Chapter 274: The Righteous Path of the World is Vicissitudes (Part 1)

In his past life, Wei Ming had dealt with Ma Ma Weidu. Suggesting he submit to *China Youth Daily* was because his debut novel was published in *China Youth Daily*. Because it fit the preferences of young readers, the influence was not small, and it could be said to be an instant hit.

Relying on this work, he also leaped to become an editor of the *Youth Literature* magazine, a brother unit of *China Youth Daily*. During his time as an editor, he met writers such as Wang Shuo, Su Tong, and Liu Liu Zhenyun, completing his accumulation of connections in the literary circle.

After reading Ma Ma Weidu's manuscript, Wei Ming continued to write the script for *Burning of the Old Summer Palace*.

The next day, waking up, the outside was silver-clad, a vast expanse of white.

Lao Lao Lao Wei watched the News Broadcast last night, saying there would be snow the next day, and it would be heavy snow, so he covered the motorcycles and bicycles downstairs with plastic sheets in advance.

However, this situation was not suitable for riding a motorcycle to school. The snow hadn't been cleared yet, and it was easy to slip. Wei Ming chose to take the bus.

On a snowy day, Wei Ming also received a letter from Sister Xue early in the morning.

After getting on the bus and having a seat, Wei Ming sat in the back and finished reading this letter. There was also a photo of Sister Xue standing in the courtyard of the old Western-style house, smiling and making a V sign.

In the letter, she told Wei Ming: "The house has been renovated. I also used the money you left to add some furniture, which fits the temperament of the house itself very well. You can see it yourself next time you come. Oh, I also bought a record player and some old records. By then, we can also dance in the living room."

Wei Ming estimated that he would also go to Modou soon. He planned to complete the revision work of the second part of *The Righteous Path of the World is Vicissitudes* before the New Year. It was just that he didn't know if Sister Xue would be in Modou at that time. If not, he could revise it in Jingcheng, and didn't necessarily have to stay in the guesthouse.

Later, she also wrote: "The scene survey work in Modou has been completed. The Shanghai Er Yingchang provided a lot of help. I, the director, and the art designer expect to go to Northern Jiangsu next week. That child named Dongzi you mentioned, if there is an opportunity, I will also visit him for you."

These didn't need her, an actor, to participate personally. However, Gong Ying wanted to integrate into the situation of the story earlier, which was convenient for entering the play at that time.

Finally, Sister Xue also wrote some mushy love words, but there were some things she didn't say.

For example, the one who took the photo for her was Zhu Lin, and the words about dancing in the living room were also hinting at Wei Ming dancing with Zhu Lin. *Hmph, I also want to dance, and I also want to learn that yoga. *

When Gong Ying returned, Zhu Lin was about to go to Shandong with the *Joyous Reunion* crew. On the last day before Zhu Lin left, Gong Ying invited her to be a guest at this old Western-style house.

Two floors up and down, more than ten rooms, just the toilets were five. The courtyard was even so large that it could plant two cherry trees + two cherry blossom trees, and there were countless other flowers and potted plants.

When learning the price of this house, Zhu Lin's hands were shaking when taking photos for Gong Ying, and she took a cold breath.

*So angry and cold! *

Then Gong Ying patted Zhu Lin's shoulder and comforted her: "It's not that we couldn't buy a suitable apartment in Modou, so he spent a lot of money to buy such a large set. You can also live here when you come to Modou to film in the future."

"Don't wait for the future, just today."

That night, Zhu Lin accompanied Gong Ying to live in this old Western-style house, making Gong Ying call sister and beg for mercy repeatedly. The next day, the two crawled out of a quilt again, disheveled.

There was no heating in Modou, so they could only rub against each other to generate heat.

It was just a pity that Wei Ming couldn't see this scene.

After a trial sleep, Zhu Lin expressed: "The old Western-style house is just like that. It's not as good as my little nest. I dare to live in my small house alone. Do you dare to live in such a big house alone?"

Gong Ying didn't dare.

After Zhu Lin left, Gong Ying went home obediently to live. Now it was indeed chaotic outside. She didn't dare to live outside alone. But if she called A Ying together, her parents would be worried again. Where were there two unmarried girls living outside all day?

Gong Ying had been trying to maintain the heat of love with Liu Liu Rulong through letters for the past six months, and hadn't seen each other during the period.

