1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 378: The Chinese Literature magazine was in an uproar!
Baiwanzhuang Street in Beijing.

Chinese Literature magazine is affiliated to the Foreign Languages ​​​​Publication Administration.

On a morning in early spring, the wind blowing through the streets still retained some of the chill of winter.

Fortunately, after the sun came out, the warm spring day fell on people through the thin clouds, which was very comfortable.

"what--"

Editor Zhang Li, who got up early to go to work and was sitting by the window in the office, reading a book in the sun, felt spring sleepiness. She covered her mouth and yawned for a long time, and clear tears came out of the corners of her eyes.

What she was holding in her hand was a February issue of Children's Literature, and she was reading Cheng Kaiyan's new work, My Neighbor Totoro.

"What a warm, wonderful childhood.

People who see this can't help but imagine that if they lived in such a family, they would definitely be very happy.

Whether it’s the older sister who acts like a little adult or the younger sister who is quirky, Dad can tolerate and understand them very well and put himself in their shoes.”

"It's just that fathers like this are probably rare in the country."

Zhang Li happened to be reading this at the moment. In the article, a father went to great lengths to reclaim grassland and plant oak seeds just because of a dream his two daughters had at night. He also watered the seeds day and night.

"Zhang Li, are you watching My Neighbor Totoro? If I also wanted a father like this, how happy I would be. My dad has always beaten and scolded me since I was a child. I really envy Comrade Cheng Kaiyan's future children. With a father like him, they will definitely be very happy and grow up happily."

A female comrade sitting next to Zhang Li sighed.

"This is probably impossible. A father who is gentle to the core is usually well-read and well-educated. You won't find such a father in an ordinary family.

The father in the article was created by Cheng Kaiyan based on himself. I think he really looks like Cheng Kaiyan. He is a very gentle and kind person. The wife who is a dancer in the novel seems to be Cheng Kaiyan’s lover.

Zhang Li smiled and said gently.

She had a good impression of Cheng Kaiyan from the beginning, and she went back to donate money. She donated some more during the New Year's Eve dinner some time ago.

"Is this also Mr. Cheng's own fantasy of his future life? That's great.

Last time I went to the bookstore to buy books, I met Teacher Cheng and his wife, a very beautiful and elegant girl.

The two of them were still holding each other's arms on the street. I definitely wouldn't dare to do that. They seemed so affectionate. I was so envious. "

A young female comrade at the opposite table said with envy, her chin in her hand.

"She is very pretty. I heard that she is studying at the Beijing Dance Academy. She is a very outstanding lesbian."

Zhang Li recalled the performance by the children at Chaoyang Welfare Home in January.

The woman in the red sweater, with a gentle and bright temperament, gently holding the little girl's hand and dancing in the sun.

She thought it would be difficult for her to forget this profound scene, and chuckled as she said, "Liu Xiaoli seems to be a very gentle and kind woman, and she is a good match for Cheng Kaiyan."

Several people in the office were drinking tea and chatting, and the atmosphere was very peaceful.

At this time of spring every year, most writers seem to be caught up in real life around the Spring Festival and stop writing literature.

Therefore, there are fewer magazines coming here, and it’s more relaxed.

Zhang Li and the others chatted and laughed in the office, and the leader didn't mind.

About a quarter of an hour later, an old man with a ruddy face walked into the office door. It was the editor-in-chief Ye Junjian.

"Comrades, I have good news for you!"

Editor-in-chief Mr. Ye Junjian walked into the room with a smile on his face, his voice full of energy and deep joy.

"What good news? Editor-in-Chief, you look so rosy, this must be great news!"

Someone saw that he was in a good mood and made a joke.

"Yes, editor-in-chief, please tell us quickly, don't keep us in suspense, is it going to be a salary increase?"

A young man who just came in tends to be more straightforward in his words and deeds.

"That's right."

Everyone in the office started muttering.

"Everyone, please be patient..." Mr. Ye Junjian laughed loudly, raised his hand to suppress the noise of the crowd, and explained:
"Specifically, this is what happened. This morning, staff from the postal and telecommunications department came to inform me.

Last year, we translated and published two works by Cheng Kaiyan: "Submarine at Night" and "The Alchemist's Alchemy", which were recognized by Aurumbra Press in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

The editor-in-chief of the publishing house, Mr. Cohen, has sent Comrade Cheng Kaiyan the contract for the publication of the work and the advance payment.

However, due to the overseas publication, the current contract royalties still need further review.

But these two works are children's literature, which everyone should be able to understand. They do not involve political sensitivities, let alone ideological and other issues. The censorship will definitely not go wrong."

As soon as Mr. Ye Junjian finished speaking, the entire office fell silent. Almost everyone was speechless due to the sudden news.

But soon, the atmosphere in the entire magazine office was almost boiling.

This news is really surprising.

No one knows better than them how difficult it is for domestic writers' literary works to be recognized by ordinary foreign publishers.

Their magazine "Chinese Literature" has been working in the field of foreign propaganda for decades and has a small readership in countries such as the United States, Britain, France, and Japan.

However, very few of the works they translated were noticed by foreign publishers and published.

It can be said that no article has been published for several years.

Although Indiana University Press in the United States cooperated with Foreign Languages ​​Press to publish the "1979 National Excellent Short Story Award Collection" last year, this move was not a common business behavior, but more of a task or a preparation for entering the domestic market.

Foreign publishing houses are different from domestic ones.

The reason they publish books is to increase sales, to make money, and to consolidate their market position and readership, rather than to contribute to the prosperity of the country's cultural cause and enrich the people's spirit.

Chinese literary works do not have a certain number of basic readers in the United States.

After a book is published, if it cannot be sold in large quantities, no money will be made.

This is the fundamental reason why current Chinese literary works are generally not favored by foreign publishers.

Of course, this situation improved after the reform and opening up.

Now Cheng Kaiyan's children's literature works have received initial recognition, which is indeed a good start.

The acceptance of children's literature abroad is indeed much higher than that of other literary works.

It can be said that it is the right time, right place and right people, and the inevitable result of many accidental achievements.

Everyone in the office was thinking differently.

Gradually everyone came back to their senses, with happy smiles on their faces, and immediately started discussing the matter.

"Really?!"

"Are American publishers going to publish Cheng Kaiyan's works?"

"It's amazing! Even foreigners would probably be conquered by Teacher Cheng's talent!"

"This is Teacher Xiao Cheng's talent. In the past twenty years, out of the ten great literary talents in the world, Teacher Xiao Cheng alone has eight of them!"

"You know, in the past, only old literary masters like Mr. Mao Dun and Mr. Lao She could be appreciated by foreign publishers. I didn't expect that Teacher Cheng Kaiyan also has such a talent!"

"This is a huge honor. If writers outside knew about this, they would be so jealous! Last time, a writer I invited kept asking me if I had a chance to be noticed by foreigners, saying that it was easy to make money from foreigners and he wanted to earn foreign exchange!"

……

“Teacher Xiao Cheng is indeed amazing, but our contributions are also great, including translation, proofreading, and reviewing... We are also great!”

Zhang Li took a deep breath. You know, it was Cheng Kaiyan who personally recommended these two works to the editor-in-chief, so her contribution was not small.

"Yes, yes, I was the one who proofread the submarine at night!"

Another young female comrade also nodded in agreement, and said with her hands on her waist, quite proudly.

"What's that? I was the one who translated that classic line in Submarine!"

A middle-aged gay man raised his chin with pride.

(End of this chapter)