1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 124 Readers' Letters and Printing Fees
March 13th, Saturday.

"Crack~"

The well is dark and deep, with dark green moss growing on the red bricks around it, and the clear water surface reflects the sunlight projected from above the entrance.

There was a snap.

A faded red bucket fell from the sky, splashing a few water drops on the water. A young man was standing at the mouth of the well, shaking a rope in his hand a few times. Then the rope straightened and a large bucket of well water was lifted up.

"Pour it in here."

The sun is shining brightly in the yard, and the sun at seven or eight in the morning is very warm.

Even in early spring, Xu Yuxiu didn't feel cold when she was working because she only wore a sweater.

She pointed at the big basin and spoke to Cheng Kaiyan without raising her head.

do the laundry.

This was something that no one could escape in the 1980s. It was especially difficult in winter, when clothes were thick and difficult to wash.

"Wow!"

At the command, Cheng Kaiyan raised her hand and slowly poured water into the basin. The well water was still steaming. It was warm in winter and cool in summer.

"Kaiyan, help auntie get a few buckets of water. It just so happens that I took a bath yesterday and changed several sets of clothes."

Under the eaves of the next door, Aunt Wang Qiang came out carrying a large basin.

"Okay, how many barrels do you want?"

"Two or three buckets will do. Wash once and rinse once."

Appropriate physical labor is helpful to the body, especially for mental workers.

Cheng Kaiyan naturally would not refuse such a small request. In fact, over the past three or four months, his physical fitness has been improving rapidly.

"Kaiyan! Please help Auntie to fetch a few buckets." Wang Cuihua shouted at the door.

"Yes, it's rare to see the great writer in our courtyard working! Help auntie to get a few buckets!" This is Aunt Xiao.

As time went by, more and more old men and women in the yard got up and greeted Cheng Kaiyan enthusiastically.

"Okay, they're all neighbors."

Cheng Kaiyan's attitude of accepting everyone who comes makes the ladies hesitate.

"That's great, thank you for your hard work!"

After hesitating for a moment, the cunning old ladies still carried the basin to the well, adhering to the idea that if there is a good deal, it is better to take it.

Cheng Kaiyan filled eleven or twelve buckets in a row and poured them into each household's basin without even breathing, which showed that his physical condition was quite good.

After finishing, he squatted at the mouth of the well and watched his mother Xu Yuxiu wash clothes.

"Are you tired from work recently?"

Xu Yuxiu was wearing a sweater with her coat aside and her sleeves rolled up. She rubbed the clothes in the water with her fair hands while asking in a gentle voice.

"Why are you so tired? I only have a few classes a week and I'm already feeling bored."

Cheng Kaiyan shook his head. He was really bored now and wanted to find something else to do.

"If you're bored, just read a book or write an article."

Xu Yuxiu glared at her son. This guy doesn't even know how lucky he is. Most people don't have the luxury of doing this job.

"I've written an article and submitted it. I think it has been approved by now."

Cheng Kaiyan suddenly told her a piece of news.

"Oh."

Xu Yuxiu was no longer surprised and basically didn't have any big reaction.

She pulled the sleeve of her military coat and saw a large blue ink pattern on it. She frowned and said, "Huh? When did you get an ink stain on the back of your sleeve? This is the hardest to wash!"

At this time, Zhao Ruixue came over from the door carrying a stool. She was embarrassed when she heard this and apologized, "Aunt Yuxiu, I accidentally got it there. Let me wash it. I just need to wash clothes."

"No need, Auntie, do it yourself. Are you kidding me? Why are you, a little girl, washing a grown man's clothes?"

Xu Yuxiu raised her eyebrows and declined politely.

It’s not that Xu Yuxiu thinks Zhao Ruixue is not good enough, but her son already has someone outside... a girlfriend.

"Ok."

Zhao Ruixue led the way and glanced at Cheng Kaiyan with a calm expression.

After a week of meditation, Zhao Ruixue gradually calmed down from her initial annoyance and recalled her attitude over the past few days.

She felt a little guilty. It was originally her own emotional problem, but she didn't expect it to affect Cheng Kaiyan.

She even poked at his clothes and ignored him.

Now that I think about it, it really shouldn't be...

"Kaiyan, I shouldn't have done what happened a few days ago. I'm really sorry."

Zhao Ruixue said seriously while washing clothes.

"fine."

"That's good. By the way, can I take a look at that novel?"

"He has submitted his manuscript. Ruixue, if you want to read it, you probably have to wait until it is published."

Xu Yuxiu explained.

"That's it..."

Zhao Ruixue took a deep breath and couldn't help but feel a little regretful. She was the first one to see it, but accidentally missed it.

Just like the two of us.

Fortunately, after this period of enlightenment, Zhao Ruixue has become much more open-minded.

"Why haven't I seen Jianjun in this period of time?"

Cheng Kaiyan raised her head and glanced at the yard, and suddenly found that the yard had become much quieter in the past few days.

