1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 121 Love Begins with Love Letters (Subscription Request)
"I don't know about that. The Writers Association and the publishing house have been busy with the National Excellent Short Story Award recently, so this is the case." Cui Daoyi explained.

"I see. I'll wait then."

"What are you waiting for? Why do you have to wait until the editor-in-chief comes back to read the manuscript?"

Liu Yin drank a sip of hot tea and couldn't sit still. Are you kidding? She came here just to read what manuscript Cheng Kaiyan wrote.

"Just wait if you want to. It doesn't matter. Comrade Xiao Cheng has made an appointment with the editor-in-chief. What do you want to do, Liu Yin? Do you want to steal the manuscript from our editor-in-chief Zhang?"

Cui Daoyi drank tea while looking at Liu Yin who was jumping up and down happily.

No matter what, Cheng Kaiyan's manuscript will not be published by People's Literature, unless it is not well written or does not meet the standards for accepting manuscripts by People's Literature.

"How dare I ..."

Liu Yin smiled awkwardly and her voice faded. To be honest, she had this thought in her mind.

Contemporary Literature and People's Literature are one family, so who are we related to?

"Then Comrade Xiao Cheng, why don't you tell us roughly what story this manuscript is about?"

Cui Daoyi took out a match, lit the cigarette, took a puff and then casually put it on the sofa, and asked curiously.

"A romance novel! This is a romance novel between young people."

Cheng Kaiyan rested his elbows on the sturdy briefcase on his legs, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand, the swirling steam floating in front of his eyes, and he began to introduce slowly.

"love?"

Liu Yin and Cui Daoyi's expressions turned strange. Is there a love novel in People's Literature?
This is the first time for a young lady to get married. Did Chief Editor Zhang commission such an article?
never mind!

We don’t have the ability to judge, so let’s wait for Editor-in-Chief Zhang and Wang Meng to come back!
The two immediately gave up the idea.

People are so conservative these days that even the word love cannot be spoken, let alone published in People's Literature, which is known as a national journal?

This is a taboo!

Naturally, the conversation between Cheng Kaiyan and the other two could not be hidden from the editors in the editorial department. They were all a little surprised to hear the word "love", which was usually difficult to talk about.

"It's actually a romance novel?"

"Oh my god, is he so bold? He actually wants to publish a love story in People's Literature? Young people dare to think and do!"

"What's wrong with love? There are so many world-famous books with love as the theme in foreign countries, but why is love a taboo word in our country? What's the reason?"

"That's right! I'm really looking forward to Comrade Cheng Kaiyan's novel!"

Some people were opposed to it, while others agreed with it, and most of them were female editors.

Being afraid of talking about love is one of the characteristics of this era.

In July 1980, "Lush Mountain Love" was actually shown on the screen, with scenes of the hero and heroine kissing openly appearing. Even the actress Zhang Yu, who played the heroine, wore a bold swimsuit, exposing large areas of skin. Once the film was released, it attracted countless people's pursuit, and Zhang Yu directly became the dream lover of the 7s.

With such popularity, it naturally attracted criticism from many moralists, with many people saying that it was immoral and against social ethics.

The political commissar of a certain army unit even issued a special order that any movies containing love content were not allowed to be shown in the army, and he also had to personally approve the monthly movie screening plan.

But it still cannot resist the people's active pursuit of cultural and ideological liberation, especially love.

Cheng Kaiyan did not think that this novel was inappropriate, in fact, it was very appropriate.

Judging from the expressions of Liu Yin and Cui Daoyi, Cheng Kaiyan had already guessed their general thoughts. Fortunately, he didn't care. After all, this was People's Literature.

It has such a high status in the hearts of literati that it is an honor to be published in People's Literature, an honor so high that they dare not tarnish it.

Even though they are editors, they dare not risk being condemned and lowering the value of the People's Literature brand.

Romance? Third-rate and clearly not mainstream.

"That's a pity."

Cheng Kaiyan said regretfully.

"Comrade Xiao Cheng can also tell us the general content. It doesn't hurt to listen."

Although Cui Daoyi was not optimistic about this love story, he did not want to make the atmosphere awkward. After all, this was a rare young talent.

Cheng Kaiyan shook her head without saying anything, calmly looking at the cup of light green tea in front of her. The tea leaves brewed with boiling water were expanding in the water.

"Ha ha……"

Liu Yin and Cui Daoyi smiled awkwardly. Comrade Cheng was quite a character.

But this is their problem, and it is only about the subject matter, not him as a person.

Naturally, they would not have too many opinions about Cheng Kaiyan. Then the two changed the topic and talked about the creative ideas and artistic style of "Fragrant Grass", especially the emerging theme of educated youth.

Cui Daoyi discussed enthusiastically: "Although there are currently no publications that publish such topics, as far as I know, since this month, some authors have written to us in their manuscripts, mentioning the local customs and special lifestyles they experienced when they went to the countryside as educated youth. Moreover, most of them are young educated youth writers. This topic has unlimited potential..."

……

In the blink of an eye, more than an hour passed slowly.

The three of them had a very good chat, and Cui Daoyi also discovered that this young man looked at problems from a very high perspective, with a sense of commanding insight.

