Back to 80: My Literary Life

Fang Minghua was a little surprised.

In the 1990s, when Fang Minghua was at the peak of his creative career, there were rumors that he might win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and even some international organizations gave odds, but that was just a rumor.

After the millennium, Fang Minghua's creative works decreased significantly, and these rumors disappeared.

He didn't care about this.

This award is very evil.

Don't think that it will be applauded these years. Who knows that in a few years, the wind direction will change, and it is estimated that it will be criticized to death on the Internet.

But unexpectedly, it has been given this year!

Seeing that Fang Minghua looked a little unconvinced, Chen Zhongshi took out a piece of letter from his briefcase: "This is an official letter from the Swedish Academy of Literature."

Fang Minghua took it and saw that it was written in three languages, Swedish, English and Chinese. The concise and concise words congratulated Mr. Fang Minghua on winning the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature and invited him to attend the award ceremony in Stockholm on December 10.

There was also a line of small words, which was the reason for winning the award: "He used his pen to record an era, whether it was serious or popular text."

"How about it, is it true? Minghua, do you think we should have three whites?!" Jia Pingwa said with a smile.

"Yes!" Fang Minghua also had a smile on his face.

Everyone immediately started to set up tables and chairs in the living room, and put the cooked food and dishes they brought on the table. Fang Minghua took out a bottle of Moutai from the house, and the four people and the driver started eating and drinking together.

Chen Zhongshi raised his glass first: "This year, our Qin Province literary world has made remarkable achievements. First, Pingwa's "Qin Opera" won the Mao Dun Literature Prize, and then Minghua won the Nobel Prize in Literature. I, the chairman of the Writers Association, also have a bright face. Come on, everyone, let's drink a glass!"

"Cheers!"

The glasses of several people clinked together.

The news that Fang Minghua won the Nobel Prize in Literature was quickly reported by official media, and it spread all over the country and abroad. His phone was almost blown up, all from leaders, friends and colleagues to congratulate him. He had to return to Xijing City from Xiangyugou Village to avoid people running to the village to disturb the villagers.

Soon it was winter, and Song Tangtang found that Fang Minghua was at home leisurely all day, and seemed to have no intention of going far away.

"Minghua, you have to hurry up to apply for a visa, otherwise it will delay your trip to Sweden to attend the Nobel Prize in Literature ceremony." Song Tangtang had to remind him.

"Who said I was going?" Fang Minghua said leisurely while drinking tea.

"Why?" Song Tangtang was very surprised.

"Because I'm afraid of being scolded in the future."

"Ah?!"

"Oh, I said it wrong, I mean I will definitely catch a cold in the future."

More than ten years have passed in a flash, and now it is autumn 2021, and Fang Minghua is in San Francisco, USA.

The domestic epidemic is still severe at this time, and entering and leaving the country is a very troublesome thing. This time Fang Minghua overcame many difficulties and rushed to San Francisco to pick up Li Li back to China.

At this time, the Feroli Manor was very lively. Li Li and her friends in San Francisco, Demi, Zhang Qing, Lei Dawen, and Phillips, who was once the president of Xijing Investment, all came to see her off.

After graduating with a doctorate in 1988 and teaching at San Francisco State University, she finally retired and prepared to return to China 33 years later.

Her daughter Li Xin did not return to China with her mother.

She has lived in the United States since she was a child and has become accustomed to everything here. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in literature from Princeton University, she published a series of novels and became a well-known writer in the United States.

However, her current identity is the president of Ashley Press Publishing House. Last year, she took over the position of her mother's best friend, the former president Demi.

Ashley Press is very different in the American publishing industry. Although it is not as famous as Penguin Random House and Simon and Schuster, it is a holy place for literary lovers. It has always been famous for selling serious novels, and a considerable part of them are pure literary books from mainland China.

Demi has also retired and is chatting with Li Li.

"Demi, when the epidemic is over, you must come to China to play." Li Li said.

