Dangdang.com, which specializes in selling books."

After hearing Fang Minghua's words, Lei Xuecheng seemed a little embarrassed: "I rarely go online."

Fang Minghua said nothing but said nothing.

Lei Xuecheng took a sip of tea and asked: "According to you, there will be no way for physical bookstores like us to survive in the future?"

"To be honest, it will become difficult to operate. After all, buying books online is much more convenient and faster than buying books offline. However, physical bookstores will not disappear completely. This requires physical bookstores to have their own characteristics."

Fang Minghua expressed his opinion.

“For example, we can establish bookstores with special themes to attract specific groups of people, instead of selling all kinds of books like now.”

"There is also a composite reading space with a leisure area where readers can sip coffee, read and enjoy an immersive reading experience." Fang Minghua said.

"Like what I am now?" Lei Xuecheng added.

"Yes, that's it. Of course we have to keep pace with the times." Fang Minghua replied.

Indeed, Lei Xuecheng Bookstore is different from other bookstores in that it provides some space for readers to rest and read, and also provides free tea - cheap tea of ​​course, and you must purchase books in the store.

After hearing this, Lei Xuecheng fell into deep thought again.

Fang Minghua was drinking tea and suddenly thought, should he suggest that Lei Xuecheng also "connect to the Internet" and establish an online bookstore, just like Dangdang?

Dangdang.com was established only two years ago and is in a period of rapid development. It’s not too late to catch up.

If Lei Xuecheng doesn’t have enough funds, you can invest by yourself.

But this idea appeared in his mind and was quickly dismissed by him.

Lei Xuecheng is the same age as him, and he is also in his early forties, and has long passed the best age to start a business.

More importantly, his knowledge, vision and ability are not enough to engage in Internet entrepreneurship - this is the world of young people.

Although the founders of Dangdang, Li Guoqing and his wife, fought for control of Dangdang, they went from internal strife to lawsuits. In the end, they became a laughing stock.

But this couple thought they both graduated from Yanda back then!

It doesn't matter whether you lose money or not, but let's not torment this old friend in front of us.

Lei Xuecheng didn't know that he had "lost" an entrepreneurial opportunity. He was still thinking about what Fang Minghua said just now.

"I will seriously consider the development direction of the physical bookstore you mentioned. Originally, I wanted to continue to expand the store and open another branch. Now I think about it and save these three stores first."

Fang Minghua nodded after hearing this.

Although he doesn't know exactly how much money Lei Xuecheng makes from opening a bookstore, but based on the first batch of Longjing tea that he is drinking, and at this level of consumption, Lei Xuecheng's wealth has exceeded that of most people in the country.

As long as there are no big problems in the second half of your life, even if the bookstore closes in the future, it will definitely be no problem to live a life without worries about food and clothing.

Of course, Lei Xuecheng doesn't think so now. He is still thinking about how to develop his own career.

"Minghua, I was reading the newspaper a few days ago. A bookstore invited a writer to come to the bookstore to have a reading meeting with readers face to face. The response was great." Lei Xuecheng said, suddenly looking at Fang Minghua.

"How about I also invite you to come to our school city bookstore for a reading club?"

"Having a book club?"

"Yes, the location is on the second floor of the bookstore. In the 1980s, various reading clubs were often held in schools, factories, and libraries, where everyone would discuss, communicate, and share the experience of reading a certain book. But after the 1990s, it gradually became less common.”

"I really liked the atmosphere back then, which was very happy and simple. Now, how about we recreate those days? As for the lecture fees, you can set a price."

"Look what you said, if I really come to your bookstore to give a lecture, what lecture fees will I need?" Fang Minghua replied.

"So, you agree?"

Fang Minghua understood Lei Xuecheng's thoughts.

Borrowed for reading lectures to increase the popularity of his bookstore.

But it feels good to read and communicate with a group of people who like literature.

Fang Minghua was a little moved, but he had nothing to do anyway.

He thought for a moment and replied: "I can speak, but there are a few requirements."

"you say."

“First of all, I don’t do book signings.”

"Can."

"Every time I talk about a book, you can ask readers and customers for their opinions in advance, but it should be purely literary."

"Yeah, that's what I mean too."

"Also, I don't talk about what I wrote." Fang Minghua finally said.

"Huh? Okay then."

The two discussed it for a while, and decided on a literary salon called "Let's Talk".

Fang Minghua plans to give three lectures in a row, starting at 2:30 pm every Saturday. Each lecture will last about 2 hours. The lecture will focus on a book selected by the readers in advance, and everyone will communicate and discuss together.

The first issue is scheduled for this Saturday at noon.

"I will select the book to be taught through readers as soon as possible and send it to you in advance so you can prepare." Lei Xuecheng finally said.

Fang Minghua sat for a while longer, drank tea and then left.

When Song Tangtang returned home in the evening, Fang Minghua mentioned this matter while the couple was chatting.

Song Tangtang smiled and said: "You are really free. If you want to give lectures, go to a university. Not to mention Western University, Qin Normal University, Lanzhou University, which are the universities you are familiar with, this is Yanda. If you want to give lectures, they will welcome you. ”

Fang Minghua shook his head.

"It feels different. When I go to any university now, I'm always surrounded by people. It's like a lecture hall with thousands of people. I'm standing on the stage, and the students in the audience are so well-behaved. It's so boring. I always feel like I'm separated. layer."

"But it's different going to Lao Lei. There are few people, maybe thirty or fifty people at most. Everyone just sits around casually drinking tea, communicating with each other, and maybe even arguing with each other. It feels good." Fang Minghua concluded. said.

"You." Song Tangtang shook his head.

"Let's talk!"

"Invite my country's famous writer Minghua to come to our bookstore to hold a literary salon."

The Xuecheng Bookstore quickly put up posters and collected books for the first lecture.

Soon, Lei Xuecheng sent the title of the book to Fang Minghua via his mobile phone, and it turned out to be "Three Doors" by Han Han.