1979 Golden Age

"People pounced on the book stalls, just like MacArthur pounced on Christmas!"

- Musk

Seven large book sales points, displaying seven categories of books, including social sciences, literature and art, children's books, natural sciences, and engineering technology. Even the engineering technology stalls were crowded outside.

Chen Qi and his party were dispersed as soon as they entered.

He lifted his shoes, looked around, and lifted his shoes again. He saw Jiang Shan first. Jiang Shan was very tough. Relying on her short legs, she actually got in front of the stall and clung to it tightly.

He hurried over and shouted, "Where is Cai Ming?"

"She was squeezed away in a flash!"

"Stay here first, I'll buy you a few books!"

"I don't need you to buy them for me!"

"I'll go back and ask your dad for money. Do you think I'll give it to you for free?"

Chen Qi patted her head and looked at the stall, which was selling children's books. He picked up a set of the famous "100,000 Whys" at random.

This set of books was written by a Soviet writer in 1929. It was later introduced into China and has spawned many versions. The content has become more and more, and it has become less and less reliable. Later, even the Bermuda Triangle was included in it, and it was used as a serious science popularization of astronomy and geography.

Chen Qi has no prejudice. He also believed in the Bermuda Triangle when he was a child!

He even believed in the democracy of self-righteousness!

"What do you want to read?"

"I want to read good novels!"

"Then you go to the stall over there?"

"No, I can't take it home, my dad will beat me to death..."

Jiang Shan is one of the countless rebellious elementary school students. She is eager to read something different, but she dares not to. She hesitates and picks. Chen Qi chose a set for her and said, "Buy this one, your dad will never beat you!"

"Five Thousand Years of History" was first published in 1979, edited by Lin Handa and Cao Yuzhang, with a total of five volumes. After it was launched, it sold more than 5 million copies, a classic of a generation.

"It's so expensive! Are you really going to buy it for me?"

Jiang Shan was shocked by the price. One book cost 73 cents, and five books cost 3.65 yuan. Her daily pocket money was two cents, which she could use to buy popsicles and melon seeds without tickets.

"It's just a small amount of money!"

Chen Qi had a huge sum of 1,000 yuan in his pocket, and he couldn't find a place to spend it. Where could he go to complain? He was not stingy after all.

He bought Jiang Shan a set of "Five Thousand Years of Chinese History" and several children's literature magazines. He also bought a set of "Five Thousand Years of Chinese History" and "One Hundred Thousand Whys" for himself. He didn't read them, but kept them for collection. The old versions were quite interesting.

He pulled Jiang Shan out and grabbed a chair in the cypress forest, saying, "You read here first, don't run around, I'll go find someone else."

"Yeah!"

"Wow, you're so well-behaved all the time."

"Who told you to always bully me!"

Jiang Shan wrinkled her nose at him, ignored him, and buried her head in the book.

Chen Qi squeezed in again and found Cai Ming. He patted her shoulder and said, "Jiang Shan is on the chair over there. Let's gather there later!"

"I know, I know!"

Nanako didn't even turn her head.

This is the literature and art booth, so naturally there are the most people. Not far from Cai Ming, Ge You was holding a book and laughing happily, while Liang Xiaosheng seemed to have entered a treasure house. He wanted to buy everything, but he didn't have enough money.

Chen Qi took a quick look and was a little surprised at the openness.

There are many modern and contemporary Chinese masterpieces, and there are also many classical masterpieces. He thought that "Journey to the West" and "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" and other "feudal superstition" works would not exist, but they were openly displayed on the booth.

Old acquaintances such as Hugo, Balzac, Chekhov, and Tolstoy were also there, as well as books about the United States, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Of course, Qiong Yao, Sanmao, Jin Yong, and Gu Long were definitely not there.

Chen Qi picked a set of 1970's novel "Journey to the West" and a set of 1972's comic strip "Three Strikes on the White Bone Demon". The comic strip was especially drawn by Mr. Wang Yiqiu, and his painting skills were amazing.

Why was "Journey to the West" so special that it was published?

Because Sun Wukong was considered to be combative. There is a poem that says: "The golden monkey raised his thousand-pound stick, and the jade sky cleared the dust for thousands of miles."

