The literary era since 1979

Chapter 266: Becoming Famous in the Chinese Circle

San Francisco, U.S.

Fang Yan, Bai Ruoxue and others got off the plane and waited for their luggage. After they got their luggage, they waited to go through customs formalities.

After hesitating for a while, I finally walked out of the airport.

Led by Xiao Qian, the group took a taxi to Charlie Hotel, which was not far from the consulate and was run by overseas Chinese.

We have received several groups of Chinese writers who participated in international writing programs, and it has become a regular reception point.

The hostel is not big, but very clean.

Throughout the three floors, you can see Mr. Tian and his family sitting at the counter at the entrance. They are full of enthusiasm and personally lead Fangyan and his group to the cleaned room, chatting as they walk.

When we talked about lunch, he said that the local Chinese organization specially prepared two tables of welcoming banquet for everyone at the nearby Hua Xia Restaurant.

Fangyan didn't expect that the Chinese and overseas Chinese in the 80s would be so friendly. Shouldn't they be shooting each other in the back when fellow villagers meet?
After putting away my luggage, I left the hotel.

When we came to the street, we saw couples walking towards us, but what was puzzling to Fangyan was that in addition to men and women, there were also men.

Moreover, some foreigners looked at him with something strange in their eyes.

"This is the gay area."

Boss Tian introduced it generously.

What the hell!

Fangyan was even more surprised than Bai Ruoxue, Wang Anyi and others.

“That’s all the people sitting in those bars and cafes.”

Boss Tian looked left and right and said that since the 60s, various equal rights movements have emerged in various states in the United States.

Black people, women's rights, lgbt, ethnic minorities...

San Francisco is a paradise for LGBT people, and the LGBT community organizes at least one rally here every year.

LGBT existed in the 80s! ?

Fangyan felt a chill. No wonder so many foreigners looked at him in such strange and wrong ways.

It turns out you are just coveting my body, what a despicable person!

"Will there be any trouble?"

Bai Ruoxue felt that her three perspectives were challenged.

"You don't have to be afraid. The gay community has the best security. They are basically the elites of society, lawyers, doctors, and artists. They will not actively harass or hurt others."

Boss Tian smiled and said, "But the premise is that we should not discriminate, we should not provoke, we should respect each other, and we should tolerate each other."

"What if someone deliberately provokes them to hurt them?"

Wang Anyi asked.

"will not."

Boss Tian said that the deputy mayor of San Francisco came out openly and he got a lot of votes from LGBT people. LGBT people are protected here, so LGBT people from other cities have moved here.

"Will there be interference in other cities?"

Bai Ruoxue was very curious.

"That's not it. It's their own business. Who cares? But recently, a homosexual infectious disease called AIDS was discovered. It's said to be very scary and terrible."

Boss Tian reminded: "Don't come into contact with these people casually. If you can avoid them, try to avoid them."

"Ahem, how about we walk faster?"

Pan Yaoming felt as uncomfortable as Fangyan.

They quickened their pace and walked into a Chinese restaurant.

Fortunately, the name of this restaurant is not "Fatty Ding".

The dining tables were already filled with people.

San Francisco has large and small Chinese communities and organizations. Although the total number of Chinese is not as large as that in New York, the proportion of Chinese is far higher than that in New York, at least over 20%.

"This is Mr. Zhao Boxi. He loves drama very much and runs a 'Shipping' drama club. He was invited back to China to perform this year."

"..."

"This is Ms. Chen Ruoxi, the founder and president of the Overseas Chinese Women Writers Association. She is also a special editor for several newspapers of the Overseas Chinese Daily, and specializes in writing for Chinese newspapers."

"This is Mr. Liu Yiliang, pen name Jiang Nan."

When he heard "Jiang Nan", Fang Yan immediately turned his gaze to the gentleman-looking man with glasses, and couldn't help but think of the "Jiang Nan case" that caused a sensation in later generations. This man was a big spy.

He is also a double agent and an informant of Foboler.

Even a biography of Chiang Kai-shek's son has been published.

With the introduction of Boss Tian, ​​the two groups of people got to know each other and greeted each other.

"Nice to meet you."

As Fangyan was shaking hands with everyone, Zhao Boxi came over excitedly and asked, "Are you the Fangyan who proposed the theory of 'world drama system' and 'three major performing arts systems'?"

"I am just a humble person." As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar.

In particular, members of the "Haiyun" drama club swarmed over, looking as if they had "finally seen the real person".

"I didn't expect Yanzi to be so popular in the United States."

Wang Anyi couldn't help but sigh.

