Chapter 38: First Novel Published

Wei Ming stared nervously at Li Xiaolin's facial expression.

It wasn't until she turned to the last page, saw the last line, and revealed a satisfied smile that the stone in Wei Ming's heart was put down.

He later stopped being a screenwriter and became a boss. One important reason was that he was tired of being ordered around by investors to revise scripts, perhaps revising ten times only to have them say at the end: "Let's just use the first draft."

Damn!

Writing novels was much better. After all, it was your own work. Editors had joint responsibility, so they had to be responsible for the work. But if they were overly critical, at worst, you could just change to another magazine.

After reading it all, Li Xiaolin said: "I have no problem here. In order not to trouble you to run again, let the editor-in-chief see it now."

Wei Ming was pleasantly surprised: "Is the old gentleman here today?"

Li Xiaolin nodded. Then, she took Wei Ming to the editor-in-chief's office. An hour later, Wei Ming came out.

Not only did the manuscript pass, but he also had a copy of *New Life* signed by Ba Lao in his hand.

After Wei Ming said, "I like your novels the most, Ba Lao," the old gentleman very happily chose one of his own works from the bookshelf, signed it, gave it to this rising star, and encouraged him with a few words.

And the title *New Life* also had a different meaning for Wei Ming, who held a big secret.

After leaving the father's office door, Li Xiaolin hummed to Wei Ming: "I will definitely tell him that the ones you like most are Lu Xun and Lao She."

Wei Ming: "Among living authors, I like Ba Lao's novels the most. There's nothing wrong with that."

Although Wei Ming fooled the old man, Li Xiaolin still said with concern: "The novel is scheduled to be published in the November issue. Although our rule is to pay the manuscript fee at the time of publication, I can apply to settle it for you in advance."

He hadn't expected that before Wei Ming could open his mouth, Li Xiaolin had taken the initiative to mention this matter.

He excitedly held Li Xiaolin's hand: "Editor Li, thank you so much. You are a good person!"

Li Xiaolin: "Just remember to submit more to our *Harvest* in the future."

"Rest assured, I will definitely keep the best manuscripts for *Harvest* and give the average ones to other magazines."

Li Xiaolin couldn't help but laugh: "Hmph, well said. Come, sign a name for me."

When Wei Ming was about to write, Li Xiaolin revealed one thing: "The national manuscript fee standard may be raised next year. If you are willing to wait for publication next year, there should be a little more then."

Hearing this, Wei Ming didn't hesitate at all. He signed his name directly: "Next year's money will be earned next year. I'll live the present well first, and I will definitely have new works next year."

After all, he wrote fast.

Afterward, he went to the finance department and received a huge sum of 160 yuan. The standard for him was also four yuan per thousand words.

Today's 160, yesterday's 65, and the 15 yuan from *Story Monthly* when he first arrived—that was already 240 yuan, exceeding his annual salary as a temporary worker at Peking University!

Plus the subsidy money, it easily exceeded 250!

Now both the car and the watch could be arranged, and there was still a surplus. Later, he would ask Zhang Dening if he could withdraw the manuscript fee in advance. He even wanted to go back to his hometown.

After all, wealth without returning home is like wearing brocade at night. He didn't care, but Old Wei should be impatient to show off in a big way.

The happy Wei Ming didn't return to the guesthouse immediately. He strolled on the streets of Modu until he felt hungry.

Between the delicious but expensive state-run restaurant on the roadside and the guesthouse restaurant that didn't cost money and wasn't poisonous, he decisively chose the latter.

Sure enough, he still wasn't rich enough; he couldn't bear to spend those few jiao for a meal.

Returning to the guesthouse, the service girl stopped him: "Writer Wei, someone was looking for you just now, from Jingcheng, named Wei Anping."

"Thank you, may I ask what time it is?" Wei Ming asked for the time, confirmed that Uncle Anping shouldn't have left work yet, and dialed back.

Behind him, Professor Qu whispered to Chen Chong: "A watch is important~"

Chen Chong: "..."

