The literary era since 1979

Chapter 15 Great Writer
In Nanluoguxiang, neighbors saw Yang Xia holding a large piece of fatty pork, her eyes shining like those of hungry wolves.

"Aunt, today is not a festive day, why are you willing to buy a piece of pork?"

"I heard Yanzi came back to join the team. Is that true?"

"Since you're back, why don't you see him?"

Amid the discussion, Yang Xia asked an irrelevant question: "What? How do you know that my Yanzi has become a famous writer?"

"Ah, Iwako has become a great writer?"

For a moment, everyone was in an uproar.

"Of course not. The most popular novel recently, The Horse Herder, was written by my Yanzi."

Yang Xia held her chin high, her face full of pride.

"Ah! Was the article 'The Horse Herder' really written by Yanzi? I thought it was just a coincidence that they had the same name and surname."

"I never thought that the "Horse Wrangler" that the young people in our unit talk about every day was actually written by Yan Zi?"

"I see it in the newspapers every day, commenting on 'The Horse Herder' or 'Dialect'. Wow, my goodness, Yanzi is really going big this time."

"Congratulations, Auntie, your family has produced a great writer!"

"Aunt, the 'dialect' who wrote 'The Shepherd' is really your son?"

"Be careful or I'll beat you up. How can you talk like that! If he's not my son, then whose son is he?" Yang Xia couldn't stop laughing.

Envy, surprise, praise, happiness...

Facing all kinds of gazes from neighbors, I felt so happy in my heart that I felt light and airy, and even walked with a breeze.

At this moment, a postman in green clothes stood at the door of his house, riding a bicycle with a bag on the side of the back seat. He leaned his head and shouted inside:

"Is Fangyan at home?"

"I'm coming!"

Yang Xia trotted over and introduced herself.

"Please collect it for me."

The postman nodded, took out a thin remittance slip from a bag full of letters, and handed it over with enthusiasm.

"Any thing else?"

Yang Xia saw him standing still, feeling shy.

"Is Fangyan really not at home?"

The postman got a positive answer, with a hint of disappointment in his eyes, "I, I actually wanted him to sign for me."

"sign?"

Yang Xia looked at the lost young man and felt sympathy for him. Suddenly, she remembered that among the sample books at home, there was a book signed with a name in dialect. "Little comrade, wait a minute. I'll get it for you."

"Really? Thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Auntie."

The postman's face turned red with excitement.

"Just wait."

Wang Meili saw everything Yang Xia did.

When he thought of Fangyan who was reported every other day, and then of his own Liu Jianjun who failed the exam three times and was not promising, he felt sad.

"Sister Xia, isn't it possible that Yanzi's novel has been published again?"

"No, it's a bill for the manuscript."

"Iwako's royalties must be quite a lot, right?"

"The kid didn't tell me much, he just asked me to keep it for him." Yang Xia waved her hand.

"Then take a quick look and see how many there are."

Wang Meili was both curious and jealous, and kept encouraging him.

Finally, Yang Xia couldn't resist her instigation and went to see him in person.

It clearly stated on the remittance slip: 172 yuan!
…………

"Eat, eat, eat. All you know is eating. Do you know how much Yanzi got for the manuscript this time? A full 172 yuan!"

When Wang Meili returned home, she saw Liu Jianjun chewing on dried sweet potatoes with a look of disappointment. She angrily scolded her son and even brought up the matter of the dialect manuscript fee.

He was struck by lightning and said in disbelief, "Mom, are you seeing things?"

"Your mother can misjudge everything except money!" Wang Meili hated her for not fighting back. "You, you usually eat and spend money at home. When can you earn money for the family like Yanzi? Make your parents look good in front of the neighbors!"

"That's not difficult."

Liu Jianjun patted his chest and said, "When my novel is published, it will bring honor to you two elders, and the royalties will be no less than Yanzi's. What do you think?"

"Really?"

Wang Meili was very surprised.

"Mom, just wait."

Liu Jianjun's tone was full of confidence.

"Okay, Mom, wait."

Wang Meili frowned, "But Jianjun, can you do it?"

"Mom, what do you mean by that? Why can't I do that?"

Liu Jianjun was extremely depressed.

Wang Meili half-believed and half-doubted: "When we were having dinner before, you said that Yan Zi's novels were just so-so, but now her novels are published in newspapers every day. I heard from your father that even their unit has been discussing "The Shepherd" these days. Your novel..."

"Mom, you underestimate your son." Liu Jianjun said dissatisfiedly: "When I was in high school, I was better than Yanzi in both Chinese and composition! Yanzi's novels are all good, why can't your son's novels be good!"

"that's true."

The doubt on Wang Meili's brow faded a little.

