We are all the same in the pursuit of our dreams

Chapter 13 You Are the Warmest Light in My Life (1)
Life is a wandering journey, and it is a beautiful accident to meet anyone.

But the vast sea of ​​people met you,
Let me give birth to many nostalgia.

Thank you for coming into my life and warming my whole life.

I would like to be with you forever, through the long years, to see the most beautiful scenery.

Is there another you in the world, living the life you want
In this world, you can always find someone who is similar to you, not in appearance and name, but in personality and hobbies. It's like another you, drawing you closer, like your twin soul.Once you meet Ta, if Ta happens to be an excellent person who radiates light, you will long to be like Ta. The power of the example Ta brings to you will help you become a better version of yourself.

To me, Ye Xuan is another me in this world.

Ye Xuan and I became friends because of writing.It was a sunny spring afternoon in 2001. I was flipping through a magazine called "Young People" in the school library. The words of Ye Xuan jumped into my eyes inadvertently, and I remembered her because of it. name.Later, I found out that "Youth Digest" and other magazines also published her works, and almost every article touched me.Suddenly an idea flashed into my mind: How wonderful it would be to know her!
So, I found her e-mail on the Internet, sent an e-mail, and told her that I like the warm and touching stories written by her and hope to have the opportunity to know her.

About a week later, I received a reply from her. She left me her address and said that she seldom surfs the Internet and we can communicate by letter.So, we started Hongyan to pass on the book, and she has become my pen pal since then.

Her handwriting is beautiful, delicate and timeless, and her writing style is good. Reading her letters is a kind of enjoyment.

Gradually, I knew that she was a student of Shandong University of the Arts, had won all the first-class scholarships since entering the school, and served as the study director of the student union of the department.She works as a part-time DJ in the provincial radio station. She is an excellent debater in the provincial college student debate competition and the host of various evening parties in the department.

She is only one year older than me, but she lived such a colorful life with countless halos on her head. At that time, she was like a goddess in my eyes.

I originally thought that writers should be lonely, with a little sadness, and keep a certain distance from the world.However, while Ye Xuan was writing, she was able to participate in so many social activities. Not only did it not affect the charm of her writing, but on the contrary, it added the essence of life to her writing.

I wrote down my admiration for her in the letter, but she wrote to me and told me: Don't envy me, I used to feel inferior.

She talked about her high school days, her grades were not good enough, she was not beautiful enough, and she liked to write articles, but she was not sure that writing would bring her into college.If it hadn't been for the chance to apply for the art academy by accident, she would not have known that there would be her own stage in this world.She was not perfect in college, she had passed CET-[-] many times, and she was so nervous that she was covered in cold sweat as a part-time host of a radio station. Only by studying and reading harder can we improve ourselves in the ever-changing life.

Through this letter, I can feel her frankness and candidness, and appreciate her humble and studious attitude.

She is already so good, but she still works so hard, why should I not work hard?
Once we talked about our dreams in a letter, and I said that I hope to be able to engage in text-related work in the future, as an editor or a writer.She said: I want to be a university teacher.I was a little surprised, but when I thought about it carefully, I felt that there was nothing wrong with it. The writer Zhang Manjuan was teaching in a university.Moreover, university teachers still have winter and summer vacations, so they have enough time to write and travel.

She described her dream like this: I like the profession of university teacher very much. I can stand on the podium and tell my students what art is. I can have time to write novels I like, and I may even be a part-time DJ.I hope that one day, I will have a group of students who still miss my class after graduation, a group of listeners who like art, and then, a group of readers who will feel happy when they see my article in a certain magazine.

At that time, we were just in our early twenties and we were in our youth.We exchanged each other's dreams through letters, which is still beautiful in retrospect.

Words make us acquainted, but congenial personalities bring our hearts closer.

In August 2004, because of a pen meeting, Ye Xuan and I got together in Beijing.On that day, Ye Xuan was wearing a white professional suit, capable and intellectual, with a friendly smile—it was the first time we met, but it seemed like a classmate who hadn't seen each other for many years. We met suddenly and were really happy.

It was also at that pen meeting that I was surprised to see another side of Ye Xuan—at the meeting, Ye Xuan was temporarily selected by the conference organizer to speak as the representative of the author.She didn't know about it beforehand and didn't make any preparations, but she wasn't nervous at all, but calmly took out a pen and paper and made a simple outline.A few minutes later, she calmly came to the stage and talked about the development of the cultural industry in the future, and also mentioned the opportunities and challenges of new media for authors.When she finished saying "thank you", the audience burst into applause instantly!When the meeting was over, a group of media reporters and publisher editors surrounded her, asking for her contact information.The reporter wants to do an exclusive interview with her, and the editor of the publishing house has the intention of publishing a book for her.Ye Xuan replied to those reporters and editors with a smile, and then handed them exquisite business cards, with decent manners and grace.