"We went to a meeting! Director Hu from the Street Office came to our house yesterday and said that we need young people to respond to the government's call and encourage and support educated youth to participate in collective enterprises. Now all the young people in our courtyard have gone to the Street Office for a meeting. I heard that there is a chance to be assigned to a good unit! I hope that all the young people in our courtyard can be assigned to a good unit!"

Wang Cuihua, the chatterbox, shouted impatiently without waiting for Zhao Ruixue to answer.

After saying that, she also moved a stool and sat in front of her basin to wash clothes. Although she lowered her head, she couldn't suppress the smile that looked like a Nike logo on her mouth.

"Doesn't that mean there are classes to attend?"

Cheng Kaiyan blinked, feeling pleasantly surprised. The courtyard finally became a little quieter.

Just these days, after the announcement of the end of the Up to the Countryside and Mountainous Areas Movement, all major factories and companies were required to carry forward the spirit of "taking over" unemployed young people.

All government agencies, enterprises and institutions that have unemployed young people among their employees' children allow the children to replace their parents' jobs. If there are no recruitment targets, they can adopt the method of recruiting long-term temporary workers.

All districts, counties, commissions and bureaus actively implemented the "piecemeal responsibility" policy and established a number of collective enterprises.

This is what is called the big collective.

Among them, the street offices have the largest number of large collectives. Those who are lucky can get a job as a worker in a small factory, while those who are unlucky are assigned to sell shoes, umbrellas, tea, repair bicycles, etc.

Although I don’t make much money, I won’t starve to death.

However, the status of the collective is low, far inferior to that of regular workers.

"Yeah! Everyone is going to have a job soon..."

Wang Cuihua had a smile on her face, and then she changed the subject and said proudly, "But our Wang Zhen is the most promising. Didn't his second uncle send pork some time ago? He took a liking to him and asked him to help slaughter pigs."

When talking about her second son Wang Zhen's current job, Wang Cuihua smiled like a chrysanthemum, her face full of joy, and the depression she had been feeling during this period of time had dissipated a lot.

"Hey, you went to kill pigs? That old man is so proud! Ordinary workers can't compare to the butcher!"

Cheng Kaiyan's perfect shock undoubtedly made Wang Cuihua very proud.

Zhao Ruixue and Xu Yuxiu, who were standing by, also nodded and said,

"Killing pigs is indeed a good job, at most it's a little dirty and tiring." "Oh! You all know that kid, he's big and strong, he's been strong since he was young, there's no problem for him to kill pigs."

Wang Cuihua dodged her legs and was very excited.

Then she said to Cheng Kaiyan earnestly, "Kaiyan, writing at home is not a long-term solution. In my opinion, you should go and see if there are any good jobs in the street office. This is a rare and great opportunity."

"That's a good idea, Auntie! I'll find a chance to take a look tomorrow."

Cheng Kaiyan agreed readily.

"Good boy! You are indeed a great writer. You have good sense and listen to advice."

Wang Cuihua gave a thumbs up.

"Well, Auntie, will your family have free pork from now on?"

Cheng Kaiyan came closer and asked with concern.

"Then... uh..."

Wang Cuihua's eyes rolled around, and her face was full of confusion. If this were to be exposed all of a sudden, she would definitely be in big trouble!

Pork! It's not cheap, more than 10 cents per pound.

My son kills pigs at the farm, and just bringing back some goodies is enough for the whole family to have enough to eat and drink!
But she was worried that someone wanted to take advantage of her. She knew who it was, but she wouldn't tell anyone...

Wang Cuihua simply stopped talking and just kept rubbing the clothes.

Xu Yuxiu and Zhao Ruixue, who were standing by, couldn't help laughing when they heard this.

Especially Xu Yuxiu, who kept muttering in her heart, "When did this kid become so mean?"

"Come and wring the clothes!"

Xu Yuxiu shouted and picked up the washed coat with one hand.

Cheng Kaiyan took the other end and wrung the clothes against her. After a while, the clothes were wrung like a twist, and water droplets kept dripping down.

After washing the clothes, it was already nine o'clock.

Just as the mother and son were about to enter the house, a young man pushing a bicycle came into the yard. It was Lin Weimin who came to deliver a letter. As soon as he entered the house, he shouted, "Comrade Kaiyan! Is Comrade Kaiyan here? There is a letter for you!"

"At this!"

Cheng Kaiyan responded and looked at the large bags of letters on the bicycle frame, with some vague guesses in her mind.

"Another letter from him? Is this kid going to stay at the guesthouse again?"

Wang Cuihua looked at the familiar postman and thought to herself.

Postman Lin Weimin came up to them breathlessly, pushing his bicycle. He said breathlessly, "Kai Yan, these are all yours! Three big bags. I am so tired."

"Thank you for your hard work, for the people."

Cheng Kaiyan helped hold the bicycle, and with her other hand she took off the snakeskin bags on the bike one by one.

