The literary era since 1979

There is a "囍" character pasted on the window of a house on Lama Temple Street, and big "喜" characters are pasted on both sides of the door.

At the door, Shi Tiesheng was wearing a Zhongshan suit custom-made from Hongdu, sitting in the passenger seat of the car, with a red ribbon hanging on the rearview mirror.

Behind him was a long line of cars, each with friends from the editorial department sitting in it, including Wang Shuo, Zheng Yuanjie, Zhong Acheng...

"set off!"

"Woo~"

Accompanied by a piercing roar, the wedding procession marched towards Nanluoguxiang in a mighty manner.

"Coming! Coming!"

The first neighbor who saw it started shouting.

Both sides of the road were filled with neighbors who came to watch the fun, some standing, some sitting, saying "congratulations" once or twice.

Fang Yan was guarding the door himself, and when Yu Hua carrying Shi Tiesheng appeared in his sight, he took the initiative to walk down the stairs.

Yu Hua hurriedly moved the wheelchair out, while Fang Yan opened the passenger door and helped carry Shi Tiesheng out of the car.

Shi Tiesheng's eyes were filled with gratitude, and all he could say finally turned into one simple sentence: "Thank you."

"Let's not be so polite between us."

Fang Yan carried him to the wheelchair and pushed him straight to the yard. "Go in. The bride must be waiting anxiously inside."

Shi Tiesheng looked around and saw that the house was also decorated with lights and festive atmosphere.

As soon as they entered the lobby, they saw people standing all around, all looking at them.

Chen Ximi's parents sat high up in the main seats, and the two chairs were rosewood armchairs brought from Fangyan, which looked very classy.

Hearing the noisy noise outside the room, Chen Ximi, who was sitting upright on the bed, felt a chill in his heart.

Gong Xing leaned his head out to look, then quickly retracted it and said with a smile, "People are here, don't be nervous."

Looking at Chen Ximi's reserved yet happy appearance, Wang Zuxian's eyes were complicated and thoughtful.

Lin Qingxia gently nudged her absent-minded best friend with her elbow: "What's wrong, are you jealous?"

Wang Zuxian hummed and whispered, "Which woman doesn't want to have a wedding?"

Lin Qingxia looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze, "Some time ago, I saw a newspaper mentioning you and Qi Qin..."

"Stop, stop, stop, that's completely false, it was written by a reporter. I just accepted the invitation and made a cameo appearance in his music video!"

Wang Zuxian directly denied it three times: she didn't know him, she was not familiar with him, and they had no relationship at all.

"That's what I thought." Lin Qingxia glanced at him.

"Let's not talk about me anymore, let's talk about you, Sister Qingxia. Are you also looking forward to such a wedding?"

Wang Zuxian showed a playful smile.

"As for me, I'm fine."

When Lin Qingxia thought about how she and Fang Yan were in love in the United States, and how they even went to a church in Las Vegas to hold a fake wedding, she felt very content. The happiness was almost overflowing from her eyes, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously raised.

Wang Zuxian was full of doubts and was about to ask when she heard a series of hurried footsteps.

Shi Tiesheng pushed the wheelchair, and Yu Hua, Wang Shuo, Lu Haiyan and other groomsmen followed closely behind, adding a bit of liveliness to the whole room.

"Clap clap clap."

The sudden applause brought her wandering mind back to normal. Wang Zuxian clapped along and saw the two off to the hall.

Afterwards, the "sending mother" brought a bowl of steaming hot dumplings for Shi Tiesheng and Chen Ximi to eat, and asked:
“Are the dumplings raw?”

Chen Ximi showed a shy look and said softly, "raw".

"The sound is too soft, I can't hear it!"

The people around started shouting one by one.

The idea is basically the same: let her give birth! Let her give birth!
Seeing Wang Zuxian and Li Zhi joining in the fun, Lin Qingxia also asked with a smile: "Do you want to have a baby?"

Zhu Lin, Gong Li and the others had envy flashing in their eyes, and no one knew what was going on in their minds, sometimes lost, sometimes confused, and sometimes excited.

With everyone's blessings, Shi Tiesheng was awarded a big red flower, applauded and cheered by everyone, and was escorted all the way to the door.

"Crackling."

Soon, bursts of firecrackers were heard in the alley.

Fangyan thanked the neighbors who came to support him, and then joined the procession to see the bride off.

Accompanied by the roar of cars, the wedding procession gradually disappeared from people's sight.

………………

The convoy made a long circle around the city, and the photography team that was assigned to follow it took pictures along the way with ease.

Especially when passing by Beihai Park and Ditan Park, Shi Tiesheng looked out the window from afar, his emotions surging like the tide.

