Reborn in 1977

Chapter 699: A Slight Modification

Old Ba was about to take a sip of tea when he heard Chen Fan's words, and he paused, putting the teacup down. He looked at Chen Fan with a strange expression and said, "The meeting a few days ago made it clear that we should open our doors to the world and 'actively develop economic cooperation with all countries in the world on the basis of self-reliance'.

Your Jiangnan Writers Association has set a good example for the national literary world, proving that literature can also go abroad and generate economic benefits. With this meeting setting the tone, what else do you have to worry about?"

Chen Fan took a puff of his cigarette and said with a smile, "It's not because of this reason."

Before Old Ba could ask, he continued, "I don't want to go abroad, mainly for two reasons. First, I am now mainly responsible for the foreign liaison work in the association. Precisely because of the meeting a few days ago, the previous situation where everyone avoided going abroad will definitely change by 180 degrees.

Who wouldn't want to go abroad and take a look if it doesn't cause trouble? You can see from those returned overseas Chinese that foreign countries are rich in materials. Going abroad once will definitely bring back a lot of good things. In this way, going abroad on official business has become a benefit.

And as the main person in charge of foreign liaison work, no matter whether the quota for going abroad is determined by the general association or by foreign businessmen, many people will definitely think that I decided it myself.

This thing is not like distributing houses, it's not a big deal. Why should I cause trouble for myself?"

Old Ba didn't say anything for a while after hearing this, and silently drank tea, picking up his teacup.

After a while, he put down the teacup, picked up a cigarette, looked up at Chen Fan, and sighed, "You are so young, but you are always so mature and prudent. I heard that you were forced to move from the Yunhu Machinery Factory to Lujiawan for special reasons…"

Speaking of this, he couldn't help shaking his head and sighing, striking a match to light his cigarette, and stopped talking.

Chen Fan couldn't help but smile wryly, "It's not that exaggerated. This incident did make me develop a cautious personality, but it doesn't mean I don't dare to do anything. You forgot, from Lujiawan to the Yunhu Machinery Factory, and then to the Jiangnan Writers Association, many tasks were promoted by me.

If I were really the kind of person who is afraid of everything, could I have accomplished those things?"

He smiled at Old Ba, "Actually, apart from this reason, the main reason is that I myself am not interested in foreign countries."

Old Ba was a little curious, "Just like you said, going abroad once will definitely bring back some things that are not available in China, so why are you not interested?"

Chen Fan shrugged, held his cigarette in his mouth, and spread his hands, "As long as the country allows entry, what can't I get? I don't even need to spend money, my uncle and sister can send it to me.

And look at the people who go abroad, don't tell me that they can just wander around freely when they go abroad?"

Old Ba shook his head without hesitation, "That's impossible."

Chen Fan flicked the ash from his cigarette and smiled, "That's it. You don't even need to think about it to know that going abroad on official business will definitely be accompanied by someone, just like foreign tourists coming to China. Where to go, who to meet, and what to do will all have strict regulations.

There are not many benefits, and I have to travel around and work hard. Why should I bother myself for this little thing?"

He put out his cigarette butt, picked up his teacup and took a sip, looking at Old Ba with a smile, "When the country opens up and allows individuals to go abroad, I will definitely go out for a stroll at that time. There is no need to compete with the old comrades for these quotas now."

In fact, it won't be too long. In 1982, China issued the "Provisional Regulations on Studying Abroad at One's Own Expense", opening up the possibility for individuals to study abroad at their own expense, and also starting the "going abroad craze".

In 1984, the higher authorities approved the "Request for Relaxing the Examination and Approval Conditions for Going Abroad for Private Purposes", clarifying the right of citizens to go abroad for private purposes.

At that time, Chen Fan will definitely go abroad for a stroll.

For no other reason than the fact that the international financial market was rising and falling in those years. As long as you can go out, making money is easier than picking up money. If you don't accept free money, you will be struck by lightning.

After listening to Chen Fan's explanation, Old Ba silently took a few puffs of his cigarette, and couldn't help shaking his head and smiling, "You kid, what a good concentration."

Chen Fan took out another cigarette and lit it, and said with a smile, "It's not worth mentioning, it's just that I'm timid and like to think more before doing things."

Old Ba nodded, "Think twice before acting, a good habit."

Then he introduced to Chen Fan the arrangements for the first overseas visit and exchange after the reform and opening up.

The process is very simple. Due to the short distance, the time is also very short.