On the phone, Wei Ming told the details of his experience capturing the human trafficker and answered several of Uncle Anping's questions.

Wei Anping laughed heartily: "Good boy, just wait for the award when you come back!"

Wei Ming was brave again at this time and asked: "Uncle, what will be awarded?"

"What do you want?"

Wei Ming: "Coupons, I want coupons!"

(ps: You all heard it~ coupons!)

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 39 =====

Seeing it was tiger bone wine, Wei Ming scoffed; where would a man like him ever need such a thing!

He had always been confident in his abilities in that department, and he hadn't used any medicine before the age of 60.

Wei Ming opened the cap of the tiger bone wine bottle and took a sniff. He didn't know if this stuff was really as miraculous as they said, but he was a bit worried about drinking it and having problems, so he decisively capped it, then carefully packed it away to prevent any bumps.

The next day, Sister Chen Rong prepared to submit her manuscript, and the conference on Professor Qu's side had also concluded, so they decided to return to Jingcheng together the following day.

The two with cadre status bought hard-sleeper tickets for the return trip, while Wei Ming still had a hard-seat, but this time without a pretty lady for company, Wei Ming actually read quite a few books.

!

When he stepped back onto the soil of Yanjing after more than twenty hours, Wei Ming held his waist, feeling as if he needed some of that mysterious Eastern tiger bone wine power.

And when Sister Chen Rong saw the newsstand outside the station, she ran over immediately to ask if they had today's "Wenhui Daily," but there were none, only yesterday's.

Professor Qu said to Wei Ming, "Little Wei, I reckon your short story should be published in the next two days, keep an eye out."

Wei Ming said indifferently, "What's there to watch? The money's already in my pocket anyway."

Chen Rong: "This is your first published novel, how meaningful that is!"

In reality, "The Duck Knows First When the Spring River Warms" was indeed published today, and because the newspaper's space was limited, it was split into a three-part serial.

Modu, the second floor of a Shikumen house on Chongqing North Road.

After Gong Yuandong, who worked as a graphic designer at a clothing company, got off work and returned home, his wife Zhuang Che was cooking, and the "Wenhui Daily" she had bought for herself was laid out on the table.

"Any big news today?" He picked up the newspaper casually.

"Better to have less big news, let's have a few days of peace," Zhuang Che turned off the stove and brought the food over, "but there's a novel that's quite interesting, you can take a look."

"Oh, let me see, this one? 'The Duck Knows First When the Spring River Warms'..."

Gong Yuandong was quickly engrossed, laughing out loud from time to time. His wife urged him to eat, but he held his chopsticks in one hand and the newspaper in the other.

"This novel is quite interesting, pity it's not finished. You keep buying it tomorrow, I'm a bit curious what method this 'duck who knows first' uses to sell the medicinal wine."

"A TV commercial," Zhuang Che said, "Isn't this talking about Canggui Yangrong Wine? Oh, you haven't seen it, I saw the ad on the TV at my eldest brother's place. By the way, the son-in-law even bought a bottle for our mom. The old lady can't bear to drink it, and hasn't finished it yet."

"Ah?"

After saying that, Zhuang Che dug out that expensive bottle of medicinal wine and let her husband smell it too: "There's ginseng inside."

"Smells pretty good," Gong Yuandong chuckled, "Mom isn't drinking it, how about we have some?"

"You, alright then, just one small cup each~"

Aside from attracting a large number of casual readers with his superb and skillful novelistic technique, the greatest contribution of the first part of Wei Ming's novel was perhaps awakening the memories of many Shanghai residents regarding this outdated internet-famous Canggui Yangrong Wine.

With the little wine down their throats, the old couple began to miss their second daughter, the only one not by their side.

Xue'er left two days ago; of their four children, she was the one they cherished the most—both beautiful and well-behaved.

But it just so happened that her luck was poor, she couldn't stay in Modu, and she was this old without a partner, it was enough to worry someone to death~

(End of chapter)