Bai Ruoxue was surprised. After asking Chen Ruoxi, she found out that major Chinese opera troupes often tour overseas, and Chinese people from San Francisco, New York, Seattle and other places would go to show their support every time.

In addition to the San Francisco Evening Post and other media present, there were also Chinese newspapers such as the Overseas Chinese Daily.

Whenever the opera troupe is interviewed, it always brings up theories such as "world drama system" and "three major performing arts systems", and the "dialect" that proposed this theory is naturally mentioned repeatedly.

With reports from major Chinese newspapers, Fang Yan, the "young drama theorist", has gradually become famous in the Chinese community.

The topic revolved around dialects. Although Bai Ruoxue and Chen Ruoxi met for the first time, they seemed to hit it off and started chatting.

"I heard from Mr. Xiao that you and Fang Yan published a novel in the United States?" Chen Ruoxi's tone was full of curiosity.

"Oh, there is such a thing!"

Jiang Nan looked at Fang Yan who was surrounded, then looked at Bai Ruoxue, and saw her wave her hand and said modestly: "The novel was completed independently by Mr. Fang, I just did some translation work for him."

Xiao Qian smiled and said, "Don't have such an idea. There is no difference in importance between translation and creation. Both are very important."

Wen Jieruo readily agreed, and Chen Ruoxi even directly quoted Yu Guangzhong's statement, "Translation is also a kind of creation, at least a 'limited creation'. I agree with this point of view very much."

However, Jiang Nan's focus is not here.

"What's the name of that novel you wrote?"

""Saving Private Ryan"."

Bai Ruoxue took out the book she carried with her from her bag.

"Can you lend it to me to take a look at?"

Chen Ruoxi took it and began to read it with great interest.

…………

After about 15 minutes, the welcoming banquet officially began.

Chen Ruoxi was so attracted by the plot after reading the beginning that she asked, "The novel has already been sold in the United States, right?"

Fangyan nodded and said, "About one or two months."

"Really? Then I'll buy a copy and read it carefully." As soon as Jiang Nan opened his mouth, many people present responded.

The dialect inexplicably has a feeling of street performance.

Those who have money support the event with money, and those who have no money support the event with their presence.

Chen Ruoxi not only had to support the book financially, but also helped promote the book by recommending it to members of the Overseas Chinese Women Writers Association and commenting on the book in newspapers such as the Overseas Chinese Daily.

"That's great!"

"Thank you, thank you Ms. Chen!"

When Fangyan heard that "Saving Private Ryan" would appear in a newspaper founded by overseas Chinese, he was surprised and delighted.

I was just worrying about how my novel would get market share in the United States, and here it comes. I was really sleepy, and someone came to give me a pillow.

"You're welcome, it's easy."

Chen Ruoxi told him that after living in the United States for so many years, she had come to a personal experience, which is "a writer, an artist, must first have a motherland, and secondly, the world."

"You are absolutely right. First, we need our motherland, and second, we need the world!" Fangyan raised his glass and invited everyone to toast.

"cheers!"

Amidst laughter and joy, people raised their glasses to each other, and the moment of clinking glasses was filled with friendship. The whole restaurant was filled with an atmosphere of harmony and joy.

Two days later, the "Overseas Chinese Daily" was the first to publish a review of "Saving Private Ryan", along with an introduction in dialect. At such a young age, he already had a series of dazzling titles.

All of a sudden, it attracted widespread attention from readers.

Then, the North American Daily News and Asian Weekly, also based in San Francisco, showed their support, praising Fang Yan and Saving Private Ryan highly and recommending the book to overseas Chinese.

There are hundreds of thousands of Chinese people in San Francisco, and "Saving Private Ryan" gradually spread in the circle. Even the San Francisco Chinese radio station reported this phenomenon as news.

Once promoted and exposed, sales will increase.

By this time, Fangyan had already left San Francisco and passed through cities such as Denver. Every time, he was entertained by local Chinese organizations, and "Saving Private Ryan" would be featured in local Chinese newspapers.

Just like promoting an album on a concert tour, every time I visit a city, I promote the novel in that city.

Make money, don’t be shabby!
Soon, even in cities where Fangyan had never been, "Saving Private Ryan" spread among the Chinese community. Chinese newspapers such as Seattle's "West China News", New York's "China News", and "Chinese Express" successively promoted Fangyan for free.

As sales soared, bookstores in many places began to run out of stock.

Afterwards, Random House received calls from all over the place, and the call takers looked confused. "Saving Private Ryan"?
Or is it a novel written by a Chinese? !

Today is not April Fools' Day!

(End of this chapter)