However, A Long said he would come to the Shanghai Er Yingchang for an internship during the winter vacation, and then they could be together again.

Gong Ying had already started thinking about borrowing the key to the old Western-style house from her sister to date A Long when the time came. Anyway, her sister said that the nanny room on the first floor was left for her.

Gong Ying was also calculating when Wei Ming could come to Modou to revise the manuscript. Whenever he came, she would return from Northern Jiangsu. By then, she could do many things in the old Western-style house, such as tango, such as yoga.

At this time, in the editorial department of *Harvest*, the leadership was discussing the initial print quantity of the first issue of *Harvest* in '81.

This issue had the first part of Wei Ming's long novel, as well as Chen Rong and Gao Gao Xingjian. The lineup was considered very strong.

However, they still didn't dare to rashly challenge the 1.1 million copy distribution volume of the finale of *Years of Wasted Time*. After all, the usual distribution volume of *Harvest* was only 400,000 or 500,000.

Finally, Ba Lao made the decision, confirming the relatively conservative number of 600,000. One was considering that *The Righteous Path of the World is Vicissitudes* was not the most popular novel type now.

Second, the issue of *Flower City* publishing *Mom, Love Me Once Again* was about 600,000 copies.

Third, printing materials were tight recently, and the country repeatedly ordered to eliminate printing waste. It was fine if it was sold out. If it wasn't sold out and caused backlog, the impact would be bad.

So they would rather print less than print more.

After confirming the distribution number, Ba Lao rushed to Jingcheng by plane again. Mao Dun's health was getting worse and worse. He didn't know if he could survive this Spring Festival.

If Mao Dun passed away, the higher-ups intended for him to take over this big mess of the Writers Association.

January 13th, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Wei Ming asked Detective, and it determined it didn't want to go out, so Wei Ming went to the Sihe Academy in Beichizi by himself, helping his parents build a stove to boil Laba porridge, and also soak Laba garlic. All the glass bottles left over from eating canned food before had a use.

Xu Shufin boiled a large pot, and the materials inside were very rich. Manager Mei said, whatever materials, add them as much as possible, the cost was not limited.

Thus, inside this big iron pot, there were dried fruits like red dates, raisins, wolfberries, white fungus, as well as nuts like peanuts and walnuts, and red beans, lotus seeds, glutinous rice, wheat kernels, rice, and ginkgo nuts (ginkgo fruits) grown in their own yard.

Xu Shufin indicated that she had never fought such a rich battle.

When the eight-treasure porridge was boiled, the Sihe Academy was full of fragrance, and the dog Ginkgo barked excitedly, and the nutrition was also extremely rich, especially nourishing.

Most of the eight-treasure porridge was sent to the Oriental Dongfang Dongfang Xintiandi by Wei Wei Jiefang. Except for their own eating, Xu Shufin also arranged two lunch boxes, letting Wei Ming send them to Uncle Ping'an and little Hong.

Little Hong hadn't returned home recently because she was facing the final exam.

Xu Shufin: "Also take this bottle of Laba garlic to your Uncle Ping'an."

Wei Ming laughed: "Aunt Lu Xiaoyan also made it herself."

"She made it is her making it. This purple-skinned garlic of mine is the most suitable for making Laba garlic." Xu Shufin insisted.

She felt that her son could be so promising now, and it was very important that Ping'an arranged a job at Peking University for her son. One must be grateful.

Wei Ming had to listen obediently. Returning to Peking University in the afternoon, he first sent it to little Hong's dormitory. It looked like a lot, but there were six mouths in their dormitory, and each couldn't eat much.

Xiangjiang.

On the roof of a high-rise building.

Old Ghost, wearing sunglasses, walked up. Liu Bin, also wearing sunglasses, had been waiting for a long time.

"Uncle Ghost, in less than three months, I have basically mastered the process of McDonald's burgers. Can I go back?"

"Don't rush, taste the eight-treasure porridge I brought you," Old Ghost took out a lunch box, "Besides eight-treasure porridge, there are also a few small dishes made by A Fen for you. You have worked hard during this period."

"Not hard, I've almost vomited eating burgers these days. It's really happy to be able to eat these small dishes." Liu Bin ate regardless of his cultural image.

Next, Old Ghost asked again: "How much is McDonald's monthly revenue, how much is the profit? Have you figured these out?"