I stood outside the crowd and looked at the star-like Ye Xuan, and I was sincerely proud of having such an excellent friend.

Because of this speech, Ye Xuan got the opportunity to publish her two collections of short stories, and has entered the publishing circle since then.So I know: opportunities always favor those who are prepared.Just like when Ye Xuan participated in debate competitions and served as a moderator during her college years, she developed good eloquence, and her eloquence attracted the attention of editors in publishing houses. Therefore, works with relatively strong content had the opportunity to be displayed in front of professional editors.

After the book was successfully published, Ye Xuan recommended me to the editor. This must be considered a blessing.

In order to become a university teacher, Ye Xuan finished her undergraduate degree and was admitted to her alma mater to continue her graduate studies.

When she was in graduate school, I had already graduated from university and came to work in Beijing.I really engaged in text-related work, starting from marketing planning and gradually becoming a book editor.

Ye Xuan is a person who never lets herself be idle. While studying in graduate school, she writes columns for magazines, writes for several publishing houses, and works as a class teacher for undergraduates.Her postgraduate life was as busy and fulfilling as her undergraduate life.But she is not a workaholic, she loves life and treats herself kindly——in her second year of graduate school, she went on a blind date, where she met a husband she later called a "dumb brother", and married without hesitation before graduating!
I was dumbfounded.And she just came to Beijing to see an art exhibition and asked me to have dinner together.During the dinner, she told her blind date story and the "unity household" they lived in - they were not rich, and they "lived together" with another family in a two-bedroom on the top floor that was infested with rats, but she never Feel wronged or unwilling.When talking and laughing, she talked about interesting things in life.The simple life itself has become a vivid story, no longer full of wind and frost, but more beautiful because of its simplicity.

That was about the first time I felt the power of "optimism". I even thought, such an optimistic and positive person must have a better future, right?
Sure enough, a few years later, she recorded those bitter and sweet lives and made a novel called "Paper Marriage".And I am the planner of this novel—from the beginning to the end, in the midst of unfavorable voices, she insisted on writing and I insisted on editing. We all believe that words are our greatest sincerity to the world, even if the best-selling book at this time "Fantasy" and "time travel" are popular in the market, but we will return to real life after leaving the imaginary environment.

It was not a smooth writing journey - when she wrote this book, she had just been admitted to the provincial government as a civil servant, and she was still in the probationary period, so she was very busy with work.But she raced against time to write after get off work, and she pushed forward step by step, never delaying the draft!As a book editor, I just love her for being an author who delivers on time!Also, because she is a graduate student in the arts who studies the publishing industry, she has a good understanding of the publishing industry.Sometimes I am busy with work, and she even writes the topic selection planning form for me. She writes the market selling points and content introduction in a decent way.In short, at that time, I felt that it was too worry-free to write a book for an author like her!Good communication, good writing, few typos, and unique market vision, I don't need to worry about these.What I have to do is to give her some reasonable writing suggestions, package her book beautifully and elegantly, and let more readers know and like this book.

Sure enough, through our joint efforts, "Paper Marriage" was published that year and sold out 10 copies within three months of its release.This novel is full of sincerity, uses humorous and vivid language to tell the truth about the way of getting along in marriage and love, and infiltrates the warm love into the hearts of readers bit by bit.Because it is too real and down-to-earth, too many readers are willing to believe that the humorous, lively, intelligent, magnanimous, and independent heroine Gu Xiaoying is Ye Xuan herself, and those seemingly rough but full of fireworks are life. The most real surroundings around us.

A few months later, "Paper Marriage" became the "Favorite Book of Ten Dangdang Netizens" that year, and the film and television rights were sold.Ye Xuan also published "Paper Marriage 2: Prayer for a Child" before giving birth, and this book also entered the annual bestseller list.

Ye Xuan, who has been persevering and never giving up, finally succeeded at this time - she became a real best-selling author, she gradually found her writing direction, she paid attention to the society and practical problems, and both she and I started I firmly believe that as long as it is a text that is truly rooted in life, it must have its long-term vitality!
It is also at this time that we can finally laugh and talk about the ups and downs at the beginning-yes, few people in the publishing circle were optimistic about this book at the time, but the more I liked the book that others did not, the more I had a feeling of "I must make it do it” determination. I put a lot of effort into the book "Paper Marriage". I made nine versions of the cover alone. In terms of marketing, I also asked my friends to promote it on the forum in advance. I also personally instructed the girls in the marketing department how to contact print media and how to find News point.It was also at this time that I discovered that the marketing work I had done before was not in vain. I understand marketing better than ordinary editors, and I know how to push a good book to the market.