There are only three days. The team will arrange a leader, a "secretary", and formal members of the visiting group. The total number of people will be controlled within ten. The process includes a symposium, which is a casual chat, then a discussion of works, a visit to the other party's publishing company and writers association, and finally a discussion on the mutual publication of books.

Therefore, the people from the general association are indispensable, and the people responsible for handling various chores, security, and internal supervision must also be present. Finally, there are the members of the Jiangnan Writers Association who have already had their works published in Japan.

Chen Fan felt that it was almost exactly what he had guessed.

This kind of exchange visit has basically been a routine for a long time. It is unremarkable, but it is also the safest and will not easily cause problems.

An event without problems is a successful event.

As for the achievements of the event, a stroke of the pen will create them.

After Old Ba finished introducing the situation, Chen Fan said, "The exchange activities with Japan have been finalized, and it can be regarded as a start. Do you have any ideas for the United States?"

Old Ba raised his head and looked at him in surprise, "The United States?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he reacted, "Yes, yes, your uncle's family has a publishing company. It is indeed possible to replicate the successful experience of cooperation with Kōdansha."

He looked at Chen Fan with great interest and said with a smile, "Since you took the initiative to mention it, you must have already talked about it. Tell me, what's the situation."

Chen Fan smiled and said, "The cooperation with my uncle's company was first proposed by Uncle He."

Hearing this, Old Ba nodded, "Yes, Xiao He dares to think and dare to do, it's his style."

Then he gestured for Chen Fan to continue.

Chen Fan said, "Didn't my uncle and cousin come to Beijing a few days ago? I went to talk to them about this matter on official business. Because that publishing company is not big, even the company name is randomly chosen as 'Zhou's', and it mainly provides services to the Chinese community, so its strength is not very strong."

At this time, Old Ba suddenly interrupted him, "Published your 'Legend of the Dragon Knight', and it's still not strong now?"

Chen Fan was stunned, "You all know?"

Old Ba waved his hand and looked at him with a complicated expression, and said, "It's not that everyone knows. I just guessed it, after all, you showed me the story outline, and your uncle also uses the name of this publishing company every month to pay us the overseas publication royalties that we have retrieved from other publishing companies. If I can't guess it, then I'm just old and confused."

Chen Fan chuckled dryly twice, "I just thought the 'Shu Mountain Swordsmen' stuff was pretty fun, so I changed the shell and adapted it with Western elements. I didn't expect it to be so popular."

Old Ba clicked his tongue and said with admiration, "I heard that the sales of this series have exceeded ten million US dollars, and it's still selling well after being sold to Europe. This isn't just a simple adaptation."

After a two-second silence, he waved his hand and didn't continue the topic, nor did he ask Chen Fan how much he earned in royalties. He just said, "Continue with what you were saying."

Chen Fan, "Oh. I discussed it with my cousin, and considering that we should start small and not take too big of a step, we've tentatively decided to select six novels from domestic literary works to publish in the United States."

"Regarding the allocation of these six novel slots, this is what I'm thinking: the Jiangnan Writers Association will take two, the General Association will take two, and the remaining two will be decided by you."

Old Ba was quite surprised, "It's only natural that Jiangnan gets two slots. The two slots for the General Association are actually for other places in the country. And you're giving me two slots too?"

Faced with the question, Chen Fan just smiled, "If I were to give these two slots to the General Association together, wouldn't you ask me for them separately?"

Old Ba patted the table without hesitation, "Of course, I would."

After all, he was the newly elected chairman of the Shanghai Writers Association. How could he not fight for benefits for his own unit?

Chen Fan spread his hands and smiled, "That's it then. If you ask me, could I refuse? It's better to arrange it in advance. Besides, people have different levels of closeness, so it's only right that I arrange two slots for you."

Old Ba tapped the table, his face already beaming with smiles, "Okay, I'll acknowledge this favor."

After chatting for more than half an hour, someone from the motorcade came to inform them that the tires had been changed, and they also asked Chen Fan to sign so they could claim the new tires from the Yunqi Factory.

After the person left, Chen Fan also prepared to say goodbye.

He stood up, took out his dry tobacco pipe, opened the tobacco pouch, and threw it on the table, "Don't you like smoking dry tobacco? Try this tobacco; I made it myself."

Old Ba didn't stand on ceremony, picked up the tobacco pouch, opened it, and smelled it, "Hmm, the aroma is quite unique. I'll take this."

He looked at Chen Fan, shook the tobacco pouch in his hand, "You came to see me with just this? And only this little bit?"

Chen Fan's mouth twitched slightly, "You weren't like this before."

