Chapter 104

On the same day, after seeing off the editor from *October*, Wei Ming received Bai Shurong from *Contemporary* at the Spoon Garden.

She confirmed again and again: "Is this really a girls' dormitory?"

"You bet. Editor Bai, sit down, don't be polite." Wei Ming even poured her a cup of tea. Now he had also started drinking tea, mainly because the water quality was average, and it was easier to drink with the tea flavor covering it.

"It seems the leaders of Peking University trust you very much," Bai Shurong smiled.

Wei Ming felt ashamed. He committed theft on the very first night he arrived, and he couldn't stop at all.

"Editor Bai, you're here this time to deliver the manuscript fee, right?" Wei Ming asked.

"Yes, and the sample copies are also out. Let me give you one." Bai Shurong handed the sample copy and an envelope to Wei Ming.

Wei Ming never hid his desire for money, so he looked at the manuscript fee slip first.

At the time, he hadn't fought for the manuscript fee, and they had all jumped the queue for him, so he didn't bother with those things.

Now looking at it, 240 yuan, six yuan per thousand words, the second-highest manuscript fee. Wei Ming was already very satisfied.

Seeing that there was no dissatisfaction on Wei Ming's face, Bai Shurong breathed a sigh of relief and added: "This time, the editorial department is very confident in the third issue of *Contemporary*. The first printing is as high as 200,000 copies, and your credit is the greatest in this."

Wei Ming waved his hand: "I just provided some confidence. Now the people are hungry for literature, and everyone has reading hunger. Even without me, I believe a printing of 200,000 copies would still sell."

Bai Shurong smiled even more happily. What a young person who is truly modest.

If he wasn't modest, what could he do? Could being arrogant increase the manuscript fee?

Immediately, Wei Ming opened the magazine's table of contents and saw his *The Herdsman* ranked first, followed by the first installment of Mo Yingfeng's long serial *General's Chant*.

Wei Ming remembered that this issue of *Contemporary* seemed to have a short story by Wang Meng, but now it was gone. It seemed he had jumped the queue and pushed him to the back. Hopefully, the big shot wouldn't hold a grudge against him.

It shouldn't go that far. They even took a group photo at the Literature and Art Congress; they were all friends.

Whoa.

Flipping to the back, Wei Ming was slightly surprised by the illustration *Song of Jaya Prana* at the very end—it showed some skin.

The illustrator, Gu Gan, was from the Art Editing Room of the People's Literature Publishing House. Wei Ming knew Gu Gan because he later drew the *Journey to the West* comic books.

Although it was just an ethnic painting, it seemed that the Literature and Art Congress was indeed useful. Everyone had opened up and let go of many ideological burdens.

Wei Ming could also rest assured to mess around with foreign friends.

Afterward, Editor Bai asked about Wei Ming's thoughts on new works.

"Hmm, I have some vague ideas~" Wei Ming said vaguely, and then told her about the visit from *October* editor Xie Dajun at noon, and revealed that the other party was willing to pay the top-tier manuscript fee.

Arrogance couldn't increase manuscript fees, but competition could.

Hearing that *October* also wanted to snatch Wei Ming, Bai Shurong did feel some urgency, but she soon felt relieved.

"You definitely won't give your next piece to *October*."

"Oh, why? Is Editor Bai going to give me a raise?"

Bai Shurong shook her head: "Because *People's Literature* has taken a fancy to you."

"Ah?"

"Just wait a bit longer. I reckon the solicitation letter for you will arrive very soon," Bai Shurong said, both teasingly and helplessly.

Wei Ming was also helpless. Then he could only prioritize *People's Literature*. The world where *October* was injured was achieved once again.

Bai Shurong added: "By the way, didn't you want to help your mother find her relatives? Why not take the opportunity of *The Herdsman*'s publication to write an article introducing your mother, telling where she started fleeing, what family members she had, what their names were, and then find a larger platform to publish it, leaving your address. Just treat it as a missing person notice."

Wei Ming's heart stirred. That was an idea.

Actually, he knew where his mother's hometown was, but in his previous life, he had only found the families of his eldest uncle and eldest aunt; there was still a younger aunt he hadn't found.

Although they might not be that important to him, they were too important to his mother. Before she passed away, his mother was always thinking about this younger sister.

If he could use his influence to unite their brothers and sisters, it wouldn't be in vain for him to be her son again after being reborn.

Wei Ming thought that *China Youth Daily* had also sent him a solicitation after the interview, and novels or essays would both work. This platform was big enough. Wei Ming often wrote blogs in the 2000s, so a small article wouldn't be a problem.

He thanked Bai Shurong for the reminder and indicated that there would be opportunities for cooperation in the future.

Bai Shurong was waiting for these words. A young writer with extremely vigorous creativity like Wei Ming must be grasped. Writing several pieces within a year wouldn't be a problem.

Wei Ming immediately wrote a letter to his hometown, and the next day he mailed the letter along with a 200-yuan money order back. He only kept 40 yuan for pocket money.

Although he had left a huge sum of 200 yuan before, wasn't that for building a house? Plus, it had been two months, so he reckoned it was almost spent.

Soon, Wei Jiefang received his son's letter. Looking at that 200-yuan money order, he was very worried.

At this moment, he was standing in front of Wei Ming's former residence.

This was the west room he built with Wei Ming's 200 yuan. It would be for his son to live in later. In the future, it might even become a tourist attraction.

He now listened to the radio every day and knew that celebrity former residences could be tourist attractions. With his son's development momentum, it was possible that the entire Dog Village could develop into a tourist attraction.