"I will definitely go, Lili, we have been studying together in Oxford for 37 years, and we have been together almost all the time. You are leaving suddenly now. I really can't bear to leave you." Demi said.

Li Li felt sad when she heard her best friend's words, so she comforted her: "We Chinese have an ancient poem: A bosom friend is a friend even if he is far away. No matter where I go, I will miss you."

"Me too"

The two women chatted, and Fang Minghua was also chatting with Phillips.

"Minghua, are you going to transfer all your assets back to China?" Phillips asked.

Since 2015, Fang Minghua has gradually transferred her assets in the United States, first selling DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation to NBC Universal for $6.5 billion.

At the same time, she gradually sold Xijing Investment's investments in the US stock market, bonds, and gold. That is, the year before last, she moved the headquarters of Xijing Investment to Hong Kong.

Now hearing what Phillips said, Fang Minghua smiled and said: "Not really, I still hold shares in Amazon and Nvidia and these two estates."

Fang Minghua also disposed of the estate and ranch in Miami, and now only the two estates in Los Angeles and San Francisco are left, but they have been transferred to Li Xin's name.

In terms of stocks, Amazon and Nvidia each hold 5%, and all other shares including Microsoft and Apple were sold. Last year, on the Forbes Rich List in 2020, Fang Minghua's wealth was as high as 205.8 billion US dollars, far surpassing Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who ranked second.

And most of these assets were transferred back to mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore, where there are branches of Xijing Investment.

"How about Phillips, come with me to Hong Kong? You continue to be the president of Xijing Investment, I trust you to do things! I will give you an annual salary of 50 million US dollars!" Fang Minghua said.

Phillips shook his head, took a sip of coffee and said: "Boss, it has been 25 years since I became your full-time financial advisor in 1996. If it has been 33 years since I first accepted your invitation to be your personal financial advisor in 1988. I am tired and old, and I don't want to run around anymore."

"After you leave, I am also going to sell the house in San Francisco and return to my hometown of Chicago to buy a house in the suburbs, where I will enjoy my old age."

Fang Minghua didn't say anything after hearing this.

Yes, we are all old.

Phillips' face was full of wrinkles.

And I am also gray-haired?

At this time, I suddenly heard Li Li and her daughter's voices raised a lot, as if they were arguing about something.

"Mom, I've said it before, I won't get married!"

"Why don't you get married? Are you worried about conflicts with your career? Look at your brother Fang Le, he and your sister-in-law Zhao Min have been childhood sweethearts, now they have a happy family, successful careers, and help each other, how wonderful!" Li Li also raised her voice.

Indeed.

The daughter of Fang Le and Zhao Hongjun finally got married.

As the saying goes, "a man chasing a woman is like a mountain, a woman chasing a man is like a layer of gauze", Fang Le couldn't stand Zhao Min's relentless pursuit. Although Zhao Min was not particularly beautiful, she was well-educated and caring. The two confirmed their relationship when they were about to graduate from college, and after another eight years, they finally walked into the marriage hall hand in hand.

After graduating from the business school of the University of San Francisco, Zhao Min did not continue to study, but chose to work. She first worked at DreamWorks Films, then worked as the head of the operations department at Ashley Press Publishing House, and later worked in the financial department of Morgan Stanley on Wall Street. While working, she fell in love with Fang Le and increased their feelings for each other.

Five years later, Fang Le obtained a Ph.D. in microelectronics from Stanford University and led several like-minded classmates to return to China to start a business. He used the funds invested by Xijing Investment to establish Lehua Technology in Shanghai and served as the company's CEO, specializing in the design, production and sales of integrated circuits and semiconductor microelectronics related products.

And Zhao Min also returned to China and served as the company's COO.

After ten years of development, Lehua Technology has become a large-scale domestic enterprise integrating chip design and production, and has obtained thousands of patents of all sizes, with corporate assets of up to 500 billion yuan.