Old Ba rubbed a ball of tobacco silk and stuffed it into the pipe bowl, saying in annoyance, "Nonsense, I'm not like this to other people. But other people aren't like you, like a bandit, tell me, how much stuff have you taken from me? Gu Jingzhou's teapot, Qi Gong's calligraphy, Lin Fengmian's paintings…"

Chen Fan quickly coughed twice, interrupting him, "Well, I'll pick up a package later. I bought some Changbai Mountain goods from the Liaoning Import and Export Company,"

Before he could finish, Old Ba took a pleasant puff of smoke and waved his hand, saying, "Those things are unnecessary. You gave me a set of 7501 porcelain tableware last time, and I'm using it well. But I'm still missing a tea set. When you get back, bring me a teapot and eight teacups, and we'll call it even."

Chen Fan rubbed his hands and grinned, "Old Ba is generous; it's a deal then!"

… …

Driving the van with the new tires, Chen Fan went straight to the post office.

Complete the formalities, pick up the package.

The package was a bit big.

The items Chen Fan reported to Captain Qi weren't few. Based on the types and quantities he reported, Captain Qi estimated a price of 30,000 US dollars. So he had his uncle wire 50,000, with the remittance note, "Round out the money".

Then he got the big package in front of him that could fill a tricycle.

First, fold down all the seats in the van, and then ask the post office workers to help lift it into the car before Chen Fan drove back.

Soon he arrived home, honked the horn twice, and Zhou Yali quickly came out to open the door.

After the car drove into the yard, she closed the yard door and asked, "Why did it take so long?"

Chen Fan pushed the door open and got out of the car, "The tire burst, so I went to the Writers Association to change it."

Zhou Yali was stunned, "Ah? Then you saw Old Ba? Then, then, are you still going later?"

Chen Fan opened the back door and, without anyone's help, dragged out the large package that required four people to lift earlier, then turned around, flung it on his back, and walked inside.

At the same time, he said, "Yes, I'm going. He even picked out his own gift. Go to the storage room and choose a tea set, one teapot and eight cups, and pick out a tea caddy."

Usually, a teapot comes with four teacups, but 7501 porcelain has a teapot with six cups and a tea caddy. Since Old Ba wants eight, then give him eight.

If it were a wine set, it would be one pot with ten cups.

Anyway, compared to the things he took from Old Ba's house, it must be more expensive.

But Chen Fan didn't let the old man suffer a loss. He had several of his own calligraphy and paintings, so all in all… well, let's not calculate it so clearly.

Fortunately, this house has double doors, and the door distance is wide enough. Chen Fan carried the package in on his back and threw it directly onto the open space in the living room.

Then he started opening the box.

First, open the outer layer of coarse cloth. Inside, there are four packages tied together, and then each package is unwrapped to reveal the true appearance of the items inside.

One is the fur that Chen Fan wanted, including a tiger skin, two bear skins, and two deer skins, all of which are well-tanned top-quality hides, as well as a stack of sable fur. This pile of fur alone costs more than 20,000 yuan… Of course, that's RMB, but it's still a lot in US dollars.

Another, the smallest package, is a pile of bones, mostly tiger bones, as well as antelope horns and deer antlers, and a few tiger penises.

Then there is a package of processed ginseng, ganoderma, and other herbs.

And the second largest package is a pile of mountain goods such as mushrooms, all for eating.

With these things, as long as you buy some commonly used medicinal materials, you can configure the medicinal materials for soaking medicinal wine.

The family already has a stock of those medicinal materials, so there is no need to go out to buy them.

After finally sorting everything out, Chen Fan began to prepare the medicine.

Zhou Yali was not idle on the side, holding two little monkeys, curiously asking questions and looking around.

Fortunately, Chen Fan knew the process of preparing the medicine by heart, otherwise, being disturbed by her like this, it would be easy to make mistakes.

Busy like this, unconsciously it was already past two o'clock in the afternoon.

After packing the last dose of medicine, Chen Fan clapped his hands and said, gasping for air, "Done."

Zhou Yali looked at the medicinal materials on the table, couldn't help blinking her eyes, and muttered in a low voice, "With so much medicinal wine, how many more younger brothers and sisters will I have?!"

Hearing this, Chen Fan couldn't help but be speechless, grinning and unable to respond.

Thinking in his heart, should I readjust the prescription?

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Chen Fan came back to his senses, turned around and walked out, muttering in his heart, who would come at this time?

Could it be the security?

Going out to open the door, appearing outside the yard door was actually Zhou Zhengdong.