1985, the year of the great writer, began with Infernal Affairs!

"Raising money" is a specific term in Liaobei Province, meaning that if you borrow money this year, you will have to pay back 30% more next year, which is essentially usury.

Unaware that Xie Youshan was already preparing to collect the money, Xie Lu rode his old bicycle, huffing and puffing, all the way to the county town.

The distance from Shuangshui Village to the county seat is about 30 to 40 kilometers. Xie Lu arrived at 7 p.m., when it was already dark and the sounds of frogs and cicadas filled the air.

He was getting a little nervous; it was so late, the newsstand was probably already closed.

After riding along the only two main roads for a while, I finally saw a newsstand that was still open. The owner was pulling up the shutter door, so it seemed like he was about to close up shop.

"Boss, a magazine, please."

"I can't breathe," Xie Lu said, panting.

"I'm off work now, come back tomorrow."

The newspaper owner, a middle-aged man with a slightly receding hairline, glanced at him and said.

At this time, the newspaper was still a semi-state-owned, semi-private enterprise, and the bosses were generally not very motivated. Xie Lu looked at him seriously and said:

"I'm here to submit my work."

"Oh?"

The boss raised an eyebrow, wondering why this kid was actually a writer.

These days, being a writer is a highly sought-after profession. A single manuscript can easily earn four or five hundred yuan, which is equivalent to one or two years' income for a rural family. Famous writers like Mo Yan and Yu Hua rose to prominence and entered the public eye during this era.

Of course, the boss didn't believe it entirely, because Mo Yan's famous quote had already spread throughout the country.

He said, "If a writer wants to produce good work, he must first be supported by the government."

What does that mean?

The point is that writers shouldn't be made to do manual labor. If they've done all that hard work, they'll be exhausted and won't have the energy to write good works.

That's why very few writers come from farming backgrounds; they're too tired during the day.

The boss carefully examined Xie Lu, noticing his patched navy blue clothes, and was unsure of his identity for a moment.

"Where's your manuscript? Let me see it."

"That's what the boss said."

"I haven't written it yet."

Xie Lu said without batting an eye, "Get me the latest issue of 'Contemporary,' I'm planning to submit it."

The boss was immediately displeased. "You haven't even written anything yet, what are you so arrogant about?" But it would be a fool not to do business with a free lunch. He pulled out a copy of "Contemporary" and handed it to Xie Lu, saying, "'Contemporary' is published by People's Literature Publishing House. A newcomer like you should submit to something less difficult."

"That's exactly what we want: Contemporary."

Xie Lu eagerly took it, immediately flipped to the title page, and looked at the editor-in-chief's name.

He Chongshan.

Thanks!

Xie nodded in satisfaction, stuffed two yuan into the shopkeeper's hand, and sped away on his bicycle.

The boss watched his retreating figure, shook his head, and said, "These young people nowadays, they all want to publish in top journals as soon as they get published. They think everyone's Ah Cheng!"

......

That evening, Xie stayed at Liu Zhenyu's house.

Liu Zhenyu's family is a legitimate dual-income family, with a stable income regardless of drought or flood, making them a small middle-class family.

Xie Lumei enjoyed a free meal of braised pork and then followed Liu Zhenyu into his room.

"You got into Wuhan University?"

Liu Zhenyu said, his eyes wide.

"That's what everyone says."

Xie Lu nodded and said, "But Li Hanwen insists that I don't have an admission notice and is demanding two hundred yuan from my family."

"Is he even human?!"

Liu Zhenyu was agitated, appearing even more furious than Xie Shuai: "Our county hasn't produced anyone who's been admitted to university in years! Are we going to deprive you of your opportunity to continue your studies because of his own selfish desires?"

Liu Zhenyu was actually an average student, but he put in all his effort to get into a vocational school and became a physics teacher.

Unfortunately, he later married the wrong person and lost all his assets to another woman. In the end, he had to rely on Attorney Xie to find him a job.

"Let's go to the Education Bureau tomorrow!"

Liu Zhenyu slammed his fist on the table and said, "I'll show that bastard why flowers are so red!"

"You might as well lend me two hundred yuan."

However, he quickly rushed to the living room, and somehow managed to get a hundred yuan out of his mother.

Liu Zhenyu scratched his head and said, "Sorry, Ritsuko, my mom is only willing to give me this much."

"Thank you."

Xie Lu didn't stand on ceremony and directly took it into his arms.

The two people's feelings were much more important than the 100 yuan, and besides, they could return the money to Liu Zhenyu once the royalties arrived.

Before he began writing the article, he first took a look at the magazine "Contemporary".

Actually, he didn't read this magazine much. He only knew that it was an excellent breeding ground for domestic realist literature. Hai Yan's "Plainclothes Policeman" was published in this magazine and was later adapted into a TV series.

Xie Lu chose this magazine mainly because the editor-in-chief is He Chongshan.

—Xie Lu's later doctoral advisor at Peking University.

Submitting a piece of work is an art, especially in this day and age. You can't assume that just because your work is good, it is good; that's useless.

A work is only truly good if the editor deems it good and valuable.

Xie Lu had too many good works in his mind, and of course there were many magazines to choose from, but out of kinship, he still chose He Chongshan's "Contemporary".

He Chongshan is a graduate of Peking University, but he has no scholarly integrity whatsoever. He is not only short-tempered, but also easily agitated.

However, a weakness can sometimes be seen as a strength. Lao He is a righteous person, and he will eventually become a Peking University student. With his temperament, he can resolve his troubles as quickly as possible.

Old He, let me give you a taste of the millennium's grandeur.

Xie Lu slowly wrote on the white paper:

Infernal Affairs

"Among the eight difficulties, the Avici Hell is the worst; those who suffer in the Avici Hell never die, and their long lifespan is the greatest calamity in the Avici Hell."

......

Xie Lu didn't sleep all night, and the next day, with dark circles under his eyes, he returned to the newspaper office with a 30,000-word first draft.

The newspaper owner was startled: "Young man, where have you been? You can't go to brothels!"

"I didn't go!"

Xie Lu rolled his eyes in annoyance: "The manuscript is finished. Send it to this address for me, I need it urgent."

The newspaper owner looked at Xie Lu suspiciously, then glanced at the first few pages of the manuscript, and quickly frowned.

This manuscript... is quite well written! The boss considers himself to have some literary talent; he could tell from just the first few pages that the story was very engaging, and the contrast in fate made him want to keep reading.

The rhythm was strangely comfortable, it felt so good...

The boss wanted to flip through a few more pages, but since this was an unpublished manuscript, he couldn't look at it too much. Reluctantly, he bound it into an envelope.

How much is the postage?

Xie asked while reaching into his pocket.

"No need."

The boss sighed and said, "If I could actually make the shot, I'd be proud of myself."