Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 488: Going to Shangzhou to Pay Condolences (Second Update)

"Me? Isn't what you want to say what I want to say?" Fang Minghua asked back.

"Well, what about Emily? What message are you going to take?"

“I hope she can write even better works!”

Song Tangtang was suddenly amused.

"Okay, I'm just kidding you. After I leave, you can go dancing, but you are not allowed to drink with anyone!"

"I'm not a drunkard. Besides, who can I drink with? Hong Jun's alcohol tolerance is not worth mentioning. Lu Yao can't drink now. Chen Zhongshi is at home writing novels. What about Bai Miao? I heard that he has been working overtime like a dog all day long after taking on the responsibilities of president and editor-in-chief. Who can I drink with?!" Fang Minghua said confidently.

"Isn't there another Jia Pingwa?"

"That's true. But I haven't heard much about him recently. What is he busy with all day?"

"Whatever happens, drink less!"

"As you command, my dear wife!"

Three days later, Song Tangtang packed her suitcase and set off for the United States with her two children and her second aunt.

Fang Minghua drove them to Xijing Airport and told the two children to listen to their mother. She felt relieved when she saw them happily enter the security checkpoint.

Freedom.
Let yourself go for a while.

Of course, I wouldn’t go into the dance hall, and there was no point in touching a strange girl’s hand. Besides, I also had to pay attention to my social image.

Drink less alcohol and listen to your wife.

Then drink tea.
I would bring the best Longjing tea to Yan Bingchu's home, drink tea with the old man and appreciate his calligraphy and paintings, or chat with Lu Yao, or go to Xuecheng Bookstore near Xida to talk about literature with Lei Xuecheng, and also go to Nanfang Lane to see my small building, which is now basically completed and can be renovated after a few months.

On hot days, I would also go to the night market with Zhao Hongjun to eat some barbecue and drink some beer.

Those few bottles of beer were nothing.

I also need to go back to visit my parents.

Of course, what is more important is writing, which is an important matter and cannot be delayed. Fang Minghua plans to complete the manuscript by the end of the year.

This morning, Fang Minghua came back from a stroll after breakfast. He made himself a cup of tea and sat in front of the computer. Before he turned on the phone in the living room, it rang. Fang Minghua went to answer it. It was a call from the Writers Association.

"Minghua, I'm Hu Cai. Please come to my office now. I need to tell you something."

"Okay, come right away."

Fang Minghua changed into a short-sleeved shirt, hurried downstairs, drove his car straight to the Writers Association, and entered the Writers Association compound. As soon as he parked his car, a red Santana followed in from behind.

It’s Lu Yao’s car.

Seeing Lu Yao coming out of the car, Fang Minghua asked, "Brother Lu, did Chairman Hu ask you to come over?"

"Yeah, you too, right?"

"Yes, what's the matter?"

"You don't know? Pingwa's father passed away. I guess they are discussing condolences."

"Ah? No wonder I haven't seen or heard from him in so many days. What disease did he have?" "Stomach cancer."

As they were talking, the two of them came to Hu Cai's office in the backyard.

As expected, when Hu Cai saw them coming in, he said, "Lu Yao, Ming Hua, I'm sure you already know about Ping Wa's father's death. Our Writers Association is going to go to his hometown to pay respects in the name of the unit. Originally, I should have gone, but I'm old and my heart isn't very good. I'm afraid I can't stand sitting on the bus for several hours, so I want to entrust you two to represent the Provincial Writers Association to go to Shangluo. It's convenient for you to have a car, and the unit will reimburse the travel expenses and fuel costs."

The two of them immediately agreed and decided to make the trip both for official and private reasons.

"Also, Bai Miao from Yanhe is going to Shangluo on behalf of the magazine and wants to take a ride with you."

"No problem, call him when we leave."

After they left the office, Fang Minghua said to Lu Yao, "Do you want to notify the middle school?"

Lu Yao pondered for a moment and said:
"Forget it. Zhong Shi heard that he has reached the most critical moment in his writing. Let's not disturb him. When we send a wreath, we can also send one for him."

"Okay, then drive my car, it's more spacious." Fang Minghua said.

"Okay, let's go back and prepare and leave immediately."

Fang Minghua returned home and called Bai Miao's office. After explaining the situation, Bai Miao said that he was ready and that he could just call him when he arrived at the magazine office.

Half an hour later, Fang Minghua packed his luggage, called Lu Yao downstairs, picked up Bai Miao at the magazine office, and drove towards the east of the city.

Jia Pingwa's hometown is in Danfeng County, Shangzhou. After the car entered the Qinling Mountains, it kept moving along the Danjiang Gorge, crossing bridges and tunnels, and villages were scattered on the small flat land by the river.

We walked for nearly six hours and had a bowl of noodles in a small town on the way. When we walked out of the canyon, the view became wider and we were not far from Jia Pingwa’s hometown, Danfengxian Dihua Town.

Dihua Town is located at the southern foot of Qinling Mountains, between Danfeng County and Shangzhou City. The Danjiang River flows through the town, which is a post station on the Shangyu Ancient Road in history. The ancient road runs from Danfeng County, Shangluo, Shanxi to Neixiang County, Henan. It is an important political, military and commercial road in ancient times. Its history can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It is known as "Humanistic Dihua, Courtyard Collection Qinling".

In the early years, the local area was rich in Chinese pomelo flowers, so it was named Dihua Town. Bai Juyi once left a famous line after passing Dihua three times: "I heard from afar that I dreamed of my brothers in a hotel, so the post station must be named Dihua." Many of Jia Pingwa's novels describe the hometown, the most famous of which is "Shangzhou Chulu".

This is a typical Qinnan town, with winding streets, old wooden houses from the 1940s and 1950s and earthen houses on both sides, as well as newly renovated blue brick and tile houses. Of course, it is not the half-built houses in the Guanzhong area.

As Fang Minghua drove into the town, he heard someone singing from a distance.

"What good is there for a man to live in this world?
Just say (that) is dead and (wow) is dead,
(That) relatives and friends don’t (wow) know (ah).

Relatives and friends know about it.
The deceased has reached the Naihe Bridge.

It turns out that someone is singing a filial song - "Naihe Bridge"

There is no need to get off the car to ask for the address of Jia Pingwa's house. Just listen to the sounds and watch which house has people coming in and out. The busiest house is theirs.

In Shangzhou, similar to the customs in rural Guanzhong, people regard funerals as the most important event in the entire village. All other things must give way to funerals, because people can only die once in their lifetime, while other things can be repeated.

So relatives, friends, and neighbors all came to help. Fang Minghua and his family parked their car in front of the door of the busiest house, with elegiac couplets posted on both sides.

As soon as I got off the car, I saw several people in mourning clothes coming out of the yard. When I saw them, I immediately knelt down and kowtowed. Among them was Jia Pingwa.

This is also the custom in Qinnan. When people in mourning see those who come to pay their respects, no matter their age or seniority, they must kowtow to express their gratitude.

Fang Minghua and others quickly helped them up, and only then did he see Jia Pingwa clearly.

Oh my god
I haven't seen you for a while. Why do you look so haggard and pale? You're like a different person.

(End of this chapter)