A Literary Life Starting from the First Year of High School

When Lin Shubai pushed open the door, the Sony TV in the living room was on, playing a prime-time drama on CCTV-8. A woman was crying her heart out on the screen.

Lin Jianguo sat on the sofa in the same posture as usual—holding the remote control in his right hand, resting his left hand on the armrest, and staring at the TV.

"You're back?" Lin Jianguo asked in the same tone as when he asked him "Have you eaten?"

"Um."

Lin Shubai changed into slippers and put his backpack on the sofa. Inside the backpack were the crystal trophy, the red certificate, and a bunch of odds and ends he had brought back from Beijing.

Wang Xiulan peeked out from the kitchen, a spatula in her hand, her hair loosely tied back with a rubber band, and sweat beading on her face. She glanced at Lin Shubai, looked him up and down, and then said, "You've lost weight."

"Mom, I've only been gone for three days."

"You can lose weight in three days. The environment in Beijing is different from that in Shanghai; you won't be used to the food."

Lin Shubai wanted to say, "I'm eating quite well in Beijing," but seeing Wang Xiulan's serious expression, he decided not to say it.

"Where's the trophy?" Wang Xiulan switched the spatula to her left hand and extended her right hand.

Lin Shubai took the crystal trophy out of his backpack and handed it to Wang Xiulan. She took it and examined it several times, her fingers tracing the words engraved on it—"First Prize, National Middle School Students' Innovative Writing Competition Finals." She looked at it for about ten seconds, then carefully placed the trophy on the coffee table and turned to go back to the kitchen.

Dinner consisted of braised pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, tomato and egg drop soup, and a plate of sliced ​​braised beef. Wang Xiulan had prepared a lavish spread, even more abundant than on National Day. The three of them sat around the table. Lin Jianguo poured himself a glass of Shaoxing wine, poured one for Wang Xiulan, and then glanced at Lin Shubai's glass.

What would you like to drink?

"Cola will do."

Lin Jianguo took a bottle of Coke from the refrigerator, placed it in front of Lin Shubai, then picked up his wine glass and glanced at Lin Shubai.

"Come on, have a drink."

The three clinked glasses. Lin Shubai took a big gulp of cola, the bubbles making his nose sting.

Wang Xiulan put down her cup and began to enter "information gathering mode." Her questions came one after another like a machine gun, and Lin Shubai felt like he was attending a mini press conference.

"Is the trophy made of crystal or glass?"

"Crystal."

"Where's the certificate? Let me see it."

Lin Shubai took the certificate out of his backpack and handed it over. Wang Xiulan flipped through it, nodded, and then continued to ask, "What's that editor-in-chief of *People's Literature* like?"

"Pretty... easygoing." Lin Shubai thought for a moment and used the word "easygoing." He didn't mention the image of Li He wearing an "I love BJ" hoodie and eating an apple, for fear that Wang Xiulan would think it was unreliable.

"He said he would send you your essay?"

"Yes, next month."

"What about the payment?"

"Eight hundred characters per thousand".

Wang Xiulan paused for a moment. Having taught Chinese for over a decade, she knew what this royalty standard meant. She didn't speak, but picked up a piece of pork rib and placed it in Lin Shubai's bowl.

Lin Jianguo, who hadn't said a word until now, suddenly asked, "What's the editor-in-chief's name?"

"Li He".

"Li He..." Lin Jianguo repeated the name, then nodded. "The name is easy to remember."

Wang Xiulan glanced at him: "You know him?"

"I don't know him. I'm just commenting on the name."

Wang Xiulan rolled her eyes, even more so than last time.

Lin Shubai didn't reply and turned back to his room.

He closed the door, sat down at his desk, and emptied his backpack. Trophies, certificates, poria cocos cakes, candied fruit, a travel guide, and two train tickets—he laid them out on the table like a small exhibition.

Then he began to mentally review what he had gained from this trip to the capital.

First, there's the first prize in the finals. This award needs no introduction; the competition itself was the reason he went to Beijing.

Secondly, there were the works unlocked in Beijing: "The Little Prince" and Lao She's "Four Generations Under One Roof". The Little Prince needs no introduction, he's a true master in the world of fairy tales. He hadn't heard of "Four Generations Under One Roof", but he knew Mr. Lao She, and just based on that name, the novel must be pretty good.

Finally, he met the editor-in-chief of People's Literature. Just hearing the name tells you how prestigious the magazine is. However, even now, he still can't connect Li He with the editor-in-chief of People's Literature. It's just too incongruous. Who would have thought that the editor-in-chief of People's Literature would wear a "I love Beijing" hoodie and shoot three-pointers with an apple core?

Lin Shubai took the tin box out of the drawer and opened it. More than half the money inside was gone. He'd spent 3,450 yuan on the television, and with the pocket money he'd had for the past few days in Beijing, he only had a few hundred yuan left. He closed the tin box, put it back in the drawer, and wondered: When will the next payment for his writing arrive?

I did the math. The payment for "Spring Blossom Noodle Shop" in *Story Collection* is 500 yuan per thousand words, around 3,000 words, totaling 1,500 yuan. "Life on a String" in *October* is 12,000 words, 500 yuan per thousand words, totaling 6,000 yuan. "On Young China" in *People's Literature* is 1,500 words, 800 yuan per thousand words, totaling 1,200 yuan. Adding those three together, it's over 8,000 yuan. Of course, the biggest sum is from *Charlotte's Web*, but the book hasn't been published yet, so it'll be some time before I receive the money.

Then there are the works I still have on hand.

The collection "Feed Out" includes the novel of the same name, "Feed Out," as well as 30 other short stories such as "The Thief Company," "The Dinosaur in the Afternoon," and "The Artificial Beauty." Most of these stories are science fiction, and if they are adapted, they could be submitted to magazines like "Science Fiction World" or "The Edge of the Galaxy."

"Red Sorghum Family" is temporarily shelved; now is not the right time to release it.

"The Little Prince" could be considered for publication as the next children's book, and Lin Shubai believes that this book will not disappoint him.

Although "Four Generations Under One Roof" is a novel with realistic themes, like "Red Sorghum Family," it is different from "Red Sorghum Family." "Four Generations Under One Roof" is an "anti-Japanese war chronicle" of ordinary people. There is no need to elaborate on the history of the anti-Japanese war, as it is known to all Chinese people.

Moreover, Lin Shubai had been to Beijing, although only for a few days, but at least he had something to say about it. The most important thing is that "Four Generations Under One Roof" is about Beijing. Although it is not entirely accurate to say that, compared to Gaomi Northeast Township in "Red Sorghum Family", the customs and habits of Beijing are obviously more widely known. Even if you are not from Beijing, you have heard of some of the customs and history. But Gaomi Northeast Township is obviously different. If you have not lived there, you cannot have such a deep understanding of it. This is why Lin Shubai planned to write "Four Generations Under One Roof" and temporarily shelved "Red Sorghum Family".