He weighed them and estimated that one bag weighed more than 20 kilograms, and the three bags weighed a total of 50 to 60 kilograms. The number of letters was conservatively estimated to be several hundred.

Seeing this, Xu Yuxiu and Zhao Ruixue also came over to help, and they worked together to carry the body into the house.

"The article is really well written, it really speaks to my heart. Oh, by the way, I have a letter to send, so I won't stay any longer.

Lin Weimin patted Cheng Kaiyan's arm and said with a loud laugh.

"Goodbye."

……

In the bedroom.

Cheng Kaiyan and her son were sitting on the sofa opening letters.

Most of them were thank-you letters from the educated youth, such as "Thank you, Comrade Cheng Kaiyan, it is you who liberated us educated youth.", "Thank you for awakening me, Comrade Cheng Kaiyan. In the few months after returning to the city, I also had dark thoughts and almost forgot about my wife and children in the countryside. After reading your novel, I suddenly woke up." and so on.

"Hey, there are also national food coupons."

Mother Xu Yuxiu was pleasantly surprised to find a few tickets in the corner of the envelope. She had heard that some readers would enclose some money and tickets in letters, but she didn't expect to see it today.

So she opened all the letters with great interest and got some money bills.

About ten yuan, more than one hundred kilograms of food coupons, and more than ten kilograms of oil coupons.

"This is enough to feed our family for several months. These readers are so generous!"

"That's nothing. The royalties for the number of copies have arrived."

Cheng Kaiyan took a letter from the editorial department of "Fangcao" and pulled out a payment slip from it. After looking at it carefully, the words "number of prints and royalties" appeared in front of her.

Yes, the novel "Fragrant Grass" is paid ten yuan per thousand words plus the number of copies printed. Except for the fact that there is no royalties, it is almost the best treatment.

The manuscript fee is two thousand eight hundred and seventy-six yuan and fifty-one cents.

The payment ratio of royalties based on the number of copies printed is implemented in a progressively decreasing manner: if the print run is within 3 copies, the royalty fee is 1% for every 0.2 copies; if the print run is over and less than million, the royalty fee is %; if the print run is over million, the royalty fee is % for every copies.

"From February 1th to March th, the monthly circulation is expected to be around . Based on % of the total royalties, the royalties for the number of copies printed are yuan (rounded up)"

One book can make you rich overnight!

I take back what I said about there being no future in writing novels...

There was a huge stack of Great Unity banknotes in the bulging envelope. Cheng Kaiyan counted them and found that there were more than 200 of them, totaling 2,302 yuan.

It is hard to find a magazine as grand as Fangcao even with a lantern.

Cheng Kaiyan also knew that he was able to get the royalties based on the number of copies printed simply out of luck. Fangcao Magazine was in need of writers to support the magazine, and the quality of the books was high, so under all the conditions he was able to get the money.

Even many of the great literary figures who have long enjoyed a great reputation in the literary world rarely receive royalties based on the number of copies printed.

It can be said that this was his only chance. When he submitted his work "Love Letter" to People's Literature, he never thought about getting paid based on the number of copies printed.

"More than 2,000 yuan for the number of copies?"

Xu Yuxiu looked at the huge stack of black tens in Cheng Kaiyan's hand, put her hands on her waist, exclaimed, and then quickly covered her mouth.

My son really has a bright future!
"Mom! How much savings do we have now?"

Cheng Kaiyan moved closer, put her arm around her mother's shoulders, and asked curiously.

"What are you planning?"

Xu Yuxiu said quietly.

"No……"

"The money you saved for four years plus your retirement pay totaled fifteen hundred yuan. You brought back two thousand yuan before the New Year, and now you have another two thousand three hundred yuan. Your money alone is more than five thousand eight hundred yuan.

Your mother's savings over the past few years add up to about 7,000 yuan."

Xu Yuxiu thought about it and decided not to hide it.

After all, there are only two of them in the family, so there is nothing to hide. Besides, their son is successful now and has become mature and steady, so there is no need to hide it.

"More than 7,000?! Our family is considered a wealthy family."

Cheng Kaiyan said with a smile, surprise in her eyes.

I didn't expect that, excluding myself, my family has a fortune of more than 2,000 yuan, which is considered quite wealthy.

"You need to save this money for marrying a wife. You can calculate it yourself. When you get married, you need to renovate your house, buy new furniture, beds, cabinets, boxes, quilts, sewing machines, and set up a wedding banquet... It will cost thousands of yuan. It costs several hundred yuan to build a house in the village now."

Xu Yuxiu pushed him away angrily and counted the numbers on her fingers for him.

"I mean, let's save some money and buy a small house when the time comes, right?"

"Okay! When you and Xiaoli get married, we will move into the small western-style building!"

Xu Yuxiu waved her hand, appearing very heroic.

"Then it's settled!"

Thanks to Silent Night Wind for the 100-point reward

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(End of this chapter)