Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 432 A Joke

David Miller explained: "Americans are also confused now... The world is changing, America is changing, and everyone wants to know what the future will be like. Sadly, American writers seem to have lost their passion and insight in this regard.

And your series of novels is the best prediction! I believe they will be as successful in the United States as they are in China."

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "It's just a few novels, how can you take it seriously?"

David Miller's face turned serious, and he said to Zhang Chao: "Writers can observe and analyze the social structure, economic foundation, technological progress, human weaknesses, etc. of their time in depth, and keenly capture the core contradictions and potential driving forces of social development.

When you push these contradictions to the extreme or set them under certain conditions, you can reveal possible development trajectories.

Emile Zola's "Germinal", George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four", Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"... There are countless examples like this.

The power of literature in predicting the future of society does not lie in the precise details of gypsy witches’ divination, but in the writer’s profound insight and logical deduction into the deep-seated contradictions of society, the logic of historical development, the essence of human nature, and the potential trajectory of science and technology…

These works are wake-up calls and laboratories of thought, providing us with indispensable insights and coordinates for reflection in order to understand the present and think about the future.

In the past, only the best Western writers could do this... and you will join them."

David Miller is, after all, one of the world's top literary editors, and once it comes to his professional field, he immediately shows his extraordinary insight.

The reason he missed out on "Homeland" before was not because he felt there was anything wrong with the quality of the novel, but because of market considerations - Americans are not as experienced as their Chinese counterparts, and they don't know how capable Zhang Chao is in promoting his new book.

Zhang Chao was obviously moved by his words, so he said: "You are right...Okay, I will give you these novels. I have never published a collection of short stories.

But we need to coordinate the time. There is also a publishing house in our country that will publish this short story collection after the New Year. "

David Miller was so overjoyed that his eyebrows trembled. He immediately said to Zhang Chao: "We will take the highest royalty rate, 25%. As for the first print run..."

Zhang Chao waved his hand and said, "You can ask the lawyer next to you to go to Yanjing and discuss the details with Chaoxi Culture. My literary agency contract is signed there."

David Miller just remembered this, but it didn’t matter. "Chaotide Culture" originally belonged to Zhang Chao, so he just needed to deal with Zhang Chao.

He relaxed completely, leaned back on the sofa, and said with emotion: "Zhang, if you have time, you should go to the United States more often, do some book signings, and appear on TV shows. With your eloquence and ideas, you can definitely become a top star.

You know, in the United States, a celebrity like you can earn hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars for a talk show.

And aren't you familiar with Fox? You could even get them to start a talk show for you. I have a feeling you could be as successful as Oprah or Ellen DeGeneres."

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "If that's the case, I'll need to live in the United States permanently."

David Miller spread his hands and said, "What's wrong with that? You rich Chinese people all like to live in the United States. Real estate prices in New York and Los Angeles have been driven up by hot money from China.

You are different from them. They are purely for pleasure, while you can expand your career.

Whether it’s novels, movies, or anything else… you can make several times more money in the United States than in China…”

Zhang Chao looked at David Miller with strange eyes, as if he had met this person for the first time.

David Miller felt uncomfortable being stared at. Seeing that Zhang Chao refused to respond, he could not help but said after a while: "Okay, okay, I surrender, I give up... I said that this kind of damn job should not be done by me."

Zhang Chao laughed and didn't ask who asked him to say that.

David Miller confessed and talked freely: "Before coming to China, one of our shareholder representatives came to talk to me... I couldn't refuse."

Zhang Chao suddenly realized, "So that's why you said it so... bluntly?"

David Miller shrugged and said, "Zhang, you are a smart man. I don't think I can impress you with any words, so I won't use those stupid tricks to make myself look like a clown.

My mission is accomplished! Oh my god, you have no idea how awkward it was for me to say that. I was even afraid that you would actually show an interested expression.

But I know you won’t! Anyone could, but you won’t! ”

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "It seems that I am quite popular."

David Miller pointed out the window and said, "We have a new president, and his ideas are completely different from the previous one. The cultural community in the United States generally believes that we will enter the next period of prosperity, and multiculturalism will further dominate the United States...

And you, Zhang, my friend, do have the chance to become a star in such an America!
Your commercial value and political label are so attractive that many people hope you will become a regular on American TV screens no matter from which angle you consider it. "

Zhang Chao was surprised and asked, "Has the wind direction changed so quickly? I remember that when I went to the United States last time, you were still 'neo-conservatives'."

David Miller said: "Everything is different now. The newcomer will completely overturn the previous one's approach. Your previous performances on American television have already laid a good foundation for public opinion.

Your East Asian face and Chinese ancestry are both advantages, and many people can’t wait to become your agent in the United States…”

Zhang Chao: “…” Although he was familiar with the general trend of history, he was not very clear about the details involved. After hearing what David Miller said, he realized that this was indeed a possibility.

To some extent, this new leader of the United States did allow multiculturalism to dominate the United States for a long time, until his white-haired deputy became president, and then it completely swept the United States and the entire world.

Zhang Chao did not rush to express his opinion. Instead, he looked at David Miller with interest and asked, "So what do you think I should choose?"

David Miller was silent for a while before he said, "As a friend, considering the money and reputation, I suggest you go to the United States, or become an American. It will not be a choice you will regret.

The United States is the center of the world's media, and you will be able to fully utilize your talents there, just like an old Chinese saying goes - 'like a fish in water.'

Maybe in a few years, you will not only be a best-selling author, but also a famous TV host and producer, and even own your own TV station; your social media platform will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

You will become a real billionaire, like Bill Gates or Larry Ellison. At that time, you will become a real 'national idol', not just a 'cultural icon'."

