Back to 80: My Literary Life

At noon, at Shi Tiesheng's invitation, several people had a meal at his house, which was simple noodles with mixed sauce.

Shi Tiiesheng's father didn't come back from work at noon, and his sister Shi Lan came back from school. She was still a handsome middle school student with two pigtails, carrying a yellow satchel.

After dinner, Minghua was about to say goodbye and leave. As soon as he walked out of Shi Tiesheng's house and onto the street, he heard someone calling him from behind.

"Editor Fang, Editor Fang, please wait a moment."

Fang Minghua turned around and saw that it was Shi Tiesheng's sister Shi Lan.

He stopped and looked at the girl running over.

"Editor Fang, I heard that brother Lizhe said that my brother has a female pen pal at Northwest University in Xijing. Did you bring a sweater this time?" the girl asked.

"Yes, her name is Chen Ximi, and she is now a teacher at Northwest University." Fang Minghua replied.

"Editor Fang, how is Teacher Chen? Is she very gentle? Does she know about my brother's situation?" Shi Lan asked again.

Girls just gossip.

But Fang Minghua knew that the girl in front of him was not just gossip.

"Chen Ximi knows your brother's physical condition. She is a very good person and very gentle." Fang Minghua replied: "It is best to be a sister-in-law."

"Really? You said she might be my sister-in-law?" Shi Lan looked surprised after hearing this.

"Yes, let your brother take the initiative. Also, we can find a way for your brother to go to Xijing and meet Chen Ximi."

"Really? Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, your brother is a person I respect very much, now I'm leaving!"

"Goodbye! Goodbye Editor Fang, come to Yanjing to play with my brother." Shi Lan greeted warmly.

"I will, bye!"

Fang Minghua waved, turned and walked towards the bus stop.

According to historical development, Shi Tiiesheng and Chen Ximi seemed to have gotten married in the late 1980s.

Let this day come early.

May all lovers in the world get married.

Fang Minghua came out of Shi Tiiesheng's house and took the bus straight to the Writers Publishing House located in the south of Chaoyang Agricultural Exhibition Hall.

In this building are not only the writers' publishing house, but also the "People's Literature" magazine, the "Poetry" magazine, and the "Literary News" newspaper. They are all crowded together. In fact, they are all subordinate units of the Chinese Writers Association.

Looking at the four signs hanging at the door, Fang Minghua thought for a while and decided to visit Wang Meng first.

Unfortunately, before leaving, I brought a lot of things to Song Tangtang’s grandparents, but I didn’t bring the dog-headed dates that Wang Meng liked to eat.

It's not appropriate to buy anything else, since I'm at work after all.

Fang Minghua entered the courtyard with his work permit and asked about Wang Meng's office. He went straight to the fourth floor and knocked on the door when he saw the sign "Editor's Office" hanging on it.

As luck would have it, the voice of "Please come in" came from inside.

Fang Minghua pushed the door open and saw Wang Meng sitting behind the desk, reading documents.

"Xiao Fang is here." A smile appeared on Wang Meng's face: "No, we should call Editor Fang now."

"Editor-in-Chief Wang, your name is Xiao Fang." Fang Minghua replied humbly: "Editor-in-Chief Dong wants to take a back seat, but President Huang insists on letting me do it."

"Why do you have to work so hard? I envy Dong Mo. Now he is relegated to the second line and enjoys peace and happiness. As for me, I have a lot of things to do."

Indeed.

On Wang Meng's desk, there is a large pile of documents on the left and a large pile of manuscripts on the right.

But Editor Wang, it will take a few more years for you to take a break, and you will have to become a big leader later on.

Of course this cannot be said.

The two exchanged a few words and then got down to the topic. Fang Minghua said that he was invited by the editor Wang Yuan of the Writer's Publishing House to revise the manuscript.

"I heard Wang Yuan say it a few days ago." Wang Meng nodded: "But things have changed."

"What changes?"

