The literary era since 1979

Chapter 6: Manuscript Fees and Return Home

After revising the manuscript, Fangyan did not leave immediately. Instead of wandering around the old city, he decided to stay in the editorial department and make himself known to everyone.

He sat at the table provided for contract workers, asking Ji Xiuying, Li Yue and others for advice and discussing literature. In just half a day, Fangyan received unanimous praise from the editorial department.

As the sun sets, the sunset glows the sky red.

"I can't believe you know so much. You know poetry and novels."

Wang Jie walked out of the building with Fangyan in a lighthearted manner.

“Just a little bit.”

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Can I come tomorrow?"

"Of course, you're welcome anytime. Besides, if you don't come, you'll have to take care of your own lunch." Wang Jie stood at the door. "Or do you want to go home to eat?"

"Home~"

Fang Yan couldn't help but sigh: "I must go home for dinner."

"By the way, I still don't know where you live?"

Wang Jie blushed, "Don't get me wrong. When we send the remittance slip for your royalties, we have to have an address. Otherwise, we can only mail it to the county where you joined the team."

"No, just send it to my home."

Fangyan gave his address and then asked, "How much can I get for my two novels?"

"I've been wondering why you didn't ask about your royalties. Hehe, you finally asked." Wang Jie said with a smile.

"I have to ask. I don't have much money on me right now. My pockets are cleaner than my face. It's not easy for me to go home, so I should at least bring something with me. I can't go back empty-handed."

Fangyan put his hands in his pockets to prove himself.

There was indeed no money in my pocket; it was all hidden in the crease of my underwear.

"That's right, but the remittance slips can only be mailed after a while. It's not time yet, and it won't be mailed to your house that quickly." Wang Jie was very conflicted and gritted her teeth: "Are you short of money? Do you want me to lend you some and you can pay me back later?"

"No, no, that's so embarrassing."

Fang Yan waved his hand and said, "I just want to know how much I can get for my writing this time, so that I can think about how to use it."

"About 172 yuan." said Wang Jie.

"Wow, so many." Fangyan was surprised and happy.

Wang Jie explained that according to the "Notice on the Trial Measures for News and Publishing Remuneration and Subsidies" issued last year, the remuneration for manuscripts is 2 to 7 yuan per thousand words.

7 yuan per thousand words is naturally given to old writers who have been famous for a long time.

The highest standard that Yenching Literature and Art sets for new writers is 4 yuan per thousand words. This is also the standard for the royalties for Fang Yan, a new talent that the magazine focuses on cultivating.

The total number of words in "Loess Plateau" and "The Horse Herder" is 4.27. "Yenching Literature and Art" rounded it off and treated it as 4.3 words, giving an extra 4 yuan.

"Don't think it's too little."

She raised her head and said, "Giving you four yuan per thousand words is the highest standard we can offer. If you want to increase your fee, just write well and submit more articles, and the fee will naturally increase."

"I don't think it's too little. Four yuan is not a small amount."

Fangyan couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

These days, the average monthly salary for employees in state-owned enterprises is around 30 to 50 yuan. 172 yuan is several months’ salary!
It’s a huge sum of money!
As expected, literary creation is still the fastest way to make money now!

"If you have any difficulties in Yanjing, you can come to us. We will try our best to help you solve them."

Before leaving, Wang Jie gave some advice.

"Has your magazine hired any contract workers?"

The dialect asked the question directly.

"I don't know about that. Mr. Li and his team should still be selecting." Wang Jie seemed to understand something. "Why, you don't want to be a contract worker at our Yanjing Literature and Art?"

"After chatting with you guys in the editorial department today, I'm really interested in the job of literary editor." Fang Yan nodded. "Besides, when I return to the city, I'll probably have to find a job myself. Instead of looking for something else, I might as well find one that interests me."

"You seem to be a very honest person. Do you really want to be a contract worker?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Have you thought about it?"

"I've thought about it!" "Okay, since you are so sincere, I will ask my master for you." Wang Jie pursed her lips.

Fang Yan raised his lips and said, "Thank you. Whether it succeeds or not, I will treat you to a meal some other day."

"Forget it. You should save some money and buy more things for your family." Wang Jie raised her hand. "As for me, I don't want anything else. Just write a few more articles of the quality of "The Shepherd" for me. Not many, three, no, five!"