As the chief operating officer, Zhao Min has made great contributions. Fang Minghua also felt that his daughter-in-law was very capable, so he appointed her as the president of Xijing Investment to replace Phillips who was about to retire.

Last year, his son and daughter-in-law gave him another grandson.

In short, he is very satisfied with Fang Le's marriage.

Li Xin seemed unconvinced and said to Li Li: "Mom, you only talk about my brother, why not my sister? Look at my sister, what's the point of her marriage? Didn't she get divorced in the end?!"

"You" Li Li opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.

Compared with Fang Le's happy marriage, Fang Rui's marriage is very painful.

Beautiful, proud, talented, and with an impressive family background, she became the target of boys' pursuit as soon as she entered Yandian.

She soon fell in love with a tall and handsome boy and got married after graduation. This man has certain acting skills, but he was unexpectedly a scumbag. He cheated soon after marriage, and what's more terrible is that he even abused his wife!

Once Fang Minghua saw his daughter being beaten and returned to Xijing with a swollen nose and face, he was furious!

He immediately rushed to Yanjing and asked someone to beat the man severely. For the first time in the domestic entertainment circle, he publicly issued a statement to expel this man from the entertainment circle!

If anyone who is blind wants to make a movie or appear on a variety show with this man, Xijing Investment, Shengshi Group and its related companies will never cooperate with him!

This man played the victim online and threatened to sue Fang Minghua in court for personal threats, but nothing came of it.

In the end, the man had no choice but to go abroad to the United States. He wanted to make a living in the film and television industry, but he didn't expect that it would be difficult here. What made him even more terrified was that Fang Minghua's shadow was like a nightmare that could not be shaken off.

In the end, he was inexplicably shot and killed on the street.

This marriage left a shadow on Fang Rui, so she didn't look for another one after the divorce and has been single ever since.

Now when Fang Minghua heard Li Xin talk about Fang Rui, she couldn't help but sigh.

There are some things that you can't do even if you have money.

As a father, his daughter's marriage is unfortunate, and he is also responsible.

Li Li certainly understood his feelings. Seeing him like this now, she hurriedly said to her daughter: "What are you talking about? Your sister will definitely find her own happiness again in the future!"

Li Xin "tsk" and said nothing more.

"Okay, Lili, don't argue. My daughter is grown up, so let him be." Fang Minghua advised.

Indeed, if the younger daughter doesn't want to get married, then don't get married.

Just don't do anything LGBT.

"It's almost time to go." Fang Minghua looked at his watch and asked, "Have all the things been safely shipped back to China?"

"Sir, they have been shipped a long time ago." The housekeeper replied respectfully.

Fang Minghua did not bring anything back from his manor, but left it to Li Xin, except for donating it to the Confucius Institute at San Francisco State University. Ten paintings and calligraphy from the Republic of China.

Just this year, the Confucius Institute was forced to close, and Fang Minghua immediately asked for the calligraphy and paintings that had been donated to the institute.

Everyone said goodbye to Fang Minghua and Li Li, and Li Xin drove her parents to the airport.

Before leaving, Li Li looked at her daughter, reluctant to leave.

"Xinxin, you are alone in the United States, you must take good care of yourself."

"Mom, I know, I am 24 years old this year, and I am no longer a child!" Li Xin's tone was slightly impatient.

Li Li sighed slightly and said nothing more.

Alas. My daughter is like this now, and I spoiled her.

At this time, Fang Minghua took over the conversation and said: "Xinxin, your mother is right! Also, when the epidemic is over, you have to come back to see your mother often!"

"Okay, Dad, she is my real mother, of course I miss her." Li Xin said quickly, and then she hugged Li Li's neck intimately.

She still listened to her father's words.

Soon, the two dragged the trolley case into the security check channel and got on the plane.

Not long after, the plane roared into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.

This time, the destination of their journey was not Yanjing or Shanghai, but Macau.