At 3:30 in the afternoon, there was a commotion downstairs.

A middle-aged editor who had just returned from peeing for a long time came in from the editorial office and shouted, "Lao Cui, Comrade Xiao Cheng, Editor-in-Chief Zhang and Lao Wang are back."

After hearing this, Cui Daoyi also stood up and said to Cheng Kaiyan, "Okay, let's stop talking. Editor-in-Chief Zhang is back. Can I still accompany you properly as a guest?"

"Exactly! It's just that you, Editor Cui, don't like other people's subject matter." Liu Yin also took the opportunity to make a few remarks, and then said to Cheng Kaiyan: "Comrade Cheng, if People's Literature doesn't accept your manuscript, then come to our Contemporary Literature. If they don't accept it, we will. Anyway, Contemporary Literature is not a national magazine. As long as it is a good manuscript that the people like, we will accept it!" "Thank you, sister."

Cheng Kaiyan said with a smile.

"Hey, hey, hey! You still don't give up, you old Liu!"

Cui Daoyi was embarrassed and pointed at Liu Yin angrily.

After a while, a white-bearded old man wearing a Zhongshan suit, a badge on his chest and a military coat came in, followed by a middle-aged man with a long face. They were Zhang Guangnian and Wang Meng.

The two of them chatted as they walked into the house.

"Old Wang, in my opinion, why not just hold the National Outstanding Short Story Award in the morning and the National Outstanding Children's Literature Award in the afternoon? This way it will be good for both of us. I don't know what this woman is thinking. She has to hold the short story award and the children's literature award on the same day!"

Zhang Guangnian's words were very impolite, even a little angry.

"Okay, okay, it's just a bit rushed, so I'll just postpone it until the end of the month and have someone notify the winning authors one by one. This is another big project."

Wang Meng was also helpless. After all, Ms. Xie was able to move up to a higher level after being rehabilitated.
I have to give her face because she is a narrow-minded person.

The two of them stopped talking as they entered the office.

"Hmm? Kaiyan, you're here?"

As soon as Zhang Guangnian entered the room, he saw Cheng Kaiyan sitting on the sofa opposite and shouted with joy.

But he soon realized that this guy must have come to him to read the manuscript of a romance novel!

When he thought of this, Zhang Guangnian felt a little headache.

"Hahaha, Kaiyan is finally here. Mr. Zhang has almost forgotten about you recently. If you don't come, the appointment on that day will be invalid."

When Wang Meng saw Zhang Guangnian's expression, he knew what he was worried about and immediately teased him jokingly.

"Then isn't it a coincidence that I came here today? Besides, Mr. Zhang is a man who sticks to his words. How can he deceive a young man like me?"

Cheng Kaiyan looked at Zhang Guangnian with admiration on her face.

"Brat! Come on, come on, I want to see what kind of love story you wrote!"

When Zhang Guangnian saw his expression, he knew that the boy was pretending. He snorted and scolded him with a smile.

He turned and walked towards the editor-in-chief's office, waving his hand without looking back, motioning Cheng Kaiyan to follow in.

"Let's go!"

The group of five looked at each other and followed.

The editor-in-chief's office is deep in the corridor, with the washroom next to it.

When they arrived at the office, the three of them sat down and fetched water to make tea.

"Okay, let me take a look. Let me say this first: there is no precedent for a romance novel to be published in People's Literature, but since I promised you, I have to do it.

But this manuscript must not only meet the standards, but also exceed the general standards before I will publish it in People's Literature, Kaiyan, do you understand?"

Zhang Guangnian looked at Cheng Kaiyan seriously and reminded her.

"I know."

Cheng Kaiyan took out a thick stack of manuscript paper from his briefcase and placed it on the quiet and transparent coffee table. The wind, sunshine and dust in the air from the window made people feel calm.

Everyone looked down and saw that the light blue handwriting was neat and beautiful in the sunlight, just like printed fonts, but the neatness and regularity were also elegant and romantic.

This makes people think of the theme of this novel involuntarily - love.

Love is just as free, romantic and beautiful.

"Love letter, please take a look!"

Cheng Kaiyan's pleasant voice echoed in everyone's ears.

Love Letter, the name of this book is Love Letter.

Everyone was stunned.

"Doesn't love begin with love letters?" Liu Yin murmured.

"I'm kind of interested!"

Cui Daoyi bit the cigarette butt in his mouth, grinned and said to Cheng Kaiyan with some regret.

"Me too. I don't know why, but the words 'love letter' alone are very poetic. Perhaps it's Xiao Cheng's handwriting that adds some romance and poetry. Xiao Cheng's strokes for the words 'love letter' are so freehand and casual. He even adds a hook like the English artistic script between the left and right strokes. It's so light and beautiful!"

Wang Meng looked up and met Cui Daoyi's gaze, and they both saw the interest in each other.

Certain emotions in my heart are being aroused and awakened.

"And the blue of melancholy, Blue, blue and melancholy..."

Zhang Guangnian took a deep breath, picked up the manuscript and said.

When he first saw the novel, he had a strange premonition.

"Isn't this going to be another fucking tragedy?"

Six thousand

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(End of this chapter)