Restart life

Chapter 423 0413 [Tengu Eats the Sun]

This event is called "ByteDance @ Sprout: A Writer's Weibo Journey".

Not many veteran writers were willing to come, especially those with deep ties to Beijing's literary circles.

Yu Hua is the kind of person who can get along anywhere and never offend anyone. When he came to participate in an event sponsored by Chen Guiliang, the writers' circle in Beijing pretended not to know.

Mr. Cheng Cun has lived in Shanghai for many years and is currently the vice chairman of the Shanghai Writers Association. He was also the first president of the Shanghai Online Writers Association. He has never gotten along with the people in Beijing. Not only did he come, but he also took a photo with Chen Guiliang and posted it on Weibo.

Hey, that'll infuriate those people in Beijing!
"Su Tong is in Hong Kong for an event, and he asked me to apologize. He really can't make it," Yu Hua relayed the message.

Chen Guiliang smiled and said, "I understand."

The British established an "Asian Literature Prize" in Hong Kong, and the first winner was "Wolf Totem".

This year marks the third edition of the event, and the winning entry is Su Tong's "The Riverbank." Yes, it's a novel about a special period during a humanitarian upheaval.

Next year's winning entry is "Corn," a story also set against the backdrop of the humanitarian movement.

All I can say is that this award is quite selective in choosing entries.

"Mr. Chen, hello, my name is Wang Yue, and I participated in the first New Concept Writing Competition," another woman came to shake hands, "I am now a reporter for Southern Metropolis Daily, and I have an interview assignment today."

Chen Guiliang laughed heartily: "Welcome, welcome."

Wang Yue said, "I've been reporting on weather news for Southern Metropolis Daily and rarely have the opportunity to interview other news outlets. This time, I'm just grateful to Mr. Chen."

Chen Guiliang made a pointed remark: "Reporting on weather news is a good thing; it allows us to serve the people with peace of mind."

Wang Yue laughed and said frankly, "Last year's war of words was quite exciting, and I followed it closely. Could I do an exclusive interview with President Chen this time?"

Chen Guiliang said, "If you can guarantee that what I say will not be taken out of context, I am of course willing to accept an interview with Southern Metropolis Daily."

Wang Yue said, "I will write the article. If the final published article is different from the one I wrote, I will resign from Southern Metropolis Daily."

"Okay then." Chen Guiliang said indifferently.

If his words are truly taken out of context, Chen Guiliang will definitely launch a tirade against Southern Metropolis Daily.

There were quite a few media reporters present this time, probably about twenty or thirty.

The group moved to the hotel's activity hall, where some people were already seated, catching up in small groups.

Liu Lina's appearance caused a sensation because she was carrying a baby.

She participated in the New Concept Writing Competition and wrote about her crush on her high school teacher. Now she's actually married a teacher, apparently after a teacher-student relationship during college.

A teacher-student relationship?

The baby, who was just over six months old, instantly became the darling of the group, surrounded and teased by everyone.

"Mr. Chen, I'm here to take advantage of you."

"Haha, hello Minister Cheng."

The visitor was Director Cheng of the Department of Social Sciences at Peking University. Strictly speaking, Chen Guiliang was specially recruited into Peking University by him.

However, Dean Zhu poached Chen Guiliang midway through the program, sending him to the Yuanpei Class.

Chen Guiliang shook hands and said, "I heard that Minister Cheng wrote a poem for the tenth anniversary reunion last year. Shouldn't he write one this year too?"

Minister Cheng waved his hand repeatedly: "I won't embarrass myself by writing a doggerel in the style of an old cadre. Last year's poem was ridiculed by netizens."

"I think it's well written." Chen Guiliang said, half flattering and half joking.

As the two were talking, writer Ma Yuan arrived with his wife.

He shook hands with people along the way, and finally gave Chen Guiliang a big hug.

Chen Guiliang asked, "I just heard from Professor Cheng Cun that Professor Ma resigned from Tongji University?"

Ma Yuan laughed and said, "I'm looking for a place to live in seclusion. The city is too noisy, and the campus isn't quiet enough to concentrate on writing. I plan to find a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters to live in for a few years. Don't try to trick me into registering a Weibo account. I don't even use HaiNei.com anymore; it's too time-consuming."