After Li Li retired from the University of San Francisco and returned to China, she immediately received invitations from several universities in the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan to hire her as a professor, including her alma mater Yenching University where she studied for a master's degree.

However, she declined and chose the University of Macau to continue her research in comparative literature.

She was unwilling to return to China.

In fact, she planned to go to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, but what happened in Hong Kong in the past two years made Fang Minghua feel very uncomfortable. Finally, after discussing with Li Li, she chose the University of Macau.

After more than 20 hours of long-distance flight, the plane stopped at the Macau International Airport. After a series of security checks, Fang Minghua and Li Li dragged their suitcases to the terminal hall and saw a young woman waving at them.

"Dad, Aunt Li!"

It turned out to be Zhao Min, the president of Xijing Investment and Fang Le's wife.

Seeing his daughter-in-law coming, Fang Minghua smiled: "Minmin, you just need to send someone to pick her up at the airport. I even rushed to Macau from Hong Kong."

"That won't work, Dad. Aunt Li is back, so of course I have to take good care of her. My mother-in-law called me and told me."

The mother-in-law Zhao Min was talking about was naturally Song Tangtang, who had retired from the position of president of Shengshi Group a few years ago, but still served as the chairman of the board of directors of Shengshi Group and was the helmsman of Shengshi Group.

"Where are your parents? How are they?" Fang Minghua asked with concern as they walked.

"They are all fine. My mother takes care of Mengmeng at home all day, and my father has also returned to China."

Fang Minghua said, "Oh," and said nothing more.

Mengmeng is his own grandson and Wang Xia's grandson, and Wang Xia is basically taking care of him.

Zhao Hongjun completely resigned from all his positions in Shengshi Group, and was free and easy all day, running around the world, but since the epidemic was serious last year, he hurried back to China.

The three of them left the terminal hall and got on a Mercedes-Benz. The driver drove them directly to Guia Hill.

Guia Hill is located in the St. Paul's Parish, which is a famous wealthy area in Macau. Many wealthy people have bought villas here.

Li Li's villa is located halfway up the mountain. The manor covers an area of ​​3,000 square meters. Although it is not as large as the manors in San Francisco and Los Angeles, it is quite good in Macau, where every inch of land is valuable.

The manor's pond, garden, tennis court, and swimming pool have both Lingnan flavor and European architectural style.

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After arranging Li Li, Zhao Min returned to Hong Kong. The villa was fully equipped with housekeepers, drivers, servants, security guards, etc.

If Aunt Li has any problems, she will arrange for someone to come over immediately. Anyway, Hong Kong is not far from Macau.

Fang Minghua stayed in Macau for more than a week and returned to Xijing.

After returning to Xijing, he was quarantined in a hotel for half a month. After everything was fine, he returned to his home in Qujiang and basically stayed at home. Now the epidemic breaks out from time to time in China, and it is not safe to go anywhere. Even Song Tangtang, who usually stays in Shencheng, returned to Xijing to reduce all unnecessary business activities.

The children are working hard outside, and if they don't have any problems with their own health, that is the greatest support for their children.

But today the couple drove out, they were going to watch the latest drama directed by their daughter.

The performance was held at the Guohe Theater on Gaoxin 2nd Road. The couple entered with free tickets. The space inside the theater was not very large. It was a popular small theater format now, but the audience was basically full, and most of them were young people.

Soon, the performance began, it was "Youth".

"Youth" is a novel written by Fang Minghua forty years ago. It mainly writes about the cultural troupe in the 1970s and 1980s. After the work came out, it became popular. It was adapted into a movie by the famous director Xie Jin. It was also adapted into a drama by the General Political Department Drama Troupe. Fang Minghua was also invited to Yanjing to watch it.

Now, Fang Rui has adapted it and put it on stage again.

Watching the actors on stage wearing the 65-style military uniforms and performing on stage, and the heroine dancing to "Ode to Yimeng", Fang Minghua couldn't help but think of Song Tangtang dancing alone in the moonlight on the small road in the fields of southern Xinjiang many years ago, also wearing the 65-style military uniform.

