1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 361 The Philosophy of “Three”
Nie Hualing took a deep breath, then looked at Jiang Xian with an extremely complicated look.

If the story of Fu Sanming's survival after the first disaster is a hymn to life.

The second story is about uncovering the truth.

No hymns at all?
It's like the song of the Siren, which sounds like heavenly music but can lead ships to hit reefs and cause death.

Because this second story without animals is too cruel. In this story, humanity has disappeared, leaving only naked animal nature roaring unscrupulously on the vast sea.

The shock in Nie Hualing's heart took a long time to calm down, and the fear that penetrated her bones made her hands and feet cold.

But at the same time, she had to praise the novel and Jiang Xian's conception.

If there was only the first story, this novel would be a touching story full of philosophy and very eye-catching.

But with the addition of the second story, the novel becomes a story that pushes literary imagination to the forefront.

Nie Hualing can say responsibly that this is definitely the most peculiar novel she has read in recent years.

"Jiang Xian, the novel ends here, right?" Nie Hualing asked tentatively.

"In fact."

Jiang Xian smiled and looked into her eyes and said, "Not yet. There is still a plot that I think is quite important that has not been completed."

"besides?"

Nie Hualing was surprised.

In her opinion, just the two stories so far are enough to create a sensation in the American literary world and among readers.

But this is not the end yet?
“Important plot.”

If it is true as Jiang Xian said, there is an important plot to be added.

Nie Hualing couldn't imagine how deep the levels and implications of this novel would be by then.
She suddenly thought of the name Fu Sanming.

Sanming?

Why three?

In traditional Chinese culture, the number "three" has a very profound meaning.

Laozi said: One gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things.

In Taoist thought, "three" is the starting point of the creation of all things and the basis of the diversity of all things in the universe.

In Buddhist thought, "three" is also a number that is "particularly loved".

In the most basic belief system of Buddhism, "three" symbolizes the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

In addition, there are three treasures, three realms, three retributions, and three worlds. They are widely used. Sometimes they are real numbers, but more often they represent infinity.

There is another explanation in "Shuowen Jiezi": "Three" refers to the heaven and the earth and the people between them. Only with the existence of people did the world begin to evolve in the true sense, so "three" represents the beginning of endless changes and developments.

Nie Hualing didn't pay much attention to this name at first, but now she felt that the name Jiang Xian had a deep meaning.

If, as Jiang Xian said, there is an important plot to be added, then this novel will be constructed on at least three levels.

By then, these three levels of stories will surely trigger endless discussions and interpretations.

This novel is not only profound in terms of levels, but its structure is also consistent with the novel's philosophical ideas.

And all of this can be somehow connected to the name of Fu Sanming.

Nie Hualing just felt that all these concepts and designs were ingenious and wonderful beyond words.

"You wrote this novel as a work of art." She looked at Jiang Xian with admiration.

Before this, Jiang Xian told her frankly that he wrote this novel to earn royalties and dollars.

But from the lines of this novel, Nie Hualing could not see any trace of restlessness.

He blends tall tales, fables and moral stories in a fluent and ingenious way.

“When can you finish writing the rest of the content?”

"It shouldn't take long." Jiang Xian said, "Teacher Nie, you know I want to get the manuscript fee as soon as possible, so please help me find a translator as soon as possible during this period of time."

"Do we need to find someone else?"

Nie Hualing patted his chest and said, "Jiang Xian, let me translate this novel."

"Hey, you're here?"

"Why, you don't think highly of my translation skills?"

"No way."

Jiang Xian waved his hand and said with a smile: "You are responsible for so many things. I am afraid that if I add this much work to you, your body will not be able to handle it."

"Not really." Nie Hualing said, "If you trust me, just give me the novel. I don't want your money."

"Oh, how embarrassing."

The two talked for a while, and finally could not resist Nie Hualing's enthusiasm, so they decided to give the translation of "The Drifter" to Nie Hualing.

It was getting late, so Nie Hualing stood up to say goodbye, and Jiang Xian saw her off to the elevator.

Before parting, Nie Hualing suddenly remembered.

"Hey? Jiang Xian, I forgot to ask you. You said before that your novel was inspired by a certain story."

"The Mignonette."

"Yes, yes, it's the Mignonette. What's the case?"