Liu Bin's eating action stopped: "Big brother, I'm just responsible for frying chicken. And this shop is open 24 hours. I only work one-third of the shifts. How could I know so much."

Old Ghost: "Then continue to lurk, don't expose yourself."

"Ah?"

"Alright, that's it. Your salary and dividends here have already been deposited into your account."

"Ah, there are dividends?"

"I said it, you did well, there will definitely be dividends. This is just a beginning."

Liu Bin said excitedly: "Yes, sir! Guarantee to complete the task!"

Old Ghost came down from the building like nothing happened, confirmed that no one was following, and then hurried away.

However, just as he was about to step into the Holiland restaurant, he suddenly stopped his steps, calmly turned and moved away from the restaurant, and then hid not far away staring at the door.

After waiting for about twenty minutes, an old man a few years older than him came out of the shop, wearing glasses, leaning on a cane, accompanied by a woman in her thirties, followed by two young men with burning eyes, who looked like masters in the army at a glance.

As for the old man's identity, Old Ghost knew him. Not only knew him, but also knew him very well. Whether it was during the Anti-Japanese War or the Liberation War, they had dealt with each other a lot.

Shen Zui, Old Ghost could recognize him even if he turned into ashes!

They were once good friends on the surface. Shen Zui always thought Old Ghost was the younger brother of his superior, and treated him as a little brother, until the whole country was liberated, he didn't know this little brother was an underground element of the Communist Army.

Old Ghost was puzzled. Wasn't he locked in Gongdelin? When was he released?

However, even if he was released, he was a war criminal, right? Could he just come to Xiangjiang? Was the mainland policy so loose now?

This was what Old Ghost didn't know. Just last year, Shen Zui had transformed into an insurgent general. Now his level was not low, so he was allowed to come to Xiangjiang to meet his ex-wife and children in Taiwan.

Because Shen Zui's wife thought he was shot after being captured, she remarried in Xiangjiang.

Old Ghost didn't dare to follow until Shen Zui went far away, worried that it was aimed at him. Finally, he entered the shop with a heavy heart and asked Zhou Mama about the guest just now.

"He didn't ask about me, right?"

"Why would he ask about you? People just came to eat. It seems to be a Hunan person, especially able to eat spicy food."

Old Ghost: "Then do you know what he came to Xiangjiang for?"

"Why would I ask that? When have I been so talkative?"

Old Ghost felt ashamed and went home early. He didn't expect surprises one after another in one day.

"Wei Lingling?"

Old Ghost saw a beautiful girl downstairs with fair skin, tall figure, and gold-rimmed glasses, in her twenties, with a cold temperament, with a taste of being unapproachable.

Wei Wei Lingling nodded faintly when she saw him: "I am returning to Taiwan for the Spring Festival. Aunt asked me to bring you a letter."

As she spoke, she took a thick letter from her Chanel bag and handed it to Old Ghost. It seemed it was not just a letter.

Old Ghost took the letter and asked with a smile: "Do you want to go up and sit?"

"No, I still have to catch a plane. I don't plan to stay in Xiangjiang." Wei Wei Lingling's attitude was indifferent.

Old Ghost asked again: "Then, what grade are you in, and do you plan to stay in the United States in the future?"

Wei Wei Lingling hummed: "You don't even know what grade I'm in. Is it important to you where I live?"

"I'm talking to you in a low voice, can't you talk properly? Get out!"

Old Ghost's sudden anger scared Wei Wei Lingling. She turned and left, her eyes filled with tears, until she walked far enough and confirmed that the Old Ghost behind couldn't see her, then she sobbed and cried.

Suddenly, a fair little hand handed over a tissue: "Sister, are you okay?"

Wei Wei Lingling took a look at Zhou Zhou Huimin, who was carrying a schoolbag, took the tissue, "I'm fine, thank you," and then walked away.

Zhou Zhou Huimin thought to herself, such a beautiful sister crying so sadly, could it be that she met a scumbag?

Old Ghost stood there blankly even when he couldn't see his daughter, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He only had this one daughter. Even if his union with her mother was forced, watching her grow up from small to big, how could he not love her.

But he was unwilling to be used by his eldest brother to tie him to Taiwan with family affection. His heart finally leaned towards the North.

"Uncle Ghost!" Zhou Zhou Huimin shouted energetically, "Do you have a letter?"