"It's entirely voluntary," Chen Guiliang said.

Ma Yuan's reclusive life was particularly comical. He eventually chose a village in Yunnan Province. Local township officials welcomed him warmly and placed him in an abandoned primary school. However, after only a few days, he was beaten unconscious by a mob.

However, that abandoned primary school has always been a target of protection money collection, and there have been conflicts with the local township.

Ma Yuan moved in without knowing anything and was mistakenly thought to be there to cause trouble.

As the matter escalated, the thugs who extorted protection money were naturally arrested.

Ma Yuan was simply used as a pawn, infiltrating the local township to help fight criminals...

Therefore, you have to choose the right place to live in seclusion!
Chen Guiliang sat chatting with a group of elderly people. Occasionally, one or two young writers would come over, but they would only exchange a few words before the conversation ended.

Bian Guanyue, on the other hand, was surrounded by a group of young female writers talking to her.

Even Bian Guanyue herself was unaware that she had so many "fans".

Especially female writers who have graduated from university for a year or two, almost all of them have registered on Renren.com. And "The Wind Rises" is the theme song of Renren.com, the default background music for personal homepages, which those young female writers have all heard.

"When did you and President Chen start dating?" Zhao Qin asked curiously.

Bian Guanyue said, "Senior year of high school."

Song Jingru exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, so many years! From senior year of high school all the way to college graduation, you guys are so romantic!"

Zhou Jianing said, "Why don't you write an article about your love story with President Chen? Readers will definitely like it."

Zhang Yueran added, "It can be published in our magazine."

Zhang Yueran and Zhou Jianing started a literary magazine last year.

This trend of publishing literary magazines was probably started by Guo Jingming, and even Han Han is now starting his own magazine.

Of course, Han Han's decision to start a magazine is purely for laughs. He can't get a magazine license number himself, and he doesn't go to affiliate with any organization, so he actually uses a book series license number to sell magazines.

Such a wise move had nothing to do with Li Xunhuan.

Because Han Han had grown up and wanted to go solo, "Soloist" was something he did on his own, detached from Li Xunhuan.

Li Xunhuan didn't stop her, and even tried his best to help, asking Chen Guiliang to help spread the word... just waiting for Han Han to run into a wall before coming back to him.

In Li Xunhuan's eyes, Han Han was just a child making a fuss, and he should stop when he'd had enough.

Bian Guanyue thought for a moment and said, "Let's forget about writing articles. I don't like being scrutinized under a magnifying glass."

"So, do you still sing now?"

"I just got accepted into graduate school to study folk music."

Which university's graduate program?

Peking University.

Wow, what a talented woman!

"..."

While everyone was chatting, Cai Jun and Na Duo, who write horror and suspense novels, also arrived.

Han Han and Guo Xiaosi did not show up; instead of coming to Chongqing to take the riverboat, they waited until the day of the forum to fly directly to Chongqing to participate in the activities.

Wang Anyi, like them, gave Chen Guiliang a lot of face, but only for one day.

The following day, the writer, screenwriter, and journalist traveled downstream on a riverboat.

Having chartered the riverboat ourselves, we certainly didn't go for the typical "4 days, 3 nights" tour. We barely stopped at any tourist attractions, only slowing down in scenic spots, and arrived at the Three Gorges Dam in just a few hours. People would occasionally come to the deck to admire the scenery, sometimes return to their cabins to chat and play cards, and some even took a nap in their rooms.

Chen Guiliang didn't insist on anything; he just said a few words casually.

Most people gave him face, registered a ByteDance Weibo account, and posted some photos along the way on Weibo.

After all, this event is called "ByteDance @ Sprout: Writers' Weibo Journey"!
It's like Chen Guiliang invited them to come on a trip.

When passing through the Three Gorges Dam, you have to wait in line.

These days, before elevators were installed, you had to go through the five-stage locks. It usually took 4-6 hours, and during busy periods, you could even have to wait a whole day.

Tourist boats have priority passage, and if the waterway is not busy, it can be done in two or three hours.

"Come out and see!"