And the song that has been sung for decades:

Red plum blossoms bloom on the red rocks

Thousands of miles of ice and frost are underfoot

What is there to fear in the severe cold of the 39th day of the lunar year

A heart of loyalty blooms towards the sun

He couldn't help but turn his head and look at his wife beside him.

Forty years have passed, and the beauty is gone.

The girl in the past was no longer young, and she also had some gray hair on her temples.

Song Tangtang was watching the performance seriously. She seemed to notice her husband's gaze, turned her head and smiled slightly: "Look carefully."

"Um."

Fang Minghua turned his attention to the stage again, when a pair of warm hands gently held him.

After the performance, Fang Rui took the actors on stage to take a collective curtain call, and the theater burst into warm applause.

Fang Minghua thought that today's young people would not be interested in this period of history, but he did not expect that the audience responded enthusiastically.

After the performance, Fang Minghua and his wife did not disturb their daughter, but drove home.

The car drives on the street.

It's early September now, and the weather is still relatively hot. Fang Minghua is sitting in the back seat, looking out the car window. The sun shines on the buildings on both sides of the street, making it particularly dazzling.

When he walked near Bianjia Village, there was still a lot of traffic here. He looked at the scenery outside and suddenly shouted: "Tangtang, stop the car."

"What's wrong?"

Song Tangtang asked, but still slowed down and found a parking space on the side of the road to stop.

"I'm going to sit in the bookstore."

Fang Minghua pointed to a bookstore not far ahead. There was a large circle with the word "Demolish" written on the wall.

It's the Xuecheng Bookstore.

"Then I'll go home first and leave the car with you." Song Tangtang replied.

"What about you? How to go back?"

"Take the subway."

Fang Minghua didn't say anything, took the car key from Song Tangtang, and walked to the bookstore.

When I walked to the door of the bookstore, I heard a song playing on the speakers inside, with a hoarse man's voice:

You once told me you will always love me

I understand love, but what is it forever?

Girl, don't cry, we are still together

Today's joy will be tomorrow's eternal memory

Luo Dayou "Love Song 1980"

People like to listen to "Love Song 1990", but Lei Xuecheng seems to like playing this song "Love Song 1980" very much.

There were quite a few readers inside, and some were checking in. A girl in a skirt, carrying a backpack, stood by the bookshelf, stretched out her scissor hands and smiled sweetly at the camera.

Lei Xuecheng was sitting at the table in the coffee area, drinking tea, looking at the girl taking the photo, without saying anything, with a smile on his face.

When he saw Fang Minghua coming in again, he greeted, "Why are you free to come here today?"

"I just finished watching a play and I came by here to sit down." Fang Minghua smiled and sat across from him.

Lei Xuecheng picked up a teacup and poured him a cup of tea.

"How is business?" Fang Minghua took a sip and asked casually.

"It's okay, but I'm going to close the bookstore."

"Is it because this place is going to be demolished?" Fang Minghua looked through the window glass and saw a big word "demolish" written on the wall across the street, and continued:

"You can change to another place. Xuecheng Bookstore can be said to be the oldest private bookstore in Xijing City. It was a check-in spot for famous Internet celebrities. It is a pity that it has closed."

"There's no way. My daughter doesn't like this store and doesn't want to run it. As for me, I've been here for thirty years. Now I'm old and tired, so I just want to walk around. I want one after the epidemic is over. If you go to LS and then go to Xinjiang, if you don’t leave, you won’t be able to leave in a few years.”

Why.

Fang Minghua sighed slightly in his heart, he had one less place to go.

Lei Xuecheng seemed unwilling to talk about this matter anymore, so he changed the subject: "Minghua, have you watched Jia Zhangke's latest movie "Swimming to the Blue Sea"?"

Fang Minghua nodded.

He rarely goes to the cinema now, but he went to watch this movie made by Jia Zhangke.

