Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 569 Rejection
After packing his things and saying goodbye to He Qingsheng, Chen Fan left with Zhou Yali.

When they arrived at the Yangtze River Hotel, Zhou Zhengdong and his team were already prepared.

The three cars were divided into three sections: one for the family of three, including Chen Fan, and the other two for the two foreigners and our colleagues.

In addition, there was also a small truck.

Chen Fan got out of the car, looked at the small truck covered by a tarpaulin, and then at Zhou Zhengdong waiting beside him. "What is this?"

Zhou Zhengdong smiled and said, "I thought I'd take the opportunity to visit the village where you live. This is a small gift I prepared for them."

small gift?
Chen Fan's lips twitched twice. Whose little gift uses a light karaoke machine?

Zhou Zhengdong changed the subject abruptly, "Can we set off now?"

Chen Fan nodded. "I'll just fill up the tank and leave."

He then opened the trunk, took out a gas can, and went to refuel.

Zhou Yali skipped and hopped to her mother's side, proudly showing off a book, "Mommy, look at this, my little brother's handwriting is so beautiful!"

Zhao Wanru took it, looked at it closely, and her eyes lit up. "What beautiful handwriting!"

At this moment, Zhou Zhengdong also came over and couldn't help but nod, "It is indeed very beautiful. I have never seen such penmanship before. It has a very calligraphic feel to it."

Zhou Yali then took out a small booklet and said with a smile, "Daddy is so smart, this is the calligraphy method that my little brother invented."

Zhou Zhengdong took it and murmured, "A brief discussion on pen calligraphy?"

He looked up, his eyes filled with surprise, and said softly, "This is establishing a new sect!"

Throughout history, only calligraphy works made with a brush have been produced. Earlier inscriptions and bamboo books have been extremely difficult to showcase the beauty of Chinese characters. Therefore, scholars have placed calligraphy and painting on the same level, meaning that good calligraphy is like a painting.

Since it's painting, of course you should use a brush.

Who would have thought that a pen could produce such a variety of writing styles? It's truly an eye-opener!

He originally thought his nephew, whom he had lost and found again, was already very outstanding, but he never expected that he could be even more outstanding than he had imagined.

A short while later, Chen Fan finished filling up the tank, tightened the gas can, put it back in the trunk, waved to them, and said, "We can go now."

Then he opened the door, got into the car, and prepared to leave.

The next second, Zhou Yali came running from the front of the car, opened the passenger door and got in.

Chen Fan glanced at her, then at the three Hongqi sedans behind them, and turned to say, "Aren't you riding in those?"

Zhou Yali raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Since you have a car, of course I'll sit with you."

Just as Chen Fan was about to speak, the back door of the car was also opened.

Zhou Zhengdong and Zhao Wanru came up one on each side and sat comfortably in the back row.

The driver of the car behind was immediately at a loss and turned to look at the leader.

The leader could only shrug and gesture, and everyone got into the car to prepare for departure.

Zhou Zhengdong, sitting in the car, grinned when he saw Chen Fan turn around. "I heard you modified this car yourself. Let me see how it turned out."

Uh……

Chen Fan blinked, gave a fake grin, and without saying a word, turned around, sat up straight, and let out a long breath. "Let's go."

The train then departed.

Once the car was smoothly driving on the road, Zhou Zhengdong deliberately jolted it a couple of times and couldn't help but say, "Is this really a modified GAZ truck? It feels even smoother than a Cadillac."

Currently, Cadillac is the most luxurious car in the United States, especially the "Wood" series, which is the first choice of many wealthy people and even heads of state. The spacious body and comfortable ride are the most prominent features of American luxury cars. It once overshadowed Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Alphard, and Rolls-Royce. It was not until the appearance of the "W14" Mercedes-Benz and the gradual surpassing of Cadillac in terms of technology that it was relegated to a second-tier brand.

But now it is undoubtedly a luxury car.

As a result, Zhou Zhengdong rode in this small GAZ vehicle, and although the road underneath was not smooth, the bumps were very slight. It was comparable to riding in a Wood, and the comfort even exceeded that of a regular Cadillac, which was incredible.

Chen Fan glanced at the rearview mirror, but didn't explain in detail. He simply said, "It's been modified, so it's definitely different from the original."

A sense of alienation permeated the air between them.

Can he say that he used earthquake-resistant technology improved in the new century?

A bitter smile crept onto Zhou Zhengdong's lips.

Zhao Wanru smiled and reached out to hold her husband's right hand.

Zhou Zhengdong turned to look at his wife, and felt a little calmer.

This scene was actually in their imagination, but it was also somewhat different.

Before setting off, they had considered various options.

On the one hand, the current domestic environment is still relatively closed, and there is some unfamiliarity or even resistance to the outside world. So they have imagined that if they come back, they will be treated as a monster, or even refused to be recognized.
On the other hand, the respect they received from everyone back home gave them enough confidence.