"Ah, hmm, you go play by yourself, I'll go up and open the letter." Old Ghost couldn't wait to go upstairs and open the letter.

Zhou Zhou Huimin curled her lips. A Ming hadn't written back to her for a long time. In his last letter, he said he was busy writing a script for Li Li Hanxiang. He must be very busy.

And he was really amazing. Being in the mainland, even a great director like Li Li Hanxiang asked him to write a script. Didn't that mean writers in Xiangjiang couldn't compare to him!

However, as far as she knew, Director Li Li Hanxiang often filmed some erotic films. Although she hadn't seen any of them, she also knew movies like *Windy Tales*, *Flowing Rhyme*, *Golden Double Beauty*, *Cave Chamber History*, and *Sound, Color, Dog, Horse*.

"A Ming wouldn't be writing an erotic film script, right? Forget it, even if it's an erotic film, I will buy a ticket to support it when the time comes. At worst, I'll call a few more sisters to go together to strengthen my courage."

And he also said that he might come to Xiangjiang this year. This year had arrived, when is he coming?

In order to give him a surprise, A Min had been restraining herself from sending him photos.

A Ming sneezed. He was reading the letter.

There were two letters in his hand. One was from Sister Lin from Jinan. She had already started experiencing life. Because there was no farm work to do now, she learned skills like burning firewood and making shoes by hand, and also said she wanted to make a pair of thousand-layer soles for Wei Ming.

The second one was sent by his cousin Long Long Xiaoyang from Chengdu.

In the letter, he told Wei Ming that more and more people in the surrounding villages began to raise quails. He and his uncle went to Chengdu to investigate feed technology and machinery.

In addition, he also mentioned two fresh things encountered in Chengdu.

"The cola you treated us to in Jingcheng, I also saw it in Chengdu. It's called Tianfu Cola, and you can buy it without going to the Friendship Store. It's just not cheap. I don't know how the taste is different from the cola in Jingcheng."

It seemed that this kid didn't want to buy a bottle of Tianfu Cola in the end.

Wei Ming was surprised. It turned out that there was already Tianfu Cola so early?

At this time, Coca-Cola hadn't been completely opened for sale in China. Except for Friendship Stores, Overseas Chinese Stores, and foreign-related hotels, it had also started to be sold in the Forbidden City, but most people couldn't buy it.

Tianfu Cola took advantage of this opportunity to quickly occupy the market.

In addition, Long Long Xiaoyang also mentioned a movie.

"Although I didn't drink Tianfu Cola, my uncle and I watched a movie called *The Mysterious Buddha*, a martial arts film starring Liu Liu Xiaoqing. It was so wonderful! But I think your *Heroes Out of Youth* must be better. Seeing Biaozi and Yanzi must fight better than Liu Liu Xiaoqing. It's just that I don't know when I can see it. If possible, I will come to Chengdu to watch it."

Wei Ming didn't see the news of *The Mysterious Buddha* being released in Jingcheng. Now the market was still dominated by *The Herdsman*, and the heat didn't decrease.

It seemed that it should be a local trial screening organized by Emei Er Yingchang. They were criticized severely now. It was said that the printing factory had stopped the production of copies.

It was estimated that they wanted to use the voices loved by the masses to resist the criticism from above, using the sentence "The masses like it, who do you think you are" to top it back.

After reading the letter, Wei Ming began to write back, replying to Zhu Lin, replying to Long Long Xiaoyang, and also choosing some to reply to the little readers of *Black Cat Detective*.

Originally, Wei Ming had already written the story for this issue for the January issue of *Children's Literature*. However, after Wei Ming handed the story of *Rabbit Village* to Aunt Lu Xiaoyan, she felt that this piece was very suitable for the trend of the recent promulgation of the *Marriage Law*, so she moved this story to be published in January.

Fortunately, these two stories didn't have the problem of inheritance, and it didn't matter if the order was reversed.

After this *Black Cat Detective* story was published, it attracted the love of children, and even many parents clipped their own letters into the children's envelopes to discuss the severity of the population problem with Wei Ming.

Of course, Wei Ming preferred to read those letters from little readers in Sichuan and Chongqing.

They confidently expressed: Rabbits giving birth to many is a good thing! We eat as many as they give birth to, absolutely not wasting!