So, it's not a miracle, it's our "accumulation" of each other.

Some writers will expand their ego after publishing best-selling books, but Ye Xuan has always maintained a peaceful mind, still modest and eager to learn.She never focuses on the royalties, but focuses on how to polish the works.

Every time I ask her what conditions you need for the first printing royalties, she will say: "You can figure it out, I don't care! I care more about how to write the work well. Besides, you will settle the royalties for additional printings." Give it to me, as much as you want for the first seal."

I also know that many publishers have offered her an olive branch, and I also know that other publishers may offer her more favorable conditions for the first printing, so I am even more moved by Ye Xuan's trust in me.For her trust, I will do my best to make her book the best.

Now, after eight years as a civil servant, Ye Xuan returned to college and became a university teacher.

What a magical fate, ten years ago when she talked with me about her dreams, she said that she wanted to be a university teacher, but now she has come full circle and returned to the original point.

As she herself said, she just feels that life is very much like a circular subway, where the once simple dream becomes more abundant as it keeps running.

Moreover, it is precisely because she worked as a policeman at the grassroots level for two years, and worked in the provincial party committee compound for six years, and experienced life outside the ivory tower, that she was able to broaden her horizons through constant thinking, and let her words become more objective and plain.

Once, Piao Axi said that Ye Xuan and I have very similar writing styles, both of which are warm and powerful.Later, I thought, maybe it’s because we have similar personalities and hobbies, and we’ve been together long enough to grow together.

During the long 14 years, we not only shared the joy of success together, but we were even more touched by each other's company during the trough.Whenever we are confused, we are each other's first person to turn to.

We all have a persistent passion for writing. We introduce each other's friends to each other, we exchange parenting experience with each other, and we don't hesitate to recommend good books and things to each other.

I said, from the past to the present, she has always been my idol.She said that I am also her idol. One of the courses she teaches students is about publishing, and I am doing very well in publishing.

We learn from each other and grow together.We are other selves in the world, and we know each other as much as we know ourselves.

In this world, you can always find someone who is similar to you, not in appearance and name, but in personality and hobbies. It's like another you, drawing you closer, like your twin soul.Once you meet Ta, if Ta happens to be an excellent person who radiates light, you will long to be like Ta. The power of the example Ta brings to you will help you become a better version of yourself.

And Ye Xuan is another me, thank life for allowing me to meet another me, thank her for allowing me to grow into a better self.

Some people only accompany you for a journey, but they affect your life

—33-year-old me writing to 33-year-old you

Some people come into your life to ignite your dreams. He is not your brother or sister, but he is your brother and brother.No matter how long you have been together, even if you just passed by, his style of life, philosophy of doing things, and attitude towards life will run through and affect your life from beginning to end.Even, Ta's influence on your life is no less than your parents' influence on you.

That morning, you told me that you had a dream in which you became a hero and saved Mei.It's a pity that the audience didn't give face, they only asked if the beauty was injured, and turned a blind eye to the hero.

But, dear, you know what?Although I am not beautiful enough, you are the hero in my life.Whenever I am confused about my dreams, melancholy about my work, distressed about my emotions, and troubled about my life, you will appear and save me from the fire and water.

I met you in 2005. At that time, I came to Beijing shortly after graduating from university and was looking for a publishing house for my manuscript.When I was rejected by at least five publishing houses, when my enthusiasm for publishing a book was wiped out, you appeared in my world and brought me new hope.

I came to your personal column by following a friendly link when I was wandering on a certain literature website.The introduction of your column is written like this - "I always believe in the existence of the sixth sense, not in a special person, but in the perception of every caring person. As long as you can experience it quietly, anyone can Got it. It’s like a box with many maps, if you turn it over, you will always find a way out, otherwise it’s just dusty. I’m a person who is willing to sweep the dust.”

Click on your article again, and several articles have touched me deeply.

You write: "I am narcissistic, but I love myself first for the person who didn't show up."

You write: "Repaying is not difficult, what is difficult is to have a grateful heart. Happiness is not rare, what is rare is a pair of eyes to see happiness."

You write: "Climbing out of the swamp of misfortune and climbing to the heights of happiness, wise men are grateful for the misfortunes they have experienced."

Because I was moved by your words, I followed the contact information in your column and added your QQ.Not long after we communicated, my sixth sense told me that we were the same kind.You told me that you are not only an author, but also a book editor, and you have created a book brand called "Grid Tribe", which specializes in publishing youth literature.At that time, with the mentality of giving it a try, I sent you all three of my manuscripts.Maybe I suffered too many blows before, so I didn't hold out much hope this time.

(End of this chapter)