The wedding banquet was held at the newly opened Hua Xia Hotel, which is under the management of Shangri-La Hotel. It is magnificent and high-end.

After all, Shi Tiesheng is no longer the temporary worker who made a living by painting on antique furniture.

Gradually, relatives and friends arrived one after another, and the tables were filled with people.

Gong Xing, Lin Qingxia and others sat at the bridesmaids' table. Although Fang Yan was not a best man this time, he was also arranged to be with the best man group.

"Teacher Fang, I heard that you have made some progress in your work that will win the Nobel Prize in Literature?"

While Wang Shuo was pouring wine for Fang Yan, he asked the question that everyone present wanted to ask.

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. This time I'm going to write something that has nothing to do with the Nobel Prize for Literature."

Fang Yan said that he was writing a historical literature, which was one of the three things he would do after taking office as the editor-in-chief of People's Literature.

When they heard that it was historical literature and was related to the Ming Dynasty, everyone was surprised. They didn't expect that after going around in circles, Teacher Fang returned to his old business.

"I thought about it for a while, literary creation is not for the purpose of participating in awards."

Fangyan said that various "literary awards" have emerged one after another in the literary world today, as if winning awards is a hard and fast truth for literary works. However, literary awards are one of the criteria for judging literary works, but they cannot be regarded as the only and final destination. The vicious circle of "awards only" must be avoided.

"What Teacher Fang said is absolutely true."

Wang Shuo slammed the table. He had made fun of the literature award at the very beginning of "The Troublemakers". The protagonists moved the award ceremony organized by the "Three T" company to the International Exhibition Center where a fashion show was about to take place, which was inappropriate and openly mocked this fake literature award.

"Teacher Fang's level is still higher." Yu Hua smiled, especially when he heard that "literary creation must maintain individuality", he agreed 100% in his heart.

Then everyone talked about "Legend of the Seven Heroes of Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit". Although Shanghai Film Studio has invested in "Spirited Away", it does not feel it can rest on its laurels. Instead, it is increasingly looking forward to this animated series that is as long as "Transformers", and has been closely following the progress of the script.

Just as everyone was talking and laughing, a pair of hosts who looked like emcees finally walked onto the stage. The man was Zhao Zhongxiang and the woman was Ni Ping.

Zhu Lin was shocked, "This is..."

Gong Xing clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Yes, this was all arranged by Yan Zi. Isn't this a great show?"

………………

Weddings in those days had not yet formed the formalized procedures of later generations.

This unprecedented ceremony was full of novelty for most people present, especially when Chen Ximi, wearing a fashionable wedding dress, was led by her father's hand towards Shi Tiesheng step by step. All the way, the restlessness in the audience could be heard, and bursts of applause could be heard from time to time.

After Zhao Zhongxiang and Ni Ping's exaggerated praises, Chen Ximi and Shi Tiesheng put their rings on each other's hands.

Then the next step comes, where representatives of the bride and groom give their respective wedding speeches.

The person who represented Chen Ximi was Gong Xing, and the person who came on stage for Shi Tiesheng was naturally Fang Yan.

"Ahem, dear friends and guests: Today, with great joy and deep respect, we witness together an extraordinary union - Mr. Shi Tiesheng and Ms. Chen Ximi are getting married!"

"Standing here, on behalf of Tiesheng's closest friends and relatives, I feel indescribable emotion in my heart. This is not only a wedding, but also a celebration of the soul, a brilliant bloom of the glory of life."

"Tie Sheng, our friend, is a brave man who uses his pen as a plow to cultivate a fertile spiritual field in the thorny field of fate. His words are the starlight in adversity and the philosophy in suffering, illuminating countless confused hearts. He understands the weight, limitations and infinite possibilities of life more deeply than anyone else. His existence itself is the most powerful interpretation of "being alive" and the deepest questioning of "meaning"."

"And today, we must sincerely praise Ms. Chen Ximi. Ximi, you are not only a partner in Tiesheng's life, you are also a fellow traveler, guardian and morning star in his spiritual world, just like Tiesheng once wrote a poem for Ms. Chen Ximi, 'Seeing you is like seeing my hometown, all your expressions are familiar to me', 'You came to me only when the night understood expectations, you came to me only when the daytime saw through the barriers'..."

He continued reading in dialect with great emotion, not noticing that Shi Tiesheng and Chen Ximi were looking at him meaningfully.

