Reborn in 1977

After packing up, Chen Fan said goodbye to He Qingsheng and left with Zhou Yali.

Driving to the Yangtze River Hotel, Zhou Zhengdong and the others were already prepared.

There were three cars, one for their family of three, including Chen Fan in the plan, and the other two for the two foreigners and the accompanying staff from our unit.

Besides that, there was even a small truck.

Chen Fan got out of the car, looked at the small truck covered with tarpaulin, and then looked at Zhou Zhengdong who was waiting aside, "What is this?"

Zhou Zhengdong smiled, "I thought I'd take the opportunity to visit the village where you are, and this is a small gift prepared for them."

A small gift?

Chen Fan's mouth twitched twice. Which family uses a light truck for small gifts?

Zhou Zhengdong changed the subject, "Can we leave now?"

Chen Fan nodded, "I'll add some gas and then we'll go."

Then he opened the trunk, took out a gas can, and went to add gas.

Zhou Yali, on the other hand, hopped and skipped to her mother's side, and took out a book like a treasure, "Mommy, look at this, brother's handwriting is so beautiful."

Zhao Wanru took it and looked at it carefully, her eyes lit up, "What beautiful handwriting!"

At this time, Zhou Zhengdong also came over and couldn't help but nod, "It is indeed very beautiful. I have never seen this kind of fountain pen writing, it has a calligraphic feel."

Zhou Yali took out another booklet and said with a smile, "Daddy is so smart, this is the hard pen calligraphy invented by my brother."

Zhou Zhengdong took it in his hand and murmured, "A Preliminary Discussion on Hard Pen Calligraphy?"

He raised his head, his eyes full of surprise, and said softly, "This is establishing a new school!"

From ancient times to the present, there have only been brush calligraphy works. The inscriptions and bamboo books from earlier times were extremely difficult to reflect the beauty of Chinese characters, so literati juxtaposed calligraphy and painting, meaning that good calligraphy is like a painting.

Since it is painting, of course, you have to use a brush.

But I didn't expect that a hard pen could also write characters with various postures? It's really an eye-opener!

Originally, he thought that this long-lost nephew was already very good, but he didn't expect that he could be even better than he imagined.

After a while, Chen Fan finished adding gas, tightened the gas can and put it back in the trunk, and waved to them, "We can go now."

Then he pulled the door and got into the car, ready to leave.

The next second, he saw Zhou Yali trotting over from the front of the car, pulling open the door of the passenger seat and sitting in.

Chen Fan looked at her, then looked at the three Hongqi cars behind him, turned his head and said, "Aren't you sitting in that one?"

Zhou Yali raised her eyebrows slightly and grinned, "Since you have a car, of course, I want to sit with you."

Chen Fan was about to speak when the back door was also opened.

Zhou Zhengdong and Zhao Wanru came up, one on each side, and sat safely in the back row.

The driver of the car behind was at a loss and turned to look at the leader.

The leader could only spread his hands and gestured. Everyone got in the car and prepared to leave.

Zhou Zhengdong sat in the car and saw Chen Fan looking back, he immediately grinned, "I heard that this car was modified by yourself, let me see how it was modified."

Uh…

Chen Fan blinked, gave a fake grin, didn't say anything, turned around and sat down, exhaled a long breath, "Let's go."

Then he started the car.

When the car was driving smoothly on the road, Zhou Zhengdong deliberately bumped it twice and couldn't help but say, "Is this really modified from a GAZ car? Why does it feel smoother than a Cadillac?"

Currently, the most luxurious car in the United States is Cadillac, especially the "Wood" series, which is the first choice for many wealthy people and even heads of state. The wide body and comfortable riding experience are the most significant features of American luxury cars. It once suppressed Benbao Aobin Lao from emerging until the appearance of the Tiger Head Ben, coupled with the gradual surpassing of Cadillac in terms of technology, it later became a second-tier brand.

But now it is a well-deserved luxury car.

As a result, Zhou Zhengdong was sitting in this small GAZ car, and the road under the car was not flat, but the bumping feeling was very slight, and it could be comparable to the feeling of riding in Wood, and the comfort was even better than ordinary Cadillac, which was very incredible.

Chen Fan looked up at the rearview mirror and didn't explain in detail, just said, "It's been modified, it's definitely different from the original."

Between the words, a sense of alienation came over him.

Could he say that he used the shock-absorbing technology improved in the New Century?

A wry smile could not help but appear on the corner of Zhou Zhengdong's mouth.

Zhao Wanru pursed her lips and smiled, reaching out and holding her husband's right hand.

Zhou Zhengdong turned his face to look at his wife, and his heart calmed down a little.

In fact, this scene was also in their imagination, but it was somewhat different.

Before leaving, they had many assumptions.