"It was a legal event in the Victorian era in the UK. The Mignonette encountered a shipwreck on its way from Southampton to Sydney. Four crew members boarded the lifeboat. Later, in order to survive, three of the crew members killed and ate another crew member, which caused a huge ethical controversy at the time.

The British government believed that two of them should be prosecuted for murder, and then all three were sentenced to death by the court. However, based on public opinion and humanitarian stance at the time, the Queen pardoned the three and changed the death penalty to six months' imprisonment.

"This is so unfair!"

Nie Hualing was a little angry. "In order to save one's own life, one can legally deprive others of their lives. Where is the humanity? Without humanity, what is the difference between humans and animals?"

Jiang Xian nodded and said with a smile, "So I wrote a sentence in my novel: What is scarier than animals is humans, and what is scarier than humans is 'animals in the eyes of humans'."

Nie Hualing immediately recalled that this was a concept proposed by Jiang Xian in The Drifter:

"Animals in the Eyes of Humans"

Fu Sanming said to the keeper of Guangshan Temple: Tigers also have souls. I can tell by looking into his eyes.

The keeper said: No, tigers don't have souls. When you look into their eyes, you actually see nothing but your own reflection. Because you are a human, you observe animals from a human perspective. You see human-like features in animals, but animals are still only animals, not humans. Loving animals is actually loving humans, and trusting animals is actually trusting humans.

"Richard Parker is the beast of Fu Sanming, right?" Nie Hualing said.

"You can interpret it however you want."

Jiang Xian chuckled and said, "Most of the time, I regard the author as someone who brings a story, not someone who sets questions. Interpreting a story is not like doing a question. There is no standard answer. How the reader wants to interpret it is up to the reader."

Nie Hualing nodded appreciatively.

"Then let me tell you what I think. I remember that you kept emphasizing in your novel that the lifeboat was half covered with a piece of canvas, and Richard Parker was under the canvas. That was the beast buried deep in people's hearts. It's great that you can't tell when it will come out from under the canvas. Jiang Xian, this novel you wrote shocked me."

"You flatter me."

Jiang Xian modestly said, "Teacher Nie, I will go back first."

"Goodbye."

Nie Hualing said goodbye to Jiang Xian, but the story of "The Drifter" continued to come to his mind.

Is the first story good?

I have to say that Nie Hualing’s book is pretty good, definitely a first-rate story of survival at sea.

Is the second story interesting?
Not really, it's just a dry, not very exciting story.

But the two stories come together.

Survival in the sea is suddenly not so easy!

It transitions to the human heart, testing the boundaries that the human heart can reach.

After reading the second story written by Jiang Xian, Nie Hualing felt cheated, as if the long journey she had witnessed before was all fake.

But now thinking back, it seems that Jiang Xian did not lie to her.

It's up to her which story she believes.

The next day, Lu Jiaxing and Tan Jia, a couple, invited several Chinese writers to their home.

Jiang Xian brought his entire family over there.

"What a beautiful house." Rao Yuemei liked it as soon as she entered.

“We’ve remodeled it.”

Zhu Lin asked Tan Jia, "You are renovating to settle down in the United States, right?"

Tan Jia glanced at Jiang Xian and said with a smile, "On the contrary, it's to sell it."

"Is it."

Everyone was having lunch. Tan Jia and Lu Jiaxing's two children were also there, and everyone was teasing them.

Since they are all Chinese writers, they all spoke Mandarin. Unexpectedly, the two children could also converse fluently in Mandarin.

After finding a chance, Lu Jiaxing ran over to ask Jiang Xian what he thought.

“I’m ready to buy it.”

"Great!"

Lu Jiaxing was so happy that he wanted to kiss him, "Jiang, you have to believe that this is definitely a great house."

"Do you really want to go back?" Jiang Xian asked with a smile.

"Of course!"

Lu Jiaxing told Jiang Xian that he and Tan Jia had been in the United States for more than ten years, but there was no sense of home here, so he decided to go back.

"I can see that your two children speak Chinese very well, very standardly and fluently."

"I order them to speak Mandarin at home. If they speak English to me, I will not answer them, otherwise they will forget Chinese," said Lu Jiaxing.

"You really have made all the preparations for returning home."

"In short, you helped me solve a big problem, Jiang." Lu Jiaxing said with a smile.

He did not try to hide anything and told Jiang Xian very straightforwardly that the house was bought for 40,000 US dollars, but later a swimming pool was built, and people told him that the house would definitely not be able to be sold.