After saying so much in one breath, David Miller glanced at Zhang Chao and found that he still looked neither happy nor sad. He couldn't help feeling uneasy, wondering if he had said something that irritated Zhang Chao just now.

However, Zhang Chao did not show any displeasure, but asked: "What if we don't consider it from these angles?"

David Miller breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "That is from my perspective as a literary editor. If you go to the United States, you may achieve the success I just mentioned, but the world will lose a talented writer forever. Once a writer is away from his motherland and his people, he is also away from his soul.

Although there are examples like Nabokov, they are too special and you are different from him.

There are already too many rich people in this world, it's not uncommon, but there are very few excellent writers like you."

Zhang Chao did not expect David Miller to have such a high opinion of him.

But his answer was beyond David Miller’s expectations: “David, to be honest, whether as a friend or as a literary editor, your words are touching enough.

However, I don’t think going to the United States would be a good choice from the perspective of career and wealth, especially today.

You might think this is an excuse - but if you look at Shenzhen and then look at other parts of China, you will find that the world is not the only country that can create wealth in the United States."

David Miller looked out the window. Although he could only see the sky, he nodded and said, "I admit that this land is undergoing tremendous changes, but the center of the world is still the United States, isn't it?"

Zhang Chao also looked at the sky outside the window, but his eyes were more distant, as if he was looking at something behind the sky. After a long while, he said, "The center of the world is still the United States, that's right...

But not everyone in this world is willing to live in the ‘center’; even the whole world is moving towards ‘decentralization’.”

Zhang Chao remembered an article he had just seen on the Internet a few days ago, called "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" (officially published on November 2008, 11).

The author's name is "Satoshi Nakamoto", and he looks like a Japanese, but in fact, until 2024, before Zhang Chao's rebirth, no one knew his true identity - it was not even certain whether he was a "human".

In 2024, Zhang Chao, who is 2010 years old and penniless, often recalls the summer night in when he suggested to the network administrator of the school computer room that he use the computers in the computer room to mine...

Of course this plan was flatly rejected.

David Miller didn't know where Zhang Chao's mind had drifted to. He just thought that Zhang Chao, out of his self-esteem as a Chinese, stubbornly believed that China would also become a world center country like the United States.

Such fantasies are normal for a young person, even if he is an excellent writer, and there is no need to refute them.

Zhang Chao suddenly asked him, "How long do you think the multicultural trend in the United States will last?"

David Miller was stunned for a moment, not knowing why Zhang Chao asked this question, but he still answered honestly: "How long? I think it will be forever. It will be engraved into the genes of Americans.

The United States is a country of immigrants. The British, Irish, French, Germans... were the first cultural integration in the United States and also formed the foundation of this country.

Then there is black culture, first the Civil War, then sports, music, and the civil rights movement, which has now become part of American culture.

Then came this time, Asian culture, Latino culture, sexual minorities... American society is becoming more and more inclusive and is a real melting pot.

The fact that you are a Chinese writer and have a large number of readers in the United States is enough to prove this point.

Zhang, I know you have many views and opinions about the United States, but you must also see the advantages of American culture!"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "There are indeed parts of American culture that I am interested in... Let's talk about novels again - don't you think a collection of novels with only four novels is a bit thin?
I calculated that the Chinese version only has about 10 words, and the English version is not much longer..."

David Miller heard the hidden meaning of Zhang Chao's words and immediately said in surprise: "You mean, you want to write additional works for this collection of novels?"

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "Why, you don't want it?"

David Miller said quickly: "I want it, I want it! The more the better!"

Zhang Chao said: "There are not so many, just one article."

David Miller said, "One article? One article is fine! But this article cannot be published to the public. It must only appear in this short story collection first."

Zhang Chao said, "Okay, then consider it as something I created specifically for this collection of short stories."

David Miller was so delighted that he couldn't help asking, "All of your novels are based on famous short stories that have already been written. Is this one the same?"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "Of course there is no exception."

David Miller rubbed his hands excitedly and continued to ask: "Although I know it's a bit presumptuous, I still want to know, which article do you want to get inspiration from this time?

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone!"

Zhang Chao thought for a moment and said, "You will be the first American to see it anyway, so it doesn't hurt to tell you. The previous ones, "The Last Lesson" is from France, "Letter from an Unknown Woman" is from Austria, "Painted Skin" is a Chinese classical novel, and "The Man in the Case" is a Russian novel.

Since this fifth chapter is intended for publication in the United States, let’s take it from American novels…”

David Miller quickly stopped Zhang Chao and said, "Let me guess first - you like to name your novels from old-fashioned works - then... Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"?... Jack London's "The Call of the Wild"?... Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea"?...

Damn it, O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi? The Last Leaf?

He mentioned it several times, but Zhang Chao denied it every time.

David Miller racked his brains for a while before saying, "If it's not a work from the 20th century, then it must be from the 19th century? I see, Mark Twain, you mentioned him many times on the train!
His best short story is 'The Million Pound Bank Note', that has to be it!"

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "The writer guessed right, but the work is wrong."

David Miller said in surprise: "It's really him? If it's not "A Million Pounds", then it must be "A Legacy of Thirty Thousand Dollars" or "The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg". This is his best short story."

Unexpectedly, Zhang Chao still shook his head and finally said, "Neither. It's "Running for Governor" - this may not be the best short story by Mark Twain in the eyes of Americans, but it must be the best in the eyes of Chinese people.

Also, I have decided on the name of this collection of short stories, let’s call it “A Joke”. ”

(End of this chapter)