The literary era since 1979

Shichahai at night.

When Gong Xing returned to the courtyard, the bedroom was pitch dark, but the study was brightly lit.

When I pushed the door open, I saw Fang Yan sitting in front of the Huanghuali desk, turning the pen back and forth between his fingers, and he was completely lost in thought.

"Mom said you brought a lot of food for Yan Zi, but you didn't eat a single bite and came here instead."

"I'm going to write a new novel." Fang Yan stretched his body and said, "I need to find a quiet place for myself."

Gong Xing was surprised. "Didn't Yoko say you just wrote a novel in Japan?"

"That one was written for the Kyoto Family Association, and this time I'm writing a new pillar for Mystery World."

Fang Yan shook his wrist and said, "'Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty' has been completed. Now we must have another work that is equally good to take the place of it and continue the momentum. Otherwise, readers will not continue to buy and subscribe to it."

Gong Xing asked: "What are you going to write this time?"

"I have not decided yet."

Fangyan glanced at the scribbled contents on the paper.

Either he could continue with the historical mystery novel style of "Song Ci, the Chief Inspector of the Song Dynasty" and continue writing "Detective Di Renjie", "Young Justice Bao" and "Tang Gui", or he could go deeper into the forensic mystery genre and write "Red Dragon", "Seven Deadly Sins" and so on.

Or you can open up new paths, like the cyberpunk detective novel "Altered Carbon", which combines science fiction, suspense and reasoning.

"If you can't figure it out, don't try to think about it."

Gong Xing massaged his head considerately.

"Let's not talk about me, how about you?"

"I?"

"After the filming of Once Upon a Time in China was completed, what are your plans for the future?"

"Of course I will continue to study directing and make up for the missed lessons."

Gong Xing said: "It was after Zhu Lin and I finished filming "Stewardess"."

"Stewardess should be filmed well. After all, it is your first TV drama, right?"

Fang Yan smiled and said, "By then, maybe I can win a TV award like the Golden Eagle Award or the Feitian Award."

"You are such a talker!" Gong Xing scolded with a smile.

"It's easy to shut me up." Fang Yan stood up.

Gong Xing pushed her lightly, "Seriously, Ruoxue said this when she returned to China in January. Saving Private Ryan was a big hit at the American Golden Globe Awards. Spielberg won the Best Director Award, and you won the Best Screenplay Award..."

Fang Yan paused, "What else did she say?"

Gong Xing said: "The Oscars will be held in March, and he asked you to come to Los Angeles at that time, and said that the chances of winning are very high."

Fang Yan asked with a smile: "Then do you want to go with me?"

"Me? Can I?" Gong Xing was stunned.

"Why not!" Fang Yan said, "We'll pass through Hong Kong on the way, so we can watch some Hollywood and Hong Kong movies."

Gong Xing couldn't help but be tempted, "That depends on when the filming of 'Air Hostess' can be completed. If there is a schedule conflict, then forget it."

………………

Two days later, the Spring Festival holiday ended.

After Fangyan sent Gong Xing to Beijing Film Academy, he went straight to Renwen Press.

On the first day of work, the editorial department of People's Literature was packed with people and all staff were present.

But unexpectedly, everyone gathered in a circle around him, with their eyes focused on the manuscript in Zhu Wei's hand.

Fang Yan came closer curiously, "What are you looking at?"

Everyone was startled and shouted almost in unison: "Good morning, deputy editor!"

Fang Yan waved his hand and said, "In the presence of outsiders, I will address you by your title. In private, you can just call me 'teacher'."

"Teacher Fang, you've come just in time!" Zhu Wei handed over the manuscript paper. "Someone came to submit a manuscript early in the morning."

"Oh, there are submissions on the first day of opening." Fang Yan was surprised. "How is it? Is it a good start?"

"How should I put it? This person is a little weird. She said she was a music teacher at Minzu University, but she doesn't look like one at all."

Zhu Wei was in a dilemma.

Chen Xiaoman added: "She is completely different from the traditional female teacher. She wears sunglasses, carries a guitar case, and rides a motorcycle."

"Wow, she's still a rock girl."

Fang Yan glanced at the name on the envelope and said, "Liu Sola, this name is very unique."

"She was in a hurry to go to school, so she handed the manuscript directly to the security guard, then rode away on her motorcycle."

Zhu Wei said: "Before leaving, I'll leave you a message. I hope you can read this novel yourself."

Fangyan looked around: "So, you haven't seen it yet?"

"No."

Everyone either shook their heads or waved their hands.

Zhu Wei smiled awkwardly and said, "In fact, everyone wants to see what this avant-garde female comrade has written, but since you are not here, how can we open it rashly?"

Fangyan opened the envelope in front of everyone and saw the title of the novel clearly written on the title page:

You Have No Choice.

The content is not complicated, but it is not that simple either. The story takes place in a music school in the 80s.

Liu Sola portrays a group of extremely talented music conservatory students with different personalities, but each of them is a confused "problem youth."

For example, one of the male protagonists was named "Li Ming", who kept wanting to drop out of school but ultimately failed.

There was also a guy who often skipped classes and disappeared, married a nymphomaniac wife, and demanded that the school expel him so that they could be exiled to the frontier together.

Even the only three girls in the article are neurotic. One of them is as delicate as a cat and imitates her meow from time to time.

In short, all the students in the music conservatory have been out of their normal lives and are messing around, but no one knows what they are messing around with.

Amid the chaotic narrative, the only common pursuit that can be found among this group of people is music composition.

There is no other choice, which aptly echoes the title of the novel.

The novel was circulated among many people, but most people lost interest after reading half of it.

"What she wrote doesn't seem like literature, it's more like music."

"It's not just music. She is using these neurotic students to question and criticize the school's education."

"I can see the doubts, but the criticism is still debatable. I always feel that it is more like whining and venting emotions."

"I don't think it's necessary to publish this in People's Literature."

"........."

After everyone expressed their opinions, their eyes all turned to Fangyan.

From the beginning till now, he has been silent.

Zhu Wei asked softly: "Teacher Fang, what do you think?"

"It's a little crazy, a little rebellious, a little arrogant. The language and narrative are quite similar to Wang Shuo's new Beijing-style novels, with a hint of Beijing dialect everywhere. In terms of the theme and orientation, it is very similar to the American 'Beat Generation' literature, rebelling against everything that can be rebelled against."

Fang Yan said: "In short, it means opposing everything, denying everything, and criticizing everything, no matter whether it is good or bad, reasonable or unreasonable."

Everyone's eyes lit up instantly: "Teacher Fang is worthy of being Teacher Fang. He got to the point right away. It is indeed the flavor of the 'Lost Generation'. It is a self-destructive enjoyment, and it criticizes and denies traditional education. There is also a sense of pessimism between the lines."

Zhu Wei clapped his hands. "From this perspective, 'You Have No Choice' seems to be a pioneering literature imitating the 'Beat Generation'?"

"Rather than the 'Beat Generation,' there might be a more appropriate term to describe it."

Fang Yan smiled mysteriously, "I'll keep it a secret for now, and show this to Editor-in-Chief Wang." (End of this chapter)