Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 799 Lunch together
“I write fiction, but it’s also history!”

This sentence became the most eye-catching headline of Fang Minghua's answer to the reporter's question and appeared in the New York Times the next day. There was also a heated discussion about the content of the answer to the reporter.

Someone wants to uncover the little-known history of ordinary people 100 years ago!

At this time, many people realized that Fang Minghua is not only a best-selling author, but also a serious literary writer!
Of course, some people applauded and some opposed.

At this time, Fang Minghua was preparing to fly back to San Francisco in the afternoon, and Liu Xiaoli and her daughter were also going back to New York. However, before leaving, Liu Xiaoli insisted on inviting him to dinner alone.

"No need for that. Didn't you hold a celebration banquet for me yesterday?" Fang Minghua declined.

"Sissi and I haven't invited you alone yet, right Sissi?"

"Yes, godfather, I heard from Haley that there are many delicious foods in Baltimore." Liu Yifei said naively.

Haley is the American child actor who played Harry Potter.

Fang Minghua couldn't help but laugh. What a foodie, just like her own daughter Ruirui.

In that case, Fang Minghua agreed, since the flight was in the afternoon anyway.

"Then let's go at 11: noon, at Faidley's Seafood restaurant in Lexington Market. I heard the seafood there is quite good. Let's go together." Liu Xiaoli said.

At 11: noon, someone knocked on the door. Fang Minghua went over to see that it was Liu Xiaoli and her daughter.

It is obvious that Liu Xiaoli is now carefully dressed up, wearing a beige solid shirt and a floral skirt, looking elegant and intellectual.

The three of them left the hotel together and took a taxi to Lexington Market.

The market is located near the "Edgar Allan Poe House", a narrow two-story brick house where American poet Edgar Allan Poe lived - it is now open to visitors for tributes.

In the car, Liu Xiaoli held a travel guide and said excitedly: "Faidley's Seafood Restaurant was once named one of the "Top 20 Food Landmarks in the United States" by Smithsonian Magazine. The jumbo crab cakes in this restaurant are award-winning and are great!"

The three arrived. Although the restaurant was located in the market, the environment inside was very clean. They found a private room and ordered Maryland crabs, grilled clams, and of course the specialty snack, large lump crab cakes.

Liu Yifei was in the growing period, so when she saw so many delicious foods, she naturally ate with relish, and the adults chatted while they ate.

Liu Xiaoli told Fang Minghua that she would be planning to take her children back to China in a few days. In addition to visiting her parents, she would go to Xijing to sign a contract with Shengshi Film and Television. Her daughter Liu Yifei would officially become an artist under Shengshi Film and Television.

Fang Minghua already knew this news. Song Tangtang told him over the phone. On the phone, Song Tangtang told Fang Minghua that after the acquisition of Xi'an Film Studio, Shengshi Film and Television was going to learn from Hollywood in the United States and adopt the artist system, and Liu Yifei was the first artist signed by the company.

Fang Minghua had no objection to this.

This is the only way for Shengshi Film and Television to transform from a traditional film and television production company into a modern entertainment company.

Fang Minghua naturally gave some words of encouragement.

"Ms. Liu"

"You should just call me Xiaoli. Xixi calls you godfather. We are a family."

Fang Minghua smiled slightly and did not dwell on the topic. She just told Liu Xiaoli that there were several more Harry Potter films to come and Liu Yifei could be trained to be an international superstar. She hoped that she could learn while performing and improve her acting skills.

The two chatted for a while, and Liu Xiaoli suddenly changed the subject: "Minghua, the last words you said to the reporter at the reader meeting yesterday were quite bold."

"Are you talking about the Chinese workers building the railway?" Fang Minghua asked back.

"Yes, I guess you know that some people in the United States look down on Chinese people and think they are second-class citizens and inferior. You will definitely make those people unhappy if you say this, so be careful that they will cause trouble for you."

Liu Xiaoli reminded.

look for a job?

What do you want from me?

At worst, next year I will sell all my stocks, sell the publishing house, withdraw the funds back to China, and then bring Li Li and her daughter back to China or arrange for them to live in Hong Kong. They will never come to the United States again!
What can you do to me?!
Of course, he couldn't tell Liu Xiaoli this. He smiled, took a sip of beer, and said slowly, "It's nothing. You can't be afraid to say something just because you're worried, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. You are a great writer and a celebrity now. No one dares to say anything to you!" Liu Xiaoli said with a smile.

That afternoon Fang Minghua flew back to San Francisco.

This time he did not take the train, but flew to Chicago first, and then transferred to San Francisco.

After Fang Minghua returned home, he naturally hugged his daughter and amused her for a while. After school in the afternoon, Li Li came back.

While having dinner, Li Li also talked about the news published in the New York Times.

Of course, she unconditionally supports Fang Minghua's actions.

"Minghua, our school library has some historical documents about Chinese workers building the railway. Do you need them? I'll help you borrow them."

"Need it!" Fang Minghua was overjoyed.

I have a general idea of ​​this period of history. Since I'm writing a novel, it would be best for me to understand the historical background clearly.

The next morning Fang Minghua received a phone call.

"Hello, Mr. Fang, I'm Meng Dawen."

"Hello, Lawyer Meng."

"Congratulations, Mr. Fang, congratulations on your award. It's rare in the United States to win both the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award." Meng Dawen's tone was enthusiastic.

"thanks, thanks."

Meng Dawen is the owner of Meng Dawen Law Firm. When Fang Minghua acquired Ashley Press, he asked him to provide legal advice on the acquisition.

Later, after Ashley Press was acquired, it signed a strategic cooperation agreement with his law firm. Meng Dawen would try his best to provide assistance in legal matters related to the daily operations of the publishing house.

At the same time, his firm also provided legal advice to the Chinese team of the "Harry Potter" filming, and the two sides established a good cooperative relationship.

Of course, Meng Dawen did more than just congratulate, he quickly stated his purpose.

"Mr. Fang, your comments after winning the award have caused a great stir in society. I have a friend who is also a respected elder who wants to meet you."

"Who?"

"Yu Rongyifang, a historian and professor at Stanford University, is also Chinese and lives in San Francisco. Her great-grandfather Lee Wang Sang went to the United States in 1866 to participate in the construction of the Pacific Railroad."

"Really?" Fang Minghua immediately became interested when he heard it.

On the phone, Meng Dawen explained the whole story.

It turns out that Yu Rongyifang has been studying this period of history because of her great-grandfather, and has also organized a group with some descendants of Chinese workers who once participated in the construction of the railway. The purpose is to make the official government recognize this period of history and include it in American middle school textbooks!

As a lawyer, Meng Dawen provided some free legal assistance to the group.

Yu Rongyifang also saw this news in the news and also wanted to meet this writer from mainland China.

Of course, she didn't know Fang Minghua's contact information. It happened that after Meng Dawen talked to her about this, he volunteered that he and Fang Minghua were friends and they could get in touch.

"If you're willing, we can go meet Ms. Yu Rong Yifang in the afternoon," Meng Dawen said finally.

"Okay." Fang Minghua agreed readily.

A little after two o'clock in the afternoon, Meng Dawen drove to the Seacliff community, and Fang Minghua got into his Mercedes-Benz and drove towards Silicon Valley.

(End of this chapter)