"Your love is like the "Altar of Earth" described by Tie Sheng, which is not only a peaceful habitat, but also a source of ideas, not only a support for daily life, but also a witness to spiritual sublimation. Ximi, your arrival has brought a brighter spring and a wider starry sky to Tie Sheng's "Altar of Earth". Therefore, at this sacred and beautiful moment, let us offer the most sincere and deepest blessings to the newlyweds:
May the harp of your spirit always resonate in harmony, and play eternal music under the starry sky of your thoughts;
May the reliance of your souls grow stronger and stronger, and become each other's most solid support in the long river of time..."

At the end, he looked around and couldn't help but raise his voice to the top of his voice, "Tiesheng, Ximi, bless you! May your love be as eternal as the stars and as solid as the earth, illuminating each other and warming the hearts of all of us witnesses! Thank you all!"

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa."

The applause was thunderous. Wang Zuxian curled her lips and said, "I never thought that he could write such a good wedding speech."

When Lin Qingxia thought of the oath she had taken in the church, her cheeks flushed and her eyes lit up. "Otherwise, how could I be called a great writer?"

Zhu Lin, Gong Li and others stared at the stage and saw the two people who had just made generous speeches walking down quickly, shoulder to shoulder.

Gong Xian rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Look, you write so well, why don't you write one for me?"

"I'll definitely do it next time." Fangyan winked slyly.

"Next time!" Gong Xing was helpless. Her man spoke eloquently but his speech completely outshone her own.

Fang Yan smiled and just as he returned to his seat, he immediately received praise from Yu Hua, Zheng Yuanjie, Zhong Acheng and others.

"Teacher Fang, I wonder what you think about that matter?"

Wang Shuo toasted, "Are you going to make a cameo appearance in the movie "Poetic Age" that Lu Le is going to shoot?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the table immediately became quiet. Everyone looked left at Wang Shuo and right at Fangyan, who seemed to be in deep thought.

After a while, Fang Yan said, "I've thought about this. Since everyone from our editorial department is going, Zilong, Tiening, Anyi and the others are also going, how can I be absent from such a lively party? Besides, it's also for the purpose of promoting literature, so naturally I have to contribute more."

When Wang Shuo heard that he readily agreed, he prepared to bring the good news to Lu Le and others tomorrow.

“But it’s better to put the shooting time off.”

Fangyan is planning to make a guest appearance in "The Age of Poetry" before the 62nd Academy Awards next year.

"Teacher Fang, I have an appointment with Lu Le and the others. We can start filming whenever it is convenient for you."

Wang Shuo grinned.

"Speaking of which."

Yu Hua curiously asked Fang Yan about the specific time he would return to Beijing to take on the role of editor-in-chief of People's Literature.

"January or February."

Fangyan said that the work of Joint Publishing Company in Hong Kong has been almost handed over, but he might have to go to Japan again.

Wang Shuo, Yu Hua and others looked at each other in bewilderment, "Teacher Fang, why do you want to go to Japan?"

Fangyan did not mention the Japanese economic bubble crisis at the end of December, but mentioned "Departures" which he collaborated with Shochiku and Kadokawa Films. If nothing unexpected happens, this film will apply to participate in the main competition unit of the Berlin Film Festival next year and strive for the Golden Bear Award.

"If we win the Berlin Golden Bear, wouldn't that mean that Mr. Fang has won all three major European film festivals?"

Yu Hua took a breath of cold air.

"It's a pity that it's not a Chinese-language movie, but a Japanese one."

The dialect is a little regrettable.

"It's nothing, Mr. Fang."

Wang Shuo waved his hand, and suddenly remembered that "Benmingnian" directed by Xie Fei and starring Jiang Wen seemed to be participating in the Berlin Film Festival.

"Really? What a coincidence! I must meet them at the film festival."

Fangyan was very surprised. At this moment, Chen Ximi helped Shi Tiesheng push the wheelchair, and the loving couple appeared in their sight.

"Tiesheng, your kidney is hard-earned, you must take good care of it."

"That's right, even though today is your big day, you still have to drink less."

"If it doesn't work, just use water instead of wine. Anyway, the colors of water and white wine are not bad, they just don't taste like wine."

"........."

Facing everyone's repeated warnings, Chen Ximi smiled and said, "Don't worry, Tiesheng only drank water mixed with a little wine."

Fang Yan and Shi Tiesheng smiled at each other and knocked the table with their glasses. "In that case, let's wish Tiesheng and Ximi a long and happy marriage. Let's drink!"

"cheers!"

Almost everyone at the table spoke in unison. Shi Tiesheng was so excited that his face turned red, and a smile as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum hung on his face.

When I was 21, my legs betrayed me! I survived only because of friendship!

I am really lucky to have such a group of close friends! Especially Fangyan! (End of this chapter)