This is a documentary specially shown in major theaters of independent theaters in China.

Just in 2015, Fang Minghua's Xijing Investment bought the independent theater chain of Shengshi Film and Television for 4 billion yuan, becoming one of the eight famous theater chains in China, specializing in screening some niche non-commercial films.

Of course it's a loss.

But Fang Minghua didn't care.

Chinese Literature Award Organizing Committee, Rongshuxia Online Literature Company, Xijing Art Museum, and several companies and organizations under Fang Minghua’s personal name, which one is not losing money?

There is another reason. Jia Zhangke’s documentary is to tell their stories.

Just the year before last, dozens of writers came to a small village in Fenyang, Shanxi Province, to talk about country and city, literature and reality. The film takes this as a prelude and tells the past events in China since 1949 in 18 chapters like a symphony.

Three writers, Jia Pingwa, Yu Hua, and Liang Hong, became the most important narrators of the film. Together with the daughter of the late writer Ma Feng, they re-examined individuals and families in the changing society, forming a film that spans 70 years. The history of Chinese spirituality.

It is said that the original name of this movie was "Literature of a Village". Later, after Jia Zhangke heard a story told by Yu Hua, he changed the name to "Swim Until the Sea Turns Blue", which seemed more poetic.

However, Fang Minghua still likes the original name.

"Literature of a Village".

Behind the portraits of writers of an era is a spiritual history, and all of this starts from the countryside.

The chat between the two continued.

"I heard that Jia Zhangke originally invited you to be the protagonist of the movie?" Lei Xuecheng asked again.

"Yes, Jia Zhangke approached me and hoped that I could play the leading role in the film, but I refused and recommended Yu Hua."

"I think it's better for you to go. Your eloquence is first-rate." Lei Xuecheng said.

"What can I say?" Fang Minghua said with a smile: "I wrote a book called "My Twenty Years of Literature" 20 years ago. I have said everything I should say. It would be repetitive to say it again. As for the past ten years, what can I say about literature?"

Lei Xuecheng fell silent.

Fang Minghua finished his tea, sat for a while and left, driving aimlessly around Xijing City.

Unconsciously, the car drove to Jianguo Road, and the "Yanhe" magazine was still here.

Fang Minghua hadn't been here for a long time.

When the car passed the door of the magazine, he saw a familiar figure, an old security guard in uniform sitting at the gate.

It was Zhang Baofu.

So he parked the car across the street, got off the car, crossed the road, and called out to the door: "Baofu!"

Zhang Baofu also saw Fang Minghua and smiled.

"Brother Minghua, are you here to do something?"

"No, just take a look around." Fang Minghua walked to the gate, Zhang Baofu quickly moved a chair from the guard room and handed him a cigarette, Fang Minghua smiled and declined.

The two sat at the gate of the guard room.

"Baofu, you are the head of the security department of the magazine, and you are still here to look after the gate?" Fang Minghua asked curiously.

"I gave up my position three years ago and let the young people do it. As for me, I have nothing to do, so I continue to look after the gate." Zhang Baofu smiled and said, "To be honest, I like this job very much. Besides, after work today, I will retire."

"Retire?"

"Brother Minghua, I just finished the procedures this morning. I remember that you are one year older than me. Are you retired too?" Zhang Baofu asked again.

"Yes, I did the procedures last year."

"Time flies so fast. I remember when I first met you, we were still young." Zhang Baofu sighed.

Yes

Fang Minghua looked around, and his thoughts seemed to go back to a day many years ago.

Cicadas chirped in the sycamore tree outside the gate. There was a bicycle repair stand on the opposite side of the street, and occasionally a vendor pushing a bicycle and wearing a straw hat selling popsicles passed by.

I sat at the gate with an honest young man, chatting and laughing, and stopped a boy from Xi'an University of Technology who was holding a poem manuscript and wanted to meet the editor-in-chief.

However, that was more than 40 years ago.

(The whole book is over.)