Back to 80: My Literary Life

The two squeezed into a bus, and Fang Minghua asked about Yu Hua's current situation.

"This spring, I returned to my hometown after graduation and now work as deputy editor-in-chief of the "Misty Rain Tower" magazine under the Jiaxing Federation of Literary and Art Circles."

Fang Minghua was slightly surprised when he heard this.

"Don't you want to keep Yanjing?"

"How can I stay if I don't have a house?" Yu Hua said with a wry smile: "When I arrived in Jiaxing, the Federation of Literary and Art Circles gave me an apartment. Although it was not big, I still had a place to live. I will move my family to Jiaxing and settle down first, and then I will find a way to return to Yanjing. ”

Fang Minghua originally wanted to ask how your relationship with your wife is now?

And what about Chen Hong?

Where did Chen Hong go?

But the words never came out.

There is no need to ask so clearly about people’s private matters. Besides, isn’t history there?

In the end, Yu Hua returned to Yanjing.

"Okay, don't worry, Yu Hua, with your literary talents, you will definitely be able to stay in Yanjing in the future." Fang Minghua comforted him.

Yu Hua chuckled after hearing this: "To tell you the truth, I think so too. Coming back is just a temporary transition."

Ha. This guy is quite thick-skinned.

"Minghua, what are you doing in Shencheng? A meeting?" Yu Hua asked.

"no."

Fang Minghua didn't hide anything, and simply told him that he wanted to establish a Chinese Literature Award. Yu Hua's eyes widened in surprise.

"What, no?" Fang Minghua asked.

"Okay! It definitely works! If someone said there was a literary award, I would definitely say they were bragging, but if you say it, I believe it!"

Ah?

Are you praising me or hurting me?

"Minghua, my book "Shout and Drizzle" has been published, can I participate in the review?" Yu Hua asked again.

"Of course you can. When the call for papers for the grand prize starts, I will personally call Editor Xiao of Harvest and ask their magazine to recommend your book! But I don't know if it will win."

"Hey, it's fine if you can participate in the competition. As for winning, I've never thought about it."

The bus stopped at the southeast gate. The two got off. Not long after, they saw another bus coming from the opposite direction. The bus stopped across the road. A beautiful girl wearing T-jeans got out of the bus.

It was Li Hongying.

"Teacher Fang, Yu Hua!"

The girl stood on the road opposite and waved, then ran over with a smile.

"Hongying, don't call me teacher, just call me Minghua, just like Yu Hua." Fang Minghua said.

"That's not okay. No matter what others call you, I will call you Teacher Fang."

Fang Minghua had no choice but to let her go.

The three of them found a restaurant nearby, ordered a few dishes, and chatted while eating.

Naturally, they are talking about their respective current situations.

Li Hongying graduated from the Fudan Writers' Class in June this year. When she heard that Yu Hua had returned to Jiaxing and moved her home in Haiyan to Jiaxing, she snorted but said nothing and turned to look at Fang Minghua.

"Teacher Fang, I have read your two newly published books. They are so well written, especially the collection of essays "Fragments of Civilization". I was very surprised when I read it. I traveled to many places and wrote Some travel notes and the like, but why didn’t you think of writing such prose?”

"You still have time to write now." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

But Li Hongying shook her head: "No, I've thought about this problem. I don't have as high a level as you, nor do I have as much knowledge of history and humanities as you. If I write it, it will make people laugh."

Ah?

"Teacher Fang, are you coming to Shencheng just now for a meeting?" Li Hongying asked again.

"What meeting are you having? Minghua came to Shanghai this time to handle a big event." Yu Hua took over the conversation.

"What's the big deal?"

"Hold a world-wide literary award!" Yu Hua explained the matter again.

"Wow, Teacher Fang, is it like the Nobel Prize for Literature? You are so awesome, I admire you so much!"

"It's not like the Nobel Prize for Literature, it's a bit like the British Booker Prize. What I reward is the work, not the author himself." Fang Minghua explained.

"Hongying, you can also participate in the award with works you wrote last year or this year. Yu Hua is already ready."

"Me? I mainly study, and I haven't written anything good." Li Hongying shook her head: "But..."

"But what?"

"Teacher Fang, do you still need people in your literary award preparatory team? When I graduate, I can come over and help you work!" Li Hongying said suddenly.

"Didn't you say you wanted to go abroad after graduation?" Fang Minghua asked confused.

"How can it be so easy to go abroad? Look at the long queue waiting for visas in front of the British Consulate General on Yongfu Road." Li Hongying explained.

"Even if I apply, it will probably take a long time to get approved. I have nothing to do during this period. I might as well go to your preparatory team to help, and I can take the opportunity to see more free works and listen to the judges' comments on the works. , kill two birds with one stone!”

Fang Minghua pondered for a moment: "Well, I do need people over there. You can contact me after you graduate."

Li Hongying smiled sweetly.

After eating, I sent Li Hongying to the bus station and took the bus back to school.

Fang Minghua and Yu Hua also said goodbye on the roadside.

He suddenly thought of something and asked quickly: "Yu Hua, after finishing this "Shout and Drizzle", do you have any preliminary ideas for the next work?

"Next step?"

Yu Hua lit up a cigarette skillfully and smoked before saying, "Minghua, have you ever heard of an American song called "Old Black Slave"?"

"I've heard it before. It's an American folk song. The lyrics are about an old black slave who has experienced a lifetime of suffering. What's wrong?"

"I heard it by chance not long ago. Maybe it was because of the rainy day. I was very moved by the song. Later, I read the lyrics. Although the old black slave had experienced a lifetime of suffering and his family died before him, he still treated the world with kindness and did not complain."

"I was very moved and touched at the time. I thought that I could also write a novel about people's ability to endure suffering and their optimistic attitude towards the world. I wrote about people living for the sake of living, not for anything other than living."

Isn't this "To Live"?

Fang Minghua nodded after listening.

"This is a good idea. You write it. Don't rush to submit it after you finish writing. Let me take a look first."

"Okay, I will let you take a look after you finish writing it and help me revise it." Yu Hua said quickly.

Hehe

Revision? This is not the point. The point is that I want the publishing rights of your book, published by Shengshi Books!

After saying goodbye to Yu Hua, Fang Minghua returned to the hotel and met Wang Anyi again the next day.

At this time, Wang Anyi was no longer working at the "Childhood Times" magazine, but had become a professional writer at the Shanghai Writers Association.

Fang Minghua met her to reminisce about the past and to tell her about his plan to establish a literary award.

"Minghua, you are so brave. You dare to do things that others dare not even think about!" Wang Anyi was full of admiration.

"The Lu Prize has not been soliciting papers, and I can't wait." Fang Minghua said half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Sister Anyi, you also want to participate."

"Okay, but I'm not in good shape recently. I'll submit my work even if it's not very good. It's considered support for you!"

Fang Minghua also wanted to go to East China Normal University to find Ge Fei, but unfortunately when she went to the school to inquire, she found out that Ge Fei had gone to a meeting in another place, so she had to give up.

After staying in Yanjing and Shanghai for more than 20 days, Fang Minghua finally returned to Xijing.