Back to 80: My Literary Life

Chen Jiawei also acted quickly. He bought a plane to Xiangjiang that night and reported the matter to Cha Liangyong, the president of Xiangjiang's Ming Pao newspaper, when he went to work the next day.

Ming Pao Building, located on Ka Hing Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong Island, is the entire nine-storey "Nankang Building" that "Ming Pao" bought through a bank mortgage in 1976 for about 8 million yuan. It was later renamed It is "Ming Pao Building".

The location is in a corner of the city, surrounded by mostly industrial areas, so it is not as prosperous as the city center, but Cha Liangyong likes this place very much.

Quiet, you can read and learn.

Today he was sitting in his office, looking at the manuscripts that editor Chen Jiawei had brought back from the mainland.

This time, Chen Jiawei went to the mainland to negotiate for the publication of his own martial arts novel, but he was not surprised.

After all, the mainland has only been reforming and opening up for a few years, and the people are very welcoming of this kind of popular novels, but the official attitude is still very cautious, and they even think it is a scourge.

Otherwise, Hong Kong and Taiwan songs, including Teresa Teng's, would still be classified as "extreme music" in the mainland?

Don’t be in a hurry, take it step by step, there will always be a day when all restrictions will be lifted. I went to the mainland to visit the chief designer two years ago, and I clearly felt this.

But what I didn't expect was that Chen Jiawei would also bring a "wonderful book" written by a mainlander!

It is indeed a strange book.

Cha Liangyong looked at the manuscript called "The Legend of Wukong".

The first surprise: It completely subverted that classic book!

Second wonder: His writing style is a bit like his friend and rival Gu Long, especially his later works, with their chaotic plots and poetic narrative style.

Of course, in serious literature the West calls it "stream of consciousness"

The third wonder: The text inside reveals a kind of Hong Kong-style humor, which is called "nonsense" in Cantonese slang.

It was well written, Cha Liangyong sighed inwardly.

Of course, this is considered from the perspective of a writer and literary person. He is now the president of "Ming Pao". As a businessman, he must consider it from the perspective of economic benefits.

"Jia Wei, what do you think the sales of this book will be if it is published?"

"Mr. Cha, it is definitely not as good as the novel you wrote." Chen Jiawei first flattered him a little, and then continued: "But this book has its own uniqueness in terms of commerciality and artistry. More importantly, What’s amazing is that this is the first book published in Xiangjiang after the mainland implemented reform and opening up!”

What Chen Jiawei said is not accurate.

Has the Xiangjiang Literary Research Society published Mr. Yang Jiang's "Collection of Reflections"?

In addition, Xiangjiang Sanlian Publishing House has also successively published classic books by some famous mainland writers.

However, Cha Liangyong had no intention of correcting it.

He understood what Chen Jiawei meant. Those were all already famous writers. After the reform and opening up in the mainland, no young writer had published a book in Hong Kong!

"Ming Pao" wants to be the first to eat crabs.

"Mr. Cha, I have just thought of the slogan for this book. It is the first book by a new mainland writer in Hong Kong! Let you see a Journey to the West story that is completely different from "Journey to the West"."

Seeing Chen Jiawei's complacent look, Cha Liangyong smiled.

"Okay, you will be responsible for this matter. Contact "Harvest" and Mr. Fang Minghua as soon as possible to purchase the copyright!"

Today is Saturday, and Song Tangtang came over in the afternoon.

Song Tangtang usually likes to come here on Saturday afternoons. Both of them usually work. Although Sunday is a holiday, Fang Minghua has to take correspondence classes and has no time, so they come here at this time to get together.

Fang Minghua asked for leave, and the two of them either read in the dormitory in the backyard, or went to the neighborhood to patrol the streets together, or took the girl on a bicycle to ride around the city.

The weather is not hot today. Fang Minghua pushed his bicycle and Song Tangtang out to go to the museum in the Forest of Steles. But as soon as he reached the gate, he heard Wang Juan's voice from behind.

"Fang Minghua, your long distance call is from Shencheng!"

Is there any news from the editorial department of "Harvest"?

Fang Minghua quickly parked his bicycle to the side, said something to Song Tangtang, and hurriedly walked into the office on the first floor and picked up the phone. Xiao Dai's Mandarin with a Shencheng accent came from the phone.

"Xiao Fang, there is a publishing house in Xiangjiang that is interested in your book and is ready to publish it."

"Which one?"

""Ming Pao"!"

Mr. Jin’s publishing house.

This surprised and delighted him.

On the phone, Xiao Dai briefly explained the ins and outs of the matter, and finally said: "I gave your detailed address to Mingpao, and they will send an editor named Chen Jiawei to Xijing to talk to you in person about the copyright purchase. You do your best. Prepare."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much."

"Why are you so polite? It's not of much help."

"Editor Xiao, it would be the greatest help for you to publish this book!"

The two chatted for a while, then hung up the phone. Fang Minghua left the building and hurriedly told the news to Song Tangtang who was waiting outside.

The girl was also very happy and said with a smile: "Minghua, you want to treat me!"

"What to eat?"

"Popsicles."

Fang Minghua rode with Song Tangtang, and the two of them walked out of the unit door talking and laughing.

The Ming Pao newspaper in Xiangjiang also moved very quickly. Only four days later, a middle-aged man came from Xiangjiang. It was Chen Jiawei.

Fang Minghua met him in the dormitory of his unit. He saw the other person's work permit and the letter of introduction stamped with the "Ming Pao" magazine, shook hands with the other person, smiled and said: "Editor Chen, you have worked hard all the way."

"It's not hard work." He spoke in Hong Kong Mandarin.

But I was complaining in my heart, this place is too remote!

There is no direct flight from Xiangjiang to Xijing. He took a plane to Shanghai first, and then took a train to Xijing.

The two chatted for a few words before getting down to business.

"Mr. Fang, I think you don't know much about our "Ming Pao". Let me introduce it to you first." After that, he started talking.

From the history of Ming Pao's fortune to the "glorious deeds" of its president Cha Liangyong, Chen Jiawei talked endlessly.

Fang Minghua listened with a smile.

"Our Ming Pao Publishing House aims to appeal to both refined and popular people. It not only publishes a large number of pure literary books, but also makes great achievements in the field of popular novels. In particular, the large number of new martial arts novels written by our Mr. Zha Liangyong under the pseudonym Jin Yong are very popular in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province. popular."

"I know that Mr. Jin's martial arts novels are good, but they are not very prolific, right? There are only fourteen of them: Flying Snow Shoots the White Deer, and the Laughing Book of Gods and Heroes Rely on Biyuan. If we want to criticize them horizontally, the rest The chapter "Yue Nu Sword" is just right." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"You, you all know?!" Chen Jiawei suddenly looked shocked.

Of course I know!

I’ve read many versions of novels and TV series, but I’m probably more familiar with them than you!

"I have a relative in Xiangjiang and we have written letters, so I know the situation there fairly well." Fang Minghua said slowly.

"Since I understand, I don't need to explain more." Chen Jiawei was a little embarrassed and continued:

"Let's talk about the copyright issue of your book. According to mainland regulations, the maximum manuscript fee for a novel is 10 yuan per thousand words. We, Mr. Cha, appreciate your talent, Mr. Fanfang, so we will double the manuscript fee to 20 yuan for 1,000 words!"

"Mr. Fang, are we sincere?" Chen Jiawei finally said.

"You are sincere." Fang Minghua nodded and suddenly changed the topic: "Are you planning to publish in the Mainland?"