When Zhou Zhengdong met Chen Fan, he immediately recognized him as his nephew. Chen Fan did not resist him as Zhou Zhengdong had imagined, but he was not overly affectionate either.

At first, he thought it was because of unfamiliarity that he felt distant, but after observing him for the past two days, he felt that it wasn't.

In general, it's the kind of relationship where "I acknowledge this relationship, but it's best if we don't bother each other."

As for Chen Fan, he didn't intentionally distance himself, but they just couldn't get close to each other, so this result was only natural.

Zhou Yali turned to look at Chen Fan, then glanced at her parents, blinked, and changed the subject, asking with a smile, "Little brother, I heard you've signed a contract with the publisher of Xiaoben and it's going to be published soon, is that true?"

Chen Fan turned to look at her, smiled, and said, "You knew that? It's true, but it's just luck."

He then explained the whole story and laughed, "So they were just returning a favor; they didn't really like my work."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Zhengdong said from behind, "Sometimes luck is also a part of strength. If your work wasn't good enough, I don't believe that little bookstore would have bought all of your works."

After he finished speaking, he saw that Chen Fan just smiled and didn't say anything. Just then, his daughter turned her head and gave her a wink.

Zhou Yali winked at her father to indicate that she understood, then coughed and said with a smile, "Little brother, our family also has a publishing business."

Chen Fan turned to look at her, somewhat surprised. "Really?"

Didn't you say yesterday that you were mainly doing real estate and trade? How come you're suddenly getting into publishing now?

Tailor-made?

Zhou Yali immediately said, "Don't disbelieve me. You'll know when you come back to the United States with us. Our Zhou family's publishing house has a history of nearly 50 years. At first, it was dedicated to serving the Chinese community and didn't make any money at all. But as the number of overseas Chinese increased, it gradually started to make a small profit. Later, it began to take on English book publishing business. Now, even in the whole of New York, it can be considered a publishing house of considerable size."

Hearing her say that, Chen Fan finally put his doubts to rest.

Because there were indeed quite a few Chinese businessmen like that back then; almost every city had a few people who were willing to lose money to develop the Chinese media industry.

For example, as early as 1972, the first Chinese-language television station appeared in New York, named "Chinese-language Television". Although it ceased operations in 1987, it left a significant mark on the nation that year.

There are even companies that run television stations at a loss, so if the Zhou family is really that rich, it's not surprising that they would set up a Chinese-language publishing house.

At this point, Zhou Yali continued, "Brother, why don't you give us your work and we'll publish it in the United States!" She clasped her hands together, her face full of anticipation, "Maybe it will even become a bestseller in the United States and sell to Europe. Then I can tell my friends that my cousin is a bestselling author, and they'll be so envious!"

Hearing this, Chen Fan laughed out loud, "You wish! Don't even think about it next time."

Zhou Yali immediately turned her head, glaring angrily, and said, "What? Even a small pamphlet can publish your book, but not our own family?"

She truly didn't expect her cousin to reject such a good suggestion.

Chen Fan shook his head and said with a smile, "No, I mean, my works can't be sold at all in the United States. They only have a little market in Benjamin."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yali was stunned.

Zhou Zhengdong and Zhao Wanru, who had been listening intently in the back, exchanged a glance and then looked at Chen Fan, asking, "Why?"

Are there no smaller notebooks that overseas Chinese would find more appealing than his books?
Chen Fan glanced at the rearview mirror and explained with a smile, "The book market for small notebooks is currently dominated by anti-war thinking, but it is also inclusive and open to different kinds of books."

my country and Japan have maintained diplomatic relations for many years, and there have been many exchanges between the two countries. Even if it's just out of curiosity, some people will buy my works, especially those that reflect the times, which should sell well.

That's why I agreed to Hideo Takahashi's request and signed him to a high-priced contract.

Even if it's just to repay a favor, I wouldn't sign a contract if it meant he would suffer huge losses, even for a small book. That would damage my own reputation. Only when the publishing house makes money, or at least doesn't lose money, can a writer establish themselves in the publishing market. I understand that principle.

Zhou Zhengdong listened and couldn't help but nod slightly, mentally adding another point to his nephew's score.

No more can be added, or it will be a perfect score.

He has a long-term vision, is not short-sighted, and knows how to analyze the market; he is not the kind of writer who only creates behind closed doors.

just fine.

Then, in a flash, he asked, "What about America? Why isn't it suitable for your work?"

Chen Fan shrugged, looking straight ahead, and said softly, "Of course it's because of propaganda. For a long time, many overseas Chinese-language media outlets, under the direction of certain individuals, have portrayed the mainland as a monstrous flood, subconsciously leading to a rejection of mainland works."