Because those who can afford a swimming pool don't like this house, and those who like this house can't afford a swimming pool.

“So Tan and I decided to rebuild it.”

"Aren't you afraid that I won't want your house after hearing this?" Jiang Xian joked.

"how come?"

Lu Jiaxing smiled and said, "These are all marked in the assessment documents. The United States is very transparent in this regard."

Wang Anyi ran over at this time, "Lv Jiaxing, can we go swimming in your swimming pool?"

"You can ask Jiang."

Lu Jiaxing said, "After all, he is the future male owner of the house."

"???"

Wang Anyi had a confused look on her face, looking back and forth between Jiang Xian and Lu Jiaxing with a very strange look in her eyes.

What's going on?
Man of the house?
you two?

"Jiang wants to buy this house from me." As Wang Anyi became more and more confused, Lu Jiaxing announced solemnly.

"I see."

Wang Anyi let out a long sigh.

She thought the two of them had some strange relationship.

But within a few seconds, her face immediately became full of surprise.

"What did you say?"

"Buy the house?"

"How much does this house cost?"

Lu Jiaxing said, "One hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

"One hundred and fifty thousand? US dollars!"

Wang Anyi looked at Jiang Xian and Lu Jiaxing in shock.

She knew Jiang Xian was rich.

But she didn't expect Jiang Xian to be so rich.

"Brother Jiaxing, since it's still your house, it's up to you to decide." Jiang Xian said helplessly.

"Of course you can swim, otherwise the swimming pool will be wasted." Lu Jiaxing said with a smile, "Jiang, do you want to swim? I have new swimsuits and swimming trunks here, which Tan Jia prepared specially for guests."

"Okay."

Jiang Xian agreed, then changed into swimming trunks with Lu Jiaxing and Chen Yingzhen and went swimming.

Wang Anyi stood beside the swimming pool, staring blankly, still immersed in the shock of what had just happened.

"Wang, do you want to swim? We have a new swimsuit for you." asked Tan Jia.

Wang Anyi was about to agree, but then she remembered something, "Could it be an American bikini?"

"You are so feudal." Pan Yaoming, a student studying in Hong Kong, said with a smile.

"What's feudal or not? I won't wear this."

Tan Jia said: "Don't worry, it's not an American-style swimsuit. I never wear that."

Wang Anyi then agreed, ran into the room to change into a one-piece swimsuit, put it on quickly, grabbed a towel, and dived into the swimming pool.

After swimming back and forth a few times, Wang Anyi floated to the surface. The water was very blue, and there was a fence around the edge of the pool. Outside the fence were green vegetable gardens, trees, and houses. Behind the house, half of the setting sun was resting, and gradually, only a golden and red sunset glow was left.

“What a nice house!”

Wang Anyi looked around with envy.

On the way back to the "Mayflower" apartment, Rao Yuemei suddenly discussed something with Jiang Xian.

"Jiang Xian, I talked to your mother-in-law yesterday. We can't sit idle every day. We plan to take turns to clean the guest rooms for others. I asked, and we can earn 4.20 US dollars per hour."

Jiang Xian didn't know whether to laugh or cry after hearing this: "Mom, don't ask about this kind of thing. I didn't ask you to come to the United States to be exploited by capitalists. Just help me take care of Zhu Lin."

Zhu's mother said, "Oh, what's the exploitation here? It's just sweeping the floor and folding the quilt. If I make a little more money, I can buy more food and drink for Zhu Lin and the children."

"."

Knowing that the two elders still had such concerns, Jiang Xian had no choice but to announce his idea of ​​buying a house to the whole family.

Several people were immediately shocked.

"How much will that cost?" Rao Yuemei was shocked.

"Jiang Xian, let's just live in the United States for a while. Buying a house? There's no need for that."

"Mom, I have thought about this. Once we buy this house, won't we be able to live more comfortably during this period?
Besides, the property rights of this house will be mine in the future. The property rights of houses in the United States are permanent. If there is a chance to come to the United States again, we can live here directly. "

I would like to add here that permanent property rights in the United States are not as good as they sound.

If you want to maintain property rights, you have to pay a little property tax every year, which is about one percent of the house price.

"How much does the house cost?"

"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

"One hundred and fifty thousand! Where can you get so much money?"

"Don't worry, I have my own way with the money."

(End of this chapter)