Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 618 Works cannot be published
"How was the writing?"

In the evening, Fang Minghua said to his wife Song Tangtang.

Song Tangtang was wearing cotton pajamas, sitting next to the computer, looking at the words on the screen carefully.

In fact, every night after get off work, Song Tangtang would read what Fang Minghua had written. After reading the last part today, he let out a long sigh.

"It's really shocking. I didn't expect the lives of laid-off workers to be so difficult. I thought the lives of the female workers described in your novel "The Textile Girl" were already miserable, but what you wrote in this reportage is nothing compared to them."

"The Russian literary theorist Chernyshevsky once said: Literature originates from life, but is higher than life. In fact, what I want to say is that real life is often more complicated and more exciting than literature." Fang Minghua said meaningfully:

“So, I wrote reportage that was closer to reality than fiction.”

"But." Song Tangtang's tone was slightly worried, and she turned to look at Fang Minghua.

"I'm worried that what you wrote is too realistic and the issues are too acute. Yanhe doesn't publish reportage. If you submit your article to Contemporary Literature or People's Literature, I'm worried that it might not be published."

Fang Minghua was silent for a while before saying, "So, I plan to invest in Harvest. Maybe the result will be better."

Having made the decision, Fang Minghua printed it out and mailed it directly to the "Harvest" magazine in Shanghai. He also called the magazine's deputy editor-in-chief Xiao Dai to briefly explain the situation.

A week later, Fang Minghua received a call from Xiao Dai: "Minghua, this is shocking, absolutely shocking."

Xiao Dai lamented on the phone: "In fact, not only in the Northeast, but also in Shanghai, there is now a problem of workers being laid off in state-owned enterprises, but the contradiction is not as acute as in the Northeast."

"As the reform deepens, the problems will become more prominent in the future and should attract the attention of the whole society. This is also my original intention for writing this reportage," Fang Minghua explained.

"You are right. Since your reportage is quite long, we plan to publish it in two issues starting from January next year."

"Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? Minghua, now Yanhe has become your private territory. You have rarely submitted articles to other magazines in recent years. We need to cooperate more often in the future."

"sure."

Since Harvest magazine published the full text, Fang Minghua no longer worried about it.

It was snowing heavily outside today, and the entire Xijing city was covered in snow, but Fang Minghua's house was warm as spring and very lively.

In the afternoon, Fang Minghua took the two children home from kindergarten early. Li Li, who was teaching in the United States, also returned from winter vacation and came to her cousin's house today to celebrate Christmas.

Celebrating foreign festivals has gradually become popular in major cities across the country. Although Xijing is not as open as coastal cities, there is a Christian church in the city itself. Now ordinary people, especially college and university students, have also begun to follow the trend and celebrate Christmas.

Li Li had nothing to do when she came back. Apart from spending time with her parents, she liked to come to her cousin's house to play. Tonight was Christmas Eve, so she came over to celebrate Christmas together.

Song Tangtang also likes to celebrate foreign festivals, and of course she is responsible for cooking.

What made them even happier were the two children. Together with Li Li, they decorated a potted iron tree in the living room as a Christmas tree, hung colorful lights on it, and placed candies, various small pendants, and folded a thousand paper cranes, having a lot of fun.

Fang Minghua was not interested in this and sat on the sofa in the living room with his legs crossed, reading the newspaper.

Just at this moment, the landline phone on the TV cabinet rang. Li Li was nearby so she went over to answer it, and after a while she handed it to Fang Minghua.

"Brother-in-law, I'm looking for you. I'm Xiao Dai, the editor-in-chief of Harvest magazine."

Fang Minghua heard this and went over, picked up the microphone to greet him, and jokingly said, "Merry Christmas."

"Minghua, does your family celebrate Christmas too?"

"Hey, the kids are having fun, and so are their aunt, having some fun together." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"Well, I'm sorry that I called you today at an unfortunate time. It's going to ruin your mood for the holiday." "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Minghua, that your reportage cannot be published." Xiao Dai's tone was apologetic.

"What happened?"

"We had already completed the typesetting and review of the January issue and were about to send it to the printing factory for printing. However, the Municipal Press and Publication Bureau inspected our magazine's work a few days ago. After seeing the reportage you wrote, they thought the subject matter was too sensitive and would affect social stability and unity, and asked us not to publish it publicly.

"Does Mr. Palladium know about this?" Fang Minghua's tone was very calm.

"I called Mr. Palladium that afternoon to report the matter, and he personally called the bureau leader and got the same response."

At this point, Xiao Dai paused and added, "Minghua, there are some things that even I can't do anything about."

"I understand, it's okay." Fang Minghua said.

"But you can't publish it in China. I suggest you publish it in Hong Kong. They are also very interested in it." Xiao Dai expressed his opinion again.

"No thanks." Fang Minghua declined.

After hanging up the phone, Fang Minghua sat on the sofa thinking about it.

It’s just as Song Tangtang said.

Li Li, who was standing next to him, noticed that Fang Minghua looked strange, so she came over and asked with concern, "Brother-in-law, what happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing serious. Editor-in-Chief Xiao said that the reportage I wrote cannot be published for various reasons."

“Ah, it can’t be published?”

Li Li remembered that this was the first time Fang Minghua had encountered such a situation among all the works he had written.

She didn't say much, so she quickly went to the kitchen and told her cousin Song Tangtang what had just happened.

Song Tangtang wiped her hands, untied her apron and went into the living room.

"Minghua, Xiao Dai just called and said that your reportage was rejected?" Song Tangtang asked.

"Yes." Fang Minghua recounted in detail what had happened on Xiao Dai's phone call just now.

Song Tangtang was silent for a moment, then asked, "Are you going to apply to another magazine?"

"Forget it. If Harvest can't publish it, other magazines will not dare to do so. I don't want to cause trouble for them."

“What about the article?”

"Just throw it away."

"How about, brother-in-law, I translate it into English for you and publish it in the United States? Reportage is also very popular in the United States." Li Li suggested.

Fang Minghua shook his head.

"The purpose of publishing in China is to attract the attention and importance of the whole society. What's the point of publishing in the United States? To make Americans sympathize with us? Or to make them laugh at us? Novels can be published abroad, but this kind of documentary stuff can't be published."

Seeing that Li Li was about to say something, Fang Minghua waved his hand and said, "Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's celebrate the holidays! Christmas, Christmas Eve!"

(End of this chapter)