On the one hand, the current domestic environment is still relatively closed, and they are somewhat unfamiliar with or even resistant to the outside world, so they imagined whether they would be treated as a flood or beast, or even refused to recognize them if they came back?

But on the other hand, after they really returned to China, the courtesy they received from top to bottom gave them enough confidence.

Later, when he saw Chen Fan, Zhou Zhengdong recognized him as his nephew at first sight, and Chen Fan didn't resist as he imagined, but he wasn't too close either.

At first, he thought it was alienation because of unfamiliarity, but after observing these two days, he felt it wasn't like that.

In general, it is the kind of "I recognize this relative, but it is best not to disturb each other".

As for Chen Fan, he didn't deliberately alienate him, but he really couldn't get close, and it was natural to cause this result.

Zhou Yali turned to look at Chen Fan, glanced at her parents by the way, blinked, and then changed the subject, and asked with a smile, "Brother, I heard that you have also signed a contract with a publisher from Little Japan and will be publishing in Little Japan soon, is it true?"

Chen Fan turned to look at her, smiled and said, "You even know this? It's true, but it can only be considered luck."

Then he explained the ins and outs, and smiled, "So people are just returning a favor, they don't really like my work."

As soon as his voice fell, Zhou Zhengdong said from behind, "Sometimes luck is also part of strength. If your work is not good enough, I believe that Little Japan would not buy all of your work."

After he finished speaking, he saw that Chen Fan just smiled and didn't say anything. Just as his daughter turned her head, he gave his daughter a look.

Zhou Yali blinked at her father, indicating that she understood, then coughed dryly and said with a smile, "Brother, our family also has a publishing business."

Chen Fan turned to look at her, quite surprised, "Really?"

Didn't you say yesterday that you mainly do real estate and trade, how come a publishing business suddenly appeared now?

Tailor-made?

Zhou Yali immediately said, "Don't you believe it, you'll know when you go back to the United States with us. Our Zhou family's publishing house has a history of nearly 50 years. It was originally dedicated to serving the Chinese, and it didn't make any money at all. I didn't expect that there would be more and more overseas Chinese later, and gradually it made a little money. Later, it started to take on English book publishing business. Now, even in the entire New York, it can be regarded as a publishing house of considerable size."

Hearing her say this, Chen Fan put down his doubts.

Because there were indeed many such Chinese businessmen back then. Almost every city had several people who would rather lose money than develop Chinese media.

For example, as early as 1972, the first Chinese-language TV station appeared in New York, named "Chinese TV". Although it could not continue in 1987, it left a strong mark in that year.

There are even people who run TV stations at a loss. It is normal for the Zhou family to run a Chinese publishing house if they are so rich.

At this time, Zhou Yali continued, "Brother, why don't you give your work to us and publish it for you in the United States!"

Holding her hands together, her face was full of anticipation, "Maybe it'll even be a bestseller in America, sell in Europe! Then I can tell my friends that my cousin is a bestselling author and make them green with envy!"

Hearing this, Chen Fan chuckled, "Nice dream, but don't dream it again."

Zhou Yali immediately turned her head, her eyebrows raised in anger, and said, "What? Even the Japanese can publish your book, but your own family can't?"

She really didn't expect her cousin to reject such a good proposal.

Chen Fan shook his head and said with a smile, "No, I mean, my works just can't sell in America. They have a bit of a market in Japan."

Hearing this, Zhou Yali's face instantly froze.

Sitting in the back, Zhou Zhengdong and Zhao Wanru, who had been listening the whole time, couldn't help but exchange a glance, both looking at Chen Fan, "Why?"

Could it be that overseas Chinese aren't as receptive to his books as the Japanese?

Chen Fan glanced at the rearview mirror and explained with a smile, "The Japanese book market is currently dominated by anti-war thinking, while also being inclusive and accepting of different kinds of books.

China and Japan have established diplomatic relations for many years, and there have been many people-to-people exchanges in recent years. Even out of curiosity, some people will buy my works, especially some that reflect the times, which should have good sales.

That's why I agreed to Hideyo Takahashi's request and signed a high-priced contract with him.

Even if it's to repay a favor, I wouldn't sign if it meant he would incur huge losses, even if it's the Japanese, because that would ruin my own reputation. Only when the publishing house can make money, or at least not lose money, can the writer gain a foothold in the publishing market. I understand this principle."

Zhou Zhengdong couldn't help but nod slightly as he listened, adding another point to his nephew in his mind.

Can't add too many, or it'll be a perfect score.

Farsighted, not short-sighted, and knows how to analyze the market, not the kind of writer who only knows how to create behind closed doors.

Very good.

In a flash, he asked, "What about America? Why aren't your works suitable there?"

Chen Fan shrugged, looking ahead, and said softly, "Of course, it's because of propaganda. For a long time, many overseas Chinese media outlets, under the instructions of certain people, have described the mainland as a monstrous flood, and subconsciously reject mainland works.