Most of the people on the ship had never seen the Three Gorges Dam locks in person.

People gathered on the deck, taking out their phones or digital cameras to take pictures. The ship slowly entered the huge lock chamber, and you could see the lock gates closing behind you. You could feel the water level slowly rising and falling; the feeling of the ship rising with the water and falling with the water was quite amazing.

Bian Guanyue kept taking pictures; she found it very interesting.

The deck was packed with people.

"How spectacular!"

"That's really awesome."

"But I think the Three Gorges Dam has damaged the natural environment."

"Then don't use water or electricity."

"What kind of electricity do you have to choose? Do you think this is ordering food at a restaurant?"

"..."

Writers are generally emotionally sensitive and have active minds.

They had been enjoying the scenery along the way, and all sorts of ideas were popping into their heads.

For example, when someone was crossing the Qutang Gorge, they heard faint cries of monkeys and were reminded of the line "The monkeys' cries on both banks could not be stopped," and wanted to write a novel about Li Bai.

Now, having personally experienced a riverboat passing through a five-stage lock, some people are once again awestruck by modern industry and want to write a novel with science fiction elements.

Cai Jun and Na Duo were even discussing cooperation.

“I have read Chen Guiliang’s preliminary drafts. One of them is about cyberpunk.”

"You are interested in?"

“I’ve always been interested, especially now that I’ve experienced going through the turnstile. I suddenly had a thought: what lies beyond the turnstile is another world.”

"Tell me in detail."

"How about we write together? Or, with the same world view, we can each write a work."

"sure."

"..."

The next day, they passed Xiling.

Hu Weishi went to knock on each door: "Get up quickly to watch the solar eclipse, it's almost time!"

More than a hundred people rushed onto the deck and all looked up at the sky.

"There was no sign of it at all."

Have you ever seen a solar eclipse?

"No."

"Woof woof woof, the heavenly dog ​​is going to eat the sun."

"Damn, my neck is sore from looking so long, why isn't it dark yet?"

"I'm coming!"

Bian Guanyue, holding Chen Guiliang's hand, saw a small gap appear in the upper right corner of the sun.

The gap widened, and the sun gradually became a crescent shape.

The light gradually dimmed, as if dusk had arrived early.

The entire process took over an hour of standing and watching.

"Ah, here it comes, here it comes!"

The whole group cheered.

Especially the media reporters, who were snapping photos of the sun with their cameras.

But then the sun was left with only its last ray of light, forming the shimmering "Baily's Beads" in the darkness.

Suddenly, Bailey's Beads disappeared.

The world was pitch black, as if we had entered an eternal night.

Well... it's not completely dark. Venus and Mercury are right next to the sun, twinkling in the sky right now.

A silvery-white corona appeared around the sun, appearing as a huge ring of feather-like pearly light.

A few minutes later, the moon moved away, the sunlight reappeared, and the beautiful Baily's beads reappeared. Ten minutes later, the sun gradually became rounder and finally returned to its original state.

On the deck, there were only some quiet discussions; most people were still in shock from the eclipse.

Having lived two lifetimes, this was the first time Chen Guiliang had ever seen a total solar eclipse.

This trip is worthwhile.

Minister Cheng laughed heartily: "Thanks to President Chen for treating us, otherwise I would definitely be in Beijing today. How could I have seen such a scene?"

"That's awesome!"

"Damn, I need to write an article."

"Didn't that look like the end of the world? No wonder the ancients took solar eclipses so seriously."

"Haha, I just took a picture of Baily's Beads and posted it on Weibo. Now there are so many fans commenting!"

"You registered your Weibo account the day before yesterday, and you already have followers?"

“ByteDance has promotional activities, and HaiNei.com and XiaoNei.com are helping to promote it. I already have more than 3000 Weibo followers. There are also some book fans who specifically registered for Weibo because of me.”

"Damn, I only have 500+ followers!"

"Hahaha……"

The writers, editors, and reporters were all very excited, and after a few more minutes, they began to discuss it animatedly.

This trip was totally worth it. Watching the eclipse alone at home would never have been as exciting and fun as it is now.

Moreover, many people live in cities where the total solar eclipse will not be visible at all.

(End of this chapter)