"Besides, even if Yanzi becomes famous for her novels and makes a lot of money, what good will it do? She's still unemployed now!"

Liu Jianjun always firmly believes in one thing.

As long as the college entrance examination goes well next year, everything will be fine.

"What do you mean, a vagrant?"

Wang Meili poked his forehead and said, "You think Yanzi is the same as you? Your father said that when the neighborhood leaders heard that he wrote The Shepherd, they wanted to arrange a job for him."

"what!"

"No! He just wrote a novel!"

"How can you be so unprincipled?"

Liu Jianjun felt that his three views had been greatly impacted.

Can one succeed by just writing a novel?
Can it make up for all my years of hard study?
Do you know how much pressure it is to fail the exam for three consecutive years?
Dialect! Damn you!
"Jianjun, you have to work harder too, you know."

Wang Meili encouraged her, "If the novel can really be published, even if we fail the college entrance examination next year, we can ask your father to find a class for you, so you don't have to stay at home and eat idle meals."

"mom!"

The thing Liu Jianjun hates most is saying that he failed the college entrance examination.

"What are you yelling about? Ren Yanzi has been making progress, but you have been standing still. Do you still want to marry Xiaoya as your wife?"

Wang Meili rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Liu Jianjun was stunned, and Su Ya's face appeared in his mind.

"Su Ya!"

"Sister Hong!"

"Sister Hong, Suya, just give it to me."

At this time, in the noodle factory, a group of female workers surrounded Su Ya and Fang Hong in three layers inside and three layers outside. Especially those who did not get the "Yenching Literature and Art" all asked to borrow the sample books in their hands.

Some people also learned that Fangyan, who wrote "The Shepherd", was Fang Hong's younger brother, and they became interested and asked Fang Hong to help pass on the notebook.

Just asking for an autograph.

The bolder ones even asked Fangyan directly if he had a partner.

Poets, writers, and singers are the top stars these days!

These days, as the dialect and "The Shepherd" became famous in the city, the pure love between Xu Lingjun and Xiuzhi also became widely known.

Young girls and boys who are just beginning to fall in love naturally yearn for it.

Who doesn’t want to find a sincere and down-to-earth partner to spend a lifetime with?
In this era when talking about love is still taboo in the literary world, let alone the explicit and passionate scenes like "Wasted City" and "Big Breasts and Wide Hips", even kissing scenes are not allowed to appear.

"The Horse Shepherd" is equivalent to the first romance novel in the life of many literary young people!
How could the female workers not be fascinated by it and regard the dialect as an idol!

Looking at the mountain-like crowd, Lu Dacheng couldn't even squeeze in, let alone be alone with Fang Hong. He was at a loss as to what to do.

I was so anxious that I scratched my head and cheeks, and my heart was itching.

I originally wanted to take the opportunity of discussing "The Shepherd" to get close to Fang Hong and show off my literary talent, but I rehearsed it three times at home.

Just when he was getting impatient, Lu's father asked someone to call him to the office, and he came forward very reluctantly.

"Dad, what do you want from me?"

"Let me ask you, is this 'Fangyan' mentioned in the newspaper really Fang Hong's brother?" Father Lu put down the Literary Gazette.

"That's right, my brother-in-law is now a great writer."

Lv Dacheng pointed to the page that read “Dialects: Finding Strength from Reflection” and said, “Look, the newspapers praise him like a flower. He has really become a celebrity!”

"brother in law?"

Father Lu raised a disdainful smile, "Haha, Fang Hong hasn't agreed to marry you yet!"

Lu Dacheng smiled and said, "I think this is almost certain. I like Yaya. Even if my mother says that Yaya and I are dating and that their family is marrying up, I don't care at all."

"Climbing up? In the past, they were climbing up to our level."

Father Lu sneered and said, "It may not be the case in the future."

Lu Dacheng wondered, "Dad, why do you say that? Even if my brother-in-law is a famous writer or a famous person now, he still has to rely on our family to get the quota for recruitment back to the city!"

"Why did I give birth to such a stupid son like you!"

Father Lu was angry and helpless, saying, "But fortunately, your vision is not bad. Fang Hong was originally trying to marry above our level, but now her brother has made progress. That's good. If he becomes successful in the future, he can at least take care of a useless person like you."

"Dad, why am I useless?"

Lu Dacheng stiffened his neck and said unconvincedly.

"You, stay away from all the girls in the department now, and think carefully about how to date Fang Hong."

"Okay, okay, I get it!"

"besides……"

Father Lu rolled his eyes and said, "Go find your aunt and ask her to go to Fang Hong's house again. It's best to settle your relationship while Fang Yan is still young. Then, you can be called 'brother-in-law'."

　Thanks to Huo Huo for the 100 Starting Coins.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)