[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rising-in-1979":3,"chapter-rising-in-1979-rising-in-1979-chapter-156":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rising in 1979",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260864,4412,"Chapter 156: The Hong Kong Dollar Plan (Guaranteed Minimum Update)","rising-in-1979-chapter-156",156,"\u003Cp>First was the letter to his grandfather Wei Senhao, which Wei Ming had carefully weighed for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He began by giving a more detailed account of the family’s situation, and included a recent family photo of the four of them—he wondered whether Wei Jiefang, nearing forty, could still picture in his mind the ten-year-old Doggie he once knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming thought it best to add some photos of his father from his youth; he remembered that Uncle Anping had a few pictures of the two of them in their early twenties at Peking University, and he’d see if he could get them later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming also mentioned his creative work, something his grandfather cared about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have published multiple short and medium-length novels under my real name, on themes including the War of Resistance, sent-down youth, trauma, and reform and opening-up, in top domestic publications such as People’s Literature, Harvest, and Wenhui Daily—all of which will soon be compiled into a collection; I’ll send you the first copy as soon as it’s printed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, since I grew up listening to my grandmother’s stories about you and my great-grandfather, I’ve developed a strong interest in wuxia tales. I have another pen name—Wei Kuangren—and I’ve written a wuxia novel titled Since Ancient Heroes Emerge in Youth, which has already been serialized in the domestic magazine Story Weekly; after a bit of polishing, I’ll send it along too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t send it yet—he only had one copy of Since Ancient Heroes Emerge in Youth, and he still needed it for his screenplay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a wuxia novel, Since Ancient Heroes Emerge in Youth wasn’t of particularly high quality; it couldn’t compare to the peaks of Jin Yong, Gu Long, or Liang Yusheng. Its plot lacked originality, and its medium-length format offered far fewer twists and trials. But Wei Ming had no time to write a new wuxia novel in the short term, so he’d use this one to test the Hong Kong market first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s one more thing—I’m not sure if you’d be willing to help…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming mentioned Liu Rulong’s father, Liu Bin, and asked the old man to visit him if possible, to tell him the family was well and that A Long was working hard and striving forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Shu had been suddenly imprisoned and cut off from the outside world; his greatest worry must be his family, and the old man was Wei Ming’s only connection in Hong Kong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the letter, Wei Ming passed on Wei Ming’s own concerns for him, adding: “I can now earn money myself—the family doesn’t lack funds, so you no longer need to send money home. Keep it for yourself, don’t deprive yourself. Please take good care of your health—I believe we’ll be reunited as a family very soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the letter to his grandfather, Wei Ming began carefully crafting his letter to his pen pal A Min, writing until very late into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also hoped to earn some money through this music-loving girl, but in this letter he only mentioned that he himself liked music and understood lyric-writing and composition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t say what he’d written—he just wanted to spark her curiosity; you catch fish slowly, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, when Biaozi and Xiao Mei went to work, Wei Ming mailed both letters—he guessed they were already anxious on the other end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he went to the newspaper office; someone was on duty. He wasn’t there to work—he was there to develop photos; he’d used up a lot of film during his short half-month break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wealthy and indulgent, Wei Ming had nearly every photo developed twice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After spending half a day in the darkroom, he finally got all the photos developed. Then he went off-campus to a quiet place to make a phone call—he expected to be on the line for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming held a small notebook and dialed one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, Editor Zhang, I just got back to Yanjing—I’ve got new work ready. I wrote a few essays on this trip; let you pick first…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He called Sister Zhang Dening of Yanjing Literature first—he’d take those essays into the city someday and share them, as a token of gratitude for their kindness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Xie, wishing you a late New Year’s greeting. The movie starts shooting next month? You’re building sets indoors first? Good, good—I’ll try to come by if I get the chance… The Herd Boy Class? Don’t worry, if anyone else comes to me, I won’t budge… Could I speak to Comrade Gong Yu? Oh, she’s already gone to the northwest to experience life? Then no need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming was equally evasive with Director Xie—he was indeed a masterful director, undisputedly the top filmmaker in mainland China today, but Wei Ming had someone better in mind; he could only rank second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this Director Wu Tianming of Xi Film Studio? Thank you for your interest, but this novel has already been reserved by Director Xie Jin. I’m truly sorry, but are you interested in my stories Two Oxen or The Tale of Two Donkeys…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Tianming had directed excellent children’s films like The Face Swap, but he was still a relatively new director, his artistry not yet matured—he wasn’t Wei Ming’s ideal choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Wei Ming wanted to sell him a screenplay; Wu Tianming said he’d consider it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this General Liao of the Pacific? Hello, I’m Wei Ming. Sales are going well? That’s good… What? You want me to go to Guangzhou to give guidance? Covering meals, lodging, and travel expenses? How could I possibly accept that? I’m no expert—I’ll have to check my schedule.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming really did want to go to Guangzhou; before writing his new novel, he absolutely needed to visit Huangpu Military Academy himself, and walk the routes of the two Northern Expeditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d accumulated a wealth of documentary reading, but still felt something was missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Wang, has the screenplay been approved? Oh, we’re still waiting for the British side’s opinion…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking with Wang Bairong of Mei Film Studio, he told Wei Ming that the screenplay for The Book of Heavenly Secrets had received unanimous praise within the studio—no revisions were needed; they were now only awaiting the British side’s feedback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Wang said: “Once the British side gives the green light, we can begin production. We’ve already decided your fee will be partly in RMB, partly in overseas remittance vouchers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming’s heart leapt; he added: “Wait until their payment clears before starting production. One more thing—Liu Rulong, the artist who designed the character illustrations, wants to intern at your studio. What do you think?