As *Children's Literature* became a monthly magazine, Wei Ming's little reader letters became more and more. Today, Wei Ming also specifically organized the reader letters of '79 and put them in a big bag and sent them to the Sihe Academy. It happened that Lao Lao Lao Wei bought some antique cabinets to put letters.

January 20th, the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Great Cold.

"Mom, I'm back!" Wei Ming used a motorcycle to transport little Hong and part of her belongings in the dormitory back. The final exam of the first semester of university ended, and Wei Hong announced the holiday.

Xu Shufin said: "Since it's a holiday, you can help with work. I'll give you two choices: make work meals with Dad and Mom, or go to Dongfang Dongfang Xintiandi to be a temporary worker." 【27

Wei Hong knew there was no pay for helping her parents, while she could earn a wage at New Territories, but she firmly chose to help her parents.

Xu Xu Shufen was very gratified, yet Wei Hong added, "But I can only help for a few days. When my brother goes to Modou, I want to follow him to broaden my horizons."

Wei Ming was taken aback: "What are you going there for? I'm going to revise a manuscript; how am I supposed to look after you?"

Wei Hong: "But I heard that Modou used to be the national financial center. I want to go over and see how people in the past did finance."

"That's not a very convincing reason. Modou doesn't even have a financial industry right now."

Wei Hong acted spoiled: "Brother, can't I just go and play? You can take Brother A-Long, why can't you take me? Brother~"

Wei Ming felt goosebumps all over: "Fine, fine. But we can't stay at the free guesthouse provided by the Writers Association. I'll find a friend in Modou who has a house, and we'll all stay there."

"Would that be too much of an intrusion?" Wei Hong asked, feeling embarrassed.

Wei Ming spread his hands: "What other choice is there?"

"Brother, you're the best!"

Taking Wei Hong along would also serve to cover his tracks; otherwise, there would be risks in him and Sister Xue living together openly. He would just have Xiao Hong stay in the nanny room on the first floor and forbid her from going up to the second floor.

Sister Xue had mentioned in her letter that the bed in the master bedroom on the second floor didn't creak.

Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport.

Shen Zui and his youngest daughter, Shen Shen Meijuan, who had been in Hong Kong for over ten days, were preparing to return to Yanjing. Both he and his ex-wife, Su Yanping, had already started their own families; this meeting could be considered fulfilling the daughter's wish to see her biological mother. They had even gone to visit Ocean Park in Hong Kong together.

This child had suffered; shortly after she was born, Chiang had been defeated, and then she had stayed on the mainland with him. Fortunately, someone had adopted her, so she didn't end up starving to death like his eldest daughter.

As for his relationship with his ex-wife, they now addressed each other as brother and sister; what else could they do? They were both over sixty, and this might be the last time they would ever meet in their lives.

He had slept on the plane, and after landing, the work of his two guards was finished. Shen Zui returned home accompanied by his daughter; he was completely free in his personal life on the mainland.

"Father, how was your rest?"

A day later, his daughter, Shen Shen Meijuan, brought a literary journal in from outside; it was the January issue of *Harvest*, which had just been released today.

Shen Shen Meijuan worked at the Literature and History Materials Publishing House under the CPPCC and was also a literary youth. She liked to write articles in her spare time and basically read all these literary journals.

"Hmm, I'm in good spirits," Shen Zui took a deep breath, "The air of socialism is still the best."

His personality was lively and he was witty, which was why Lao Gui had originally sought a breakthrough through him.

Today, Shen Shen Meijuan, who was still on leave, started reading the novel in the living room, and she flipped directly to the page for *The Human Righteous Path is Vicissitudes*.

Wei Ming, the new talent in the literary world who had been silent for nearly a year, had finally released a new novel, and it was a full-length one at that. This was so highly anticipated that she definitely had to read it as soon as possible.

However, this subject matter was about the relationship between the KMT and the CCP. Thinking of the role her father had played during the period when the KMT and CCP were at odds, Shen Shen Meijuan quietly returned to her own room.

Yet by the afternoon, Shen Shen Meijuan started reading this novel in front of her father again, and she looked as if she had something to say but hesitated.

"Xiao Juan, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Father, do you know a person named Jiang Jiang Limin?"

"Jiang Jiang Limin?" Shen Zui thought for a moment and asked, "Is he alive or dead?"

(Minimum quota for today)

(End of chapter)