In addition, the overseas cultural market is basically dominated by Hong Kong and Taiwan works, especially martial arts and romance. They can't say they have no interest in realistic works from the mainland, but they can only say they sneer at them."

"Pfft."

Chen Fan turned his head to look and saw that it was Zhou Yali laughing.

What's so funny about that?

Zhou Yali grinned, "Sneering is just another way of saying no interest."

Chen Fan, "...Hehe."

The ancients don't understand the memes of later generations.

Zhou Yali then said, "It's not necessarily true. I've read your book 'Ferryman' and I think it's very good."

Chen Fan smiled and said, "That's because you have preconceived notions. If it were someone else's work, would you still be interested in reading it?"

Zhou Yali's eyes rolled slightly, and she laughed awkwardly twice, saying, "It was a bit boring at the beginning."

Then she raised her right palm and said very seriously, "But it gets better and better as you go on, just like reading 'Gone with the Wind'."

Chen Fan smiled and shook his head, "You also said that it was a bit boring at the beginning, and you had to persevere to read it. That's the preconceived notion. Conversely, the vast majority of people believe that mainland cultural works are too dogmatic, like a teacher, educating you on what to do, so they don't like it from the bottom of their hearts.

In fact, all of my works have such a paragraph at the end of the article."

He shrugged, "We call it 'sublimation', but in their eyes, it's too 'preachy', so even if someone buys it to read, there definitely won't be too many, and it won't sell for too long."

Saying that, he turned his head to look at Zhou Yali and joked, "Maybe the number of copies you give away will exceed the actual sales."

Zhou Yali grinned and laughed, "Why would you say that about your own work?"

Chen Fan sighed with a smile, "That's just the way it is."

Speaking of which, the impression that overseas Chinese, including foreigners, have of China is a bit fragmented.

Mr. Li's works are bestsellers all over the world, and are even regarded as a "bible" by some people, enduring for a long time.

But they are basically unable to accept other cultural works from the mainland, and only a very small number of "red classics" are sought after. Other than that, they all express rejection.

Movies, novels, and even music are all the same.

In the early 1980s, a record company in Guangzhou recorded a record with songs that were widely sung in China and sent it to Hong Kong for distribution, but no one cared about it, and it was even criticized as "backward" and not as good as listening to Cantonese opera.

That's just the way it is, so Chen Fan never thought about taking advantage of his uncle's resources to send his works to the United States for publication.

That would be purely humiliating himself.

Of course, it's not to say that this resource can't be used, it's just that it needs to be used for other works.

After a brief silence, Zhou Zhengdong raised his head and asked, "Listening to you, it seems you know a lot about the American book market?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "It's okay, actually there has always been a special department in China that pays attention to the overseas cultural market. Many best-selling works in the United States have also been bought back for reference, and I have read many of them, so I know a little bit."

Zhou Zhengdong immediately said, "Then what kind of books do you think are most popular in the United States?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "There has never been an unchanging genre. Whether a book can become a bestseller depends on the social background at the time.

For example, as far as I know, throughout the 1970s, the United States was in a state of 'stagflation'. People's incomes decreased, and they didn't have money to spend. According to the theoretical laws of economists before, the prices on the market would also decrease accordingly, at least that's how it has been in American historical experience.

But on the contrary, prices not only did not decrease, but continued to soar.

Before this, newborn Americans were told by their parents that as long as they were diligent, loyal, and obedient, they could live the life they wanted, and the 'American Dream' would carry everyone's dreams.

But reality slapped them in the face.

So in this context, works that express confusion, reflection, questioning, and even venting and destruction are very popular."

Hearing this, Zhou Yali immediately blurted out, "The Godfather?!"

Chen Fan turned his head to look at her, "What Godfather?"

Of course, he knew about The Godfather. The novel was published in 1969 and became popular all over the United States as soon as it was released. It was then adapted into a movie in 1972.

Yes, the one who held a cat and said, "You don't even want to call me Godfather."

But now he can only pretend not to know.

Because this book is not on the procurement list of foreign language materials. This book describing the "Mafia", "feuds", and "people's suffering" is a thorough "dross" and must be discarded like old shoes, and three spits must be spat.

In fact, in Chen Fan's opinion, this book should be introduced to let the general public see how the American people are living in misery. So that some people always think that foreign countries are heaven, and they want to run out to be fourth-class citizens all day long.

Seeing that he didn't know, Zhou Yali explained simply, "It's a movie about revenge, and it's very popular in the United States. The plot is similar to the destruction you mentioned."

Chen Fan said "Oh" and stopped talking, continuing to drive his car.

At this time, the car had already left the provincial capital and was driving on the national highway. The car behind had to honk to remind Chen Fan not to drive too fast, they couldn't keep up.