… Good, good, thank you very much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming had used his influence to secure Liu Rulong an internship, though it would likely have to wait until summer vacation—he couldn’t afford to miss his film academy classes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Editor Tu, an circulation of 1.1 million copies is truly astonishing—congratulations, People’s Literature has climbed another rung… Haha, congratulations to you too! Oh, you want me to pick a cover? Fine, I’ll come by when I get the chance. You need me to write a preface again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Guangqun: “Why do you say ‘again’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing. Alright, I’ll write it today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People’s Literature Press was about to publish his novel collection, and to show their seriousness, they asked Wei Ming to write his own preface; they’d also arranged for Ba Lao to write a foreword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming’s debut novel, The Tale of Two Donkeys, was published in Harvest—this alone was enough to trouble even Ba Lao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the favor was too great; now his own long novel could only go to Harvest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad his status was still too low—he’d have liked to write a preface for Ba Lao’s Random Reflections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made a few more calls. The last call was to his high school, Ping’an No. 1, asking for English teacher Yang Shuting. He wanted to ask when Liu Rulong would come to Yanjing; Yang told him: “You’re not home, and he couldn’t stay either—he returned to school yesterday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it, thank you, Teacher Yang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming had the staff calculate the bill, then dropped down twelve yuan and walked off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The staff had never seen anyone make so many expensive calls at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at Nanmen Gang, Wei Ming pulled out his keys and wheeled out his motorcycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His colleagues immediately took notice: “Boss Wei, heading into the city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming smiled: “No, going to the Film Academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, riding his bicycle to Zhuxin Zhuang took at least an hour and a half; now it took less than an hour, effortlessly—even with him holding back speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gatekeeper recognized him, though he was surprised by the new bike; after a brief chat, he let him in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The semester hadn’t officially started yet, but some students had already returned early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming locked his bike and went to his dorm to find Liu Rulong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Rulong excitedly said: “I just heard a motorcycle, then saw you come in through the window!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately pulled Wei Ming downstairs to see the new bike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This bike is better than my grandma’s!” Liu Rulong made this judgment purely from a design aesthetic standpoint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming replied: “It’s a bit more expensive, sure. Come on, let’s find somewhere to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their school was remote, with no restaurants nearby; A Long could only take Wei Ming to the cafeteria, which had only one window open for teachers and early-returning students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because Wei Ming was so well-known, two teachers recognized him while he was getting food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming recognized them too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was Professor Xie Fei of the Directing Department, a leading figure of the Fourth Generation of directors, a main instructor for the Class of ’78, who later won the Golden Bear himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Professor Xie came from a thoroughly red background—his father was one of the Five Elders of Yan’an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other was Zhou Chuanji, currently a librarian at the Beijing Film Academy, but in the future a renowned film theorist and educator; he also had a famously famous ex-wife named Yang Jie, who directed the historic TV series Journey to the West.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chuanji was the first to recognize Wei Ming—he read books and newspapers often in the library, and Wei Ming’s striking looks had made him memorable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Fei also knew Wei Ming’s name, especially from the rivalry between Xie Jin and Xie Tieli over The Herd Boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After losing that battle, Xie Tieli took over the August 1st Film Studio’s A Night of Brilliant Stars, starring Li Xiuming and Tang Guoqiang—perhaps even competing with The Herd Boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, Professors,” Wei Ming politely said. “I’m Wei Ming, here to visit a classmate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But awkwardly, neither professor could recall Liu Rulong’s name. Professor Xie Fei chuckled: “Then you’d better take good care of your friend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two professors didn’t disturb the two boys, sitting across the room to eat their meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Long generously said: “Order whatever you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming glanced at the meager menu, picked one dish, and ordered two steamed buns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come into the city with me tomorrow—we’ll eat something better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Long: “Sure, pick any restaurant—I’ll treat you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? So generous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Long grinned: “This holiday I drew fifteen picture-story panels for my grandpa—he gave me a hundred yuan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming laughed: “So your grandpa’s playing middleman?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Long’s eyes darted: “I did think about drawing them myself, but my storytelling skills are terrible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming guessed his intention: “I don’t have time to write a new story now, but if you have spare energy between classes, you can draw picture-story panels of Since Ancient Heroes Emerge in Youth—I’m granting you permission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Long: “Deal! We split the profits fifty-fifty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming chuckled: “You might try a comic style—see if publishers are interested. If it works, I’ll find a way to help you earn foreign exchange.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Requesting monthly votes—still more!)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1997,"2026-06-19T16:30:57.111Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9182bf1b55f2762ff1d8fd331aec327b803520822f775bddde3eba5341d30a03","rising-in-1979-chapter-157","rising-in-1979-chapter-155",509,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frising-in-1979-cover.jpg"]