A widower's entertainment

Chapter 5 [Fireworks in the World]

"In the early spring of 1974, Jingqiu, who was still in high school, was selected by the school to participate in editing new textbooks. She had to go to a place called Xicunping, live in the homes of poor and lower-middle peasants, interview local villagers, and then compile the village history of Xicunping. Written into a teaching material..."

……

"After walking far away, Jingqiu looked back at the hawthorn tree. Vaguely, she thought she saw someone standing under the tree, but it was not the Japanese ghosts that Village Chief Zhao had described. "She was not an anti-Japanese comrade with a childlike appearance, but a handsome young man. She severely criticized her own petty bourgeois ideas and was determined to learn from the poor and lower-middle peasants and compile good teaching materials..."

……

Lin Youcheng put down his pen and rubbed his wrist. In the 21st century, handwriting of manuscripts would no longer be anything more than typing on the keyboard.

But now in 1983, he still had to write with a pen wherever he typed on the keyboard.

Lin Youcheng had to admire the writer who wrote the million-dollar long novel "The Ordinary World" by hand. He literally wrote a million words one stroke at a time. Writing day and night made it difficult to lift his arm in pain.

That is really writing with life.

Of course Lin Youcheng couldn't do it. His body couldn't be too tired, not only because of his age, but also because he now has six children.

Taking a look at the unfinished "Hawthorn Tree Love" on the table in front of him, which was densely packed with gridded paper, Lin Youcheng rubbed his eyes. He felt that he should take care of his eyes in the future. At least he is not nearsighted yet, and of course he is not old. flower.

The love story he is writing now tells the story of Jingqiu, a city girl in that special era, who had always suffered from low self-esteem because of being beaten. When Jingqiu was in high school, she was selected to experience life in Xicunping. She lived in the village chief's house and met Lao San. The third child was the son of a military district chief. He fell in love with Jingqiu and was willing to do anything for Jingqiu, giving Jingqiu great encouragement. When all Jingqiu's wishes came true, the third child died of leukemia...

Lin Youcheng is actually not sure whether this love novel, which is said to be the cleanest in history, will be rejected.

The story is undoubtedly very touching, and was later made into a movie by Lao Mouzi. You must know that this story was actually written by the author based on the experience of a friend, and came from the personal experience of a woman.

But originally Jingqiu wrote the story of Lao San as a novel of about 30,000 words and sent it to the provincial literary and art magazine. The novel was returned. The editor commented: The writing is delicate and the style is fresh... but the characters lack fighting spirit...

I asked Jingqiu, the protagonist of the story, to rewrite it and then send it back, but Jingqiu did not rewrite it. Later, the article "Scar" was published, and the Chinese literary world entered the period of "Scar Literature"...

Lin Youcheng shook his head and sighed to himself: "It's a pity that the editor was too timid, otherwise he might have been able to replace the editor of "Scar" and be written into the history of Chinese literature."

For Lin Youcheng, the most important thing now is to finish the manuscript.

Of course, the premise is that the novel must be completed.

Lin Youcheng is not sure that "The Love of the Hawthorn Tree" will definitely be published, but he feels that if it is not published, then he will submit it to another magazine. After all, the love story between Lao San and Jing Qiu is definitely touching enough. of.

Lin Youcheng still has this confidence.

Now is the spring of literature, and it is also a good time for authors.

Today's editors are also very responsible when it comes to manuscripts. There is no postage fee for sending manuscripts. Just deduct a corner of the envelope. The postage is settled by the publication. Literary magazine editors are very serious and will send back printed or mimeographed rejection slips. Very neat workmanship.

By the 1990s, literary magazines were also having a hard time. Postage costs have increased, and authors have to pay for the postage themselves when submitting manuscripts. Free submissions generally do not require rejection letters.

It is even more difficult for new authors to emerge. Some magazines only invite manuscripts from famous authors, and they hardly read the freelance manuscripts and throw them directly into the trash can.

Lin Youcheng hopes that he can catch up with this good era and catch the last train. Thinking of this, Lin Youcheng went to his desk again and started writing——

Of course, it is impossible to write all the time. My hands hurt when I write, my back hurts when I sit down, and my whole body aches when I am getting fat and weak.

Moreover, he still had children to take care of, so he couldn't always leave them to Lin Zhaoxi, who was only ten years old herself.

Lin Youcheng was still busy cooking for his children. Naturally, he could not cook. In his last life, although Lin Youcheng had not married yet, he rented a house by himself and cooked, but his skills were not very good. .

There are still vegetables at home, but they are very simple, including green vegetables, cabbage, and the tofu I bought earlier with my soybean product coupons. These were all delivered by my eldest brother Lin Youcai. I also have two eggs at home.

Looking at the leftover dishes at home, Lin Youcheng really felt that he had to write harder and finish the manuscript as soon as possible, otherwise not even the steamed buns, but the braised tofu with shallots, would be unavailable to all these carrots.

Forgive Lin Youcheng for not being able to make the most delicious dishes with the simplest ingredients. He could only guarantee that he would not kill anyone.

Even if he died, he would definitely taste it for those children first, and if it was poisonous, he would be poisoned first.

Lin Youcheng was busy cooking in the kitchen. He turned around inadvertently and was startled to see several little heads hanging on the threshold.

Lin Zhaoxi held two-year-old Lin Zhaohuan and stared straight at Lin Youcheng. She had never seen her father wash clothes or cook. These things were always done by her mother. At this moment, she watched her father in the kitchen. There was a rush of cooking inside, which looked a bit funny. Lin Zhaoxi couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing an imperceptible smile.

Several carrot heads also blinked and stared at Lin Youcheng.

When Lin Youcheng saw the children staring at him, he suddenly felt like Alexander. He felt like he was at the World Culinary Competition, and the people staring behind him were not the children, but the world judges.

"Are you hungry?"

"Almost, wait a moment!"

Lin Youcheng wiped his sweat and said, "Xi'er, take your brothers and sisters to wash their hands and eat soon."

When Lin Zhaoxi heard what Lin Youcheng said, he naturally took Lin Zhaohuan and others to wash their hands.

Seeing Lin Zhaoxi and others leaving, Lin Youcheng breathed a sigh of relief, but looking at the burnt cabbage, he added water to it... Well, forget it, just treat it as boiled cabbage.

Lin Youcheng uncovered the steamed eggs in another pot and directly used the tips of bamboo chopsticks to break the bright yellow steamed eggs into five equal parts.

Looking at this bowl of steamed eggs, Lin Youcheng thought that they might be divided into six equal parts later, because another one would be picked up from the hospital today.

There are four dishes on the Eight Immortals table, boiled cabbage, stir-fried vegetables, roasted tofu and steamed eggs.

Simple yet steaming hot.

Lin Youcheng scooped out the portion of steamed eggs and mixed them with Lin Zhaohuan's rice. Although Lin Zhaohuan knew how to use a spoon, he still had to guard it.

Looking at the little carrot heads who didn't dislike them and were immersed in eating, Lin Youcheng forgot about the pain in his back for a while.

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  (End of this chapter)