Furthermore, the overseas cultural market is dominated by works from Hong Kong and Taiwan, especially martial arts and romance novels. While there's not a complete lack of interest in domestic realistic works, there's certainly a disdain for them.

"Pfft."

Chen Fan turned his head and saw that it was Zhou Yali smiling.

What's so funny about this?

Zhou Yali grinned, "Isn't scoffing just a sign of disinterest?"

Chen Fan, “…Hehe.”

The ancients didn't understand the jokes of later generations.

Zhou Yali then said, "Not necessarily. I've read your book 'The Ferryman' and I thought it was very good."

Chen Fan smiled and said, "That's because you have preconceived notions. If it were someone else's work, would you still be interested in watching it?"

Zhou Yali rolled her eyes slightly, chuckled awkwardly, and said, "It was indeed a bit boring at first."

He then raised his right hand and said very seriously, "But it gets better and better as you go on, just like watching 'Gone with the Wind'."

Chen Fan smiled and shook his head. "You said it yourself, it was a bit boring at first, and you had to persevere. That's just preconceived notions. Conversely, most people believe that mainland cultural works are too dogmatic, like a teacher instructing you on how to do things, so they don't like them from the bottom of their hearts."

In fact, all my works include this paragraph at the end.

He shrugged. “We call it ‘sublimation,’ but in their eyes it’s too ‘preachy,’ so even if someone buys it to read, there certainly won’t be many, and it won’t sell for very long.”

He turned to look at Zhou Yali and made a small joke, "Maybe the number you actually sold is less than the number you gave away."

Zhou Yali grinned and said, "How can you talk about yourself like that?"

Chen Fan smiled and sighed, "That's just how it is."

That said, overseas Chinese, including foreigners, have somewhat divided impressions of China.

Mr. Li's works are bestsellers worldwide, and are even regarded as "bibles" by some people, remaining popular for a long time.

However, he finds it difficult to accept other domestic cultural works, and only a very few "red classics" are sought after. Otherwise, he rejects them all.

The same applies to movies, novels, and even music.

In the early 80s, a record company in Guangzhou recorded an album containing songs that were widely sung in China. It was sent to Hong Kong for release, but no one paid any attention to it. It was even criticized as "outdated" and said that it was better to listen to Cantonese opera.

That's just how reality is, so Chen Fan never even considered taking advantage of his uncle by sending his work to be published in the United States.

That would be utterly self-humiliating.

Of course, it's not that we can't use this resource, it's just that we need to use other works instead.

After a brief silence, Zhou Zhengdong looked up and asked, "Judging from your words, you seem to know quite a bit about the American book market?"

Chen Fan laughed and said, "It's alright. Actually, there have always been special departments in China that pay attention to the overseas cultural market. Many of the best-selling works in the United States have been bought back for reference. I have read many of these books, so I know a little about them."

Zhou Zhengdong immediately asked, "Then what kind of books do you think are most popular in the United States?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "There are never any unchanging genres. Whether a book can become a bestseller depends on the social context at the time."

For example, as far as I know, the United States experienced stagflation throughout the 70s. People's incomes decreased, and they had less money to consume. According to the theoretical laws of economists, prices in the market should have decreased accordingly at this time. At least based on the historical experience of Americans, this has generally been the case.

On the contrary, prices have not only failed to decrease, but have continued to soar.

Before this, newborn Americans were told by their parents that as long as they were hardworking, loyal, and law-abiding, they could live the life they wanted, and that the 'American Dream' would carry everyone's dreams.

But reality slapped them in the face.

Therefore, in this context, works that express confusion, reflection, questioning, or even catharsis and destruction will be very popular.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yali immediately blurted out, "The Godfather?!"

Chen Fan turned to look at her. "What godfather?"

Of course, he knew that the novel was published in 69 and became a hit across the United States. It was then adapted into a movie in 72.

Yes, the one who was holding a cat and said, "You won't even call me Godfather."

But now he can only pretend he doesn't know.

Because this book was not on the list of foreign language materials to be purchased, this book describing "the Mafia," "vendettas," and "the suffering of the people" is completely "dross" and must be discarded like trash, and spat on three times.

In Chen Fan's opinion, this book should have been imported so that the general public could see how the American people live in dire straits. This would prevent some people from always thinking that foreign countries are paradise and constantly dreaming of going abroad to become fourth-class citizens.

Seeing that he didn't know, Zhou Yali explained simply, "It's a movie about revenge, which is very popular in the United States. The plot is similar to the destruction you mentioned."

Chen Fan said "Oh" and then stopped talking, continuing to drive his car.

By this time, the car had already left the provincial capital and was driving on the national highway. The cars following behind had to honk their horns to remind Chen Fan not to drive too fast, as they couldn't keep up.

(End of this chapter)