The last two sentences are: "Today, we cheer for Sun Dasheng, only because the evil fog has come again!"

...

Gong Xue and Zhang Jinling separated, and she stood in front of a stall, holding a book and reading it very seriously. As she was reading, a voice came from behind, saying: "How many books have you bought?"

"Not yet, I want to buy this one."

She shook it, and the words "Jane Eyre" were written on the cover.

"I suggest you wait. The movie Jane Eyre was just released in China this year. It's quite popular. The publisher will definitely publish a new translation. Yours is a translation from the Republic of China period. It may not be easy to read."

"Oh, then I'll wait."

Gong Xue put the book down obediently, picked up another copy of Notre Dame de Paris, and asked: "Are these foreign classics all old translations?"

"Almost. If you like, you can buy them and collect them."

"Collect? I don't have a place to put things."

She shook her head and asked: "What did you buy?"

"I bought a lot. They are all on the chair over there. When you're done, go and gather... Hey, I'll spend today, and whatever you buy will be on me."

"I have a salary, so you don't have to worry about it. Go and see others."

When Gong Xue heard this, she couldn't help laughing, and took out a small wallet from her pocket and shook it. It was sewn with blue cloth, with fine stitches and beautiful embroidery. It was divided into several layers. It should be made by herself.

"You are worthy of being a rich lady. Others use handkerchiefs, but you use wallets."

"You!"

Gong Xue bit her lip. The class background issue was a thorn in her heart. This jerk kept bringing it up. Chen Qi didn't care. He whistled and left: "I can't even spend money if I want to. Where can I go to seek justice?"

Seven people came today. Chen Qi was the third youngest, but he was like a boss, arranging this and that.

It was around noon.

Everyone finally gathered together. Under a towering ancient cypress, a pile of books were placed on the chairs, and they were excited to count their gains.

Liang Xiaosheng picked a bunch of famous books, Ge You and Zhang Jinling picked a few novels, and Cai Caizi was amazing. She actually bought a lot of popular science books. Gong Xue bought more than ten books of all kinds.

Chen Qi was exaggerated. He had dozens of books piled up high.

He wanted to see if there were any ancient books or old books, but he didn't find any. He would go to the China Bookstore when he had time. This era is a good time to pick up bargains. There are almost no competitors. Even Ma Weidu, a slacker, is still working as a milling machine operator in the factory...

"Why did you buy so many movie books?"

"Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, wow, even Hong Kong!"

Ge You flipped through Chen Qi's collection and was quite surprised.

"See the outside world. I am a screenwriter now, but I don't want to be a screenwriter for the rest of my life. Just like you are a minor actor in a drama troupe, do you still want to be a minor actor for the rest of your life?"

"No!"

"That's right, people always want to go higher... I'll go find something, otherwise I can't get it."

Chen Qi left for a while, and then brought Yu Xiuli back. Yu Xiuli held a bag and a bundle of ropes in her hand and smiled: "You are all Xiaoqi's friends, right? What a coincidence, I'm helping over there."

"Hello, auntie!"

"Hello, auntie!"

It was the first time for several people to see his parents, and they hurriedly greeted them. And Yu Xiuli, out of her mother's instinct, secretly and quickly scanned the circle:

Zhang Jinling: Too big.

Jiang Shan: Too small.

Cai Ming: Yes.

Then he looked at Gong Xue again, his eyes lit up, this girl is pretty, fair and clean, but I don’t know how old she is this year, she looks quite young...

Yu Xiuli made a note in her mind, tied up the pile of books and put them in a bag, and enthusiastically invited her to her home for dinner. Everyone declined repeatedly, performing a complete set of social etiquette.

After buying books, Chen Qi and his friends rested under the tree. Ye Shengtao and others were coming soon, and they all wanted to see it.

A few people gathered not far away, discussing excitedly, and the voices were very loud. Chen Qi listened to a few sentences and his expression was subtle.

"Nonsense, where are there aliens in this world?"

"The People's Daily reported UFOs last year, so how can it be false? Can the People's Daily also talk nonsense?"

"Speaking of which, I really saw it once. Three years ago, I was in the countryside. One night when I got up at night, I saw a light spot in the sky. I didn't know what it was. It stopped for a few seconds and then disappeared.

I guess it must be the UFO you mentioned!"