To make this Wei Ming former residence more worth seeing, Lao Lao Lao Wei bought almost all the newspapers related to Wei Ming and put them inside.

There were also the group photos with big shots that his son mailed back. When the director of the County Revolutionary Committee came to the village, he specifically visited it and even affectionately called him "Brother Wei," which depressed Zhao Chun to the point of getting hemorrhoids. Although Lao Lao Lao Wei had tried his best to build this house well, it was just a single room after all, and 200 yuan couldn't be spent at all.

I don't know who spread the word that Wei Ming left a huge sum of money for his father, so people from the village, and even outside villages, came to borrow money.

In order to spend the remaining money quickly, Wei Jiefang built the courtyard wall.

Well, now everyone thinks he is even richer.

Actually, there was really no money left. Lao Lao Lao Wei wasn't afraid of others coming to borrow money because he was poor and open-minded.

But now that he had this 200 yuan in his hand, he became hypocritical and stingy.

No, he couldn't be that kind of person.

Afterward, he unfolded Wei Ming's letter. Lao Lao Lao Wei's eyes lit up. His son seemed to know his moral dilemma and even gave him an idea.

Besides urging his mother to write down the information about her aunts and uncles clearly and send it to him, Wei Ming told Lao Lao Lao Wei that he knew where there was private ticket trading in the county town, where he could exchange money for tickets, and then use the tickets to buy things the family needed, especially grain.

"The harvest this year is not good, but you shouldn't go hungry. If you run out of grain, go to the city to exchange for grain coupons. Even if you spend twice the money, don't feel bad. Our family doesn't care about that anymore. If you are short of money, you can write."

!

Just in time to go to the city to pick up students today, Wei Jiefang handed the letter to his wife and asked her to write a reply to their son.

"How should I reply?"

"Just say what your brothers and sisters are called. Our son wants to help you find people."

"Ah!" Xu Shufen's eyes turned red instantly. Lao Lao Lao Wei hurriedly hugged her into his arms, rubbed her head, and pinched her butt.

Xu Shufen shyly punched him. Only then did Lao Lao Lao Wei smile and take the money order into the county town.

When Wei Hong and her little friends from the village saw Lao Lao Lao Wei at the school gate, he was sitting on a donkey cart smoking a "Da Qianmen."

There wasn't much "Da Qianmen" left, and every one had to be used where it counted.

Lao Lao Lao Wei smoking at the school gate wasn't the most eye-catching thing. What surprised Wei Hong most was that there was actually a sewing machine lying on the cart!

"Dad, whose sewing machine is this?!"

Lao Lao Lao Wei shook off the cigarette ash: "I pulled it, so of course it's ours. Let's go, get on the cart."

He used the 200 yuan to buy a sewing machine ticket, a sewing machine, grain coupons, and a bag of white flour, and there was still a little bit left.

If it weren't for buying too many things and not having enough time, he might have gone to sit with his younger brother.

"Dad, can we go to the post office? My brother's new work seems to be published again!" Wei Hong added.

Wei Ming had also written to Wei Hong. Besides mailing some study materials, he also reported the publication of several short stories.

So Wei Hong later read the even "yellower" *The Tale of Two Donkeys* and also knew that the third issue of *Contemporary* would publish *The Herdsman*, which was the one about their parents' love.

As a result, Lao Lao Lao Wei said: "I went as soon as I entered the city. They said it won't arrive until tomorrow. Let's go again when I drop you off tomorrow."

"Oh, alright then."

After the students got on the cart, the black donkey only felt its shoulders sink. This trip was a big job.

Lao Lao Lao Wei also felt sorry for his old partner, so he let the sewing machine and the students ride the cart, and he walked for a while, getting on the cart when he was tired.

When they arrived home, Xu Shufen had already written the reply and asked her husband and daughter to write a few sentences. Just after she finished speaking, she saw the sewing machine.

"Ah, why did you buy this!" She was both surprised and happy.

Wei Jiefang held his wife's hand: "It's winter. From now on, we don't have to sew by hand. It hurts the hands."

Xu Shufen was overjoyed, thinking about practicing later and sewing a pair of new underwear for her husband.

Wei Hong couldn't watch anymore and hurried into the house to see her brother's new residence. Not bad, not bad. Later, she would write an *Inscription on a Humble Abode* for him on the wall.

Just as she was looking, she heard a high-pitched, sharp middle-aged woman's voice.

"Yo yo yo, you bought a sewing machine. Brother Jiefang has good fortune. This time, it'll be even easier for your son to find a wife. Let me tell you, the Old Sun family at the Lin shop next door..."

This was the famous matchmaker Auntie Cui in the village. This wasn't the first time she had come to the door to find a wife for Wei Ming.

Before, Wei Jiefang begged her to introduce, but now they didn't look down on the resources in Auntie Cui's hands. Even if they grew up to be fairies, it wouldn't work; they didn't have a common language with his son.

So after listening to her chatter for a few sentences, they sent her away politely. After all, they had to consider little Wei Hong.

In case she didn't pass the exam, she might still need this matchmaker.

Wei Hong said they were overthinking it. Not to mention that she was already a sure thing, even if she didn't pass, she would just go to her brother!

But what kind of woman would her big brother find? Had he already found one?

After all, after experiencing the literary enlightenment of *The Tale of Two Donkeys*, Wei Hong felt that her big brother might not be pure anymore.

At this moment, at Wei Anping's house, he was looking at Wei Ming, who was visiting, and also considering this question.

Could his big nephew have already been eaten dry by a foreign girl and lost his virginity?

(End of chapter)