Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 489 488 "Do you believe in fate? (Third update)
It seems that his father's death was a big blow to him.

After a few words of comfort, Fang Minghua and the others followed Jia Pingwa into the courtyard and first went to the main hall, where the old man's coffin and portrait were placed.

In front of the portrait, several people respectfully offered incense and burned paper, and the memorial service was over.

As they had been rushing all the way, they didn't have time to deliver the wreath. However, there was a paper-making shop on the east side of the town, so Bai Miao volunteered to go there. After a while, someone came over with a large bundle of wreaths.

The Provincial Writers Association, Chairman Hu Cai, and several vice chairmen, whether they came or not, must send a wreath in their personal capacity, and no one can be missing.

At the magazine office, in addition to sending wreaths in the name of the magazine office and himself, Bai Miao also sent three wreaths in the name of the three deputy editors-in-chief of the editorial department. Suddenly, a row of wreaths sent by literati were leaning against the wall outside Jia Pingwa's yard, which was a spectacular sight.

In addition to the Provincial Writers Association and Yanhe Magazine, the Xijing Writers Association and Chang'an Magazine, including the Shangzhou Writers Association also expressed condolences and sent wreaths. Danfeng County also sent a wreath in the name of the county party committee and county government, and sent a deputy county magistrate to express condolences.

At dinner time, a group of literati sat at a large table, including the deputy county magistrate whose surname was Jin. It was quite lively.

Jia Pingwa accompanied him.

"Everyone, I can't drink now, so I'll ask Minghua to have a couple more drinks with you all!"

shit
Forget it, I won’t talk to him. He really can’t drink in this condition now.

However, this was a funeral, and the ceremony had not yet begun, so everyone was very rational about drinking, just symbolically drinking a little.

After the meal, County Magistrate Jin invited Fang Minghua and his friends to return to the county town and live in the county guesthouse, saying that the conditions there were relatively poor, but Fang Minghua declined with a smile.

I'm here to pay my respects, and it would be inappropriate for me to stay in the county town at night. Besides, the funeral will be held at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, and it would be too tiring to go back and forth.

Jia Pingwa arranged Fang Minghua and others to live in his younger brother's house. Although the room was simple, the bedding was very clean.

According to rural customs, before an elderly person in the family dies and is buried, someone has to sit and keep vigil in front of the coffin in the main hall every night. In addition to the relatives of the deceased, sometimes people from the same village will also come to the house to make the family not feel lonely, to reduce their sadness, and to express their final care for the deceased.

The night in the Qinling Mountains was very cool, sweeping away the heat of the day. At the home of Jia Pingwa's brother Jia Zaiwa, Fang Minghua and others heard someone singing in the mourning hall again.

What flowers come in May?

Lotus flowers bloom in May
May Lotus Yaochi

Nezha is picking the lotus

This time it seems to be a duet.

"Brother Lu, Bai Miao, let's go out for a walk." Fang Minghua suggested.

The three of them went out and walked along the streets of the town.

At that time, Dihua Town was not yet a tourist attraction, nor did it have as many scenic spots as in later generations. It was just a narrow street paved with bluestone slabs. Fang Minghao walked back and forth in no time.

When I came back and passed by Jia Pingwa's house, I saw Jia Pingwa sitting alone on the bluestone slab under the persimmon tree at the door, smoking.

Seeing Fang Minghua and the others approaching, Jia Pingwa stood up and greeted them: "Did you go out for a walk?"

"Ah."

"There are so many people and so many things to do, so please forgive me for the poor hospitality."

"Hey, why are you saying this to your friends? You should also mourn and take care of yourself."

"In fact, it was expected. My father's illness was diagnosed with stomach cancer in March. It progressed rapidly. He became bedridden in June this year. He rolled around in pain all day, and he was hungry but couldn't eat. It was painful to see him. It was a relief that he passed away."

Everyone was silent.

"Come, sit here and chat." The three of them sat down as they were told.

Jia Pingwa gave Lu Yao and Bai Miao a cigarette, then lit up a chair for himself and suddenly asked, "Do you believe in fate?"

Before anyone could answer, Jia Pingwa muttered to himself, "I believe it. There is a fortune teller in our village. Everyone calls him Blind Liu. Blind Liu is very accurate in fortune telling. He tells us about his experience of traveling around the country and setting up stalls on the streets."

"I started learning divination when I was a teenager. I had a great master who taught me a lot. He was actually only half blind and never married or had children."

Everyone listened quietly to Jia Pingwa's story.

"During the Spring Festival this year, I went back to my hometown to visit my parents. I met him on the street. He saw me with his cane, looked at me carefully and suddenly said, "Pingwa, this year is not a good year for you. Everything is not going well for you."

"Of course I don't believe it. We believe in Marxism-Leninism, how can we believe in ghosts and gods? But I still deliberately asked, if that's the case, is there any way to resolve it? He shook his head and said that it was inevitable, but once you get through it, your career will be further advanced. I asked him what it was, but he said that the secret cannot be revealed. Isn't this bullshit? I ignored him."

"But after what I've been through over the past six months, I've slowly come to realize that what Blind Liu said was right. There's no escape."

Bai Miao thought Jia Pingwa was talking about his father, so he comforted him: Pingwa, don't be too sad. Old Master Jia taught and educated people all his life, and he has a son like you who is so promising. It can be considered a perfect deed. "

"Do I have a future?" Jia Pingwa smiled bitterly: "Bai Miao, there are some things you don't understand, you don't understand."

At this time, someone called Jia Pingwa's name and asked him to go back. Jia Pingwa quickly put out his cigarette, said something to the three people, and hurried into the courtyard.

Fang Minghua and the other two had nothing to do, and they couldn't help as others were busy, so they went back to Jia Zaiwa's house, washed their feet, and went to bed.

Lu Yao and Fang Minghua were squeezed on the same bed. Only then did Lu Yao say, "Minghua, you don't know that Pingwa is really unlucky this year."

"What else happened?"

"At the beginning of the year, he accompanied his father to Xijing Hospital for a physical examination and also checked himself. The results showed that he had hepatitis B," said Lu Yao.

"Ah? Hepatitis B?" Fang Minghua was shocked: "No wonder he looked so pale today. I thought he was sad and tired because his father passed away."

"That's only one aspect. Hepatitis B has put him under a lot of mental pressure. He used to have a wide range of friends, but now you rarely see him go out."

That's it!

In this day and age, people are as terrified by hepatitis B as they are by cancer.

"Also, his wife is getting a divorce. Didn't you notice that you didn't see his wife today?"

Yup
Fang Minghua paid attention to this matter this time. How could the daughter-in-law not be present when her father-in-law passed away?

"Does Pingwa have any other woman outside?" Fang Minghua became curious.

"Hey, no way. It's just hearsay. Was Pingwa's novel "Wild Mountain" adapted into a movie a few years ago? Pingwa went to the crew to direct as a screenwriter and met an actor named Xia in the play. The two got along well and sometimes exchanged letters, but they were just ordinary friends."

"But his wife didn't believe it. The woman was so beautiful and you were so talented, it would be strange if nothing happened! So they often quarreled about this matter. I heard that they even went to the Municipal Writers Association to make a scene. How could Pingwa save face? So their relationship became worse and worse."

That's it!

Haven’t you been misunderstood before?

However, he and Song Tangtang have a deep relationship and trust each other. Moreover, Song Tangtang is beautiful, capable and very confident.

Also, the further advancement in career that Liu the Blind mentioned, did he refer to the book “Wasted City” written by Jia Pingwa?
It really made him famous both at home and abroad.

(End of this chapter)