"Wang Yuan came to me two days ago and asked if he could let a magazine publish it in installments before publishing it? So I contacted "Contemporary" magazine. After sending the manuscript, they agreed in principle, so this time you have to Go to "Contemporary" and find editor Yan Wenjing, and he will explain the situation to you in detail."

So this is ah.

Fang Minghua understood.

It is estimated that just like when Lu Yao published "Life", he first let "Contemporary" magazine publish it in installments to explore the way, and then the Writers Publishing House decided to publish the entire book.

Many novels and novels in this era do this, and Fang Minghua is understandable.

In this case, Fang Minghua said goodbye to Wang Meng and took a bus from the west of the city to the "Contemporary" publishing house on Chaonei Street in the east of the city to find the editor Yan Wenjing.

Yan Wenjing is also a writer himself. He is now almost 70 and still an old man. After meeting Fang Minghua, he chatted with Fang Minghua for a few words and quickly got to the point.

"Comrade Xiao Fang, the overall structure of your novel is good, and the plot design and arrangement are also very clever and fascinating. Don't tell me that I read your novel in one sitting."

Fang Minghua smiled slightly after hearing this.

When future generations read so many online articles, they should also learn from the advantages of online articles - it is refreshing.

"Of course, there are some problems with your novel. Your "Crossing the Guandong" describes the history of a family's struggle. I will call it a family novel for the time being." Yan Wenjing continued.

"The main feature of family novels is to write about family life, such as "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "Four Generations Under One Roof" by Lao She in China. The changes in character behavior and the unfolding of the storyline cannot be separated from a certain time and space. You describe The book is from the Northeast, but maybe it has something to do with your experience. The Northeast flavor in the book is not very strong, and it is not as strong as the flavor of Yanjing in Lao She’s Four Generations Under One Roof."

"Editor Yan, Lao She's "Four Generations Under One Roof" is a classic, but I don't think it can reach that level." Fang Minghua was pragmatic.

Yan Wenjing laughed after hearing this: "Comrade Xiaofang, you are still young. So for this book, we can express my opinions. Of course, if you want to take it back and polish it, it will be better."

"I'd better take it back and revise it." Fang Minghua expressed his opinion.

"That's fine, I'll bring it over after I've made the changes." Yan Wenjing said, thinking of something: "Xiao Fang, where do you live in Yanjing? Do you need us to arrange it?"

According to the unwritten rules in the industry, if a certain editorial department wants the author to revise the manuscript, the editorial department must pay for travel and accommodation expenses.

Fang Minghua laughed and said, "I came here with my girlfriend this time and stayed at her grandma's house."

"That's good. If you have any difficulties, just ask."

Fang Minghua left the Contemporary Magazine and took the bus back to the General Political Courtyard without staying much longer.

In the yard of Song Tangtang's grandfather's house, Song Tangtang and his grandfather were pruning flowers and branches. When he saw Fang Minghua coming back, Song Tangtang hurriedly greeted him: "Going to the Writer's Publishing House, how is it going?"

Fang Minghua briefly explained what happened, and finally said: "I plan to revise it again and add some human customs from the Northeast to make the characters more vivid."

After hearing this, Song Tangtang's grandfather patted the dirt on his hands and came over and said:

"Haha, Xiao Fang, you can ask me about this. I have stayed in the Northeast for many years, and I have not followed the big troops south. The Kuomintang troops have also fought, and the bandits have also fought!"

"Great, grandpa, I was just about to ask you for advice."

"Let's go, let's go. Whatever you need, I'll tell you!"

These days, Fang Minghua lives in this small courtyard. During the day, he edits novels and consults Song Tangtang's grandfather. Grandpa also reads the novels he wrote and provides personal opinions. Finally, even grandma comes over to discuss it together.

Of course, I have to go out with Song Tangtang in the evening.

Sunday soon arrived. Fang Minghua got up early and continued to revise articles in his grandfather's study when he heard a girl's voice coming from outside.

"Grandma, grandpa, I'm back. Oh, cousin, have you come to Yanjing too?"

It’s Song Tangtang’s cousin Li Li.