"Articles are naturally formed, they are created by chance by a skilled hand, I will try my best."

When Fangyan heard the word "five articles", he gave an awkward but polite smile. The next second, he waved goodbye and ran away.

"Hey, don't run."

Wang Jie shouted, "Five articles won't work, just three!"

.........

"Three articles? That would cost me my life."

After getting off the bus, Fangyan shook his head and talked to himself.

In the afterglow, a black shadow was dragging on the ground, with malted milk shaking in his hand and an invoice with the price of 3.05 yuan in his pocket.

Now that your wallet is full, you don't have to be too restrained when spending money.

I originally wanted to buy roast duck at Quanjude, but one roast duck would cost me one-fifth of my salary, or even more, but I didn’t expect that they had not yet reopened.

I want to buy some meat, but I don’t have a meat ticket. If I really want to buy some, I have to go to the pigeon market at Chaoyangmen.

Originally it was a place for a group of people who walked their birds and raised pigeons to play, but it gradually became a folk market, especially after the ticket system came into effect, which limited the food rations and supplies for each household and each person. There were always situations where the amount of food coupons and face value tickets could not meet the consumption of a family.

As a result, private transactions began to take place, with tickets being exchanged for tickets, and money being exchanged for tickets.

But this kind of business is ultimately not allowed to be seen in the open. In broad daylight, sellers have to be careful and buyers may not dare to pay boldly.

After thinking about it for a long time, Fangyan just gave up. Although "Yenching Literature and Art" subsidized him 2 yuan a day and he still had more than 30 yuan in his pocket, he had to rely on this money to survive until he returned to the city before he received the royalties.

After buying the ticket, there will be only a few cents left.

I simply bought a bottle of malted milk for my younger sister Fang Yan, and brought home ten kilograms of white flour and fifteen kilograms of cornmeal. I spent more than 10 yuan to buy these foods, and I also prepared a notebook with illustrations for my older sister Fang Hong.

I hurried back to Nanluoguxiang, but it was already dark.

But no matter how dark it was, I could recognize that slum.

Their family lived in the main house in the central courtyard, which was more than 30 square meters. When there were five people in the family, it was quite crowded. Only after his father Fang Yuanjun passed away did they have extra space, but Fang Yan would rather not have this extra space.

In the wing on the left lived his childhood sweetheart, Su Ya and her family.

An orphan and a widow, her father and Fang Yuanjun were both workers at a noodle factory and both died in a boiler explosion.

In those days, the boiler had a gauge that someone had to watch to make sure it did not exceed the threshold. If the pressure was too high, it would explode. It would be very dangerous if the person watching fell asleep or left the job. But on that day, the person in charge actually fell out and fell in love.

As a result, the boiler pressure vessel could not withstand the pressure, and Fang's emergency rescue efforts failed and he was buried in the sea of ​​fire.

Suya's father was the most innocent. He was washing vegetables when he was rushed by the boiling water from the boiler and was directly scalded. The 1.70-meter-tall man was scalded into a ball. It was a horrible sight.

Su Ya's mother, Zhao Hongmei, rushed to the scene and fainted just like Yang Xia. Finally, Liu Dongfang, the father of Liu Jianjun who lived in the right wing, helped the two families collect the bodies.

The Fang and Su families received compensation from the noodle factory, but because they were not old enough at the time, Fang Hong had to take over as reinforcement. As for Su Ya, she was promised a job in the factory.

After graduating from high school, I got a formal job directly.

The reason why my family did not fight for a promise for Fangyan to work in the factory like the Su family did was because of the policy for educated youth in the 70s. If a family had multiple children, one could be kept and not go to the countryside. If the family was an only child, they didn't even have to go to the countryside.

In addition, those who are recruited by factories do not have to go to the countryside.

Yang Xia gave this quota to Fang Hong, which not only ensured her family's livelihood, but also saved her elder sister from going to the countryside, and also allowed her to keep this precious quota of one child for her younger sister.

Who knows whether my younger sister will go to the countryside when she comes of age.

With this arrangement, he would be the only one who would go to the countryside.

"Mom! Sister! Little sister!"

Fangyan wiped away the tears in her eyes, looked at the lighted house, took a deep breath, and shouted as she walked.

"I'm back!!"

　Thanks to Mai Mai Miao Miao for 500 starting coins

　　
　
(End of this chapter)